Although the two of them hadn’t made much noise, Liu Ye still heard them.  

The woman walked slowly around the corner and, upon seeing Xu Xiaoyue, exclaimed in surprise, “Xiaoyue, what brings you here?”  

Xu Xiaoyue raised the lunchbox in her hand and replied obediently, “I brought some bone broth. Auntie Wang has already finished simmering it.”  

“Uncanny favor foreshadows foul play,” Yan Shuli added coldly from the side. He truly couldn’t stand Xu Xiaoyue’s pretentious act.  

As the words fell, Xu Xiaoyue raised an eyebrow but remained silent.  

Liu Ye’s face darkened as she turned to Yan Shuli, her voice laced with anger, “What nonsense are you spouting, child?”  

With that, she slapped the man’s shoulder with her palm. “Go, go, go. Just seeing you irritates me.”  

Yan Shuli shot Xu Xiaoyue a glance. Earlier in the hospital room, Jiaojiao had quietly told him that the reason she had stumbled and fallen in such a fluster in the living room was entirely because Xu Xiaoyue had threatened her to stay away from him after coming downstairs.  

Upon learning this, Yan Shuli had immediately wanted to confront Xu Xiaoyue.  

Though they were technically engaged, that was something from centuries ago. He would never acknowledge this arranged childhood marriage, nor would he marry a woman with such a malicious heart.  

Yan Shuli had already prepared how to explain this to his mother but was desperately dissuaded by Jiaojiao.  

The thought of the two of them being alone in the same room, with Xu Xiaoyue possibly bullying Jiaojiao behind his back, left him powerless to help.  

The more Yan Shuli thought about it, the angrier he became. Even the usually wise Comrade Liu now seemed blind to right and wrong. Furious, he turned and stormed off.  

After Yan Shuli left, Liu Ye sighed. None of the events of the past few days had gone smoothly for her.  

The woman turned her gaze to Xu Xiaoyue beside her and comforted her, “Don’t take his words to heart. Even I can’t control that child anymore.”  

“I don’t know what’s gotten into him. He won’t listen to a single thing adults say.” As she spoke, Liu Ye’s face was full of worry.  

Since childhood, Yan Shuli had been the model child in everyone’s eyes—sensible and clever. Who would have thought that at this age, he’d suddenly become rebellious?  

It was her fault, really. If she had known it would come to this, she would never have brought Zheng Jiaojiao into the household.  

But what was done was done, and regret was useless.  

As Liu Ye vented her frustrations, Xu Xiaoyue stood quietly by her side, not uttering a word.  

Once Liu Ye had finished her tirade, she met Xu Xiaoyue’s gaze and inwardly scolded herself for losing her composure and rambling like this in front of a junior.  

“Auntie Liu, I’ll take the broth to Jiaojiao first, so it doesn’t get cold,” Xu Xiaoyue said, noticing the awkwardness in Liu Ye’s eyes and tactfully changing the subject.  

“Alright, I’ll go with you,” Liu Ye said, adjusting her emotions before pushing the door open.  

Zheng Jiaojiao sat on the bed. She had also overheard the argument between Yan Shuli and Liu Ye.  

Though she didn’t know why they had quarreled so fiercely, she guessed it was probably still about her.  

With her legs injured and confined to the hospital bed, she wanted to go out and mediate but feared escalating the conflict between them.  

Now, seeing that Liu Ye was still willing to come in and see her, Zheng Jiaojiao’s eyes welled up with tears. Her voice was soft and innocent as she called out, “Auntie…”  

With that, she tried to rise from the bed.  

Liu Ye stepped forward and pressed her hand down. “Just stay where you are.”

Seeing that Liu Ye was still willing to acknowledge her, the heavy stone in Zheng Jiaojiao’s heart finally settled again.  

She reached out to grasp Liu Ye’s hand. “Auntie, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault…”  

Just as Zheng Jiaojiao touched the woman’s hand and was about to say something conciliatory, Liu Ye unexpectedly pulled away.  

Zheng Jiaojiao’s expression stiffened as she looked at Liu Ye.  

Liu Ye avoided her gaze and turned back. “Xiaoyue brought you some soup from home.”  

Xu Xiaoyue stepped out from behind Liu Ye at just the right moment, a smile on her face as she held out the container of soup.  

When Zheng Jiaojiao’s eyes met Xu Xiaoyue’s face, her heart sank with gloom, convinced that the woman was mocking her.  

“Auntie…” Still unwilling to give up, she tried to pull Liu Ye closer to say more.  

“Enough, drink the soup first,” Liu Ye said flatly, her expression unreadable.  

The heavy stone in Zheng Jiaojiao’s heart rose again, but she didn’t dare disobey. She kept silent, lowering her head to sip the soup.  

Distracted, she didn’t even think to blow on it and pressed her lips directly to the scalding liquid.  

“Ah!”  

A sharp pain shot through her lips as if pierced by needles. Zheng Jiaojiao couldn’t help but glare at Xu Xiaoyue and snap, “It’s so hot! Did you do this on purpose?”  

Her foot injury hadn’t even healed, and now she had a burn to add to it. Coupled with Liu Ye’s earlier attitude toward her, it was hard not to suspect Xu Xiaoyue’s behind-the-scenes scheming.  

“My lips are swollen from the burn! Didn’t you think to let it cool before giving it to me?” Zheng Jiaojiao complained again.  

Before Xu Xiaoyue could respond, Liu Ye, who had witnessed the whole scene, interrupted, “You should’ve been more careful. Didn’t you even think to blow on it?”  

Liu Ye hadn’t expected Zheng Jiaojiao, who usually seemed so mild-tempered, to lose her cool over a mere burn.  

The incident only deepened her subconscious resistance. She stood up and said, “I’ll call a doctor to see if you need ointment.”  

“Auntie, it’s fine—”  

Before Zheng Jiaojiao could finish, Liu Ye was already halfway out the door.  

“Xu Xiaoyue, you must be feeling pretty smug, huh?” Zheng Jiaojiao’s eyes blazed with fury as she glared at the woman beside her.  

“Tsk, this is just the beginning,” Xu Xiaoyue smirked, tilting her head with an infuriatingly smug expression.  

Seeing Xu Xiaoyue’s provoking demeanor, Zheng Jiaojiao’s anger burned even hotter.  

If not for the fact that Liu Ye was still nearby and she needed to maintain her innocent image, Zheng Jiaojiao would have loved to fling that pot of scalding soup straight into the woman’s face.  

Footsteps sounded at the door. Zheng Jiaojiao guessed it was probably Liu Ye returning with the doctor.  

Her eyes darted around, and in a swift motion, she threw off the blanket and—*thud!*—dropped straight to her knees on the floor.  

“Sister Xiaoyue, I know you hate me because of Brother Shuli…”  

“I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean for things to turn out this way. But feelings are complicated… If you want to hit or scold me, go ahead. Just don’t make things difficult for Auntie and the others.”  

As she spoke, Zheng Jiaojiao pinched her own waist, forcing a few tears to roll down her cheeks.  

“Once my leg heals, I’ll move out immediately. I won’t stay where I’m not wanted.”  

Liu Ye, standing at the door, paused when she heard the commotion inside, her hand hesitating on the doorknob.  

Xu Xiaoyue’s almond-shaped eyes looked down at Zheng Jiaojiao kneeling on the floor. “Your foot’s better now?”  

Zheng Jiaojiao choked back a retort, thinking to herself how this idiot always asked the most pointless questions.  

Before she could come up with her next line, the door creaked open.  

Liu Ye walked in with the doctor.