Shen Jingyan gritted her teeth and handed over the porcelain cup she had been holding all along.
"Auntie Mei, could you take a look at this milk and see if there's anything wrong with it?"
Mianmian pointed her chubby little finger at the porcelain cup.
"Grandma, this grandma is bad, bad."
Auntie Mei gently patted Mianmian's chubby cheek. "So this is Mianmian. She looks just like you when you were little."
Shen Jingyan smiled, gazing tenderly at the child in her arms.
Auntie Mei was someone from the old Shen household—the younger sister of her wet nurse.
When her wet nurse passed away, she had asked Shen Jingyan to deliver some things to Auntie Mei.
Apart from the old servants of the Shen family, no one knew of Auntie Mei's existence.
But Shen Jingyan knew that her wet nurse's family were descendants of imperial physicians. The moment she suspected something was wrong with the milk, her first instinct was to find Auntie Mei.
Only after they entered the house did Auntie Mei speak. "Wait for me a moment."
She went into her room and brought out a very small wooden box.
When she opened it, it was filled to the brim with tools.
Mianmian curiously craned her little head to look.
Auntie Mei took out a silver needle and dipped it into the milk.
When Shen Jingyan saw that the silver needle hadn't changed color, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Auntie Mei, does that mean it's fine?"
Auntie Mei shook her head. She then took out something like a dropper, drew up a bit of the liquid, and placed it in a small dish. From her medicine box, she retrieved a packet of powder.
Slowly, she poured it into the small dish.
Then, they watched as the milk gradually changed color.
Auntie Mei's expression turned far more serious.
"Where did you get this milk?"
Shen Jingyan's voice trembled slightly. "Auntie Mei, is there something wrong with this milk?"
Auntie Mei put her things away. "Sit down. Let me take your pulse."
Now Mianmian grew anxious too, her little hands clenched into fists, her face drawn tight.
Beneath the dim oil lamp.
Auntie Mei's expression was unusually grave. "Have you been feeling fatigued often, drowsy, and weak?"
Shen Jingyan's heart skipped a beat. "Yes."
She had assumed it was caused by the severe blood loss during childbirth.
She had never suspected a thing.
Auntie Mei withdrew her hand and looked at Shen Jingyan. "Jingyan, you've been poisoned."
Shen Jingyan's heart turned cold.
"Auntie Mei… is it the milk?"
Auntie Mei nodded. "There is something wrong with this milk, but I don't know whether the other things you consume on a daily basis are also contaminated."
Shen Jingyan suddenly realized something. "Auntie Mei, please check Mianmian too."
Mianmian was scooped up in her arms.
The plump little one had chubby little hands too.
Auntie Mei soothed her, patting her little fleshy hand. "Mianmian, don't be afraid."
She took Mianmian's pulse. "Mianmian is very healthy."
Shen Jingyan's trembling lips relaxed as she let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, thank goodness.
"Is there still a cure?"
Auntie Mei nodded. "This poison is a slow-acting one that weakens the body. Based on your condition, you've likely had it for several years. If this continues, eventually you'll probably be bedridden for the rest of your life."
"Jingyan, do you know who poisoned you?"
Shen Jingyan's heart felt as if it were being twisted with knives. Her whole body went limp, as if she might slide off the chair at any moment.
"Mommy, don't cry. Daddy is bad, bad. Mianmian is good, good."
Auntie Mei's pupils contracted. "Was it Song Changming who did this?"
Shen Jingyan closed her eyes in despair.
As if with the last breath of her life, she said, "It should be him."
In that household, who else could have silently slipped poison into her daily food and drink?
What was even more ridiculous was that she had thought he was being considerate, willing to give her malted milk every day. In this era, how many men would treat a woman like that!
Yes!
How many would treat their beloved like that!
The more moved she had been back then, the more pain and hatred Shen Jingyan felt now.
Auntie Mei sighed. "Your health will need proper care going forward. Remember to take the medicine I prescribed. You must never touch those filthy things again."
"How did you discover the problem?"
Shen Jingyan's eyes were heavy with grief. "It was Mianmian who reminded me. I never suspected him…"
Auntie Mei looked down at the chubby, adorable, and beautiful Mianmian, whose soft, plump cheeks were especially endearing.
"How did Mianmian discover it?"
The little one spoke in her milky voice, "I don't know, it just felt wrong."
Auntie Mei was taken aback, looking at Shen Jingyan.
"My grandfather and his peers once encountered people with extraordinary abilities. Some are born with an instinct to sense danger and avoid harm. I believe Mianmian is one of them. This is both a blessing and a curse."
Shen Jingyan's eyes were complicated as she held Mianmian close. "I only want her to live a safe and peaceful life."
Auntie Mei nodded.
