Seduced Me into a Deep Fall - Chapter 48

Ling Xi didn’t even notice, merely shifting her position to cling onto Song Yi.

Qi Zhen saw it all too clearly—her daughter’s wife had defied all expectations by pulling her daughter away to avoid her head pats.

Qi Zhen stared at Song Yi with utter resignation.

Song Yi subtly shrank down, using Ling Xi as a shield against Qi Zhen’s gaze.

Before Qi Zhen could even roll her eyes, Ling Xi turned her head and met her mother’s eyes.

“Mom, why are you looking at me?”

“I wasn’t.” Qi Zhen was exasperated.

What kind of sly fox had her daughter gone and found? It was downright infuriating.

Still, seeing how affectionate the two were with each other, Qi Zhen’s irritation eased slightly.

At the end of the day, as long as Ling Xi was healthy and happy, that was enough.

Hadn’t she and Ling Jingqiu done everything they did precisely so their children could live well?

“Then… were you looking at Song Yi?” Ling Xi wore a puzzled expression.

“…Why would I look at her?” The tender feelings Qi Zhen had just harbored instantly evaporated.

“Tell me about the last few months. Work, life. I haven’t even had the chance to ask about your health yet.”

As the elder, Qi Zhen couldn’t actually hold a grudge against Song Yi and changed the subject.

“I had a check-up recently—everything’s fine. Let me tell you about my new job.” Ling Xi’s eyes lit up as she began chattering away to Qi Zhen.

Song Yi, sensing the danger had passed, cautiously peeked out from behind Ling Xi.

Only to meet Qi Zhen’s amused smirk.

Not daring to make any sudden moves, Song Yi simply poked Ling Xi.

Ling Xi turned to look at her first, then back at Qi Zhen.

“Mom, you were looking at Song Yi.” Ling Xi stopped mid-sentence to scold Qi Zhen for targeting Song Yi.

“Mom, Song Yi treats me really well—she’s sincere. Stop assuming she has ulterior motives.”

Listening to Ling Xi defend her, Song Yi finally relaxed a little.

“…Right, jiejie?” Ling Xi even turned to Song Yi for confirmation.

Song Yi nodded repeatedly.

Qi Zhen had no rebuttal and could only pull out her trump card. “I won’t say much more—I’ll need to observe her a while longer. I’m easy to fool. But you’d better hope Jingqiu doesn’t tear her apart when she wakes up.”

“……” Ling Xi fell silent.

She turned back to Song Yi, her eyes filled with unmistakable worry.

Song Yi slowly formed a question mark above her head. “Is your mom… that scary?”

Ling Xi thought for a moment before answering honestly. “When she’s scary, she’s really scary.”

“But she’s also really good when she’s in a good mood. My sister and I are both a little afraid of her, though.”

The two sisters held a mix of fear and longing toward Ling Jingqiu.

In short, they were all bark and no bite.

Song Yi sighed inwardly.

Good news: her wife wouldn’t cling to her mother any more than she already did to Qi Zhen—at most, it’d be the same level.

Bad news: she was about to face the third wave of Ling Xi’s loved ones.

Given Ling Xi’s youth and the prior disaster with Mu Xie, it was only natural for her family and friends to worry.

Song Yi believed she could handle it. She didn’t provoke Qi Zhen, obediently leaning against Ling Xi’s shoulder as she listened to their casual conversation.

She savored this long-missed warmth of family bonding.

“Oh, Mom, my police team friend wants to see you tomorrow. I’ll take you there when the time comes.” As she saw Qi Zhen off, Song Yi reminded her seriously.

Qi Zhen waved dismissively. “You two have been sleeping together since the wedding?”

Ling Xi gave her a look that said, Obviously.

“Uh, try to be more… restrained. No, I mean get some rest early… No, that’s not it either. Anyway, ahem, take care of your health.”

Qi Zhen really couldn’t forcibly separate the two, so she could only offer this reminder.

Ling Xi’s face gradually turned red.

Song Yi quickly closed the door and sent Qi Zhen away.

“Mom hasn’t seen me in a long time, that’s why she’s being so petty. It won’t be like this in the future. You and I still have so many years ahead of us.”

Ling Xi tightly grasped Song Yi’s hand. “We’ll stay like this forever, inseparable, always happy together.”

