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

"Sir, the sixth young lady is still young and used to being wild outside. It's understandable that she might not be able to adjust to things right away."

Granny Zhou forced a dry smile. "The food is getting cold. How about... I ask the kitchen to prepare another serving for Sixth Miss? Let her go back to the east wing and eat separately, so she doesn't go hungry."

"...Alright." Zhong Tingyuan waved his hand weakly, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. "As you say, Granny."

Granny Zhou felt as if she had been granted a pardon and quickly went to the kitchen.

Madam Zhong snorted coldly, not even glancing at Zhong Tingyuan again, and left without looking back.

Watching his daughter's resolute back, Zhong Tingyuan slumped back in his wheelchair.

He turned the wooden wheel and slowly came to the bedside.

Looking at Wen Jingxian through the hazy gauze curtain, the grief in my heart lessened a little.

Thinking that she was already suffering from qi and blood deficiency due to years of torment, and today she almost lost three lives along with her unborn child, and suffered such a great shock.

If I don't wake up soon and eat something to replenish my energy, my body will probably be completely ruined.

He leaned down and gently brushed aside the stray hairs on his wife's forehead that were damp with cold sweat with his withered fingers.

"Jingxian..." he lowered his hoarse voice and softly called to her ear, "Jingxian, wake up... have some hot soup before you go back to sleep..."

After calling out two or three times, the person on the bed finally stirred.

Wen Jingxian's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and she let out a very soft moan before slowly opening her eyes.

Her eyes were somewhat unfocused, as if she had just woken up. Her gaze fell on the brocade ceiling above her, embroidered with the image of a hundred sons and a thousand grandsons, and then she looked around at the unfamiliar furnishings with their carved beams and painted rafters. For a moment, she felt a little dazed.

This wasn't the drafty, leaky courtyard they lived in...

This is where?

"Jingxian".

Hearing that familiar hoarse voice, Wen Jingxian turned her head.

When I saw the stubble-covered, exhausted face in front of the bed, the desperate memories of the moments before I fell into a coma gradually became clear.

"My baby!" Wen Jingxian quickly looked down at her belly.

"Don't worry, don't worry, the babies are still here!" Zhong Tingyuan quickly grasped her cold, trembling hands to comfort her. "Feel them, they're still here."

Wen Jingxian trembled as she placed her hand on her high, swollen belly, feeling the faint but real fetal movement beneath her palm. The sobs that had been suppressed in her throat finally broke out and were released.

"It's alright, Jingxian, it's alright." Zhong Tingyuan's eyes were red, and his tone was filled with a complexity that even he found absurd. "It was Mother... it was Mother who pulled you back from the brink of death. You and the two babies in your belly are both fine."

Wen Jingxian breathed a sigh of relief after hearing that the baby in her womb was safe and sound.

But when she realized that it was her mother who had saved her and her two children, a look of astonishment and fear involuntarily appeared on her face.

In the Yongning Marquis's mansion, no one knew better than her, the daughter-in-law, how vicious her mother-in-law was in dealing with the eldest branch of the family.

She wished she could tear the couple apart, suck their marrow from their bones, and devour them whole, skin and flesh!

How could they suddenly have such great mercy today, saving her and the twins?

Wen Jingxian's mind was in complete chaos, and she couldn't make sense of the strangeness of the situation.

But soon, the instinct of maternal love overcame all fear and doubt.

"Husband... what about Xiao Wu? How is she now? Has Mother punished her?"

Wen Jingxian's voice was terribly hoarse, and her eyes quickly filled with tears as she gazed longingly at Zhong Tingyuan.

Zhong Tingyuan felt a lump in his throat.

The vicious curses and venomous words from my own daughter, which were pointed at my nose and pierced my heart, still seemed to echo in my ears.

The pain of being cursed by his own flesh and blood to be childless and a wandering ghost filled his throat with bitterness.

But looking at his wife's extremely weak yet hopeful face, Zhong Tingyuan forcefully suppressed the pain and despair in his eyes.

He forced a gentle, reassuring smile.

"She's fine; her mother didn't punish her."

He paused, a hint of bitterness and self-reproach flashing in his eyes, and continued to comfort her: "It's just... we were negligent back then, letting her wander outside for five whole years."

"It's only natural for a child to feel resentful. She can't accept us as her parents yet and doesn't want to be close to us."

"Jingxian, the fault lies with us. If it weren't for us, the child's personality wouldn't have developed into such an extreme one..."

"Let's give her some time, and let's give ourselves some time too. As long as she's still alive and well, right under our noses, one day we'll be able to warm her heart again."

As Wen Jingxian listened to her husband's words, tears streamed down her face like broken beads, falling into the soft pillow.

She knew her husband was right.

It is their incompetence as parents that prevented them from protecting their child. Now, the child is shy and resentful, which is something they deserve to suffer.

"As long as she's alive...as long as she's alright..." Wen Jingxian nodded, choking back tears.

Seeing this, Granny Wu, who was waiting not far away, sighed inwardly.

She stepped forward with extremely light steps, breaking the suffocating sorrow.

"Master, Madam," Wu Mama gently reminded, "Madam has just escaped death and is extremely weak. The most important thing right now is to replenish her energy. This bird's nest porridge is cooked to perfection; if it's left to cool down any longer, it will upset her stomach."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Tingyuan quickly released his wife's hand, turned the wooden wheels of his wheelchair, and took a half step back to make room in front of the bed.

"What you say is true, Granny Wu." Zhong Tingyuan looked at Granny Wu and Granny Zhou, his tone earnest. "Please trouble you two to serve Madam carefully."

Granny Zhou readily agreed and carefully helped Wen Jingxian sit up halfway, placing two large pillows behind her back.

Granny Wu then held a small bowl, used a silver spoon to scoop up the thick, warm bird's nest porridge, and brought it to Wen Jingxian's lips.

Zhong Tingyuan did not linger by the bedside.

He turned his wheelchair around and went to the outer hall to dine.

Zhong Tingyuan picked up the jade chopsticks, ignoring the taste of the exquisite dishes, and mechanically stuffed large mouthfuls of food into his mouth.

Halfway through his meal, he suddenly remembered something.

"Granny Zhou."

"Master, what are your orders?" Granny Zhou came over and waited respectfully.

Zhong Tingyuan asked, "Fourth Young Master... did you return from the Third Branch's place today?"

Zhong Shichu was the third son in the eldest branch of the family, but ranked fourth among his peers in the entire Yongning Marquis's mansion.

"It's getting late, and the Fourth Young Master should be finishing his shift by now." Zhong Tingyuan looked at Granny Zhou, his tone almost pleading, "Granny, could you please do me a favor and send someone to bring the Fourth Young Master over for dinner?"

Seemingly worried that he might put Granny Zhou in a difficult position, he added, "Don't worry, Granny, I will not let him stay in Songhe Hall for long. He will just come over for a hot meal, and he will leave immediately after he finishes eating."

Granny Zhou paused slightly, a hint of annoyance appearing on her face.

Yes!

How could she have forgotten about that!