"Then you must not tell anyone else."
Shen Jingyan, heartbroken, was deeply distressed.
But now she was even more worried about Mianmian.
Because she felt that Mianmian truly did seem different.
What if someone discovered Mianmian's ability? Would she be taken away by those with ill intentions?
What mother would ever be willing to put her child in danger?
She absolutely could not let anyone discover Mianmian's ability.
After collecting the medicine and noting the doctor's instructions,
Shen Jingyan carried Mianmian all the way home.
The little one had long since fallen into a deep sleep.
A trail of drool ran from the corner of her mouth.
She babbled in her sleep.
"Tasty… want to eat… Yan, save, Mama…"
Who knows what she was dreaming about.
By the time they returned home, dawn was approaching.
She opened the door and looked around. Song Changming wasn't home?
Just then, the sound of the door opening came from the entrance.
He walked in carrying breakfast in his hands.
His shirt was wrinkled.
"Changming."
Song Changming downstairs startled, trembling slightly. "Why are you up?"
Shen Jingyan looked at his guilty expression. "You came back from outside?"
Song Changming smiled. "No, I went out this morning to buy breakfast. Today the factory is sending us to the countryside for tractor plowing training. I'll need to stay in the village for a few days, so I have to get to the factory early."
"That's why I got up early to buy your favorites."
Shen Jingyan looked at the steamed buns and soy milk in his hands, a slight flicker in her eyes.
Now she couldn't tell whether this was false affection or genuine sincerity.
"Is that so? Then take care of yourself."
Song Changming nodded. "Mm, take good care of Mianmian. I'll come back as soon as I finish the work."
"I'll go change my clothes in the room first."
Shen Jingyan watched him enter the room, a sense of desolation washing over her.
Ever since she had given birth, they had slept in separate rooms. Song Changming said he was afraid of disturbing their rest.
After a moment, Shen Jingyan watched Song Changming come out of the room.
"Jingyan, I'm off now. I've already portioned out the malted milk you drink every day. It's in the kitchen drawer. Remember to drink it."
She watched him leave, then went downstairs to look at the breakfast and the malted milk in the drawer.
She threw them all into the Spatial Dimension.
And sat quietly downstairs, staring blankly into space.
Her heart was in utter turmoil, wondering why Song Changming would treat her this way.
She couldn't find an answer.
"Mommy."
Shen Jingyan snapped out of it and looked up at Mianmian on the stairs.
Coming back to her senses, she hurried upstairs.
"Mianmian, don't come down—what if you fall?"
The little one had just woken up, with a tuft of hair sticking up high.
She pointed innocently at the doorway.
"Mommy, did you go out?"
"No."
Mianmian pointed at the dirty marks by the door. "Dirty."
Shen Jingyan's eyes narrowed. "It's from Daddy going out to buy breakfast this morning…"
But the road to buy breakfast hadn't been rained on—there wouldn't be mud.
So Song Changming hadn't just gone to buy breakfast?
Mianmian watched Shen Jingyan space out.
She couldn't help but complain inwardly.
That scumbag dad must have gone to see the other woman—he bought her a new house behind their home!
He'd kept it hidden well.
Breakfast? That was probably just the leftovers that woman didn't want.
Hmph!
Mianmian was furious.
"Mommy, where is he?"
Shen Jingyan's voice was hoarse. "He went to the countryside to study tractors. He won't be back for a few days."
Mianmian was about to puff up with rage like a balloon. What countryside—scumbag dad went to the other woman's place!!
No, she absolutely couldn't let Mommy be deceived again!
"Mommy, Mianmian wants to see Daddy. Let's go find Daddy, okay?"
"Daddy got mad at Mianmian yesterday. Mianmian will bring him food, bring him milk. Daddy won't be mad anymore."
A thousand-mile delivery of poisoned milk—poison that shameless woman to death.
And while she was at it, expose scumbag dad's true face. Mommy, with Mianmian here, I'll definitely protect you!~
Listening to Mianmian's words, Shen Jingyan wanted to say that Daddy wasn't at the factory today.
But looking at those big, round, beautiful eyes full of expectation.
Her heart melted into a puddle. She pinched Mianmian's chubby cheeks.
"Mianmian wants to see Daddy? Let's go find Daddy, okay?"
After breakfast, she plopped the little chubby one onto the crossbar of her bicycle and pedaled toward the machinery factory.
Song Changming was a technician at the machinery factory—a coveted job in this era.
Though this too had been arranged with help from Shen Jingyan's father when he was still around.
At the factory gate, Shen Jingyan greeted the guard familiarly.
"Comrade Shen, what brings you here?"
Looking at the chubby baby in her arms, he couldn't resist reaching out to tease her.
