The words were spoken calmly, yet each one pierced deeply into the hearts of those present.
Bai Xiumei frowned, gripping her cane tightly before finally speaking after a long pause: "Mingjiao, what were you thinking?"
"I... I..." Cheng Mingjiao opened her mouth, but under Gu Xue Jiao's gaze, found herself momentarily speechless.
"Mingjiao definitely didn't mean to!" Liu Yazhen defended.
"Mingjiao, do you realize your mistake?" Bai Xiumei continued staring at Cheng Mingjiao.
Cheng Mingjiao nodded hurriedly.
Bai Xiumei smiled slightly, appearing quite benevolent: "To recognize one's faults is to correct them. But you still need to apologize to your aunt."
Cheng Mingjiao froze for a moment before stiffly turning to Li Sitong: "Aunt... I... I..."
"Mingjiao, you should apologize." Bai Xiumei tightened her grip on the cane.
"I'm sorry!" she muttered the three words quietly to Li Sitong.
Xue Jiao remained seated calmly throughout, a cold smile gradually forming at the corners of her lips.
"Enough!" A woman's voice suddenly rang out.
This time, everyone was truly stunned—the person who had roared was none other than Li Sitong!
This woman who, since marrying into the Cheng family, had always been virtuous and kind except when scolding Gu Xue Jiao.
Li Sitong took a deep breath to steady herself. Her initial intention had been to smooth things over and resolve the matter quickly.
But in that moment, she had seen her daughter's cold smile.
That indifferent, detached expression.
Her heart ached sharply as she looked at Cheng Mingjiao: "Mingjiao, you're two months younger than Jiao Jiao, but you're already sixteen—not a child anymore. You can scold me all you want, but you cannot speak ill of my daughter. She's done nothing wrong to deserve this."
"And neither have you," Cheng Shuo said softly, standing up and pulling her into an embrace.
Tears welled up in Li Sitong's eyes as she looked back at him gratefully.
Xue Jiao watched the scene expressionlessly.
"She hit me! She hit me!" Cheng Mingjiao's eyes widened. "She hits me, and I'm the one who has to apologize first?! Why are you all protecting her? Why? I'm the one with the Cheng surname!"
"Because you disrespected her mother! Your aunt!" Cheng Shuo held Li Sitong firmly, his gaze stern as he looked at Cheng Mingjiao.
He couldn't understand how his once well-behaved niece had become like this.
"Apologize!" Cheng Kai snapped angrily.
Cheng Mingjiao clenched her jaw and looked toward Bai Xiumei, but the older woman remained silent.
Her gaze shifted to the elderly man beside them, whose furrowed brows now carried a hint of disappointment.
Boom—
Cheng Mingjiao's mind seemed to explode. How had things come to this?
Why were her own blood relatives forcing her to apologize to someone with the surname Gu?
"You're all protecting her!" she screamed before running out.
"Mingjiao!" Liu Yazhen cried out anxiously, turning to glare at Li Sitong. "Are you satisfied now?!"
With that, she chased after her daughter, leaving the others in stunned silence.
Li Sitong stood frozen.
Bai Xiumei sighed and stepped forward, taking Li Sitong's hand gently. "Mingjiao truly was being immature today. Who knows what got into her? As her aunt, please be patient with her. I know you're a good girl."
Li Sitong had been married into the Cheng family for many years now. She was a divorcee who had brought a child with her, and without any family backing, she knew Bai Xiumei had never been fully satisfied with her, even if the old woman never said it outright.So all these years, she had been treading carefully, just wanting to secure a place in the Cheng family, to show those who mocked her that she could live well too.
After so many years, this was a rare moment of warmth from the old lady.
Li Sitong was deeply moved and called out emotionally, "Mom!"
Bai Xiumei nodded repeatedly with a kind smile, "Good child, good child... Jiao Jiao is also a good child..."
"Wah—I've wronged Jiao Jiao—" Li Sitong looked up at Xue Jiao, her face full of guilt.
