"Xiao Mei, get up. Listen to me. You deserve this kneel from me." Mrs. Xie's tone was unyielding.
"Mom, please get up. I can't accept this." Qin Mei didn't dare to rise.
Mrs. Xie knelt ramrod straight. "You deserve it. Forget that we're mother- and daughter-in-law for a moment. Xiao Mei, you healed Jing Qi's legs. That makes you her savior, my savior, the Jie Family's savior, and the Qiao Family's savior. For a debt of gratitude this great, what's wrong with me kneeling to thank you? It's not just me. If my parents back in Xiangjiang found out, they would do the same, disregarding their status to kneel before you in thanks."
"Mom, please don't. This is too much. It'll shorten my life. Mom, do you want me to die young?" Qin Mei asked, half-joking and half-serious.
Mrs. Xie froze for a moment, then frowned. "Watch your mouth. What's all this talk about dying young? That's nonsense. You will live a long and healthy life. All of you will."
