The Return of the Seventh Young Lady-Chapter 136 - 135

Chapter 135

After Bai Lijun lost consciousness, it wasn’t until the early morning of the next day that someone discovered the three of them. Bai Lijun remained at the temple to recuperate for another three days until her injuries improved. Then, she and her daughters continued their journey.

This leg of the journey was even more arduous than before. They had no money, not even the smallest valuable item, which forced the three of them to endure hardships like never before.

If they wanted food to get by, they had to queue up with beggars and the destitute to receive donated food. For shelter at night, they had to sleep among the homeless in abandoned places.

The three of them were now in a state of destitution that was unimaginable, even Bai Lijun herself had never expected to have these very days...

While Bai Lijun and her daughters struggled to survive, they finally reached the family temple, their original destination.

Bai Lijun had hoped that after overcoming so many obstacles to reach the temple, the three of them would live a more comfortable life. However, reality proved otherwise!

The temple was a nunnery located on a mountain, surrounded by forests and tranquility, far from civilization and people. The nuns lived simply, mostly subsisting on vegetarian food because the ingredients could be gathered from the nearby forests.

The lifestyle was extremely simple and quiet.

However, this simplicity was far from comfortable for Bai Lijun. She thought that after enduring the hardships of the journey, they would find comfort at the nunnery, but it turned out to be contradicted to her expectation.

Although they were treated well as guests from the Mu family, provided with shelter, clothing, and three meals a day, Bai Lijun was not satisfied.

The shelter was merely a small wooden room, similar to what ordinary villagers had, not grand or well-equipped like their previous residence.

The three meals a day consisted only of vegetables, with no meat at all. The clothes they were given were made from ordinary coarse fabric, which caused skin irritation when they wore, as they were used to wearing soft silk garments.

When reality differed from her expectations, Bai Lijun’s dissatisfaction turned into anger and hatred. No matter how kindly the nuns at the temple treated her and her daughters, she never saw it as goodwill.

To her, their sympathy and pity were no different from scorn and mockery for her fallen state!

Bai Lijun lived in the nunnery with her two daughters, feeling hopeless and furious. Mu Luofei remained as despondent as ever, while Mu Qin Shuang fluctuated between sanity and madness. Whenever something upset her, she would go into a frenzied state like a madwoman.

As the three of them continued to live in this stifling atmosphere for some time, one night, while Bai Lijun was preparing for bed, a mysterious man suddenly appeared by the window in her room, waiting for her. His face was ordinary and unremarkable, blending in with the common villagers, making it difficult to remember any distinct features. Only his cold, menacing eyes stood out.

Bai Lijun’s eyes widened in shock, and she instinctively prepared to scream for help. However, the mysterious man swiftly approached and covered her mouth with his hand, preventing any sound from escaping.

"There’s no need to make this complicated. I merely have a proposal for you..."

The mysterious man with cold face, seemingly of middle-aged, whispered in a raspy voice into her ear.

Upon hearing his words, Bai Lijun quickly nodded in agreement, her eyes still filled with fear. But the only reason she complied was because she was terrified he might harm her.

The previous lesson of being robbed at the suburban temple had taught her that struggling when at a disadvantage only led to more pain and loss!

Seeing that Bai Lijun wasn’t going to cause trouble, the mysterious man released his grip. Once free, Bai Lijun quickly backed into another corner of the room, pressing herself against the wall to maintain as much distance as possible from him.

The large man, unfazed by her actions, turned and sat down on a small wooden chair. He got straight to the point.

"I have a proposal for you. I will help heal all the injuries and scars of your two daughters, and I will also ensure that you three return to the Mu family in the capital with honor." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

After the mysterious man finished speaking, Bai Lijun frowned deeply. This was something she had always longed for, but she had long given up hope knowing the harsh reality.

Now, with a stranger suddenly offering this, she couldn’t help but feel he was trying to lure her with an impossible promise.

