Seduced Me into a Deep Fall - Chapter 47

“Mmm, sweetheart, what’s…” Song Yi’s waist was gripped tightly as Ling Xi restrained her completely. Her lips ached sharply from the kiss before being overwhelmed by sweetness moments later.

Ling Xi kissed her thoroughly for a long while before finally calming down, nestling into her arms and lying on her side.

“What’s wrong?” Song Yi stroked Ling Xi’s head. “Did your mother scold me?”

Ling Xi shook her head at first, then reconsidered. “Well, she did.”

“What did she say?” Song Yi had already been forewarned by Ling Yue.

“She said you’re like Mu Xie.” Ling Xi played with Song Yi’s hair absentmindedly. That wasn’t why she was upset, though.

But Song Yi visibly tensed. “What did you say?”

“Mu Xie always gave me a bad feeling—cold and sinister. At the time, Mom kept praising how cute the child was. It seemed she even believed Mu Xunzhi’s smooth talk and ended up transferring to her subsidiary company.”

Meeting Ling Xi’s complicated gaze, Ling Yue shrugged. “You hadn’t even graduated elementary school back then, just a kid playing in the mud with your classmates every day, coming home covered in dirt. Of course, I couldn’t explain it to you.”

“Sis!” Her dignity! Her image in Song Yi’s eyes!

Song Yi pictured a little Ling Xi playing in the mud and found it utterly adorable.

She wrapped an arm around Ling Xi, who finally stopped pestering Ling Yue.

Ling Yue felt thoroughly blinded by their affection.

“You participated in that experiment.” Seizing the moment, Song Yi looked at Ling Yue and spoke up.

Ling Yue pressed her lips together, silent for a beat.

Ling Xi frowned, feeling like they were speaking in riddles. “What experiment?”

“An… experiment related to pheromones. Mu Xunzhi extracted my pheromones and injected me with a drug. It must have been the Delta iteration by then, but it was highly unstable. And unfortunately, I happened to receive that particular dose.”

“Little sis, remember when I fell seriously ill the year you turned ten? That was actually because of the experiment—my glands had an adverse reaction to the drug. It messed up my hormones, made my sensitive periods erratic, and left me in constant discomfort.”

Ling Xi was stunned. “I thought you’d caught some virus…”

She did remember Ling Yue’s health deteriorating afterward, her personality becoming increasingly detached.

“Song Yi, what are you afraid of?” Ling Xi released her grip on Song Yi’s hair and cupped her face instead.

“Do you think you’re like Mu Xie?”

Song Yi fell silent, her gaze drifting away before she turned her head, unable to face Ling Xi.

“Why?” Ling Xi pinched her cheek.

“You’ve never hurt me. You’ve always helped me, always been good to me.”

“Because… I deceived you.” With Ling Xi holding her face, Song Yi had no choice but to meet her eyes again.

“I took advantage of your kindness, your innocence. I pretended to be fragile, pretended not to know better, luring you into intimacy with me. Then I tied you to me with benefits. I pursued you ruthlessly, scheming for any scrap of your affection.”

“I faked drunkenness, lied about not remembering, just to lower your guard and let me get close while you thought I was drunk. Afterward, I even investigated your family behind your back… I’ve always felt guilty about it.”

Song Shizhen stared blankly at her neck before quickly looking away, blinking.

She had always assumed Song Yi was the epitome of restraint.

After all, even now, Song Yi wore Buddhist prayer beads.

The beads pressed against those telltale marks of passion left Song Shizhen momentarily at a loss for words.

Song Yi cleared her throat.

Only then did Song Shizhen snap out of it.

“Tell me what you know about Song Lian and Fu Youyou.”

“Or rather, what do you want from me in exchange?” No cooperation comes without benefits.

Song Shizhen couldn’t possibly want nothing in return for handing over that information.

Dealing with smart people made negotiations so much easier.

“I want to bring down Song Dongming.”

“If that’s all, you should know I’d do it anyway without needing anything from you,” Song Yi observed this unfamiliar relative of hers.

