My chat group is full of female losers

Chapter 312 A Lament in a Dream (Part Four)

The days that followed were like hell for Xie Lingxiao.

Under the secret instigation of the fake Xie Mingshu, the bullying against him came in all sorts of ways, making him wish he were dead, and he suffered endless pain every day.

That day, the fake Xie Mingshu returned home from school. As she approached the gate of the east courtyard, she saw some servants of the Ling family gathered outside, and faint sounds of laughter and chatter could be heard from inside. A thought struck her, and she muttered to herself, "Oh? So that's how it is. Has the plot progressed this far? The Ling family has finally found out about the illegitimate child and come to confront us?"

Upon hearing this, the doll Xie Mingshu was startled but dared not ask any questions. Ever since her eyes were gouged out that day, she had remained silent.

The fake Xie Mingshu smiled knowingly and quietly found a secluded corner to eavesdrop again.

Inside the house, Ling's mother, Old Madam Ling, was holding Ling's hand, carefully examining her complexion. She had expected her daughter to be constantly in tears and looking haggard. But to her surprise, Ling seemed to be in fairly good spirits today.

Grandma Ling first breathed a sigh of relief, then burst into tears with heartache: "My poor child! I've already told your father to go to court immediately and impeach Xie Chengyuan! Doesn't our Ling family deserve credit for Xie Chengyuan's current official position?! When he came to propose to you, how confident he was! And now, after so little time, he's done such a despicable thing!"

Seeing that Madam Ling lowered her head and remained silent, only shedding tears, Old Madam Ling felt even more distressed and quickly asked, "Daughter, tell your mother the truth. What are you really thinking? What are your plans? Don't be afraid. With your mother here, I will definitely avenge you!"

Ling originally only wanted to say a few words of comfort to her mother, telling her not to worry too much about her. But for some reason, she suddenly remembered what the fake Xie Mingshu had said a few days ago.

As if possessed, she actually said in an almost inaudible voice, "Mother... I want a divorce..."

"Divorce?!" Upon hearing this, Old Mrs. Ling was stunned, her anger turning into astonishment. "Are you serious?"

Once the words "divorce" were uttered, Madam Ling had no way out and continued, "I see him every day, I stay at the Xie family's house every day, and I feel really uncomfortable. I just want to get out of his sight and not have to see him anymore. I want a divorce."

Looking at her daughter's expression, Old Mrs. Ling sighed deeply, her tone softening: "Daughter, you say you want a divorce, but do you know that, according to ancestral rules, a divorced woman cannot be included in her maternal family's genealogy or buried in her maternal family's ancestral graveyard? Moreover, after the divorce, you cannot establish your own household, nor can you take your children with Xie Chengyuan with you. Have you thought all of this through?"

“But Shu’er said she’s willing to go with me…” Ling Shi explained.

“She’s just a child, what good is it if she’s willing?” Old Mrs. Ling interrupted her, her tone tinged with helplessness. “The Xie family will absolutely never give Shu’er to you! Otherwise, what will they be called if word got out? Their daughter-in-law wants a divorce, and they don’t even want their own granddaughter anymore? Wouldn’t that be a huge joke!”

Old Madam Ling's words were like a bucket of ice water, completely extinguishing the faint flame of hope that had just ignited in Madam Ling's heart. She lowered her head and said in a muffled voice, "I understand, Mother."

Seeing her daughter like this, Old Madam Ling felt even more heartbroken. She held Ling's hand and earnestly advised, "Silly daughter, if you are truly determined to divorce, your mother will naturally support you. But... you must also think about Shu'er! If you really leave the Xie family, your precious daughter will be left alone in the Xie family. Can you bear to do that?"

These words undoubtedly struck at Ling's deepest fears. She silently shed tears, and the thought of divorce that had just surfaced in her mind completely vanished.

