Chapter 585: Chapter 585 Sneaking Away Chapter 585: Chapter 585 Sneaking Away That night, Madam Ruan strongly insisted that Mo Xiuzhi sleep in her room, just to prevent her from sneaking out to meet Scholar Mo in secret. She also felt profound regret for not having raised Mo Xiuzhi properly before, as a girl’s most important assets are her chastity and reputation. Before marrying, one should never easily give their body to a man; otherwise, it’s too easy to fall into an abyss.
“Mother, do you think this rotten bed board can fit both of us?” Mo Xiuzhi was utterly unwilling, and as she spoke, she looked up at the moon already climbing over the treetops—Brother Xing must be anxiously waiting in the grove.
“Don’t look, even if you keep looking, you can’t go,” Madam Ruan said after applying medicinal ointment. The swelling in her wounds had subsided quite a bit, and she finally had some spirit, her speech becoming clearer.
“Mother, why are you being like this?”
“I’m doing this for your own good,” Madam Ruan half-squinted, lying on the bed, looking as though she would never rest until Mo Xiuzhi didn’t go out.
“How can you be so ungrateful? Brother Xing got the doctor for you and even took out silver to buy you medicine, yet you still speak ill of him.” Mo Xiuzhi, enraged, pulled a piece of silver out of her bosom and threw it onto Madam Ruan, then turned around and sat angrily on the edge of the bed.
“You’re such a naïve fool, fooled by a mere piece of silver. How can you be so stupid? Are you really my daughter?” Madam Ruan picked up the silver and placed it under her pillow.
“Don’t put it so harshly. Brother Xing and I have feelings for each other.”
“If he truly loved you, why would he take your virginity? If others find out about this, your life will be ruined. Girl, do you not understand?” Madam Ruan earnestly advised, herself a living example—though, of course, she was wronged by others.
Mo Xiuzhi, hanging her head, quietly argued, “Brother Xing said that this would make our relationship more stable. Besides, we will eventually marry; what does it matter if it’s sooner or later?”
“Nonsense, nothing but gibberish,” Madam Ruan retorted.
She felt so angry it caused her chest pain. Why did she give birth to such a foolish daughter? She’s been sold out and is even helping the buyer count the money.
Madam Ruan was so enraged she began to gasp for air, her complexion turning purple, looking as though she could expire at any moment. Mo Xiuzhi panicked, quickly turning her mother to the side and patting her back to ease her breathing, her voice trembling, “Mother, what’s wrong? Please don’t be angry, your daughter knows her mistake, isn’t it enough that I won’t go out?”
It took a good while for Madam Ruan to catch her breath; her face lost its purple hue and returned to normal, and only then did Mo Xiuzhi relax and say, “Mother, you scared me to death.”
Madam Ruan responded irritably, “What are you still sitting there for? Aren’t you going to come up and sleep already?”
“Oh!”
Having no other choice before her insistent mother, Mo Xiuzhi slowly began to undress her outer garment and reluctantly climbed into bed, carefully trying to lie on the edge of the bed.
Fearing she would wait for her to fall asleep and then sneak out to meet Mo Shaoxing, Madam Ruan said, “Sleep on the inside.”
“Mother, I need to take care of you, how can it be convenient if I sleep on the inside?” Mo Xiuzhi hesitated.
“If I told you to sleep, just sleep, why all the idle talk?” Madam Ruan’s mouth hurt like hell as she spoke; she was so irritated. If she weren’t worried about her daughter suffering a loss, she wouldn’t bother talking so much.
Her body was covered with scars after being beaten by Old Lady Mo and Mo Daoyan. Every word she spoke was accompanied by immense pain.
Seeing her mother angry, Mo Xiuzhi obediently lay down on the bed but was completely sleepless. The image of Mo Shaoxing filled her mind, concerned that he would be angry for not seeing her. It was well into the night before Mo Xiuzhi finally drifted off to sleep in a daze.