Liu Cunren's abilities were plain for everyone in the family to see, yet his status within the household could never command respect. Liu Ye'er could not understand why, in any dynasty, the tenets of loyalty and filial piety remained paramount. While son-preference was a widespread phenomenon, their family's circumstances had been made even more difficult by this mindset.
Liu Ye'er complained, "Dad, we never get enough to eat at home, Auntie doesn't get enough either, and Xiao Dezi gets even less. He is your own flesh and blood, meant to carry on the family line—how can you just turn a blind eye and do nothing?"
Liu Cunren replied dismissively, "I give your aunt money in private; isn't that enough to feed you all? Besides, when you say you don't get enough to eat, you are pointing the finger at your grandparents. Even if they are in the wrong, it is not your place to judge them."
Liu Ye'er thought with a sense of helplessness that a father who cared nothing for his own flesh and blood and only practiced blind filial piety toward his parents was hardly surprising when his own wife had passed away from a lack of affection. Dissatisfied, she retorted, "It's not as if we're too poor to afford a proper meal. Why can't we eat our fill out in the open instead of having to sneak around? Is there something wrong with simply wanting enough to eat?"
Liu Cunren frowned, shouting impatiently, "Having your meals provided should be enough for you—there's no need for all this talk!"
Liu Ye'er let out a cold snort, her tone firm as she retorted, "Mom's death was brought about precisely by this attitude of yours! If you carry on like this, I'm afraid Auntie and I won't last long either."
Liu Cunren cursed furiously, "You ungrateful wretch, how dare you be so defiant! Looks like you're itching for a beating!" He clenched his fist, but upon seeing Han Yuling standing right before him, he managed to restrain himself and held back.
Liu Shande chimed in, "Dad, you really don't measure up to Fourth Uncle. Fourth Uncle often buys me treats, and when Sister fell ill, Fourth Uncle was beside himself with worry, rushing to call the doctor and have medicine prepared."
Liu Cunren's expression grew even gloomier. "Eat your food and shut that mouth of yours!" Liu Ye'er quickly stopped Liu Shande; now was not the time to expose Liu Cunren's flaws.
Liu Ye'er tried using her younger brother as a topic of conversation, hoping to catch her father's attention. Her brother was the heir of the Liu Family; surely he deserved at least some concern and attention from their father. Yet, even when his son was mentioned, Liu Cunren remained entirely unresponsive, his indifference filling Liu Ye'er with despair.
The atmosphere at the dining table grew oppressive as the four of them harbored their own private thoughts. Looking at the scene before her, Liu Ye'er felt a bitter taste rise in her chest. In this household, she seemed to have become the most unwelcome existence of all. She longed for her father's care and affection, but reality left her deeply disappointed.
Although a raging fire burned within Liu Ye'er—outraged by her father's blind filial piety and deeply dissatisfied with his callousness toward his family—she chose to hold her tongue when facing Han Yuling. She knew that her father still possessed a sense of justice and compassion in worldly matters, and could at the very least be considered a good man. Deep down, she even harbored the idea of having Han Yuling marry her father, as doing so would provide greater security for her own life.
Liu Ye'er understood that exposing too many of her father's shortcomings might cause Han Yuling to develop an aversion to him, ruining the prospect altogether. Therefore, she chose to remain silent. She knew that no matter how flawed her father was, he had spent years away from home, leaving the heavy burden of the household on her godmother. With her godmother's support, she would be able to withstand the exploitation of the old folks and realize her plan to achieve prosperity.
Despite her dissatisfaction and anger at her father's actions, Liu Ye'er still chose patience and silence. She knew clearly that only through her godmother's help and her own efforts could she lead a better life.
At this thought, Liu Ye'er picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks, placed it gently into Han Yuling's bowl, and said softly, "Godmother, eat a bit more and get your strength back soon." Still convalescing, Han Yuling ate slowly with her chopsticks while pondering in her heart. She was grateful to Liu Cunren for saving her life and felt she ought to repay him. Yet, simply giving him money would have very limited effect, and she feared it would never actually reach Liu Cunren's hands. Marrying Liu Cunren was also an option; his appearance was quite handsome, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, a straight nose, and a square mouth, and his physique was tall as well. His brothers were all short men, while he alone was tall, and his character was passable. Though somewhat blindly filial and aloof, fortunately, it was not to an extreme degree. This daughter was very close to her, making future relations easy to manage. Liu Cunxiu seemed industrious and capable of enduring hardship, and while the character of that young son was still unclear, he was young and highly moldable. What made one unhappy were the parents-in-law, brothers, and sisters-in-law—no one in their right mind would ever like such a bunch. Marrying into this family would bring endless trouble, and trying to divide the household would be extremely difficult. Even if the household were divided, she would still inevitably face visits from those freeloaders. It would be far better to take in a son-in-law, thereby completely cutting ties with this nest of trouble. But would Liu Cunren agree to marry into her family? And the rest of the Liu Family wouldn't agree to it either.
Liu Ye'er wrung her brains trying to figure out how to bridge the distance between Liu Cunren and Han Yuling. She knew that Han Yuling possessed far greater martial arts skills and life experience than Liu Cunren, and persuading her would be no easy task. However, the fact that Liu Cunren had saved Han Yuling's life was a highly advantageous condition. Moreover, Liu Cunren's character was trustworthy. Therefore, Liu Ye'er resolved to find a way to use this opportunity to bring the match about.
When Han Yuling arrived here, Liu Ye'er felt incomparably happy. She knew that with this powerful backing, she would no longer need to fear anyone's bullying. Hence, she proactively took on the chore of decocting the medicine.
