So, she would never leave a handle for others to grasp, ensuring that no one else would be implicated.
There were countless accidents in this world, and she would make sure that Old Madam Yu would also experience some kind of “accident” when the time came.
Old Master Yu, unaware of her thoughts, assumed his words had persuaded her. He even felt a bit pleased, thinking this granddaughter might not be as reckless as he had feared.
Of course, he knew the matter wasn’t resolved yet.
To dispel her thoughts of demanding a life for a life, Old Master Yu continued, “This time, Zhu Niang hitting her head is indeed your grandma’s fault. We will compensate Zhu Niang.”
As for what compensation meant, it was, of course, silver.
Old Master Yu was reluctant to part with money, but he understood that if he didn’t offer some, Yu Li wouldn’t let the matter rest. If Zhu Niang really didn’t survive and Yu Li acted out of anger, who knew what she might do?
Thus, it was better to pacify her first.
Yu Li cast him a cold glance, said nothing, and turned to leave.
After she was gone, Old Madam Yu, who had been standing stiffly the whole time, felt her legs give way and collapsed to the ground.
Even though the early autumn weather was unbearably muggy, she was drenched in cold sweat.
—
After nightfall, Feng Dalang finally returned to the village with the doctor.
Villagers sitting under the trees cooling off saw the doctor and Feng Dalang heading toward the Yu family and began gossiping again, speculating whether the doctor could save Yu Zhu.
By now, Yu Zhu’s injury had become the most discussed topic in the village.
The doctor arrived at the west wing of the Yu family’s second branch to examine Yu Zhu’s condition.
When he saw the bloody wound on the back of her head, he gasped and exclaimed, “How did it get this severe?”
No one responded. Liu Shi couldn’t hold back and started sobbing again, while Yu Jin and Yu Yin bit their lips hard, their faces streaked with tears.
Yu Lao’er looked in anguish at his suffering youngest daughter, his fists clenched tightly, veins bulging on his hands.
Aunt Feng, who hadn’t left and was still keeping watch, felt her heart grow cold upon hearing the doctor’s reaction.
Could it be that she wouldn’t make it?
Only Yu Li remained calm, her eyes dark and icy, her expression illuminated faintly by the flickering lamplight.
Though her face revealed little emotion, her eerie calmness sent chills down everyone’s spines.
The doctor finished examining Yu Zhu’s injury and began treating the wound on her head.
Earlier, Aunt Feng had only done a crude job of stopping the bleeding. She hadn’t dared to do anything further, as the wound was so severe that she was afraid her attempts might worsen it. She had waited for the doctor to handle it properly.
After tending to the wound, the doctor applied medication and took out a few prepared prescriptions, instructing the Yu family to brew the medicine.
He had prepared these remedies at the pharmacy after hearing from Feng Dalang that Yu Zhu had hit her head. This saved the family from having to make an extra trip and delay treatment.
Yu Jin immediately took the medicine to the kitchen to brew it.
Soon, the strong aroma of medicinal herbs wafted through the west wing.
The doctor then gave the family instructions on how to care for her.
At the bedside, Liu Shi hoarsely asked, “Doctor, when will my daughter wake up?”
The doctor didn’t dare make any guarantees. He simply said, “It depends on the patient’s condition. After all, the head is a very delicate area. Given the deep wound, even I can’t say when she will wake up. We’ll just have to leave it to fate.”
Although the doctor spoke in a soft and cautious manner, everyone present understood the implication.
Liu Shi, heartbroken, grasped Yu Zhu’s hand and collapsed over the bed, crying out loud. Yu Yin’s face was streaked with tears.
Yu Lao’er also choked on his emotions.
The doctor silently shook his head. He had seen such things many times—life, death, and accidents were all too common. Sometimes, even doctors were powerless to help.
After giving instructions on what to watch for, the doctor prepared to leave.
He told the family, “Give her a few doses of the medicine first. If she still hasn’t woken up after that, I’ll come back to check on her.”
The doctor sighed inwardly. With such a severe injury, unless there was a miracle, it was likely she would remain in a coma, and perhaps die quietly in her sleep.
