Looking at her two granddaughters as beautiful as flowers and jade—no, they were her granddaughters now—Old Madam felt both pleased and worried that Wen Rugui’s dismissal from office might affect their spirits.

“You’ve heard about your father being stripped of office, haven’t you?”

The two sisters exchanged glances and said in unison, “We’ve heard.”

Old Madam sighed. “A perfectly good family has become like this. Grandmother knows you’re both feeling terrible inside. Even though your father did such things, the bond between father and daughter cannot be completely severed. But you must remember—if your father comes looking for you in the future, don’t handle it privately. You must tell Grandmother.”

In this matter, the most heartbroken was her daughter, but the most difficult position fell to the two children.

Wen Rugui had enjoyed twenty years of wealth and honor. Now that he had nothing, sooner or later he would seek out his two daughters.

The two children had returned to the Lin family, true, but according to worldly views, the blood relationship with their birth father could never be severed.

If Wen Rugui came looking, she and Wanqing could strike and scold him, but the two children couldn’t turn against him, or they would face criticism and censure.

Old Madam was willing to stand at the forefront, but she worried the two sisters might be soft-hearted when facing their father and allow him to pester and exploit them.

“Granddaughter understands.” Lin Chan lowered her eyes in acknowledgment, her expression grave.

In just two days, earth-shattering changes had occurred in their family. She hated her father, true, but if he came looking for her, she didn’t know if she could manage to ignore him and leave him to his fate.

Lin Chan’s mood was especially heavy with this conflict.

Seeing Lin Chan agree, Old Madam looked at Lin Hao.

Compared to her sister’s heaviness, Lin Hao seemed much more relaxed. “Grandmother, rest assured. It’s already severed.”

This statement left both Old Madam and Lin Chan momentarily stunned.

Lin Hao’s tone was indifferent as she spoke more plainly. “From yesterday onward, I only have Grandmother, Mother, and Elder Sister. I no longer have a father.”

She was different from her sister.

Though Elder Sister was angry at what their father had done, she hadn’t witnessed Grandmother die in furious grief, hadn’t seen Mother imprisoned in mad confusion, hadn’t seen herself married to the wrong person and hanging herself, hadn’t seen her younger sister reduced to fleeing and dying in that winter’s snow.

For tolerant and kind people, without truly experiencing despair, the connected bloodline was very difficult to completely sever.

“Ahao—” Old Madam grew even more worried.

She didn’t want her granddaughter bound by the so-called father-daughter bond, but she also didn’t want her granddaughter to become extreme from suffering a great blow.

Seeing Old Madam like this, Lin Hao burst into laughter. “Grandmother, I can let it go. Why do you seem even more worried?”

Old Madam spoke honestly. “Grandmother worries you’ve gotten stuck in a dead end.”

Lin Hao tilted her head slightly, her smile sweet. “I won’t. Granddaughter feels the sky is still blue, the flowers are still fragrant, and our General’s Mansion’s beggar’s chicken is still the most delicious.”

Old Madam was taken aback, then laughed heartily.

Of the two granddaughters, Chan’er’s gentle and steady temperament had been evident from childhood, while Ahao, because she couldn’t speak, made her disposition harder to judge.

Looking at her now, Ahao was actually remarkably carefree and insightful.

However—

Old Madam raised her hand to stroke Lin Hao’s hair, unsure whether she felt joy or worry. “With Ahao being so carefree, I fear the world won’t understand.”

Lin Hao smiled unconcernedly. “What the world thinks, Granddaughter doesn’t care. I only care about Grandmother, Mother, and Elder Sister.”

“If your mother could think like you, I’d be at ease.” Old Madam sighed.

Since returning yesterday, Madam Lin had buried herself in her room and hadn’t emerged yet.

Old Madam understood her daughter’s temperament. She knew persuasion was useless—she had to figure it out herself and come out on her own.

“I’ll go see Mother.”

Lin Chan also said, “I’ll go with Second Sister.”

