Everyone went over the message again in their minds, line by line, as though searching for a crack in its meaning - the hidden flaw, the missing piece, the unspoken problem buried beneath Fang Liyun's words. And then it clicked!!!
Old Master Wang suddenly slapped his palm against the armrest, the sharp sound cutting through the silence. "When did we ever abandon Lingxuan?" His furious voice exploded through the room like a thunderclap.
In an instant, it all became clear. That was it - that one sentence, that one devastating misunderstanding. Wang Lingxuan's bride believed that the Wang family had abandoned Lingxuan.
And that was what made Fang Liyun's message so shocking. Because they never had. No matter what conflicts had arisen, no matter how much distance had grown between them, not once had they ever turned their backs on him. Yet somehow…
Lingxuan's bride had thought exactly of that, but why? The realisation struck the room like cold water, leaving everyone frozen where they sat and once again, silence swallowed the room whole.
It was Wang Yinjun (the fifth brother of Wang Shenghao) who broke the suffocating silence first. His brows drew tightly together, his expression dark with unease as the questions spilling from his mouth grew sharper with each word. "Why would Lingxuan's bride think that?" His voice was low, but it carried clearly through the silent room. "Who made her believe that our family had abandoned Lingxuan?" He paused, his gaze hardening. "Is someone deliberately poisoning her mind against the Wang family?"
The thought alone made the atmosphere grow heavier. "Or perhaps…" His tone lowered further, edged with concern. "What if… she isn't fully convinced by her sister-in-law's explanation? And… What if she's still wary of us?" The final question hung heavily in the air, unanswered. No one spoke… No one could… Each person fell into their own thoughts…
After a long stretch of silence, He Shuqin (the fourth daughter-in-law of the Wang family) finally spoke. Her voice was low, almost hesitant, as though weighing every word before letting it leave her lips. "Perhaps…" She paused, glancing at others before continuing. "She saw the false rumours… the ones circulating in the news and online." The moment those words fell, the atmosphere in the room shifted.
Old Madam Wang's face darkened instantly. The warmth in her expression vanished, replaced by a chilling severity. She straightened in her seat, her back rigid, the authority of the Wang family matriarch pressing down on everyone present like an invisible weight. "Wang Shenghao." Her voice was sharp and unquestionable. "Contact every media outlet immediately. Have them remove every false report and issue public clarification for every rumour… every single one." Her eyes turned cold, glinting with unmistakable urgency. "And make sure the truth reaches Lingxuan's bride before…"
The old man lifted his hand, silencing his wife before she could say another word. His sharp, commanding gaze swept slowly across everyone in the room, carrying a weight that made their breath catch. When he finally spoke, his voice was cold and absolute, leaving no room for argument. "No one is to issue any orders to clear those rumours." The words struck the room like ice, and the atmosphere instantly stiffened. Everyone looked at him in shock.
Old Master Wang's expression remained grim, his eyes heavy with a resolve that could not be shaken. "Let the outside world believe that we have abandoned Lingxuan." His tone was steady, but beneath it lay a ruthless determination. "For him, that is the safest choice." A deep silence followed before he continued, each word deliberate and heavy. "If the truth comes to light, those people may realise he is still under the Wang family's protection." His gaze darkened, the memory of blood and danger flashing in his eyes. "And if that happens…" He paused, his voice turning colder. "They may come for him again." His hand tightened against the armrest. "And that…" His gaze swept across the room once more, firm and immovable. "…is a risk I will never allow."
His voice eased slightly, the sharp edge softening, but the authority in it remained unshaken. "As for Lingxuan's bride," he said slowly, his tone measured, "I believe that Liyun has already managed to reassure her." A brief pause followed before he continued. "When she comes to visit, we will carefully observe her." His gaze swept across the room, calm yet penetrating. "If she still carries misunderstandings about the Wang family, then we will explain everything to her… clearly, truthfully, and without concealment.
The atmosphere remained heavy, no one daring to interrupt. Then Old Master Wang's eyes settled firmly on one person. "And most importantly…" His voice dropped, carrying a weight that made everyone straighten unconsciously. "When she arrives, every one of you will treat her with respect." His gaze sharpened, narrowing with unmistakable warning as it landed on Qin Yuxuan. "Especially you." The three words struck harder than any public reprimand. Qin Yuxuan's face stiffened, her fingers tightening in her lap, but under his cold, unwavering stare, she could only lower her head. No one else dared to speak. The warning had been given, and no one in that room was foolish enough to challenge it.