Xue Jiao didn't speak, keeping her head lowered, her eyes fixed on one spot.
——
That evening, Bai Xiumei comforted Li Sitong for a long time—a rare moment of closeness between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
Li Sitong's sorrowful mood improved considerably, and her expression relaxed somewhat.
Xue Jiao remained silent the entire time, returning to her room early.
For the first time, she lay on her bed without reading, tossing and turning restlessly.
Today, everyone had spoken up for her, even her "mother" had unexpectedly stood up for her once. But for some reason, Xue Jiao wasn't happy—not at all.
After a while, she took out her phone and sent a message to Lin Zhihua:
[Never have I felt so clearly that I'm truly an outsider.]
Lin Zhihua replied quickly:
[What's wrong? Did something else happen after you got back?]
Xue Jiao's fingers paused slightly. She didn't know when it had started, but she had gradually begun exchanging messages with the person on the other end. And today, it even felt like she could tell him anything...
Was this... friendship?
Without familial love... at least, it seemed she still had friendship...
[Cheng Mingjiao's grandparents came over. They all made her apologize to me, and my mom also spoke up to defend me. But for some reason... I feel really upset...]
Lin Zhihua: [What exactly happened tonight?]
Xue Jiao recounted everything from when she returned home until Old Master Cheng and the others left.
[Lin Zhihua: Cheng Shuo was fair. Cheng Kai making Cheng Mingjiao apologize to you wasn't fairness—it was him disciplining his own daughter. Your grandfather was the same. But this discipline was because their child had done wrong, so they corrected her. Even if it hadn't been you who hit her, they would have disciplined Cheng Mingjiao. The old lady only stood by your cousin's side. She's a smart woman and handled tonight's situation very well. If Cheng Mingjiao hadn't been uncooperative, this matter would already be over.]
Xue Jiao froze, not quite understanding.
In her past life, she had only just graduated from high school and couldn't immediately grasp it—the old lady... handled it?
Fortunately, Lin Zhihua soon sent another message:
[Your mother's outburst was fleeting. She cares too much about her family and your stepfather, so her outburst actually carried no real weight. But your stepfather is different—your mother's outburst would affect him. Cheng Mingjiao ran off without remorse. As long as your grandmother placates your mother, your mother can then soothe you and your stepfather. She'll also calm the rest of the Cheng family, barely reattaching the mask Cheng Mingjiao tore off tonight, and settle this matter.]
[Huh?]
[Lin Zhihua: Your mother will definitely come to see you tonight.]
Xue Jiao was stunned—how did he know?
Soon, she received another message. Xue Jiao read it carefully, then sat quietly in thought.
At ten o'clock that night, there was a knock on Xue Jiao's door.
She continued reading without turning her head. Soon, the door opened.
"Jiao Jiao..." It was Li Sitong's voice.Xue Jiao remained motionless as Li Sitong approached with a glass of milk, forcing a smile. "Jiao Jiao, you've had a rough day today. Rest early and study tomorrow."
"I still need to write my self-criticism."
Li Sitong's smile faltered slightly before she whispered after a long pause, "I'm sorry... Mom won't do it again..."
"Really?" Xue Jiao looked up.
"Really! I promise!"
"But I don't believe you," Xue Jiao said softly, "just like you don't believe me."
"No... that's not..." Li Sitong stammered.
"Mom, in the Cheng family, you still have Uncle Cheng, but I only have you. I can tolerate Cheng Mingjiao calling me a burden because it's true. But slander is different. Even though she's a Cheng, she can't just insult me... and you." Xue Jiao's eyes grew slightly moist.
"No! Jiao Jiao! You're not a burden, you're my treasure! You have a father now too—Uncle Cheng will protect you. You and Mingjiao are the same!"
"It's not the same. At the very least... her mother would stand up for her." Xue Jiao smiled bitterly. "Mom, I still don't know what I did wrong. Do you know how much it hurt when you hit me today? It felt like the whole world had betrayed me, like I was completely alone, with no one who cared."
