When Lihua and Jiang Lanying returned from their spying mission, they could hear a commotion in the Jiang villa and a crying woman's voice.

Lihua slightly widened her eyes upon seeing Shi Cuifen crying in front of Jiang Ninghong and Jiang Ruiling. Old Madam was present as well. ​​

What is going on?

"Jiang Ninghong... Please... please return my daughter to me…" Shi Cuifen was heavily crying and sobbing with trembling shoulders as she knelt on the floor.

"R-Ruomei hasn't returned to the Shi residence yet. She doesn't live here anymore but I cannot contact her at all. Y-you have taken Ruomei with you, right? Please... please give her back to me. I beg you…"

Jiang Ninghong calmly said, "Why do you think she would be with us?"

Shi Cuifen pressed her lips together and broke down. "Jiang Ninghong...I know what she has done to Jiang Ruiling. I-I know all about her plan...I know that you are really angry with her and it's understandable, but please... don't kill her! She is my only daughter! I-I cannot lose her. Please have some mercy. I apologize on behalf of her! If you want to punish someone, then please punish me! As a mother, I have failed to properly raise her...But please let her go…"

The Old Madam shot a deadly and icy glare at her that made her jolt. "Let her go? She tried to pull down the Jiang family's reputation! I chose her as the daughter-in-law of this family and she stabbed me on my back! How dare she! Do you have any idea how much people mocked me for choosing her for Wei!? She embarrassed me through and through and you want this to let go!?"

Shi Cuifen burst into tears. She bowed and said with a trembling voice, "O-Old Madam, I-I understand your anger but-but I beg you for a chance...She is my only daughter. How can I see my daughter die…?"

Jiang Ninghong narrowed her eyes and sneered. "Just like how you care for your only daughter, I have my Ruiling too. If Lihua and Shen Yang wouldn't have saved her, then that goon would have…" her gaze turned extremely cold.

Jiang Ruiling was quietly watching everything with particularly no expression on her face.

"And what was the reason for her to go against Ruiling? When did Ruiling ever harm Shi Ruomei for her to plot this scheme against her? If Ruiling had done such a thing, would you have been able to forgive her?"

Lihua slowly nodded.

Whatever Ruomei did had crossed all the lines. Jiang Ruiling was on the verge of losing her dignity that night.

The Old Madam clenched her jaw. "I cannot believe that I was taking care of a snake until now who bit me in the end! She should be grateful that I deemed her worthy enough for Wei. But this is what she gives me!?"

She smirked. "That is why Shi Zhen didn't come with you begging for her life, right?"

She froze.

"She has disgraced the Shi family so much that he would disown her rather than keep her in his family!"

Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Old Madam, Jiang Ninghong, please…Ruomei got blinded. She-"

Her gaze fell on Lihua and she immediately stood on her feet. She accusingly glared at her as she cried. "It's all because of Jiang Lixue!"

Jiang Lanying widened her eyes. Jiang Fai, who just came down, couldn't help but grimace. "Hey! How is it sister-in-law's fault?"

Lihua was taken aback.

"Why else would Ruomei do this? She was desperate for Wei so she might have done this to put all the blame on Jiang Lixue and throw her out of this family."

Lihua was dumbfounded.

Ah?

She asked, "So you think that falsely blaming me for something that I didn't do is the right way to make her place here?"

"What choice did she have? Do you know how hard Ruomei has worked to become Wei's wife? She had given her all to earn her place as the daughter-in-law in this family...But what did she get in return? After so much effort, you suddenly came into her life and snatched Wei away from her. Do you understand her feelings at all?" She covered her mouth as she gasped.

Lihua pursed her lips. "Aunt Shi. I understand her feelings. If I had chased after someone for so long only to get rejected in the end and only for all my hard work to have nothing, I would have felt devastated too."

Shi Cuifen was taken aback by her genuine words. Somehow, she could feel the sincerity in her voice.

"But that's why I proposed the six months challenge with her. I know this challenge is for me to make a place in everyone's hearts, but she could have used this chance, too, to prove that she is the right choice. Nobody stopped her from doing that."

She trembled.

"But taking someone down by playing tricks is wrong. And why target Jiang Ruiling in her dangerous plan? If she has a problem with me, then she should fight it with me fair and square. She shouldn't involve other people in this. That goon could have even killed Jiang Ruiling. Do you understand how dangerous such men are?"

Shi Cuifen stiffened. Her face turned pale and ashen.

"...Y-you are right... Ru-Ruomei did a terrible thing…She ought to be punished…"

Lihua was stunned. She didn't think that Shi Cuifen would understand it so easily.

Suddenly, she jolted upright. "N-No, no! Ruomei...she is my daughter. How can I see her hurt? I-I don't want her to die…Please have mercy on her…"

Lihua frowned.

Why is she behaving so strangely?

Shi Cuifen knelt on her knees and kowtowed. "Please give me my daughter back! I promise I will take her responsibility! Ruomei will never bother you again. I-I... please don't kill her…"

The Jiang family was a Mafia family so she knew what fate awaited Ruomei. She knew they would kill her for planning against Jiang Ruiling!