“I’m so itchy… so itchy…”
Qin Tongtong scratched her arms frantically, red rashes spreading across her skin.
Not just her body—her eyes were itchy too.
She clawed at her arms while rubbing her eyes, tears streaming, sneezing violently, with snot and saliva dripping all over herself.
She screamed for help.
“Third brother! Save me! It hurts… it itches… sob sob sob… Third brother… ah-choo! Ah-choo!”
The self-proclaimed young lady of the family had completely lost her composure.
The disdainful glances from the servants only made her feel worse.
Scum… all scum!
“Tongtong, don’t be afraid. I’ll take you to the hospital…”
“I don’t want to go!”
She refused to stay at the Qin residence even for a moment—she would never leave willingly.
Seeing this, Qin Yunchuan said coldly, “Call a doctor here.”
“Big brother, Gu Xu just left. Call him again; ask him to come back,” Qin Zichuan reminded him. They shouldn’t have let Gu Xu leave.
Gu Xu was highly skilled; he could definitely handle Tongtong’s symptoms. Qin Yunchuan said, “Gu Xu is busy. He doesn’t have time.”
“But just now he—”
“Just now was just now. Now is now.” Qin Yunchuan refused outright. Qin Zichuan understood—his big brother was deliberately being cold.
Qin Zichuan’s mind spun. Tongtong’s condition was bad. He ordered the butler to contact a doctor immediately. Only after Qin Yunchuan’s permission did the butler make the call.
Watching this, Qin Zichuan’s anger grew.
Mianmian observed Tongtong’s symptoms and tugged at Qin Yunchuan’s sleeve, whispering, “Big brother, did you do this?”
“She tried to hurt you; she must face the consequences.”
Mianmian understood immediately.
She stared at Qin Tongtong—truly malicious. If not for the little tabby’s warning, she’d be the one in trouble.
How could someone be so bad?
“Tongtong, stop scratching your arms, or you’ll leave scars.”
“Third brother… I can’t help it… sob sob… someone must be trying to hurt me!”
The one who should have been unlucky was Mianmian, the little brat—but why was it Tongtong?
Qin Tongtong couldn’t make sense of it.
Qin Zichuan instructed the servants to hold Tongtong still while he wiped her eyes and arms with a wet towel.
But it had no effect. Tongtong was still in pain and itching. Qin Zichuan’s heart ached. “Where’s the doctor? Why aren’t they here yet?”
“The doctor has arrived, Third Young Master.”
The butler brought the doctor in. Qin Zichuan grabbed the doctor’s wrist, his brows tight with anger. “Hurry and treat her!”
The doctor examined Qin Tongtong. Qin Zichuan stood anxiously; Qin Yunchuan and Mianmian watched silently from the sofa.
“What’s wrong?”
The doctor replied, “The little girl has oleander poisoning. Her clothes were contaminated with the toxin, which caused this allergic reaction.”
“Poisoned? How could I be poisoned? What do we do? Should we go to the hospital?”
“It’s not severe. Not a big problem. Here’s the antidote: one bottle for oral use, one for topical application.” The doctor set down the medicines and left.
Qin Tongtong immediately grabbed the topical medicine and applied it to her arms. The cool sensation was soothing.
The burning itch and pain subsided greatly.
The medicine worked. Qin Zichuan quickly opened the oral bottle.
After drinking it, Qin Tongtong finally felt much better.
Qin Zichuan screwed the cap back on and frowned. “Tongtong, how did you get poisoned?”
“I… I don’t know!”
Tongtong’s heart raced. She had meant to poison Mianmian—how did it end up on her own clothes?
Could it be Mianmian framing her?
Her eyes shifted slightly. “Third brother, the doctor said my clothes were contaminated. I’ll change into another outfit.”
“Go ahead.”
Whatever happens, they could deal with it later.
Tongtong went to change. Qin Zichuan turned and saw two faces.
Since Tongtong’s symptoms began, they hadn’t shown any concern or care.
“Big brother, Tongtong is our sister too. Aren’t you going to care about her?”
“Who said I’m not caring? Right, Mianmian?” Qin Yunchuan stroked Mianmian’s head. She smiled sweetly: “Big brother is the best!”
“You… you…” Qin Zichuan clenched his teeth, anger boiling, and sat on the sofa.
A biased big brother would regret it sooner or later.
Tongtong rushed back with a new outfit, her eyes falling on Mianmian.
Qin Zichuan frowned. “Tongtong, this was meant as an apology gift for Mianmian. Why are you showing it?”
“Third brother, I intended it as a gift, but when I returned to my room, I saw it there. The outfit I was wearing happened to be in the same wardrobe. I never had a problem before, but today…”
Tongtong feigned innocence, subtly guiding Qin Zichuan to suspect Mianmian. Even if Mianmian discovered the truth, she had no proof.
Confident, Tongtong knew Qin Zichuan was simple-minded; a slight push, and he would blame Mianmian.
Qin Yunchuan’s face darkened.
Tongtong really could twist the truth.
Sure enough, Qin Zichuan’s face turned grim as he demanded, “Qin Mianmian, did you harm Tongtong?”
“Nope,” Mianmian replied honestly.
“Not you? Then who else? Tell me the truth!”
Mianmian stroked the little tabby’s ears and pouted. “I already said it wasn’t me. What else do you want me to say? Should I admit it even though it wasn’t me?”
Qin Yunchuan, who had been worried, secretly cheered for Mianmian.
Her little mouth was sometimes sweet, sometimes sharp as a knife.
Qin Zichuan clutched his chest.
“Not you… could it be Tongtong hurt herself?”
“More like reaping what she sowed. Qin Tongtong tried to harm me; she got her own punishment instead.”
Mianmian had no love for someone who tried to hurt her. She didn’t spare Tongtong with words.
“Big brother, look at Qin Mianmian! She’s so cruel!”
“The cruel one isn’t Mianmian, it’s your so-called good sister, Qin Tongtong! She sprinkled oleander powder on this outfit. If not for timely intervention, Mianmian would’ve suffered. And Tongtong… she tasted her own medicine. How does it feel?”
Qin Yunchuan’s sharp gaze made Tongtong shiver. He knew too.
Tongtong was terrified.
“So young, yet so malicious. Qin Tongtong, you’re unfit to be part of the Qin family.”
“No! It’s not me… I didn’t do this… Big brother, third brother, believe me!”
Tongtong couldn’t imagine the consequences. Qin Yunchuan didn’t believe her; she could only beg Qin Zichuan.
But Qin Zichuan, though angry, spoke calmly: “Evidence matters. Big brother, do you have proof?”
Tongtong smirked. They had no proof—the evidence was destroyed. As for that little cat… it couldn’t speak. Even seeing it firsthand, it couldn’t testify.