TSWPF -Chapter 465 Quarreling

Xiaoxiao’s skin was a little sensitive. Normally, if she bumped or scratched herself, her skin would turn dark and bruised for several days—let alone the finger marks left from being pinched hard.

After Li Qingling carefully applied medicine to her, the bright red finger marks soon turned into purplish-blue bruises.

Seeing this, everyone felt even more heartbroken.

When they saw Old Master Liu approaching, Mr. Luo didn’t even bother putting on a good face.

“Great-grandpa, don’t be angry, don’t be angry. Xiaoxiao isn’t in pain anymore,” the little girl patted Mr. Luo’s back gently, coaxing him in her baby voice.

How could she not be in pain? Those purplish-blue marks would take days to fade!

Mr. Luo pulled her into his arms, gasping with worry. “Old Master Liu, look at what your daughter-in-law has done! Look at my little treasure’s hands.” He held Xiaoxiao’s tiny hands for Old Master Liu to see. “If I had known my precious great-granddaughter would suffer like this, I would never have let her come back.”

At this moment, Mr. Luo was completely unreasonable.

“How did it get so bad?” Seeing the bruises on the little girl’s hands, Old Master Liu frowned in worry. “Did you apply medicine?”

He regretted not punishing the second branch earlier, instead letting them off lightly. If it weren’t for them, his precious great-granddaughter wouldn’t be hurt.

His snow-white little granddaughter’s hands bore several purple-blue marks—just looking at them made his eyes sting.

The little girl said the medicine had been applied and comforted Old Master Liu, telling him not to worry—it would be better in a few days.

“A few days?”

Hearing this, Old Master Liu felt his heart ache. No wonder Mr. Luo was so angry. This really was…

“Hao’er, go and fetch Old Master Xue to take a look at Xiaoxiao.”

Liu Zhihao nodded, patting the little girl’s head and praising her bravery.

The little girl was so thoughtful—it was hard not to spoil her. Even after being hurt, she didn’t cry or fuss and even comforted the adults. It was both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

Xiaoxiao grinned from the praise, puffed out her little chest, and said proudly that she was the bravest Xiaoxiao.

“Yes, Xiaoxiao is the bravest,” Liu Zhihao said again. “When Uncle returns, he’ll take you to fly.”

“Okay…” Hearing she could go flying, Xiaoxiao’s smile widened even more.

Liu Zhihao then went to find Old Master Xue.

He first went to Xue’s residence, but he wasn’t there, so he hurried to the Imperial Hospital inside the palace.

As soon as Old Master Xue heard Xiaoxiao was hurt, he didn’t hesitate. He left the palace with Liu Zhihao and went straight to the Liu household.

“My little darling, where are you hurt?” As soon as he entered the courtyard, Old Master Xue called out.

Hearing his voice, Li Qingling went out to greet him, only to be scolded immediately: “How can you be a mother? How could you let my little darling get hurt? Step aside, I need to see if the injuries are serious!” He pushed Li Qingling aside and hurried in. “Oh, my little darling!”

“…“

Since the arrival of the little girl, her own status had dropped sharply.

It was bitter… so bitter.

“Xiaoxiao, this is your mother’s god-grandfather. You must call him Great-Grandpa. Do you understand?” Liu Zhimou explained to the little girl so she wouldn’t get confused with so many people around.

Xiaoxiao nestled in Mr. Luo’s arms and obediently nodded. “I know! Little horse, little rabbit, little rooster… Great-Grandpa gave them.” She remembered clearly.

Unexpectedly, Xiaoxiao remembered so well. It brought tears to Old Master Xue’s eyes.

“Oh, my little darling is so smart and has such a good memory.” He opened his arms to the little girl. “Come here, let Great-Grandpa hold you.”

Xiaoxiao obediently opened her arms, letting Old Master Xue lift her. Once seated, he saw the bruises on her right hand and frowned. “How did this happen?”

Hearing this, Mr. Luo snorted coldly and gave Old Master Liu a glance, recounting the entire incident in detail.

After hearing it, Old Master Xue was furious. He said angrily, “Why are you still living here? Go back to Great-Grandpa’s house; I guarantee no one will bully you there.”

Who dares mess with his little darling?

One Mr. Luo was already hard to deal with; now Old Master Xue was involved. If Old Master Lu found out, it would be even worse.

Old Master Liu could only sigh silently!

Seeing Old Master Liu look miserable, Li Qingling kindly spoke up for him: “Grandfather couldn’t have predicted this. It’s not his fault.”

After this incident, it seemed the second and fourth branches couldn’t get along. Even if the fourth branch forgave the second, the second wouldn’t necessarily let go of their grudges.

Zhong Qing had lost such face—given her personality, how could she not resent them? No matter how magnanimous she acted, she would never truly trust them.

After all, when they wanted to return to the Liu household before, they had investigated the family and the three daughters-in-law.

Jiang Yingying was impulsive, and aside from stirring things behind Liu Wenjie’s back, she hadn’t done anything truly malicious.