Seeing this, Grandma Ling gently patted her daughter's hand and continued, "I know you're suffering. But my daughter... you can't stay so down like this. You need to take good care of yourself and get back on your feet soon. Shu'er will need you in the future!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Ling simply bit her lip even harder and nodded sullenly.

Just then, the fake Xie Mingshu, who had been eavesdropping outside, revealed a hint of surprise on her face. She stopped hiding, straightened her clothes, and walked in openly with a serious expression.

"Oh my! Isn't this my favorite granddaughter? Come here, let Grandma give you a good hug!"

Upon seeing the fake Xie Mingshu, the old lady Ling's worried expression vanished considerably, replaced by genuine joy and affection. She smiled and extended her hand to the fake Xie Mingshu, gesturing for her to come to her side. The old lady Ling doted on this granddaughter from the bottom of her heart. In fact, whatever the fake Xie Mingshu asked for, the old lady Ling would do everything in her power to fulfill her wish.

However, the fake Xie Mingshu seemed not to see the old lady Ling's outstretched hand. She tilted her head and asked innocently, "Grandmother, what does 'grandmother' mean? And what does 'cousin' mean?"

Upon hearing this, Old Mrs. Ling looked puzzled and didn't react for a moment: "My dear Shu'er, what do you mean by that? Why are you suddenly asking about this?"

Seeing this, Madam Ling's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition arose within her. She was about to speak to stop her, but the fake Xie Mingshu had already continued speaking on her own: "Outside and inside are opposites, outside means outsider, appearance and inside are opposites, appearance also means outsider. Since she is an outsider, whether she divorces or not is none of your business!"

Having lived most of her life, Old Madam Ling had never been so openly contradicted by a junior. She was first stunned, then a surge of anger rose within her. But looking at the little face before her, so strikingly similar to her daughter's, she couldn't bear to utter a harsh word. She could only suppress her displeasure and speak as gently as possible, "My dear Shu'er, did you hear what your grandmother and mother were saying just now? It's not that your mother doesn't want a divorce, but..."

"I don't want to hear your high-sounding reasons!" The fake Xie Mingshu interrupted her without any politeness, her tone sharp. "In the end, you're just doing this for your husband, for your son, for your grandson, and for the reputation of your Ling family. You don't want an aunt who has returned from a divorce to tarnish your future and face!"

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Ling's face immediately darkened: "What nonsense are you spouting?!"

The fake Xie Mingshu seemed oblivious to her unpleasant expression. Instead, she shook her head with a look of disappointment and sighed, "You scheme and plot for a man, it's pathetic and shameful!"

Hearing this from the side, Madam Ling was terrified. She knew her daughter had a wild and unruly nature, but she never expected her to dare utter such rebellious words in front of her mother! She quickly stepped forward, trying to ease the tense atmosphere: "Shu'er! You mustn't speak to your grandmother like that! Your grandmother is only doing this for your mother's sake; she has her own difficulties..."

"Difficulties?" The fake Xie Mingshu tilted her head, looking at Ling Shi with an undisguised mockery in her eyes. "She is a matriarch from a noble family, in charge of the household affairs, with a house full of children and grandchildren. What difficulties could she possibly have? Stop making excuses for your inaction!"

Then, she turned to look at Old Madam Ling, who was already trembling with anger, and said in an almost judgmental tone, "See? There is no one in this world who truly puts you first. To your husband, the emperor's favor, the safety of the country, and the glory of the Xie family are far more important than you. To your mother, your father and your brother are also far more important than you."

Ling was so stung by her daughter's words that she felt short of breath, her chest tight, and she could hardly breathe.

Old Mrs. Ling was furious, her face turning ashen. She was completely enraged. Pointing at the fake Xie Mingshu, she demanded, "Then what do you want me to do?! Tell me! You say I'm not doing anything, that I don't care about your mother! Then tell me, what do you want me to do?! Divorce sounds easy and quick, but what about the mess that follows?! A divorced daughter can't be included in her maternal family genealogy, can't be buried in her maternal family cemetery, what are you going to do?! After the divorce, she can't establish her own household, what are you going to do then?! She can't take you, her legitimate daughter, with her, what are you going to do then?! After I'm gone, how will she, a helpless divorced woman, manage in the Ling family?!"