She didn’t seem like much of a threat—timid in her presence, unable to articulate her demands clearly.

Surely she wasn’t just here to pick sides and seek protection?

“With Song Lian’s return, the Song family’s situation is unstable. I just… believe you have what it takes to maintain your position.”

Song Shizhen paused. “My family has our own business, and my children are still young. If Song Dongming succeeds, I fear he might target them.”

Just as expected. Song Yi remained silent for now. If anyone could so easily declare their allegiance, her doorstep would be trampled by every branch of the family.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have accepted Song Shizhen’s documents in the first place.

Before Ling Xi could speak, Song Yi interrupted again.

“But Xiao Xi… If I had another chance, I’d make all the same choices. That night we met by chance, pretending to be drunk and falling into your arms, watching you stand up for me. Then bringing you home and binding you to my side with benefits.”

“I know I’m despicable. I’ll stop at nothing, and I’ve kept you in the dark. Mu Xie… must be the same.”

At this point, Song Yi’s heart ached so much it felt like it was being wrung out. “If you feel the same way and think we should separate for a while… I—I’d be heartbroken.”

She had meant to say she could accept it.

But after everything she’d done to make Ling Xi see her, to love her—how could she just let go so suddenly?

“Are you serious?” Ling Xi’s voice was unusually calm.

Song Yi blinked, and tears fell onto the pillow. “I… I just love you.”

Seeing her cry, Ling Xi finally pinched her arm hard. “Then that’s that. I love you too.”

“Song-jie. I won’t allow you to think of yourself like this. You’re nothing like Mu Xie.”

Only after making Song Yi lower her head did Ling Xi finally embrace her tightly.

“Okay? What kind of villain is Mu Xie? How could she compare to you?” Ling Xi patted Song Yi’s back, holding her close to comfort her.

The one who should have grown up in the Song family, Wen Yuzhou, ended up being raised by a family that happened to be staying with the Songs at the time.

“Song Lian was too young back then. She’s not to blame for what happened. But I can’t ignore what Song Dongming and Fu Youyou did.”

Song Yi stood up as a group of bodyguards entered, dragging Fu Youyou in with her hands bound.

“You two won’t be using the Song family’s name to get by anymore,” she said, squatting slightly to give Fu Youyou a pitying glance.

“Wait… I have information about your real sister,” Fu Youyou struggled to say as she was dragged away.

“Don’t trouble yourself. I’ll find her myself.”

Just as the cleaners finished tidying up, Song Yi picked up where Song Shizhen left off.

“Let me share my thoughts on the group’s future development.”

Within two minutes of Song Yi speaking, the restless shareholders quieted down, captivated by her vision.

Song Lian stood dejectedly below the stage, smiling faintly to herself.

This round, she suffered a crushing defeat, yet Song Yi preserved her dignity.

Song Yi must have ulterior motives. She couldn’t let her guard down.

She feared… with Ling Xi as an ally, the two of them—one acting openly, the other covertly—would be a formidable duo, making it extremely difficult to counter their schemes.

She and Mu Xunzhi might have to reconsider their plans moving forward.

Mu Xie, who stood beside her, still hadn’t grasped the situation.

But her attention was entirely captured by Ling Xi’s dazzling presence after she spoke.

“Even if you deceived me, you’ve come clean now. And those temptations you mentioned… if I truly had no feelings for you, I wouldn’t have just… with you.” Her voice was soft, gently comforting Song Yi.

“You’ve never hurt me. Even if it was deception, in my eyes, it was just a cute little joke. I wasn’t harmed at all, and I can accept it. Besides, what you gave me really helped me out in a pinch.”

“More importantly… Sister, I like you.” Ling Xi repeated the words she had said to Qi Zhen.

“I like you, so many things don’t matter—they’re just playful moments between us. I never liked Mu Xie. She hurt me, my family, and my friends. From forcing love letters on me to everything else, I’ll never forgive her.”

That’s why, upon learning Ling Xi’s memory loss might have been deliberate, she rushed to find Qi Zhen in a panic.

