With legs weak, the sickly stable boy became a mad regent.

Inside the room, Madam Qian had already dragged Lin Wan'er off the bed, grabbed her hair, and slapped her repeatedly.

Lin Wan'er's face was covered in blood as she cried and begged for mercy, but Madam Qian wouldn't listen.

"You little slut! You seduced my man! I'll teach you to seduce him! I'll teach you to be shameless!"

Qian Mingyuan tried to stop her, but was kicked away by Madam Qian.

"You're no better! You eat my food, use my things, and now that you're all grown up, you want to dump me? Let me tell you, no way!"

Qian Mingyuan was kicked and slammed into the corner of the table, wincing in pain. He didn't dare retaliate, only cowering in the corner, crying out, "Madam, Madam, please let me explain... This slut seduced me! She came to me willingly! It has nothing to do with me!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chunmei became even angrier: "It's none of your business? Did you loosen your belt yourself? She seduced you and you went for it? Do you think I'm stupid?"

She turned around and slapped Lin Wan'er twice more. Lin Wan'er's mouth split open, and blood flowed down her chin.

"Madam...Madam, spare me..." Lin Wan'er cried and begged for mercy, her voice trembling, "It was him...he forced me...I had no choice..."

"You can't do anything?" Qian Mingyuan jumped up from the corner, pointing at Lin Wan'er's nose and cursing, "You're talking nonsense! You were the one who climbed into my bed on your own! Saying things like 'My love, I miss you so much' and 'My love, when will you marry me,' and now you're turning around and blaming me?"

Lin Wan'er shook her head, crying, "No... I didn't..."

Qian Mingyuan stood by with a forced smile, "Madam, please calm down, Madam, please calm down... I'll get rid of her tomorrow and never see her again. Madam, you can hit me or scold me as you please, just don't get angry and harm your health..."

As he spoke, he reached out to wipe away Madam Qian's tears, looking extremely distressed.

Mrs. Qian was so angry at his attitude that she trembled all over, but she couldn't stop her tears.

Looking at the man kneeling at her feet, his face full of fawning, she suddenly felt disgusted.

"Qian Mingyuan, what did you say when you married me?" Her voice trembled. "You said you would treat me well, that you would treat me well for the rest of your life. You said you wouldn't be like other men with multiple wives and concubines. You said you only wanted me."

Qian Mingyuan nodded quickly: "Yes, yes, I said that, I remember it all..."

"You remember?" Madam Qian sneered. "You remember you kept a mistress? You remember you were having an affair with this little slut? You remember you bragged outside that you were going to divorce me?"

Qian Mingyuan's expression changed, but he quickly put on a smile again: "Madam, those were just words spoken in anger. How could I dare to divorce you? Without you, I am nothing. Madam, please be magnanimous and forgive me this time."

Mrs. Qian looked at him, tears streaming down her face.

She knew in her heart that this man was lying to her. But she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She had loved him for so many years, given him the best years of her life, and she was unwilling to accept it.

Shen Nannan watched this scene from the rooftop and sighed.

"Mrs. Qian is about to soften her heart," she whispered.

Ah Chao glanced down at her: "How did you know, Miss?"

"Look at her expression," Shen Nannan pointed down below, "she's angry, aggrieved, and reluctant. This kind of man is the best at coaxing people. A few kind words and a couple of tears, and she'll forgive him."

Ah Chao didn't say anything, but tightened his grip on her waist a little more.

Inside the room, Madam Qian, exhausted from beating her, panted heavily. Pointing at Lin Wan'er, who was huddled in the corner trembling, she said to Qian Mingyuan, "You'd better get rid of this woman by tomorrow. If I see her again, I'll expose your scandalous affair to the Censorate, and see how you'll continue as an official!"

Qian Mingyuan nodded repeatedly: "We'll handle it, we'll handle it right away!"

Madam Qian then looked at Lin Wan'er, who was huddled in the corner trembling, walked over, and looked down at her.

