Chapter Fourteen: Hua Li Fights Desperately for Her Daughter

Liu Jingqiu knew well that if Hua Li really made that call, the consequences would be exactly as Hua Li said—whether she jumped or not, she would be punished.

Caught in a dilemma, Liu Jingqiu saw Hua Li clutching her child and heading straight for the guard post. She rushed over and knocked Hua Li down, then collapsed herself, slapping her thigh and crying.

“You’re so cruel. You want me to die in peace? How can your heart be so hard?”

Hua Li, caught off guard, was knocked aside, and the child in her arms, Luo Yan, slipped free and tumbled to the ground.

Though Luo Yan was wary of Liu Jingqiu’s mischief, she was too young to voice too many warnings without revealing herself, so she simply covered her head with her hands as Liu Jingqiu barreled into them.

Falling face-first, Luo Yan fortunately avoided hitting her head but struck her nose against a stone, and blood burst forth instantly.

Ignoring her own potential injuries, Hua Li scooped up Luo Yan, trembling with fear.

“Baby, tell Mommy where it hurts…”

As Hua Li held her, the blood dripping from Luo Yan’s nose stained the jade pendant hanging on her chest. A strange phenomenon followed, and Luo Yan glimpsed the spatial realm described in the books.

But the situation did not permit her to enter that space now. Wistfully blinking, she weakly pressed her fingers to her nose and ribs, crying out in pain.

Concerned neighbors gathered around, urging Hua Li, “The child is so frail, don’t let her suffer a fracture. Hurry to the hospital!”

Hua Li wanted to go, but she had no money.

She stood up and glared fiercely at Liu Jingqiu.

“Pay me back the money you owe me immediately, or I’ll call the leadership and Director Fang from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative right now to make them settle this properly.”

Luo Yan’s nose bled uncontrollably, and she clutched her ribs, crying in pain. Liu Jingqiu, fearing something worse might happen, took twenty yuan from her pocket.

“Here’s twenty for now. Keep track of this, and don’t deny it later. I’m keeping tabs too.”

Hua Li snatched the money with determination.

“Liu Jingqiu, you’d better pray my daughter is alright. Otherwise, don’t blame me for going all out against you.”

With that, Hua Li dashed towards the hospital cradling Luo Yan, no longer gasping after every few steps.

A kind neighbor accompanied the mother and daughter to the hospital, while others hurried to inform Luo Shicheng. Liu Jingqiu and her daughter were left ignored.

“Mom, what’s that?” An Xiaotong pointed to the blood-stained jade pendant on the ground, calling to Liu Jingqiu.

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Looking down, Liu Jingqiu saw the pendant’s cord had snapped. Glancing around to ensure no one was paying attention, she quickly bent to pick it up, ignoring the blood stains, and stuffed it into her pocket.

At first, Luo Yan didn’t feel much, but as the nosebleed worsened, her frail body could no longer bear the strain. Her vision darkened, and she fainted before reaching the hospital.

Hua Li pushed herself on sheer willpower, carrying Luo Yan into the hospital before collapsing herself. Fortunately, neighbors nearby helped lift both of them and rushed them to the emergency room.

When Luo Shicheng heard about Hua Li and her daughter’s accident, he was initially reluctant to get involved. But neighbors pulled him along to the hospital, and he had no choice but to follow.

Before Hua Li even opened her eyes upon waking, she heard Liu Jingqiu’s voice.

“I acted impulsively, but Sister Liu blames me for mishandling work relations and demands compensation for the mother and child’s losses. Hua Li wants half of my subsidy, too. I can tighten my belt and endure, but what about the child? I have no choice…”

Liu Jingqiu cried with genuine emotion, and Luo Shicheng felt a pang of sympathy.

“Don’t worry. Once Hua Li wakes up, I’ll try to reason with her.”

Suddenly, Hua Li’s eyes snapped open, glaring fiercely at the blind and deaf Luo Shicheng.

“Luo Shicheng, since when did you have the right to make decisions about my affairs?”

Frowning, Luo Shicheng asked, “Hua Li, what exactly do you want?”

Struggling, Hua Li sat up on the hospital bed.

“Luo Shicheng, since we married, I haven’t spent a single cent of yours. And you? You handed my job to someone else without a care for the well-being of me and my daughter…

Now Liu Jingqiu has hurt my child, and you neither defend us nor stand up for us, yet you want to give my money to this murderer. I ask you—on what grounds do you make decisions for me? By what authority?”

“Because I am your husband.”

Hua Li sneered.

“To marry a man is to wear his clothes and eat his food? Nonsense. You never supported me a single day. Where do you get the face to call yourself my husband?”

Liu Jingqiu delighted in their quarrel, fanning the flames.

“Comrade Hua Li, what you say is wrong. If you hadn’t married Shicheng, you wouldn’t be a military family member and wouldn’t have gotten the job at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative. Therefore, Shicheng has the right to decide your work.

Besides, marriage isn’t slavery. Just because Shicheng hasn’t given you money doesn’t mean you can reject him as your husband.

This is outdated feudal thinking—unacceptable and must be discarded. I advise you not to sink deeper into such harmful beliefs.”

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Liu Jingqiu’s heavy accusation silenced Hua Li momentarily.

Luo Yan was roused by the noise, drowsily listening, realizing her mother was about to lose again. She closed her eyes and whimpered.

“Mom, Grandpa, save Yan Yan... Yan Yan hurts…”

Although the nosebleed had stopped, Luo Yan’s injured nose began to swell grotesquely, compounded by the dried blood on her front. She looked pitiful, as if she could die at any moment.

Seeing Luo Yan’s condition, Hua Li struggled off the bed and threw herself over her daughter, tears streaming.

“Yan Yan, Mommy failed to protect you. Mommy was wrong.”

She shouldn’t have given Luo Shicheng another chance because of Sun Bailing’s intercession. She should have decisively divorced him.

“Luo Shicheng…”

With reddened eyes, Hua Li turned to him.

“Liu Jingqiu has harassed me repeatedly because of you. I could endure that, but when it comes to my child, I absolutely refuse. I want a divorce—now, immediately.

And Liu Jingqiu must repay all the money she owes me by ten tomorrow morning. If you dare to bully me, a lonely woman with no support, I’ll make you understand what it means to be barefoot and not fear those wearing shoes.”

In Hua Li’s eyes, Luo Shicheng saw boundless hatred and desperate resolve—a cornered beast fighting for survival.

This version of Hua Li alarmed Luo Shicheng and filled him with unease.

“Alright, don’t be upset. I will meet all your demands. You’re unwell; lie back down, okay?”

Hua Li shook her head.

“Luo Shicheng, unless you do what you say, I won’t believe a word.”

The one most eager for their divorce was Liu Jingqiu. Hearing this, she quickly protested and stirred trouble.

“You can eat carelessly, but you can’t say whatever you want. What do you mean I harassed you because of Shicheng? And five years’ wages amounting to thousands—I can’t pay that all at once. You’re trying to ruin me!”

Hua Li sneered in reply.

“Listen to that. I, your wife, never called Shicheng once, but you spit his name out so smoothly. If you don’t have money, doesn’t your Shicheng have some? Why not ask him to pay you back?”