That’s also why, when Ling Xi asked earlier, she couldn’t even utter a single “Don’t go.”

“Then let me tell you formally today—none of the things you’re worried about will happen.” Ling Xi tenderly reassured her timid lover.

“I will love you, always. I’ve written about us in my notes. Even if I forget one day, I can read them and remember.”

“We’ll live together like this until retirement, until sixty, until eighty. By then, I’ll push your wheelchair, or we’ll sit side by side, strolling in a sunlit courtyard, watching our grandchildren chase butterflies.”

“They’ll call us ‘Grandma,’ and we’ll smile, handing out red envelopes one by one. But I’ll secretly slip an extra-thick one to my favorite grandchild, and you’ll withhold the one from the mischievous one from yesterday.”

“When we’re even older, we’ll go to the square in our wheelchairs and dance with just our arms, becoming the most eye-catching pair of old ladies.”

“And one day, when we can no longer get out of bed, we’ll hold hands and leave this world together, completing our last day.”

Listening to Ling Xi’s words, Song Yi sobbed uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face, smearing Ling Xi’s cheeks. “I’m five years older than you…”

“That doesn’t matter. Medicine is so advanced now—we’ll definitely leave together. You wouldn’t want me to live on without you for years, would you?”

Song Yi shook her head. “I’m selfish… so, thank you.”

Ling Xi kissed Song Yi’s forehead again. “I’m grateful to you too.”

She whispered into Song Yi’s ear.

Song Yi laughed through her tears, which still wouldn’t stop. “Xiao Xi, mark me.”

“I want your mark.”

I want to be with you, always and forever.

…

Until the music ended. Song Yi clung tightly to Ling Xi, nestling close.

Ling Xi occasionally pressed kisses to the top of her head.

“Is everything you said true?” After a moment of silence, Song Yi finally spoke, her voice slightly hoarse.

“Of course.” She lifted Song Yi into her arms, gazing into her eyes. “Don’t you think growing old together as stylish grandmas is the best thing in the world?”

A smile touched the corners of Song Yi’s eyes. “Mhm.”

She looped her arms around Ling Xi’s neck and let herself be carried into the bathroom.

“I might still feel uneasy for a while.” Despite Ling Xi’s reassurances, the fear in Song Yi’s heart couldn’t be completely erased so quickly.

“Then be uneasy. I’ll never tire of comforting you.” Ling Xi turned on the faucet.

“Just go ahead and act spoiled, pester me, make a fuss—whatever you want. After all, you’re my wife and my elder sister.” Spoiling her wife was only natural, wasn’t it?

“Promise me, then. No complaining when I act up.” Song Yi uncapped the shampoo.

Ling Xi hated broken promises the most.

But knowing it was Song Yi who had broken one, she found she couldn’t bring herself to resent her.

Instead, her heart ached faintly.

A dull irritation lingered, like a pebble rolling around in her chest, occasionally jabbing at her fragile heart.

For the first time in a long while, Ling Xi lay awake, sleepless again.

She tried holding Song Yi, breathing in her faint fragrance, but the urge to wake her and demand answers only grew stronger.

She needed an explanation.

Yet she couldn’t bear to disturb Song Yi’s sleep.

Nor could she force her to speak or act.

Song Yi was clearly avoiding the issue.

Otherwise, why had she refused the wine Ling Xi brought tonight? Why resort to such clumsy distractions?

Ling Xi grabbed her phone and slipped into the bathroom.

Come to think of it, it had been a while since she’d dreamed of that summer during her second year of high school.

And that older girl whose features felt strangely familiar.

Ling Xi opened her long-dormant forum account, untouched for over a month, and scrolled absently.

If she wanted answers… maybe she should start here?

She tapped into the private messages with the blogger and sent two simple words.

Then she turned off her phone and sat there, stewing in silence.

She hadn’t even lifted the toilet seat.

After staring blankly at her phone for a while, sleep still eluded her.

So much so that Song Yi eventually came looking for her.

