Madam Shen opened her eyes, looking listless, and gave Shen Qi a faint glance before saying, "Do you still see me as your mother?"
Her voice was full of vigor.
Shen Qi was taken aback.
Shen Yinyin let out a soft cough to remind Madam Shen.
Only then did Madam Shen lower her tone and say, "You're now the Second Young Mistress of the He family, with a noble status. How would I dare trouble you?"
"Mom, don't say that. If you're unwell, I should come to see you." Shen Qi tried to approach again, but Shen Yinyin pulled her back once more.
"Shen Qi, what's wrong with you? Why are you pushing forward?" Shen Yinyin shouted in dissatisfaction. "Can't you see how uncomfortable Mom is right now?"
Shen Qi said helplessly, "I just wanted to see Mom. Fine, fine, I won't look. I'll go ask the doctor, alright?"
Shen Qi turned to leave, but Madam Shen immediately called out to her, "Wait! It's nothing serious. The doctor said I'm just too troubled, which has left me weak. Sigh, how could my worries be few? The good Shen family lost so much money just because of one sentence from our eldest son-in-law! This year, not only did we not make a profit, but we also lost millions! At this rate, we won't even be able to keep the villa and the car!"
Shen Qi seemed to understand something.
"Xiao Qi, I'm your own mother! Look at what He Yining has done to the Shen family!" Madam Shen wiped her tears and said, "A few million is just the cost of a suit to the He family, but to the Shen family, it's a year's income! Xiao Qi, can't you, for the sake of the Shen family raising you, put in a good word for us?"
Shen Qi said calmly, "Mom, I'd better go talk to the doctor to see what's wrong and find the right treatment."
"Are you just going to stand by and watch the Shen family fall apart?" Madam Shen suddenly shrieked sharply. "Shen Qi, has your heart been eaten by a dog? Without the Shen family, do you think you'd have grown up this way? You even went to college and became the Second Young Mistress of the He family! You need to have a conscience!"
Shen Qi lowered her eyelids and said softly, "Mom, I can't help the Shen family with this. He Yining has already told me not to plead for the Shen family. You know my position is awkward now; I don't have much say."
Just then, Shen Yinyin, who had been blocking Shen Qi, fixed her gaze on Shen Qi's neck.
Shen Yinyin's eyes turned venomous in an instant. Before Shen Qi could react, she reached out and lifted Shen Qi's clothes, her voice suddenly rising, sharp and harsh: "Shen Qi, what's that mark on your neck? Are you sneaking around behind He Yining's back with another man?"
Shen Qi hadn't expected Shen Yinyin to suddenly grab her collar. Caught off guard, the large patches of marks on her neck and chest were all exposed to Shen Yinyin.
Shen Qi stepped back and adjusted her collar. "Nonsense!"
"If you're not sneaking around behind He Yining's back, then what are those marks? Could it be... could it be that you and He Yining? No!" Shen Yinyin looked at Shen Qi with a horrified expression. "You slut..."
Just as Shen Yinyin's habitual insult was about to slip out, Madam Shen coughed heavily, cutting her off.
"Mom..." Shen Yinyin immediately threw herself at Madam Shen, tears streaming down her face. "Shen Qi has already slept with He Yining! Mom... I don't care..."
Shen Qi had never seen anything like this.
Even if she and He Yining hadn't known each other was the other half of their marriage before, now that the truth was out, they were legitimate husband and wife.
Being with her own husband was still subject to her family's interference.
If this got out, how many people would believe it?
Yet this absurd situation was happening to her.
Watching Shen Yinyin sob uncontrollably over the marks on her body, Shen Qi was utterly speechless.
Madam Shen patted Shen Yinyin's back comfortingly and said to Shen Qi, "Xiao Qi, look, I've suddenly fallen ill and can't take care of your sister. How about this: take Yinyin to Jinghua Manor for a few days, and I'll pick her up once I'm better."
Shen Qi almost thought she had misheard.
"Mom, what did you say? Let Shen Yinyin stay at Jinghua Manor?" Shen Qi looked at this bizarre mother-daughter pair in disbelief. "You know Jinghua Manor belongs to He Yining, not me! I have no right to let anyone stay there!"
"You're the Second Young Mistress of the He family now. What's wrong with your sister visiting and staying at your place for a few days?" Madam Shen said with a dark face. "What, now that you're married into the He family, you don't recognize us, your birth family? You don't recognize me as your mother?"
"Mom, that's a different matter." Shen Qi said helplessly. "How about this: the old villa is still vacant. If Shen Yinyin is willing to go there..."
