No Swinging Indoors

When Su Hong arrived, he had actually already guessed it.

Since he was coming to the capital, it was highly likely he would not be able to avoid meeting Su Li.

It was just that when he first entered the capital, he was still apprehensive.

Now that he had poured his heart out to the Lord Duke and gained the Lord Duke's employment, his mind was completely settled. Having drawn a clear line and cleared himself of suspicion, he actually felt a bit carefree.

But, when he saw Su Li with her highly swollen cheeks in the backyard, his newly calmed heart instantly leapt into his throat again.

What he could not hold back was heartache and anger at her for failing to live up to expectations!

S-Second Uncle...

Do not call me Second Uncle. I do not have a niece named Bai Li!

Su Hong spoke, his words just like in the past, only his tone lacked the frantic anger from before. Instead, it carried a faint indifference, yet mixed within that indifference was a trace of warmth.

I only have one niece named Su Li. She is my eldest brother's daughter, and she was very obedient since she was little.

I still remember when she traveled with the family along the northern border trade routes. The wind and snow were heavy that day. Being born of a concubine, she was looked after less and wore thin clothing, shivering all over from the cold.

But she didn't cry, nor did she make a fuss.

She just stayed quietly to the side.

When she saw that I had found her, she instead looked up with a red, smiling face and took out a bright red apple from her embrace for me.

She said, Second Uncle, you eat it.

But I didn't take good care of this niece. I was busy with the Su family's business every day and didn't carefully guide her, letting her grow up unchecked, which eventually led her to make one mistake after another, almost causing a massive disaster.

At that time, I was thinking.

Once this matter passes, once it's all over, I will definitely protect this niece well, so she would no longer feel inferior for being born of a concubine. But she... hanged herself.

I... I failed her.

As Su Hong spoke, his voice grew softer, while the tears on Bai Li's face flowed faster and faster.

Finally, Su Hong took a deep breath and said softly to Bai Li, Miss Bai, although our Su family of the northern borders has no relationship with you, you are about the same age as my deceased third niece. Seeing you, I always think of her.

I have a few words I want to say to you.

Are you willing to listen?

Waiting until Bai Li nodded.

Su Hong then said, I am a few years older and have seen some storms. I can't help but see certain things more clearly. The longer I live, the more I feel that many things are actually not a big deal.

In life, the older you get, the more you have to learn to let things go.

Many obsessions from our youth, in the end, are nothing but an unattainable illusion.

Miss Bai, your current situation may look terrible, but that's not necessarily the case. The Lord Duke is a good man. As his concubine, you will never lack wealth and glory in your life. Just settle down and live a good life in the Lord Duke's mansion.

You will always be able to let the Lord Duke see the real you.

You can let the Lord Duke get to know you all over again.

Then the future is actually quite worth looking forward to.

As for the past where you have already battered your head until it bled, it is better to let dust return to dust and dirt to dirt.

What do you say?

Bai Li did not answer this, and Su Hong didn't say anything more. With the etiquette due to a lady of the Lord Duke's mansion, he bowed slightly, then turned and withdrew.

Su Jin also took a deep look at Bai Li and withdrew as well.

In the huge backyard, only Bai Li remained.

At this moment, her tears fell like pearls from a broken string, completely uncontrollable. Infinite emptiness surged from her heart, and she only felt that life no longer had any meaning.

Relying on a chest full of solitary courage, she had suffered immensely, all just to avenge the one she loved. But she had predicted the beginning, yet not the ending. Now, she was trapped in a cage, without a single sliver of a chance left.

This already broke her heart, but what broke it even more was that despite working so hard, the Su family still did not respect her. They treated her wishes and dreams as children's playthings, casually tossing them aside, and even used nonsense to fob her off and fool her, vainly attempting to change her.

To make her become a loveless piece of trash from now on.

But if she was without love, what was the point of living?

That's right!

I can't avenge Brother Ye Fan, and the Su family doesn't want me anymore. What's the point of me living?

Su Li muttered, looking up at the roof beam.

Her mind was made up.

At this time, Wang Ming hurried to the General's Manor to report the matter of Lin Zixiao to Ren Tianye.

Ren Tianye was naturally overjoyed.

With Lin Zixiao dead, it saved him a great deal of trouble.

However, it also added a few variables to his current plan.

Without Lin Zixiao to keep them in check, how can I deal with the Seven Heroes of Chifeng?

It seems I still have to temporarily rely on Su Li's influence over the Left and Right Protectors of the Tongxin Alliance.

As Ren Tianye was making these plans, a scream came from outside the door.

Lord Duke, this is bad, this is bad.

Madam has hanged herself.

Ren Tianye stood up abruptly: What?

Bai Li hanged herself?

Damn it, he was just about to use her, and she hangs herself?

Ren Tianye hurried to the backyard. Arriving at Bai Li's bedroom, he kicked the door open. Sure enough, beneath a white silk cloth, Bai Li's slender and delicate body was dangling. He was instantly enraged.

Bai Li, no swinging in the room!

Immediately, he delivered a flying kick, knocking Bai Li down!