“Xiao Xi?” Song Yi paused for a second at the sight of Ling Xi sitting oddly on the closed toilet lid.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah… why are you awake?” Ling Xi stood, smoothing her skirt.

“It won’t lather.” With that, Song Yi began pestering Ling Xi.

“Let me try.” Ling Xi took Song Yi’s hands and worked the soap between them.

“See? Nothing.”

“Then it’s defective. We’ll get a new one.”

Amused by Ling Xi’s compliance, Song Yi laughed before pressing close to her ear. “I want you to do it for me…”

Ling Xi’s ears burned.

She rinsed the soap from her hands. “You asked for it.”

“Mhm.”

“No complaining if it hurts.”

“Mhm.”

“And no asking me to stop.”

Tears pricked Song Yi’s eyes as she laughed, nipping at Ling Xi’s shoulder. “You’re really terrible. I never noticed before.”

“Wasn’t I taught well by my elder sister?” Ling Xi teased, working up a lather while gauging Song Yi’s reactions.

“Everything I know, didn’t you teach me yourself?”

“Yes. My family has no power or influence. Mom has some business on her side, but she didn’t inherit it—she moved out after marrying Mama. The Tiancan Organization is so powerful, having infiltrated so much and caused numerous accidents without getting caught. My family definitely couldn’t confront them head-on.”

“I just… feel awful. And they never tell me anything. Why does my sister get to know everything?” Ling Xi sighed.

“Am I less capable than her?”

“Don’t think like that. Their intention was only to protect you,” Song Yi tried to comfort Ling Xi.

Ling Xi set the cookies aside, no longer hungry. “But my sister really is outstanding. She does better in school, has no trouble finding work, and takes great care of others. I learned so many skills from her.”

As for what had upset Ling Xi the most her pheromone level now that she had lifted the suppressant’s effects, she no longer cared about that.

Listening to her, Song Yi gently rubbed her back. “To me, you’re the most outstanding. At least Lingyue can’t draw, right?”

“That’s true.” Ling Xi leaned against her. “And I have the best wife in the world—she doesn’t.”

Song Yi laughed with her for a while.

But she couldn’t help wondering, “Do you think in every family with more than one child, the siblings end up comparing themselves, feeling unhappy, insecure, or even resentful?”

It was the same between her and Song Lian.

Except in their case, Song Yi was the one her sister could never surpass.

And so, Song Lian ran away from home.

Perhaps their parents’ unequal treatment was the root of why Song Lian joined the Tiancan Organization.

But what was done couldn’t be undone—there was no way to fix things now.

“I don’t hate my sister. I just… sometimes feel like she’s so amazing, so dazzling. Especially when I realize Mama and Mom tell her everything but keep me in the dark.”

Unsure how to comfort her, Song Yi simply held her closer and hummed a song she had once sung to her.

Listening, Ling Xi suddenly smiled. “So,  I was the one who sang this to you?”

“You remember?” Song Yi’s voice rose with hope.

Ling Xi shook her head. “Just a guess. I’m sorry, sis. I can still only recall little fragments.”

Song Yi’s expression dimmed as she sighed. “It’s okay. I love you.”

“I’ll try harder to remember. I don’t want our past to be something only you know.” Ling Xi tightened her grip on Song Yi’s hand.

The two stayed quiet for a while, pressed close.

Then Song Yi spoke softly. “Sweetheart, I actually thin, Lingyue might envy you too.”

“How so?” Ling Xi was willing to listen when it came from Song Yi.

Had Lingyue said the same, Ling Xi might not have taken it to heart.

Of course, Ling Xiwould never admit her envy to Lingyue either.

“Your family kept things from you to protect you. Your sister might wonder—why wasn’t she the one being protected? Why did she have to learn about all the cruelty, face the truth of a broken family, even watch as Mama hurt Mom without being able to stop it?”

Ling Xi exhaled deeply after hearing this. “That makes sense too.”

“Anyway, if they keep hiding things from me in the future, I’ll be really angry.” Not that she could do much about it.

