Cheng Fuyuan was momentarily stunned. Just moments ago, this detestable child was all bravado, but now she's playing the innocent lamb.

    Pretense!

    "You're lying! You're pretending! I'll beat you to death, you mangy dog!"

    The girl screamed shrilly, looking ready to lunge at Mu Yingying, who was in the old lady's embrace. Su Ming and Su Su quickly stepped forward to block her, and Cheng Furen also hurriedly grabbed her daughter.

    "Enough!"

    Elder Mu Furen shouted back fiercely, her usual gentle face was now stern. People around them all looked pale once again. Normally, Elder Mu Furen was always gentle, so this fierce demeanor surprised everyone, young and old alike, causing them to feel fear.

    "Cheng Furen… is this how you teach your daughter?"

    Elder Mu Furen turned and asked coldly, sending shivers down Cheng Furen's spine. She wiped the sweat from her brow and replied, "Please calm down, Elder Mu Furen. Th...This situation cannot be listened to as one-sided."

    Elder Mu Furen narrowed her eyes slightly. "Are you suggesting my granddaughter is lying?"

    "No…not at all! It's just that the Seventh Young Lady is still very young and mi…might be confused," Cheng Furen quickly defended.

    Other Furens watching the scene exchanged glances with their daughters, and soon, a young girl among them spoke up, "It's true, just as the Seventh Young Lady said."

    “It’s true.”

    "It was Eldest Young Lady Cheng who started the trouble with Seventh Young Lady Mu. When Seventh Young Lady Mu simply asked out of curiosity, Eldest Young Lady Cheng thought she was being insulted. That's why she resorted to physical aggression against Seventh Young Lady Mu."

    "Truly, it was like that."

    "Yes, yes."

    The girls' testimonies continued to echo, unanimously pointing in the same direction. How could Cheng Furen not know that the situation had worsened considerably? Her face paled further, while Cheng Fuyuan, infuriated by the turn of events, glared angrily at those around her.

    Amidst the chaos, no one noticed the mocking smile on the little girl nestled in the elder lady's arms. Her eyes, still moist from tears, sparkled with mischief.

    Yes…Struggle more. Show more of your foolishness!

    Cheng Furen, sensing the tide turning against her, quickly pulled her daughter to the forefront, apologizing on her behalf, "My daughter is at fault. It's my failure in upbringing! I beg Elder Mu Furen for forgiveness. Once we return home, I will discipline her properly!"

    "Apologize to Seventh Young Lady now!"

    Cheng Fuyuan, faced with her mother's insistence, couldn't believe she was being forced to apologize to the child she despised. She defiantly refused, "I won't apologize!"

    “Y…you!”

    Cheng Furen clenched her lips tightly, overwhelmed and couldn’t figure a way out. With her daughter being this stubborn, she had no choice but to solve the problem herself.

    She clenched her fists tightly to endure the shame she felt, bowed her head to apologize and pleaded to the other party.

    "Yuan'er, she's so stubborn, and she still can't think properly. I must apologize on behalf of my daughter, once we return home, I will discipline her properly, punish her severely, and then let her come to apologize to Seventh Young Lady Mu herself."

    While speaking, her palms under her sleeves clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh.

    She, the first wife of the city governor, had never faced such humiliation, but now she had to bow and apologize to an old lady in front of other noble families.

    It hurt so much!

    Elder Mu Furen spoke directly and harshly, not caring to save face for anyone. With her granddaughter injured to this extent, she couldn't care less about anything else.

    "I hope Cheng Furen will discipline your daughter properly as you said. She’s the eldest young lady but has such malicious behavior! Bullying other family's children everywhere! Beware lest the reputation gets tarnished! Don't say I didn't warn you; a lady must know how to conduct herself. Reputation is important, morality must accompany it. Lacking either, the future path will be difficult..."

    Cheng Furen clenched her jaw to suppress her anger. This old woman dared to scold her and her daughter in front of so many people! How humiliating! The utmost disgrace!

