Even though Han Shi had been advised by Xiao Cao beforehand, she was still shocked when she saw Meng Xinlan. Fortunately, she managed to maintain her composure and didn’t lose face. However, she internally wondered whether even after recovering, Meng Xinlan might be left disfigured. The thought that the Meng family tried to hide the truth and potentially deceive her son made her feel a suppressed anger. Nevertheless, outwardly, she showed no sign of it and instead spoke gently to comfort Meng Xinlan.

Meng Xinlan let out a visible sigh of relief and was genuinely touched.

Xiao Cao quickly wrote down a few prescriptions and instructed the Meng family to get the medicines as soon as possible.

While waiting, Xiao Cao first used silver needles to help Meng Xinlan detoxify, which would expedite her recovery.

However, when everyone saw Meng Xinlan’s condition more closely, they couldn’t help but gasp in astonishment. Almost 60-70% of her body was in a dreadful state. Han Shi remarked pointedly, “It looks like she fell directly into a nest of venomous insects! Where has she been? And what have the servants been doing?”

“But Miss hasn’t gone anywhere lately,” protested one of the maids. “We clean the house thoroughly inside and out every day. The things Miss uses are handled with utmost care, and we haven’t seen any insects. Madam, we didn’t dare slack off.”

In truth, the servants were just as shocked upon hearing that Miss’s condition was caused by poisonous insects. Moreover, didn’t the last doctor say it was a rare illness? So who had made the wrong diagnosis? Deep down, they suspected it to be Wenren Xuan who had erred. After all, the idea of venomous insects didn’t make much sense.

And surely, if Miss had been bitten, she would have noticed something, right? The condition was so severe, after all.

“To neglect is to neglect,” Madam Meng chided harshly. “Stop making excuses.” Compared to a shameful disease, she would much rather believe that her daughter had been bitten by insects, however unlikely that seemed.

Han Shi chuckled, though there was no warmth in her eyes. She said, “Perhaps my Xuan’er diagnosed it wrong. She’s still young and lacks experience. Mistakes happen.”

“Nonsense!” Madam Meng hurriedly responded, eager to defend Wenren Ying. “Fourth Miss is prudent in her actions, far surpassing many who are older than her. Age has little to do with it.”

Meng Xinlan sat quietly. Only now did she realize she might have been too hasty in celebrating. The theory about venomous insect bites didn’t seem logical. Could it be that Wenren Xuan was deliberately trying to comfort her? Unconsciously, her eyes drifted toward Xiao Cao.

Xiao Cao, who had been focused entirely on her task from the start, pretending not to hear the surrounding conversations, noticed Meng Xinlan’s gaze. She smiled reassuringly, “Trust me.”

Somehow, Meng Xinlan felt at ease.

However, Han Shi was growing increasingly impatient. “Madam Meng,” she said, “if you’re hiding something, it’s best to speak openly. After all, your daughter will eventually marry into the Wenren family. You wouldn’t want me to harbor any lingering doubts, would you?”

Han Shi was behaving differently from how she usually was with her family. When Madam Meng first tried to prevent them from seeing Meng Xinlan, Han Shi had become more assertive. Clearly, her kindness and gentleness were reserved for her family only.

Madam Meng felt a bitter taste in her mouth. Judging from Han Shi’s attitude, it seemed crucial to clarify things. If they didn’t, not only could the engagement be annulled, but they wouldn’t be able to resolve the situation amicably afterward. Even the mere idea of a broken engagement could have some impact, but she would never allow any stain on her son’s reputation.

Madam Meng dismissed the servants, leaving only the two mothers and their children in the room.

Unsure how to begin, especially given the sensitive matters involving her daughter’s reputation, Madam Meng felt particularly embarrassed.

“Madam, it seems you are unaware your daughter was bitten by venomous insects, and even she didn’t seem to notice. She mentioned earlier that a previous doctor had suggested she contracted a disease. Let me tell you plainly: that’s utterly baseless. There’s clearly something more going on here, and it’s crucial we get to the bottom of it.”

Madam Meng’s face turned pale. Her foolish daughter—how could she have…?

Han Shi’s expression hardened visibly. “The Meng family sure has done a splendid job.”

“No, Wenren madam, please let me explain…”

Han Shi looked at her as if daring her to come up with an excuse. “Explain away, then. Let’s see if you can spin it into something good.”

Xiao Cao interceded calmly, “Mother, perhaps Madam Meng had concerns—and they are entirely understandable. For one, the upcoming marriage between Meng Xinlan and Wenren doesn’t happen for another half a year. If not for today’s events, even if something were seriously wrong with Meng Xinlan, it might have been kept hidden until the very end.”

Han Shi shot Xiao Cao a glance that seemed to say, ‘You and your misplaced kindness,’ but she finally eased up and stopped being overly aggressive.

