Chapter 44

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“Do you dare to threaten me? Watch me not beat you up!”

Yan Meili wasn’t holding back. She rolled up her sleeves and, with a loud “Aow,” swiped at Xia Jinxing.

“Mom! Don’t fight!”

Xia Yuanxiu was startled. His usually gentle and considerate mother had suddenly become like this tonight.

The people around, who were putting out the fire, didn’t dare to step in to stop them. Everyone was busy cleaning up the burned-down ancestral hall.

In a pile of rubble, Xia Qingqing crawled out.

“Help!”

She waved her dark arm.

Mother Lin and the little maid, Xiao Suo, spotted her and rushed over to help her.

“Master, Madam, the young lady is fine, she’s still alive!”

Mother Lin cried with joy.

“Qingqing, you’re okay!”

Xia Jinxing rushed over, holding his head, his face marked with scratches from Yan Meili’s swipe. But he couldn’t care less. As long as Xia Qingqing was alive, he could keep his position and career.

Yan Meili was stopped by Xia Yuanxiu. “Mom, don’t argue with Dad. You’ve said it yourself, Dad is just worried about political enemies setting him up.”

“Pant…pant…”

Yan Meili breathed heavily, gritting her teeth as she stood on the ground, her venomous gaze fixed on Xia Jinxing and Xia Qingqing, who were showing affection toward each other.

“Son! Is your face okay?”

She gently reached out to touch Xia Yuanxiu’s swollen left cheek.

“Ahh…”

Xia Yuanxiu hissed in pain.

“It still hurts a bit, but if I apply some medicine later, it should be fine!”

“Son, let’s ignore your dad, the madman. Let’s go to your courtyard, and I’ll personally help you apply the medicine!”

Yan Meili supported Xia Yuanxiu’s arm and left the ancestral hall.

“Qingqing, let Dad help you back to the courtyard! As long as you’re fine, Dad will feel at ease!”

Xia Jinxing now treated Xia Qingqing like a treasure. As long as she was okay, everything else was negotiable.

The Fourth Miss, Xia Shuixian, and the Fifth Miss, Xia Tinglan, arrived, having heard the news. They saw their parents going in separate directions and exchanged glances.

“Fifth Sister, let’s go check on Second Sister!”

“Alright! She loves making a scene. Why hasn’t she come out tonight? Did she and her maid fall asleep?”

The Fourth and Fifth Misses hurried to find Xia Jinlan.

Xia Jinlan had already woken up, shouting loudly in her room,

“Ghost!”

“A woman in red!”

Her head maid, Yu Lian, and other maids hurried to calm her down.

“Second Miss, there’s no ghost! Did you have a nightmare?”

“Second Miss, please calm down, drink some hot water. We’ve already sent for the doctor!”

“Xia He, go to the master’s courtyard and inform him. The Second Miss might have really seen something unclean!”

Yu Lian instructed another maid.

“Yes, Yu Lian sister, I’ll go right away!”

Xia He hurriedly ran out to find the master and his wife.

Xia Tinglan and Xia Shuixian happened to meet Xia He at the courtyard gate.

After asking about the ghost incident, they quickly rushed into the room to see Xia Jinlan’s condition.

“The woman in red, she was sticking out a long red tongue and sitting beside my bed, grinning! It was so scary!”

Xia Jinlan’s face was pale, her eyes wide open, her hair messy, and she trembled all over, clutching her chest and shouting loudly.

“Second Sister!”

“Second Sister!”

Xia Tinglan and Xia Shuixian entered the bedroom and were startled by the scene of Xia Jinlan’s heart-wrenching distress.

“Fifth Miss, Fourth Miss, you’re here!”

Yu Lian supported Xia Jinlan, nodding to greet them.

“What’s happened to Second Sister? Boohoo…”

As full-blooded sisters, Xia Tinglan couldn’t hold back her tears.

Xia Shuixian, however, stood at a distance, staring at Xia Jinlan in shock.

Oh my! Wasn’t she acting so arrogantly last night? How could she have turned into this ghost-like state in just a short time? It seems she really is possessed!

“Yu Lian, you should tie up Second Sister with rope. What if she turns mad and starts attacking people to suck their blood?”

“Fourth Sister, how can you suggest that? She’s our Second Sister!”

Xia Tinglan gave Xia Shuixian a reproachful look.

“Fifth Sister, it’s for everyone’s good! What if her nails scratch your skin and cause an infection? You might end up like Second Sister!”

Xia Shuixian tried to scare Xia Tinglan on purpose.

“Ah? I’m scared!”

Xia Tinglan shrank into her maid’s arms.

“Miss, don’t be afraid! Fourth Sister is just trying to scare you! I’m here!”

The maid, Sizin, comforted her.

“Fourth Miss, stop saying that!”

Xia Shuixian ordered the maids to bring some rope to help bind Xia Jinlan.