But now… at some point, the house had become lively.

Whether it was the banter between Sheng Xia and Feng Jingxu or the chatter after the children returned, the changes in the atmosphere, or the entire family sitting together for meals… even the maids seemed to have gained vitality.

The villa was no longer cold and empty; it had become lively. With the addition of people, everything seemed to be gradually changing.

Thinking of how Sheng Xia used to call him frequently, asking why he didn’t come back, Feng Shaoyu’s eyes were full of warmth. So, his sister-in-law always considered him family; that’s why she always wanted him to come home?

And here…

Sheng Xia, who was concerned about her third brother not coming home, continued to put on a show of melancholy and said solemnly, “I can’t control what you think, but if we let Miss Ye corrupt the two children, who are now rejecting me and Little Xu, it will continue with Shao Yu, Shaoyun, and even Feng Yan in the future.”

“I remember that when Little Xu first came back, The Twin didn’t know their brother at all, right? When I took the two children to meet Shaoyun, they didn’t even recognize her, Shao Yun also hadn’t interacted with them, not to mention Shaoyu, who only recently got meet and acquainted.” Sheng Xia glanced at the steward, “Do you think they know Feng Yan?”

The steward opened his mouth but didn’t speak.

“In the future, the two children will only be close to Miss Ye, not knowing the family members. Instead, they will follow Miss Ye’s lead to reject their older brother. Is this really good for them? Now they will take on the blame for Miss Ye. What about in the future? Uncle Zhao, the children are not puppets of the nanny. They shouldn’t be influenced or even controlled by her thoughts.”

Following her words, as if imagining the scene, the steward suddenly shook, lowering his head with guilt, “I’m truly sorry, Madam. It’s my negligence for not managing the house well. Even though I discovered the nanny’s issues, I didn’t take it seriously. Now, I’m just asking Mr. Feng…”

“Indeed, I still have no status in this house. So, even if I want to dismiss someone, I need my husband’s approval, right?” Without waiting for the steward to panic and deny, Sheng Xia covered her chest as if stimulated, turned her head, and said softly, “Third Brother-in-law, can you bear to watch? Little Xu, you are also the master of the house. How come you don’t even have the right to drive someone away?”

Feng Jingxu: “…”

Feng Shaoyu: “…”

Seeing Sheng Xia’s expression of “How useless can you be?” both Feng Shaoyu and Feng Jingxu couldn’t help but want to laugh, but their hearts were unusually tender.

Feng Shaoyu, always gentle and soft-hearted, nodded slightly at this moment, with a faint tone, “Indeed, what my sister-in-law said is right. I also think there’s no need to keep such a person, affecting family relationships. But let’s leave this matter to Little Xu to decide. Little Xu, what do you think?”

Knowing that she was done for, Nanny Ye finally panicked. She turned her head, and for the first time, looked at Feng Jingxu with pleading eyes, “Young Master Jingxu, I… I won’t dare anymore in the future. Please spare me this time. I promise I won’t do it again. I guarantee it!”

The treatment in the Feng family was renowned for being excellent. Her job was easy, the children were obedient and especially close to her, and others didn’t dare to easily offend her. Where else could she find a better situation?

If she’s really fired, she’ll never find a better job than the one she has now. How can she leave?!

Watching the nanny, who always unconsciously displayed a superior attitude in the past, now panicking and pleading, Feng Jingxu remained silent for a while.

Suddenly, he sneered arrogantly, “Right, there’s no need to keep someone who stirs up trouble and affects the relationship between my siblings and me.”

He opened his mouth, released his sweaty hand, and decisively said, “Get rid of her.”

The steward seemed to finally realize something, solemnly bowed to them, and said, “Understood, leave it to me to handle.”

In the disbelieving eyes of Nanny Ye, Sheng Xia spoke gently and kindly, “Don’t worry, even if you’re dismissed, you will receive three months’ salary. After all, you’ve worked hard taking care of the children for these four years, and your efforts deserve recognition.”

