Free Web NovelChapter 256: Chapter 256: Suspecting Su Qing
"No, no, the doctors will take good care of you. Once you’re treated, you’ll be fine," Li Aiguo hurriedly reassured Zhao Li’e.
"I don’t believe it. I don’t believe you." Zhao Li’e shook her head. She thought about all that scalding water splashing onto her face—she had never experienced that kind of pain in her life. Besides, she had overheard the doctor during her treatment. He’d said her burns were very serious, a severe case.
’Severe burns... Just the thought of it told her she was bound to be scarred.’
At this thought, Zhao Li’e grew even more panicked. ’If I’m really left with a face full of scars, will Li Aiguo still want me? I can’t believe he could live out his days with a woman whose face is covered in scars. If the roles were reversed, I would be disgusted with him too.’
’So, judging him by my own standards, Li Aiguo is sure to be disgusted with me. He might even look for an excuse to divorce me.’
’If that really happened, she wouldn’t be able to bear it.’
In that single moment, a thousand thoughts raced through Zhao Li’e’s mind. In the end, all her negative emotions coalesced into a rage directed at Su Qing. "It’s all because of that Su Qing! She’s a jinx! It wasn’t enough for her to jinx her own father to death, and now she’s jinxed me on her very first day here."
Zhao Li’e spoke agitatedly, her eyes widening as she stared at Li Aiguo. "Wait a minute... Did Su Qing do this to me? Why did I get scalded by boiling water right after I said those things?"
Hospitals weren’t very crowded in those days, and their room had no other patients—it was just the four of them. Zhao Li’e, therefore, spoke without any restraint. Still, with her own children present, she didn’t spell everything out. It was enough that Li Aiguo understood her meaning.
"Are you saying Su Qing was the one who caused you to get scalded?" Li Aiguo asked with a frown.
None of them had been in the kitchen at the time, so Li Aiguo didn’t know how Zhao Li’e had been scalded. He was also baffled as to how she had suddenly fallen. "What exactly happened?"
"The water had boiled, and I was just ladling some out to pour into a basin. Then, out of nowhere, I tripped over something and fell, and all the water splashed on my face." Recalling the incident, Zhao Li’e added, "My back was to the kitchen doorway. Who knows if someone did it on purpose? I was definitely, absolutely tripped by something!"
Zhao Li’e’s tone was ironclad.
Hearing Zhao Li’e’s words, Li Aiguo’s frown deepened. He took a deep breath, thinking about the distance between Su Qing’s room and the kitchen. It didn’t seem very plausible. ’If Su Qing really did it, could she have returned to her room that quickly? Even if she did, I should have run into her. Or maybe... after hurting Zhao Li’e, she didn’t go back to her room but found a place to hide? We were all focused on Zhao Li’e, so we weren’t paying attention?’
As he thought it over, Li Aiguo really did start to suspect Su Qing.
It wasn’t just Li Aiguo who was suspicious; Li Xiaojuan was already convinced it was Su Qing. "Aha! So that damn girl is that vicious, hurting people like this! This won’t do. We have to report her to the police. She did this to Mom, so we have to get her arrested. And if that doesn’t work, we’ll make her taste what it feels like to be scalded!"
With that, Li Xiaojuan stood up and headed for the door.
"Xiao Juan, where are you going?" Li Aiguo asked, grabbing her arm with a frown.
"I’m going back to settle the score with that damn girl!" Li Xiaojuan said angrily. Then she looked back at Li Xiaodong. "Brother, come with me. We’ll go back and teach that damn girl a lesson."
"We don’t have all the facts yet," Li Aiguo said with a frown.
"The way I see it, it was that damn girl who did this to me," Zhao Li’e said, looking at Li Aiguo angrily. "Otherwise, why would I trip over nothing? I’ve been cooking for so many years. Have I ever once tripped in the kitchen? Why is it that the moment that damn girl arrives, something like this happens to me?"
"But we don’t have any proof," Li Aiguo said, frowning.
"What do you mean, no proof? We’ll just tell the police it was that damn girl who hurt Mom. If they ask, I’ll say I saw her running out of the kitchen." Emboldened by her own malice, Li Xiaojuan was ready to commit perjury to pin the crime on Su Qing.
"Foolish girl!" Li Aiguo glared at Li Xiaojuan. "Do you think the police are idiots? If they find out you’re lying, you’ll be the one getting arrested! Do you want to go to jail?"
Li Xiaojuan shivered at her father’s words. She had only been thinking about getting revenge for Zhao Li’e and hadn’t considered the consequences. Hearing him now, she quickly fell silent. No matter what, she didn’t want to be arrested by the police; she still had a life to live.
Zhao Li’e shot Li Aiguo an irritated glare. Her face was still throbbing, and she let out a couple of pained groans. "Aiguo, I can’t have suffered for nothing."
Li Aiguo pursed his lips and said, "Let’s put this aside for now. When the opportunity arises, I’ll be sure to get even for you."
"Really?" Zhao Li’e asked eagerly.
"When have I ever lied to you?" Li Aiguo glanced at her.
Zhao Li’e thought for a moment. In all their years of marriage, it seemed Li Aiguo really had never lied to her. She nodded. "Okay. I’ll listen to you."
Li Xiaojuan was still reluctant. "Dad, are we really just letting that damn girl off so easily?"
Remembering the slap she’d gotten today, Li Xiaojuan felt her anger flare up. freēwebnovel.com
"You stay out of this." Li Aiguo looked at his daughter. ’This girl,’ he thought, ’we’ve spoiled her rotten. She’s headstrong but has no idea how cruel the world can be. Everything she does is so direct, without a hint of subtlety.’ The thought gave Li Aiguo a headache.
He glanced at his son, who had been mostly silent, and felt another headache coming on. ’This son of mine has some cunning, but he’s far too lecherous. Even more so than his old man...’
’Ugh, no. It’s too much. Just thinking about them gives me a headache. I can’t dwell on it.’
Having vented, Zhao Li’e felt a little calmer, but she was still worried about her face. She said to Li Aiguo, "You should go ask the doctor later if my face can make a full recovery."
"Alright, I’ll ask him tomorrow. You get some rest for now." Li Aiguo said. Looking at the other beds in the room, he added, "We’ll all sleep here tonight. It’s convenient to have the extra beds."
While the Li family of four stayed at the hospital, Su Qing lay in her room. The image of Zhao Li’e’s scalded face came to mind, and the corners of her lips curved into a slight smile. ’You wanted to ruin my face? Then you should get a taste of it yourself first.’
TSK TSK. Su Qing shook her head gently. ’A burn that severe... without Mr. Gong’s special powder, she can forget about ever fully recovering.’