She was so young, it was truly pitiful.
Feng Dalang, waiting at the door, escorted the doctor out.
The night had completely fallen, and the roads were difficult to travel. Luckily, when Feng Dalang went to the county, he had met Boatman Wang, who was passing through. He had taken Boatman Wang’s boat to the county, which allowed him to bring the doctor back so quickly.
Earlier, he had mentioned to Boatman Wang that something had happened at the Yu family’s home. Boatman Wang, hearing this, had kindly offered to help, saying he would take them part of the way.
Aunt Feng told her son, “Be careful when you take the doctor back to the county, and make sure to come back safely.”
Thinking that they would have Boatman Wang’s boat for the journey, she felt somewhat reassured.
Yu Yin followed them outside and handed a few silver coins to Feng Dalang, whispering, “Brother Dalang, please help us pay the doctor’s fee as well. If it’s not enough, let me know, I’ll make up the difference…”
Feng Dalang didn’t refuse. Seeing how swollen Yu Yin’s eyes were from crying, he wanted to comfort her but couldn’t find the right words. He scratched his head awkwardly and quickly left to see the doctor off.
Not long after, Aunt Feng also left, leaving only the second branch of the Yu family behind.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy. The room was cramped, making it difficult for so many people to fit, and even turning around was challenging. Yu Yin persuaded her parents to rest.
“Father, Mother, it’s late. You should go rest. We’ll let you know as soon as Little Sister wakes up.”
Liu Shi didn’t want to leave. Seeing her youngest daughter in such a state, she had no desire to rest.
In the end, it was Yu Li who told them to go.
“Go back. It’s no use staying here.”
Her words were harsh and hurtful, and both Yu Lao’er and Liu Shi were taken aback. They wanted to say something but were silenced by Yu Li’s calm and cold face. In the end, they could only leave in silence.
Yu Li sat by the bed, keeping watch, her gaze fixed on Yu Zhu’s ashen face.
When Yu Jin finished brewing the medicine, she watched as Yu Jin and Yu Yin carefully fed the unconscious Yu Zhu the medicine.
She quietly observed the scene—watching Yu Jin and Yu Yin as they gently fed the medicine to Yu Zhu, who was struggling to swallow.
Humans were such fragile beings.
In the world that had once faced the sudden arrival of the apocalypse, humanity had nearly been wiped out. It wasn’t until thirty years after the end of the world, when people had worked hard to develop technology and create genetically enhanced soldiers, that the situation was turned around, allowing the human race to survive.
Unlike the apocalyptic world on the brink of destruction, this world was safe—there were no pollutants, no mutants.
The only threats to human life were natural disasters or man-made misfortunes, and even then, their destructive power was limited. They would not lead humanity to the brink of extinction.
But the medical standards in this world were simply too low. There was no such thing as antibiotics, and even a small cold could claim a life. A plague could wipe out an entire city.
If this injury had occurred in the post-apocalyptic world, it could have been easily treated with a repair device.
However, in this world, it could directly lead to death, leaving the person in a coma forever, with no hope of waking up.
As the night deepened,
Yu Li remained sitting by the bed, her posture upright, motionless.
Sitting with her were Yu Jin and Yu Yin, the two sisters, who also couldn’t sleep. They sat quietly, staring at Yu Zhu’s face, lost in thought.
“Elder sister, Little Sister will be fine, right?”
Suddenly, Yu Jin asked hoarsely.
In the quiet night, her voice was clear and audible to everyone.
Yu Lao’er and his wife, outside the door, heard it too. They covered their eyes in pain and silently shed tears.
Although Yu Li had told them to leave, how could they sleep? They stayed by the door, sitting in silence, keeping vigil with their daughters.
Yu Li’s voice sounded: “She will be.”
Her tone was calm, as it always was. No matter what she did, she always spoke so calmly.
To Yu Jin and Yu Yin, however, her words were a source of comfort.
The Yu family stayed awake throughout the night, until just before dawn, when, without realizing it, they all fell asleep.
