Ch 70: After My Mother Returned to the Rich Family

The Liang family headed to the hospital, with the exception of Liang Cunjin.

Given his high public profile, it made sense for him not to go—a visit to the hospital would inevitably make headlines, and the last thing they needed was a media frenzy.

Besides, the butler had already assured them that Liang Qianling’s life wasn’t in danger, so he figured he might as well stay home and wait for updates.

As for the Ruan family, they had no deep emotional attachment to Liang Qianling, but since it was a family matter, not going would seem out of place.

And when Ruan Cha was the first to say she wanted to go, Ruan Zhengfei and Wei Jiaojiao took one look at each other and sighed—fine, they’d go along too.

At the hospital, Song Mengyu’s eyes were red from crying, and she clung to Grandpa Liang, her face pale as she choked out,

“Grandpa, my mom fell from the second floor at home—there was blood everywhere.”

Hearing this, Ruan Cha gripped Wei Jiaojiao’s arm tightly, lips pressed together.

A chill ran down her spine.

She felt incredibly relieved that when she had first seen the jade bracelet, she had listened to her gut instinct—

If she hadn’t been cautious, the one falling down the stairs and lying in the hospital right now might have been her own mother.

The Song family had also arrived, and though they wanted to stop Song Mengyu from speaking, it was too late.

She had already spilled everything like a tipped-over bowl of beans—

So much for Song Yun’s reputation as a devoted husband.

Not only had he been keeping a mistress, but he also had a two-year-old son with her.

That very morning, Liang Qianling had caught him on the phone with the woman, and in the midst of their argument and struggle, she had fallen down the stairs.

Her current condition was uncertain.

After piecing together the full story, Ruan Cha quickly understood the negative effect the jade bracelet carried.

It seemed to target marital relationships.

In the original story, her parents’ shop was targeted—but this time, their business was untouched.

Perhaps Liang Qianling simply didn’t know if the Ruan family had any other stores aside from the Gold Peach Estate, so she had shifted her focus to her parents’ relationship instead?

Ruan Cha glanced at Grandpa Liang, who was currently discussing matters with the Song family patriarch, his expression grim and thunderous.

She reached over and tugged at Wei Jiaojiao’s sleeve, lowering her voice.

“Mom, let’s go home. She’s still in surgery anyway—we won’t even get to see her.”

Wei Jiaojiao looked puzzled.

“You came just to see her in person?”

Why would her daughter waste time coming all the way here for that woman?

Ruan Cha nodded lightly.

To be honest, she had been curious—

Now that Liang Qianling had fallen, did she regret it?

Did she finally understand that those who commit too many wrongs bring ruin upon themselves?

But after arriving at the hospital, Ruan Cha realized she had overthought it.

Even if Liang Qianling recognized her mistakes, so what?

Some things, once done, don’t deserve forgiveness.

Wei Jiaojiao and Ruan Zhengfei exchanged a knowing glance.

They had no clue what Ruan Cha was thinking, but they both had the same thought—

Their daughter had grown up.

She was no longer the straightforward child who could be easily tricked.

After discussing it, Wei Jiaojiao stepped forward to tell Grandpa Liang that the three of them would be heading home first.

After all, they wouldn’t be much help here anyway.

Song Mengyu’s expression changed immediately.

“You’re leaving before my mom is even out of surgery? Were you just here to gloat?!”

If the Liang family openly disregarded her mother like this, how would she ever regain her former status in the Song family?

“Mengyu!”

Grandpa Liang’s face darkened.

Originally, he had planned to let Mengyu stay at the Liang house while her mother was hospitalized, but now—

If she actually moved in, the house would probably be in complete chaos.

He cut off Song Mengyu’s words, then turned to Wei Jiaojiao, his expression gentler.

“I appreciate you coming, Jiaojiao. It means a lot.”

“You, Zhengfei, and Cha Cha should head back with Tang Hua. I’ll have your big brother call you if anything comes up.”

Tang Hua let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this and secretly twisted Liang Zongqi’s arm hard. Ignoring his look of protest, she immediately turned to follow the Ruan family out of the hospital.

