Chapter 370: Chapter 367: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Qin Liuxi secretly calculated the birth dates of Third Qin, though the divination indicated misfortune, it didn’t concern life and death, so she dismissed it.

Thinking of going out, she wanted to inform Mrs. Wang and turned towards her courtyard, but before entering, she saw Aunt Wan rushing out. Upon seeing the jinx, she acted like a mouse seeing a cat, wanting to turn back.

Qin Liuxi coughed lightly.

Aunt Wan stopped her wobbling feet, looked at her pitifully as she approached, and stammered, “You, why are you here?”

“Why are you in such a hurry? What happened?”

Aunt Wan said, “Aunt Pan is so ill she’s nearly dying, I need to go check on her.”

Qin Liuxi frowned, “Let’s go together.”

She led the way, with Aunt Wan following her like a little attendant, her bright red lips non-stop chattering.

Qin Liuxi then learned about the severity of Aunt Pan’s illness.

Aunt Pan, the birth mother of Mingmu, the eldest son of the second branch of the Qin family, had returned to the old mansion as she had offspring, after a calamity befell the Qin family and the other concubines of the second branch were dismissed. She had always been quiet and reserved; not a troublemaker. She was as invisible as a transparent person, hardly noticeable. Had Aunt Wan not mentioned her, Qin Liuxi would hardly remember such a person existed.

Aunt Pan was unremarkable, but compared to the dim-witted Aunt Wan, she was more thoughtful. Her only son was exiled to the northwest, naturally, she was distressed. She had been depressed, and then a broken engagement from the Wen Family pushed her over the edge and she fell into illness.

Mrs. Xie was not as magnanimous as Mrs. Wang, treating concubines almost like sisters. She saw Aunt Pan as a thorn in her eye; her falling ill did not provoke Mrs. Xie to clap in joy, and she wouldn’t ask after Aunt Pan’s health or arrange for a doctor, which was already being kind.

Now, because of Aunt Pan’s lingering illness, she could hardly get out of bed. Had Aunt Wan not cared for her, she might have died without anyone knowing when.

Entering Aunt Pan’s room, Qin Liuxi immediately covered her nose; the musty odor here was even more severe than in Old Mrs. Qin’s place.

Walking into the inner room, she saw a woman, skinny and emaciated.

Her temples were silvery white, her eyes circled with dark shadows, her cheeks sunken, her body enveloped in a dull sickly aura, as if death loomed over her.

Aunt Wan was right; she was indeed close to death.

“Aunt Pan, the eldest young lady came to see you,” Aunt Wan went over, helped Aunt Pan sit up, and leaned her against herself.

Qin Liuxi saw this without minding, her eyes warmed.

Though a bit silly, her heart was kind; no wonder she was blessed.

Aunt Pan’s breath was faint. Seeing Qin Liuxi, she croaked, “Eldest young lady?”

Qin Liuxi stepped forward, holding her wrist to feel her pulse, her eyebrows deeply furrowed.

This person’s Qi was severely obstructed, and her vitality nearly ceased due to excessive weakening of her organs. If neglected, she might truly die within a few days.

And she had brought this upon herself.

Qin Liuxi felt somewhat cold and resentful. Illness was illness, but she was resentful toward those who neglect themselves to the point of exhaustion.

“How is it? What medicine should she take?” Aunt Wan asked carefully.

Qin Liuxi glanced coldly at Aunt Pan, “She doesn’t want to live anymore, why waste money and medicine on her?”

Aunt Wan gasped, looking at Aunt Pan in her arms, and asked ridiculously, “Aunt Pan, you don’t want to live anymore?”

Aunt Pan, stiff in her body, said: “…”

Qin Liuxi held her forehead.

“Why do you not want to live anymore? Didn’t you say you wanted to wait for the Eldest Young Master to return? You’ve also made so many insoles for him, it would be such a waste to give up now?” Aunt Wan said with a note of regret.

Aunt Pan: Would you just shut up!

If it weren’t for the inappropriate setting, Qin Liuxi would have almost laughed, Aunt Wan indeed could unwittingly infuriate someone to death without lifting a finger.

Qin Liuxi saw Aunt Pan close her eyes and then said, “Medicine can cure diseases, but it cannot cure heartaches. She is suffering from heartache, tormenting herself into this condition. Such behavior is undoubtedly akin to self-harm; thus, taking medicine is also futile.”

Aunt Wan subconsciously looked at Aunt Pan and moved her lips slightly.

“Heart disease also needs heart medicine, Aunt Pan, the only cure for your illness is your son.” Qin Liuxi stared at Aunt Pan and said, “Why do you treat him as poison rather than medicine?”

Aunt Pan suddenly opened her eyes, tears of turbidity flowing.

“Being exiled is just that, not getting beheaded. There is always a glimmer of hope for amnesty, and even if there isn’t, isn’t he alive and well? And about the broken engagement, what is so grand about that? He is still so young, there are plenty of women in the world, are you worried he will remain a bachelor?”

Qin Liuxi spoke indifferently: “What you think are big issues, in the face of life and death, are nothing.”

Aunt Pan started crying out loud.

“If you want to see him return, treat him as your hope and live well, otherwise, if you’re gone, who else would care for Qin Mingmu? Aunt Xie?”

Hoping for Mrs. Xie is less reliable than praying to God.

Aunt Pan raised her head, clutching her aching heart, struggling to get down and kowtow to Qin Liuxi, her voice hoarse, “Miss, I dare not abuse myself anymore, please save me.”

“Don’t torment yourself anymore, really, if you torment yourself to death, not even immortals can save you. Besides, the miss… she would save…” Aunt Wan hesitated and looked towards Qin Liuxi, “Right?”

Qin Liuxi once again rubbed her forehead; all this fuss, it’s enough to drive someone to death!

She ignored Aunt Wan’s words and simply sat down to write a prescription.

Mrs. Wang, who had just returned from outside and heard the news from Nanny Shen, also arrived, and seeing Aunt Pan’s emaciated appearance that seemed to melt to the bones in such a short time, she couldn’t help but inhale sharply before bursting into a torrent of scolding.

Aunt Wan, seeing Mrs. Wang, who was usually calm and composed, losing her temper, wished she could shrink into a grain of rice.

Oh heavens, so the lady also has such a fierce side, thankfully I never foolishly tried to usurp her position, it wouldn’t be enough for her play.

I’m indeed smart.

After Mrs. Wang’s outburst, although it was tough love, she had Nanny Shen send Chief Li to prepare medicine, and reassigned Xue’er to attend to Aunt Pan, until she fully recovered.

“Aunt Pan, if you still want to see Mingmu, you must take good care of your health. If you lose your life, who else will remember him?” Mrs. Wang spoke earnestly.

Aunt Pan, shaken, wiping her tears, said, “I just can’t help it, I’m afraid that he won’t end well there.”

“If we go by what you said, shouldn’t I be even more worried? Yan’er is even younger than Mingmu,” Mrs. Wang’s eyes slightly moistened.

Aunt Pan, realizing she had touched a nerve, quickly assured that she would no longer indulge in wild thoughts and would take good care of her health.

She also glanced at Qin Liuxi, trembling.

Qin Liuxi, without even a glance, saw that everything was handled and walked out, feeling vexed, out of sight, out of mind.