When everyone was asleep, Yu Li slowly rose.
She reached out and took Yu Zhu’s hand, only to feel a burning sensation in her chest, as if something was about to break free from her body. A sharp pain surged in her head, each throb of her brain sending waves of agony through her.
But she endured the pain, letting it grow more intense, pulsing endlessly within her mind.
She had always been good at enduring pain, but this time, it was so intense that even her fingers trembled, unable to control it.
At that moment, a strong determination surged in her heart.
Life was so fragile. Was there any way to save her sister?
The original owner had left, finally entrusting “her” body to Yu Li. “Her” sister was now her responsibility, and she had to take care of them properly.
It was her duty.
She had received the body granted by the original owner, allowing her to live in this world again. Now, having been given this second chance, she had to fulfill the responsibility of this body.
And she was willing to do so.
Yu Li endured the overwhelming pain, pushing through until the pressure on her lips caused blood to ooze out, droplets falling onto her clothes.
But she didn’t make a sound.
She held Yu Zhu’s hand gently, her expression calm.
Finally, with a sudden, explosive force, something inside her broke free. The intense pain was instantly replaced by a soothing coolness, and her body felt light, as if all the heaviness and dizziness had disappeared.
All the negative symptoms that had plagued her for over two months vanished in that moment.
Yu Li’s body felt lighter than ever, her mind incredibly clear.
A surge of energy rose within her, faint and subtle, like a stream on the verge of drying up, yet it still made its presence known.
In the darkness before dawn, Yu Li’s eyes shone as brightly as the morning star.
If anyone had awoken at that moment, they would have seen a fleeting green light deep in her pupils.
Without hesitation, Yu Li directed the faint stream of energy inside her toward Yu Zhu’s body.
She knew that her awakening period had finally come to an end.
—
As the sky lightened slightly, Yu Lao’er, who had been sitting by the door, suddenly woke up. He stood up abruptly, knocking over the stool beneath him.
The noise startled everyone in the room.
When Yu Jin and Yu Yin woke up, they were momentarily confused. Then, as if recalling something, they quickly turned to look at the bed. When they saw that Yu Zhu had not yet woken, disappointment filled their faces. They then noticed that Yu Li was still holding Yu Zhu’s hand.
“Elder Sister, you didn’t sleep?” Yu Jin asked.
Yu Li didn’t respond, sitting quietly.
Yu Yin, being more observant, soon realized something was off with Yu Li.
She noticed that Yu Li’s forehead was covered in sweat, her face pale, and her body swayed slightly as if she could collapse at any moment. She was shocked. Also, there was a dark stain on her chest that looked like… blood?
At this moment, Yu Li released Yu Zhu’s hand and slowly stood up.
Her movements were sluggish, and her body swayed as she rose.
“Elder Sister…”
The two sisters looked at her with concern, thinking that she hadn’t slept all night and was exhausted.
They hadn’t expected to fall asleep either. They had been so tired from working during the day, and despite their worries, they had fallen asleep in the midst of their exhaustion.
Yu Li said, “I’m going back for now. You two take care of Little Sister. I’ll come back when I can.”
Yu Jin and Yu Yin nodded, but because Yu Zhu still hadn’t woken up, their mood was very low. They weren’t in the mood to think about anything else and didn’t notice anything unusual about Yu Li.
—
Yu Li walked out of the Yu family’s house, stepping into the morning light as she headed toward the Fu family’s house.
The further she walked, the paler her face became, and her already frail body seemed even more fragile.
Many villagers were out in the fields early in the morning, taking advantage of the cool weather.
As they encountered Yu Li along the way, they greeted her.
Yu Li didn’t respond—not because she didn’t want to, but because her vision was blurring, and she couldn’t hear their voices.
Finally, after another villager greeted her, her body swayed, and she collapsed straight down to the ground.
“Li Niang!”
Someone screamed, but Yu Li couldn’t make out the sound. Her consciousness sank into endless darkness.
—
Author’s Note:
The female protagonist has finally awakened, though her powers are not very strong yet—they are still limited. Her main strength is still her combat ability.