Volume One, Chapter 174: The Illusory Realm (3)

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The faint sound of footsteps pulled Li Goudan back to his memories, and he instinctively hid behind a nearby tree.

“Hey, have you noticed? Yanzi seems thinner. Her face looks all gaunt.”

“Which Yanzi? Widow Xie’s girl?”

The other person rolled his eyes. “Who else could it be besides her? Honestly, Yanzi’s life has been tough—so young and already lost her mother.”

Another sighed, pursing her lips. “Exactly. I thought Yanzi was quite likable and wanted to take her in and raise her. But Old Li is stubborn as a mule, refusing no matter what. Look at how she’s turned out staying with him.”

“I heard Widow Xie died because of Old Li’s son’s misdeeds. Is that true?”

Another voice cut in, “Aunt Lin, you were the first to find Widow Xie. What really happened?”

Aunt Lin sighed deeply as she recalled the scene—

After putting Zhu Zhu to sleep, she stepped outside and found Widow Xie was missing.

Worried something might have happened again, she hurried after her.

Thankfully, it had rained lightly the past two days, so the muddy path was covered in adult footprints.

Following the tracks, Aunt Lin soon arrived at the Poisonous Snake Grove.

From afar, she saw Widow Xie kneeling on the ground, her back turned.

Startled, she called out Widow Xie’s name, but there was no response.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Running forward, she saw Widow Xie’s face darkened with bruises, her body stiff.

Trembling, she checked for breath—there was none.

She quickly checked the children Widow Xie carried on her back and held in her arms. Yanzi’s cheeks were rosy, sleeping soundly; Li Goudan, though pale, still breathed faintly.

...

“It was Widow Xie who sucked out the snake venom for Li Goudan. Fearing the snakes would harm the children again, she carried one on her back and one in her arms, dragging both out of the danger zone. But this only spread the venom faster within her, leading to her death.”

Aunt Lin was deeply moved every time she recalled that moment.

Women may be gentle, but a mother’s love is fierce.

Widow Xie gave everything she had for those two children.

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“Crack.”

A sudden sound came from a distance, startling the group.

“Who’s there?”

They followed the noise but saw nothing.

Could it be some wild cat or dog?

—

Li Goudan ran wildly, disbelief gripping him.

He tried to shake off the words he had just heard, but no matter how hard he tried, his mind kept circling back to the fact that a woman had saved him...

“Impossible! That woman came to ruin my home with Dad! The one who saved me was Mom!”

He shook his head, unwilling to accept it.

But the image of “Mom” in his mind slowly merged with Widow Xie’s figure.

Could it really have been Widow Xie who saved him?

Thinking of something, he dashed toward the stream.

With a splash, he jumped into the water.

He groped around, trying to find something but found nothing.

Tall waterweed tangled around his legs. He struggled, but the muddy bottom pulled him deeper.

Gradually, the water covered his mouth and nose; suffocation wrapped around him. His survival instinct spurred him to fight.

The underwater weeds seemed to multiply, wrapping around his limbs, his neck, slowly encasing him like a mummy…

Outside the illusion.

Qin Yu watched everything unfold on the scroll, her gaze settling on Xie Wanqing’s face.

Once again, a choice appeared on the scroll.

Should he be awakened?

A. Yes

B. No

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Xie Wanqing blinked in surprise but chose “Yes” without hesitation.

The scroll vanished the moment she made her choice.

Qin Yu looked at Xie Wanqing’s profile and asked, “He wanted to kill you. Don’t you regret this?”

Xie Wanqing smiled faintly. “I’ve lived thirty years. There’s no point holding a grudge against a ten-year-old child. Besides…”

There was a look of release in her eyes. “Li Goudan never accepted me from the start. I should respect his choice. Fortunately, it’s not too late for him to wake up now.”

Old Li always told her she could soften Li Goudan’s heart.

She once believed that deeply.

But only today, seeing deep inside Li Goudan’s heart, did she realize how deeply her presence had hurt him.

Qin Yu noticed the subtle change on her face and quietly felt a small joy for her.

Her eyes flickered as she asked, “If one day Li Goudan begs you to return, will you go back?”

Xie Wanqing was caught off guard and almost retorted, “Will that day ever come?”

Qin Yu smiled mysteriously, “Who knows?”

Though Xie Wanqing chose to awaken Li Goudan, he still hadn’t woken up. Why?

Qin Yu glanced at the empty black space beside her.

Helpless, she rubbed her forehead.

“Honey, do you think Widow Xie will turn back?”

“I hope she doesn’t. Too little, too late love is cheaper than grass. Today it was a master who created this illusion, placing it in reality—Xie Wanqing and Yanzi have long since been killed!”

“But they’re not dead yet, right? And in the end, didn’t Li Goudan realize the truth? Didn’t he go back looking for Yanzi?”

“Yes, yes. Besides, Li Goudan is still a child. He deserves a chance to make things right.”

Voices rose in heated debate, each holding their own view.

Qin Yu looked up, a faint smile on her face. “Whether to forgive or not is Xie Wanqing’s own choice. We have no right to interfere. But one thing I can be sure of—Xie Wanqing will find happiness in this life.”