Heartless Riches

Su Li said, then turned and went into Wu Caiwei's room.

She lifted the curtain and entered, greeted by a warm air faintly scented. Wu Caiwei was lying slightly on her side on the couch, with Zhang Mu beside her speaking softly and tenderly. Doctor Wu had just finished taking her pulse.

"Caiwei, how are you feeling?" Su Li smiled and held Wu Caiwei's hand. She was now a key person to protect.

"Pretty good," Wu Caiwei smiled brightly, full of spirit. "My father said I should move around more to help with the delivery. Zhang Mu will accompany me to the back garden for a walk soon."

"There's still snow in the garden, so be careful not to slip," Su Li said.

Wu Caiwei covered her mouth, laughing happily. "There was snow earlier, but it's gone now. As soon as Zhang Mu heard I wanted to go to the garden, he got up early and cleared the snow away."

"Oh, you lucky girl!" Su Li laughed, pinching Wu Caiwei's cheek, then turned to Doctor Wu. "Uncle Wu, it seems someone in the Su family is ill and wants you to come take a look."

Doctor Wu chuckled, "The three of them in the Su family just endured corporal punishment and were paraded through the icy streets. How could they not be sick? Alright, I'll pack my medical kit right away."

After packing his medical kit, Doctor Wu left with Su Li and the others.

The snow had stopped today, but the snow on the road was deep. Yuanbao walked beside Su Li, gently holding her arm, afraid she might slip.

Sister Zhu, seeing them come out, started murmuring about the Su family's miserable situation, how tragic it all was.

When they arrived at the Su family, Su Li saw with her own eyes that their situation was even worse than Sister Zhu described.

In the Su family's courtyard stood an iron stove, filled with some firewood. It seemed the firewood stored before winter had run out, and the wood they were burning now was damp, producing thick black smoke.

Mrs. Zhao sat by the stove, her face covered in soot, her cotton coat filthy and torn. She held a tattered palm fan, fanning the fire.

On the stove sat an old medicine pot, boiling some unknown herbs that emitted a foul smell.

From inside the house came Su Old Man's hoarse voice, "Eldest daughter-in-law, is the medicine ready yet?"

Su Daqi was in the room, coughing violently. "I want water, hot water, hurry and bring me some hot water!"

Mrs. Zhao frowned and spat, "Almost ready! Oh, each one of you acts like you're dying, such nonsense!"

Sister Zhu led Su Li and the others into the house. Mrs. Zhao saw Su Li, dressed in a mink fur long skirt, light yet warm, elegant and refined, truly like a noble lady from a wealthy city family.

Looking down at her own soot-stained, torn clothes, Mrs. Zhao blushed with shame but wore no pleasant expression. She said to Su Li, "Su Li, what are you here for? To come watch my family's misery?"

Su Li clicked her tongue, thinking that Mrs. Zhao was still the same, speaking as harshly as ever.

Mrs. Zhao's words were overheard by Su Old Man. Hearing that Su Li had come, he hastily wrapped himself in a coat and rushed out, glaring at Su Li angrily, "What are you here for? Look at what you've done to this family!"

Su Li laughed at Su Old Man, "What do you mean I caused this? Was it me who forced you to kidnap children? You did all the bad things yourself, so why blame me? Stop throwing mud on me!"

Su Old Man was so angry his chest heaved, but he dared not curse. He still remembered the last time he cursed Su Li, he was beaten before he could finish speaking. It was extremely uncanny.

"Anyway, you came with bad intentions! You're just here to watch the misery!" Su Old Man glared at Su Li. Half of his face was still wounded and disfigured from the corporal punishment scars, looking fierce and terrifying. "If you weren't here to watch misery, then why don't you use your money to help your relatives? You're so rich, yet you don't lend a hand when relatives are in trouble. That's truly being wealthy but heartless!"