Chapter 51: Turn your back first

A chill suddenly rose in Liu Qiu’s heart.

She released her hand, leaving the blood at the corner of her lips unwiped, and slowly walked over to Liu Feng.

Liu Feng gently arranged the dishes from the food box onto the wooden table.

Liu Qiu pressed her lips together and sat down on the stool.

Looking at the light, simple dishes in front of her, she asked, “Aren’t you eating?”

Liu Feng smiled.

“I’ve already eaten. This is for Sister Qiu.”

“Eat quickly, or it’ll get cold.”

Liu Qiu lowered her head and picked up the chopsticks from the table, lifting a piece of greens into her bowl.

Just as she was about to eat, her vision blurred.

The rice and vegetables in her bowl suddenly turned into writhing, long snakes.

“Ah!”

Liu Qiu screamed and violently knocked the bowl over.

With trembling fingers, she pointed at the brown ceramic bowl that had rolled onto the floor, her voice shaking.

“S-Snakes!”

Liu Feng bent down to pick up the fallen bowl, placed it back on the table, and replaced it with a new one.

Her smiling eyes rested on Liu Qiu.

“Sister Qiu, did you see wrong? Where are there any snakes?”

Liu Qiu’s face was pale as she cautiously looked at the food on the table, then at the spilled rice on the floor.

She blinked.

It was clearly just ordinary food.

Could it be because her body was getting weaker and weaker that she was starting to hallucinate?

Liu Qiu clenched her fingers and steadied her breathing.

“I must have seen wrong,” she muttered.

Liu Feng smiled.

“Come, Sister Qiu, I’ll serve you another bowl.”

Standing close, Liu Qiu once again caught the faint fragrance coming from Liu Feng’s body.

It was light and soothing, refreshing to the senses.

Liu Qiu shifted her gaze to the freshly served bowl of porridge.

It was snow-white and steaming, completely normal.

Liu Feng pushed the bowl toward her.

“Sister Qiu, eat.”

Liu Qiu’s lashes trembled.

She lifted her eyes to look at Liu Feng’s beautiful face, which carried a gentle smile, and stiffly nodded.

But the moment her gaze fell once more upon the bowl of white porridge before her—

She let out another shriek and abruptly stood up.

The force was so strong that the chair behind her toppled over with a crash.

The chair hit the ground with a loud bang.

Tears sprang from Liu Qiu’s eyes as she hurriedly retreated toward the bed.

“I’m not eating!”

Her voice shook uncontrollably.

But suddenly, her wrist tightened.

Warm fingers wrapped around it.

Liu Feng had grabbed her wrist.

“Sister Qiu, what did you see this time?”

Liu Qiu’s head throbbed, tears blurring her vision.

“Snakes… there are snakes.”

Liu Feng’s movements were gentle as she guided Liu Qiu to turn and face her.

Her gaze fell upon the blood at the corner of Liu Qiu’s lips.

Her lips parted slightly, her tone soft.

“Sister Qiu, there is only porridge in the bowl.”

Liu Qiu pressed her lips tightly together and looked again.

This time, she saw a black snake crawling out of the bowl, slithering toward her.

Its tongue flicked as it fixed her with a sinister stare, as if ready to swallow her whole at any moment.

Liu Qiu threw herself into Liu Feng’s arms, thin sobs escaping her.

“There really is a snake!”

[Oh my God, System, I’ve been hit with an illusion spell.]

She couldn’t help but complain in her mind.

The system responded in confusion.

[Host, what’s wrong?]

The system detected nothing unusual.

Liu Qiu fell silent.

Had her vision really deteriorated that badly?

She wasn’t afraid of snakes.

But for snakes to suddenly grow out of a bowl of food—

That was truly bizarre.

She hadn’t seen anything like this while eating yesterday.

Did it start after she coughed up blood?

Liu Qiu’s body trembled slightly, and the tremor passed through where their bodies touched.

Liu Feng raised her hand and pressed gently on Liu Qiu’s shoulder.

“Sister Qiu, why are you crying?”

The faint scent of medicine drifted into her nose, and the curve of Liu Feng’s lips did not change.

“If you don’t eat, how am I supposed to explain it to Mother?”

Liu Qiu clutched Liu Feng’s collar and lifted her head.

Her pale cheeks were streaked with tears.

“I told you, there’s a snake. I won’t eat.”

Liu Feng examined her carefully, then took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away her tears.

“Sister Qiu, go eat. I’ll feed you.”

As she spoke, she slowly pushed Liu Qiu away, picked up the bowl from the table, and stepped closer.

Seeing the distorted black snake again, Liu Qiu’s breathing stopped and her mind went blank.

She raised her hand and knocked the bowl from Liu Feng’s grasp.

Crash.

This time, the porridge and bowl shattered together on the floor.

A flush of red spread across the back of Liu Feng’s fair hand.

Liu Qiu stared at it, dazed, her words tumbling over one another.

“I—I didn’t mean—”

Liu Feng smiled and comforted her.

“It’s fine. If Sister Qiu truly doesn’t want to eat, then forget it.”

She crouched down and began picking up the broken shards with her bare hands.

“Ah—”

A sharp intake of breath slipped from her lips.

Liu Qiu’s hands twisted tightly together as she stood frozen in place.

Blood seeped out.

She should go help Liu Feng, but her entire body felt cold and her head throbbed painfully.

Liu Feng gathered the broken pieces and placed them on the table.

The shards were sharp, stained with her blood.

She lifted her eyes to look at Liu Qiu, her gaze still filled with a smile.

“Sister Qiu, you’re just like before.”

“You’re best at standing by and watching coldly.”

Liu Qiu stared at her, speaking haltingly.

“W-What are you talking about?”

Liu Feng wiped the blood from her fingertip.