Old Madam nodded. “That’s good. If you can’t persuade her, don’t worry. Your mother just has a stubborn temperament.”

Though she had a stubborn temperament, even facing a devastating blow, she wouldn’t seek death and destruction like ordinary women. On this point alone, Old Madam felt reassured.

“I’ll go with my younger sisters to see Aunt.” With such a major incident occurring, Cheng Shu had specifically taken leave.

“Shu’er, you don’t need to go. There’s something else I need you to handle.”

Hearing Old Madam say this, Cheng Shu didn’t insist further.

After the Lin Hao sisters left, Old Madam’s face grew stern. “Shu’er, take people to the Wen Mansion and reclaim our family’s residence.”

Cheng Shu’s eyes brightened. “Rest assured, I’ll definitely handle this matter well!”

He had been suppressing a bellyful of anger with nowhere to vent it.

“Cuixiang, you accompany Shu’er.”

“Yes.” The nanny standing beside Old Madam responded.

Old Madam picked up her teacup and slowly took a sip.

What belonged to the Lin family, Wen Rugui could forget about keeping!

Outside Madam Lin’s room door, the maid Fangfei stood guard. Upon seeing the Lin Hao pair arrive, she curtsied in greeting.

“Has Madam eaten?” Lin Chan asked.

Fangfei lowered her head. “The food sent in hasn’t been touched.”

Lin Chan’s expression turned somewhat unpleasant. She reached out to push the door but was stopped by Fangfei.

“First Miss, Madam said she wants to be alone.”

“Even if she wants to be alone, she can’t skip meals.” Lin Chan gently knocked on the door. “Mother, Second Sister and I have come to see you.”

After a good while, Madam Lin’s hoarse voice came from inside. “Is that Chan’er? Take Ahao back. Mother wants some quiet time alone. In a couple days, it’ll be fine.”

Lin Chan didn’t dare push too hard and softened her tone further. “Mother, you must eat. Otherwise your body won’t be able to bear it.”

“I will. I’ll eat in a bit.”

Lin Chan looked at Fangfei, who shook her head.

“Mother—”

Madam Lin interrupted Lin Chan. “Chan’er, be good. Mother just wants some peace and quiet.”

Lin Chan didn’t dare persuade further but didn’t dare leave either. Her helpless, anxious gaze turned to her younger sister.

Lin Hao rubbed her eyes, threw herself against the door, and cried miserably. “Mother—”

This sudden turn of events made Lin Chan’s expression change.

Lin Hao winked at her while crying.

Lin Chan: “…”

The door suddenly opened. Madam Lin looked panicked. “Ahao, what’s wrong?”

Lin Hao threw herself into Madam Lin’s arms, sobbing. “Mother, I had a nightmare. I’m so scared!”

“A nightmare?” Madam Lin didn’t react immediately.

Hearing her daughter’s miserable crying suddenly, her mind went blank. By the time she realized it, she had already rushed to the door.

Lin Hao raised her head, tears wetting her cheeks. “I dreamed that something happened to Mother, and Father used this as a reason to bring Sister and me back to the Wen Mansion. The mistress of the Wen Mansion became Madam Chang. Sister and I had to call her Mother. Under her control, Sister and I were promised to two men whose character was even worse than Father’s. But Chang Qing married—”

Lin Hao couldn’t think of something to make up in time and said offhandedly, “—married the Heir of the neighboring Prince Jing’s mansion, and all her dowry came from Mother’s trousseau.”

The young lady’s frightened and aggrieved crying voice grew louder. “Mother, if you don’t eat, something might happen to you. If something happens to you, Father’s concubine will occupy your position, spend your money, bully your daughters, and we’ll still have to obediently call her Mother…”

Upon hearing this, Madam Lin cried in anger.

“Ahao, don’t be afraid. Mother will eat right now…”

Watching the mother and daughter crying while embracing, Lin Chan was dumbstruck.