On the way back, she turned to Wei Jiaojiao and sincerely said, “Thanks, third sister. If you hadn’t spoken up, I wouldn’t have been able to leave. Your big brother refused to let me go when I said I didn’t want to stay, but I really don’t like being in hospitals. And with Liang Qianling’s personality, even if she wakes up, she won’t have anything nice to say to me.”

Wei Jiaojiao smiled indifferently, “Big brother probably just wants the family to stick together. But I’m straightforward—I don’t like pretending, and staying there would just make me feel stifled, so I figured I’d just say it outright.”

She could clearly tell that Liang Qianling had never liked her from the very first time they met, and that feeling never changed. Since the other party had no intention of treating her as a sister, she wasn’t about to force a relationship either.

Tang Hua glanced at Ruan Zhengfei, who was sitting in the passenger seat and still made a point to nod along in agreement even while listening to their conversation. She smiled knowingly—there was no doubt that her third sister’s personality had been shaped by her husband.

After marrying into the Liang family, Tang Hua had spent years navigating social events and dealing with high-society guests, gradually molding herself into a perfectly gracious and gentle woman. Over time, she almost believed she had always been this way—but the truth was, if she had really been that soft back in her youth, she never would have been able to handle Liang Zongqi.

The only time she still felt like her true self was when she sat at the piano.

Sitting between the two women, Ruan Cha stared out the window at the shrinking view of the hospital, then turned to her mother and asked curiously,

“Mom, are we sure the babies who got switched at birth were really you and Fu Chen’s mom? Could it be that Second Aunt was the one who was switched?”

Even after removing the pendant, Liang Qianling was still scheming against her mother—just how much hatred did she have in her heart? It wasn’t like their family had taken anything from her!

Before Wei Jiaojiao could answer, Tang Hua chuckled, reached over, and pinched Ruan Cha’s cheek.

“Your Second Aunt is three years older than both your mom and Fu Chen’s mom. How could she have been switched?”

Honestly, Ruan Cha’s confusion wasn’t unique—

Back when rumors first spread that there had been a baby swap, but before the birth years were confirmed, many people had wondered the same thing.

At the time, Liang Qianling had been absolutely terrified, clinging to the family every day to remind them of her existence.

But once the birth years were checked, the truth became obvious.

Thinking of Liang Yue, Tang Hua couldn’t help but feel a little regretful. That younger sister-in-law had been so much easier to get along with than Liang Qianling.

When the four of them arrived home, Ruan Cha froze in surprise upon seeing who was sitting in the living room.

Then, with brightened eyes, she rushed forward excitedly.

“Grandpa Shen! Didn’t you say you’d be back in a week?”

It had only been one night since they last spoke on WeChat!

Liang Cunjin, who had stayed home to host Grandpa Shen, turned to Ruan Cha with a puzzled look.

Why was Grandpa Shen here for her?

What kind of business could they possibly have together?

Grandpa Shen lifted his teacup lid, his expression kind and warm as he gazed at Ruan Cha.

“I finished my work earlier than expected, and I was a bit worried about what you asked me last night, so I came straight over.”

He trusted the method he had given her, but his heart was still uneasy.

If there really was something unclean attached to those objects, he couldn’t let it harm Ruan Cha.

As soon as he finished the major tasks in Beijing, he didn’t even bother wrapping things up—he just caught the next flight straight back to Nanshi.

Setting down his cup, Grandpa Shen smiled gently at Ruan Cha.

“Cha Cha, bring those things down. I’ll take a look for you—once we confirm everything, we can all be at ease.”

“Got it!”

Ruan Cha agreed without hesitation, too eager to even explain things to her family before dashing upstairs to get the items.

After all, even though Liang Qianling’s accident had already proven something was wrong with the jade bracelet, she still wanted Grandpa Shen to inspect it personally—

Who knew if it carried additional hidden dangers?

Watching her sprint off, Liang Cunjin became nervous and called after her,

“Cha Cha, slow down! Be careful not to fall!”

“I won’t fall!”

When Ruan Cha returned, she had the housekeeper carry the two boxes down with her.

As soon as the lids were opened, Wei Jiaojiao blinked in surprise.

“Cha Cha… aren’t those the jade bracelets and porcelain vase your Second Aunt brought over last night?”

Ruan Cha had no intention of hiding anything and simply explained everything outright.

