Chapter 79: A Bloody Storm
Ye Tianlin's voice carried the weight of judgment from hell itself. If anyone dared admit guilt, their fate would be sealed without mercy.
Naturally, no one dared to confess. Everyone averted their gazes, silent in denial.
Gu Lingzi, her face still red from the earlier scuffle, nonchalantly raised her hand and pointed at Lin Xue. "I saw it just now. She was the one who pushed Sister Xiaoluo."
Lin Xue froze, her heart sinking into the abyss as she met Ye Tianlin's icy stare. She frantically shook her head, her voice trembling. "No, it wasn't me! It really wasn't me!"
Her desperate denials only seemed to fuel Ye Tianlin's icy rage. His gaze darkened, and Lin Xue felt as if death itself loomed over her. She collapsed to the floor, unable to stand.
"Mom, I didn't push Sister Xiaoluo! I swear I didn't!" Lin Xue sobbed, clinging to Lin Meiling for support.
Lin Meiling was equally stunned. She had only intended to stand up for Liang Xiaoluo, but now it seemed her actions had backfired catastrophically.
Fortunately, Ye Tianqing entered just in time to de-escalate the situation. He stepped forward and addressed Ye Tianlin. "Tianlin, now's not the time for this. Take Xiaoluo back to her room immediately—I'll bring the doctor over."
Ye Tianqing's presence momentarily spared Lin Xue from further peril. Otherwise, Ye Tianlin's fury might have ended her on the spot.
Casting one last withering glance at Lin Xue, Ye Tianlin carried Liang Xiaoluo to her room, placing her gently on the bed. He held her hand tightly, as if willing his strength into her, silently imploring her to endure.
Liang Xiaoluo's emotions were a whirlwind. Her body was drenched in cold sweat, her stomach twisting in pain, yet the warmth of Ye Tianlin's grasp radiated through her palm. The contradictory sensations left her overwhelmed.
Moments later, the doctor arrived, his expression grave as he examined her.
"How is she?" Ye Tianlin asked anxiously.
The doctor sighed heavily. "Second Young Master, I told you just days ago that Miss Liang is pregnant. Why haven't you been more careful?" After a pause, he added, "Thankfully, the baby wasn't harmed this time. With proper care, the child can still be born healthy."
Relief washed over everyone like a tidal wave. Even Ye Tianlin felt the tension in his chest ease.
However, outside the room, Gu Lingzi's fists clenched tightly as jealousy burned in her eyes. "Damn it, Liang Xiaoluo. Your luck is insufferable. But don't get too comfortable—I'll make sure you lose that child eventually."
Ye Tianlin turned back to face Lin Xue, his dark eyes brimming with unspent anger. His earlier relief was now overshadowed by a renewed desire for retribution.
Lin Xue swallowed hard, retreating behind her mother as she trembled. "Mom, I didn't push her! I swear it wasn't me!"
Lin Meiling, though terrified, mustered her courage to defend her daughter. "Tianlin, Snow wouldn't do something like that. You must have misunderstood." She then turned to Liang Xiaoluo, her eyes pleading. "Xiaoluo, please, tell him. Snow would never hurt you."
Lin Meiling's pitiful expression struck a chord in Liang Xiaoluo's heart. She recalled Lin Meiling's earlier words: "If anyone dares hurt my daughter's man, I won't let them get away with it." Genuine or not, those words had warmed her heart in a moment of chaos.
Perhaps this was why her father often defended Lin Meiling—her occasional sincerity could be disarming.
More importantly, Liang Xiaoluo didn't want an innocent person to suffer. The one who had pushed her wasn't Lin Xue but someone else entirely.
As Ye Tianlin prepared to confront Lin Xue, Liang Xiaoluo reached out to grab his hand, shaking her head. "It wasn't her."
Ye Tianlin hesitated, doubt flickering in his eyes.
Gu Lingzi, ever the instigator, chimed in, "Sister Xiaoluo, how can you be so sure? It was such a chaotic moment—how do you know it wasn't her?"
Liang Xiaoluo's gaze landed firmly on Gu Lingzi. For a brief second, her eyes turned cold, meeting Gu Lingzi's with unwavering intensity. "I'm certain. Lin Xue didn't push me."