Song Yi looked at their clasped hands, feeling the warmth in her palm, genuinely comforted by these words.

“Next time my mom targets you again, just tell me,” Ling Xi whispered as she stroked Song Yi’s face, noticing her smile, as if sharing some secret.

“Will you stand up for me like you did tonight?” Song Yi rarely experienced the feeling of being protected by someone.

Qi Zhen hadn’t let her guard down. “That still doesn’t prove you’re not colluding with Song Lian.”

“I just want to say, I truly love Ling Xi. According to her sister’s account… I’m that ‘beggar girl’ she helped back then.” Song Yi could understand Qi Zhen’s wariness.

After all, this was her lover’s mother, so Song Yi showed utmost patience and sincerity.

Qi Zhen’s attitude softened slightly.

She stared at Song Yi for a long moment before suddenly exclaiming, “Huh?”

“You don’t look like her at all,” Qi Zhen said, scrutinizing Song Yi from head to toe. This person didn’t seem like someone who’d ever been down on their luck.

“…It’s been over five years. I was abused before, but I’ve recovered now. Isn’t that normal?” She really didn’t want to be called “beggar girl” by someone she liked again.

“Besides, I truly have no connection with Song Lian. In fact, she resents me for being born with heir status and receiving family attention from the start.”

Just as Song Yi was about to say more, Qi Zhen raised her hand to stop her. “Enough, I get it. But just because you say so doesn’t mean my suspicions are gone.”

“Understood, Mom.”

“…Are you deliberately provoking me now?”

“Of course. You’re my wife. If I don’t protect you, who should I protect? You didn’t do anything wrong—she’s just being too particular.”

After saying this, Ling Xi pressed their clasped hands against Song Yi’s mouth. “This is just between us, okay? Don’t tell Mom. She’d get angry and mess up my face.”

“Of course. I’d never tell her.” The feeling of being protected was somewhat addictive.

Song Yi longed to bury herself in Ling Xi’s embrace, to lose herself forever in that warmth.

And Ling Xi responded passionately, telling her: You can.

Song Yi accompanied Qi Zhen to the police station.

She took time off work to be there the whole time.

“Isn’t your work busy? I know your branch has been eyeing opportunities,” Qi Zhen whispered to Song Yi.

“Since Song Lian returned, there have been some issues. But nothing unmanageable.” Song Yi was close to finding evidence against Fu Youyou.

As for Song Lian, she wasn’t truly part of the Song family anyway. The search for Song Yi’s real older sister was still ongoing.

There was no need to worry about Song Lian usurping her position, but they did need to guard against her infiltrating the Tiancan Organization’s influence.

“So, I’m not targeting you. Don’t badmouth me to Yun Fengzhi.”

“…Cough. I’m not that petty.” Song Yi had thought Ling Xi’s friend was going to say something important.

“How did you get involved with her mother?”

“Distant cousin,” Tan Nijing replied casually before going to fetch water for Song Yi.

Ling Xi knocked on the door and was surprised to see several pool tables inside, along with bar-like decor in the distance.

So this was how the wealthy lived—they didn’t even need to go to entertainment venues when they could just build their own at home.

Ling Xi took a photo of the wooden sign and then headed toward the staircase.

Another wooden sign stood at the stairwell: [This is the North Wing Staircase.]

It seemed Song Yi had divided the villa into four sections.

Following the “north up, south down” orientation, Ling Xi found the South Wing staircase—the one she used most often.

As she walked, she snapped photos of several more signs.

Later, she came across the East and West Wing rooms. Ling Xi stepped inside to explore—aside from the recreation room with a bar, some were storage spaces, while others held art supplies like canvases and sculptures. Most, however, were servants’ quarters and so-called guest rooms.

Each floor had its own reception room.

It wasn’t until her phone rang that Ling Xi reluctantly paused her exploration.

“Jiejie~” It was Song Yi calling. Ling Xi checked the time—dinner hour had already arrived.

They waited over two hours before Qi Zhen finally emerged from her room.

Yun Fengzhi followed closely behind, lips pressed tight, her expression tense.

“What’s wrong?” Song Yi asked with concern.

“It’s not finished yet,” Qi Zhen said, glancing at Yun Fengzhi.

This girl wasn’t much older—why was she the one handling this?

“That much?”

