The life swap begins with Consort Hua becoming Lady Qin.

The girls, having received good things from their mother, were walking back happily, chatting and laughing, when suddenly, a small pebble gently landed on their backs, causing a slight pain that startled Mo Lan.

She subconsciously turned around and saw a well-dressed young stewardess with a gleaming eye giving her a meaningful look.

It was Zhou Xueniang, who served Lin Xiaoniang.

Mo Lan's expression instantly became somewhat unnatural.

She hesitated for a moment, then found an excuse and said to Wei Lan and Ming Lan, who were walking ahead, "Fifth Sister, Sixth Sister, you go first, I just remembered something."

The two children, unsuspecting, even asked if she needed any help. Mo Lan smiled and shook her head, saying no, and told them to hurry back and not to finish the fruit and snacks later, but to remember to leave her a portion.

After her two younger sisters had walked away laughing and joking, Mo Lan turned around and followed Zhou Xue Niang into a quiet corner of the garden.

As expected, a familiar figure was waiting here.

Upon seeing her daughter, Lin Qinshuang immediately rushed forward, embracing her tightly, tears streaming down her face: "Mo'er, my Mo'er..."

Mo Lan was initially more helpless than happy, but seeing how nervous and caring she was, she couldn't help but feel a little bittersweet. She softly called out "Mother" in her heart, hugged her back gently, and obediently let her look at her over and over.

Lin Qinshuang carefully examined her daughter's complexion and figure, and only felt relieved after confirming that she was doing no worse than before.

But she still asked, "Has no one wronged you lately? That woman, she hasn't taken her anger out on you because her eldest daughter's marriage didn't go through with it, has she?"

"Why would you think that, young lady?" Mo Lan frowned slightly and patiently advised, "Mother is always fair in her dealings, so naturally she wouldn't think that way."

"What 'stepmother'! I'm your own mother!" Lin Qinshuang was instantly displeased upon hearing this, and her tears flowed even more fiercely. However, she couldn't bear to get angry at her daughter, so she said, "How dare you say she's fair? The moment you were born, she took you away from me! And your brother... she made it so that the three of us, mother and son, can't even have a single day together."

"Mother!" Mo Lan called out to her as she wished, but her voice rose slightly: "It was just a slip of the tongue. You know how the rules are. If I call the wrong person outside, wouldn't it be our Sheng family that gets laughed at? And if Father finds out, how will you get away with it?"

She explained her reasoning carefully: "Furthermore, it is not the behavior of a gentleman to talk about others behind their backs, and you certainly cannot speak of Mother like that. She is the mistress of the house, and she treats my brother and me very well."

"You child!" Lin Qinshuang was both angry and anxious. "I'm your biological mother! How can you side with her!"

That's it.

Mo Lan didn't want to get entangled in this matter; after all these years, it had never been resolved. She simply changed the subject: "You specifically asked Zhou Mama to find me; is there something important?"

Lin Qinshuang was still holding a grudge against the term "little girl," and remained silent with a cold face.

Seeing this, Zhou Xueniang quickly tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "Young lady, let's get down to business."

Lin Qinshuang took a deep breath, barely suppressing the surging emotions in her heart. She took a small wooden box from Zhou Xueniang and placed it in Molan's hand: "I heard you're going to a banquet at the Prefect's residence tonight. It's a very important occasion and a rare opportunity... I don't have much ability, so I can only prepare some things for you. Although you don't acknowledge me, you're still my only daughter. I know you don't like to hear this, but I still have to say it. Think about it yourself. What kind of family of sisters are so close and affectionate? Can that be true? Even if it is, is it the same as someone like me, who wholeheartedly plans for you alone? Put your hand on your heart and tell me, as the legal mother, no matter how fair she is, hasn't she ever been more biased towards her own child?"

After saying this, Lin Qinshuang raised her hand to wipe away her tears with a handkerchief, and looked deeply at her daughter, her pitiful appearance beyond words.

Then he turned around and quickly left with Zhou Xueniang.

Mo Lan held the small wooden box, still warm from her body, in silence.

She slowly opened the wooden box.

Inside were several strings of exquisite pearl flowers made of seed pearls, tourmaline, and coral, as well as a pair of small pearl earrings and a thin gold wire necklace inlaid with gemstones. The styles were all suitable for the young lady and suited her taste.

They were all made with care.

Thinking about what her mother had said, a ripple finally stirred in her heart.

-

Inside Linxi Pavilion, as soon as the door closed, Lin Qinshuang could no longer suppress her anger and grabbed a teacup from the table, smashing it hard on the ground!

"Why are you angry, young lady! Be careful not to upset yourself!" Zhou Xueniang quickly stepped forward to comfort her.

"How could I not be furious?!" Lin Qinshuang's chest heaved violently, her eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness: "That's my daughter, whom I carried for ten months and risked half my life to give birth to! And now, she's treating her enemy as her own mother, while I, her birth mother, can't even get a word of 'mother'."

"Hai Shi, Hai Shi! Isn't she just relying on her powerful family background?! Unable to win a man's heart, she tries to steal my child! Bitch! Bitch!"

After venting her anger, she suddenly slumped into a chair, covered her face, and began to sob.

"Young lady! Watch your words!" Zhou Xueniang turned pale with fright and hurriedly stepped forward to cover her mouth: "Walls have ears!"

