Sang Yuling remained silent for a brief, tense moment before quietly standing up and following Yu Qi out into the hallway. The two women walked together toward a quieter, secluded corner of the wing where there were no people around to eavesdrop on their conversation. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Mrs Ji, let’s be honest. You should already know exactly why your daughter is in a coma." Yu Qi stated bluntly, her gaze as sharp as a scalpel.

"I know... I know what we did was wrong... but what other choice do I have right now to fix it?" Sang Yuling replied, her voice small and helpless.

In the next moment, Sang Yuling suddenly dropped to her knees with a heavy thud. She lifted her tear-stained head and looked up at Yu Qi with a pleading, raw desperation.

"Miss Tang, please... I beg of you, help me. I know you must have a way, a secret, to save my daughter. I am willing to pay any price, to do anything you ask, as long as my daughter wakes up and lives." Sang Yuling stated desperately with her hands clasped in prayer.

"Any price?" Yu Qi slowly repeated her words, letting the weight of the phrase hang in the air.

"Yes. Anything at all." Sang Yuling nodded firmly, her eyes wide.

"Even if your own life is placed on the line in exchange for hers?" Yu Qi asked coldly, her voice devoid of any warmth.

Hearing that terrifying question, Sang Yuling faltered for a brief second as the reality of the stakes hit her. However, after that fleeting moment of fear, she eventually nodded again with fierce determination. After all, she only had this one daughter, her precious, innocent flesh and blood.

"I know someone who might understand the unique nature of your daughter’s condition and might know what to do about it. I will try to contact them tonight and ask them to take a look at her. However, I want to be very clear. I cannot guarantee whether they will truly be able to wake her up or not." Yu Qi stated honestly.

The moment she heard those words of possibility, Sang Yuling’s eyes lit up with a sudden, overwhelming hope. Tears immediately began streaming down her face again as she repeatedly kowtowed toward Yu Qi, her forehead hitting the floor while she cried and expressed her endless, frantic gratitude. After everything she had previously tried to do to Yu Qi, she had honestly believed that Yu Qi would refuse to help her entirely, or even mock her. After all, she had once attempted to destroy Yu Qi’s very life.

Yet, to her complete and utter surprise, Yu Qi was still willing to extend a hand by introducing someone capable of treating the spiritual rot within Ji Gu Niang.

"Make no mistake, I have not forgiven what you previously tried to do to me. I have a very long memory." Yu Qi stated coldly, looking down at the woman on the floor. "However, your daughter is entirely innocent. She should not become implicated or lose her life because of your selfish actions."

Yu Qi’s mind drifted back to the memory of a bright, genuine, and untainted smile, the very first time that young girl had looked at her with pure curiosity rather than the malice of her mother. Yu Qi simply could not bear to stand by helplessly and watch such an innocent, vibrant soul continue to wither away for a grave sin she had never committed. That sense of uncompromising justice was precisely why Yu Qi had ultimately decided to intervene.

However, let it be clear. She was not doing this out of a shred of mercy for Sang Yuling. She was acting entirely for the sake of Ji Gu Niang’s fragile life.

With a focused resolve, Yu Qi reached out to contact Lou Liwei to discuss the delicate matter with him personally. The master of the Heavenly Crane Pavilion was genuinely surprised, perhaps even a bit bewildered, when Yu Qi reached out to ask for his expertise regarding the daughter of the very person who had once attempted to strip her of her fortune. Upon hearing the flicker of surprise in his voice, Yu Qi merely chuckled softly, her tone light but carrying a weight of iron-clad principle.

"No... do not mistake my intentions, Master Lou. I am not doing this because I have suddenly developed a soft heart for her family." Yu Qi stated, her voice cool and composed. "The girl herself has done nothing wrong. I refuse to let her entire life be extinguished or permanently ruined simply because of the vile choices made by her mother."

"I understand your position, Miss Tang. It is a rare trait to hold such a line between justice and vengeance." Lou Liwei replied, his tone shifting into one of professional gravity. "However, I must see the girl for myself to gauge the depth of the spiritual infection before I can determine whether there is anything within my power to undo the damage."

"I understand. Thank you, Master Lou. I truly appreciate you making the time for this." Yu Qi said, her voice laced with sincere, quiet gratitude.

After ending the call, Yu Qi immediately sought out Sang Yuling to relay the news. The moment the mother heard that there was finally a genuine glimmer of hope for her daughter’s recovery, tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She fell to her knees, repeatedly kowtowing toward Yu Qi in a display of overwhelming, desperate gratitude that mirrored her earlier hysteria.

Yu Qi quickly advised Sang Yuling to return home and finally seek some proper rest, reminding her that there was absolutely nothing she could contribute by hovering in the hospital corridor overnight.

***This novel is a contracted work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If you do not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, that means it has been stolen. Thank you, from your shameless author, ZerahNeko***