Chapter 4

The months pass by with her family visiting her daily and Qi Fan together with the first and third branch of the Qi clan going in and out of her courtyard every other day. Xiuying continues to try to open her eyes to at least lessen the worries of her new family.

Xiuying found strength to open her eyes, seeing the familiar ceiling the fear of knowing she is back to her hell can be seen in her eyes and a chilling feeling penetrates from her skin down to her bones. She hastily tries to jump out of the bed but fails to do so as her body feels heavy like a barbell. As she tries to lift herself up she notices that she is wearing the same simple hospital gown that she hated so much. The gown doesn’t cover her gorgeous body as the fabric drapes around her body so well that it only leaves little to hide it from one’s imagination.

Xiuying frantically runs to the corner of the room after trying to open all french styled windows despite knowing that it is locked, her hope lessening by seconds.

‘No...no… I’m already dead here! Why am I back?! 

No… this can’t be happening!

I am not here… not here… please not here...’

A knock on the door nudged Xiuying from her thoughts, numbing her more of the reality that she is back, back to the most hellish place she despised. Without waiting for her reply the culprits came inside her room and started their daily routine. They gently helped Xiuying back to the bed, however the gentleness they are showing isn't because of care but a care of a scientist to their specimen, a product who they needed to achieve the pinnacle of science and discoveries on improving human abilities with the help of science. Several pieces of equipment are instantly connected to her body, they have checked her vital signs before taking blood samples and injecting new chemicals to her body. During these series of steps the people didn’t care when Xiuying was wincing because of pain at the start nor at the end of the procedures her immaculate face is now not showing emotions back to the state she was in before she was taken care of by the Qi second branch’s family.

Xiuying didn’t know how many days had passed however she noticed that her body was slowly weakening, she could see the people around her tried all the best they could to keep her alive. She is content with what's happening, she is finally dying and only wishes to make her body deteriorate fast. Her existence means nothing to her, only if she can go back to her family in the Qi clan she will be happy to live otherwise it would be better to not exist at all.

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“Master! The Young Miss’ courtyard is…” A servant frantically runs towards Qi Chen’s study as he repeatedly shouts loudly hoping for his master to hear it despite the distance.

Hearing the shouts, Qi Chen followed by his aide immediately ran out of the room and held the shoulders of the servant as the latter gasped for air. 

“What about Ying’er?” Qi Chen immediately asked while the servant winced in pain as his master’s hold on his shoulders tightened more.

“It.. it is on fire, the Young Miss’ courtyard is on fire Master!” Upon hearing what’s happening to his daughter’s courtyard Qi Chen rushes to its location the fastest he could, however his legs can’t help but soften and start to lose hope as he sees the huge fire engulfing most part of the place.  However, hearing his wife’s cries and seeing his son and their trusted servants effort saving people and stopping the fire immediately woke him up from stupor and started to instruct the servants who came with him to start to help the others.

“My Ying’er, Ming’er your sister, save your sister!” Xi Hui’s cry as she tries to struggle out of her maidservants’ grasps to prevent her from rushing in the fire. Upon seeing her husband she immediately runs to his arms in tears.

“Husband, our daughter… You have to save our daughter!”

“I will, Hui’er be strong. This is no time to cry” Qi Chen firmly hugs his wife and whispers to her, however his voice is firm and determined. Xi Hui finally calmed down a little and nodded. Qi Chen let go of her and looked to his wife’s servants and the servants immediately approached and helped Xi Hui. After giving all the commands he immediately poured the water from the two buckets handed by his aide all over his body and poured more water into the two quilts. He covers himself in one of the quilts and carries the other before rushing to the burning courtyard while Qi Ming continues to instruct their servants who were in line to systematically pass the buckets of water from the well to Xiuying’s burning courtyard.

He sees her daughter in the arms of Xue whose hair has shortened due to the fire trying her best to protect Xiuying upon entering her daughter’s room. Xue feels someone’s presence and looks up, seeing it is Qi Chen she sees hope and tries to lift up Xiuying however she almost falls down. Thankfully Qi Chen immediately took her daughter and immediately covered the unconscious Xiuying in the quilt he carried and gave the one he used to Xue.

“Master, please cover yourself with the quilt. This servant can take care of herself.” Xue immediately rejected Qi Chen which he ignored and ran outside. Seeing her master’s actions, Xue hurriedly covers herself with the wet quilt and follows Qi Chen out of the room.

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Outside the people, though tired and starting to lose hope, still tried their best to continue in passing the buckets of water and stop the remaining fire. Few of the servants started to clean the place and check for dead bodies and survivors. However they suddenly heard something collapse. Seeing that the direction is Xiuying’s room, Xi Hui immediately fainted. Her maidservants immediately called the doctor who was helping the injured servants.

“How is mother?” Qi Ming asked the doctor right after the latter lifted his fingers from Xi Hui’s wrist covered in thin fabric.

“Second Madam is exhausted and needs to rest for a week. I’ll prescribe a calming medicine” The doctor calmly stated and gave what he wrote to Xi Hui’s servant.

“Take care of my mother, I’ll check what happened to my sister and father.” Qi Ming said his thanks to the doctor before leaving instructions to the servants and to prevent anyone from visiting his mother in any case that the first branch had any plans to make things worse for their family. He runs toward his sister’s room with the servants following behind, seeing the destroyed courtyard getting worse as they come near the main room the grimmer his expression becomes.

“Removed all debris, make sure to check for any survivors that need to be treated and dead bodies to bury.” Qi Ming started to give instructions again upon reaching the destroyed room of Xiuying.

“Yes, young master!”

“Father! Yingying!” Qi Ming repeatedly called out in a shout, his voice can be heard by all servants who also pray that their master and young miss are okay while cleaning at the same time searching for bodies.

Hours pass by and although they found survivors there are more dead bodies found. Few of the servants even started to lose hope as it nears evening, the fire broke in the middle of the night and they have been searching since that time.

“Young master.. Let’s have the others rest for a while.” Qi Ming’s aide reminded his master.

“Alright… You go with me.” Qi Ming walks towards Xiuying’s bedroom only with his aide leaving the other two trusted guards with the servants who are resting.