Madam Meng breathed a sigh of relief and was genuinely grateful to Xiao Cao. “What happened was actually just before the celebration your family hosted for Fourth Miss. Out of nowhere, Xinlan developed these frightening symptoms. We immediately called a trusted doctor. However, after examining Xinlan, the doctor dismissed the servants and only left the two of us in the room. He said she had contracted a filthy disease. I was struck by sheer disbelief—how could my proper daughter contract something like that? The doctor kindly suggested we conceal it. He even prepared the medicines, though he admitted that the treatment would likely prove ineffective.”

“And you believed him so easily without consulting another doctor?” Han Shi asked, her tone laden with reproach.

“This kind of thing… we wanted to cover it up as much as possible, even Xinlan’s closest attendants weren’t allowed to know. Who would dare bring in another doctor?”

Xiao Cao chuckled softly, but her eyes were filled with contempt. “No doubt the doctor took advantage of your fear, which is why he dared to act so recklessly.”

“Do you mean to say the doctor was in on it?” Madam Meng asked in disbelief.

“So what, Madam Meng, do you still think my Xiao Ying made the wrong diagnosis?” Han Shi sneered.

“No, no! I just think that perhaps… the doctor made a mistake.”

“Madam,” Xiao Cao replied seriously, “the difference between a filthy disease and venomous insect bites is massive. If this is a doctor you’ve trusted for a long time, one whose skills you’ve come to rely on, it would be nearly impossible for such a fundamental mistake to occur. Trust me, his misdiagnosis wasn’t a mistake—it was deliberate. If you still find this hard to believe, then feel free to call in several other experienced doctors for multiple opinions.”

Madam Meng still struggled to comprehend. “But why… we have no enmity with him. Why would he do such a thing?”

“Why else?” Han Shi answered matter-of-factly. “Your daughter was unknowingly bitten by venomous insects. Clearly, someone targeted her, and the doctor was merely a pawn in their game.”

Madam Meng looked as if she had been struck by lightning. Han Shi could barely contain her exasperation at how naive her in-law was. At her age, shouldn’t she be more aware of the dangers of the world? Up until now, Han Shi had thought her fairly competent. Could it be that, in reality, she was a bit slow-witted? Han Shi had met the daughter-in-law of the second branch of the Meng family. That woman seemed sharp and shrewd, perfectly adept at navigating the complex dynamics of the family. Could it be that the first wife had suffered numerous setbacks without even realizing it?

—The catastrophe Meng Xinlan suffered must have originated from within the household itself, no doubt involving someone within these walls.

Han Shi gave Meng Xinlan another suspicious glance, wondering if she were as naive as her mother. Should they perhaps consider finding a different daughter-in-law? Then again, she reminded herself that since there was no rivalry between her two sons, and her eldest daughter-in-law, You Shi, was already excellent in every way, highly focused on her husband, the second daughter-in-law just needed to stay in her lane. If she was a bit clueless, it might actually be for the best. Better to stick with this match, after all.

As for what to do about their “dazed” son and “silly” daughter-in-law in the future? Yang’er will either devote his life to study or become a teacher, both of which are prestigious occupations. Typically, these troubles wouldn’t fall on him. On the contrary, if something serious does happen, there should be plenty of people willing to help.

“Xinlan, what exactly did you do that day? Who did you come into contact with?” Madam Meng hadn’t lost her wits completely—whether it was true or not could be found out through investigation. “Fourth Miss, if someone were bitten by a venomous insect, wouldn’t the effects manifest quickly?”

“It can’t be generalized,” Xiao Cao replied. “Some cases manifest immediately, while others take time. The initial symptoms can be subtle and easy to miss. Miss Meng seems to be the latter.”

Meng Xinlan sat in a daze, lost in thought.

“Xinlan…”

“That day, I just sat with Third Sister for a while. At one point, I seemed a bit muddled. Third Sister said I was tired from reading and let me rest without disturbing me. I thought nothing of it either at the time.” Her expression was sorrowful.

Madam Meng clenched her handkerchief tightly, her lips drawn into a thin line. Her expression shifted unpredictably, but a glint of ferocity finally appeared in her eyes.

Han Shi observed silently, without comment. Most mothers, when faced with danger to their children, will toughen up. Ignorance is one thing, but once they know, few would back down and choose to let things slide.

The room then fell into a long, uncomfortable silence, as if no one was in the mood to speak.

This continued until there was a knock at the door—saying the medicine had been brought back.

Madam Meng, likely because she’d never dealt with such underhanded schemes before, seemed quite paranoid. Even the medicine was shown to Xiao Cao for her inspection before it was taken to be brewed.

Afterwards, medicine to cleanse the body was prepared, along with thoroughly boiled white cloths. Xiao Cao requested her own medical kit, then after washing her hands and picking up a pair of tweezers, she began to clean Meng Xinlan’s wounds.