Zhong Qing seemed pleasant but was actually very calculating—she could quietly stir up trouble in the Liu family without affecting herself. Today must have been her most frustrating day: she hurt Xiaoxiao and got publicly scolded.

Zhang Yun’er, on the other hand, was genuinely kind, cheerful, and straightforward. She didn’t play small tricks.

So when they returned to the Liu household, only the three daughters-in-law of the third branch truly trusted each other.

Old Master Xue didn’t listen, his eyes bulging as he scolded, “Nonsense! This is because Old Master Liu was incompetent and didn’t manage his family properly.” He really wanted to take Xiaoxiao home for a few days so that the grandfather and granddaughter could bond.

Li Qingling helplessly shrugged at Old Master Liu. She couldn’t help him anymore. If she tried, Old Master Xue would scold her too.

As soon as he saw her, he had scolded her, leaving her heart aching. She wasn’t inside Zhong Qing’s belly—how could she have known Zhong Qing would harm Xiaoxiao? If she had known, she would have protected her tightly.

Xiaoxiao was her flesh and blood. Seeing her hurt, her heart ached more than anyone’s—she wished she could bear the pain herself.

Old Master Liu cleared his throat and repeatedly promised that such a thing would never happen again.

“Never again…”

But both Mr. Luo and Old Master Xue scoffed, not believing his words.

“My little darling’s skin is delicate. I’ll make a special medicine to remove bruises for her,” Old Master Xue said gently, examining Xiaoxiao’s hands carefully. “Little darling, does it hurt?”

“Not much. It will be fine soon. Don’t worry, Great-Grandpa.”

Seeing Xiaoxiao so calm, Old Master Xue frowned and looked at Li Qingling. “Does she often bump into things? Otherwise, how could she be so composed? It doesn’t seem like it’s her first time.”

“Xiaoxiao’s skin is sensitive. Even a small bump can bruise for several days. Medicine doesn’t help much.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I would have prepared medicine and sent it to you.” Old Master Xue, upon hearing this, was like a fire-breathing dragon, scolding Li Qingling. “My poor little darling! Your parents saw you get hurt and didn’t tell me? Unreliable, right?”

Perhaps because Old Master Xue sounded so funny, Xiaoxiao giggled and nodded.

She thought Great-Grandpa was so amusing.

Old Master Xue then turned his attention to Mr. Luo.

Mr. Luo was so irritating—he often wrote letters back, teasing him. He knew he couldn’t go to Ninghua County to see his little darling, yet still provoked him—it was truly unfair.

“No…” Hearing Old Master Xue criticize Mr. Luo, Xiaoxiao shook her head. “Great-Grandpa is good!”

Hearing this, Mr. Luo beamed smugly, glancing at Old Master Xue. No way would Xiaoxiao be fooled easily.

Old Master Xue and Old Master Liu felt a pang of sadness—they could never compare to Mr. Luo, who spent every day with Xiaoxiao.

“Thanks for the praise, Xiaoxiao. Great-Grandpa knows he’s good too,” Old Master Liu said shamelessly, patting his chest. Clearly, he was her real great-grandfather—how could he rank below Mr. Luo?

Mr. Luo: “…”

He had seen shameless people, but not shameless to this degree.

Everyone else: “…”

Impressive and powerful—they thought Old Master Liu was incredible.

Xiaoxiao looked at Old Master Liu, then Mr. Luo, and said diplomatically that both great-grandpas were good.

But she preferred the one who accompanied her every day.

To avoid hurting the great-grandfather in the capital, she kept that thought to herself.

Liu Zhimou, a little jealous, interjected, asking which great-grandpa was better.

Old Master Liu, fearing Xiaoxiao would get confused, quickly explained, “I’m the real great-grandfather, he’s the god-great-grandfather. The real one is better than the god one. So from now on, Xiaoxiao should call me real great-grandpa and him god great-grandpa, understood?”

Before Xiaoxiao could respond, Mr. Luo said decisively, “No.”

His words implied he wasn’t her real grandfather, which made him feel upset.

Old Master Liu couldn’t take it and asked Mr. Luo what was wrong.

And so, the two old men started bickering again.

Xiaoxiao looked from one to the other and asked uncertainly, “Are they… quarreling?”

“Who said that? They’re setting an example!” Li Qingling stifled a laugh and, looking at the ceiling, leisurely replied.

Mr. Luo stiffened, fist at his mouth, and cleared his throat. “Xiaoxiao, we’re not quarreling. We’re discussing something, just a bit loudly. Right, Old Master Liu?”

Old Master Liu chuckled. “Yes, we’re discussing something.”

Xiaoxiao said, “Oh… then it’s fine if you’re not quarreling.”

“No quarrel, no quarrel,” Mr. Luo hurriedly reassured her. “We’re civilized people. We don’t quarrel.” He had to control himself and not set a bad example in front of Xiaoxiao.

Xiaoxiao nodded in agreement. Civilized people don’t quarrel.