    If it weren't for the other party's son being promoted to the Left side Deputy Chancellor...she would never let this old woman trample over her like this!

    She lowered her eyes to hide her furious gaze, forced out a response, "...I understand. I will discipline my daughter properly."

    Seeing that there was no argument from the other party, Elder Mu Furen calmed down. They had admitted the wrong. What should be warned and scolded, she had done it all, so she stopped paying attention to these two mother and daughter. Now, the priority was to take her beloved granddaughter to see a doctor.

    Mu Yingying sensed that her grandmother's intention was to let the matter go, but she didn’t want it to be like that. What she wanted was for her grandmother to 'remember' the Cheng family well!

    The little girl moved away from the elder woman’s embrace and walked towards Cheng Liting, who had been quietly inconspicuous, "Is Sister Liting hurt badly? I'm very grateful to Sister Liting for shielding me and taking the arrows in my place. You had protected me to the extent of getting injured like this."

    Mu Yingying lifted Cheng Liting's sleeve to reveal several long red marks to the others, her small face filled with guilt. She turned to her grandmother with a trembling voice, "Grandmother...if not for Sister Liting, I fear these injuries would have been on me for sure."

    Elder Mu Furen inhaled deeply upon seeing the girl’s wounds. Her granddaughter's words echoed in her mind. Her granddaughter was so small; if she was hit with all those arrows, the injuries would undoubtedly have been more severe...

    The more she thought, the more the anger she had previously calmed flared up again. Her eyes shone fiercely, her face showing a stern expression,

    "Even if the Mu family manor currently has only two grandmother and granddaughter living in, it doesn't mean we can be bullied easily! I expect the Cheng family to provide a satisfactory answer for this incident! Otherwise...I wouldn't mind calling my son back to handle this matter!"

    Having said this, Elder Mu Furen briskly walked away with her granddaughter, followed closely by Su Ming and Su Su. Cheng Liting, who had been grabbed by Mu Yingying, followed behind as well.

    Cheng Furen turned pale immediately. Her mind went blank. The words just spoken by Elder Mu Furen could be considered as a final verdict! What initially was a simple squabble between children had now escalated into a feud between families!

    If her husband found out, she feared that she and her daughter would face severe punishment!

    Previously, her husband always reminded them to seek good relations with the Mu family, given the other party's unassailable position and power.

    But now, she and her daughter had caused a situation where the Mu family had issued an ultimatum!

    If the Cheng family doesn't provide a satisfactory response to Elder Mu Furen, then the other party might send a letter calling back her son, who is a Left side Deputy Chancellor, to deal with the situation!

    That’s the Left side Deputy Chancellor!

    Her husband, merely a minor city governor, how could he contend with that!

    Heavens! What had they, mother and daughter, done...

    ...

    ..

    .

    On the Mu family's carriage that was leaving Shi Miao Temple, Elder Mu Furen had calmed down considerably. She held her granddaughter's hand tightly while pondering something in her mind. Mu Yingying glanced at her grandmother briefly before turning to Cheng Liting,

    "Sister Liting, I really must thank you. If it weren't for your help, I might have been injured."

    "It's nothing, Seventh Young Lady Mu. It was only right for me to help you," Cheng Liting replied modestly, glancing at the elder lady's expression intermittently, worried that she might be too angry with the Cheng’s mother and daughter pair due to the previous incident and dislike her, considering she too was from the Cheng family.

    Mu Yingying, noticed Cheng Liting's expression and could guess what she was thinking. She said with a smile,

    "Sister Liting, please don't be so formal. You may call me Yingying."

    Cheng Liting looked up at the little girl in surprise before shaking her head vehemently, "How... How could I do that?"

    "Why not? Sister Liting has been so kind and protected me to such an extent. In my heart, I regard you no different from my older sister. Therefore, it's only appropriate for you to call me Yingying, isn't it?"

