Mu Jingjuan sighed, "Your grandfather has spoken. If you don't go, we can't protect you either. Xiaoyue, listen to me. You know your grandfather's temper. Go now to soothe him. Once he calms down, this matter will be over. If you don't go, your grandfather might do something drastic."

She was the youngest daughter of Mu Gu superintend and direct, even if she was the most favored. She still feared her stern father. The younger generation hadn't seen him lose his temper, but they had.

After much persuasion, Mu Jingjuan finally convinced Kong Xiaoyue to go to the old Mu residence.

All the Mu family members gathered, unsure of what had happened. When Kong Xiaoyue returned with half her face swollen, they realized something had happened.

Everyone gathered in the living room. Grandfather Mu sat in the central redwood chair. Before he could say anything, Kong Xiaoyue burst into tears and ran to him, crying, "Grandpa, you must help me."

"Kneel down," Grandfather Mu's voice was unusually cold.

Kong Xiaoyue looked up, her eyes misty with tears, "Grandpa?"

"I said kneel down!"

"Grandpa..." Tears streamed down her face, "Look at how Gu Qin beat me up. You're asking me to kneel? What did I do wrong? Grandpa, why do you believe a stranger's words over mine?"

"Even before I mentioned anything, you brought up Gu Qin. Clearly, you're guilty. Let me give you a chance to explain. Where were you this morning?" Grandfather Mu's tone was calm, but his eyes were frighteningly cold.

Kong Xiaoyue gritted her teeth, "Grandpa, this morning my mom and I just wanted to go to Gu Qin's beauty salon for a treatment. We didn't expect..."

"Xiaoyue!" Mu Jingjuan interrupted, "Tell the truth! Your grandfather doesn't tolerate lies. Lying will only make your punishment worse."

"Mom! Why won't you let me speak!" Kong Xiaoyue angrily said, "They started it by saying mean things about me, so I wanted to teach them a lesson. But before I could act, Gu Qin hit me. Look at my face, you have to make them pay for this!"

"So you tried to push a pregnant woman?" Bang! Grandfather Mu slammed his hand on the table, "Descendants of Mu Gu superintend and direct actually bully a pregnant woman and try to use their power to oppress others."

"Dad..." Mu Jingjuan panicked, "Xiaoyue didn't mean it. She's just young and doesn't understand."

Grandfather Mu roared, "Qin Qin is young, but she's twenty-something. This isn't a lack of understanding but arrogance. She's been spoiled by you! Not getting someone's affection, she goes after their loved ones. She deserves to be beaten! Beat her harder next time. This matter isn't over. We'll deal with her according to family law and send her abroad tomorrow."

"Dad!" Mu Jingjuan was desperate, "Xiaoyue knows she's wrong. Give her another chance."

She was worried about her daughter alone overseas, unfamiliar with the environment, and the thought of her suffering made her anxious.

Grandfather Mu said, "No discussion, send her away tomorrow." He was furious. When Qin Xiansheng visited earlier and briefly mentioned the incident, he sent people to investigate. After hearing the details, his anger intensified. Recalling Qin Xiansheng's cold demeanor, he wished he could kill his granddaughter.

He wasn't afraid Qin Xiansheng would stop helping the Mu family, but he truly felt he had wronged him and Qin Qin.

"I won't go! Why should I go?" Kong Xiaoyue covered her face and threw a tantrum, "She beat me like this, and you still protect her. Are you even my real grandma? If you really cared about me, you would have made Qin Xiansheng marry me."

"Haha..." Grandfather Mu laughed in frustration, "What abilities do you have to want to marry Qin Xiansheng? You're not worthy of him. Xiao Ma! Bring my whip!"

Hearing this, Mu Jingjuan's face turned pale, "Dad, don't! Xiaoyue is just young and doesn't understand. I'll discipline her."