Qin Yuxuan's heart twisted violently, jealousy gnawing at her like a living thing. When she had first heard that Wang Lingxuan's bride had been replaced with a mentally challenged woman, she had secretly rejoiced. To her, it had felt like fate finally offering a sliver of balance - its cruel way of compensating for what her own son had lost. If Wang Lingxuan had survived while her son remained trapped between life and death, then at least his future should not be perfect. At least he should have to bear his own burden. That thought had soothed the bitterness in her heart. But now…
Watching Fang Liyun's undisguised affection for that woman, seeing the tenderness in her protection, and hearing Old Master Wang's unquestionable resolve to defend her place in the family… the darkness in Qin Yuxuan's heart only deepened. The bitterness resurfaced, it grew heavier, sharper, coiling tighter around her chest like a venomous serpent. Why does Lingxuan's bride deserve such care? The thought burned through her mind like poison. Why should Lingxuan be allowed happiness…? Her fingers clenched tightly in her lap, her nails digging into her palms. …when my son can only lie there, unmoving, on a bed?
A dangerous plan quietly took root in Qin Yuxuan's mind. It began as a flicker - dark, sharp, and deliberate, but with every passing second, it hardened into resolve. She would find Lingxuan's bride alone, and when that moment comes, she would make her go far away from Wang Lingxuan and the Wang family. Whether through fear, pressure, or ruthless words, Qin Yuxuan would do whatever it took to force the woman to leave Wang Lingxuan alone in despair.
She had already made up her mind. If her own son was condemned to a life of endless silence and stillness, then she would never allow Wang Lingxuan to enjoy the peace of a happy marriage. Never… The bitterness in her heart has now become an obsession to destroy Lingxuan's happiness.
What Qin Yuxuan did not know, however, was that this sinister plan to meet Wu Qingyi alone to make her leave would not unfold the way she imagined. Not even close. Because of that seemingly simple encounter, meeting up with Wu Qingyi would quietly shift the course of everything.
At the Civil Affairs Bureau, the entire process went through with remarkable ease. There were no delays, no unnecessary formalities, and certainly no one foolish enough to complicate matters. After all, this was the marriage registration of the Wang family's eldest grandson. Who would dare to make things difficult? Before long, the final seal came down with a crisp sound, and the marriage certificates, still warm from the fresh ink, were placed into their hands. From that moment on, Wang Lingxuan and Wu Qingyi were husband and wife in the eyes of the law.
Looking at the red certificate in his hand, Wang Lingxuan's usually calm expression softened with rare satisfaction. A faint smile touched his lips as he lifted his gaze. "This calls for a celebration." His voice was light, carrying a warmth rarely heard. "I'll arrange dinner at one of the best restaurants in the city." Naturally, the celebration would include Fang Liyun, Aunt Qiao, Su Nian, and Wang Hao.
While the dinner arrangements were being discussed, Wu Qingyi remained composed, as though the marriage certificate in her hand had not stirred the slightest ripple in her heart. Calmly, she turned to Wang Hao and gave her instructions. "Move all of Lingxuan's belongings out of the apartment." Her tone was steady. Then she sent Hao a location pin along with the contact details of Lin Xi. "Contact her when you arrive," she said. "She'll be waiting at the entrance with the keys and access authorisation for you all to enter."
Just as instructed, Wang Hao wasted no time. He immediately notified the bodyguards on call to move the young master's belongings out of Greenwillow Estate and transport them to the new address. Without the slightest hesitation, he forwarded the location pin without checking where it was actually located and also shared the property agent's contact number.
There was no need for him to check on the new location, as by now, Wang Hao trusted Wu Qingyi completely. Even if there was any issue with the property, Shen Yiran would have let him know by now, as he could not ever see the master suffer. As there was nothing from Shen Yiran's side means the property was manageable to live in. So, the moment the location came through, he simply forwarded it to the bodyguards and moved on to the next task. But almost the instant the message was sent, his phone began to ring. The sudden vibration broke the flow of his movements. He glanced down at the screen. The name displayed there made his expression sharpen instantly: "Wang Jianfeng", the head of elite bodyguards.