    Yingying's smile widened, revealing her genuine feelings. She truly wanted to regard Cheng Liting as her older sister, especially after Cheng Liting had protected her, even getting injured in the process. There was no denying the deep gratitude in her heart.

    Whether in a previous life or this one, Cheng Liting had always been good to them. Unchanged...

    “Sister Liting, if you don't mind...then you can treat me as one of your younger sisters. From now on, you will not be alone.”

    Cheng Liting’s heart suddenly softened when her gaze met with those big, round eyes. After her mother passed away, she never felt the warmth of family again. She had a father, but he didn’t care about her. She had siblings, but they all hated her. She could only live her life stoically, having to submit and being bullied all the time.

    But today, when she was being bullied and locked in the dark, this little girl had become her light. And it was still this little one who provided warm feelings, and gave her a chance to get to know the word family...

    “Sister Liting…”

    Mu Yingying called out in a low voice. Cheng Liting then realized that she had unconsciously cried, and there were tears streaming down her face. The distressed expression just a moment ago was revealed so clearly that Mu Yingying felt pity for her. Even Elder Mu Furen, who had been silent all this time, couldn't help but feel compassion toward the young girl.

    “Little child...you don't have to worry about anything. I am also very grateful to you for saving Ying'er,” Elder Furen said in a gentle tone. Her stern face became gentle like that of elderly relatives, while reaching out and gently caressed the girl's head. “From now on, you are no different from one of my granddaughters. Then there's no need to be sad."

    Cheng Liting pursed her lips tightly to hold back a sob, then nodded in response. In her heart, she kept thanking fate for not being so cruel to her, still having mercy and sending such good people to her.

    Mu Yingying looked at the scene in front of her with satisfaction. Now she could make Grandmother like Cheng Liting. That made their relationship with Cheng Liting even closer. And from now on, she could save Cheng Liting from living a miserable life in the Cheng family manor.

    More importantly...if Cheng Liting reclaimed her identity in the future, didn’t that mean she had a powerful backup?!

    In addition, what she had done at Shi Miao Temple made her smile inwardly. This time, she had taught Cheng Fuyuan a lesson on behalf of Cheng Liting and demanded a little debt interest from Cheng Fuyuan along the way, meanwhile, made Grandma 'remember' the Cheng family very well.

    In the future, if Mu Luofei still planned to use Cheng Fuyuan as a pawn to harm her and her elder sister, she would have to look at grandmother's face first...

    Upon arrival at the Mu family manor, Elder Mu Furen ordered someone to invite the family doctor to come look at the wounds of the two girls. Mu Yingying's wounds were considered minor, but the wounds on Cheng Liting's body were much more serious. Those long red marks painfully stung just being blown by the wind or being rubbed by clothing. It hurt so much that Cheng Liting gasped.

    Elder Mu Furen looked at the young girl who was being treated for her wounds with a sympathetic gaze. Such a small child had to endure so much pain from numerous injuries, which was truly pitiable.

    However, when she realized that if this girl hadn't protected her granddaughter, those wounds would surely have been on her little granddaughter instead!

    If Ying’er had those wounds…

    Just thinking about it, Elder Mu Furen's expression became stern immediately, silently thanking that her granddaughter was fortunate to have someone helping her.

    "Grandmother, can Sister Liting stay overnight with me tonight?" Mu Yingying asked with a clear voice, clinging tightly to her elder's arm, her eyes pleading.

    Elder Mu Furen slightly furrowed her brows, fearing this wouldn't be easy...

    Previously, in her anger, she hadn't noticed that her granddaughter had brought this girl along in the carriage, hence she let it slide until they arrived here. Nevertheless, this girl had saved her granddaughter, so inviting a doctor to treat her was the right thing to do.

    However, having the other party stay overnight at their manor…might be complicated.