"You think I'm afraid of her?" Lin Qinshuang broke free, her eyes blazing with madness. "If she's so capable, let her get the master to divorce and abandon me!"

Even so, she knew in her heart that these were just words spoken in anger.

A moment later, she slumped back in her chair, her mind slightly clearing, but the resentment and anger in her heart burned even brighter: "I won't let this go! Why should she win over the children I gave birth to for nothing!"

"But... even the lord can't do anything to the eldest daughter-in-law," Zhou Xueniang said in a troubled voice.

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Lin Qinshuang's heart.

Yes, Sheng Hong is a man, and men are the most pragmatic.

The Hai family was a powerful in-law family to him, and could help him advance his official career.

Therefore, even though the Hai family had practically trampled on his dignity as their master at home over the years, Sheng Hong could only dare to be angry but dare not speak out.

Back then, he broke his promise to the Hai family that he could only take a concubine if he had no children by the age of forty, and took her before he was thirty, which greatly displeased the Hai family.

If Mr. Hai hadn't finally come out and said he was willing, things probably wouldn't have ended up like this.

Thinking back to how Sheng Hong wavered several times under pressure from the Hai family, and even considered abandoning her when she was pregnant, Lin Qinshuang still feels a chill in her heart.

This further solidified her belief: men are unreliable and are merely a temporary stepping stone.

Her future ultimately depends on her children and the gold and silver she holds in her hands.

However, the butler's abilities were truly exceptional.

The Sheng family estate is small, yet the rules for their servants are extremely strict. Despite spending money and bestowing favors over the years, she hasn't been able to truly win over many useful people. Often, just as they begin to show promise, those people are transferred away or sold off under some pretext.

Despite her many schemes, she lacked the opportunity to put them into practice.

"Then let someone else take the lead." A cold glint flashed in Lin Qinshuang's eyes as she spoke in an icy tone: "I refuse to believe that I'm the only one in this family who hates the Hai family's domineering ways for taking the child away! Everyone has selfish desires, and I don't believe that anyone, given the opportunity, wouldn't consider their own child and not give the best to their own flesh and blood!"

Once you have selfish desires, it's easy to instigate and exploit.

-

As the time for the banquet approached, Lady Hai came to the courtyard where the young ladies lived to make a final inspection.

After hesitating for a long time, Mo Lan finally mustered up her courage, took out the small wooden box, presented it to Madam Hai with both hands, and whispered, "Mother, this is... something my mother just sent. I dare not accept it without permission, so I have come to inform you."

Mr. Hai's gentle gaze fell on her, gesturing for Mrs. He to step forward and take it. She opened it and looked inside; it contained a complete set of pearl earrings and necklaces, exquisitely designed and made with high-quality materials.

She picked up a tourmaline bead, examined it against the light, and exclaimed, "These are all excellent pieces. Do you like them?"

Mo Lan nodded honestly, then hesitated and said, "I like it... but I think it's not appropriate to wear it today."

"Oh? Why?"

Mo Lan thought for a moment and said seriously, "What my sisters don't have, I shouldn't have either. Today, we sisters are all one, and no one should stand out from the crowd."

Upon hearing this, Hess's smile deepened.

She stepped forward and gently stroked Mo Lan's neatly combed hair, her voice gentle yet firm: "Good child, you are absolutely right. When you are at home, when you are the Fourth Miss Mo Lan, you can choose what you like best and use what you love most, even if your younger sisters don't have it for the time being. But outside, you are a daughter of the Sheng family. What you have, your sisters should also have; similarly, what they have, you will also have."

She closed the box and placed it back in Mo Lan's hand: "Since this was given to you privately by your stepmother, it is your private treasure. Keep it safe and wear it at home as you please."

"You're right. Once you step out of this gate and into the outside world, you're not the Fourth Miss Mo Lan, Wei Lan isn't the Fifth Miss, Ming Lan isn't the Sixth Miss, and even your eldest sister isn't just the eldest sister anymore. All of you have only one name: Sheng Family Daughter."

Mo Lan paused for a moment, then, realizing what she meant, straightened her expression and bowed solemnly to Madam Hai: "I will follow Mother's teachings."

"What a quick learner!" Hey smiled with satisfaction. "Go on, it's almost time."

"Yes."

-

As the city lights begin to twinkle, the banquet is about to commence.

Men and women are still seated separately.

When Shilan entered the flower hall with her beautifully dressed daughter and sister-in-law, who were as pretty as fairies, the hall was already filled with the fragrance of fine clothes and the sounds of laughter.

After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, she finally met Madam Hai, whom she had been thinking about for the past few days.

Shilan subtly observed the other person.

Lady Hei wore an elegant yet dignified dress. Her face was delicate and her temperament was calm. Her brows showed both the scholarly air and the composure honed by years of experience as the mistress of the house.

What caught the most attention were the three girls following behind her, each with outstanding looks and graceful manners; they were the three Lan girls from the Sheng family.

The eldest one, with a scholarly air, should be Mo Lan, the daughter of Lin Xiao Niang in the story. She is competitive and ambitious but ultimately, under the instigation of her birth mother, she has an affair and almost causes the death of all her sisters.

But this girl now has a clear and honest gaze, and does not have the seductive mannerism that is most criticized in the story.

The second girl's charming and innocent smile, along with her lively and pure childlike nature, inexplicably reminded Shilan of her niece Rujin, who was far away in the capital.

It should be Wei Lan who replaced Ru Lan.

As for the third one...