Upon hearing this, the fake Xie Mingshu revealed a self-righteous smile, her tone as casual as if she were discussing something utterly simple: "These are all very simple! Anyone who dares to prevent her from being included in her maternal family genealogy, I will kill them! Anyone who dares to prevent her from establishing her own household, I will kill them! Anyone who dares to prevent me from going with her, I will kill them! After you die, anyone who dares to give our mother and daughter a hard time, I will kill them!"

Grandma Ling was amused by her: "With your little arms and legs, who could you possibly kill?! You're just a child, all you do is spout nonsense!"

"I can kill anyone." The fake Xie Mingshu's tone remained matter-of-fact. "I can beat someone to death openly, or I can sneak into his bedroom in the dead of night and slit his throat. I can kill men, and I can kill women; I can kill adults, and I can kill children. Whoever makes me unhappy, I'll kill them. Even you, if you keep talking nonsense, I'll kill you."

Old Mrs. Ling was so angry at her words that she trembled all over. Pointing her finger at her nose, she cursed, "You beast! You beast!"

The fake Xie Mingshu asked in surprise, "What? I'm not your favorite granddaughter anymore?"

Grandma Ling could no longer bear these outrageous remarks. She felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, her body jerked backward, and she fainted!
"Mother!" Upon seeing this, Madam Ling cried out in alarm and rushed forward to support the swaying old lady.

Hearing the commotion, the servants outside rushed in, and in an instant, the room was in chaos, filled with cries, shouts, and footsteps.

After a period of chaos, seeing that Old Madam Ling was still unconscious, the servants of the Ling family disregarded formalities and hurriedly carried the old lady to the prepared sedan chair. Without saying anything more to Madam Ling, they hastily left the Xie family with their people.

After the Ling family left, only Madam Ling and the fake Xie Mingshu remained in the bedroom.

Recalling her mother's unconscious state and the chilling words of the imposter Xie Mingshu, Ling felt a pang of guilt. Mustering her courage, she boldly said to the imposter Xie Mingshu, "Shu'er... you shouldn't have said those things to your grandmother just now..."

However, the fake Xie Mingshu merely glanced at her indifferently and said calmly, "I'm not wrong. You're not wrong either. The one who's wrong is her, that senile old woman."

She paused, then changed the subject, a hint of approval on her face: "I'm very pleased today. I'm satisfied that you were willing to talk about divorce. You're still salvageable after all. You're not hopeless."

Ling Shi, who had been ridiculed, belittled, and suppressed by the fake Xie Mingshu in various ways, was stunned when she heard her daughter's praise. Then, an indescribable and overwhelming joy, like a flood bursting its banks, instantly overwhelmed her! She could hardly believe her ears and was so excited that she was at a loss for words.

She couldn't help but step forward and embrace the fake Xie Mingshu.

To her surprise, this time, the fake Xie Mingshu did not resist her closeness as usual, but allowed her to hold her.

This small gesture was like a godsend to Ling! She felt all the grievances, pain, and torment she had endured these past few days vanish in that instant. She hugged her daughter tightly, feeling the real warmth in her arms, her heart filled with unprecedented joy and satisfaction. She even secretly rejoiced that she had mustered the courage to say those two words in front of her mother.

It turns out that as long as she was a little braver, her daughter would see her in a different light! The icy barrier between them could melt away!

However, just as Ling was immersed in this sudden feeling of happiness, the smile on her face gradually disappeared.

She recalled the way her mother had fainted on the spot from anger. At that moment, she understood that from now on, the blood ties between her and the Ling family, and between her and her birth mother, would probably never be as close as before.