They were still family. Ling Xi didn’t truly hate anyone, she just felt uneasy inside.

“Give them the silent treatment for three days?” Song Yi chimed in with her terrible idea.

“Three days… no, five! Let’s ignore them for five days.” Ling Xi actually approved of Song Yi’s awful suggestion.

“Then we’ll just elope. Go to another city, turn off our phones, and live freely.” Ling Xi even embellished Song Yi’s bad idea further.

Song Yi laughed along for a while before speaking again. “Sweetheart, have you thought about where to go for our honeymoon?”

“Huh? Honeymoon? When?” Only after asking did Ling Xi realize, she didn’t feel married at all.

Perhaps it was the lack of certain rituals, or maybe their relationship had progressed too quickly.

Ling Xi only felt like she was dating Song Yi, nothing more.

“The exact wedding date isn’t set yet, but it’ll probably be next spring. Do you want to take the honeymoon a bit earlier or after?”

“What about you, sis? Any places you’d like to go?” Ling Xi hadn’t given it much thought yet. “Domestic or international?”

“If we have time, we could do both. I remember France has a fashion week next summer—maybe we could go there?” Song Yi suggested.

“Sounds good. Has wedding prep started? I want to do it together with you. Don’t take everything on yourself.” Ling Xi tugged at Song Yi’s sleeve.

After all, Song Yi had already started commissioning wedding dress and ring designs.

“I only asked Shi Xinyu to handle the designs so far. After the new year, we’ll look at venues together and plan the schedule.”

Ling Xi agreed, feeling excited as she picked up her phone to search wedding ceremonies.

“By the way, does your family call you ‘Xi Bao’?” During a break from working from home that afternoon, Song Yi casually asked while pouring water for Ling Xi.

“Yeah. Sometimes they also call me ‘Mei Bao,’ ‘Little Xi,’ ‘little sister’…” Ling Xi looked up at Song Yi after answering.

“I’d rather you keep calling me ‘sweetheart’—it feels more special.”

Song Yi nodded. “That’s what I thought too.”

She sat down beside Ling Xi. “Working on a design?”

“Yeah. Sister Ni gave me a couple simple projects. Dealing with clients is so different from my usual drawing work.”

Ling Xi had a headache from revisions. This was already the fourth version, and the client still couldn’t articulate what they wanted.

Sometimes Ling Xi felt it wasn’t that she couldn’t draw well enough.

It was that the clients themselves didn’t know what they wanted, only giving vague descriptions.

“Things like ‘make it dazzling, eye-catching’… what kind of request is that?” Ling Xi vented to Song Yi.

“I can only try one approach after another.” She gulped down some water, still feeling exasperated.

“Maybe they’ll end up choosing your first draft after all.”

“Ugh, don’t say that.” Ling Xi knew Song Yi was probably right.

“I just saw your sister writing a livestream script. Does she still need someone to stir up drama?” Song Yi had come over to gossip about this.

“Probably. She hasn’t found anyone yet.” Ling Xi thought for a moment, put down her pen, and opened her phone. “Should I play matchmaker?”

“Your friend?” Song Yi rested her head on Ling Xi’s shoulder.

“Yeah. She’s had a crush on my sister for years, but my sister hasn’t noticed at all.”

Ling Xi’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “This could be fun—I’ll set them up.”

With that, she sent a message to Jiang Yuyang, immediately receiving question marks in reply.

“She just asked me for contacts of single friends earlier. Good thing I didn’t give any.” Song Yi was glad she’d checked with Ling Xi first.

“Not for now. You can give her some later. I want to watch the show.” Ling Xi was already eager.

If she didn’t give her friend and Ling Yue a little push, these two would stay clueless forever.

[Yue-jie’s livestream… does she need to show her face?] Jiang Yuyang hesitated.

[Just ask her, say it’s from me. As for the reason, make something up yourself.] After typing, Ling Xi took a photo holding Song Yi’s hand.

Song Yi was confused until she leaned over and saw Ling Xi’s chat.

