After sharing a body with her husband

"You've ruined him..."

Before she could utter the word "miserable," Shang Lingjun (Huo Chuan) interrupted her, her face showing gratitude.

"It turns out that my grandmother came late at night to check on me. I had thought that although I was almost ruined by Xiao Jing's selfishness, I was still just an adopted daughter of the Xiao family and had no blood relation with him."

I was really afraid that my elders would blame me for the mistake, blaming me for exposing their affair and ruining their reputation. But now it seems that I was being narrow-minded.

I was initially apprehensive, but I also felt truly wronged. Those two did such a despicable thing on my wedding day, and even drugged me, making me disoriented.

"Being exposed is their own fault. It's God's pity that I was deceived my whole life. They're the ones who are wrong, how can you blame me? I was so depressed that I fell ill."

Shang Lingjun (Huo Chuan) sighed again.

"The Xie family truly lives up to their reputation as a scholarly family. They can distinguish right from wrong and not only did not hold a grudge against me, but also compensated me. And the matriarch, thanks to her keen insight, readily admitted that this marriage was indeed unfair to me and took charge of the replacement marriage."

"Grandmother, Mother, you said that I had absolutely no connection with the Old Madam before. Even if she was angry with me for tarnishing the Xie family's reputation, it was understandable. But... but how could she be so kind-hearted?"

Shang Lingjun (Huo Chuan) was filled with gratitude.

"The matriarch is truly wonderful; she is a truly virtuous and respected matriarch..."

"What...what do you mean?"

Madam Xiao's face was a mixture of pale and ashen, and she looked very unwell.

Why did her sect find these words so jarring and strange?

What does she mean?

Does not protecting her mean I am not a respected elder?

Madam Xiao originally had a lot of questions to ask Shang Lingjun, but she couldn't say them now. Otherwise, wouldn't she be even more outdone by that old hag, Madam Wei?

She felt even more frustrated.

Pei Zhiying's expression wasn't good either. She lowered her eyes to avoid Shang Lingjun's gaze, and her eyes even flickered slightly.

To be honest, she was indeed somewhat angry with Shang Lingjun because of this, blaming her for acting rashly and ruining A Jing's life.

Compared to the Xie family's way of handling things, she felt a strange mix of emotions.

Yes, this marriage did treat Shang Lingjun unfairly, but didn't she manage to avoid it? Now, A Jing is being dragged into this mess, her future is ruined.

As parents, can they just stand by and do nothing?

Thinking of this, the slight guilt I had felt vanished instantly.

So she looked at Shang Lingjun again and said:

"Ati, do you really think of your brother as a completely shameless and despicable person?"

Shang Lingjun (Huo Chuan)'s expression was indifferent.

"You've asked the wrong person. You should ask him if he's shameless or despicable. What kind of effort is he putting on in the bridal chamber on someone else's wedding night?"

These words were so harsh that Pei Zhiying couldn't save face.

"What...what are you saying? It's utterly offensive!"

"Then you didn't see Xiao Jing's white, bare buttocks with your own eyes, otherwise you would have said it was unbearable to look at."

Shang Lingjun (Huo Chuan) made a sarcastic remark.

Pei Zhiying stared wide-eyed in disbelief, her gaze towards Shang Lingjun becoming somewhat unfamiliar.

Ati has always been well-behaved and sensible, never talking back, and is respectful and filial to her adoptive mother.

But why have you become so sharp-tongued today, with every word laced with barbs?

Moreover, he directly addresses Xiao Jing by his name, and doesn't even call him "brother" anymore.

Could it be that he was truly heartbroken by A-Jing's actions and wanted to sever ties with the Xiao family?

Pei Zhiying's hand clenched tighter in her sleeve, a pang of regret rising in her heart. Back then, A-Ti would rather die than marry Xie Zhaoqing; it was A-Jing who said the Xie family was a scholarly family, and Xie Zhaoqing was someone she knew well.

Who knew they knew so much about him?

If she had known that the mother and daughter would drift apart, she would have stopped her when Ati knelt down and begged her.

Now, Ati has transformed into Xie Qiye's legal wife. Although Xie Qiye is a useless person, Xie Daye is a third-rank Taichangqing, and his favorite child is Xie Qiye's younger brother.

Isn't he much better than Xie Zhaoqing, who was born out of wedlock?

Seeing that Old Madam Wei treated her very well, who is Old Madam Wei?

That guy came from a royal palace!

After much deliberation, Pei Zhiying softened her tone.

"Ati, your mother knows you feel resentful. Those two scoundrels deserved what they got. Your father has already given your elder brother a severe beating and scolding."

It nearly cost him his life; he truly knew he was wrong. Seeing you commit suicide by running into a pillar, he was filled with remorse and kept beating himself in self-pity.

Pei Zhiying's eyes reddened, and she dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

But she didn't know that this Shang Lingjun was not the same Shang Lingjun as before. This Shang Lingjun would not care about her as her mother, nor would she help her find ways to share her burdens as before.

Huo Chuan even thought she was being pretentious.

Huo Chuan remained silent, and Pei Zhiying awkwardly put down her handkerchief.

Upon hearing Pei Zhiying say the words "deserved punishment," Old Madam Xiao could no longer sit still.

Her face was dark with anger. She had originally come to confront them, but with Mother Liang and the others present, she couldn't lash out. She only said:

"Enough, enough, old woman, I've figured it out. You're full of complaints about A-Jing and resentment towards my Xiao family."

No matter what the fault is, it is all due to the poor upbringing of my Xiao family. A-Jing was wrong, but A-Ti, you did not marry Xiao-Huan after all, and you have already escaped unscathed.

Do you still remember the Xiao family's kindness in raising you? Do you remember how your elder brother took care of you since you were little? Do you remember the kindness of your parents?

Shang Lingjun (Huo Chuan)'s eyebrows twitched slightly, and his expression became dark and inscrutable. He hadn't expected that even after he had said such harsh words, this old man still had the nerve to question him.

Pei Zhiying knows how to speak softly now, but this old man is still putting on airs and acting like an elder.

"We were wrong, but do you remember our kindness?"

What kind of vulgar talk is that?

What kind of hard life did Ati endure in the Xiao family since she was a child?

Therefore, Shang Lingjun (Huo Chuan) no longer held back.

"Last night I dreamt of my father and brother. They were crying and told me how much they regretted it, saying they were sorry to me..."

Upon hearing this, Old Madam Xiao's expression changed drastically. Her gaze turned dark as she stared at Shang Lingjun (Huo Chuan), her eyes flashing with surprise and embarrassment.

Her lips were tightly pursed, forcing out a bellyful of pent-up anger.

Having said all that, how could she not understand what Shang Lingjun meant?

She spoke of the kindness of being raised, and Shang Lingjun immediately brought up her father and brothers, saying that they regretted it. Regret what? Regret saving A-Jing?

Was she implying that the Xiao family was ungrateful and hadn't treated their savior well?

This is clearly a slap in the face for her!

"What...what do you mean by this?"

Madam Xiao was so angry that her fingers trembled.