“Seeing Mother He's concern for me, Chen Lishu held her hand, feeling a pang of sympathy, and said, 'Godmother, if you say that, you'll be playing right into her hands! We've both been tricked by Zhang Wan'er. If I'm not mistaken, her goal is to sow discord, create misunderstandings between us, and drive us further apart!'
Mother He frowned slightly, not quite understanding Chen Lishu's words, and asked, 'What do you mean? I don't understand what you're saying!'
'The dish this morning was indeed too salty,' Chen Lishu said, then pushed open the door and walked quickly toward the kitchen. Xiao Liu had just picked up the unfinished dish to throw it away. Chen Lishu stepped forward and snatched the plate from her.
Xiao Liu, with an empty hand, was stunned for a moment, then turned her head fearfully towards Chen Lishu and asked, 'Miss, why did you come out? I heard you say the dish wasn't very good, so I was going to throw it away and cook a fresh one for you at noon!'
'Don't be nervous, I don't mean anything else. How about you try this dish?' Chen Lishu said as she handed the plate to Xiao Liu.
Xiao Liu glanced at the dish, which looked presentable, then picked up a piece and put it in her mouth, chewing it lightly.
'Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!' Soon, Xiao Liu spat out everything in her mouth. She impatiently grabbed the kettle beside her and rinsed her mouth with water.
Seeing this, Mother He, unwilling to believe it, picked up a piece of the dish and put it in her mouth. She tasted it carefully, and it wasn't as bad as they said.
'Could it be that my taste buds have been ruined by Zhang Wan'er, and now I can't even taste the food properly?' The thought of this possibility made Mother He's face suddenly turn grim.
Chen Lishu couldn't help but chuckle, covering her mouth. 'Godmother, it's not as complicated as you think! It's just that you're getting older, and your taste buds have become heavier, so this amount of salt means nothing to you.'
Hearing Chen Lishu's words, Mother He felt they made sense. They weren't biological mother and daughter, and Zhang Wan'er thought these small misunderstandings would be hard to clear up between them. Little did she know that Chen Lishu and Mother He, though not related by blood, were closer than any mother and daughter, with nothing they couldn't discuss.
'I didn't expect Zhang Wan'er to be so resourceful. I almost fell for her scheme!' Mother He suppressed her anger and picked up her phone to call the security guards outside.
As soon as the call was connected, Mother He sternly ordered, 'Anyone who enters the courtyard must report to me. If you let them in without my permission, you are derelict in your duty!'
Upon hearing this, the security guards became instantly nervous. So, when Zhang Wan'er appeared the next day, they united to block her, not daring to let her set foot inside.
----
Qin Yue received Zhang Wan'er's call and quickly abandoned her beauty treatments to rush to the entrance. 'We were getting along fine yesterday, weren't we? Why are they suddenly not letting you in? Could it be that the He family has seen through your little tricks? Will our plan be completed? Why did you have to add unnecessary drama for yourself? Now, if Mr. Meng finds out about what you've done, who knows how he'll treat you!'
'Do you think I'm like you, living like a dog? What I do is my own business, and that Meng fellow has no right to control me! Take these medicines in for me first and make sure that old immortal drinks them. Cooperate with me properly; if I fail my mission, you won't have a good outcome either! If I whisper in Meng Lei's ear that you sabotaged our operation, do you think you'll be able to stay in the courtyard unscathed?'
Hearing Zhang Wan'er's threat, Qin Yue's face flushed and turned pale. She clenched her fists in anger, but had no grounds to retort. Zhang Wan'er currently had far greater value than she did. She had no doubt that if Meng Lei had to choose between them, he would unhesitatingly choose Zhang Wan'er. For her own future, Qin Yue could only swallow her pride, accept the Chinese medicine from Zhang Wan'er, and say with a hypocritical smile, 'It's just delivering some Chinese medicine for you. Don't worry, I'll handle this perfectly!'
With that, Qin Yue left with a smile. Zhang Wan'er watched her retreating back with a look of disdain.
Upon returning to the courtyard, Qin Yue placed the medicine in front of Mother He, feigning a docile demeanor. 'Auntie, this is the Chinese medicine Zhang Wan'er brewed for you. Drink it while it's hot, or it'll be bitter when it gets cold.'
'It's really thoughtful of her. Since you're living in the courtyard, you should understand the concept of shared prosperity and shared downfall. I'm willing to take you in out of respect for Meng Lei; it's just a matter of providing one extra place at the table. Don't get too close to people with ill intentions, or you might be used as a pawn without even realizing it! We're not related, and if anything happens to you, I won't forgive you easily!' Mother He's eyes were fixed on Qin Yue as she spoke, trying to detect any unusual expression on her face.
Qin Yue rolled her eyes at Mother He's words. It was precisely because of Meng Lei that she could live in the courtyard, so she had to cooperate with Meng Lei's plans to ensure she always had a place to live! She might even be able to leverage her knowledge of Meng Lei's secrets to benefit when he prospered, securing a position for herself in the capital. As the saying goes, fortune favors the bold. Since she had nothing left to lose, perhaps a gamble could lead to a great reward!
With this thought, Qin Yue's lips curved upwards slightly, and she pretended to be at ease. 'I naturally understand that I can live in the courtyard out of respect for Madam He and Meng Lei. You took me in, saving me from imprisonment and hardship, so don't worry, I will never betray you! You should drink this medicine quickly, as your health is important. I don't think Zhang Wan'er would dare to tamper with your medicine so openly!'
Mother He found Qin Yue's words reasonable. Moreover, the medicine was prescribed by a doctor Chen Lishu had specifically hired for her treatment, so it would be a waste to discard it. She then tilted her head and drank the entire bowl of medicine."