“If Mom gives in this time, they’ll force her to retreat again and again!”
“They always push their luck!”
“No, no! They’re infuriating! How dare they keep bullying Mom like this!”
Yaya’s anger burned so intensely it seemed ready to erupt into flames. Her tiny fists clenched tightly.
Though Huo Jiusi couldn’t hear Yaya’s thoughts, he noticed the shift in her expression. Following her gaze, he glanced at Shen Daqiang and his family.
If Yaya dislikes them, then I’ll help her teach them a lesson.
“Aunt Shen, why should you help that grandma? Is her leg broken, or is she dying?” Huo Jiusi tilted his head slightly, his angelic face the picture of innocence—no one would guess his words were deliberate.
“Watch your mouth, brat!” Shen Daqiang barked.
Huo Yingnian’s sharp gaze landed on Shen Daqiang, freezing him in place. A single look was enough to drench Shen Daqiang in cold sweat, silencing him instantly.
Withdrawing his stare, Huo Yingnian lightly tapped his grandson’s head. “Jiusi, mind your manners.”
Huo Jiusi clung to his grandfather’s arm. “But Grandpa, you always say we should ‘ask without shame’ when we don’t understand. That grandma looks perfectly fine to me.”
Huo Yingnian “kindly” explained, “It’s common for elders to make such requests of their juniors.”
“Oh, I see!” Huo Jiusi’s eyes sparkled. “So this is what people mean by ‘putting on airs,’ right?”
“Jiusi, you’re absolutely right.” Ye Jiawen discreetly gave him a thumbs-up.
This kid’s got potential!
“But isn’t ‘putting on airs’ just another way to boss people around? Like in the old feudal days?” Huo Jiusi feigned confusion. “Wait—didn’t they say Aunt Shen’s stepmother treats her well? Why is she bullying her now?”
Ye Jiawen scoffed sarcastically. “Kindness is just for show. Actions speak louder than words—heaven sees the truth!”
“Shen Zhiqiu!” Shen Liya snapped. “Are you just going to stand there while your cousin insults our parents? Who’s bullying whom here?”
“Liya, let it go.” Wang Fengqin tugged at her daughter, then at Shen Daqiang. “Let’s go. We never should’ve come.”
Shen Daqiang adopted a wounded expression. “Zhiqiu, today’s your daughter’s full-month celebration. You didn’t even inform us, and now that we’re here, you won’t even acknowledge us.” He sighed dramatically. “Now that you’ve married into a powerful family, you’ve forgotten your own parents!”
Whispers spread among the guests at his words.
Shen Zhiqiu rose slowly, drawing every eye in the room.
After a month of meticulous postpartum care from Yue Mingyuan, she had regained much of her figure—curves in all the right places, her beauty neither excessive nor lacking. With snow-white skin, lustrous dark hair, and striking yet refined features, she radiated quiet strength, like a blooming pink rose.
“Dad,” she began calmly, “what you just said is exactly why I didn’t invite you.”
“Today is Yaya’s celebration. Everyone here should bring blessings, not ulterior motives.”
Wang Fengqin interjected hastily, “Zhiqiu, you’re misunderstanding us! We came to bless Yaya—how could we have other intentions? Your father only spoke harshly because he was upset you excluded us. Don’t hold it against him.”
She wiped imaginary tears. “It’s my fault. Your father said we shouldn’t come uninvited, but I insisted. I thought… if the in-laws assumed we lacked manners, it’d reflect poorly on you.”
“And don’t blame Liya for telling us. She’s still recovering—after all, you did break her leg.”
The murmurs grew louder, but Shen Zhiqiu only smiled, unsettling Wang Fengqin further.
“Shen Liya, you didn’t tell them why I hit you, did you?” Shen Zhiqiu pointed at her stepsister. “I knew you wouldn’t dare.”
“First, I didn’t break her leg.” She reached for a file Yue Mingyuan handed her and pulled out a medical report. “This is her diagnosis. She had a minor bone fissure—either from my strike or her own calcium deficiency. Frankly, she’s just fragile.”
“Second, here’s why I hit her.” She raised two fingers.
“One: Shen Liya is my half-sister, born just six months after me. My father brought Wang Fengqin and her into our home less than a hundred days after my mother’s death.” Her voice turned icy as she stared at Shen Daqiang. “Dad, you truly honored Mom’s memory.”
Shen Daqiang flushed with rage. “Who fed you these lies? Don’t believe such nonsense!”
“She did.” Shen Zhiqiu jabbed a finger at Shen Liya. “Your dear daughter, my dear sister.”
“Everyone knows postpartum anger harms a mother’s health permanently. How thoughtful of her to visit my hospital room just to share this ‘news.’”
“Chen Can was there too—he heard everything. Right, Chen Can?”
Feng Wan turned to Chen Can, who squirmed but nodded. “Aunt Feng, it’s true.”
“Two: My due date was June. Yaya arrived two months early because Lu Shuangshuang knocked me down—but she wasn’t the real culprit.”
“Shen Liya pushed her, making her lose balance and fall onto me. That’s why I went into labor!”
“You’re lying!” Shen Liya abandoned her act, lunging forward. “I’ll rip your mouth apart!”
Shen Zhiqiu stepped back and gestured inside. “Regiment Leader Wu, please.”
Wu Qingyun emerged, saluting the senior officials at the head table. “Reporting to the leaders: After thirteen days of investigation, we’ve verified the incident leading to Shen Zhiqiu’s premature delivery.”
“We interviewed all personnel except the three involved parties, with guidance from the police. Four witnesses confirmed Shen Liya pushed Lu Shuangshuang, causing the chain reaction that endangered Shen Zhiqiu.”
“Given the severity and negative impact on troop morale, the leadership unanimously voted to discharge Shen Liya from the ensemble, effective immediately.”
“No! You can’t!” Shen Liya wailed, grabbing Wu Qingyun’s sleeve. “I’ve never even performed onstage! You’re favoring the Yue family because Shen Zhiqiu married into them! What about the Chens? Are you disrespecting them too?”
Feng Wan patted Tan Yingjun’s shoulder dryly. “What an excellent daughter-in-law you’ve chosen. Truly… blessed.”
