Yuan Tangzhong had no control over his body, but his mind was still fully conscious. The traces of panic in the depths of his pupils showed the outside world that he was still alive.

He heard Wen Ya clearly. His entire body shivered as a chill swept across him.

“Don’t get worked up. I’m not done with this story yet. You’ll regret it if you die like this.”

Wen Ya saw the fear in Yuan Tangzhong’s eyes. The corners of her lips turned downwards, but dimples appeared on her cheeks.

“No one noticed that there was something unusual about Zhao Ruoxin. They assumed that she was Shu Qinger all along. They thought that news of Yuan Xuan’s engagement had upset Qinger and made her distraught. They knew that she was acting strangely in many ways, but they didn’t pay much attention to it. Frankly, I didn’t think much of it either.

“However, Zhao Ruoxin fought with me when she discovered my identity. She invited me to her apartment the day before Yuan Xuan’s wedding and argued with me again. I don’t know how she found out about the disgusting things that you did to me. She was naive and stupid enough to believe that I only got close to her to steal her lover…

“She yelled loudly to humiliate me. She wanted the whole world to know about our ‘affair’…”

Wen Ya suppressed her desire to retch while she said this.

She had never met such a brainless woman. She felt like laughing when she thought of Zhao Ruoxin. That woman assumed that everyone else had an Electra complex like her. She truly believed that Wen Ya actually liked that perverted old man.

“She fell when I pushed her during our fight. When I saw the blood running down her thighs, I remembered my own condition when I miscarried in the past!”

Wen Ya’s face was pale while her fingertips were faintly trembling. She felt as though she was reliving a nightmare when she recalled that scene.

“I wanted to save her at first, but I was worried that she would stab me in the back if I helped her. I decided to flee instead.”

Wen Ya took a deep breath when she said this. She lifted her head and glanced at Yuan Tangzhong. Her deep gaze was laced with resentment. “If I’m not wrong… It was you… You killed that woman. Am I right?”

The bedridden man’s body trembled uncontrollably when Wen Ya arrived at that conclusion. It seemed like she had exposed his darkest secret, hidden in the depths of his heart.

Yuan Tangzhong’s reaction confirmed Wen Ya’s suspicions. The woman sneered. “That foolish woman Zhao Ruoxin definitely did something that threatened your political position, right?”

Resentment manifested in Yuan Tangzhong’s gaze. Wen Ya believed that he would leap up right now if he could. He would tell her that those who stood in his way would surely die.

“When you reached the apartment, you saw that Zhao Ruoxin was showing signs of a miscarriage. You were inspired by a malicious desire that told you to take advantage of this opportunity to get rid of that woman.”

Although Yuan Tangzhong did not say anything when Wen Ya confronted him, Wen Ya gradually managed to confirm her theories by looking for clues in his gaze.

“I wouldn’t feel sorry for a demon like you even if you died over ten thousand times!” Wen Ya spat disdainfully.

How could the heavens forgive him when everything had already been recorded?

*

Wen Ya was hospitalized for several days, but no one from the Wen household came to visit her.

Frankly, they were too afraid to appear before her.

Mu Chenyan visited Wen Ya in the hospital. She brought along chicken soup that Ah Fu cooked.

Wen Ya’s forehead was bandaged. Her thin figure leaned against the railing in front of the window as she stared blankly into the distance.

Mu Chenyan pushed open the door and entered. She muttered, “Wen Ya?”

The woman turned her head. Her gaze was empty despite the numerous trials and tribulations that she had endured. “Chenyan, why are you here again? I’ll be discharged tomorrow.”

Wen Ya pulled a chair over and passed it to Mu Chenyan as she spoke.

The food that Mu Chenyan brought was quickly placed on the little dining table.

Wen Ya’s appetite had yet to return since the banquet. She barely ate anything while she had been hospitalized for the past few days. Frankly, she could not consume anything without feeling sick. However, she had finally regained some of her desire to eat when she saw the food that Mu Chenyan brought.

“Chenyan, I need to ask you for a small favor,” murmured Wen Ya after they finished eating. Mu Chenyan leaned closer to her. “Of course, I’ll help you. Tell me what you need.”

Mu Chenyan did not know why she was being so loyal. Perhaps she was reminded of her previously helpless self when she saw Wen Ya now.

The members of the Mu Family were not much kinder than those of the Wen Family. They had abandoned her when she was imprisoned for two years. Nonetheless, she was a benevolent person who never held any grudges against her brother and father after her release.

They were her family!

“I left some things in Peace Mansion. Could you help me bring them over? I can’t go back now. Xue Meiwei won’t just let everything go if she sees me…”

A troubled expression showed on Wen Ya’s face as she spoke.

“Alright, I’ll go back and get them for you. You just have to tell me what they are.”

The servant in Peace Mansion, Little Cui, was still there. She knew everything that was in the house. Wen Ya nodded and said, “I’ll give you a list soon. You can just take the things that are listed down. You don’t have to worry because these are all my personal belongings. I’m not going to touch a single thing that belongs to the Yuan Family.”

Mu Chenyan watched as Wen Ya meticulously wrote down the things she needed on a piece of paper. They simply consisted of several old diaries, autograph books, and certificates.

Mu Chenyan carefully put away the list. She recalled how Wen Ya had previously advised her to think about her future before she left. Now that Wen Ya was leaving the Yuan Family, she stubbornly refused to take a single cent.

Mu Chenyan glanced at Wen Ya. She whispered, “What are you planning to do after this?”

