“Ah!” A scream burst from Lu Wanzhi. Wen Xi bit her lip, her hands struggling to steady the bowl, but most of the hot soup sloshed over the rim and onto her own wrist. She hissed in a sharp breath as darkness clouded her vision. Housekeeper Zhang rushed out at once, his voice sharp as he laid into Wen Xi. “Wen Xi! You useless thing, can’t you do anything right? Do you have any idea what would happen to you if Miss Lu got burned?!” But then Lu Wanzhi spoke up. “I’m fine.” She hadn’t really been burned; a small splash had merely stained her dress, and her scream had been pure reflex. It was Wen Xi who was clearly worse off, a nasty red welt already spreading across the back of her hand. Seeing that Lu Wanzhi wasn’t angry, Housekeeper Zhang’s eyes shifted slyly, and he seized the opportunity. “Fifth Miss Lu, you have no idea. This maid is always slacking off and cutting corners. She’s constantly messing things up! Last time, she nearly burned Mr. Lu himself!” “What?” Mu Shuyu cried out, aghast. How dare Wen Xi show her face to Lu Qinghan behind her back?! Without a second thought, she swung her hand and slapped Wen Xi hard across the face. “Wen Xi,” she spat, her voice laced with fury, “we took you in out of pity, and this is how you repay us? You don’t know your place! If you had actually hurt Qinghan or Wanzhi, your life wouldn’t be enough to atone for it! I think you did this on purpose!” A dead silence fell over the room. No one had expected Mu Shuyu to strike her. Wen Xi’s cheek stung, the pain sharp and hot, but she couldn’t fight back… A single tear fell, landing on the reddened skin of her hand with a burn like fire. In the next instant, a figure stepped in front of her. Qin Siyan shot Mu Shuyu a cold glare. “That’s enough. It was an accident. There’s no need to be so harsh, Miss Mu.” “Mr. Qin, Shuyu was just worried about Wanzhi. She lost her composure in the heat of the moment.” Ou He’s words brought Mu Shuyu back to her senses. She nodded quickly. “I was just so worried. As long as you’re alright, Wanzhi.” *Hah.* Lu Wanzhi’s lips curled. Using her as an excuse. Did this Mu Shuyu think she was a fool? However, Ou He’s tone shifted as she turned to Wen Xi. “Wen Xi, while Miss Lu is not pressing the matter, your clumsiness makes you unfit to work in this house. Go pack your things. You can collect three months’ salary and leave the Mu family.” Wen Xi froze. Leave the Mu family? What about her mother’s illness? The pain in her hand forgotten, she began to plead desperately. “Madam, I know I was wrong. I’m begging you, please don’t make me leave.” “Mrs. Mu, Wen Xi didn’t…” “Mr. Qin,” Ou He cut him off smoothly, “are you suggesting the Mu family doesn’t have the right to dismiss its own staff?” Wen Xi’s face was an eyesore, not just to Mu Shuyu, but to Ou He herself. Every time she saw the girl, a disgusting feeling crept into her heart; she’d even suspected Wen Xi was Mu Jiangde’s illegitimate daughter. Now that a perfect opportunity to throw both mother and daughter out had presented itself, she had no intention of letting it go. But just as she finished speaking, Lu Qinghan, who had been silent all this time, stood up. “Wanzhi already said she’s fine. Let’s drop the matter.” His gaze then swept lightly over the back of Wen Xi’s hand, his eyes darkening for a fraction of a second before he spoke with a polite, detached air. “Thank you for your hospitality today. I’ll be taking Wanzhi home now.” Seeing him about to leave, Mu Shuyu’s face paled. She anxiously grabbed his arm. “Qinghan.” Lu Qinghan glanced down at her hand. An inexplicable pressure descended upon Mu Shuyu, and she instinctively let go. Just as she tried to process the feeling, she heard Lu Qinghan’s calm voice. “I’ll have my people contact you to discuss the details of the engagement.” That single sentence quieted the anxiety in her heart. She knew better than to press him further now. She offered him a thoughtful smile. “Drive safe, then. And Wanzhi, I am so sorry this happened on your first visit to our home.” Lu Wanzhi didn’t even bother to look at her. The woman was just too fake. Once they were in the car, Lu Wanzhi couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Brother, you’re not actually going to marry that Mu… whatever her name is, are you?”