"Mianmian, long time no see."
Mianmian smiled sweetly. "Hello, Grandpa. Mianmian came to find Daddy."
The guard looked at the little girl's smiling face and was instantly charmed into a broad grin.
"Hello, Mianmian. But your daddy isn't here right now. He won't be back until later—let me think, about two more hours."
Shen Jingyan was a bit dazed. She confirmed, "Uncle, didn't Changming go to the countryside for tractor training?"
"Yes, the factory arranged it. A new batch of tractors arrived from Red Star Tractor Factory, and the technicians need to go to the fields to see the actual results."
"But the training only takes about half a day. I reckon he'll be back in less than two hours. Comrade Shen, would you like to wait here?"
Shen Jingyan's chest felt tight and uncomfortable. Song Changming's words from this morning still echoed in her ears.
"I need to stay in the countryside for a few days. I won't be back for the next few days."
He'd said it so naturally. She really hadn't suspected a thing.
Shen Jingyan's arms holding Mianmian trembled slightly.
"Thank you, Uncle. I won't wait for him. Mianmian is a bit hungry. I'll head back first."
Mianmian shook her little head. "Grandpa, don't tell Daddy. Mianmian wants to surprise Daddy later…"
The gatekeeper uncle watched her gesture with her hands to show just how big the surprise would be, and his heart melted.
"Alright, Grandpa won't tell him."
Shen Jingyan carried Mianmian and pushed her bicycle away from the machinery factory gate, her mind in complete chaos.
Her breathing grew heavy, and her heart ached with a dense, suffocating pain.
She felt like there was nothing but the taste of blood in her throat.
Mianmian felt Shen Jingyan's trembling and silently cursed her scumbag father again in her heart.
She was just an ordinary baby, unable to use Crystal Stones to control Supernatural Abilities like other older brothers and sisters could. Otherwise, she would definitely make her scumbag father taste what it meant to walk through mountains of blades and seas of fire.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.
She had to make her mother discover the scumbag father's true face, make him lose both his money and his family. And "eating up the family inheritance"? He could go eat crap instead.
At that moment, far away in Dahe Village on the outskirts of the city.
A tractor that had been running fine suddenly lost control for no apparent reason and charged straight toward the crowd.
"Oh my god!"
Everyone's face turned white with fear. Song Changming darted behind the village chief in a single stride.
But unexpectedly, his foot twisted, and his whole body went crashing straight into the manure bucket behind him.
Right on target—a lump of yellow stuff squirted directly into his mouth with a splat.
"Ugh—"
Song Changming vomited on the spot.
Everyone was stunned.
"Oh heavens, Technician Song ate shit!"
The village chief hadn't expected such a sudden turn of events either. "Technician Song, are you alright? Ugh—"
"Let me take you to wash up. Ugh—"
Everyone: Ugh, so disgusting.
The few people who had come from the machinery factory instinctively covered their noses. They could never look at Technician Song straight in the eye again.
They quickly had him washed clean and sent him back first.
Meanwhile, Shen Jingyan pushed Mianmian along, her heart in turmoil.
The road wasn't long, but she took the wrong turn several times.
Just as they neared the entrance to their home, Mianmian suddenly shouted excitedly.
"Mommy, isn't that Daddy?"
Shen Jingyan turned and saw a figure flash past the alley entrance.
"Mianmian, are you sure that's Daddy?"
"Mommy, hurry, chase after him! It's Daddy, it's really Daddy!"
Shen Jingyan watched her flail her little arms and legs like a big carp that couldn't be held still, then slip right off the bicycle.
The little girl ran off on her short legs, pattering away, and vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Mianmian!"
Shen Jingyan nearly had her soul scared out of her. She hurriedly chased after her.
Only when she turned the corner did she realize Mianmian had already run so far ahead.
How could this little girl with such short legs run so fast?
"Mian—"
Before she could even finish calling out, she saw the little girl turn around, her round, bright black eyes brimming with tears.
"Mommy, Daddy—"
Following the direction of her finger, Shen Jingyan saw Song Changming holding Su Yueyue and kissing her cheek.
Su Yueyue was giggling happily in his arms, while Liu Xiaoshuang stood to the side in a dress, looking shy and coy.
The three of them walked toward the door like a family of three.
Shen Jingyan felt as if she'd been struck by lightning. She stood frozen in place, staring blankly at the gate of that household.
Her lips trembled, and her feet felt as if they were nailed to the ground.
Su Yueyue called Song Changming "Daddy."
The lie about the business trip.
The poison given to her.
One thing after another crashed down on her like ocean waves, nearly suffocating Shen Jingyan.
Her heart felt as if it were being sliced into a thousand pieces.
Unconsciously, she lifted her foot and walked toward that household.