“I told you that I was going to marry Zheng Shuyan. But I haven’t told him that yet, of course. I’m worried that he’ll change his mind about me…”

Wen Ya quietly lowered her head as she spoke. “I don’t have anything now. I don’t have any respect and I’ve lost my dignity…”

Mu Chenyan held Wen Ya’s hand and stopped her from muttering. “This isn’t your fault. If I could, I’d take you to see Zheng Shuyan!”

*

Mu Chenyan did not go directly to Hibiscus Garden when she returned to the mansion. Instead, she went to Peace Mansion first.

She knew that Xue Meiwei would be taking care of Yuan Tangzhong in the hospital now. This was the most convenient time to take Wen Ya’s belongings since their servant would be the only person at home.

Mu Chenyan walked around the little garden and passed the fence below the veranda. She noticed that Peace Mansion’s courtyard looked bare.

She recalled how this place was once considered a status symbol. After all, Luo Hai’s most important individuals had lived here. Nonetheless, it looked remarkably miserable and dilapidated now.

Little Cui frantically ran over and welcomed Mu Chenyan when she saw her. She had no idea why she came to Peace Mansion. “Third Young Mistress, may I help you?”

Mu Chenyan relayed Wen Ya’s instructions. Little Cui hurriedly took the list upstairs. Before she left, she remembered to serve Mu Chenyan a cup of tea. She said, “Third Young Mistress, you can wait here. I’ll go and get the Eldest Young Mistress’ things now.”

Mu Chenyan nodded. She sat on the bench on the porch and waited.

The plants that grew in the little garden in the courtyard were evergreen trees that had green leaves all year round. Since Luo Hai’s climate was hot and damp, the trees still appeared lush in the autumn.

The only flaw in this exquisite little garden was the tall Japanese banana tree with wilted leaves.

Mu Chenyan still remembered this Japanese banana tree.

She liked coming here with Yuan Tian when they were still children. They would steal the banana leaves and use them as fans. Yuan Tian loved taking the leaves and pretending to be Princess Iron Fan. Meanwhile, she would force Mu Chenyan to be Bull Demon King or Red Boy…  ¹

This Japanese banana tree had been well taken care of for several years. She never expected that it would look like this today.

Mu Chenyan got up and regretfully stroked the withered leaves on the tree. Just then, Little Cui came outside. She could not help but sigh when she saw Mu Chenyan leaning against the tree. “It seems like plants have feelings just like humans. I think that this tree had deep affections.”

Mu Chenyan took the bundle from Little Cui. The things that Wen Ya wanted were all packed inside.

“This tree fell sick when the Eldest Young Mistress stopped returning after the Eldest Young Master was murdered. In the beginning, I carefully tended to it because I was worried that it would die. The Eldest Young Mistress really pampered this tree. I never imagined that it would die without her in the end.”

Little Cui sighed. Mu Chenyan turned to look at the tree upon hearing that. She quietly asked, “Are you saying that this tree only fell sick recently?”

Little Cui nodded. “Ya Na used to tend to the garden before she ran away. Additionally, the other servants in the house have been dismissed. That’s why I’m taking care of it now.

“This tree was fine before this. It only started to wither after the Eldest Young Master met with that accident. I was too afraid to act on my own and uproot this tree because I haven’t seen the Eldest Young Mistress after all this time. I decided to just keep the wilted leaves here.”

Suddenly, a strange feeling welled up inside Mu Chenyan’s heart. She could neither explain nor understand it. She turned around and gazed at her surroundings. She asked, “Were there other plants here originally?”

Little Cui looked over and pointed towards the surroundings of the Japanese banana tree. “Yes, there were other plants here initially, but they got sick for some reason and withered to death. I pulled them out and threw them away. I just recently added soil here.”

Mu Chenyan felt a lump forming in her throat when she heard that. She turned around and instructed Little Cui, saying, “Please give me some of the soil under the Japanese banana tree and put it in this bag.”

*

Mu Chenyan took the bag of soil to Su Qingcheng. She needed her help to ask the people in the forensic department to do a laboratory test on the composition of the soil.

Su Qingcheng knew that something was wrong in the Yuan household. She could not help but feel curious when Mu Chenyan brought the bag of soil over.

“Currently, they need to do laboratory tests on evidence from other cases. Where did you get this soil? What’s it for? I should let them know.”

Su Qingcheng saw Mu Chenyan shake her head when she said this. “Qingcheng, I can’t tell you that. I’m just making a random guess. Please ask your colleagues from the forensic department to test it when they have time. They don’t have to delay their usual work for this.”

Su Qingcheng decided to drop the subject when she realized that Mu Chenyan would not tell her the truth.

Yuan Xuan was swamped with work during this period. Inevitably, he became anxious when he heard that Mu Chenyan had gone out for an entire day and had yet to return home.

He called Mu Chenyan before he sent Yan Jun to pick her up.

Recently, Yuan Xuan frequently left and came home at different times. Mu Chenyan did not know what was keeping him busy.

Hibiscus Garden was extremely quiet at night. Yuan Xuan did not come home for dinner while Mu Chenyan only ate a small amount.

Yuan Xuan had taken the cats away. An “expert” told him that it was inadvisable to let pregnant women come into contact with pets because they could easily be infected with parasites. The two little innocent creatures were temporarily entrusted to Yuan Tian in Tranquility Mansion.

The two creatures gazed pitifully at Mu Chenyan before they were sent away. The image still lingered in her mind.

Little Ginger Fur Ball whined, “Meow meow, I’ll miss you, mommy…”

Briquet seemed to say, “Meow meow, we’re innocent. Damn ‘expert’…”

Mu Chenyan crawled into bed early and went to sleep because there was nothing to entertain her.

She managed to sleep well tonight. However, she had no idea that her brother, Mu Chenwu, and Yuan Xuan were engaged in a life-or-death battle in the waters of the South China Sea…