That evening, Liu Cunren dismissed everyone else, leaving only Liu Cunxiu guarding the doorway. He produced twenty taels of silver and said to Han Yuling, "I know it's wrong for my parents to demand silver from you, but I cannot stop them. I'll give this silver to you first, and you can hand it over to them when the time comes."
Han Yuling shook her head and said, "Take it back. I have ways to get silver." Hearing this, Liu Cunren knew she had no silver on her person. He persisted, "You should still take it to solve the immediate problem, and you can return it to me later. My parents place great value on silver; if you don't give them any, I'm afraid they won't let you leave."
To put his mind at ease and make him accept the silver, Han Yuling had no choice but to agree. Liu Cunren never imagined that this unintentional act of his would hit the mark precisely. Han Yuling, who had still been hesitating, now had her resolve firmly set.
That night, the three of them squeezed onto a single bed. Having worked hard all day, Liu Cunxiu was thoroughly exhausted and quickly fell fast asleep. Liu Ye'er, however, was too excited to sleep. Her mind was filled with questions—questions about life and about the future. Although she had already confirmed Han Yuling's identity, she still wanted to verify it once more. She asked softly, "Godmother, where are you from?" This was a difficult question to answer, as it touched upon the deepest thoughts in Han Yuling's heart.
Han Yuling, a woman who appeared strong yet was tender within, found her background inconvenient to disclose. She mused, "I left home very early and have been wandering ever since. I don't even know where I'm truly from anymore." A trace of imperceptible sorrow laced her voice.
Liu Ye'er had long since known her origins and was only asking to make sure. Hearing this, she understood most of it and couldn't help sighing, "A child without a mother is like a blade of grass." These words struck a chord deep within Han Yuling's heart. Looking at Liu Ye'er's innocent face, a powerful surge of emotion welled up inside her.
Han Yuling spoke up, "How about I marry your dad and become your mother?" This remark brought a wave of pleasant surprise to Liu Ye'er; it was the exact outcome she wanted, yet she hadn't known how to bring it up. Although Han Yuling had only just met Liu Cunren, she deeply admired his character—his readiness to rescue those in distress and his secret financial assistance to her had deeply moved her.
Yet, Liu Ye'er felt somewhat conflicted about the matter. Han Yuling marrying in was undoubtedly a good thing, as she would finally have someone to rely on. With Han Yuling's experience and strength, she was fully capable of standing up to Madam Yu. It was just that her father's character had its flaws: he was a good man to outsiders, enthusiastic in helping others and generous to a fault, but completely different toward his own family. He was sullen and spoke very little. Back then, when her real mother had fallen ill and died, her father had shown no sense of loss or grief. Recently, Liu Ye'er herself had suffered a severe illness—the true Liu Ye'er, his biological daughter, had actually died. Yet upon his return, he hadn't even asked about her condition, acting as if she didn't exist at all. In this regard, he truly fell short of Fourth Uncle's kindness toward her. At this thought, a wave of bitterness washed over Liu Ye'er, and tears welled up in her eyes. Han Yuling reached out and pulled her into an embrace; though she had only arrived today, she could already roughly tell that this motherless little girl must have suffered a great deal of hardship.
Liu Ye'er asked once more, "Godmother, do you know how to read?" She asked a question whose answer she already knew; despite understanding Han Yuling's background, she still pretended ignorance. Han Yuling replied, "I am literate." Seizing the moment, Liu Ye'er asked, "Can you teach me to read?" She used this opportunity to draw closer to Han Yuling and pave the way for learning martial arts in the future. Han Yuling readily agreed, "No problem." After just a single day together, Han Yuling could already see that Liu Ye'er was a clever and sensible child, feeling a natural affinity toward her that made her well worth cultivating and helping.
Even as she lay in bed, Liu Ye'er remained wide awake. She understood that Han Yuling was a formidable figure, and she had to make the most of this powerhouse's potential. If she and her father got married, they could stay together permanently. How could she get the two of them to marry? That was the pressing question at hand. Would her father object? Would she need to force their hand? And would Han Yuling be willing? After all, she wasn't someone without options.
As Liu Ye'er lay quietly on the kang, a crisp, melodious voice suddenly rang out in her mind: "Ding! Quest to recognize mother completed. Reward: One Super Strengthening Pill." Hearing the sound, a wave of joy surged through Liu Ye'er's heart. Directing her spiritual sense into her internal space, she saw an exquisite pill icon floating in midair, labeled underneath with "Super Strengthening Pill."
Without the slightest hesitation, Liu Ye'er swallowed the strengthening pill. A wave of intense heat surged from the medicine, instantly spreading through her entire body. Although the system indicated that the strengthening effect would take effect slowly and require half a year to fully manifest, it did not dampen Liu Ye'er's spirits at the moment. She knew clearly that this pill would increase her strength, speed, reflexes, and mental power twentyfold.
At that moment, the system prompted once more: "Ding! New quest issued: Leave the Liu Family." Hearing this quest, Liu Ye'er felt a quiet thrill—this was precisely what she wanted to do. Now, she possessed even greater confidence and courage.
Liu Ye'er had once suffered endless oppression from the Liu Family, living beneath a shadow. Yet now, her eyes were filled with hope; the path of martial arts was opening up before her, and she would soon bloom with her own brilliance. All these transformations were thanks to her benefactor, Han Yuling. Not only was Han Yuling formidable in strength, but she was also Liu Ye'er's steadfast backing, granting her endless support and encouragement. Liu Ye'er no longer needed to fear the oppression of the Liu Family; she would stride forward with a brand-new attitude to meet the challenges of the future.