Xu Lian calmly said, "Sister, your words are wrong. Don't forget what kind of family we are. Do you realize how much disaster a child's mischief can bring? Besides, everything is Xiaoyue's own doing. Qin Xiansheng has already rejected her, but he only refrained from making things too ugly out of respect for our Mu family. Do you really think Qin Xiansheng is weak? Or that Gu Qin is easy to bully? Do you know about the Bai family?"

Mu Jingjuan seemed to understand something, her face showing shock, "You... you mean..."

"As you suspect," Xu Lian said, "The fall of the Bai family was due to Gu Qin. The reason is simple: the Bai family harmed Gu Jia, who is Gu Qin's brother. Guess what would have happened to Xiaoyue if not for Dad? Honestly, a slap is a light punishment. If she wanted to, making Xiaoyue disappear would be easy."

The Mu family would definitely investigate Gu Qin, as Qin Xiansheng was preparing to marry her. After the investigation, they discovered that this young girl was not ordinary. They didn't share the same world as the Mu family.

"How... how is that possible?" Mu Jingjuan's face turned deathly pale, "She... she wouldn't dare harm our Xiaoyue..."

"Stop it," Xu Lian interrupted, "Sister, haven't you realized yet? Gu Qin and Qin Xiansheng aren't ordinary people. They've moved beyond our world. Understand? If Xiaoyue continues to act foolishly, your family, the Kong family, will suffer a fate worse than the Bai family. Gu Qin hates anyone who harms her family. Be glad Xiaoyue didn't push the person down. Otherwise, you'd be in big trouble. Now, advise Xiaoyue to go abroad for a few years to change her ways. Otherwise, it will be your family that suffers."

As an outsider, even if something major happened, the Kong family would bear the brunt.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Finally, Kong Minglang, the head of the Kong family and Xiaoyue's father, stood up, "Jingjuan, enough. Let's follow Father's decision. Send Xiaoyue abroad for a few years. Also, I think Father's family law is justified."

Previously, Grandfather Mu's family law involved a whip, but fearing Kong Xiaoyue couldn't handle it, he used a ruler instead. Each hand received fifty strikes, causing severe swelling. Kong Xiaoyue cried uncontrollably and had to be forcibly held down to complete the punishment.

Mu Jingjuan, despite her worry, dared not object. Afterward, she immediately took her daughter to the hospital, while Kong Minglang arranged for her to go abroad. A few days later, Kong Xiaoyue was sent overseas.

The matter did not end there. Kong Xiaoyue's life overseas was miserable. She was extremely unlucky, losing her wallet upon arrival, which contained her passport, ID, bank cards, and address slip. It took her a day to reach the hotel, and that night, she began having nightmares. Ghosts tormented her in her dreams, waking her up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat. This continued until dawn.

She thought it was just an adjustment issue, but the next night, she had similar nightmares. These dreams felt so real that she woke up terrified.