She suddenly realized that she had lost her husband and her mother, and she was now all alone.

wrong!

The small body in her arms reminded her that she also had a daughter.

Looking at the fake Xie Mingshu, she thought that the only person she could trust and hold onto now was her daughter, whom she had carried for ten months.

In an instant, fear, unease, terror, dependence... a complex and intense mix of emotions surged up like a tidal wave, violently assaulting Ling's already fragile nerves. She felt dizzy and disoriented, unable to hold on any longer, and her vision went black as she slumped to the ground.

Watching Ling Shi slowly collapse before her, the fake Xie Mingshu showed no panic, but instead revealed a smug smile. She reached out and gently stroked Ling Shi's haggard cheek, her voice tinged with a sickly intoxication: "Very good, very good. Ninety percent successful. Only a little bit more left..."

Afterwards, the fake Xie Mingshu feigned panic and summoned the servants outside, instructing them to take good care of her. She herself, however, acted as if nothing had happened, calmly turning and leaving without even glancing back.

The next day, Madam Ling remained bedridden.

Just then, a servant came to report that the old master and old lady had invited the young lady to come over immediately.

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible glint of sharpness flashed in the eyes of the fake Xie Mingshu. Instead of refusing as usual, she secretly chuckled to herself: How fast! The opportunity to take this final step has arrived.

The imposter Xie Mingshu arrived at the main courtyard of the Xie family. At the head of the table sat the venerable Old Master Xie, his face stern. Beside him, the old lady also looked displeased, her brows furrowed.

Old Master Xie cleared his throat and said in a deep voice, "You should know why I called you here today, right?"

The fake Xie Mingshu simply smiled, neither answering nor bowing, as if she were merely watching a lively spectacle that had nothing to do with her.

Seeing her like this, Old Master Xie's expression turned cold, and he simply went straight to the point: "Shu'er, let me ask you, are you aware that your newly recognized elder brother has been repeatedly bullied by his classmates at the family school? If you are aware, why have you been sitting idly by and doing nothing about it?"

As a result, the fake Xie Mingshu remained silent, as if she had not heard his question.

Seeing this, the old lady slammed her hand on the table and shouted angrily, "I'm asking you a question! Didn't you hear me?! What kind of attitude is this when an elder is asking you a question?!"

The fake Xie Mingshu lazily raised her eyelids, glanced at the old lady, and slowly asked, "Oh? So what do you want to do?"

Seeing her disrespectful attitude, Old Master Xie's tone immediately became stern: "Xie Mingshu! Do you really think you can hide your little tricks from us? I can understand that you are dissatisfied with him because of your mother. But Xie Lingxiao is still your own brother! You should stop this nonsense!"

Grandpa Xie's tone was actually quite calm. After all, he was an old and experienced man who had seen all sorts of storms. In his eyes, the bullying and ostracizing among children because of jealousy or other trivial matters were nothing more than petty squabbles that couldn't be brought to the table, and were not a big deal.

It wasn't like what some shallow novels depict: either they were smug because their granddaughter had such ruthless methods at such a young age, thinking that she would definitely not suffer if she really entered the palace as a concubine in the future; or they were secretly alarmed by their granddaughter's little tricks, worrying that if she could use her scheming on her half-brother today, she might use such insidious methods on other relatives in the future, causing them to jump around in alarm as if the sky was about to fall.

The fake Xie Mingshu wasn't surprised that Old Master Xie could see through her little tricks. She simply feigned innocence and argued, "What does it have to do with me if he's being bullied? Go find the people who bullied him and settle the score."

Grandpa Xie and Grandma Xie were both taken aback when they heard this.

The old woman frowned and questioned, "Weren't those things instigated and directed by you behind the scenes?!"

"Those who took action were simply foolish." The fake Xie Mingshu's tone was extremely straightforward, without any intention of denying anything, but rather with a hint of self-righteousness. "I just said a few words, and they were stupid enough to charge into battle. They didn't have brains, so why should they blame me?"

