Wen Xi had just stepped into the living room when Mu Jiangde called to her from the sofa. Wen Xi bowed apologetically. “Mr. Mu, I’m so sorry for the trouble I caused today. I’ll be more careful from now on, I promise. Please, don’t send me away.” Mu Jiangde waved a hand, gesturing for her to take a seat on the sofa. His tone lacked the sharp edge of Ou He’s. “Wen Xi, I've watched you grow up. The Mu household is your home. What happened today wasn't your fault.” “Thank you, Mr. Mu.” Only then, knowing she wouldn't be sent away, did a faint smile finally touch Wen Xi's lips. But then Mu Jiangde asked, “How has your mother been lately?” “She’s been recovering well. The doctor says she’s been in good spirits,” she said, choosing her words carefully, deciding against telling him that her mother needed a kidney transplant. Mu Jiangde had been close with her father, Wen Congrong, and had looked after Wen Xi and her mother ever since his death. That was precisely why she couldn't bring herself to tell him how terribly Ou He and her daughter treated them. Hearing the news, Mu Jiangde nodded and pressed a bank card into her hand. “That’s good to hear. Take this, for now. I'll go visit her in a few days.” “Dad!” Mu Shuyu, standing nearby, couldn't hold her tongue. She’d assumed her father was about to reprimand Wen Xi. She never imagined he would not only forgive her but give her money. But Mu Jiangde acted as if he hadn't heard her, forcing the card into Wen Xi's hand. Wen Xi hesitated for a moment before accepting it. “Thank you, Mr. Mu. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head to the hospital now.” With that, she turned and left. Only after Wen Xi was gone did Mu Shuyu complain, “Dad, this isn't the first time Wen Xi has messed up.” The implication was clear: *Why are you still keeping her around?* Ou He started to chime in, but Mu Jiangde cut her off. “Wen Xi’s father died because of me, and her mother is gravely ill. Do you really expect me to throw her out on the street? Drop it. I don't want to hear another word about this.” Before heading upstairs, he shot Ou He a warning glance. “Shuyu is young and foolish, but you should know better. Or have you forgotten how Wen Congrong died?” Ou He froze, watching him ascend the stairs. Having gotten no sympathy from her father, Mu Shuyu silently redirected all her fury toward Wen Xi. “Mom!” “Enough. Your only job right now is to focus on your engagement to Lu Qinghan. Could you try to have a little dignity? Why are you stooping to the level of a common servant?!” The bellyful of resentment caught in Mu Shuyu’s throat. She wouldn’t dare tell her mother about making Wen Xi take her place. If Ou He ever found out she was no longer a virgin, her mother would kill her. Once the engagement was over, she swore she would find a way to drive Wen Xi out of the Mu household for good. ... In the time that followed, Wen Xi shuttled endlessly between school and the hospital, doing her best to avoid the Mu family. This continued until the night of Lu Qinghan and Mu Shuyu’s engagement. The engagement party was held at the grandest hotel in Beicheng, with a guest list comprising the city's most prominent figures. The lavish celebration, rivaling a full-blown wedding, was a testament to the Mu family's standing. But at that very moment, Mu Jiangde and Ou He were pacing frantically in a hospital room. Mu Shuyu had been out drinking with her good-for-nothing friends the night before and had suffered a severe allergic reaction to the alcohol. She was still unconscious in her hospital bed. And the engagement party was about to begin. This was a monumental day for the Mu family; there could be absolutely no mishaps. Gazing at her unconscious daughter, Ou He was at a complete loss. “What on earth are we going to do…” “A fine daughter you've raised!” Mu Jiangde snapped. “What good will scolding me do now?” Ou He shot back, her voice strained. “The party starts in an hour, and our daughter is still unconscious!” The Lus were one of the most powerful families in Beicheng. An engagement to Lu Qinghan was an opportunity most women in the city could only dream of. If the Lu family found out she’d landed in the hospital because of her reckless partying, the engagement would be off! Ou He paced the room like a caged animal, her anxiety mounting. Suddenly, she stopped dead, her eyes gleaming with an idea. “Wait. Wen Xi. Where’s Wen Xi? We’ll have that girl stand in for her, just to get through the ceremony!”