“Yeah. I just came out to take a break. Lend me your phone—I need to call Xiao Xi and Xiao Yue.” Qi Zhen bossed Song Yi around without hesitation.

Song Yi had no choice but to hand over her phone.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but wonder—

Mu Xunzhi had dared to conduct human experiments on her friends’ children, then pretended ignorance while visiting Ling Yue.

How could someone so venomous, knowing Qi Zhen and the others held so much incriminating evidence, still let them walk free?

Qi Zhen had only been imprisoned—no assassination attempts were made.

Or was it that Mu Xunzhi didn’t actually know, only suspected?

At the same time, in the Song family’s ancestral home.

“You still don’t get this? Sometimes I really want to crack your skull open and see what’s inside.” Mu Xunzhi rapped Mu Xie’s head with her knuckles.

Mu Xie rubbed her forehead but stayed silent.

“I’m not stupid, and your mother isn’t either. How did we end up with a fool like you?” Mu Xunzhi repeated the lesson again.

Mu Xie, the “fool” who had once topped her grade, felt utterly dead inside. No matter how harsh Mu Xunzhi’s words were, she didn’t react.

“Enough. I can’t take this anymore. Song Lian, you handle her. We can’t let her slow us down.”

Seeing Mu Xie’s lifeless expression, Mu Xunzhi tossed the teaching materials aside and stood up to leave.

Song Lian had no choice but to sit across from Mu Xie.

“Don’t you hate being born defective? Don’t you want the person you like to stop looking at that S-rank omega? If you do, then sit up properly. Don’t just curl up here.”

Mu Xie lifted her eyelids slightly. “She hates me.”

“You don’t need her to love you. Just possess her, confine her—isn’t that enough?” Song Lian coaxed.

“…Since when is that enough?” That was exactly what she had done in her past life.

Yet she hadn’t won Ling Xi’s heart—not even her person, too crippled by her own inferiority.

Now, Ling Xi didn’t even hate her anymore. They were nothing but complete strangers.

She said Ling Xi hated her. She simply preferred to believe that, but in reality, Ling Xi wouldn’t even spare her another glance.

“If it’s not enough, there’s nothing we can do. Let me be honest with you—you’re not worthy of her.” Thinking of Mu Xunzhi’s plan, Song Lian didn’t hold back anymore.

Mu Xie slowly raised her head.

“In the past life you mentioned, you were so foolish you didn’t notice anything. Did you never wonder why we asked you to extract the pheromones of an ordinary B-level alpha?”

Mu Xie froze for a moment.

She had always thought that in her past life, Mu Xunzhi had asked for Ling Xi’s pheromones to help her cultivate a higher compatibility.

But now it seemed—since when had Mu Xunzhi ever been that kind?

She’d be lucky if he didn’t remove her glands entirely, let alone help her elevate her pheromone level.

“That Ling Xi is an S-level alpha. She was born to be with that S-level omega. You? A defective, still dreaming of having her?” Song Lian even chuckled.

“Do you understand now? Why Mu Xunzhi stopped you from going to her. Her pheromone level and mine were never the same from the start.”

“I’m just a defective B-level. I could abandon my pheromones anytime to accompany Mu Xunzhi. But her? She just used some petty tricks, trying to deceive us. Luckily, thanks to you, we still obtained her pheromone data.” Song Lian patted Mu Xie’s head.

“Your ‘rebirth’ was only meaningful for this much.”

Without caring how devastated Mu Xie was, she stood up and handed her the materials she needed to memorize.

“Study them. If you hate her, if you hate this world even more.”

Mu Xie stared at her with reddened eyes for a long time.

Pouring all her resentment and fury into her gaze, as if she could kill these two elders who never loved her with just a look.

At this stage of learning, even Song Yi couldn’t teach her anything. She had to rely on the creative ideas of netizens.

Five minutes later, Ling Xi noticed that Ling Yue’s livestream account had liked her post.

After following Ling Yue’s account, Ling Xi clicked in to take a look.

Ling Yue and Jiang Yuyang had turned it into a couples’ account.

Ling Yue’s account was performing exceptionally well—her follower count was an order of magnitude lower than Ling Xi’s, but her likes and comments were double.

Her sister really had potential for publicity. Maybe she could become some kind of celebrity manager in the future.

“You posted photos?” Song Yi stole a moment from her busy schedule to check her phone notifications and asked Ling Xi.

