A grandmother and granddaughter swap souls, causing chaos throughout the entire court.

Now that the mother has given a strict order to protect the main house, the two old women are able to guard the gate without any compromise.

She could even stand up to the rightful mistress of the house without any hint of disobedience.

In this secluded mansion where people are always opportunistic, it is extremely rare to be able to do this much.

However, this cannot negate all the things they did to the first wife in the past.

"Thank you for your trouble, two old ladies." Zhong Tingyuan's voice was hoarse as he nodded slightly to the two women. "You must be quite frightened after all the commotion outside. Go and rest for a while. I'll stay here and watch over things. You don't need to stay and serve me."

"Yes, sir, just call out if you need anything."

Granny Zhou and Granny Wu exchanged a glance. Seeing that the young master showed no resentment, they felt relieved. They bowed respectfully and left the room, then pulled down the curtain of the inner room.

At this moment, inside the east wing.

Madam Zhong was reclining on the pillow, panting heavily.

Although she couldn't see clearly what was happening outside the main gate, given Zhao Lihua's status and imposing presence, she knew she could easily lead a few trusted servants to pin these ignorant lackeys to the ground and beat them before marching straight into the main room.

Who would have thought it would be so pathetic!

"Useless...a bunch of good-looking but useless trash!"

Madam Zhong pounded her two chubby little fists hard on the satin surface of the soft couch, her small chest rising and falling.

"When the third son returns..." Old Madam Zhong gritted her teeth, "he'll find out that girl wants to protect the eldest son's family, and he'll definitely order someone to smash that gate open!"

Her only thought now is waiting for her youngest son, Zhong Tingyu, to return home.

The sun was beginning to set in the west.

The sunlight outside the window turned from golden to dim, and then gradually swallowed up by the twilight.

An octagonal glass lamp was hung in Songhe Hall.

However, there was still no sign of the Marquis returning to the mansion from the front hall or outside the second gate.

It was time for dinner.

Guoguo and Wen Jingxian showed no signs of waking up.

The chimney of the small kitchen had been emitting white steam all afternoon, and all sorts of nourishing and elaborate dishes had long been prepared.

West side room.

"Granny."

Zhong Tingyuan was tempted and called for Granny Zhou.

"What are your orders, sir?"

"How is Xiao Wu's dinner different from mine?" Zhong Tingyuan asked.

"Replying to you, sir, the Sixth Miss is being personally overseen by Granny Wang, just like you are," Granny Zhou replied.

Zhong Tingyuan shook his head: "Jingxian is still asleep, and I can't eat all of this by myself. Xiao Wu is only five years old. Even if he has a good appetite, how can he finish a whole table of dishes? It would be a waste."

He hesitated for a moment, and a hint of hope for becoming a father rose in his eyes.

"Go to the east wing and tell Granny Wang that we don't need to set up tables at both ends. Go and invite the Sixth Miss over. Tell her... your father would like to have dinner with her."

Ever since he saw his daughter's fierce temper that morning, Zhong Tingyuan's heart had been bleeding for the entire half-day.

Even if the eldest son's family has been unable to protect their children for the past five years, causing them to suffer greatly, they should not become estranged and hostile towards each other.

He always longed to sit at the same table with his daughter, personally serve her a bite of food, and ask her a few questions in a gentle voice, slowly melting away the coldness in their relationship.

Upon hearing this, Granny Zhou said, "What you say is absolutely right, sir," and then turned and left the room, heading towards the east wing.

Not long after.

A series of extremely heavy and fierce footsteps came from the east wing.

Madam Zhong was seething with anger and had nowhere to vent it.

Hearing from Granny Zhou that the disabled eldest son was acting like a father and wanted her to come over for dinner, the resentment that had been building up all afternoon instantly surged to her head.

Upon hearing footsteps, Zhong Tingyuan quickly straightened his back.

He looked at the small figure in a simple Taoist robe who walked to the table, forced a gentle, ingratiating smile, and pushed the sweet white glazed bowl in front of him forward.

"Little Wu, sit down quickly and keep your father company..."

"Who's your daughter?!"

A sharp, piercing shout abruptly interrupted Zhong Tingyuan's words.

Madam Zhong stood in front of the round table.

She raised her chubby little arm and poked her fingertips straight at Zhong Tingyuan's nasal bridge.

That face, which should have been innocent and carefree, was now twisted into a grimace, revealing a sinister and ruthless nature that was completely out of character for her age.

"A useless person like you dares to act like a father in front of me?"

Madam Zhong stared at her eldest son, her heart filled with resentment.

If it weren't for the fact that this jinx still had some useful luck in his destiny, he should have died long ago. Why was he left to bring trouble to her today?

"Who do you think you are, daring to ask me to come over and have dinner with you!"

Madam Zhong's high-pitched, childlike voice reverberated under the roof beams, each word like a needle:

"You don't deserve to be called 'Dad' at all!"

Zhong Tingyuan shuddered, his face turning deathly pale, his lips trembling uncontrollably: "Xiao Wu... how... how could you..."

"Am I wrong?!"

Madam Zhong took half a step forward, her small feet landing on the thick velvet carpet, her eyes fierce as if she wanted to devour someone.

"I curse you to be childless, without a wife or concubine, and with no one to see you off in your final days! After you die, you won't even get a simple coffin, let alone be buried in the Zhong family's ancestral graveyard; you'll only be a lonely, homeless ghost!"

Those venomous curses were like tangible blades, tearing Zhong Tingyuan's heart to shreds.

She even went so far as to curse Wen Jingxian, all the children of the first wife, and even herself, the "daughter of Zhong Tingyuan."

"Little Five..."

Zhong Tingyuan's Adam's apple bobbed violently, his parched lips trembled, but he could no longer utter a single complete syllable.

Let alone the fact that he, as a father, couldn't bear it.

Even the nannies Zhou and Wu, who were serving inside the room, as well as the several maids, were horrified and gasped in shock.

This is not something a five-year-old child should say.

Even though the master and mistress thought the child was stillborn and had no choice but to get rid of her early, leaving her to wander outside for five years and suffer a lot, it was an unintentional mistake, not an intentional abandonment by her biological parents!

What kind of rebellious spirit did this sixth daughter possess that would allow her to harbor such devastating malice towards her own parents and siblings?

The old women hung their heads, not daring to even breathe loudly.

But they couldn't help feeling uneasy.

The way Sixth Miss glared at me just now, her sinister and ruthless eyes, her sharp and sarcastic tone...

It's as if the old lady herself has possessed her!

That chilling aura emanating from her very bones was a perfect replica of the old lady, sending shivers down one's spine.

Seeing the father and daughter locked in a stalemate at the table, the atmosphere in the room so oppressive it felt like it was driving people crazy, Granny Zhou secretly rubbed the cold sweat from her palms and braced herself to step forward and smooth things over.