"Do...Don’t try to deceive me! If it were that easy, I wouldn’t have suffered here for so long!"

Bai Lijun retorted, both brave and fearful. The mysterious man had expected such a reaction, so he continued. "...Precisely because it isn’t easy that you can’t do it yourself."

"But just because you can’t do it, doesn’t mean others can’t."

He glanced at her with his icy face. His cold eyes held a murderous aura akin to the nocturnal demon’s that caused Bai Lijun to tremble uncontrollably.

"Your name is Bai Lijun. You have two daughters: the eldest name Mu Luofei and the youngest name Mu Qin Shuang. You were once the Furen of the Mu family. But because the plan to kidnap the child of the former Furen failed, and the evidence was exposed, you were exiled to this nunnery."

"Both your daughters were unfortunately kidnapped instead. After enduring brutal experiences, they were sent to this nunnery under the pretext of healing, but in reality, your stepson only wanted to let the troublemakers like your daughters suffer here."

The more the mysterious man talked about the details of what had happened with the three of them, the paler Bai Lijun’s face became. This person not only knew about them, but also detailed family secrets only known to insiders!

The mysterious man continued, ignoring her reaction. His voice was calm, as if recounting an unimportant story. "From the pinnacle to the pit, from the grand matron of a noble house to a pitiful beggar on the street, your daughters, who should have had bright futures, are now a cripple and a despondent soul."

"...Are you truly content with your current situation?"

Bai Lijun clenched her lips tightly. His words were like a heavy hammer striking the old wounds in her heart, crushing her dignity and emphasizing the harsh reality she had always refused to accept.

She had tried to forget the shame of living like a beggar, forcing herself not to cry every time she saw her daughters’ conditions, but she never succeeded...

Whether awake or asleep, the humiliation and the events that befell them haunted her constantly!

"Content?”

“Do you think I am content with this?"

Bai Lijun’s voice trembled, tears welling up in her eyes. Her anger and refusal to accept her fate were evident in her gaze.

"I have never been satisfied! Why must my daughters and I endure such suffering? Why do my enemies rise ever higher while we fall further? Not to mention satisfaction, I can’t even accept the reality of what has happened!"

The mysterious man watched her angry expression and unyielding gaze that came from the depth of her heart quietly. Once she had vented her emotions, he responded,

"If you despise your enemies and refuse to accept your fate, why not take my proposal? You have nothing left to lose..."

His words struck a chord with Bai Lijun, rendering her speechless momentarily. She truly had nothing left now.

"I still stand by my words: I will heal your daughters’ injuries and restore their health, giving them a new lease on life. I will also help you three return to the Mu family with dignity."

Bai Lijun hesitated for a long time before asking, filled with suspicion and fear, "What do you want in return?"

"Simple. All you need to do is follow my instructions," he replied calmly, as if it were a trivial matter.

However, Bai Lijun interpreted his words in various ways. If she agreed to do everything he commanded, wouldn’t that include sacrificing her life if he asked for it?

Seeing her apprehensive expression, the man added, "I don’t know what you’re still hesitating about. Remember, your life has hit rock bottom. It can’t get any worse."

His words were like a wake-up call. Bai Lijun had feared he might one day demand her life, but she realized she was already living a fate worse than death!

"Hahaha, I had forgotten that I’m already like the living dead," Bai Lijun laughed bitterly at herself before her expression turned cold.

"Fine, I accept your proposal! If you can heal my daughters and help us return to the pinnacle, I will do anything you ask!"

The mysterious man’s lips curled into a satisfied smile before returning to his usual demeanor.

"A wise choice." He stood up, then added, "Starting tomorrow, I will begin treating your daughters. Ensure that no one else comes near your quarters and act as if nothing is amiss."

"Understood. I will handle it," Bai Lijun agreed immediately.

Seeing that their conversation had gone as planned, the man prepared to leave through the window immediately. But before he left, he had a final remark.