“Yeah. Silhouettes. I’ll send you the edited versions.”

“Did you forget about the painting you promised me?” Song Yi received the photos and casually asked.

“Ah… right. Just need to adjust the curves in post-processing. I’ll finish it tonight.”

Ling Xi had been so caught up with Qi Zhen and the Defective Organization these days that she’d forgotten such an important gift for Song Yi.

“No rush. Tonight might be exhausting.”

Ling Xi looked at her.

“Meeting so many people, exchanging pleasantries, moving around—it’s a major social event. How could it not be tiring?”

Song Yi shrugged. “Can’t be helped. Several prominent families in Yanjing maintain cooperation and balance. Representing the Song family, I have to attend.”

“It’s fine. Adjusting curves and liquifying won’t take long.” As soon as Ling Xi said this, the makeup artist began working on her face.

She had no choice but to close her eyes and wait for the makeup to be done.

By the time everything was ready, Ling Xi already felt somewhat exhausted.

Song Yi held her, the timing perfect as they were just about to head out.

After a long while, she finally picked up the documents.

“The drugs we’ve developed—instead of hiding them and selling them on the black market, it’s better to release them officially.”

Seeing that Mu Xie had finally come around, Song Lian sat beside her, puffing on an e-cigarette.

“Competition, demand, supply… We just need to present our results to them. B-rankers will want to become A-rankers. A-rankers will want to become S-rankers. And S-rankers—they’ll finally get to explore the ranks beyond.”

“Just think about it, Mu Xie. Watch them fight tooth and nail to enhance their pheromones. Watch them turn their spears inward, hating the hierarchy alongside us, hating those with superior pheromones.”

“They should have been pursuing love, sending out hormonal signals of courtship to those S-rank elites. But with these drugs, love turns to hatred!”

“Let them tear everything apart. And then… it’ll be your turn to help us reap the rewards.”

As Song Lian spoke, she didn’t even glance at Mu Xie.

Mu Xie finally admitted it. In the eyes of Song Lian and Mu Xunzhi—this deranged couple—she was no different from anyone else, not even an object.

She was just a stepping stone on their path to success.

Just a part of their plan.

What was even more terrifying was that Mu Xie felt their plan was working.

At this very moment, she truly hated pheromones, hated this world.

And she hated Ling Xi.

“By the end of the month, you’ll attend the Song family’s banquet with us. My little sister is too capable—the Songs have sealed every possible leak.”

Song Lian turned back, catching the fury in Mu Xie’s eyes, and smiled in satisfaction.

“You know what to do when the time comes… right, my child?”

During dinner, Song Yi shared her suspicions.

“So you’re saying… even sparing me and Jing Qiu was part of Mu Xunzhi’s trap?”

Qi Zhen mulled it over and found it entirely plausible, immediately setting down her chopsticks, her appetite gone.

“Just a theory. You’ve spent more time with Mu Xunzhi. What do you think?” Song Yi asked while peeling shrimp for Ling Xi.

Ling Xi had wanted to take over the task.

After all, she was the only one among them who knew next to nothing—shouldn’t she at least do something?

But Song Yi stopped her with a look. “Your hands still need to… You can’t get them stained with this.”

Ling Xi lowered her head, her ears turning red in silence.

Qi Zhen could only pretend she hadn’t seen or heard anything.

“She’s definitely cunning. All those years we were friends, I never noticed anything off about her. Even when Xiao Yue fell ill—at first, I thought it was just a cold. It wasn’t until Jing Qiu pointed out Mu Xunzhi’s odd behavior that I started piecing things together.”

“The Tiancan organization, which had always operated in secrecy, suddenly making a move—they must have their reasons. Sweetheart, how much do you know about Mu Xie’s personality?”

Song Yi mulled over the situation before suddenly directing the question at Ling Xi.

“Her personality? Vicious. She treats her subordinates especially poorly—the smallest mistake sends her into a rage. She’s impatient, easily baited by the slightest provocation. It was the same with me. Couldn’t even wait a second—first threatening me with my friends, then my family.”

“It seems Mu Xunzhi failed in raising her daughter properly. Then again, Mu Xie was mostly left to grow up haphazardly in the Song family. She never received any systematic education.”

Song Yi mentally crossed Mu Xie’s name off her list.

Mu Xie alone wasn’t someone to fear provided that Mu Xunzhi shared Song Yi’s perspective.