It wasn’t until then that the others started to react. Madam Meng rushed forward in concern, “Oh my dear girl, you shouldn’t be doing such tasks yourself. Let the maids handle it. You can supervise.” Letting Xiao Cao do it herself would likely earn her sharp glares from Han Shi, especially since the daughter hasn’t married into their family yet—there’s no need to offend the mother-in-law early.

Xiao Cao paused for a moment. “Then I’ll demonstrate first, so they can observe carefully.” She proceeded with the task, explaining in detail what to watch out for. Seeing Meng Xinlan wincing in pain, she advised, “Miss Meng, bear with it a little longer. If it’s not cleaned thoroughly, recovery will be slow.”

Meng Xinlan knew the importance, so she gritted her teeth and endured the pain.

When the maid took over, her touch was softer but far less practiced. Hesitant and cautious, Xiao Cao had to remind her to apply more pressure. At one point, she unintentionally pressed too hard and Meng Xinlan cried out in pain. The maid, startled, jerked her hand, inadvertently pressing the tip of the tweezers into the flesh—a painful moment, but at least the tweezers had rounded tips.

Seeing this, Madam Meng’s heart ached. Normally a kind and gentle person, the suppressed anger in her heart made her lose her patience, and she began scolding the maid. Life as a servant in the Meng household was relatively easy, free from much of the chaos of other homes, so the maids were somewhat naive and unskilled. Under the pressure of Madam Meng’s rebuke, the maid nearly burst into tears.

“Mother, I’m fine,” Meng Xinlan said, calming both her mother and the maid, encouraging the latter to take her time and maintain her composure.

Xiao Cao stood by, watching, with no intention of taking over the task again. As long as Meng Xinlan’s mother was present, she wouldn’t allow it anyway.

Just as the cleaning was nearly finished, a maid came to report, “Madam, Third Miss has returned and wishes to visit the miss.”

Madam Meng’s face darkened instantly, her expression turning ominous.

Han Shi, who had been quietly sipping tea, finally looked up when she heard this. She set her teacup down, tapped her fingernail on the table absentmindedly, and spoke with a casual tone, “Wasn’t it this Third Miss who spread some negative comments about her second sister while they were out of town? The same Third Miss, correct?” While she hadn’t paid close attention before, now Han Shi couldn’t help but be suspicious of such coincidences. “A rare trip into the city… and she’s returned so quickly? Your Third Miss sure does keep her dear cousin close to her heart, doesn’t she?”

In the past, both Madam Meng and Meng Xinlan would have genuinely believed that Third Miss had come back out of concern for her sister. But now…

“Let her in,” Madam Meng said, wanting to see if things would play out as she anticipated.

“Second Sister, are you feeling better? Let me tell you something…” Her voice preceded her entrance. When she saw the other guests in the room, she gasped in surprise, covered her mouth to compose herself, and quickly curtsied. “I wasn’t aware Madam Wenren was present. I apologize for my lack of manners. Please forgive me for the disturbance.”

Han Shi barely glanced at her. “It’s nothing.”

Third Miss Meng let out a small breath of relief, seemingly grateful, then greeted her aunt affectionately before turning to look at Meng Xinlan’s condition. “Ah! Second Sister, weren’t you just down with a cold? What’s… what’s going on here?” Her voice expressed shock, with a touch of the proper amount of girlish fear and concern.

However, while others might not notice, Han Shi clearly caught the look of disdain and schadenfreude in her eyes. It was indiscreet and obvious. Simply put, this Third Miss had ill intentions but lacked the skill to conceal them. At this point, Han Shi was certain—she was dealing with a heartless schemer, albeit a bit too green for her taste.

The current scene was exactly what Third Miss Meng wanted to see. She just hadn’t expected the Wenren family to arrive so quickly. She had thought they wouldn’t turn up until at least the next day—and even more so, she hadn’t anticipated the presence of Wenren Yang, the famed scholar admired by so many young ladies. Seeing how much attention he was giving to Meng Xinlan filled her with jealousy. But then she thought about what might become of Meng Xinlan soon…

Her joy was short-lived, as a sudden unease crept in. She furtively glanced at Han Shi, and noticed that the future mother-in-law seemed unnervingly calm, staring at her future daughter-in-law’s miserable condition. Why was she so indifferent? And why did Meng Xinlan seem so at ease, permitting her future in-laws to witness her in such a state? A growing fear began to rise within her, anxious that something unexpected might occur.

Madam Meng stared at Third Miss Meng, noting that she never once made eye contact, her eyes flitting about nervously. Madam Meng may not be able to fully decipher her emotions, but she now clearly saw through the obedient and well-mannered facade that had fooled her in the past.

“Your second sister was bitten by a venomous insect, but she will recover soon,” Madam Meng said coldly.