Shi Li's gaze fell on Li Yuwei's flat abdomen. Recalling what she had heard about her death in her previous life reminded Shi Li of the cruel acts of Japanese soldiers in anti-Japanese war films.
Without any anesthesia, the baby was cut out of the mother's body and killed, while the mother was left in an open state until she bled to death.
Scandalous gossip events that shattered one's worldview were not uncommon in their circles, like affairs between fathers-in-law and daughters-in-law, or sisters-in-law...
Criminal cases occurred occasionally, but were extremely rare.
Even when they did happen, it was usually some lawless rich kid causing a fatal drunk driving accident, or someone overdosing while doing drugs with their lover.
The Li family's gruesome massacre was exceptionally rare, not just in their social circle, but in all of Blue City.
The victims' deaths were particularly brutal, with blood splattered all over the crime scene.
Just hearing the description made Shi Li feel terrified.
Especially knowing that one of the victims was her schoolmate made the case feel even more horrific when it happened to someone she knew.
[When choosing a partner, never go for someone who's insecure, jealous, and prone to overthinking. The Li family's eldest son-in-law saw his wife chatting with another man for just a bit after they got married, and he suspected she was cheating on him and even doubted if the baby in her belly was his.]
[That scumbag was caught quickly. I heard the forensic expert was kind enough to do a DNA test for the child, which proved it was indeed his own flesh and blood.]
From these brief descriptions, Li Yuqing could glimpse how tragically her family had died. But whether the death was peaceful or miserable didn't really matter anymore - they were all dead in the end.
What difference did it make if one died peacefully or in agony?
She numbly allowed Li Yuwei to pull her along. For Li Yuwei, bargain hunting was an exciting new experience, and she was eager to try out the methods she had just learned.
After parting ways with the Li sisters, Shi Li and Song Ying left the mall. The driver was already waiting for them at the entrance.
The two got into the back seat of the car.
After fastening her seatbelt, Song Ying was a bit worried about Li Yuqing's state, so she sent a comforting text: [If you need anything, please don't hesitate to come to me. Don't feel shy about it.]
[I may not be the smartest person, but three cobblers with their wits combined surpass Zhuge Liang. If we all put our heads together, I'm sure we can come up with a solution.]
Li Yuqing was busy buying ice cream and didn't see Song Ying's message.
Even though there was no reply, Song Ying wasn't discouraged and persistently sent more messages.
[By the way, your brother-in-law is so extreme, does he have some mental health issues?]
[Mental illness can be scary, they don't even have to take legal responsibility for murder.]
[But if we knew in advance that he had mental problems, I think it would be best to send him to a hospital for treatment.]
The best place for mentally ill people with violent tendencies is a psychiatric hospital.
Arriving at the Shi family villa, Song Ying casually put away her phone and got out of the car with Shi Li.
The housekeeper was delighted to see Song Ying, "Little Ying is back!"
Song Ying gave her a big hug, "I'm back, and this is a gift for you."
Song Ying knew exactly which gift was for whom. She handed one of the bags to the housekeeper, "See if you like it. My sister and I spent a long time picking it out."
The housekeeper chided playfully, "Your presence is enough, there's no need for gifts. How unnecessary!"
Shi Li laughed and said, "Little Ying is quite wealthy now. Don't try to save money for her. When we go out to eat now, she's the one paying."
She was referring to the two ice creams they had just bought, which Song Ying had paid for since she had the special ability to get the lowest bargain prices.
Shi's Grandmother was lounging in her chair watching a TV drama. Hearing Shi Li's words, she replied, "That won't do. We can't always let Little Ying pay just because she has money now. Even if you two are close, you shouldn't take advantage of Little Ying."
Shi Li ran up to her grandmother and joked, "But I'm poor! You know my parents don't give me much pocket money."
She held out her hand, "Grandma, give me some money to buy pretty clothes."
Shi's Grandmother gave her a playful slap, "Nonsense! Your parents are very generous with you. You're trying to trick money out of this old lady!"
Shi Li wasn't upset at being caught out. She laughed heartily and said, "You've seen right through me! Stop watching your soap opera and look at the gift Little Ying bought especially for you."
Shi's Grandmother didn't lack for gifts, but she treasured the thought behind them from the children.
Whether the gift was good or bad, Shi's Grandmother would love it all the same.
The Eldest Aunt, knowing there was a gift for her too, showed the same excitement as Shi's Grandmother.
Shi's Grandmother kept saying how thoughtful Song Ying was, and instructed the kitchen to prepare Song Ying's favorite dishes for dinner that night.
The housekeeper smiled and said, "No need for instructions, we've already prepared. When our child comes home, we naturally make the dishes they like."
With Song Ying as such a considerate granddaughter, Shi Li was almost pushed aside.
Shi's Grandmother couldn't help but tease her, "It's been over twenty years, and this is the first time I've received a gift from a grandchild."
The eldest cousin, returning home from work, felt like he'd been hit in the knee.
Shi Li assumed her grandmother was just hinting at her eldest cousin, and that it had nothing to do with her.
If the sky fell, the eldest brother would be there to hold it up.
The eldest cousin gave his two sisters a resentful look, wondering why he'd been dragged into this out of nowhere.
Shi Li caught her eldest cousin's aggrieved glance and very considerately defended him, "Big brother is the most filial. I guarantee he'll bring you a surprise gift tomorrow."
Shi's Grandmother's eyes lit up, "Is your big brother bringing a girlfriend home?"
Shi Quan, still a single dog, replied, "No, and referring to a girlfriend as a gift is inappropriate. It's disrespectful to women."
The Eldest Aunt couldn't stand her son's overly serious way of speaking. She threw a cushion at him, "Speak normally."
Shi Quan put the cushion back in place and resumed his normal tone, "Alright."
After more than a month, Song Ying was having dinner with everyone again.
Without the unpleasant Hong Yan at the table, this dinner felt particularly enjoyable.
When the Youngest Uncle Shi came home and saw Song Ying, his eyes dimmed, clearly thinking of Hong Yan.
However, he controlled himself today and didn't bring up that nauseating person when everyone was so happy.
After dinner, Shi's Grandmother and the Eldest Aunt both strongly invited Song Ying to stay over and play with Shi Li.
Song Ying was very tempted, but her family couldn't do without her at the moment.
Because she had once been stolen by Hong Yan, her family was particularly worried that she might encounter child traffickers and be kidnapped again.
Song Ying's birth mother would send a message every so often, asking who she was with and what she was doing.
If Song Ying delayed replying to a message for a long time due to being busy, her mother on the other end of the phone would start imagining all sorts of scenarios - had something happened to her child? Had she been kidnapped?
For this reason, Song Ying couldn't stay at the Shi family home for now.
After explaining the reason, Shi's Grandmother and the Eldest Aunt were very understanding and advised her not to see it as a burden, saying that after some time, her mother wouldn't be like this anymore.
Song Ying understood completely.
To be honest, perhaps because she hadn't experienced love from parents and family when she was young, this kind of motherly concern, which might be a burden to others, made her feel valued. She even enjoyed this attention.
On her way home, Song Ying opened her phone and saw that Li Yuqing had replied with an OK hand gesture.
After returning home and sharing the day's events with her parents and grandparents, she went to her room.
After some thought, she reopened the chat with Li Yuqing and asked what she wanted to do next.
From the text, she could sense Li Yuqing's relief.
[I've already told my parents that he seems to have a mental illness. My dad has already found someone to investigate.]
[The results should come out soon.]
[Thank you for your suggestion. The mentally ill should indeed be in mental hospitals QAQ]
