Chapter 3: The Nervous Ones Arrive

Madam Meng, with the help of a maid, entered the room.

Her eyes were red, and her face appeared haggard, as though she could no longer bear the emotional strain.

Qin Xuan stood and greeted her, her voice quiet, “There’s nothing new.”

As soon as she said those two words, tears uncontrollably filled her eyes.

Madam Meng quickly moved forward to wipe Qin Xuan’s tears, softly comforting her:

“Don’t worry. The eldest is blessed by heaven. He will be fine. It’s just that we haven’t found him yet.”

Her soothing words made it hard for anyone to tell she wasn’t Qin Xuan’s biological mother.

The two of them helped each other and sat on the couch.

Taking advantage of the pause, Madam Meng’s servant, Nanny Zhang, spoke up, “Since the news of the eldest master’s disappearance, the old madam has been unable to eat or sleep. She spends entire days in the small Buddhist hall, praying for him.”

Once Nanny Zhang finished speaking, Madam Meng put on an angry expression and scolded, “Why do you have to say so much?”

Nanny Zhang immediately lowered her head.

Affected by the voices she had heard, Qin Xuan could no longer focus on the act, but still played along.

She was waiting to see if Madam Meng had come to discuss the child.

After reminiscing about some of Fang Zhan’s childhood stories, Madam Meng shifted the topic to the child.

“How is Miaoyi’s cold? Is she doing better?”

“She’s almost recovered. When I visited her this morning, she was already out of bed playing on her own,” Qin Xuan said, her smile fading slightly.

Madam Meng was silent for a moment before speaking again, “Mother Xuan, there’s something I don’t know if I should mention.”

“It’s fine, please speak,” Qin Xuan replied, pursing her lips.

“Send Er Er away,” Madam Meng’s voice was heavy. “After all, this is the third time she has harmed Miaoyi.”

“Don’t think that I am being heartless. I am truly thinking of you. Otherwise, if she were your daughter, would I have to say something that might offend you?”

“I’m just worried because the two children are only five years old. It’s difficult to avoid them interacting. But that child, Er Er, occasionally goes into a rage. It’s dangerous.”

“If Nanny Zhang hadn’t discovered it in time, Miaoyi, such a good child, might have been lost. Keeping them apart is better for both of them.”

“Now that the eldest’s life or death is uncertain, I truly don’t want to see his children getting into trouble. Although the eldest was raised by the madam, I watched him grow up too.”

Madam Meng continued, her eyes moist as she wiped away her tears with a handkerchief.

Qin Xuan clenched her fists under her sleeves, her nails digging into her flesh.

Madam Meng had always been fond of her four children, but her most beloved was her second daughter, the fifth miss, Fang Miaoyi.

If one paid close attention, it was clear that Madam Meng had a different feeling toward these children.

She treated her grandchildren better, which was natural, but she treated Miaoyi no worse than the other grandchildren from the second branch.

Qin Xuan had once thought that Miaoyi simply got along well with Madam Meng.

Now, holding these new clues, a chilling realization struck her.

[It’s not Er Er who is going mad. It’s this old woman trying to get rid of her, deliberately framing Er Er.]

Qin Xuan’s heart shuddered.

She instinctively looked up and caught a glimpse of the corner of a pink garment at the door.

[Miaoyi’s fall into the water was just a sham, meant to make it seem like Er Er went mad and harmed her.]

Qin Xuan casually averted her gaze, but a wave of anger surged within her.

Any mother would be horrified to hear such things.

Her Er Er was still so young and had to go through something like this. It was her oversight.

But before Er Er got into trouble, her eldest daughter had also encountered issues. She truly…

[The last time Er Er threw the wooden carving at someone, it was the maid who was bribed by this old woman. Fortunately, she was lazy, and my mother has already sold her out.]

Qin Xuan had never understood how, with so many servants looking after the children, they still couldn’t manage to care for them properly.

Now, she understood. The servants in the East Courtyard were probably working for others.

[And that first incident, when Fang Miaoyi had a tantrum and knocked over the brazier, burning herself—that wasn’t Er Er. She lied to make it seem like Er Er was the culprit to compete for favor.]

Qin Xuan was now fully convinced, everything her heart had conveyed was true.

These events had been kept so well-hidden, very few people knew.

She didn’t want the matter to get out and have Er Er’s name tarnished, becoming the subject of gossip.

Suppressing her anger, Qin Xuan spoke, “Mother, I will not send her away. She fell and hurt her head, becoming foolish. If I send her to the country estate, who knows how the servants will treat her.”

Even if she hadn’t heard those inner thoughts, she would never send her daughter away.

Madam Meng set down the handkerchief, “I understand, Mother Xuan. I know you are heartbroken over Er Er’s injury, but you must also consider Miaoyi.”

“To prevent Er Er from being bullied, isn’t it simple?” She glanced at Nanny Zhang beside Qin Xuan. “You can have Nanny Zhang watch over her. Who would dare harm her then? That way, it would be a win-win situation.”

Qin Xuan:…

At this moment, Fang Yuean ran into the courtyard, her footsteps loud.

“Er Er!” Madam Meng exclaimed in surprise.

After all, they had just been discussing sending her away. Even though the girl had become foolish, Madam Meng couldn’t help but feel a moment of unease.

Seeing the young girl stop beside her and climb onto the cool couch, Madam Meng grew curious. She turned her head to see what she was going to do, only to see a slap coming toward her.

There was no time to dodge.

With a loud smack, it echoed through the courtyard.

Everyone was stunned into silence.

Even the wind seemed to stop blowing.

The wind on the tree branch seemed to convey a hint of helplessness: [Can you not be so violent? Think a bit more. If you accidentally kill her, you’ll be charged with harming a mortal.]

Fang Yuean: [No choice. I’m naturally quick-tempered. I have to slap her first to vent my frustration.]

[Besides, how do you know I wasn’t thinking? She’s so good at pretending, and normal methods won’t get her to reveal her true nature. I have to keep provoking her to the point where she can’t maintain her act, and that’s when Mother will see her true face.]

[She said Er Er went mad, so I’ll show her what real madness looks like. That old thing dared to bully my sister and lie to my mother!]

Madam Meng, who had been slapped and was left with her head turned to the side, froze for a moment.

Nanny Zhang was quick on her feet. She rushed forward and picked up Fang Yuean, placing her back beside Qin Xuan.

Still in shock, Qin Xuan was even more stunned. She could still hear other people’s inner thoughts!!!

Who was she talking to?

There was no time to think further. She quickly stood up to check on Madam Meng’s condition.

“Are you okay?”

Madam Meng wiped away the harshness in her eyes and, upon lifting her head, put on a concerned expression.

“Mother Xuan, this time you saw with your own eyes how she hurts others. My skin is tough, so a slap doesn’t bother me. But if I let her keep hurting Miaoyi, it will be more harmful in the long run.”

It seemed that Madam Meng couldn’t hear other people’s thoughts.

Qin Xuan let out a quiet breath of relief.

She straightened her face slightly and said, “Mother, you don’t know everything. She isn’t Er Er.”