"You're Lin Wan'er? The cousin from the Shen family?"

Lin Wan'er covered her face, trembling all over, and dared not speak.

Madam Qian stared at her for a moment, then sneered, "The Shen family has treated you well, and yet you stab them in the back. No wonder..."

She didn't finish speaking before turning and leaving.

Several old women followed behind her and rushed out.

The room fell silent.

Lin Wan'er collapsed to the ground, trembling all over, blood streaming down her chin.

Her clothes were torn, her hair was disheveled, her face was covered in handprints, her mouth was split open, and half of her face was swollen. She looked up at Qian Mingyuan.

Qian Mingyuan stood by the bed, his face ashen, looking at her with no pity in his eyes, only disgust.

"Go away. Don't come back."

Lin Wan'er was stunned: "What did you say?"

"I told you to leave." Qian Mingyuan turned around, refusing to look at her. "My wife knows, and we can't see each other again. Don't drag me into this mess."

Lin Wan'er's face was as white as paper.

She opened her mouth, her voice trembling, "Qian Mingyuan, you...you sent me! You said you'd marry me! You said you were tired of that shrew! And now..."

"Shut up!" Qian Mingyuan turned around abruptly and slapped her across the face.

Lin Wan'er was beaten and fell to the ground, blood splattering from the corner of her mouth.

"Who do you think you are?" Qian Mingyuan looked down at her, his tone full of contempt. "A cousin who lives under someone else's roof, you really think you're something special? I was just playing around with you, and you actually took it seriously?"

Lin Wan'er covered her face, tears mixed with blood streaming down her face.

She couldn't believe that the man who had promised to marry her last night had thrown her away like trash today.

"Qian Mingyuan, you...you're not human!" Her voice was hoarse.

"I'm not human?" Qian Mingyuan sneered. "You seduce a married man, so you're human? Let me tell you, if you dare tell anyone about tonight's events, I'll make sure you can't stay in Beijing. Get out!"

Lin Wan'er collapsed to the ground, trembling all over. She slowly got up, picked up her scattered clothes, and put them on one by one. Her fingers trembled so badly that she had to button them up several times before she could.

She walked to the door and glanced back at Qian Mingyuan. Qian Mingyuan had already turned away, not even looking at her.

Lin Wan'er pushed open the door and staggered out.

A gust of night wind blew, and she shivered. Her face burned, her body ached, but the worst pain was in her heart.

She thought of Shen Nannan.

She hates her.

I've hated it since I was a child.

Why is she the legitimate daughter while I'm just a dependent cousin? Why does she wear gold and silver while I can only pick up what she doesn't want? Why does everyone revolve around her while I can't even catch their eye?

She thought that as long as the Shen family fell, she could turn her life around.

But now, the Shen family hasn't fallen, but she herself has.

Lin Wan'er stood in the alley, looking up at the moon in the sky, her eyes filled with hatred.

Since the path with the surname Qian is blocked, she might as well find a bigger tree to lean on!

She clenched her fists, turned around, and disappeared into the night.

On the rooftop, Shen Nannan watched Lin Wan'er's departing figure.

There was no joy in my heart, only coldness.

In her past life, Lin Wan'er had done the same, gradually bringing Zhao Shi to her death. In this life, it was her turn to taste the bitterness of humiliation.

"Miss," Ah Chao suddenly spoke.

"Um?"

"You've softened your heart?"

"No," she said. "I just feel... people shouldn't be too greedy. If you're too greedy, you'll end up with nothing."

Ah Chao looked down at her. Moonlight peeked out from behind the clouds, falling on her face and softly illuminating her profile.

"Miss is not greedy," he said.

How did you know?

"The young lady only desires servants." He paused, "and servants can afford it."

Shen Nannan's face flushed red, and she punched him lightly: "Who's being greedy with you? Shameless!"

Ah Chao's lips curved slightly, but he didn't say anything.

"Let's go. There are still people waiting for me."