"In case you didn’t know, your stepson has been keeping a close watch on you three ever since you were exiled from the Mu family. Even now, his people are secretly observing you from around the temple..."

The words of the mysterious man were like pouring oil onto the fire of hatred in Bai Lijun’s heart. She was stunned by this revelation, which quickly turned into a burning fury.

So...they had been under their enemy’s surveillance all along!

They were like chickens in a coop, at the mercy of their captor!

All her past humiliation had been witnessed by her enemies!

Bai Lijun thought of the many possibilities, unwittingly biting her lip until it bled, and clenching her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. Her eyes were filled with the deepest rage.

If her enemies wouldn’t relent even when she and her daughters had fallen so low, then she would drag them down to the depths with her own hands!

Meanwhile, after the mysterious man had carefully used his internal energy to exit the temple grounds, he stopped to ensure no one was following him before heading to the rendezvous point with his comrades.

Upon reaching the meeting point in the heart of the forest, far from the nunnery, a man in black appeared before him under the dark night sky.

"Report to our master that this pawn will surely be useful. Give me some time to prepare this piece, and then we will proceed according to plan."

"Are you sure someone discarded like her can be of use?" The man in black asked doubtfully.

"You doubt because you don’t understand what hatred can drive a person to do. People can be motivated by many things to achieve their goals, one of which is revenge," he replied unhurriedly. But the other man remained unconvinced.

"I know that hatred can drive people to do many things. However, this matter is of great importance to our master, and you also know that. If your plan fails because of this useless pawn you found, you won’t be able to bear the consequences," the man in black warned.

"I am well aware of that. But this is the best way to infiltrate the Mu family without drawing attention. Many factions are watching our master and us closely. Additionally, there are remnants of the Qin family’s faction still around. They are likely seeking the same thing we are. That’s why we must proceed cautiously and without anyone knowing."

"Fine. I will report to our master. If you need anything, send word," the man in black agreed.

"Be careful," he nodded as the man in black vanished without a trace, and he himself headed in another direction.

The next morning, Bai Lijun acted as usual, but what changed was she made a point to lash out at the nuns who approached her more frequently, causing many to shake their heads and choose to focus on their spiritual practices within the temple instead.

Seeing that her actions were effective, Bai Lijun immediately waited in her daughter’s room for the mysterious man to arrive. By mid-morning, he finally appeared.

He wasted no time and immediately began examining Mu Luofei’s injuries on the bed, using acupuncture and his specialized treatment methods. Bai Lijun watched closely from the side throughout the process.

After completing the treatment, he explained the situation to Bai Lijun. Mu Luofei’s leg injury was somewhat severe, and to heal it completely in a short period, strong medicine and consistent acupuncture would be required.

This treatment would cause significant pain and suffering during the process, but it would result in a full recovery within a few months.

Bai Lijun hesitated upon hearing this. On one hand, she wanted her daughter to recover fully, but on the other hand, she feared the pain her daughter would endure.

The mysterious man did not rush her for an answer. He had anticipated her eventual agreement, knowing she just needed a little more time to consider. He said he would return the next day for her decision.

Before leaving, the mysterious man left her with one final remark to remind her.

"Right now, your daughter is like a lifeless corpse, merely lying and waiting for death. I don’t think the pain from treatment will make any difference to her. And even if I heal her completely, without the will to live, she will be nothing more than a doll."

"I..."

Bai Lijun was at a loss for words. She understood his point well. These days, her eldest daughter had not spoken or shown any emotions, merely staring at the ceiling day after day.

Physical wounds might heal easily, but emotional scars were much harder to mend...

She desperately wanted her once lively and spirited daughter to return, not this lifeless shell. Yet, she was at a loss for a solution.

As Bai Lijun pondered this dilemma, the mysterious man’s voice broke through her thoughts again.

"The will to live can be driven by many things. One of the most effective is revenge. The more hatred one harbors, the stronger the desire to continue living..."

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