Their public appearances were meant to “legitimize” those drugs from the Tiancan Organization.

Though she and Song Lian could never be cleansed of their past. But if they were willing to rebrand,Mu Xie would be their perfect successor.

Related by blood, she could command the loyalty of their followers.

Having inherited their pitiable pheromone levels, she’d have reason to continue developing the Tiancan Organization.

At the same time, being so young, she hadn’t participated in their horrific crimes.

“Sister, what are you thinking?” Ling Xi was curious why Song Yi suddenly brought up Mu Xie.

By now, whenever Ling Xi mentioned Mu Xie, she could treat her as a complete stranger without a trace of fear.

Any disgust or anger only surfaced when recalling her past life’s suffering.

She truly had no connection to Mu Xie anymore.

Song Yi briefly explained her speculation.

“If my guess is right, Mu Xunzhi might engage in some token resistance before being easily captured or even killed in the chaos. Then Mu Xie would step forward to condemn their actions, publicly apologize, and promote their drug products to the masses.”

“Originally black-market drugs, now legitimized and visible to more people, demand would surge. Mu Xie could then ‘reluctantly’ release the ‘meant-to-be-destroyed’ stock as recreational drugs available to all, achieving their goal of widespread disruption.”

Both Ling Xi and Qi Zhen found Song Yi’s reasoning sound, not daring to suggest she was overthinking it.

Mu Xunzhi, who took over the Tiancan Organization and orchestrated numerous incidents, was undoubtedly capable.

Those who underestimated her met fates like Yun Fengzhi—failing investigations, returning to the capital in disgrace as a minor official, never recovering.

Or worse, participating in experiments, believing they could control Mu Xunzhi, only to lose everything.

“But, Mu Xie doesn’t seem capable of that.”

After a silence, Ling Xi slowly spoke, easing the tension.

“That’s what I’m pondering too. I don’t know Mu Xie well, but judging by her past achievements, she’s not incompetent.”

Becoming student council president at a Yanjing university, establishing her own lab and nearly deceiving Song Yi…

Taken together, Mu Xie was indeed capable.

But not quite at Mu Xunzhi’s level.

“Unless Mu Xunzhi has other preparations.”

With that, Song Yi finished her last bite. “We’ll think more tomorrow. Little darling, time for your stream?”

“Done.” Song Yi typed the final word, sent it, shut down her computer, and carried Ling Xi to bed.

“I’ve found my real sister,” Song Yi sighed deeply after they lay down.

“Do you want me to meet her?” Ling Xi was surprised.

Considering how recently Song Yi learned this, she’d acted remarkably fast.

It seemed the day when Fu Youyou and those supporting Song Yi’s rival would leave the Song family was approaching.

“Not exactly. Just accompany me to a meeting. But we’ll probably have lunch with that person at noon.”

Song Yi would discuss these matters with Ling Xi.

She trusted Ling Xi and needed someone like her—who had no exposure to wealthy families and knew nothing about their schemes—to help sort out her thoughts.

Song Yi shared her future plans with Ling Xi.

“You’re not planning to… uh, eliminate Fu Youyou?”

Song Yi gave Ling Xi a strange look. “Civilized people don’t talk about ‘taking someone out.’ We’ll just restrain him—he still has his uses.”

“Besides, he is after all Mother’s husband. We can decide what to do with him after Mother wakes up.”

Ling Xi covered her face. She’d been watching too many gangster movies with Qi Zhen lately, and it was affecting her thought process.

“So how soon do you plan to execute this?” Ling Xi considered Song Yi’s idea.

It felt like reading a detective novel. Based on the clues Song Yi had provided, the plan seemed feasible, so she didn’t raise any objections.

“Within the next couple of days. We’ll pick whichever day has good weather to round up Fu Youyou and Song Dongming together.”

Song Yi added pointedly, “Of course, not ‘taking them out’—bringing them to justice.”

“Ahem. My bad, don’t tease me, big sis.” Ling Xi hugged her arm and gave it a playful shake.

Song Yi kissed her.

The next day, Ling Xi went to work with Song Yi.

As soon as they entered, a woman sat directly in Song Yi’s path, fiddling with a tablet.

Ling Xi assumed she was some kind of secretary.

But when their eyes met, she heard Song Yi call out, “Sister.”