“I—” Nanny Ye was about to cry out her lines, but unexpectedly, Sheng Xia cut her off. She couldn’t help but choke, her face turning pale, and feeling suffocated in her chest.

“So, consider these three months’ salary as compensation for severing the emotional ties between you and the twin,” Sheng Xia’s tone became even softer, but it sent shivers down Nanny Ye’s spine. “After all, in the future, the person they call ‘mom’ should be me, right, Miss Ye?”

Nanny Ye: “…!”

She tried to plead to the twin, but Sheng Xia had already covered the eyes of the twins in advance.

Feng Xuran, as if understanding, remained quiet and unmoving. Although Feng Xuchen, somewhat uneasy in her arms, fidgeted a bit, when Sheng Xia gently patted his buttocks, the little one blushed, immediately lying still, afraid to move.

She had raised them for four years, yet she couldn’t compete with this woman’s one month—did they really think Sheng Xia was a good person?

After Nanny Ye’s despair, she finally realized the reality. Knowing that if she caused more trouble, she wouldn’t even get the three months’ salary. She was led away by the steward with her head down, silently laughing to herself.

Since they were like this, she would wait for Sheng Xia to reveal her true colors, to mistreat the twins! Let them regret it!!

After the farce ended, Sheng Xia lightly released her hand. The twins curled up, and slowly opened their eyes.

They looked up, and from this angle, Sheng Xia’s long eyelashes drooped slightly, her eyebrows and eyes lazily curved, unexpectedly revealing a hint of unexpected tenderness.

“So, Mom isn’t a wicked stepmother, right?” Feng Xuran hesitated for a moment, then asked softly, “The story Auntie Ye told, isn’t it true?”

Despite living with them for over a month, he hadn’t noticed anything.

Feng Shaoyu sighed lightly, feeling guilty, wanting to speak up to help Sheng Xia explain, “Of course—”

“Of course, it’s the wicked stepmother.” Sheng Xia denied without hesitation, lowering her gaze to the round and lively eyes of the dragon and phoenix twins. A subtle smile appeared on her pale pink lips. “Do you know what a wicked stepmother is like?”

Feng Shaoyu: “…?”

In his mind, scenes from the stories that Nanny Ye used to tell them about how stepmothers mistreated children flashed again. The twins swallowed nervously.

“That’s right, they would be like the evil queen, feeding Snow White with unpleasant food, snatching her toys, giving her clothes she doesn’t like.”

“Force her to do things she doesn’t like, make her work—”

Twins: “…”

Following Sheng Xia’s faint voice, they gradually sank into memories, their faces becoming more serious.

Sheng Xia snatched their toys, tricked them into thinking they were helping; although she didn’t feed them unpleasant things, she took away their Ultraman children’s meals and added two more portions; she didn’t change their clothes against their will, but Sheng Xia once ordered them to change her clothes; she forcibly pinched their faces, intentionally interrupted stories halfway through and ran away; as for work—

Does helping push Sheng Xia’s wheelchair count as work?

—It seemed like she really was a wicked stepmother!!

The twins suddenly widened their eyes, exchanging a serious glance and a hint of hesitation. However…

If that’s the extent of the teasing, maybe the wicked stepmother isn’t that scary?

Inserting Sheng Xia’s face into the role of the wicked stepmother in the story, the two little ones suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance and stopped trembling.

Sheng Xia earnestly said, “But don’t worry, Snow White was fed a poisoned apple, had to clean the room and live in the attic because she was too beautiful. You two are not as good-looking as me yet, so I won’t turn into such a wicked stepmother.”

Ignoring her unreliable statements, Feng Xuran corrected seriously, “Cleaning the room and living in the attic is Cinderella’s story.”

“Oh, that’s because the wicked stepmother brought two stepsisters, and there was no place to live, so Cinderella had to stay in the attic,” Sheng Xia quickly changed her tune, looking regretful. “Unfortunately, the villa is too big, and I can’t change rooms every day. Your brother is not someone I brought here, so I can’t bully you like that.”

“So think about it, who is closer to Little Xiu?”