These despicable and shameless remarks, along with her self-righteous and ugly face, made Old Master Xie and Old Madam Xie want to vomit on the spot!

Old Master Xie trembled with rage, his anger burning: "That's your own brother! How can you have such a grudge against him? Will you still be able to be brother and sister in the future?!"

"You don't need to worry about that, sir." The fake Xie Mingshu's tone remained light and casual, tinged with a hint of impatience.

"How dare you!" The old lady could no longer contain herself and shouted sternly.

Old Master Xie was too lazy to waste any more words with her, and said with a stern face, "From today onwards, you are not allowed to use others to bully Ling Xiao!"

Upon hearing this, the fake Xie Mingshu laughed. Her laughter was one of utter contempt.

"I can do whatever I want. Who are you two old hags to tell me what to do? Or perhaps..." She paused, turning her gaze to the old woman beside her, whose face had already turned pale with anger, a wicked smile curling at the corner of her lips, "Did I hit you too lightly last time? Hmm?"

Upon hearing this, the old lady's face paled even more.

Upon seeing this, Old Master Xie flew into a rage! He slammed his hand on the table and pointed at the fake Xie Mingshu's nose: "Well! Well! You really are a fine girl of our Xie family! At such a young age, you are so disrespectful to your elders and so disrespectful to your master and ancestors! Today, I will take the place of your good-for-nothing father and teach you a good lesson, you wretched child!"

"Go to the west courtyard gate right now and kneel down! You're not allowed to get up until it gets dark!"

Upon hearing this, the old lady was immediately alarmed and quickly signaled to the old man with her eyes that he mustn't do that. If this little devil really went berserk and suddenly attacked someone, then both of them would probably lose their lives here today!
However, at this moment, Old Master Xie was in a fit of rage and wouldn't listen to Old Madam's advice. But, to everyone's surprise, this time, the fake Xie Mingshu didn't resort to violence like before. She simply looked at the enraged Old Master Xie, a meaningful smile on her face, and said softly, "You said it yourself."

Then she turned around and slowly walked out of the hall.

Seeing that the fake Xie Mingshu had really walked out, the old lady became more and more uneasy and couldn't help but want to follow her to see what was going on, but was stopped by Old Master Xie.

Grandpa Xie dismissively comforted her, "Alright, don't bother watching. Do you really think she'll be so obedient as to run off to be punished? Just you wait and see, once she steps out that door, she'll be gone in a flash."

The old lady thought about it and realized that her granddaughter was indeed not the type to obediently accept punishment. So she stopped worrying and just sighed deeply, saying with great confusion, "I just don't understand. Even if our Xie family isn't a family of saints, we still have a respectable family background. How could we raise such a beast? She either hits her own grandmother herself or instigates others to bully her own brother, and then she acts like everyone else is responsible for the bad things, while she herself is completely innocent. What's going on?"

Just as Old Madam Xie was completely baffled, on the other side, the fake Xie Mingshu revealed a sinister smile of triumph after walking out of the main hall.

She didn't slip away as Old Master Xie had predicted, but instead headed straight for the lotus pond in the mansion.

It is the height of summer, and the lotus pond is filled with lush green leaves and graceful pink lotuses. Occasionally, dragonflies skim the water, and koi carp frolic, creating a delightful summer scene.

The fake Xie Mingshu stood by the pool, examined the depth of the water, and revealed a satisfied smile.

Then, without warning, she suddenly leaped into the lotus pond!

Pfft!
The small figure of the fake Xie Mingshu was instantly swallowed up by the dark green pool water.

The servants who were standing not far away were stunned at first, and then a heart-wrenching scream broke the tranquility of the Xie residence!

"Oh no! Oh no! The young lady has fallen into the water!"

"Help! The young lady has fallen into the lotus pond!"

