Chapter 71 -
Chapter 71: Chapter
"And three," Su Yueqing said, her voice dropping into a low, threatening tone as she leaned slightly toward the Duchess. "If I successfully cure this boy and bring him back to perfect health, you all must give me total freedom within this estate. No one absolutely no one will be allowed to question my actions, criticize my behavior, or tell me how to live my life ever again."
[Yes! Freedom!] Su Yueqing’s inner mind cheered at the top of its lungs, throwing an absolute party. [If I pull this off, I get a permanent ’Get Out of Jail Free’ card! I can sleep in, ignore all those annoying tea parties, eat whatever I want, and live my best villainess luxury life without any of these in-laws breathing down my neck! It’s a win-win!]
The room went completely still. Xi Lanyin, little Anran, and even the resting Mingyu listened to the sheer, unfiltered selfishness of her third condition, yet the warmth of her frantic desire to actually save the boy still echoed right alongside it.
Aunt Ronghua couldn’t take it anymore. She stepped forward, her face flushed with anger. "Muyan, you cannot agree to this! She is demanding total isolation with Mingyu and completely tying our hands! What if she harms him?"
Gu Yue also looked deeply concerned, her fingers tightening around her handkerchief. "Aunt, this is highly unusual. Giving her full control over a sick child’s life without any supervision is..."
"Silence," the Duchess interrupted sharply.
She didn’t look at her sister in law. Her eyes were fixed entirely on Su Yueqing’s haughty, unblinking face. The Duchess took a slow, deep breath, her hands clenching into fists within her long sleeves. She heard the absolute confidence in Su Yueqing’s inner thoughts.. the unwavering belief that she could actually fix what the best physicians in the empire had called fatal.
"I agree," the Duchess said, her voice firm and echoing clearly in the quiet room.
"Three days. I will give you exactly three days of complete isolation, and everything you demand will be brought to this doorstep without question. But if my son’s condition worsens by even a fraction... Yueqing, not even the Su family will be able to save you from my wrath."
Su Yueqing didn’t flinch. Instead, her lips curled into a sharp, victorious smirk. "A deal is a deal, Mother. Now, if you’ll excuse us, your presence is already ruining the airflow in my courtyard. Get out."
The heavy wooden doors clicked shut with a definitive thud, leaving the room in a sudden, profound silence.
The Duchess, Aunt Ronghua, Gu Yue, and the two girls had finally exited the courtyard, leaving Su Yueqing entirely alone with the frail young master. The suffocating tension that had filled the space just moments ago seemed to evaporate, replaced by the gentle, warm glow of the single lantern.
Su Yueqing stood still for a second, her rigid, haughty posture immediately slumping the moment she was sure they were gone. She let out a massive, unrefined breath, wiping a bead of nervous sweat from her forehead with the back of her sleeve.
Before she could even think a single word, a soft, breathless little giggle came from the bed.
Su Yueqing turned her head sharply. Little Mingyu was propped up slightly against his pillows, his large, sunken eyes shining with pure, unadulterated admiration as he looked at her.
"That was so cool," the boy whispered, a genuine, weak smile spreading across his pale face. "No one has ever talked to Mother like that before."
Su Yueqing blinked, completely caught off guard by the kid’s reaction. Her frosty villain mask threatened to slip entirely, but she quickly crossed her arms, trying to look imposing as she walked back over to the bedside.
"Hmph. Don’t get ahead of yourself, brat," she said out loud, her tone intentionally sharp. "I didn’t do it to look ’cool’ for you. I did it because your family is entirely incompetent, and their lack of sense was giving me a headache."
But inside her head, her inner mind was absolutely squealing, her thoughts roaring so loudly that Mingyu’s eyes brightened even more.
[AHHH! DID YOU HEAR THAT?! HE THINKS I’M COOL!] Su Yueqing’s internal voice shrieked in an explosion of pure joy.
[Oh my gosh, my heart is going to burst! Look at those little cheeks! He’s not scared of me at all! Little angel, please don’t look at me with those puppy dog eyes, I am supposed to be a heartless villainess! Nine, did you record that?! Put that quote in the archives under ’Best Moments of My Life’ immediately!]
Mingyu’s smile widened as the chaotic, incredibly warm thoughts echoed in his mind. He didn’t care about her cold words at all; the voice inside her head was like a cozy, bright fire in the middle of his dark, lonely room.
Su Yueqing cleared her throat roughly, trying to drown out her own internal screaming. She leaned over the bed, tapping a finger lightly against his forehead.
"Now, cut the chatter. If you have enough energy to praise me, you have enough energy to cooperate. We have a lot of work to do if you plan on staying alive."
..
Turning away from the bed, Su Yueqing walked toward the closed doors. Her sharp, demanding attitude returned in full force as she threw the doors open just a fraction and called out coldly into the quiet courtyard, "Is anyone out there, or has this entire estate gone completely deaf?"
Almost instantly, a young maid who had been waiting nervously by the outer gate hurried forward, her head bowed low and her shoulders shaking as she stepped into the entryway. "Y-Yes, Young Madame! I am here! How may this servant serve you?"
Su Yueqing stood tall, her arms crossed as she looked down at the trembling girl with complete indifference.
"Go to the servant quarters immediately," Su Yueqing instructed, her voice cutting through the evening air like ice. "Bring that pathetic maid from earlier today.. the one who accuse Li Mei of stealing. And don’t come back alone. Bring another strong, capable maid along with her."
The maid blinked in surprise, but kept her eyes glued to the floor, not daring to question the sudden order.
"From this moment on, I require exactly two maids stationed inside these quarters to assist me," Su Yueqing continued smoothly, her tone leaving absolutely no room for argument. "They will be entirely under my command, and they will not leave this courtyard until I say so. Go. Do not make me wait."
[Yes! I need staff I can control, and what better way than to drag that lying accuser right under my thumb where she can’t stir up any more trouble!]
Su Yueqing’s inner voice plotted with wild satisfaction, echoing perfectly in the minds of the listening siblings.
[Plus, overhauling this biohazard of a room is going to require a ton of heavy lifting and scrubbing. I’m definitely not ruining my own expensive silk robes doing manual labor. Let’s see how much she likes cleaning floors.]
"Yes, Young Madame! Right away!" the maid squeaked, bowing frantically before turning on her heel and sprinting out of the courtyard as fast as her legs could carry her.
Su Yueqing closed the doors firmly once more and turned back to Mingyu, a sharp, scheming smirk playing on her lips.