“When I saw them yesterday, I felt a tightness in my chest and extreme discomfort. So after going upstairs, I messaged Grandpa Shen—he told me these items were probably carrying something unclean.”

“Your chest felt tight again?”

Wei Jiaojiao’s face tensed immediately.

“Ah, Cha Cha—your dad is taking you for a check-up right now. Didn’t you feel this way before when you looked at the garden?”

Hearing the words “the garden,” Grandpa Shen’s brows furrowed slightly.

Then, his gaze shifted toward the jade bracelets lying in the box.

Liang Cunjin had been away from home earlier and wasn’t fully aware of the situation. “What happened to the garden? Cha Cha, do you often feel discomfort in your chest?” His concerns were broader—if there was something wrong with Ruan Cha’s heart, he was already considering whether to take her for a full medical check-up.

Ruan Cha replied, “It’s just… when I looked at the garden, I used to feel a tightness in my chest. But normally, I’m fine. After Mom and Dad built the greenhouse there, I haven’t felt uncomfortable since.”

Hearing this, Liang Cunjin instinctively turned to Tang Hua. “I remember it was Second Aunt who had the garden’s layout changed back then?”

Cha Cha felt uneasy looking at the garden, but once the layout was altered, her discomfort vanished?

Having spent time in the entertainment industry, Liang Cunjin had heard stories about people keeping certain objects for fame, health, or fortune. Now, with Grandpa Shen present, his thoughts quickly jumped from medical concerns to something more mystical.

Back then, when Liang Qianling suddenly had people redesign the garden, Tang Hua had already found it odd. Now, the unease in her heart was growing, sending chills down her spine. “Cunjin, shut up for a moment and let Grandpa Shen speak.”

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Grandpa Shen calmly wiped his hands with a handkerchief. Then, as if out of habit, he brushed his fingers over the scar near his eye. “The porcelain vase is fine, but the jade bracelet isn’t clean.”

The moment Grandpa Shen finished speaking, everyone—without discussion, without hesitation—took a step back.

Grandpa Shen: “……”

Could you at least pretend to be calm?

Ruan Cha, who had been dragged backward by her parents from both sides, felt embarrassed by their reaction. She hesitated for a second, then moved forward again and asked with a guilty smile, “Grandpa Shen, could you explain in more detail?”

Grandpa Shen saw that among all the adults present, only a high school student had the courage to step forward. He almost wanted to laugh but held it in. Reaching out, he closed the lid of the jade bracelet’s box.

“This came from a deceased person, someone who died with deep resentment. The carvings on the bracelet are also inauspicious—anyone wearing it would face discord in their marriage, leading to a relationship breakdown.”

Ruan Cha: “!!!”

No wonder Liang Qianling suddenly found out about Song Yun’s mistress and illegitimate child!

It wasn’t coincidence—she had been hit with the very same backlash she tried to inflict on others!

As for her fall down the stairs, it was probably just an accident during the argument, with no direct link to the bracelet itself.

Compared to Ruan Cha’s quiet processing of the information, Wei Jiaojiao was furious.

“Grandpa Shen, did you just say—relationship discord? Infidelity?!”

Before Grandpa Shen could even nod, Wei Jiaojiao had already turned, fuming, to complain to Ruan Zhengfei.

“Feifei! Second Sister is out to ruin us! She gave Cha Cha and me each a bracelet—what was she trying to do?! Make our family fall apart?!”

Tang Hua and Liang Cunjin’s expressions instantly darkened.

They had already suspected the jade bracelet had something sinister about it, but they hadn’t imagined it would be this bad.

Now, hearing Grandpa Shen’s confirmation, they felt a deep chill—

Could a blood-related family member really harbor this much hatred?

Tang Hua’s thoughts ran deeper than Liang Cunjin’s. She turned to look at the transformed garden, which now housed a bright and well-lit greenhouse and flower beds.

She couldn’t help but wonder—what was Liang Qianling’s real motive for altering the garden’s layout back then?

At that time, Wei Jiaojiao’s family hadn’t even returned to the Liang household yet.

“Jiaojiao, don’t be angry,” Ruan Zhengfei comforted her quickly. “We didn’t wear them, did we?”

