The commotion quickly reached the ears of Song Jingguo and his wife. Upon learning that Pei Yanli was present and right at the scene, the two hurried to the lounge.

Luo Yunqing had already changed out of his soaked shirt, and someone was unwrapping the bandage on his arm. As the bandage was unwound, the wound, which hadn’t fully healed, had split open again after being soaked in water, and fresh blood stained the entire layer of bandage.

“What happened?” Lin Wenting asked anxiously, quickly approaching. “How did you end up falling into the water?”

“Madam Song,” Jiang Ziyu tossed aside the blood-stained bandage, speaking bluntly, “Instead of asking questions, why don’t you get a first aid kit?”

“I have a first aid kit here!”

Chen Zhao had changed into clean clothes in the car and brought a double-layered first aid kit. When opened, it contained disinfectant, bandages, ointment… everything needed.

The two of them, one applying medicine and the other re-bandaging, worked swiftly, leaving Lin Wenting with no chance to intervene. Her expression grew increasingly unpleasant.

Just then, soft sobbing sounds came from behind.

Song Xuechen was curled up on the opposite sofa, calling out softly, “Mom.”

Lin Wenting rarely showed anger.

“Mother Liu said you pushed Xiao Qing into the pool!”

“It wasn’t me! I didn’t push him!”

Song Xuechen shook her head repeatedly.

“We all saw it with our own eyes. If it wasn’t you, then who was it?” Teng Zaiye leaned against the wheelchair with his arms crossed, even providing a reason for her, “You were just upset that Luo Yunqing stole your spotlight today.”

“That’s not true!”

Song Xuechen cried, and a boy beside her couldn’t stand it anymore. His head heated up, and he pointed at the silent Luo Yunqing, “It was him! He stole Xiao Xue’s ‘Mermaid’s Tear.'”

Only then did everyone notice that the necklace, worth 80 million, which was specifically used to display the “Mermaid’s Tear,” was missing from her bare neck!

The boy continued, “Xiao Xue just asked him to return the necklace. She didn’t even touch him, and he fell into the pool himself.”

“Xiao Qing.” Song Jingguo, who had been silent since entering, finally spoke, his gaze cold and piercing, “Is that true?”

What kind of father is this? Instead of blaming the culprit who caused his son to fall into the water, he questions Xiao Luo based on someone else’s words?

Anger surged, and Jiang Ziyu stood up abruptly, “Mr. Song…”

Before she could finish, Luo Yunqing tugged at her sleeve secretly.

Sniffling, he shook his head, “I-I didn’t, they-they’re lying! I-I didn’t take it…”

“If you didn’t take it, then where did Xiao Xue’s necklace go?”

“Yeah, at the poolside, Xiao Xue only said a few words to you. If it wasn’t you, then who? Could it have been us?”

Song Xuechen remained silent, but her friends spoke up for her.

In contrast, Luo Yunqing, after Chen Zhao finished applying the medicine, returned silently to stand behind the boss. Jiang Ziyu, who was about to speak up for him, was also held back.

Truly, he was isolated and helpless.

And he stuttered.

He stammered for a long time without making any sense, tears streaming down his face, only able to say he didn’t do it.

Jiang Ziyu asked, “What’s wrong with Xiao Luo?”

“I guess…” As the only one present who had experienced Luo Yunqing’s strength and tactics, Teng Zaiye mysteriously put a finger to his lips, “Don’t worry, just watch.”

His brother must be up to something again.

That necklace was worth 80 million and was given by the eldest young master of the Pei family. Now that the Pei family was here, this matter wouldn’t be easily resolved.

Lin Wenting thought, since the necklace belonged to Xiao Xue, her friends wouldn’t do such a thing. In contrast, Luo Yunqing, who hadn’t seen anything good since childhood, and today his birthday was…

She was almost certain.

She said, “Ah Qing, it’s okay if it was you. Just return it, and we’ll let it go.”

More tears welled up in his red, stinging eyes, flowing uncontrollably, dripping onto the long-haired carpet.

How wronged he must feel to bite his lip even while crying.

A sudden surge of irritation rose in Pei Yanli’s heart. She pinched her left ring finger repeatedly and turned to ask Chen Zhao, “He changed his clothes inside and out after falling into the water, right?”

How would he know? He didn’t help with the change… Chen Zhao quickly realized and cleared his throat, responding with a “yes.”

Pei Yanli asked again, “Did you see it? That gemstone necklace.”

“Nope.” Chen Zhao spread his hands and shrugged, “There was no necklace. If there was, we would’ve found it by now.”

“Right.” Teng Zaiye propped his chin, echoing them, “To catch a thief, you need evidence. You can’t just accuse someone based on one person’s word.”

Then he looked at Song Xuechen, who was surrounded by friends, and said without malice, “Maybe you took it off yourself, put it somewhere, and forgot.”

Just a casual remark, but Song Xuechen’s face changed slightly.

Teng Zaiye saw it all, “Why don’t you check again, like your pockets or your room?”

“I talked to Xiao Qing, and the necklace disappeared. How could it be in my pocket…” As she reached into her pocket, Song Xuechen’s pupils suddenly contracted.

That reaction was priceless.

Teng Zaiye smiled and nodded at her, “What’s in your pocket? Take it out.”