"Jiao Jiao!" Tears instantly streamed down Li Sitong's face.
She knew she had hurt her daughter today, but she hadn't realized the wound ran so deep!
"Please leave. I think I still need some time to calm down." Xue Jiao clutched her chest, looking deeply distressed.
"I..."
"Leave."
Li Sitong walked out, glancing back repeatedly. At the door of the opposite room stood someone.
She froze, forcing a weak smile. "Mingze... you're still awake..."
"Auntie, you went too far today."
Cheng Mingze glanced at the girl with her back turned to them, sighed softly, then entered his room and closed the door.
Li Sitong returned to her room in tears, breaking into loud sobs the moment she stepped inside.
"Sitong! Sitong, what's wrong?" Cheng Shuo anxiously threw off the covers and rushed over.
"I failed Jiao Jiao! I'm not a good mother!" The emotions Li Sitong had suppressed after Bai Xiumei's consolation earlier that afternoon erupted in overwhelming grief.
"Don't worry, don't worry. I know you're a good mother. We'll apologize to Jiao Jiao!" Cheng Shuo comforted her.
"Why is Mingjiao so cruel?! How could she..." Li Sitong sobbed uncontrollably.
"Mingjiao was absolutely out of line this time! She needs to understand her mistake!"
Cheng Shuo's expression hardened as he recalled the incident that afternoon—Mingjiao's words echoing in his mind again.
This couldn't be brushed aside lightly. Doing so would only harm both girls!
He immediately grabbed his phone and made a call—
"Ah Kai, bring Mingjiao over tomorrow morning to apologize to Jiao Jiao! She still hasn't apologized today—this child needs discipline!"
——
Lying in bed, Xue Jiao couldn't resist taking out her phone and scrolling to the message Lin Zhihua had sent before Li Sitong entered—
[Cheng Mingjiao's grandmother will definitely seek out your cousin today. Tomorrow, your cousin will come to apologize properly, carrying thorns as a sign of remorse. But you mustn't let her come "voluntarily"—it has to be "forced."][So, you need to make your mother realize she was wrong, but she will avoid it. She won’t think it’s entirely her fault and will ultimately blame your cousin. Your mother will definitely cry to your stepfather, letting him know how wronged she feels. Only then will your stepfather understand the gravity of the situation and make your cousin come to apologize, forcing her to acknowledge her mistakes.]
Did Lin Zhihua… really get it right?
Would her mother actually go back and cry over what she just said?
Would Uncle Cheng also contact Cheng Mingjiao and make her come to apologize?
Early the next morning, just as dawn broke.
"Jiao Jiao, come down quickly. Mingjiao is here," Li Sitong said, a hint of happiness in her voice.
She thought the fault mainly lay with Cheng Mingjiao. If Mingjiao apologized, perhaps her daughter would forgive her too?
Xue Jiao walked out slowly. As she reached the top of the stairs, she glanced down and frowned.
Not only had Cheng Mingjiao come, but Bai Xiumei was there as well.
She reached behind her, took her phone from her bag, and opened WeChat.
Sure enough, Lin Zhihua had already sent a message.
[Two possibilities: either your grandmother came along, or she didn’t. Did she come?]
[She did.] Xue Jiao replied immediately.
Soon, several more messages came in. Xue Jiao read them carefully before putting her phone away and slowly descending the stairs.
"Jiao Jiao, you’re here?" Bai Xiumei smiled warmly. "Mingjiao insisted on coming early this morning to apologize to you."
Cheng Mingjiao looked up at Xue Jiao as she descended, annoyance flashing in her eyes, but she forced out—
"Cousin, you’re awake. I came to apologize…"
Xue Jiao thought to herself—this Lin Zhihua really had predicted everything.
With that, she looked at Cheng Mingjiao, a faint smile on her lips, and slowly walked toward her.
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