Inside the main hall, Mr. and Mrs. Xie were startled by the commotion outside and rushed out in a hurry.

As soon as the curtain was lifted, the courtyard was in complete chaos. All the servants were gathered around the lotus pond, bustling about in a panic.

Seeing this, Old Master Xie was furious and shouted, "What are you all standing there for?! Hurry up and go down to save her! If anything happens to her, none of you will get away with it!"

Just then, Madam Ling arrived. She had only recently woken up from her coma when she heard that her daughter had been summoned to the main hall by her parents-in-law. Worried, she forced herself to come over despite her illness.

Before she even entered the west courtyard, she could hear a cacophony of shouts and yells coming from within. As she rushed into the courtyard in a panic, Old Master Xie's furious roar reached her ears perfectly!

At that moment, Ling felt a sudden darkness before her eyes, her legs went weak, and she almost collapsed on the spot! She stumbled to the edge of the lotus pond and looked into the murky water. She saw that the surface of the water was quiet, except for the splashes caused by the servants jumping in.

Where is her beloved daughter? Where is her Shuer?!

An indescribable fear instantly gripped Ling's heart! Before she could even think, she screamed and jumped into the icy pool!

Seeing this, the old woman was terrified and screamed at the top of her lungs, "Quick! Quick! Quick! Help! What are you all standing there for?! Hurry up and go save them!"

Ling was not a swimmer, but at this moment, faced with the immense fear of her daughter drowning, she had long since disregarded her own safety. All she knew was that her daughter had fallen into the pool, and if she couldn't find her, she didn't want to live anymore! She wanted to stay underwater with her Shu'er!

The scene immediately descended into chaos.

After an unknown amount of time, Ling, soaking wet, was pulled from the pond. However, as soon as she was dragged ashore, she went berserk again, rushing back into the lotus pond as if she would rather drown, a sight that terrified everyone present.

Fortunately, just then, a servant shouted, "Found her! Found her! We've found the young lady!"

With a few splashes, a small figure, soaking wet and pale-faced, was lifted out of the murky pool by two large hands. Whether from choking on water for too long or from shock, the fake Xie Mingshu lay motionless, her eyes closed and her face bluish-purple.

"Shu'er!" Upon seeing this, Madam Ling let out a piercing wail, scrambling over to embrace the cold, stiff little body tightly, calling out hoarsely, "Shu'er! Shu'er! Wake up! Don't scare your mother! Shu'er! My Shu'er!"

Old Master Xie's face was also deathly pale. He roared at the servants around him, "Doctor! What are you all standing there for?! Go and call the doctor!"

The old lady also trembled as she approached, and just as she was about to reach out to check the fake Xie Mingshu's breath, Ling slapped her hand away!

At this moment, Madam Ling's eyes were bloodshot and bloodshot. She stared intently at the old lady with eyes full of hatred, and warned through gritted teeth, "Don't touch my daughter!"

The old lady was so frightened by her appearance that she took a step back, opened her mouth as if to explain, but Ling Shi did not give her a chance to speak at all.

She held her daughter tightly in her arms, staggered to her feet, and walked unsteadily towards the yard.

She didn't want to stay in this horrible west wing anymore! It would only harm her Shu'er here! She didn't even want to stay in this cold-hearted Xie family anymore! They all wanted to harm her Shu'er!

All she has left is Shu'er! If she loses Shu'er, she will have nothing left!
At this moment, Ling's heart was filled with boundless hatred for everyone in the Xie family! As she walked out of the west courtyard gate, she suddenly turned around, her eyes filled with deep-seated hatred and endless resentment.

That look sent a chill down the spines of both elderly people.

But no one noticed that just as Madam Ling was carrying her out of the west courtyard, the long, thick eyelashes of the fake Xie Mingshu, who had kept her eyes tightly closed, trembled slightly.

A barely perceptible smug smile appeared on the corners of her mouth.