"I'm not willing! I want to stay at Jinghua Manor!" Shen Yinyin started throwing a tantrum as soon as she heard Shen Qi wanted to send her to that desolate villa. "Shen Qi, you're so heartless! What's wrong with me keeping you company? Am I going to steal something from you?"
Shen Qi wanted to laugh sarcastically.
Hadn't she stolen enough since they were kids?
Madam Shen suddenly started coughing violently. "Fine, fine, I've raised a good daughter. You're trying to drive me to my death! I must have sinned in a past life! Why did I ever give birth to you, this rebellious child! I'm sick, and this one request, you won't grant me! I might as well die! Oh, my miserable fate!"
Madam Shen started threatening to die, and Shen Yinyin hugged her tightly, shouting at Shen Qi, "Shen Qi, are you even human? She's your mother too! Can you just watch her die coldly?"
Shen Qi suddenly felt exhausted.
"Enough, stop this." Shen Qi said weakly. "You're just trying to force me to agree, aren't you? You can enter Jinghua Manor, but you must not go to places you shouldn't, do things you shouldn't, or say things you shouldn't. Let me ask Yining first, since this house isn't mine."
Seeing Shen Qi give in, Madam Shen and Shen Yinyin exchanged a look of triumph.
Shen Qi left the hospital room and called He Yining to report the situation.
"I'm sorry, Yining. I know Jinghua Manor is your place, but my mother threatened to kill herself, and I had no choice." Shen Qi bit her lip and said, "I can't just watch her try to die."
He Yining immediately understood Madam Shen's strategy. He chuckled softly over the phone and said, "It's fine. Tell Shen Yinyin she can stay at Jinghua Manor, but she'll have to face the consequences. Whatever happens, Jinghua Manor won't be responsible."
Shen Qi relayed He Yining's words to Shen Yinyin.
Shen Yinyin could barely contain her excitement.
"Got it, got it. So annoying." Shen Yinyin said flamboyantly, "I'll go home and pack now. Wait for me, and we'll go back to Jinghua Manor together."
With that, Shen Yinyin abandoned her faking-ill mother and fluttered away like a happy butterfly.
Shen Qi finally got to the bedside and could clearly see the thick layer of foundation on Madam Shen's face.
Shen Qi really wanted to laugh.
Shen Yinyin had pulled out all the stops just to get into Jinghua Manor.
Confirming that Madam Shen was fine, Shen Qi didn't want to stay any longer.
As soon as Shen Qi stood up, Madam Shen said, "Xiao Qi, I don't care what happens between you and He Yining, but remember, He Yining belongs to Yinyin. Now that Yinyin is moving in, you need to create opportunities for them to get close. Once Yinyin sleeps with He Yining, you should go back to where you belong."
Shen Qi took a deep breath. "Mom, even if a heart can be biased, is it really this extreme? Shen Yinyin is your daughter, and my brother and I are just adopted, right? Fine, even if we are adopted, Mom, why should I help Shen Yinyin sleep with my husband? Because I'm inherently worthless?"
"I don't care anymore whether I'm your biological daughter or not. It makes no difference now." Shen Qi said calmly, looking at Madam Shen. "I've done my part. I agreed to let Shen Yinyin stay. And He Yining made it clear to relay to her: she can stay at Jinghua Manor, but she must follow the rules. Otherwise, we won't be responsible for anything that happens."
Madam Shen's face changed. "What do you mean? Are you planning to harm Yinyin?"
"If Mom is worried about Shen Yinyin getting hurt, then don't let her go. We're not begging her to stay." Shen Qi replied immediately.
Madam Shen's face turned ashen. "Shen Qi, you've changed!"
Shen Qi helplessly rubbed her forehead. "You've never cared about my changes, have you? From the day my brother and I were brought to the Shen family, I was no longer the old Shen Qi! Mom never noticed, did she? Yes, your eyes only see Shen Yinyin as your daughter. How could you see the changes in my brother and me? Before, with my brother holding me back, I accepted whatever scolding or beating you gave me. Now that my brother has been kicked out of the Shen family, I've repaid my debt of gratitude for being raised. If Mom has no one to support her in old age, I'll take care of you. As for the rest, sorry, I have no obligation."
"If there's nothing else, I'll go. Shen Yinyin can go by herself." With that, Shen Qi turned and left the hospital room.
Behind her, Madam Shen's furious roar echoed from the room: "Shen Qi, you're something! How dare you threaten me! I'll make you regret this!"
Shen Qi was speechless.
She took a deep breath, pushing all the negative emotions out of her heart.
No matter how bad the Shen family situation was, she had to look forward, didn't she?
After returning home, Shen Qi immediately instructed the butler to prepare a guest room for Shen Yinyin.