Even though he was seething with anger, he couldn’t just storm into the hospital and beat someone up.

All he could do was reassure his wife while whispering in a low, scheming tone, “Don’t worry, we won’t let her get away with this. She’s in Song’s house, right? We’ll find a way to make her life difficult!”

Hearing this, Wei Jiaojiao huffed angrily but didn’t argue. Instead, she crossed her arms and grumbled, “What a black-hearted wretch. No wonder she got hit with karma so quickly—serves her right!”

Ruan Zhengfei immediately echoed her, “Serves her right!”

After dealing with the jade bracelet, Grandpa Shen pointed towards the garden and smiled at Ruan Cha, “Cha Cha, take Grandpa to see the garden. Let’s find out what used to make you feel uneasy.”

Ruan Cha nodded and carefully supported Grandpa Shen as they headed towards the garden. The others exchanged glances before following behind them—because honestly, they were feeling just as unsettled!

That afternoon, Liang Zongqi had gone to the company, and when Grandpa Liang returned home alone, he was momentarily stunned upon seeing everyone gathered in the living room, with a table full of ominous-looking objects. Leaning on his cane, he stepped forward and asked, “Master Shen, did you bring these?”

Grandpa Shen’s face was serious, the scar on his face making him look even more intimidating. “Mr. Liang, I didn’t bring anything. These are all from your home.”

He pointed to the jade bracelet and the scattered talisman bags on the table. Meeting Grandpa Liang’s gaze directly, Grandpa Shen repeated everything he had just explained to Ruan Cha and the others.

Afraid that Grandpa Liang would be too overwhelmed, Tang Hua quickly helped him sit down on the couch. Her usual gentle demeanor was nowhere to be seen—her expression was cold and severe.

The mere thought that their family might have fallen into disaster because of a sinister formation in the garden made Tang Hua want to storm into the hospital and slap Liang Qianling across the face.

A decent human being would hesitate before harming a stranger, yet Liang Qianling had done this to her own family, her own blood. How cruel could she be?!

With every word Grandpa Shen spoke, Grandpa Liang’s face darkened further. His grip on his cane tightened, and by the time Grandpa Shen finished explaining the jade bracelet and the garden’s setup, his entire body was shaking with rage.

“Unfilial wretch! Unfilial wretch!!!”

He slammed his cane against the ground, his other hand clutching his chest, his vision going dark from anger.

To think that at the hospital, he had furiously scolded Song Yun, determined to support his daughter if she went through a divorce—what a joke!

“She wore a pendant that amplified her resentment, and that was all it took for her to turn on her own family? Don’t tell me she wasn’t already full of hatred to begin with!”

The mention of the pendant reminded Grandpa Liang of something. When he and Grandpa Shen had been treating Liang Qianling, they had subtly hinted at Song Yun’s emotional manipulation tactics.

But what had Liang Qianling done?

In one ear, out the other.

Her only concern was whether Liang Zhenfei’s inheritance would end up in Wei Jiaojiao and Ruan Cha’s hands!

She might have stopped caring about Song Yun, but she cared even more about Liang family’s wealth.

In her eyes, Wei Jiaojiao’s family should never have received more than she did!

Hearing about the jade bracelet, Wei Jiaojiao seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire. “Dad, I remember when our family first moved back, your health wasn’t great. What if the garden played a major role in that?”

Her words immediately snapped Grandpa Liang back to reality.

His health had indeed been poor at the time. He had been coughing constantly and struggling to sleep at night.

It wasn’t until Wei Jiaojiao and Ruan Zhenfei came home that his condition improved.

Back then, he had simply assumed it was because he was in a better mood.

But now, thinking back—it was because Jiaojiao and Zhenfei had torn down the garden and built a greenhouse!

Tang Hua, deep in thought, added, “Dad, do you remember? Less than a month after we changed the garden, the company lost two major contracts. Zongqi asked around and found out that the deals had been snatched by the Song family. When Zongqi came back that day, he was nearly hit by a drunk driver.”

If Song Yun managed to intercept those business deals, was the garden involved?

And as for Zongqi’s near accident—was that also tied to the garden’s influence?

If Liang Qianling had simply used family resources to help her husband, they might have been reluctantly forgiving.