The twins turned to look at Feng Jingxu, their eyes brightening, and simultaneously exclaimed, “Brother is, of course, closer to us!”

Feng Jingxu: “…”

Sheng Xia had a smug expression, sighed softly, “So, he can’t bully you like Cinderella’s stepsisters. What a pity.”

Twins: !

They immediately puffed up their little chests, full of pride. “Brother won’t bully us!”

That’s right, brother is on their side, not brought in by the wicked stepmother, so he definitely won’t bully them!

Feng Jingxu: “…” Can’t she just shut her mouth already!!

Watching his nephew’s darkened face but red ears in an awkward manner, Feng Shaoyu almost couldn’t resist laughing. He cleared his throat and patted his shoulder, “It’s really nice, Little Xu. Look at how much Chenchen and Ranran trust you.”

Feng Jingxu took a deep breath, glaring at him expressionlessly.

After a few rounds of questions and answers, Feng Xuchen suddenly understood something. His black eyes lit up as he looked at Sheng Xia, completely losing the previous fear and anxiety, “Even if Xia Xia is an evil stepmother, Chenchen likes Xia Xia!”

Counting on his fingers, he joyfully used a childish voice, “Chenchen likes it when Xia Xia pats his head, likes pushing Xia Xia around, and is willing to share toys and food with Xia Xia. So, Chenchen isn’t afraid.”

Sheng Xia was almost overwhelmed by the sweetness and couldn’t help but pinch his face. The little one’s face was already soft and chubby, and a slight pinch made her fingers sink in, “I didn’t expect you to be so good at talking. This morning, you were still bargaining with me, and now you already know about the price increase.”

Previously, everything was free, and she even subsidized them!

The wicked stepmother holds grudges.

System: [⚠️] The character settings seem intact, but the development seems a bit strange. Not sure, let me take another look.

Feng Xuran: “…”

She opened her mouth, and the words she wanted to say were almost scared away by Sheng Xia. After a slight hesitation, she awkwardly tugged at her.

Then, as Sheng Xia lowered her head to look at her, the usually cool little one suddenly hugged her neck, pressed her face against hers, and quickly whispered, “Mom.”

If Sheng Xia hadn’t had sharp hearing, she might have missed it.

Sheng Xia: “…”

Since they stopped calling her “evil stepmother,” only Feng Xuchen would call her “Xia Xia.” Feng Xuran usually remained silent, cleverly omitting the address, and directly conversing with her.

Compared to the slow reactions of her younger brother, Feng Xuran, as the older sister, had a heavier guard and was cautious with everyone.

So Sheng Xia was completely taken aback that, between the two little ones, it was actually the older sister who spoke up first and called her “Mom.”

Although unexpected, when the little one seemed uneasy and wanted to escape, Sheng Xia instinctively held her tight, mimicking her actions and softly responded.

Feng Xuran suddenly stiffened, like a boiled small shrimp, nestled in her arms without moving.

—Wow, she really heard it!!

While the mother and the children were secretly sweet on one side, the uncle and nephew started a heart-to-heart talk on the other: “Sorry, Little Xu, I haven’t paid attention to your thoughts before. Second Brother brought you back, and this place has always been your home.”

Seeing Feng Jingxu frowning awkwardly, Feng Shaoyu cleared his throat and, with a sly wink, whispered, “There’s no need to always stay at the company and not come back. After all, Your dad isn’t coming back, right?”

Feng Jingxu: “…?”

He looked at his little uncle’s non-serious peach blossom eyes, his gaze instantly becoming sharp. What do you want since my dad isn’t coming back?

Completely unaware of his nephew’s vigilance, Feng Shaoyu thought he might be like himself, afraid to face his brother’s cold face. So, after comforting him, he smiled knowingly.

Feng Shaoyu squinted and said, “Actually, if you think about it carefully, have you been quite happy during this time at home?”

Thinking about the battles of wits with Sheng Xia and how he was bossed around by her because of her status, Feng Jingxu’s face turned green. Happy? It was more like chaos and pandemonium!