Her days were not easy. She was constantly unlucky—stepping into a sewer grate, chipping her tooth, and nightly nightmares. No matter how many times she called Mu Jingjuan and Kong Minglang, they told her she couldn't return unless Grandfather Mu gave his permission.

~~~

When Gu Qin learned that Kong Xiaoyue had gone abroad, she was not surprised. This was the best outcome. Not only did it serve as a warning, but it also prevented potential disasters in the future. Sending Kong Xiaoyue abroad was also to seek forgiveness and protect the Kong and Mu families.

Although Xu Lian mentioned that Kong Xiaoyue belonged to the Kong family, she was also a Mu family grandchild. Any trouble she caused would inevitably involve the Mu family.

On the first day of Kong Xiaoyue's departure, when Qin Xiansheng drove Gu Qin to school, he was silent. Gu Qin asked with a smile, "Brother Qin, what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," Qin Xiansheng turned and smiled at her, "Just thinking about taking a trip somewhere during your vacation."

Gu Qin's eyes lit up. She had been busy and hadn't had the chance to enjoy the world properly. Maybe they could travel during the winter break? "Brother Qin, where should we go?"

Qin Xiansheng replied, "I'll pick a few places and let you choose."

Gu Qin kissed his cheek, "Okay, then I'll go to class now." She opened the car door and jumped out.

As the snow began falling in late December, the temperature in the capital city dropped to several degrees below zero. Everyone wore thick down jackets. In this month, Gu Qin's shop in the capital only had one customer, who came because there was some issue with the feng shui at home, which Gu Qin fixed for them.

It seemed that the events involving Ma Yihao had made others wary, and they were reluctant to seek Gu Qin's help for feng shui matters. Gu Qin herself didn't care much about these things, as she was busy picking travel destinations for the upcoming Spring Festival. She chose several places, but she had her eye on a place in the north called Changbai Mountain, which was a border mountain between the country and its neighbor. The area covered around seventy square kilometers.

Changbai Mountain had a temperate continental monsoon climate, with distinct temperature changes. This place was likely even colder than the capital. Qin Xiansheng couldn't help but smile when he saw Changbai Mountain. He heard Gu Qin pointing to the picture of Changbai Mountain and saying, "Big Brother Qin, this is great. Not many people go there in winter. They say it gets sealed off. There are abundant resources, and a variety of flora and fauna. We might even find something good there. Let's go there for our Spring Festival trip."

This travel plan referred only to Gu Qin and Qin Xiansheng; Cheng Yinxiang was pregnant and unsuitable for long journeys, especially to the harsh winter conditions of Changbai Mountain. Qin Xiansheng nodded and said, "Alright, if you confirm it, we'll go there a little over a month from now. I'll get everything ready."

"Alright, Big Brother Qin, prepare everything." School hadn't yet broken for the winter holiday, which would start in early January, making it the perfect time to go.

A few days later, Chen Zhonglian came to thank Gu Qin. His family members' illnesses had been controlled, and several had been cured. He mentioned that since the road back home had been repaired with cement a month ago, his family members had gradually recovered. He also returned the protective jade pendants that Gu Qin had given him, saying, "Keep these as mementos. They're no longer useful."

Gu Qin received more than five million yuan from this matter, kept a small portion for herself, and donated the rest to charity. Her own charity company, the Gu Foundation, had invested a large part of its initial earnings into it. The foundation had only recently been established, and Qin Xiansheng had helped set it up. The company was registered under Gu Qin's name.

The foundation was still very small and not widely known. It provided assistance to anyone in need after proper approval and verification. It also bought supplies for natural disasters and other crises.

By the end of January, school exams ended, and the holidays began. Gu Qin visited Wang Yin's house. Over the past three months, she had treated Wang Yin about five times, and the results were excellent. The family even took Wang Yin to the hospital for a check-up, where they found that the cancer cells had stopped spreading, and some of the previously spread cancer cells had died. This happened at a hospital in the capital, and everyone knew it was due to Gu Qin's treatment.

Wang Yin's family was overjoyed that his condition was under control and improving, although Wang Yin's wife, Zhao Lisi, looked somewhat troubled but didn't dare show it.

Back home, Wang Yin was in high spirits and specially asked Wang Mama to cook some good dishes. Wang Yin was very happy that his brother's condition was starting to improve and forgot any resentment towards Gu Qin. She genuinely cared for her brother and thought that if his illness improved, losing the house wouldn't matter so much, as money could be earned again.