“Enough.”

By this point, Song Jingguo understood everything. Family matters shouldn’t be aired in public, especially with Pei Yanli present, “Let’s end this here.”

“Hey? Mr. Song, that’s not right.” Teng Zaiye was relentless, “We’re about to have a conclusion. How can we end it so muddled? Right, Old Pei?”

Pei Yanli nodded, “I also hope to clear the name of the wronged person.”

His words were almost a direct hint.

He glanced at the boy with his head buried deep and then, in a near-commanding tone, said, “Take your hand out.”

Song Xuechen remained frozen, unmoving.

Pei Yanli called, “Chen Zhao.”

Chen Zhao cautiously put on white gloves and approached.

He grabbed the hand that had been in the pocket, pulled it out, and reached into the pocket. Soon, he slowly pulled out a chain.

It was indeed the “Mermaid’s Tear.”

“Oh!” Chen Zhao exaggeratedly opened his mouth, “It was in your pocket all along? How could you accuse someone else?”

The boys who had spoken for Song Xuechen earlier seemed to have been slapped hard, incredulous, “Xiao Xue, how could you?”

“It’s not like that.” Now, it was Song Xuechen’s turn to be at a loss for words, “I, I clearly, how could it be!”

He had clearly put it in Luo Yunqing’s pocket.

How did it end up back with him?

“It seems Young Master Song lacks even the basic honesty.” Chen Zhao sighed regretfully, placing the necklace back in his hand.

The lounge fell silent.

After a good half-minute, the boys finally realized they had been used by Song Xuechen and left in anger, feeling ashamed.

“Oh, indeed, even movies aren’t this exciting.” Teng Zaiye clicked his tongue and shook his head.

The rest of the matter was beyond their involvement, so they said their goodbyes and left the lounge.

Not far away, they heard a crisp slap from inside.

Lin Wenting pointed at her younger son, trembling with anger, “I was afraid you’d overthink, thinking that once I found my biological child, I wouldn’t care for you. I prioritized your birthday party, and I tried my best to give you what you wanted. Yet you’re not satisfied and used this method to frame Ah Qing!”

“Mom…”

“Apologize to Ah Qing now!”

Song Xuechen’s face turned red and white, reluctantly calling out “Mom” again.

Seeing her turn away in anger, he had no choice but to hold his flushed cheek and walk step by step to Luo Yunqing, bowing his head and gritting his teeth, “I’m sorry!”

Luo Yunqing slowly raised his eyes, avoiding the gaze of others, and gave him a triumphant smile.

He had said it before, what he couldn’t have, Song Xuechen couldn’t have either. This birthday party was like that, and so was Lin Wenting’s trust and favoritism.

“You!”

He did it on purpose!

Song Xuechen’s mind exploded, and he raised his hand without thinking.

But before it could fall, a hand intercepted it mid-air. Song Moyan, who had come to check on the situation after his parents didn’t return, walked in on this scene, right under Pei Yanli’s watchful eyes.

Did he forget today’s plan?

Father had said, no matter what, they couldn’t let Pei Yanli call off the engagement.

“Xiao Xue, stop making a fuss.”

Song Xuechen broke down completely, crying, “Brother, do you also think I’m being unreasonable? It’s him, it’s Luo Yunqing, he’s behind all of this!”

“Ah Yan!” The plan hadn’t even been executed, and it was already failing. Song Jingguo’s face darkened, “Take Xiao Xue back to his room!”

“Before that, there’s something we need to formally inform Mr. Song.” Following the boss’s signal, Chen Zhao spoke up before Song Xuechen was taken away, “The marriage previously agreed upon with your son, we think it’s better to…”

“Choose someone else.”

“Yes, choose someone else…” Chen Zhao blinked, turning to his boss, his voice breaking, “Choose someone else!”

Wait a minute.

That’s not what he said when they came.

“The abbot at Nanyan Temple calculated with my father that the younger son of the Song family and I are a perfect match. Naturally, the marriage should be with the true young master of the Song family, don’t you think?”

His meaning… Song Jingguo was instantly overjoyed, nodding repeatedly, “Of course!”

As long as he didn’t call off the engagement and affect the cooperation between the two families, it didn’t matter who was chosen.

Pei Yanli maneuvered his wheelchair, bypassing Song Jingguo to the boy, offering a handkerchief, and gently asked, “Your name is Luo Yunqing?”

His heart pounded like a drum, beating so hard it seemed ready to leap out of his chest.

Luo Yunqing followed the light beige handkerchief, slowly raising his head, meeting the man’s gaze, then quickly lowering it, gripping his arm tightly and softly responding.

“My surname is Pei, and my name is Yanli.” Pei Yanli picked up the handkerchief, wiping away the tears at the corner of his eyes, sighing slightly, “You’ve been wronged today.”

When Song Jingguo questioned him, when Lin Wenting misunderstood him, Luo Yunqing didn’t feel much. But this one sentence made him crumble instantly.

Yes, he had been so wronged.

“You heard what was said earlier, right?” Having seen his situation in the Song family, Pei Yanli suddenly changed his mind, “If you don’t mind that I’m a cripple and ten years older than you… Luo Yunqing, let’s get married.”