Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Xia Yehua looked a little confused as she said out of breath, “In the beginning, I thought that her intention was to sow seeds of discord between Shen Xiu and me. I scorned the idea, thinking that it wasn’t as though our relationship would be any better without her interference. But now I understand—It’s not my relationship with Shen Xiu, but my relationship with Zihao that she’s out to destroy.”

She gave a bitter laugh as she said, “She wasn’t able to give birth to a son of her own and took mine, and on top of this…”

And on top of this, Shen Zihao believed Mei Feng and not his own mother.

As Qiao Lian looked at Xia Yehua, she deeply sympathized with the woman and understood the pain she was feeling.

But still, she didn’t really know well the Shen family’s history so it wasn’t easy for her to comfort her mother-in-law. She looked at Shen Liangchuan helplessly.

Shen Liangchuan did not glance back. He walked to his mother who was standing unsteadily. He scooped her up in his arms and said, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll talk Zihao around.”

–

Xia Yehua’s blood pressure had hit 160 again in that short time and everyone in the villa was panicking.

They called in the family doctor. He medicated her, but only after two hours did her blood pressure normalize.

Song Yuanxi’s eyes were red and teary as she looked at Xia Yehua, who had finally fallen asleep.

They quietly stepped outside of the room. Qiao Lian started to speak, “I’ll watch over her tonight—”

Before she could finish, Shen Liangchuan interrupted, “Let’s go back to our villa.”

Qiao Lian paused.

Song Yuanxi was slightly surprised and glanced at Qiao Lian briefly. Then she looked at Shen Liangchuan and said obediently, “I’ll look after Auntie.”

She then saw the couple out.

At the doorway, Song Yuanxi looked troubled. She lowered her gaze and fixed her gaze on her own feet.

After a pause, as she rubbed the sole of her shoe against the ground, she looked up and said, “Sister-in-law, earlier on, I- I’m sorry.”

Qiao Lian looked at her and thought about what happened. A flash of unhappiness crossed her eyes but she glossed over it. Without another word, she got into the car.

Song Yuanxi stood at the doorway. Her gaze followed the car as they drove away.

There was an unfathomable and complex expression on her face.

After a moment, she turned around, returned to the apartment and made her way upstairs. She pushed the bedroom door and entered the room. Then she sat next to Xia Yehua’s bed and looked quietly at the sleeping woman. “You have to recover quickly, Auntie.”

–

It was only a few minutes’ drive from villa 18 to villa 8.

Qiao Lian frowned throughout the short journey, as she reflected on the situation’s development so far and how it had started.

She bit her lip and turned to Shen Liangchuan. “I feel like there’s someone betraying us. That’s why the picture even got out. Perhaps there are too many housekeepers at home and we should reduce the number, just keep the few trustworthy ones. What do you—”

Screech!

The car came to a screeching halt.

Qiao Lian was stunned. She turned to glance at Shen Liangchuan and saw that he was extremely moody. He was looking at her with an unfathomable and distant expression on his face.

Her heart thumped. For some reason, that look on his face made her feel as though he had put a thousand miles between them.

She didn’t finish what she was saying and looked back steadily at him.

Shen Liangchuan narrowed his eyes and paused before he continued with a firm tone, “You know him.”

This puzzling remark took Qiao Lian by surprise and she paused for a second too. Then suddenly she realized who he was referring to: the reporter.

She clenched her fists tightly.