Gu Lingzi froze, startled by the clarity in Liang Xiaoluo's eyes. Then a sly smile curved her lips. "Oh? Then did Sister Xiaoluo see who it was?"
Liang Xiaoluo clenched her fists beneath the covers, her lips tightening before she finally replied, "No. I didn't see who it was."
She understood Gu Lingzi's thinly veiled threat and knew better than to provoke her further. Sometimes, avoiding confrontation was the safer path.
Ye Tianlin's sharp eyes caught the subtle exchange between Liang Xiaoluo and Gu Lingzi. Though he said nothing, suspicion began to form in his mind. Yet, he refrained from pressing the matter, his expression hardening as he turned cold and distant once more.
"Forget it. As long as Xiaoluo is fine, there's no need to dwell on this any longer," Ye Lao intervened, unwilling to let the matter escalate further.
And so, the incident of Liang Xiaoluo's fall was left unresolved, brushed under the rug.
As for Liang Hui, Lin Meiling, and Lin Xue, Ye Lao's opinion of them had soured irreparably. Even when Liang Hui tried to speak privately with his daughter, he was tactfully shown the door.
Liang Xiaoluo had wanted them to stay, but her father declined, unwilling to put her in a difficult position.
The house grew quiet once more. Even Ye Tianlin left, leaving Liang Xiaoluo wondering if his earlier concern had been a figment of her imagination.
"What are you thinking about?" Yan Ruoxi's voice interrupted her thoughts.
Liang Xiaoluo blinked, startled to see her sister-in-law at her bedside. "Oh, Sister-in-law, when did you get here?"
Yan Ruoxi smiled gently, sitting by her side and holding her hand. "You really worry people, Xiaoluo. You need to be more careful. There are too many scheming people around you."
Liang Xiaoluo managed a weak chuckle but said nothing about Gu Lingzi's role in her fall.
Yan Ruoxi hesitated before finally asking, "Xiaoluo, can I ask you something?"
"Of course," Liang Xiaoluo replied, curious.
After a deep breath, Yan Ruoxi carefully posed her question: "If you had lost an important memory—one that caused you great pain—would you want to recover it, or would you rather leave it buried?"
Liang Xiaoluo blinked, taken aback by the unexpected query. After pondering for a moment, she said, "If it were me, I'd choose to forget it. Painful memories should stay in the past."
Yan Ruoxi nodded, her expression unreadable. "I see."
"Why do you ask, Sister-in-law?" Liang Xiaoluo asked, puzzled.
Before Yan Ruoxi could answer, Gu Lingzi's overly cheerful voice rang out from the doorway. "Oh my, Sister-in-law, why are you here? Grandpa's been looking for you everywhere!"
Both women turned to see Gu Lingzi holding a bowl of porridge, her expression as innocent as ever.
"Well, I guess I'd better go," Yan Ruoxi said reluctantly, patting Liang Xiaoluo's hand. "Rest well, Xiaoluo. I'll check on you later."
"Thank you, Sister-in-law," Liang Xiaoluo murmured as Yan Ruoxi left.
Once alone, Gu Lingzi stepped closer, the same bowl of porridge still in her hands. Her sweet smile didn't reach her calculating eyes.
"Sister Xiaoluo, how are you feeling? Are you any better?" she cooed, her voice laced with false concern.
Liang Xiaoluo instinctively tensed, clutching her blanket tightly. She watched Gu Lingzi warily, as if the other woman might pounce at any moment.
"Oh, come now, don't be like that," Gu Lingzi said, scooping up a spoonful of porridge. "This is Liu Ma's famous porridge—it's delicious. Let me feed you."
But Liang Xiaoluo remained frozen, her lips sealed shut. Something about that porridge felt like poison, and she couldn't bring herself to trust Gu Lingzi.
Gu Lingzi smirked, her voice dropping to a cold whisper. "What's wrong, Sister Xiaoluo? Afraid I've added something to it?"
Her smile widened as she watched the fear flicker across Liang Xiaoluo's face. Finally, this foolish woman understands—I'm no one to mess with.