Chapter 8: The Xu Family in Qingshui Town (Part 8 – Bug Fixing)

Chapter 8: The Xu Family in Qingshui Town (Part 8 - Bug Fixing)

It was the fifth day after the washing ceremony when Xu Zeping's face and limbs began to turn yellow, accompanied by rapid breathing. Xu Linshi, having given birth to two children before, immediately recognized that the youngest had jaundice. She promptly instructed the young maid Cui Zhu to fetch a doctor and asked Cuiguo to inform her husband at the restaurant.

Speaking of Cui Zhu and Cuiguo, they were two little maids bought by Xu Zeli and Xu Songshan from the slave market. Both were young, with Cui Zhu being twelve years old and Cuiguo eleven.

The two were sisters whose parents had died, and they were sold into the slave market by their cruel uncles. Their backgrounds were still quite innocent.

Just as in his previous life, Xu Zeli did not oppose buying these two sisters as maids. They were loyal servants, though their fates were not too good.

Since Cui Zhu and Cuiguo were close friends with Xiao Rou, almost like sisters, their mother arranged for them to go to the Zhou family when Xiao Rou married.

Cui Zhu and Cuiguo were both pretty, though not as beautiful and dignified as Xiao Rou, but they had their own charm, which became the root of their tragic fate.

Xiao Rou was gentle on the outside but strong on the inside, a fact that Zhou Shunqing, that beast, understood well. Thus, he always acted secretly, finding various excuses whenever he visited brothels. At first, Xiao Rou never suspected him.

However, after she became pregnant and grew tired, she gradually lost the energy to deal with household matters, and Zhou Shunqing revealed his true nature.

Zhou Shunqing had long been eyeing Cui Zhu and Cuiguo. Since the sisters were always with Xu Zerou and he had to consider the power of the Xu family, he dared not make a move on them.

Now that Xu Zerou was pregnant and often napping, he planned to take advantage of her naps to have his way with the sisters, threatening them afterward. If they dared speak out, he would accuse them of offering themselves.

Zhou Shunqing's plan was well thought out, but he did not expect the sisters' fierce loyalty!

To protect her sister, Cui Zhu threatened to kill herself, using a silver hairpin to slit her throat.

Zhou Shunqing, a playboy used to the pleasures of brothels, had never seen such a bloody scene and was terrified, his legs trembling.

Cuiguo, filled with hatred, ran out of Zhou Shunqing's study toward Xu Zerou's bedroom.

Upon hearing this, Xu Zerou was so shocked that she went into premature labor. She immediately sent Cuiguo and Uncle Wu to the Xu family for help, asking them to come and settle the matter and bring them back home.

But this led to another tragedy. Uncle Wu and Cuiguo went to report the news, but the Zhou family, fearing retaliation from Xu Zerou's elder brother, sent people to intercept them.

Although the message reached the Xu family, during the struggle, Cuiguo's leg was broken by the Zhou family's servants, leaving her crippled.

By the time Xu Zeping arrived with reinforcements, Xu Zerou had miscarried and was near death, while Zhou Shunqing had fled.

Though Xu Zeping was a troublemaker, he still cared for his sister and destroyed most of the Zhou residence. But what could it do? His sister had already suffered.

After this incident, Xu Zerou was diagnosed with syphilis.

Later, although the Zhou family faced retaliation from Xu Zeli, the tragedy had already occurred, and Xu Zerou died in despair.

Feeling guilty for failing to protect her mistress, Cuiguo followed her to the grave.

It was because of their loyalty that Xu Zeli chose them again in this life.

And Xu Zeping was grateful to be alive.

With jaundice setting in, Xu Zeping felt his breathing become rapid and difficult. If not for his mother sending Cui Zhu to fetch the doctor who arrived just in time to save him through acupuncture, he might have died.

Even so, it only temporarily saved his life.

Five days of acupuncture and herbal medicine finally secured his survival.

Xu Zeli watched Doctor Qian leave with his medicine box, looking through the window at the youngest, now sleeping peacefully. He muttered, "Truly, a troublemaker lives a thousand years!"

Though Xu Zeping's life was saved, his jaundice had not completely disappeared; his face was still slightly yellow. Although the herbal medicine had stopped, he needed daily sun exposure.

Xu Linshi was still in confinement, Xu Songshan managed the teahouse, Cui Zhu looked after Xu Zerou, and Cuiguo helped Xu Tangshi with household chores. So, taking Xu Zeping out to sunbathe fell to Xu Zeli, who had nothing else to do.

Indeed, Xu Zeli had made a bet with Xu Songshan that if he failed to enter Master Guangming's tutelage within a month, he would return to Changhai Private School and behave, aiming to pass the child scholar exam by age twelve.

Because of this vow, Xu Songshan allowed him a month's leave from Master Ouyang.

Xu Zeli had studied the process of making stinky tofu before, but he needed an opportunity to meet Master Ouyang. So, he spent his time trying to make stinky tofu and looking for the right chance.

One day, passing by Huangliang Restaurant, he remembered that Master Ouyang loved their pear wine and visited every tenth day to buy some.

With this opportunity in mind, Xu Zeli relaxed and enjoyed his leisurely life at home.

When tasked by his mother to take the youngest out to sunbathe, Xu Zeli was secretly annoyed but had to comply under her steady gaze.

As the warm sun rose, Xu Zeli reluctantly carried the baby's cradle to the courtyard and then returned to take the sleeping baby from his mother's arms.

"Older brother, I'm leaving the youngest to you. It's getting sunny, so remember to protect yourself too," Xu Linshi said, wiping the sweat from Xu Zeli's forehead with a handkerchief.

In May, the temperature was already high, and Xu Zeli, only seven years old, was sweating from the effort.

Holding the baby, Xu Zeli bowed his head for his mother to reach his forehead, responding gruffly, "Got it!"

Watching Xu Zeli leave, Xu Linshi frowned, wondering if her eldest seemed strange lately. Before the youngest's birth, he had eagerly awaited a younger brother. Why was he unhappy now?

Xu Zeli lifted the blanket in the cradle and placed the sleeping Xu Zeping inside.

In his sleep, Xu Zeping felt a jolt, as if he had been tossed, but the familiar smell of urine comforted him, and he drifted back to sleep.

Looking at the sleeping baby, Xu Zeli felt furious, wishing he could pinch his cheeks to teach him a lesson. But knowing he couldn't be too obvious, he angrily threw a blanket over him.

As the blanket covered Xu Zeping, a wicked thought crossed his mind: why not let the youngest die in an apparent accident?

Blocking his nose with a cloth, letting him die silently in his sleep.

Numerous evil thoughts raced through Xu Zeli's mind.

In his sleep, Xu Zeping felt his breathing become difficult, instinctively trying to push the blanket away with his fists, but his strength was too weak.

Breathing accelerated, cheeks flushed, he suddenly opened his eyes, crying in pain.

— Waa!

The baby's anguished cries startled Xu Zeli, who was lost in madness. He quickly threw off the covers, and just then, he met Xu Zeping's wet eyes.