Seeing how calm Xia Anran was, Ye Lingling felt an unsettling sense of unease.

In the past, Xia Anran would have already been shouting angrily, cursing at her. But now, she was too composed. Could it be that she already knew?

She had spent a whole week preparing for this. There was no way Xia Anran had noticed anything. She was probably just pretending to be calm when, in reality, she was already panicking.

Thinking this, Ye Lingling reassured herself. Determined, she spoke up to accuse Xia Anran.

“Anran, Auntie Li heard you telling me to buy the medicine that day. If we call her over to ask, everything will be clear. You can’t hide this. It’s better if you just admit it. Uncle Huo will forgive you because you’re still young, and Brother Huo won’t pursue it either.”

Hearing Ye Lingling mention Auntie Li, Xia Anran immediately understood—so that’s how it was. Ye Lingling really had prepared in advance, planning everything meticulously.

After speaking, Ye Lingling turned to Huo Zhenting and Huo Ruiyang, seeking confirmation.

“Right, Uncle Huo? Brother Huo? You won’t blame Anran, will you?”

Huo Zhenting glanced at Ye Lingling but remained silent. The situation was complicated, and he couldn’t jump to conclusions.

Seeing his lack of response, Ye Lingling grew anxious and continued speaking to Xia Anran.

“Anran, Uncle Huo definitely won’t blame you. Brother Huo has always been cold to you. Even if you did something excessive, Uncle Huo wouldn’t hold it against you.”

Ye Lingling then turned to look at Huo Ruiyang, but his sharp, icy gaze made her lower her head in fear.

Huo Zhenting had no intention of investigating further. He interrupted Ye Lingling.

“This matter ends here.”

Ye Lingling breathed a sigh of relief. This outcome was within her expectations. Uncle Huo wouldn’t pursue it because of his friendship with Xia Anran’s father. But in his heart, he would still suspect Xia Anran—that was enough.

However, to her surprise, just as Huo Zhenting decided to drop the matter, Xia Anran refused to back down. She firmly stated:

“Uncle Huo, this isn’t just a simple family issue anymore. It involves poisoning an active-duty soldier. This can’t just be brushed aside. Why don’t we call the police? That way, my innocence can be proven, and the real culprit will get the punishment they deserve.”

Even Huo Ruiyang was surprised. He couldn’t help but take another look at Xia Anran.

With a witness testifying against her, even if she was innocent, the accusation would be difficult to shake off. Yet, instead of panicking, she was the one demanding to call the police. Her gaze was clear and unwavering, without a trace of guilt.

No matter how strong someone’s composure was, it was impossible to remain so calm when facing a direct accusation with a supposed witness.

On the other hand, Ye Lingling’s reaction was the complete opposite. The moment Xia Anran mentioned calling the police, her eyes flashed with panic. Her gaze darted around nervously, clearly trying to think of a way to stop it.

Huo Ruiyang suddenly became very curious—how was Xia Anran planning to turn the tables? He looked straight into her eyes and called out:

“Auntie Li, come up here for a moment.”

Xia Anran smiled at him and even said, “Thank you.”

Huo Ruiyang remained indifferent, giving her a cold glance before walking over to a chair and sitting down, expressionless.

Xia Anran: …Are you planning to just sit back and watch the show?

Ye Lingling’s heart pounded anxiously. Even though she had prepared for this, Xia Anran’s calm demeanor still made her uneasy. What if something went wrong?

Auntie Li had no idea what was going on. First, Ye Lingling had been dragged upstairs, and now Ruiyang was calling for her too. As she stepped into the room, her face was full of apprehension.

Huo Zhenting glanced at Xia Anran and noticed how composed she was. She even had a faint smile on her face. This kind of poise and confidence impressed him greatly.

He felt a slight sense of pity in his heart. She was a decent young woman. Perhaps her past actions were influenced by bad people, or maybe she was simply afraid of losing Ruiyang, which led her to do those things.

He glanced at his son again. Looking closely, the two of them actually had a bit of a married couple’s resemblance.

While he was standing there, amused as he studied his son and Xia Anran, on the other side, Ye Lingling saw that no one was speaking up. Left with no other choice, she turned to Auntie Li herself and said:

“Auntie Li, please testify for me.”

Auntie Li had a bad feeling about this and nervously asked, “What is it?”

Ye Lingling couldn’t endure the pressure any longer. She just wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible and prove her claim. She asked directly:

“Five days ago, a little past nine in the morning, did you hear Anran telling me to buy medicine?”

Auntie Li hesitated, not daring to answer immediately. She first glanced at Xia Anran.

Xia Anran smiled at her. “Auntie Li, just tell the truth.”

Ye Lingling despised Xia Anran’s composure. The calmer Xia Anran was, the more anxious she felt. Her palms were already sweating from nervousness, afraid that she might slip up. She clenched her fists tightly, forcing herself to stay calm.

Her body language betrayed her guilt, and Huo Ruiyang saw it clearly. He turned to Xia Anran, a trace of amusement in his eyes. He was curious—how would she prove her innocence?

Encouraged by Xia Anran’s words, Auntie Li spoke the truth.

“I did hear Miss Xia telling Lingling to buy medicine.”

Ye Lingling was instantly elated and immediately pressed Xia Anran.

“Anran, did you hear that? Everything is clear now. Stop lying to Uncle Huo and just admit it. He will forgive you.”

Xia Anran smiled, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. She remained unhurried as she replied:

“Cousin, why are you so eager for me to confess? Shouldn’t you first ask why I told you to buy medicine?”

Ye Lingling didn’t want her to continue. She cut her off with an emotional outburst, loudly exclaiming:

“Anran, the facts are right in front of us! Auntie Li just confirmed that she heard you telling me to buy medicine, and you still refuse to admit it? You always do this—whenever you make a mistake, you try to argue your way out even when caught! But this time, it’s serious. You’ve brought shame upon Second Uncle…”

Before she could finish, Xia Anran interrupted her.

“My father would only be disappointed if he knew about your schemes. He would regret raising a wolf in his own home—one that ended up harming his own daughter.”

Without giving Ye Lingling a chance to speak, Xia Anran immediately turned to Auntie Li and asked:

“Auntie Li, tell everyone—why did I ask her to buy medicine?”