But if she had endangered her own family’s lives—

That was a crime no one could forgive.

Tang Hua even felt a bit relieved that ever since Liang Qianling got married, she had never brought anything home again. Otherwise, she would have wanted to throw everything out.

As her family speculated one after another, Ruan Cha sat quietly beside Grandpa Shen, keeping her achievements hidden.

In truth, when Liang Qianling first brought over the jade bracelets, she could have immediately told Grandpa and Mom that her chest felt uncomfortable.

However, at that time, she had no evidence, and she couldn’t prove whether Liang Qianling had brought the bracelets intentionally or unknowingly.

If she had made a big deal out of it then, Liang Qianling could have easily played the victim, claiming she had no idea and had been deceived!

But now, the situation was completely different.

First of all, the jade bracelets were confirmed to be unclean—even if people believed she didn’t know about it, what about the garden?

Why would she suddenly arrange the garden for no reason?

One or two suspicious things could be excused, but both the bracelets and the garden being problematic?

Who would still believe she was innocent?

Ruan Cha was extremely grateful that Grandpa Shen arrived in time. As the saying goes, “Strike while the iron is hot.”

With Liang Qianling lying in the hospital, all the evidence was laid out before them—she had no chance to destroy it or come up with excuses.

If Grandpa Shen had actually come a week later, who knew what kind of changes might have occurred in between?

Grandpa Liang took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down instead of rushing to the hospital to beat his unfilial daughter with his cane.

“I will immediately have someone investigate the origins of these jade bracelets. If I find out that Qianling really colluded with outsiders—then when she wakes up, I will personally and permanently remove her from the Liang family! We will—”

He paused midway, as if struggling internally, perhaps recalling the past.

Yet, he still finished his sentence, one word at a time.

“Cut. Off. All. Ties!”

Four strong and decisive words clearly declared Liang Qianling’s fate.

Grandpa Liang cast a deep look at the jade bracelets on the table, then closed his eyes in exhaustion.

Although he said he would have someone investigate the bracelets, deep down, he had already accepted Grandpa Shen’s judgment.

After all, Grandpa Shen was the only one who had noticed something wrong with Liang Qianling’s pendant before, and his reputation in the mystic arts circle was unquestionable.

Since Qianling no longer cared for the Liang family, the Liang family would no longer care for her either.

Let her struggle alone in the Song family!

After finishing, Grandpa Liang waved his hand, signaling the butler to call the family lawyer, before heading upstairs to cool down.

No one else followed him.

No matter how disappointed he was, she was still his daughter.

Even if he was furious, there would still be some pain in his heart.

For now, it was best to leave him alone.

Two days later, three explosive rumors spread through high society.

First, the “model husband” Song Yun, who had built a reputation for being devoted to his wife, was exposed for keeping a mistress—and even having a two-year-old illegitimate son.

Second, in a heated argument with Song Yun, Liang Qianling had fallen down the stairs and was now permanently paralyzed.

These first two stories were already shocking enough.

Liang Qianling had always boasted about her husband’s love, sneering at other wives for being neglected.

Yet in the end, she was the biggest joke of them all—not only had she been domestically abused, but she was also crippled because of it!

But the third revelation was even more shocking.

Just as Liang Qianling was causing a scene, demanding her family support her and force Song Yun into bankruptcy, the lawyer arrived at her hospital room—bringing news that the Liang family was officially severing ties with her!!!

For a moment, the entire social circle was buzzing with speculation.

Liang Qianling had always been dramatic, yet the Liang family had never cut her off before.

But now, after being betrayed by her husband and pushed down the stairs, why had the Liang family suddenly abandoned her?

And with the recent reunion with Wei Jiao, some conspiracy theorists began stirring rumors—claiming that Wei Jiao and Liang Qianling had been fighting behind the scenes, and Wei Jiao had ultimately driven Liang Qianling out!

Grandpa Liang originally intended to keep family matters private, but as the gossip spiraled out of control, he couldn’t hold back any longer.

His family already owed Wei Jiao too much—he absolutely wouldn’t let her take the blame for this!

For several days, the scandal dominated social circles, with Liang Qianling herself fueling the rumors behind the scenes, hoping that public pressure would force the Liang family to reconsider severing ties.

