Si Qing endured at first.
Her own sister, a blood relation, she couldn't curse or beat.
She couldn't win!
But as time passed, Si Qing, while reviewing official documents, listened to the crunching sounds of eating behind her and the rustling of storybooks. Veins began to bulge on her forehead. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she slammed down her brush and turned to glare at Qi Yu:
"Are you going too far? I'm so busy, and you're not even helping me grind ink! You're just reading storybooks, and you won't even share your snacks with me."
Qi Yu's eyes welled up with tears.
She still had jerky in her mouth.
Si Qing was so exasperated by her that she lost all temper and continued to review the documents with indignation.
Qi Yu, with teary eyes, leaned closer and whispered, "Our handwriting is different, don't forget to imitate my writing style."
Qi Yu's writing was more delicate, while Si Qing's was more ornate and cursive.
Si Qing turned her head and smiled at Qi Yu, about to say that if the standards were so high, she should write it herself. But before the words left her mouth, she saw Qi Yu's teary eyes, on the verge of falling.
All of Si Qing's words were choked in her throat, unable to be spoken. She could only quickly appease her, "Okay, okay, I'll definitely find a way to imitate it well. I didn't say I wouldn't write it for you, don't cry."
"Mhm!" Qi Yu sniffled. "This jerky is so spicy, it's making my eyes water. Do you want to try some?"
Si Qing: "...Sister, let's go have a fight outside..."
Qi Yu sniffled, engrossed in her meal. She hadn't heard him speak just now and looked up, humming, "What did you say?"
Si Qing picked up a handkerchief and wiped her nose. "It's nothing, I said you can eat with peace of mind."
Qi Yu hummed an "oh" and immediately lowered her head to continue gnawing.
Si Qing looked at the brush on the table, scratched her head in frustration, and finally resigned herself to continuing to write.
Outside the room.
Yue Zhiyin and the others were gathered, discussing the issue of Ling Ruo.
"Ling Ruo's foolish and傻 appearance doesn't seem like an act; it seems genuine. I wonder what the Rakshasa Heavenly Venerate did to her?" Sui You said, placing down his teacup. "Senior Brother, how do you plan to handle this?"
Yue Zhiyin shook his head gently. "I don't know either. This soul of Ling Ruo's, at a glance, is clearly from another world. I wonder if there are any other uses for her. It feels like a pity to let her soul be extinguished just like that."
Qi Nian, Chi Ming, and Qi Yan exchanged glances, and the group fell into silence.
They had initially thought Yue Zhiyin hadn't dealt with Ling Ruo because he didn't know how, never expecting that Yue Zhiyin was merely concerned about Ling Ruo having other potential uses.
"Take me to see Ling Ruo later," Shao Feng, who had been sitting far away holding his wife, suddenly suggested. "Take me to the Nine Heavens to see that soul from another world named Ling Ruo. Perhaps I can find a way to restore her to her original state."
Ming Lou looked around curiously. "By the way, where did the West Sea Dragon King go? Lord Yan Hua, why haven't I seen him since just now?"
"The West Sea Dragon King went to the City of the Dead," Yan Hua said as if the West Sea Dragon King had just gone to the latrine, his voice devoid of any inflection. "Jing Xiu's soul is in the City of the Dead. The King of Hell's intention is that if her soul can be brought out of the City of the Dead, she can return to life. After all, her situation is rather special. However, no matter whose living soul it is, they are restricted in the City of the Dead and cannot use their powers. Furthermore, if they cannot get out within three days, they will become a dead soul."
He didn't continue, but everyone understood the implication of Yan Hua's words.
At the same time, in the Underworld, by the Bridge of Helplessness, in a darker corner.
The heavily injured Rakshasa Heavenly Venerate stared at the souls queuing on the Bridge of Helplessness, waiting to drink the Meng Po soup and reincarnate. He narrowed his eyes, licked his lips, and then, taking advantage of the absence of the underworld guards, casually grabbed the nearest soul and swallowed it.