WBSGVS Chapter 153 V1

Mu Lan’er didn’t even know how she walked out of the main courtyard.

She was so overwhelmed with sorrow that she could barely breathe. Her whole body felt dazed, and she spent the entire day without eating or drinking, lost in her misery.

It wasn’t until dinner, when she once again didn’t touch a single bite, that she saw him.

The one who had made her this way.

The moment she laid eyes on Xie Rongyun, tears streamed down her face. Her expression and gaze were filled with utter heartbreak, yet due to her status, she had no right to question him. She could only cry silently, looking at him with grief.

Why did he have to touch them?

Wasn’t it possible not to?

Xie Rongyun, caught off guard by the look in her eyes, instinctively took a step back, momentarily unable to meet her gaze. But he was still the same cold and unfeeling Xie Rongyun. In just a few breaths, he regained his composure.

There was no need to feel guilty.

No need to pity her.

Did she forget how her father had treated the Xie family all those years ago?

Wasn’t this exactly the scene he had wanted to see?

Watching his enemy’s daughter suffer—wasn’t that satisfying?

“I heard you haven’t eaten all day?” Xie Rongyun asked, his voice calm and measured.

Mu Lan’er turned her face away, feeling even more miserable. What did it matter whether she ate or not? It wasn’t like he cared.

Xie Rongyun frowned, reaching out to grasp her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Look at me.”

Mu Lan’er continued to weep silently, refusing to lift her gaze.

Her tears fell onto his hand, and for a brief moment, he flinched, as if burned. He quickly withdrew his hand but, after a pause, spoke in a low voice.

“If you refuse to eat, that’s fine. For every meal you skip, I’ll sell off one of your maids. If you’re not eating, they must not be taking care of you properly.”

“It’s my fault!” Mu Lan’er whispered, sneaking a glance at him. He was still as handsome as ever, though she noticed a faint red mark below his ear, as if scratched by a fingernail.

“The master is never wrong. Only the servants are.” Xie Rongyun’s voice remained indifferent. “I’ll sell one tonight—”

“I’ll eat!” Mu Lan’er quickly interrupted.

Obediently, she returned to the round table and began eating spoonfuls of the warm porridge that had been kept at just the right temperature.

The man sat beside her, watching coldly.

Mu Lan’er didn’t understand his reaction, but her heart was already in turmoil, and she had no energy to dwell on it.

After finishing her meal, she hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, “Do you really—”

But before she could finish, he was already standing up.

“Make sure you eat properly from now on. If you starve to death, the Mu family might demand compensation from me. The Xie family can’t afford that nowadays.”

“Oh… oh…” Mu Lan’er nodded obediently, watching him leave. Her lips quivered, but in the next moment, she looked down at her empty bowl and let out a small, bittersweet smile.

Her maid hesitantly approached. “Miss, don’t be sad. The master still cares about you. When I told him you hadn’t eaten all day, he dropped everything and came right away.”

Mu Lan’er forced a smile. “I’m going to rest now.”

“Understood.” The maid hurried to help her wash up.

Mu Lan’er remained silent the entire time. Even as she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, sleep refused to come.

What was it that she wanted?

If she wanted Xie Rongyun himself, then she had no right to care about who else he touched.

If she longed for the big brother who once treated her well, then she shouldn’t have come here in the first place, because that man had already become her sister’s husband.

Perhaps she should leave?

Mu Lan’er considered it, but the moment the thought of leaving crossed her mind, her chest ached unbearably.

She wasn’t the kind of person who could make a clean break. The moment something hurt, she lost all resolve. She kept convincing herself that there was nothing to be upset about.

After all, the Xie family only had Xie Rongyun left. He had to ensure the family’s survival. If her third sister couldn’t bear children, then it was only natural for Xie Rongyun to look elsewhere to continue the family line.

Yes. That was just how it was.

Yet, the very next day, when she heard that Xie Rongyun had spent the night in another concubine’s room, the pain struck her so fiercely that her vision went black, and she collapsed on the spot.

—

The next day was the full-month celebration of the Nie family’s heir.

Early in the morning, Qingli heard about Mu Lan’er’s collapse but remained unbothered. She merely instructed the servants to call for a doctor before calmly getting up to dress herself, already thinking about what she needed to do today.

According to the memories of the body’s original owner, the Sixth Prince would die in three days, during a horse race.

As the Empress’s legitimate son, the Sixth Prince’s status was unique. He had begun participating in court affairs at the age of sixteen and displayed exceptional intelligence. At seventeen, he married the legitimate daughter of the Nie family—an old and powerful noble house.

As long as nothing went wrong, even with the Emperor’s suspicions, his ascension to the throne would have been inevitable.

But his downfall was orchestrated by the Third Prince.

The Third Prince’s mother was the Emperor’s favored concubine, but she had once been a mere servant. Because of his mother’s lowly origins, he had always carried an inferiority complex and developed an arrogant, aggressive nature, constantly competing with the Sixth Prince in an attempt to compensate for his background.

Although the Emperor favored him, he had little hope for him as an heir. Ministers respected him, but few truly followed him.

During the horse race, the Third Prince noticed that the Sixth Prince had the better horse and insisted on switching mounts.

On the surface, it seemed like the Third Prince was the victim of a plot, but in reality, the real target had always been the Sixth Prince.

The Third Prince was simply the unluckiest one.

Though the Emperor feared the Sixth Prince, he had already acknowledged him as the successor. So when the Sixth Prince died and the Third Prince became the prime suspect, the Emperor had him immediately confined and stripped of his title.

The subsequent investigation wasn’t even conducted thoroughly, because the Emperor, stricken with grief and rage, fell ill and was bedridden.

Qingli stepped down from the carriage, smiling as she greeted the Second Madam of the Nie family, exchanging polite pleasantries.

Afterward, she was led to the inner courtyard, where many noble ladies and young misses had already gathered.

The original owner of this body had an impressive family background, which earned her polite smiles, but because her husband’s status wasn’t high, she still suffered in social standing.

Some of the girls she had known before marriage—ones who had been neither friend nor foe—had since married well and now took pleasure in making condescending remarks.

Just like now.

A young noblewoman approached her with a smile. “Madam Xie, have you heard any interesting news lately?”

Lately, the scandal of Xie Rongyun’s supposed impotence had been spreading like wildfire.

This woman’s question was filled with ill intent.

“I have,” Qingli replied sweetly. “Why? Are you particularly interested in my husband?”

The young woman’s smile froze. Her face flushed with embarrassment and anger as she quickly shook her head. “What nonsense are you saying?!”

“It’s nothing,” Qingli smiled helplessly. “I just thought you wanted to talk to me about him.”

The lady’s face turned completely red. She hadn’t expected Qingli to be so blunt. Even though she didn’t say the key words outright, the meaning was clear!

Even though she was already married, she wouldn’t dare to speak like that!

She held back her words, unable to respond, and in the end, she simply huffed coldly and returned to her seat.

The others glanced at her, and from her expression, they knew she hadn’t gained the upper hand against Mu Qingli. One by one, they touched their noses awkwardly, deciding to let it go.