At dinner, seeing that the Wang family was in good spirits, Zhao Lisi hesitated and said, "Husband, what do you think about selling the house to pay the girl after you recover?"

Wang Yin asked, "Do you mean otherwise? Or do you think saving my life isn't worth the house?"

"I don't mean that," seeing her mother-in-law and sister-in-law's faces turn green, Zhao Lisi quickly said, "I just think, once you recover, where will we live if we sell the house? I know you want to rent, but how can we afford it? Our son is about to finish primary school. Without a house, how can we manage? It's not fair to us or the child."

Wang Yan laughed coldly, "If you're really worried, let our son stay with us after the house is sold. Zhao Lisi, just say it directly: you don't want me to sell the house to save my brother's life, right?"

Zhao Lisi shook her head, "That's not what I meant. I'm thinking, can we talk to the girl and offer half the price for the house? That way, we can still buy a smaller apartment. This way, our son won't be looked down upon by his classmates."

Wang Mama seemed somewhat tempted. Wang Yan continued laughing, "Before, I despised that girl, thinking she was a fraud. Now that my brother's condition is improving, I realize she's not ordinary. She can heal with qi, and she's like an immortal we see on TV. She can kill you without you noticing. Mom, are you sure you want to offend someone like that? Do you think she wanted five million yuan for nothing?"

Wang Mama exclaimed, feeling her daughter was right.

Wang Yan continued, "She clearly knows we have only this house left. Her intention is clear: she wants to save lives by using all her assets or keep her assets and let people die. Clearly, this girl has a hard heart. So, Zhao Lisi, I advise you to forget about it. She won't agree, and you'll end up offending her."

Wang Yin agreed, "My sister is right. Don't have any bad intentions. I'll tell you one last time: houses can be rebuilt, but don't offend people."

Zhao Lisi remained silent, still angry after eating and went online to post, 'D*mn, a black-hearted doctor. She cured my husband's cancer and demanded five million yuan, making us lose everything.'

The post drew several responses:

User A: "OP, what disease does your husband have? Cancer treatments are expensive. It's understandable. If you don't want to pay, don't go to the doctor."

OP: "My husband has stomach cancer that spread to his liver. She said he needs to sell the house to pay her."

User B: "OP, are you kidding? Cancer that has spread to the liver, even gods can't save him. Which hospital doctor said that? Name and shame them."

OP: "Not a hospital doctor, just a fraud."

User A: "OP, are you crazy? First you say a black-hearted doctor, then a fraud. Ignore them."

OP: "But she said she could cure my husband with qi, demanding the house."

User B: "Qi? Who believes in that nonsense? OP, are you looking for attention?"

OP: "No, she treated my husband for three months. His cancer spread, but now the cancer in his liver is gone, and the cancer in his stomach is under control. I just think her fees are too high. Where will we live after selling the house?"

User C: "Everyone, ignore this. OP is probably a scammer. Post complaints but claim the doctor cured cancer. It's impossible. OP is either a scammer trying to get people to ask about the doctor or hoping someone will believe her. Even if someone did cure cancer, selling a house for a life is reasonable. OP, you're just here to scam people."

"Agreed."

Most comments were negative, calling OP a liar, angering Zhao Lisi, who was about to delete the post. Before doing so, she received a private message from a new user asking for details about the doctor. Offering ten thousand yuan, Zhao Lisi gave the information and received the money.

A few hours later, Gu Qin and Qin Xiansheng arrived at Changbai Mountain, having traveled a thousand kilometers. They had planned to hike deeper into the mountains, finding an oddity in a snow-covered slope: a man buried under the snow, with only a leg exposed. Gu Qin and Qin Xiansheng dug him out, discovering he was a young man in his twenties, with ice covering his face and body.

Gu Qin checked his pulse and found it faint. She summoned her qi to help him. Qin Xiansheng examined the man and noticed a special birthmark on his neck, recognizing him as his fellow disciple.

"Ah?" Gu Qin was stunned, "Big Brother Qin, did your master take another apprentice?"

Qin Xiansheng replied, "Let's get him inside the tent first before I explain."

They brought the man into the tent, and Qin Xiansheng heated water. Afterward, he fed the man some warm water. Gu Qin asked, "Big Brother Qin, what's your disciple's name?"

Qin Xiansheng shook his head, "I never knew his name. I rarely interacted with him. He often followed me around, but I ignored him because I was in pain."

Half an hour later, the man woke up. Seeing Gu Qin and Qin Xiansheng, he was surprised. His eyes lit up when he saw Gu Qin, "I remember you. From the flower market, the pine tree! Sister, do you remember me?"