Ling Xi was showing off their relationship to her friend.

Her friend was clearly provoked and resolutely went to find Ling Yue.

Sitting outside the house drinking tea with Qi Zhen, Ling Yue was surprised to receive a message from her sister’s friend.

“Who sent it? Xi Bao?” Qi Zhen’s heart raced.

“Xi Bao’s friend.” Ling Yue snatched her phone away, refusing to let Qi Zhen see.

“If you two had a fight, figure out how to make up with her yourself. Don’t bother me. I still have—I still have a lot of important things to do.”

Qi Zhen was exasperated. “You’re Mom’s good daughter—just help me out, will you? We hid it from her because we didn’t want her to worry, to protect her. She’s still so small—who would want to see her get hurt?”

So, Qi Zhen and Ling Jingqiu had both, without prior agreement, concealed everything from Ling Xi.

“Don’t even mention it—she’s mad at me too. You and Mommy should think carefully about how to handle this. Little Xi has a wife now—she might not cling to you two all day anymore.”

As she spoke, Ling Yue shared her livestream idea with Jiang Yuyang.

[For now, I don’t need to show my face. My initial idea is to host a love-themed talk show, something like a radio broadcast. But we’ll see how the response is. If the numbers are bad, I might have to show my face to boost engagement.]

Qi Zhen sat beside her, lost in melancholy.

“Oh, right. Mom, where’s Mommy’s antidote?” Ling Yue suddenly remembered and asked casually.

“At home. In the storage box. You know the one. You and Xi Bao can go get it later. I’ll pass.”

Ling Yue nodded. “You shouldn’t move around recklessly. At least wait until the police finish gathering evidence and are ready to close the case.”

Jiang Yuyang replied instantly, so Ling Yue stopped talking to Qi Zhen.

[We’ll split the earnings 50-50. For the livestream, you’ll need to come to my place—I’ve already bought the equipment.]

When Jiang Yuyang saw the part about going to Ling Yue’s house, she couldn’t resist the temptation and gritted her teeth in agreement.

Fine, she’d show her face. It wasn’t like she was doing anything shady.

[I still have grad school entrance exams these next couple of days. How about I come at the end of the month to livestream with you?]

Ling Yue checked the time. [Sure. My sister’s supporting me right now anyway, so I’m not in a rush.]

She’d already earned a decent sum from editing clips of Ling Xi and Song Yi’s livestreams.

“Don’t you think it’s weird Xi Bao hasn’t come down to see me even once? What’s she doing?” Qi Zhen, bored again, tried to strike up a conversation.

Ling Yue pulled out another phone, opened a game, and handed it to Qi Zhen. “Mom, don’t disturb the lovebirds. Play a game or something.”

“……”

By evening, when Ling Yue had already gone home, Ling Xi still hadn’t come to see Qi Zhen.

Qi Zhen was led by Butler Zhao into the guest room Ling Xi had previously stayed in and was stunned by the sheer luxury of the place.

Yet even after she finished washing up, Ling Xi still hadn’t appeared.

It seemed Butler Zhao could handle any questions—there was no need for Ling Xi, the “master” of the house, to step in.

Her little Xi had never been this angry with her before. Qi Zhen felt a pang of sadness.

The next night, watching Ling Xi finish dinner and immediately drag Song Yi away without sparing her a second glance, Qi Zhen was at her wit’s end. Steeling herself, she went to knock on Ling Xi’s door.

“Hello, Mom.” It was Song Yi who answered.

“……Why you?” The anxiety on Qi Zhen’s face instantly twisted into disdain.

“Xi’s taking a shower.” Song Yi still opened the door wider.

“You can come in and wait, Mom.”

What Qi Zhen saw next was a suite more luxurious than the apartment she and Ling Jingqiu had bought.

“Stop calling me ‘Mom’,” Qi Zhen said, both exasperated and helpless as she finally entered the house.

“But Song Jie and I are married now! We have the marriage certificate! Shouldn’t she change how she addresses you?” Ling Xi’s voice carried from the bedroom.

