No matter what was said, Qing Shu wouldn’t budge. 

Gu Xian was annoyed and said, “You child, why are you so stubborn?” 

Qing Shu lowered her head and didn’t speak. Handing over her things obediently would be considered being “sensible”? She didn’t want to be “sensible” like this. 

Seeing that Qing Shu was unresponsive, Gu Xian’s temper flared. She said, “You’ve spoiled this child too much. Today, you’re coming back home with me.” 

“I’m not going back.” 

Gu Xian was furious and said, “You don’t want to go back, do you?” 

What did she mean by “not wanting to go back”? If her grandmother heard this, how heartbroken would she be? 

Seeing Qing Shu’s silence only made Gu Xian angrier. “Go back now before it gets worse in the future.” 

After saying that, Gu Xian ordered the maids to pack up Qing Shu’s belongings and prepare to take her back. 

This overbearing attitude completely infuriated Qing Shu. She said angrily, “I was almost killed by my grandmother in Taohua Village, and now you’re making a big deal out of nothing because you’re afraid of being criticized for impiety. I finally got a good calligraphy sample, and just because Third Uncle wants it, you’re forcing me to give it up. If Lin Chengyu wants to sell me for his future, will you also agree without blinking an eye?” 

As soon as the words left her mouth, Qing Shu knew she was in trouble. Before she could even think of how to explain herself, she received a slap across the face. 

Qing Shu’s vision darkened, and she almost fell backward. Fortunately, her maidservant Jiaoxing was there and quickly caught her. 

Jiaoxing was scared and cried, “Miss, Miss, what’s wrong with you? Please don’t scare me, Miss.” 

Only now did Gu Xian remember that Qing Shu’s health hadn’t fully recovered yet. She was both shocked and afraid, saying, “Quickly, send for Doctor He.” 

Meanwhile, Old Lady Gu was at the silk shop, conversing with the newly appointed shopkeeper, ShopkeeperLiu. When she received the news that Qing Shu had fainted, she hurriedly rushed back home. 

Upon her arrival, she saw Doctor He examining Qing Shu’s pulse, and Qing Shu had yet to regain consciousness. 

Old Lady Gu noticed the handprint on Qing Shu’s face and asked with a dark expression, “Who did this?” 

No one answered; all the maids and servants lowered their heads. 

Doctor He finished examining Qing Shu’s pulse, and his tone was not friendly as he said, “Do you all think this child’s life is too long? If that’s the case, then don’t bother calling me for treatment anymore.” Qing Shu’s illness hadn’t fully improved, and now she had been physically harmed. Doctor He couldn’t fathom what Gu Xian, as a mother, was thinking. 

Old Lady Gu’s heart clenched, and she anxiously asked, “What’s wrong?” Her voice trembled. 

Gu Xian’s face turned pale. “Doctor He, how is Qing Shu?” 

Doctor He said, “I’ll know more about the child’s condition once she wakes up.” 

After saying that, he took some golden needles and began acupuncture on Qing Shu. After a short while, Qing Shu regained consciousness. 

Seeing her awake, Doctor He withdrew the needles and asked, “Miss, please tell Doctor He, where do you feel uncomfortable?” 

Qing Shu touched her head and said, “It hurts.” 

Old Lady Gu’s face turned even paler. “Doctor He, will Qing Shu have any lasting effects from this?” 

Doctor He hesitated. “I’ll prescribe a medication for her now, and I’ll come back for a follow-up examination tomorrow.” 

Originally, with proper care and time, Qing Shu’s health would have fully recovered in about a month. But now, it was uncertain. 

“Qing Shu…” Old Lady Gu reached out to touch her face. 

Instinctively, Qing Shu avoided her hand and moved further away. 

This wasn’t an act; it was a reflexive response. 

Without needing to ask further, Old Lady Gu knew that Gu Xian had been the one to use force. “What great sin did Qing Shu commit to make you act so brutally?” 