    After all, this child belonged to the Cheng family and was still quite young. Staying overnight at any manor should first get the family's consent. Moreover, the Mu and Cheng families just had a conflict, would the other party agree to let their daughter stay overnight here?

    Seeing the changing expressions on her elder's face, Mu Yingying could guess her thoughts. She threw herself into her elder's embrace and rubbed her face against her affectionately, "Grandmother, please let Sister Liting stay with us tonight. If Sister Liting returns to her manor, she will surely be bullied by that eldest young lady."

    Elder Mu Furen showed a troubled expression. Indeed, as her granddaughter said, if this Cheng family's girl went back, she would inevitably be bullied by those people there. But allowing her to stay here might violate etiquette.

    Cheng Liting, who was standing by while being treated, bowed her head in silence, listening to the conversation between the elder and the granddaughter without making any comments. But deep down, she hoped she could stay. If she returned to the Cheng manor now, she feared she couldn't withstand Cheng Fuyuan's fury.

    "Grandmother, are you worrying about something? We can send someone to notify the Cheng family manor, can't we? After all, it was the Cheng family who wronged us this time. They shouldn't refuse this,"

    Mu Yingying said with an innocent face as if her previous words were just casual child's talk. However, upon hearing this, Elder Mu Furen unwittingly agreed with it. This time, the conflict between the Mu and Cheng families was indeed initiated by the Cheng family. Therefore, there was nothing the Cheng family could refuse from them.

    Elder Mu Furen thought of this and immediately her stern face softened. She turned to instruct Su Ming for a while,

    "Then, let Liting stay at our manor for two or three days."

    "Thank you, Grandmother!"

    Mu Yingying beamed at her elder before turning to smile at Cheng Liting. When the young girl heard Elder Mu Furen's decision, her heart beat rapidly, and an involuntary smile spread across her face. She...would get to stay here for a few more days!

    She…wouldn't have to return to that hellish place!

    Although she couldn't stay here forever, at least she wouldn't have to go back there for several days. Moreover, she would have the two Mu family members as her backing from now on. She believed that the Cheng family wouldn't dare to touch her anymore!

    Mu Yingying, having walked around the room till she was tired, sat down to sip the tea in a corner. Her small face bowed to hide the sly glint in her eyes. The concerns of her grandmother and Cheng Liting were not unknown to her.

    She knew...That's why she had thought through and planned this move beforehand.

    Her grandmother, who always upheld etiquette above all, was worried about violating norms by bringing someone else's daughter to stay overnight without her family's prior consent. If it were those mother and daughter pair from the Cheng family, they might indeed not agree.

    But what if they didn't agree?

    What could they change if they didn't agree?

    Because the person with the authority to decide on this matter was the Cheng family's patriarch, the governor of Qingyun City, or Governor Cheng, as people called him.

    Governor Cheng was a selfish man who did everything for power and considered his daughter only as a tool for benefit.

    In her previous life, Governor Cheng was very eager to establish a relationship with the Mu family. A man so thirsty for power would hardly dare to do anything against the Mu family's wishes; he would rather rush to appease them.

    This time, his wife and daughter, whom he doted on, caused a major incident that led to a rift with the Mu family. Those two might face severe reprimand and anger from Governor Cheng.

    But at the same time, another daughter, who was never important to him, became the Mu family's benefactor. Governor Cheng would inevitably turn his face, using Cheng Liting as a tool to foster relations with the Mu family.

    Although being a tool might not sound pleasant, for Cheng Liting at this moment, it was a considerable advantage. Once Governor Cheng saw her value, he would surely protect and take good care of her. If Cheng Liting returned to the Cheng manor, it would mean she had Governor Cheng as a protective shield. Her life in the Cheng manor would change from bad to much better.

    Mu Yingying thought to herself while staring at the insipid tea in her cup.

    She was not yet strong enough to send Cheng Liting back to her real family in the capital, nor was it the right time. Revealing her identity now might turn a good situation into a bad one.

    This was what she could do for Cheng Liting at the moment...