When Li Sheng returned to the Li family villa, she found it particularly lively inside. Jiang Chuchu, who had been checked and found to be fine, had returned home earlier and was having dinner with Li Yuchang and Li Jinyang.
Before Li Sheng entered, she heard Li Yuchang's concerned voice from inside,
"Chuchu, you just got out of the hospital, have some bone soup to nourish yourself."
Jiang Chuchu obediently took it and smiled sweetly,
"Thank you, Dad."
This kind of harmonious scene had played out countless times before Li Sheng's eyes. This was her home, but it seemed like it wasn't. These were her relatives, but it seemed like they weren't.
Li Sheng took a deep breath and suppressed the sense of loss that didn't belong to her, then stepped into the villa.
Jiang Chuchu noticed her immediately and said to Li Yuchang,
"Dad, I just sprained my foot. The doctor said I'm fine now, so you don't have to worry. It's Li Ah Li's situation that's more serious. She even drowned yesterday..."
Li Yuchang was angry as soon as he heard this.
"Don't mention that wicked girl. I don't have a daughter like her with such a twisted mind! If it weren't for her viciousness, you wouldn't have fallen down the stairs, Chuchu! It's better if she dies outside!"
Li Sheng, who had just walked in, paused and felt like her heart had been struck. She could clearly feel the remaining consciousness of the original owner let out a mournful cry when she heard this.
What had she done wrong? Why did even her blood relatives hate her so much that they wished she would die?
After the cry, the consciousness dissipated completely and disappeared without a trace.
Li Sheng let out a soft sigh and spoke with a tinge of heartache,
"Silly, it's not your fault. They don't deserve you."
Inside the villa, a servant suddenly exclaimed upon seeing Li Sheng's pale face,
"Oh, Miss Wu is back?"
Li Sheng was originally the fourth child in the Wu family, but after Jiang Chuchu arrived, she became the fifth Miss Wu.
Upon hearing the servant's shout, Li Yuchang also heard it. He slammed his chopsticks on the table and turned his head in anger,
"You useless thing, you come back without even saying hello and you can't even call someone properly? Do you still see me as your father?"
"Oh."
Li Sheng calmly flicked off the nonexistent dust on her body and spoke slowly,
"No."
The little bit of father-daughter relationship that remained in her body disappeared completely because of his words just now.
She couldn't afford to have such a father like Li Yuchang.
Those two words almost made Li Yuchang's nose crooked in anger.
"You unfilial daughter! How dare you talk back to me, your father? What else are you not capable of doing?"
"There are many things I'm not capable of doing."
Li Sheng turned her head and looked directly at Li Yuchang with her black and white eyes. She smirked and sneered,
"At least I can't turn a blind eye and be oblivious to right and wrong."
"You insolent brat!"
Li Yuchang could clearly hear the sarcasm and mockery in Li Sheng's words. He stood up abruptly and shouted,
"Fine, fine, your wings have grown and your courage has increased. You dare to openly challenge me! Don't forget, I am your father! I have the right to discipline you!"
After speaking, Li Yuchang yelled at the servant next to him,
"Go get my whip!"
The servant quickly ran and brought back a wooden box at lightning speed.
The box was opened, revealing a shiny black whip with sharp spikes hanging from it.
It was this whip that, when Li Sheng was falsely accused by Jiang Chuchu of stealing someone else's belongings, Li Yuchang did not hesitate to beat her until she couldn't walk for a whole month.
Even though the little girl had already passed away, her consciousness scattered, whenever she saw this whip, the residual instinct in her body still stirred up fear and grievance.
Li Yuchang swung the whip heavily, hitting the floor with a dull sound, and looked at Li Sheng with angry eyes:
"You rebellious woman, I'll give you one last chance. Either kneel down and apologize, or I'll keep beating you until you remember your place!"
Jiang Chuchu still held a grudge against the slap Li Sheng gave her in the hospital. Seeing that Li Yuchang had called for family law, she felt proud but pretended to be anxious:
"Dad, don't be angry. It's all my fault. If I hadn't fallen down the stairs last night, causing Ah Li to have a bad birthday and drown, she wouldn't have talked back to you because of her bad mood."
Her words were beautiful, showing her kindness and making everyone sympathize with her.
Sure enough, Li Yuchang touched Jiang Chuchu's head with affection and said,
"You're just too kind. You always take the blame for everything. Don't worry, with Dad here, I'll definitely get justice for you today!"
Justice?
Li Sheng heard this and smiled lightly:
"Justice is not distinguishing right from wrong, not asking for reasons, and directly defining me as a criminal, then using force to make me confess? What if you wrongly accuse me—then what will you use to compensate me?"
She asked this on behalf of the little girl who died from drowning:
What will you use to compensate me?
This sentence was light, but it carried a weight of a thousand catties.
Li Yuchang was momentarily stunned.
Li Sheng rarely spoke before, as transparent as an invisible person. Hearing her speak so eloquently now left him speechless.
At this moment, Li Jinyang couldn't bear it anymore and snorted,
"At that time, there were only you and Chuchu on the stairs. If it wasn't you who pushed her, could it be that Chuchu fell down by herself?"
As soon as he heard this, Li Yuchang's anger flared another notch.
"You rebellious woman, kneel down for me!"
He waved his whip and strode toward Li Sheng.
Li Sheng didn't even blink and said expressionlessly,
"Here I am. You can hit me. It's better if you hit me to death."
Her father was the war god of the ancient capital—heroic and righteous.
But this man in front of her?
He was unworthy.
Li Yuchang was about to whip her when suddenly—
A clear, low voice sounded from the door.
Magnetic. Cold. Wicked.
"Mr. Li, who is so imposing, is teaching his daughter a lesson.
It seems… I have come at an inopportune time."
Everyone turned their heads.
At the entrance, a tall figure walked in against the light. His stride lazy, his aura sharp. His handsome face was almost demoni
c, his peach blossom eyes intoxicating with just one glance.
Li Yuchang froze and stammered,
"Fifth… Fifth Lord?"