Shangguan You’s mouth twisted into a sneer. "Auntie Li, I really didn’t know you sent money. I only received the money from Grandpa. I’m sorry, I’m really sorry." Shangguan You apologized, her eyes reddening, tears streaming down her cheeks, looking unspeakably pitiable.
"Mommy, did you hear that? She said it again! If this gets out, won’t people say that you, the stepmother, can’t tolerate your stepdaughter?" Shangguan Rou looked at Shangguan You with a smug expression.
SLAP! Li Wanying raised her hand and struck Shangguan Rou across the face.
Shangguan Rou clutched her face, looking at her mother in disbelief. Mommy loves the most! How could she hit for this fool? "Mommy, how could you hit ? Don’t you know I’m your biological daughter? How could you hit for that stupid woman, that slly woman, that damned woman, that wretched woman? How could you do this?" Shangguan Rou scread, tears streaming down her face.
"Rourou, Mommy didn’t an to, I really didn’t," Li Wanying said, looking at her own hand in disbelief. How could I have hit my own daughter? I would never do that.
"Mommy, if you really love Rourou, then you have to slap that filthy Shangguan You twice! Otherwise, you’re not my mommy! You’re not!" Shangguan Rou’s red eyes blazed at Li Wanying as she pointed an accusing finger at Shangguan You.
"Rourou, let Mommy see. Let Mommy see if it will leave a scar." Li Wanying reached for Shangguan Rou’s face, but Shangguan Rou dodged, looking sowhat hurt at her mother’s action.
"You slap her twice, or I’ll never acknowledge you again!"
"Alright, alright, Mommy will do it," Li Wanying said, her voice pained, as she raised her hand to strike Shangguan You.
"Auntie Li, I may be Daddy’s daughter, but you can’t hit the mont I get ho! I haven’t done anything wrong. How could you hit ? I’ve always thought of you as my real mother... SOB, SOB, SOB..." Tears stread down Shangguan You’s face like ropes, and she looked utterly forlorn.
"I may be the daughter of his first wife, but I’ve always seen you as my own mother. If Auntie Li says to hit , I’ll take it. But... but how can you curse at ? Call a stupid woman, a slly woman, a damned woman? Was all the kindness you showed before just an act for others to see? Did you never truly see as your daughter in your heart? Is that why you’re degrading like this? SOB, SOB, SOB..."
Shangguan You’s eyes filled with tears, her body trembling slightly as she looked at Li Wanying with such a pitiful expression. Li Wanying’s heart skipped a beat. Even though I resent her, I’ve always acted generously. I can’t hit her.
"Auntie Li, tell ," Shangguan You pleaded, "was everything you did just for show? In your heart, is there only room for my sister?" She lifted her gaze, a flicker of coldness in her eyes as she stared at Li Wanying’s hesitant hands.
"Mommy, if you don’t hit her and stand up for , I’ll never speak to you again!" Shangguan Rou rushed forward, her hand outstretched, aiming for Shangguan You’s face. At the sa instant, Li Wanying’s hand also moved uncontrollably towards Shangguan You.
"What do you think you’re doing?!" A furious roar erupted from the doorway. The tears in Shangguan You’s eyes seed to freeze for a mont. Gosh, that voice is so loud; it almost deafened ! She quickly lowered her head again, crying softly and carefully. The room instantly fell silent, save for Shangguan You’s quiet sobs and the sound of heavy breathing.
Hearing the furious shout, Li Wanying and Shangguan Rou both flinched. They stared in disbelief at their raised hands, poised only ten centiters from Shangguan You’s cheek.
Both won trembled. Shangguan Rou’s eyes reddened, her earlier brazen belligerence vanishing. She adopted a docile, well-behaved deanor, withdrawing her raised hand and stepping back several paces.
"As a stepmother, how can you be so vicious? The Li Family’s upbringing is truly sothing... truly sothing!" A resolute middle-aged man stepped forward, radiating an aura of righteousness and authority, his eyes blazing with fury. With a swift motion, he forcefully smacked down Li Wanying’s hand, which she had forgotten to retract.
"Youyou, you’ve been wronged." The middle-aged man observed Shangguan You, who looked like she wanted to cry but dared not, wanted to scream but dared not. Her grievances were plain to see. He wrapped his arms around Shangguan You’s subtly trembling body—a result of her forced composure—and gently stroked her hair with his large hand.
"SOB, SOB, SOB... Uncle, Youyou always treated Auntie Li like her own mother! But today I realized that in her heart, I’m nothing! I’m just a plaything for my sister, soone she can hit and scold whenever she wants! SOB, SOB, SOB..."
Feeling the warmth of the embrace, Shangguan You threw herself into Li Guanyu’s arms and cried her heart out.
"SOB, SOB, SOB... No one cherishes Youyou, no one loves , no one cares about Youyou, and no one rembers ! I hadn’t even ward the couch yet before being humiliated like this! Auntie Li has never treated like her daughter, and neither has my sister! SOB, SOB, SOB... I want to find Mommy! I want to find Grandpa!" Shangguan You’s body trembled gently, her voice weak yet filled with a piteous tone as she cried loudly in Li Guanyu’s arms. When she ntioned finding her mother and grandfather, Li Guanyu’s body tensed almost imperceptibly, but the slight movent still caused Shangguan You’s brow to furrow.
Li Wanying, startled, swayed and struggled to remain upright. Hearing Shangguan You’s accusations, seeing Li Guanyu’s face darken with rage, and noticing the wide, disbelieving eyes of the Old Master and Old Madam by the door, her heart pounded furiously. Why did I hit Shangguan You? Her mind raced, desperately seeking a way out. This can’t get out! It would ruin my reputation and the Li Family’s! I married into this family through questionable ans; if this spreads, how could I ever face the other high-society ladies?
"Youyou," Li Wanying began, her eyes flickering as tears welled up, "Auntie Li was just... possessed for a mont. That’s why I acted like that. I truly didn’t an it! Auntie Li has always loved you like her own daughter!" She lunged towards Shangguan You, intending to pull the small girl into an embrace. But the mont Li Wanying’s body made contact, Shangguan You recoiled in terror, trembling even more violently as her tear-filled eyes pleaded with Li Guanyu.
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