“This way, I won’t feel guilty.”

As her words fell, she slowly stepped toward Liu Qiu.

Liu Qiu retreated.

Step by step, until she reached the bed.

She could retreat no further and sat down heavily, her hands braced on the edge of the bed, trembling uncontrollably.

Moonlight and candlelight fell together upon Liu Feng’s figure.

Her skin was cold and pale.

Her frame slender and thin.

The candle flame flickered, and the dim light in the room warped strangely, making even Liu Feng’s body appear distorted.

Liu Feng let out a low laugh.

“Sister Qiu, what should I do with you?”

Liu Qiu’s heart pounded violently.

Was Liu Feng planning to kill her now?

There was no killing intent about her at all.

Yet Liu Qiu had an inexplicable feeling—if Liu Feng wished it, she could die this very instant.

Liu Qiu hurriedly sifted through the original owner’s memories.

From childhood to adulthood, how had the original treated Liu Feng?

Stealing her food.

Secretly beating and scolding her.

Snatching the books Liu Feng had painstakingly found.

Breaking things and framing her for it.

Liu Qiu parted her lips, her voice trembling.

“L-Liu Feng… I’m sorry for how I treated you before.”

“But I don’t have many days left to live. Can you let me go?”

Even though she was shaking in fear, she still didn’t forget to plead for her life.

Liu Feng’s pitch-black eyes could not reflect Liu Qiu’s current appearance.

Weak.

Fragile.

Like a quail.

Liu Feng stepped closer and slowly raised her hand.

Liu Qiu squeezed her eyes shut, her lashes trembling fiercely like black butterflies about to take flight.

Liu Feng’s gaze slid from her eyelashes to her lips, then down to her slender body.

Her white inner robe hung loosely upon her frame, trembling along with her.

As if she might collapse at any moment—

Yet carrying a strange allure.

“Please… let me go.”

The small, hoarse voice slipped from Liu Qiu’s lips.

When those pale lips parted, her small white teeth could be glimpsed within.

Liu Feng’s finger landed on her lips, wiping away the blood at the corner of her mouth.

Her finger moved lightly, then drifted down to her slender neck.

Liu Qiu’s body tensed completely, her face turning even paler.

Given how the original had treated Liu Feng, it was only natural if Liu Feng harbored hatred after achieving success.

Liu Qiu raised her voice, though it carried a forced bravado.

“D-Don’t bully me! Mother will be angry!”

She had nothing else to say, but she still hoped Liu Feng wouldn’t kill her now.

At the very least, wait until she married a wife.

A clear voice filled with laughter entered her ears.

“Sister Qiu, what are you talking about?”

“When I said what should I do with you, I meant whether I should take you to bathe first, or serve you another bowl of food.”

Liu Feng spoke unhurriedly, like a stream flowing through the mountains, soothing and calm.

“Sister Qiu, your pulse is beating a little too fast. You must take care.”

Her words reached Liu Qiu one by one.

Liu Qiu’s lips moved slightly as she slowly opened her eyes.

Liu Feng’s beautiful face was right before her.

Her skin cold and pale, her features delicate, her eyes and lips curved in a gentle smile.

“If Sister Qiu truly doesn’t wish to eat, then let’s bathe first.”

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, followed by Liu Huang’s voice.

“The hot water’s ready.”

Liu Feng rose and went to the door, opening it.

Two pairs of similarly narrow eyes met briefly.

Liu Feng stepped aside to let Liu Huang enter, her tone gentle.

“Little Sister, take Sister Qiu to wash first. I’ll reheat the food for her later.”

Liu Huang frowned, her gaze sweeping over the mess in the room before she smiled faintly.

She strode to Liu Qiu’s side.

“Sister Qiu is quite proud. Why waste food like this?”

Liu Qiu turned her head away, avoiding Liu Huang’s gaze, remaining silent.

Liu Huang didn’t bother with more words.

She simply bent down and hoisted Liu Qiu over her shoulder.

“If you won’t eat, then go bathe.”

Liu Qiu’s face turned pale as her fingers weakly clutched Liu Huang’s shoulder.

“I can walk myself.”

Liu Huang snorted.

“By the time Sister Qiu walks there, the water will be cold.”

Liu Feng followed behind them, watching the two with a smile but saying nothing.

The atmosphere seemed oddly harmonious.

After the three figures disappeared, a fluffy fox leapt in through the window.

Su Li landed on all fours, shaking her head vigorously.

Damn it.

That newly arrived woman carried something infused with Buddhist aura.

In her current state, she couldn’t get close at all and could only flee far away.

Jumping onto the bed, Su Li lay down and burrowed into the blankets.

Tonight she would drink a bit more essence blood—at least enough to barely recover her human form.

The original owner had a large wooden tub specially made for medicinal baths, crafted by Liu Tieniu.

At this moment, it was already filled with dark, steaming medicinal water.

Liu Qiu was brought there.

Liu Feng did not follow—only Liu Huang carried her over.

Liu Huang set her down and pointed at the tub.

“Sister Qiu, take off your inner clothes and get in.”

A faint blush rose to Liu Qiu’s cheeks.

“Th-Then hurry and leave.”

Liu Huang shrugged.

“I’d like to, but Mother told me to watch you bathe.”

“Sister Qiu, what are you being shy about? We’re both women. Besides, with that scrawny body of yours, what is there to see?”

Her expression was frank, her tone straightforward.

Hearing this, Liu Qiu took a deep breath.

“Th-Then at least turn around first.”

Being watched while undressing was still mortifying.

But with her current condition, it was probably better to have someone nearby.

Who knew if she might faint halfway through the bath?

Liu Huang’s lips curved upward as her gaze swept over Liu Qiu’s flushed cheeks.

Then she turned around, her back facing her.

“Acting like some noble young lady.”