Chapter 63: Rescue

Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Rescue

Qiao Suluo knew the voice that had just spoken belonged to Sanlin.

Sanlin had a stubborn, explosive temper and was often impatient, but he was deeply loyal and always fiercely protective of his family.

Hearing his words, Qiao Feishuang felt equally anxious, but she still tried to persuade him. "Don’t be impulsive, Sanlin. You only heard rumors about this. We don’t know the exact situation.

"If we rashly show up at your brother’s house and anger his wife, she might take it out on him. How is he supposed to live with her then?

"They still have a life to live together.

"The last time we went to see him and your nephew, Hao Hao, his wife was very unhappy. She said that as his maiden family, we were always trying to interfere and that our meddling would only damage their relationship."

Qiao Feishuang couldn’t help but sigh.

Sanlin argued, "She wasn’t like this before! She used to promise she would treat him with absolute sincerity. Now she’s like a completely different person. She doesn’t take him seriously at all.

"Even I can see how obviously her attitude has changed. She’s always impatient with him, and he’s been getting thinner and thinner."

Sanlin was genuinely terrified that something bad had happened to his eldest brother.

Erlin also chimed in, sounding worried. "Mother, I also feel like his wife doesn’t treat him the same way anymore. She doesn’t seem to like Hao Hao much, either."

Hao Hao was their eldest brother’s son.

While everyone was discussing the matter, Qiu Bin, who had been completely silent until now, finally spoke up. "Let’s go take a look."

With Qiu Bin’s words, the matter was settled.

Although Qiu Bin rarely spoke and Qiao Feishuang usually made all the daily decisions, whenever he did speak up, even Qiao Feishuang would listen to him. It had always been this way in their household, and Erlin and Sanlin were completely used to it. They always felt that their father didn’t seem like a mere carpenter; he possessed an indescribable air of authority.

After they finished speaking inside, Qiao Suluo called out from the courtyard, "Mother, Father! Erlin, Sanlin! Are you home?"

Hearing Qiao Suluo’s voice, Qiao Feishuang and Erlin hurried out of the house.

Sanlin felt a bit awkward and didn’t want to go out to greet her. He was still holding onto grudges from the past. To his surprise, his father—who was usually as silent as an invisible presence—personally stood up, smoothed out his clothes, and walked outside. His steps were noticeably more cheerful than usual.

"My daughter is here," Qiu Bin murmured.

Qiao Suluo greeted them enthusiastically. When she saw her father come out, the smile on her face grew even brighter. "Father!"

"Ah, good, good," Qiu Bin replied, pleasantly surprised and a little emotional.

Looking at her father, Qiao Suluo realized he looked exactly as she remembered from the original owner’s memories—a man with a scholarly and refined demeanor.

Qiao Feishuang and the others then welcomed Qiao Suluo inside. When Qiao Suluo brought out the food she had cooked, Qiao Feishuang initially refused it, but since she insisted, they had no choice but to accept.

It wasn’t until they tasted their daughter’s cooking that they realized just how delicious it was.

Qiao Feishuang naturally asked about Qiao Suluo’s current situation, inquiring if there was anything they could help her with. If there was any heavy lifting to be done, they were more than willing to lend a hand.

Qiao Suluo said, "Mother, Father, there actually is something I’d like Father’s help with. I want to set up a stall in the county town soon, and I need some tables and chairs. I was hoping to find a carpenter to make them."

Without waiting for her to finish, Qiao Feishuang interjected, "Why look for a carpenter when your father can do all that? He can take Erlin and Sanlin, and they’ll have it done in no time. Your father’s craftsmanship is the best among the neighboring villages, so don’t you worry about a thing."

Qiu Bin nodded. "Just leave this matter to me. You don’t need to worry about anything else."

Qiao Suluo tried to offer them Silver, but her parents absolutely refused to take it. Left with no choice, she dropped the matter, inwardly deciding that she would make it up to them later.

"By the way, Mother, Father, if you’re going to see my eldest brother, let me come along. I haven’t seen him in a long time, and I’d really like to.

"Besides, I know a little bit about Medical Skill. I might be able to help."

When Qiao Suluo claimed to know Medical Skill, her parents, Erlin, and Sanlin didn’t actually believe her. However, they were all very happy that she was willing to go. "Your brother will definitely be thrilled to see you."

Besides, in their world, for a male who had married out, having a female sister from his maiden family to back him up made a world of difference.

With the matter settled, they decided that after eating lunch, they would rent an ox cart in the afternoon and head to the neighboring county to visit him.

***

After Qiao Suluo went home and had lunch, she left Que Hongjin and Bai Qianluo at the house. She then joined her parents and brothers on the ox cart heading to the neighboring county.

Que Hongjin and Bai Qianluo had wanted to accompany her, but she felt it would be more appropriate for them to stay home. If her eldest brother was fine, it really wouldn’t look good for so many of them to show up at once.

It was almost evening by the time they arrived at her eldest brother and his wife’s home in Nanfeng County.

When they got there, the gate to the Zhou family home was locked from the outside.

"Why is it locked? Is no one home?"

"Could they really be out? But if they aren’t home, where could they have gone?"

Sanlin frowned. "She couldn’t have locked him and my nephew inside, could she?

"I heard people say earlier that he was sick, and that there was always coughing coming from the house. Why isn’t there a single sound right now?"

Qiao Suluo stepped forward and listened carefully, but she couldn’t hear anything either. She asked the System inwardly, "System, is my eldest brother inside?"

"Please wait a moment, Host. I will scan the area." A moment later, the System spoke up. "Host, your eldest brother and nephew are both inside. However, they are unconscious with high fevers. Their situation is currently very dangerous."

Qiao Suluo’s gaze instantly darkened. She turned to Sanlin. "Sanlin, step aside."

Sanlin frowned. "What kind of time is this to ask me to step aside? If he isn’t home, who knows where his wife took him? You don’t think something happened to him, do you?"

Sanlin was panicking and terrified. When they were young and their parents were busy, his eldest brother—who was only a few years older than him—had taken meticulous care of him. They shared a very deep bond, and he was truly afraid that something terrible had occurred.

Qiao Suluo didn’t bother explaining anything to him. She took a few steps back, took a running start toward the gate, and swung an axe fiercely at the wood. SMASH!

The gate was violently chopped open.

Watching this scene unfold, Sanlin’s jaw practically dropped.

She was... so hardcore.

None of them even knew when Qiao Suluo had brought an axe. Qiao Feishuang and the others hadn’t even recovered their wits yet.

Qiao Suluo had already led the way inside. Following the System’s directions, she headed straight for the most secluded room on the far west side. The door to this room was also locked. If it weren’t for the System telling her that people were inside, Qiao Suluo truly would have been fooled.

Snapping out of their daze, Qiao Feishuang and the others hurriedly followed her in.

Qiao Suluo chopped the door open as well. Inside, she saw two unconscious figures lying on the bed—one was her eldest brother, and the other was his five-year-old son, Hao Hao.

Their faces were flushed red, and their breathing was weak. They were clearly unconscious from severe fevers.

A chilling, murderous gleam flashed through Qiao Suluo’s eyes. Oh, what a fine job the Zhou Family had done.

When Qiao Feishuang and the others saw this, their vision went black with shock. "How could this happen?"

Sanlin cried out for his brother, his voice trembling violently.

Right at that moment, a female voice rang out from the doorway. "Who dares to break into my house? Do you have a death wish?!"