Back in the bedroom in the east courtyard, everyone busied themselves. Some boiled water, others fetched clean clothes; no one was idle.

Ling stayed by the bedside, holding her daughter's cold little hand tightly. Her heart felt like it was being soaked in bitter water, sour and astringent, filled with endless regret and self-blame.

Her mind was filled with thoughts of how such a small child could have fallen into the lotus pond in this sweltering heat for no reason. She refused to believe it was accidental! Her Shu'er was never the kind of child who would play in dangerous places! It must be those two old bastards! It was them! They wanted to kill her Shu'er!

Ling Shi fought back tears that threatened to spill over, gently stroking the pale, cold face of the fake Xie Mingshu, her voice choked with sobs: "It's all my fault... It's all my fault for not protecting my Shu'er... My dear daughter, get well soon... I haven't even apologized to you yet..."

She kept calling out and praying, and after what seemed like an eternity, just when she was about to despair, suddenly, the little hand she was holding in her palm seemed to move slightly!
Ling was stunned for a moment, then a surge of joy welled up in her heart! Her eyes widened suddenly, and her voice changed with excitement: "Shu'er?! Shu'er! You're awake?!"

The imposter Xie Mingshu slowly opened her eyes. Her once clear black and white eyes now appeared somewhat confused and weak. She looked at Madam Ling for a long while before finally recognizing her and softly calling out, "Mother..."

"Oh! Oh! Mother's here! Mother's here!" Upon hearing this, Madam Ling could no longer control her emotions. She covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. Her daughter had called her Mother! After so long, her daughter had finally called her Mother again!
She bent down and asked anxiously, "Shu'er, are you feeling unwell anywhere? Are you dizzy? Do you feel nauseous? How are you feeling right now? Tell your mother quickly so that the doctor can take a look at you."

The fake Xie Mingshu behaved unusually well, answering all of Ling's questions.

When Madam Ling saw that her daughter had truly woken up and was still relatively lucid, she almost thought she was dreaming. She held her daughter's hand tightly: "It's all my fault, I was so foolish. If I had understood sooner, you wouldn't have suffered so much. Shu'er, my good daughter, can you forgive me? I know I was wrong... I really know I was wrong..."

The fake Xie Mingshu looked at her, and a barely perceptible glint seemed to flash in her dark eyes. She was silent for a moment, then nodded gently.

Upon seeing this, Madam Ling burst into tears and laughter. She had been waiting for this moment for far too long!
Meanwhile, the fake Xie Mingshu, seeing Ling Shi's overjoyed expression, had the same thought in her heart—she had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.

She felt it was time, time to make one last attempt and finally take this pawn, which she had been manipulating, into her possession.

So she said softly, "Grandpa and Grandma know that I deliberately bullied Xie Lingxiao."

"Really?" In the past, Madam Ling would have been shocked, angry, and guilty, but now she felt nothing. "It's nothing. He's just a concubine's son of unknown origin. So what if he bullied you? My Shu'er is smart and capable! You're much better than your mother!"

Surprisingly, she wasn't angry, nor did she think it was despicable, which pleased the fake Xie Mingshu greatly.

Actually, there was something the fake Xie Mingshu didn't say: she knew that Old Master Xie and Old Madam Xie had sent people to keep watch at the family school. The reason she used others to target Xie Lingxiao was to let the two of them know. Otherwise, why would they have asked her to come over and give them a warning?
She wanted to ensure that the Ling family completely broke with Xie Chengyuan, leaving no possibility of reconciliation in this lifetime, so that the Ling family could truly become hers.

The next step is to conduct the final test.

The fake Xie Mingshu stared intently at Madam Ling and asked, "So now, in Mother's heart, who is number one?"

“Of course it’s you!” Ling blurted out without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, the fake Xie Mingshu's eyes flashed with satisfaction, but she still pressed on, "Really?"

“It’s true! Absolutely true!” Ling said with utmost seriousness.

