Miss Si's feigned innocence went too far, and the aloof Mr. Bo was easily swayed.

Si Qingwan painstakingly managed the Si family for over twenty years, finally establishing it as one of the five major families.

However, because of their biological daughter Si Yingying, the Si family was ridiculed and criticized.

For her, this was more humiliating than being slapped in public.

She raised her whip and struck Si Yingying hard.

"ah--"

Si Yingying didn't expect Si Qingwan to actually hit her. The sudden pain made her scream and collapse onto the ice.

Her cries grew even sharper, and her gaze towards Si Qingwan was filled with resentment. "Mingche and I are in love, but you insisted on making Si Yuan marry him, and you insisted on tearing us apart—"

"Go ahead and hit me! Go ahead and kill me if you dare!"

Even if you kill me today, I will still be with Brother Mingche.

"you……"

Si Qingwan raised her whip to hit someone again, but He Shuqing and Si Yuan each grabbed one of her arms and pulled her back.

"Mother……"

"Qingwan..."

"Let go!"

Si Qingwan's eyes were icy cold, filled with anger as she glared at He Shuqing. "You always say she's still young and needs to be taught slowly, but do you see? She's oblivious to her own mortality, unrepentant, and utterly foolish—"

Si Qingwan shook off their hands, "If this continues, the entire Si family will be ruined in her hands."

Si Qingwan raised the whip again.

"stop--"

Xiang Mingche rushed in.

Si Yuan was not surprised to see Xiang Mingche.

After all, this was the best opportunity for him to impress Si Yingying and Si Qingwan.

Sure enough, Si Yingying looked at Xiang Mingche with tears in her eyes, deeply moved.

"Brother Mingche... Waaah..."

Si Qingwan is a person who values ​​appearance and manners. Even when she was angry, she suppressed her emotions in front of Xiang Mingche.

After handing the whip to He Shuqing, he looked at Xiang Mingche expressionlessly and said, "Young Master Xiang, I am disciplining my daughter. This has nothing to do with you. Please leave immediately."

Previously, the Xiang family was more powerful than the Si family, so Si Qingwan would naturally treat Xiang Mingche with kindness and gentleness.

The fact that the Xiang family is now on the decline can no longer be hidden, no matter how hard they try.

In addition to what happened today—

Si Qingwan didn't have a good attitude towards Xiang Mingche.

Xiang Mingche glanced at Si Yuan, who remained silent, her face devoid of color.

Knowing that this incident had greatly hurt her, Xiang Mingche felt very sorry for her.

But she couldn't care less about that anymore.

"Madam Si, I have already wronged A Yuan, I cannot wrong Ying Ying as well. I am Ying Ying's future husband, and I am willing to be punished with Ying Ying. If you want to hit someone, hit me."

Xiang Mingche walked to Si Yingying's side, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her forehead. "Don't be afraid, I'm here..."

"Brother Mingche..."

Si Yingying gripped Xiang Mingche's sleeve tightly, leaning against his chest, deeply moved.

Si Yuan coldly watched the two of them, looking like star-crossed lovers, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of her lips.

Si Yingying made up her mind and cried as she begged Si Qingwan for forgiveness, "Mom, I really love Brother Mingche. I've never asked you for anything before. Please grant me and Brother Mingche our wish this time."

Xiang Mingche's attitude was also quite sincere, "Please grant my request, Madam Si."

Looking at the two of them, Si Qingwan already knew that no matter how much she intervened or tried to stop them, it would be useless.

She sighed heavily and handed the whip to He Shuqing.

"Young Master Xiang, if you really want to be with Yingying, you can't skip any of the formalities of marriage, betrothal gifts, and dowry."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Mingche was overjoyed. "Of course, I want to make Yingying the happiest woman in the world."

He Shuqing's face was as ugly as it could possibly be.

If she remembered correctly, Xiang Mingche had said this to A Yuan when he was engaged to her.

She glanced at Si Yuan with concern. Si Yuan had her head down, lost in thought, and her emotions were unreadable.

"A marriage is a major event for both families, and now their reputations have been damaged. Young Master Xiang, do you know how to handle this?"

Xiang Mingche nodded, "Don't worry, Madam Si, I will have my elders come to the Si family to propose marriage next week."

Si Yingying was overjoyed and shed tears of happiness.

Even after Xiang Mingche left, he didn't have the courage to look at Si Yuan again.

Si Yingying thought her punishment should end, after all, her mother had agreed to her marriage with Xiang Mingche.

Unexpectedly, Si Qingwan said coldly, "Go kneel in the ancestral hall and reflect on your mistakes. You can come out again when you realize your mistakes."

Not daring to anger Si Qingwan any further, Si Yingying entered the ancestral hall with the help of the servants.

Si Qingwan wearily pinched the bridge of her nose, sat down on the sofa, and looked serious.

"Ah Yuan, come here..."

Si Yuan walked over and took Si Qingwan's outstretched hand. "Mother."

"I'm sorry, A-Yuan, I've made you suffer."

Throughout the entire day, Xiang Mingche's betrayal, along with the guests' sarcastic or sympathetic words and glances, did not cause Si Yuan's emotions to fluctuate in the slightest.

Si Qingwan's simple "I'm sorry" made Si Yuan's nose tingle, her throat dry, and her heart feel heavy and swollen.

She knew that Si Qingwan apologized because of Si Yingying.

Instead of knowing about Xiang Mingche and Si Yingying beforehand and not stopping them.

Si Yuan shook her head and smiled bitterly, "I didn't know that Mingche and Yingying liked each other, otherwise, I would have let them be together."

Si Qingwan patted Si Yuan's head. "Aren't you angry?"

"No... Mingche's fiancée has always been Yingying. It's only natural for them to be together. Besides, I feel more sad and heartbroken than angry..."

"They truly love each other, I can let them be together, there's no need to make it like this..."

Si Yuan's restraint and forbearance made Si Qingwan feel even more sorry for her.

She watched this daughter grow up, and it was because she was too sentimental and didn't like to fight for anything that she got hurt.

"Ah Yuan, ultimately, it's the Si family and Yingying who wronged you in this matter. What do you want?"

Si Yuan had been planning and scheming for so long, waiting for this moment.

"Mother, I want to work at a TV station."

Si Yuan's dream is to become a news anchor; she doesn't want to be just a pretty face, dependent on men.

I don't want to just drift through life aimlessly.

She wants to climb higher, to a higher position, to have a voice in the world.

In the past, Si Qingwan would definitely not have agreed.

The daughter of the Si family doesn't need to work to realize her value.

Their only value is to serve men well and capture their hearts.

And, to contribute to the development of the entire family.

But this time—

Si Yuan's fiancé became her brother-in-law.

The beautiful marriage you hoped for is gone, and you'll be criticized and ridiculed by others.

In addition, Si Qingwan felt guilty and had no choice but to agree.

"Alright..."

Si Yuan smiled, "Thank you, Mother..."

Si Yingying knelt in the ancestral hall for a short while before saying that she knew she was wrong.

Since Si Qingwan had already agreed to her marriage with Xiang Mingche, she only needed to admit her mistake; there was no need to be stubborn and be punished.

How could Si Qingwan not see through Si Yingying's little tricks? She stared at Si Yingying for a long time, so long that Si Yingying's scalp tingled and she didn't know what to do.

She looked away, and finally made a decision about the matter that had been troubling her for so long.