Gu Xian recalled Qing Shu’s words from earlier and suppressed her guilt and self-blame. “Mother, this child has been spoiled by you.” 

Qing Shu didn’t say anything, just lowered her head. She had gone too far with her words earlier, but Gu Xian’s actions were also excessively harsh. And afterward, she even blamed her grandmother. 

At this moment, Qing Shu’s heart felt cold. She had thought that with her biological mother, she would have someone to rely on. But she realized she had been too naive. All the signs indicated that she couldn’t rely on her biological mother. 

Old Lady Gu trembled with anger. “A child has been injured this badly, and you dare to blame me?” 

Gu Xian admitted that she had acted too harshly earlier, but this child had become increasingly uncontrollable. “Qing Shu, come withe me! I’ll take you back.” After speaking, she grabbed Qing Shu’s hand, intending for her to get off the bed. 

Qing Shu shook off her hand, and said forcefully: “I won’t go back.” 

Gu Xian said with a cold face: “Even if you don’t want to go back, I will take you back.”  

Qing Shu pinched her thigh hard, and the pain caused tears to fall instantly ;”I won’t go back, I don’t want to go back.” If she goes back now, she will be exorcised again. 

If it wasn’t for Gu Xian’s pregnancy, Old Madam Gu would have slapped her twice. 

Holding back her anger, the old lady Gu pulled Gu Xian away from the bed: “Look how the child is crying? You go out first, and I talk to you later.” 

Gu Xian reluctantly walked out. 

Holding Qing Shu in her arms, Old Lady Gu said, “Don’t cry, you don’t want to go back, then don’t go back.”  

After comforting her granddaughter, the Old Madam Gu walked out. 

Sitting on the Mistress’s chair, Old Madam Gu asked with a cold expression, “Why did you use such heavy-handed measures on Qing Shu?” 

“Mother, you don’t even know what she said just now? This child is becoming more and more unruly. If we don’t discipline her severely, she might end up killing her mother and father in the future.” 

Old Madam Gu looked at Gu Xian with a sharp, knife-like gaze, sending shivers down her spine. 

She called over Jiao Xing and asked, “What did Qing Shu say just now?” 

Jiao Xing recounted exactly what she had heard. 

Without waiting for Old Madam Gu to speak, Gu Xian said indignantly, “What does she mean by saying that her father would sell her for his future? Mother, look at what she’s saying!” 

As she spoke, Gu Xian remembered the events from before and her face changed. “Mother, Qing Shu used to be obedient and well-behaved, but now she’s becoming increasingly unreasonable. Mother, I suspect that Qing Shu has truly been possessed by an evil spirit. Otherwise, how could she say such things?” The sorceress her mother-in-law had brought certainly didn’t have much skill and failed to remove the evil spirit. 

Mrs. Gu asked expressionlessly, “Are you planning to follow in your mother-in-law’s footsteps and invite a sorceress to perform an exorcism?” 

Gu Xian replied, “That sorceress from the countryside doesn’t have real abilities. It’s better to invite a reputable high monk.” 

Mrs. Gu, exasperated, retorted, “It seems like you’ve taken a liking to the evil side. Qing Shu is right. If Lin Chengyu wanted to sell his daughter for fame and fortune in the future, you’d agree without batting an eye.” 

“Mother…” Her tone was particularly sharp. 

Mrs. Gu’s face turned icy. “Did I say something wrong? When your mother-in-law nearly harmed Qing Shu, you didn’t lift a finger to help. Now, you’re even more capable than her. When others say a word, you’re quick to help outsiders take what belongs to our child. It’s not just about Qing Shu; even I am starting to feel disappointed.” 

Gu Xian was so angry that her face turned green. “Everything I do is for whom? It’s for you. You’ve had a falling out with Third Uncle and Third Aunt, and there’s a rift with Second Aunt. If things get worse in the future, who will you rely on?” 

Mrs. Gu sneered, “I can’t even rely on my own daughter. Can I rely on outsiders?” 

Gu Xian was left speechless by her retort.