Liang Qianling had already regained consciousness.

She knew she couldn’t rely on the Song family, and Song Yun, that cheating bastard, was even more unreliable.

If she wanted to live a dignified life in the future, her only hope was to return to the Liang family.

As long as she moved back in, she had a thousand ways to push Wei Jiao out!

But Liang Qianling’s plans completely fell apart.

Although the Liang family didn’t publicly reveal the shady tampering she had done to their garden, several highly respected elders in the elite circle had heard about it.

The moment they returned home, they immediately warned their own families—telling their children to stay far away from Liang Qianling and not be blindsided by her schemes!

With their elders already issuing warnings, even if the younger generation didn’t understand the full details, they knew one thing for sure—

Liang Qianling must have done something that angered and harmed the Liang family.

Her severed ties had nothing to do with Wei Jiao—it was entirely because she had betrayed the Liang family for the Song family!

Who even does that?!

And it wasn’t just the garden.

Evidence surfaced that Liang Qianling had been sabotaging the Liang family business—helping the Song family from within.

At first, Grandpa Liang had been willing to forgive her, believing she had been emotionally manipulated.

But after waking up, instead of repenting, Liang Qianling spread rumors blaming Wei Jiao—proving that she was utterly unrepentant!

That same day, Grandpa Liang personally went to the hospital.

Ignoring the fact that Liang Qianling had not yet been discharged, he delivered the severance notice in person.

By the time he left, Liang Qianling lay pale-faced in her hospital bed, staring at the endless stream of mocking messages from high-society acquaintances.

She stared blankly at the ceiling, completely dazed.

After a long silence, she suddenly went into a frenzy, pounding her numb, lifeless legs against the bed, screaming hysterically—

“AHHHH! SONG YUN! YOU’LL NEVER GET RID OF ME!”

She had no way back to the Liang family.

The Song family was her only option.

The very man who ruined half her life—would now have to atone for it for the rest of his!

Outside the hospital room, Song Mengyu peeked in through the gap in the door.

Watching her mother’s breakdown, she bit her lip and remained silent.

Mom was unreliable now.

What leverage did she have left to fight against the mistress and the illegitimate child?

It was all Mom’s fault.

She couldn’t even keep Dad under control!

——

While Liang Qianling was having a meltdown in the hospital, the Liang family was cutting ties with the Song family in business as well.

It was a clear declaration to the industry—the Liang and Song families were now enemies.

Meanwhile, back at the Liang family estate, Grandpa Shen held a compass, guiding the family as they redesigned the garden layout.

At the banquet, he hadn’t paid close attention—nothing had seemed off at the time.

But now that they had confirmed the presence of something unclean, he was determined to create a protective feng shui arrangement for the Liang family.

Ruan Cha had been observing for a while, and she could tell Grandpa Shen was incredibly skilled.

Thinking of Yu Zheng, she stepped closer and whispered—

“Grandpa Shen, actually… I overheard something at the hospital. The jade bracelets that Second Aunt brought—they might be connected to Yu Zheng.”

She couldn’t openly tell her family about Yu Zheng’s role in the book’s plot, but she could frame him for something anyway.

Who cares whether he actually gave the jade bracelets or not?

Upon hearing this, Grandpa Shen’s expression darkened, deep wrinkles forming between his brows.

“Alright, I’ll have my people dig deeper into Yu Zheng.”

Last time, it had already been incredibly difficult to investigate him.

They had even uncovered the existence of Yu Zheng’s son—but his own whereabouts remained a mystery.

The only surveillance footage they had of him was from the parent-teacher conference at Second High School.

Hearing Grandpa Shen’s firm promise, Ruan Cha’s heart felt inexplicably warm.

She sincerely expressed her gratitude—

“Thank you, Grandpa Shen.”

They weren’t related by blood, and yet he had always believed in her.

It was truly rare and precious.

Grandpa Shen patted her head, a gentle smile on his face.

“No need to thank me. If anything else happens, just tell Grandpa, alright?”

If both of Liang Qianling’s incidents were connected to Yu Zheng, then he was most likely targeting the entire Liang family.

Since his old friend was no longer around, it was now his duty to protect the Liang family.

Ruan Cha felt completely reassured and nodded firmly.

“Mm!”