Before Qi Zhen could respond, Song Yi brought her a cup of tea. “Yes, Mom. Understood, Mom.”

Qi Zhen nearly choked on her breath.

Sitting on the sofa with the warm tea in her hands, she suddenly realized that since her release from prison, she hadn’t really talked with Ling Xi about daily life—she’d been too focused on matters concerning the Tiancan Organization.

She had no idea what her precious little daughter had been up to lately.

Five minutes later, Ling Xi plopped down beside Qi Zhen with a huff, turning on the TV to watch her latest drama obsession.

She pulled Song Yi down to sit closely beside her, their bodies pressed together.

“Little sister,” Qi Zhen didn’t wait long before speaking up.

“What?” Ling Xi pretended to snap.

“Sweetheart. You know we just want to protect you.” Qi Zhen’s heart ached as she ruffled Ling Xi’s hair.

“You’re seven years younger than Yueyue. When she got involved in all this, you were still a tiny little radish, barely reaching my waist. You were so adorable and innocent—none of us wanted you exposed to such darkness.”

Ling Xi endured the hair-ruffling with resignation before turning to look at Qi Zhen.

“But I have to face the real world eventually. I’m still your and Mama’s daughter—you shouldn’t have kept things from me after I became an adult. If you’d told me earlier, at least I could’ve been wary of Mu Xie.”

“You’re right… you’re right. It was our mistake. We only wanted to protect you but didn’t know the right way to do it.” Qi Zhen apologized.

Ling Xi pouted, her expression softening as she scooted slightly closer to her mother.

“I’m not angry, just… upset. It feels like everyone knew the truth except me.”

“Of course not. We all love you—why would we ever want to leave you out?” Qi Zhen pulled Ling Xi into a comforting hug.

Ling Xi’s eyes reddened, but she didn’t resist.

Her hand remained clasped with Song Yi’s.

Song Yi was somewhat bewildered. Her own mother had treated her well, but their relationship also carried the dynamic of family head and heir—her mother had a strict side.

Song Yi had never been this physically affectionate with her mother. Watching the scene made her uncomfortable, though she had no outlet for these feelings.

She could only silently repeat Ling Yue’s words—”That’s just how our family is”—to console herself.

Then suddenly, the hand she was holding with Ling Xi was snatched away by Qi Zhen.

[Are you all insane? Can’t anyone act normal? Since when do you get this intimate with your mom? Especially after marriage!]

Ling Yue casually stirred up some controversy in the live stream comments, happily watching the engagement metrics double.

Ling Xi and Qi Zhen had made up.

Leaving only Song Yi to bear the full brunt of emotional damage.

In truth, Ling Xi had merely hugged Qi Zhen, leaning against her while listening to assurances of how much she was loved.

For Ling Xi, this level of affection was completely normal.

When she was younger, she’d been even more physically affectionate with Qi Zhen.

Same with Ling Yue. Their family actually feared their omega mother, Ling Jingqiu, more.

After all, when it came to discipline, Ling Jingqiu played the strict role.

Now that they’d reconciled, Qi Zhen released Ling Xi, not wanting to intrude on the newlyweds’ honeymoon phase.

Song Yi finally got to pull Ling Xi into her arms.

“Oh, Mom—when will Mama wake up?” Ling Xi missed Ling Jingqiu too.

“According to your wife, we’ll have to wait until the police operation concludes,” Qi Zhen answered, glancing at Song Yi.

“She knows everything I know. There’s no need for her to take the risk of waking up now.”

“I miss Mommy,” Ling Xi said with a hint of sadness.

But she quickly perked up. At least she now knew that Mommy wasn’t suffering from an incurable illness—she could wake up anytime once the situation became clear.

“Good girl. You’ve been through a lot, Xiaoxi,” Qi Zhen reached out again to pat Ling Xi’s head.

This time, Song Yi couldn’t hold back—she shifted slightly with Ling Xi in her arms, avoiding Qi Zhen’s touch.