Mu Linjing did not rest well in the hospital. However, due to not taking her medication, her condition remained weak even after receiving emergency treatment. Her face was devoid of color, paler than the bedsheets.
Her Aunt Mu, seeing her daughter's state, was heartbroken. "Jing'er, what's wrong? We heard Yichen's mother passed away. Is it related to you?"
Hearing his wife's question, Uncle Mu tugged her arm forcefully. "What are you saying? Aren't you twisting the knife in your daughter's heart? Our daughter couldn't possibly do such a thing."
Mu Linjing wanted to cry but couldn't. She pulled the blanket over her face and shook her head vehemently. "I don't know. I don't know if I'm related to her death. I did push her."
Upon hearing that she had indeed pushed Wen Yulan, Aunt Mu felt dizzy and could barely stand.
"If the Zhan family insists on pursuing charges, even if you didn't kill her, you'll still have to bear the blame. We can't fight against them."
Considering the vast difference between the two families, Aunt Mu's words were not unfounded.
However, Mu Linjing couldn't believe Zhan Yichen would be so heartless. Otherwise, he would have had her arrested and interrogated then and there.
Aunt Mu, doting on her daughter, stood up and moved towards the door. "No, I'm going to plead with them right now. My daughter would never do such a thing. If necessary, I'll go to jail for Jing'er."
She knew that with the engagement broken off, they had thoroughly offended the Zhan family. Now, with a death involved, the other party could make their lives a living hell, and they had no power to resist.
Uncle Mu quickly pulled her back. "Don't rush. The Zhan family hasn't made any pronouncements yet. If you go to them rashly, you might just anger them further."
He knew the Zhan family must be in utter chaos right now. Going to them impulsively could backfire and spell true ruin for their family.
"Isn't Yu Meng there? She'll definitely inform Jing'er of any decisions the Zhan family makes."
Aunt Mu was unsure. "Will she? She's the daughter-in-law of the Zhan family, after all."
Uncle Mu couldn't be entirely certain either. He could only sigh. "Whether she will or not, we can only rely on her for now. Let's wait. The most important thing is to take care of Jing'er's health."
Aunt Mu finally came to her senses and asked how Mu Linjing had suddenly fallen ill.
Mu Linjing glanced at the medicine bottle on the table. She felt it was a long story. Her father's gaze immediately detected something amiss. He picked up the bottle and saw that what was originally half full was now nearly empty.
"This medicine was found to have problems, right?"
Mu Linjing nodded wearily and relayed the doctor's words to her parents. It was ironic; she had always thought this medicine was to treat her symptoms, never realizing her so-called illness was caused by the medication itself, and she had been taking it obediently for so long.
Recalling her recent dosage and frequency, she already anticipated the difficulty of withdrawal.
As the doctor happened to be making rounds, her parents questioned him extensively. The doctor answered truthfully.
"The ingredients in this medicine are quite potent. You've been taking it for a long time, and increasing the dosage. Unless you continue taking this medicine, the only option is forced withdrawal."
She understood this logic. "No need to ask. I'll quit this medicine. Of course, I'll quit."
"Then be prepared. Quitting this medicine is like kicking a drug habit. It requires uprooting your addiction. Not only will it take a long time, but your body and mind will also have to endure immense suffering."
She gave a bitter smile. "I know all that. But I have to quit this medicine. Otherwise, someone will definitely use it to threaten me in the future. How can I live under such threats?"
She now clearly recognized the depth of Mu Bai's schemes. He had likely set a trap for her from the moment she woke up, or even earlier.
Otherwise, why did her symptoms feel so ingrained from the moment she opened her eyes?
Even without knowing Mu Bai's motives, having this addiction meant having a handle on her life, a vulnerability that Mu Linjing refused to live with.
Her parents felt the same. Though the withdrawal process would be painful, ridding herself of this addiction meant a new beginning. Why wouldn't she embrace it?
Seeing the family's unanimous decision, the doctor was relieved. "In that case, we'll dispose of the remaining medicine for you. You haven't taken it for a while now. During the withdrawal process, although it will be agonizing, your palpitations will gradually lessen. Remember, no matter how difficult it gets, you must persist in not taking the medicine."
He then instructed the family, "You need to watch her closely. If she experiences fainting or even goes into shock, you must call a doctor for immediate rescue. Once she goes through a few cycles and her withdrawal symptoms peak, they will naturally begin to subside."
Aunt Mu nodded repeatedly, taking in the doctor's words, her heart aching as she looked at her daughter.
Meanwhile, at the Zhan residence, chaos erupted after Wen Yulan's body was brought back.
Old Master Zhan hadn't expected to see his daughter-in-law under such circumstances. When asked about Wen Yulan's cause of death, everyone stammered.
It wasn't until Zhan Mohan returned that he explained the full story to Old Master Zhan.
Old Master Zhan took a deep breath. "Well done, Mu family. First, they break off the engagement yesterday, and now a death today. Do they want to torment my grandson to death before they're satisfied?"
He looked at Zhan Yichen, who knelt by Wen Yulan's body in a daze, feeling both angry and heartbroken.
Despite his obvious anger, Zhan Mohan offered his opinion. "I don't think this has much to do with Mu Linjing. She's not the type to go to extremes."
This wasn't a biased opinion due to his affection for Wei Yumeng; rather, it stemmed from his professional judgment of Mu Linjing as his employee.
Even though the events of the past two days had been a huge blow to Mu Linjing, he didn't believe she would resort to murder.
Moreover, as an outsider, he found the entire incident very suspicious. Wen Yulan only had mental issues, not physical ones.
How could a mere bump on the head lead to her death?
He understood the logic that led people to believe Mu Linjing would consider Wen Yulan the instigator of the engagement day incident, thus acting rashly and doing something so outrageous.
However, upon closer thought, Mu Linjing was a person with self-control. Even if she had such thoughts, would she abandon her feelings for Zhan Yichen?
As long as she thought of Zhan Yichen, she wouldn't have killed the mother of the man she loved.
But Old Master Zhan, blinded by anger, berated him. "How can you always side with outsiders?"
Zhan Mohan paused. "Grandpa, this matter needs a thorough investigation. Both the living and the deceased deserve an explanation."