"Very well." The fake Xie Mingshu revealed a sinister smile as venomous as a viper. "I want my mother to prove it to me."

Upon hearing this, Madam Ling instinctively asked, "How can you prove it?"

The fake Xie Mingshu did not answer immediately, but instead turned her gaze to the window. At this moment, the sky outside was gradually darkening, and dark clouds were gathering.

She said, "It's about to rain heavily. Xie Chengyuan definitely wants to come in and see us, but I don't want to see him. You have to stop him."

“Okay!” This time, Ling agreed decisively without the slightest hesitation.

An hour later, Xie Chengyuan returned to the mansion in a hurry with the imperial physician. As soon as he stepped into the east wing, he was blocked in his way by Ling Shi, who was already waiting at the bedroom door with a cold face.

"What are you doing here?" Ling's voice was icy cold and devoid of any emotion. "You are not welcome here."

Looking at Ling Shi's face, which was filled with distance and wariness, Xie Chengyuan felt a pang of pain in his heart. He said urgently, "Madam, I heard that Shu'er fell into the water. I brought the imperial physician from the palace to examine her. Please let me go in and see her. I'm worried about her..."

Ling, expressionless, stepped aside, allowing only the imperial physician to pass: "The imperial physician may enter, but you may not."

The imperial physician nervously went in to examine the imposter Xie Mingshu. Upon returning, he reported that the young lady had only suffered a fright and was not in any danger of death; she only needed to rest. After hearing this, Madam Ling unceremoniously dismissed the imperial physician and, from beginning to end, did not allow Xie Chengyuan to step into the room.

Xie Chengyuan stood at the door, staring at the tightly closed door, his heart filled with anxiety. He pleaded and begged, hoping to go in and see his daughter, even just for a moment.

However, no matter how humble he was or how much he repented and apologized, Madam Ling remained unmoved and resolutely refused to let him in.

As darkness fell, heavy, dark clouds pressed down on the sky like lead, and a fierce wind began to howl. Before long, large raindrops began to pelt down, quickly turning into a torrential downpour that lashed wildly against the eaves and everything in the courtyard.

Xie Chengyuan stubbornly remained at the door, letting the cold rain soak him from head to toe. His straight back looked particularly thin in the storm, and he was a disheveled mess, yet he still refused to leave.

Inside the bedroom, Madam Ling looked through the crack in the window at Xie Chengyuan, who was shivering in the rain. Seeing his miserable and disheveled appearance, she couldn't help but waver for a moment.

However, just as a pang of reluctance was about to take over, she turned around and met the gaze of her daughter lying on the bed, her dark eyes fixed on her. That gaze held a chilling scrutiny.

Ling felt a sudden tremor in her heart. The slight wavering and reluctance she felt vanished instantly, replaced by an even firmer determination.

She couldn't let her daughter down! Absolutely not!
So she silently turned her head away, no longer looking at the figure swaying in the wind and rain outside the window.

And so, the mother and daughter, inside the house and Xie Chengyuan outside, were separated by a thin door, each enduring their own torment as they survived the long and cold night.

As dawn approached, the rain gradually stopped.

The man who had been standing in the rain all night finally fell seriously ill due to exhaustion and catching a cold.

Seeing Xie Chengyuan being lifted from the ground by several servants and sent for treatment in such a disheveled state, the fake Xie Mingshu revealed an extremely satisfied smile.

She turned her head to look at Ling Shi, who had been guarding her closely, reached out and gently stroked Ling Shi's cheek, praising, "Good girl. Mother did a great job."

Ling revealed a fawning expression, like a dog.

Meanwhile, in the corner of the room, the doll Xie Mingshu sat upright on the ground, looking at the scene before her, at her mother who had become completely unfamiliar. The doll's face remained stiff and unchanged, while her body trembled slightly.

Pain kept gushing from her single eye, overflowing its socket and sliding down her wooden eyelid.

(End of this chapter)