Chapter 26 – Using Mother Qin to Resolve the Garden Conflict

…Two sentences. It really was just two simple sentences.

Minfang was even more baffled.

How could that possibly matter?

She voiced her doubt aloud.

But Shuhui only shook her head.
“If Madam agrees, I’ll tell you right now how to keep the garden safe.”

“Hm…” Minfang pressed her hand to her forehead, frowning, as if trying to think deeply.

She wanted to be suspicious, to imagine some conspiracy behind it.

But with her limited wit, she couldn’t find a single flaw.

Finally, after a long breath, she made up her mind:
“Fine! I’ll agree. But you must first tell me the plan. If it really works, then I’ll do what you ask.”

“Of course.” Shuhui smiled. She explained slowly, word by word, the method to preserve the garden.

In her last life, Qin Ying had snuck in to demolish the garden overnight, rushing as if in panic. In truth, it was because she was insecure—she feared that if Qin Yushen got involved, she wouldn’t be able to withstand him.

Widowed for many years and never remarried, Qin Ying had grown extremely domineering. How could she ever bow her head to Minfang?

Besides, the pollen issue was real—every gust of autumn wind could threaten her life. That was why she had gone mad and smashed the pavilion in the middle of the night.

In the end, only when the Qin patriarch himself came forward and sacrificed his dignity to plead for her did the storm subside.

But this time, Shuhui taught Minfang where to strike: seize her weakness first, and wield Qin Yushen’s name like a whip.

Then, as compromise, promise to replace the cypress and flowerbeds with insect-pollinated plants—like roses, camellias, tulips.

These species have sticky pollen that clings, not easily spread by the wind, and far less likely to trigger allergies.

Once the root problem was solved, Qin Ying would lose her justification. She’d no longer have the right to demand the garden’s destruction.

Shuhui carefully left out her past-life memories, but laid out the plan in meticulous detail.

“Just negotiate exactly as I’ve said. Borrow strength to counter strength. No matter how fiery her temper, she will have to yield to you.”

“Really?”

“Of course.” Shuhui nodded firmly.

Of course not…

It wasn’t that Minfang had any face with Qin Ying—she was just hiding behind Qin Yushen’s shadow. But once the pollen issue was addressed, Qin Ying wouldn’t dare to push further. Not even her father could protect her forever.

After all, a complete fallout with her in-laws wasn’t to her advantage either.

The problem had always been simple. It was just that everyone inside the Qin family was too deep in it to see.

The patriarch favored his daughter, thinking a mere garden was trivial—it could be demolished without a second thought.

Meanwhile, Minfang and Qin Ying had been rivals for years; their first instinct was always confrontation, never compromise.

But Shuhui, the outsider, had managed the Qin family for nearly five years in her past life. She knew every member’s temperament, every pressure point. Of course she could resolve the conflict with just a few nudges.

At first, she’d only come to watch the drama—let them bite each other’s throats.

But now? With such a tiny scheme, she could bait Minfang into running her errands. A guaranteed win. How could she refuse?

Minfang believed her without a shadow of doubt. She clapped her hands in delight, praising her endlessly:
“As expected of a top graduate of our country’s best university—your brain is worth three of ours! I’ll go to Qin Ying right now!”

“……”

…

Leaving the bamboo house, Minfang repeated Shuhui’s instructions over and over to herself.

She stormed into the left residence and parroted the plan verbatim to Qin Ying.

The result? A sweeping victory.

For the first time in years, she saw Qin Ying choke speechless, defeated and helpless.

The joy was indescribable. She all but skipped out, humming to herself.

From this day on, Qin Ying would never win against her again—after all, she didn’t have a top-university daughter-in-law!

But Minfang did.

On the road, she bumped into Shanshan and Wan Qing.

“Mother, did you really talk Aunt into it?” Shanshan asked anxiously.

Wan Qing followed quickly: “It was Sister-in-law’s idea, wasn’t it? I knew she’d have a way.”

Minfang brushed them aside proudly, straightening her collar with exaggerated poise.
“Do you know what an ‘insect-pollinated flower’ is?”

“?”

The two women blinked. That was basic biology, wasn’t it? Why was she quizzing them?

“Do you know what it means to borrow strength to counter strength?” Minfang pressed on.

“……”

The two exchanged a look—they understood now.

Their mother-in-law hadn’t understood a word herself. She’d just memorized and regurgitated Shuhui’s speech back at Aunt Qin.

…

The Qin family’s mountain estate was divided by a lake of living water, most of the grand villas and gardens on the right, while the quieter left side housed the patriarch—and occasionally Qin Ying, when she returned to her natal home.

After sending Minfang away, Qin Ying sat fuming. She slapped her teacup off the table; porcelain shattered across the floor.

Who would’ve thought that useless sister-in-law could show some brains for once?

She even dared to threaten her with Qin Yushen’s name.

A pair of useless parents, yet they produced a capable son—utterly infuriating.

“Pass word down—the excavators can leave. No demolition tonight.”

But she wasn’t about to yield completely.

“Assign men to watch the gardeners. Every single plant must be uprooted and checked. The replacements must be flawless. If anything goes wrong, I’ll burn that garden to the ground!”

…

That night, beneath the bright moon, Shuhui finally sat down after dinner—only to remember she’d neglected all of Sheng Yi Studio’s emails and tasks the entire day.

She lugged her laptop back to the living room.

Sigh… even after a day of slacking, the work still piles up.

A notification popped up:

【Sheng Yi Studio V】: The boss says the cover should feel youthful, sunlit, but still tinged with rawness—something like a prism of flowing white light… with artistic flair.

The words immediately made Shuhui’s blood boil. This guy really has a death wish. She snapped a screenshot and sent it on WeChat.

Shuhui: [screenshot.jpg]
Shuhui: Do you want me to give you rainbow-colored black instead?

She cursed him out, not expecting an instant reply from the busy superstar.

Sheng Yi: Shu Xiao-Hui!
Sheng Yi: You! Still! Remember! To! Reply!

Blinking, she scrolled up—and froze.

Unread messages. From a month ago.

[Oct 5, 00:18]
Sheng Yi: Qin Yushen is Ningning’s biological father? And you’re getting the marriage certificate? Shuhui, are you insane? Do you know how filthy the waters of Hong Kong’s elite are?!

Sheng Yi: Don’t do it. Ningning won’t lack money if she stays with you.

Sheng Yi: [transfer ¥200,000.00]

[Oct 5, 00:53]
Sheng Yi: You’re not replying, not answering calls. I’m heading into the mountains for filming, no signal there.

Sheng Yi: Tomorrow morning, when you see this, accept the money and leave Hong Kong. Don’t be stupid.

…The transfer was already expired.

Her heart clenched. She quickly covered her ears.

Sure enough, a second later—the phone on the table erupted in a shrill ring, like a devil’s voice piercing her skull.