Xiang Jin stood still.

“What are you standing there for? Didn’t you hear what your mother said?” Xiang Qi said.

"Okay, milk, right? Coming right away." Xiang Jin turned and went into the kitchen, and soon came out with two glasses of milk.

"That's it?" Li Shuhui questioned.

"The milk is 45 degrees Celsius, what else does Mother need?"

Li Shuhui's face instantly darkened. She picked up the milk and slowly poured it over Xiang Qi's head: "Don't you understand basic manners? I am your mother. Can't you say 'Mother, please have some'? With a personality like yours, do you deserve to marry into the Murong family?"

"What is Madam doing!" Zhou Zhou couldn't stand it anymore and quickly pulled Xiang Jin behind her.

“This is the Murong family home. Madam is the mistress of the house. No one can force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do, not even you, her mother.”

"It's none of your business how I discipline my own daughter. This is how the Murong family operates."

"How the Murong family follows the rules is their business, and it's not your place to judge."

"Yes, Madam, please talk things out. Please don't resort to violence. Madam is not in good health and needs more rest..." Aunt Yang also came out to persuade her, and two nannies not far away also rushed over to protect Xiang Jin behind them.

Seeing so many people protecting her, Xiang Qi felt a mix of resentment. From childhood to adulthood, she was the only one who had been pampered and cared for. Xiang Jin was just a worthless worm in the gutter; how could she possibly deserve such treatment? All of this should belong to her!

The more she thought about it, the more resentful she felt. She rushed forward, raised her right hand, and delivered a crisp slap to Zhou Zhou's face.

"Who do you think you are, daring to lecture my mother?"

"Smack."

"Who do you think you are, daring to run wild in the Murong family?" Just as everyone was shocked by Xiang Qi's slap, Xiang Jin's hand quickly landed on Xiang Qi's face, even crisper and louder than Xiang Qi's slap.

Xiang Qi was stunned.

Is this still the same timid and cowardly Xiang Jin?

She actually dared to hit her.

"Are you out of your mind?" Xiang Qi covered her red face, slowly regaining her senses in shock and astonishment. She rushed forward to fight with Xiang Jin, but Zhou Zhou and Aunt Yang quickly helped, protecting Xiang Jin and pushing Xiang Qi to the ground.

Xiang Qi was furious and got up to hit Xiang Jin. Xiang Jin grabbed a bowl from the table and smashed it on the ground with a loud bang, and the dining room instantly fell silent.

"Mother, if you and my sister still want to stay in the Murong family as guests, please behave yourselves and don't try to teach people with the rules of the Xiang family. I will not listen to you and I will not obey you. If you don't want to stay in the Murong family, then leave now, immediately!"

She'd had enough.

Jiang Anqing was in their hands, and she was willing to let them do whatever they wanted and swallow her anger. But this was the Murong family home, her and Murong Xiao's home. The people here were her family, the most inviolable haven in her heart. She would never tolerate their indulgence.

Seeing that Xiang Jin was truly angry, Li Shuhui quickly calmed down and smiled.

"Look at you, it's just asking you to serve a bowl of porridge, what's the big deal? Why are you getting so angry?"

"You've already spilled milk on Madam, isn't that a big deal?" Zhou Zhou muttered, rolling her eyes.

Li Shuhui clenched her fists.

This servant is truly loyal to her master; it seems she's definitely biased towards Xiang Jin. Oh well, once Xiang Qi marries into the Murong family, everything in the Murong family will belong to the Xiang family. She has plenty of ways to torment these disobedient people.

For now, let's just bear with it.

"Alright, if you don't want to, I won't let you do it anymore." After saying that, she picked up her spoon and began to eat her porridge elegantly, as if the farce from just now had never happened.

"I hope Mother remembers her words and doesn't make jokes carelessly," Xiang Jin said solemnly before turning and walking upstairs.

She was covered in sticky milk, so she needed to take a shower to wash away the milk smell and the lingering bad luck in her heart.

She knew she had to endure it now.

Half a month, at most half a month.

Once she and Shuangshuang rescue Jiang Anqing, everything will be much easier.

As soon as Xiang Jin went upstairs, Aunt Yang and Zhou Zhou quietly said they had other things to do and turned to leave. The other servants were also very perceptive and left one after another.

Although they have no right to comment on such a situation, bullying their wives is bullying them.

Silence is also a form of protest.

Seeing that the servants had all left, Xiang Qi's face immediately fell. She slammed down the cups on the table, making a loud clattering sound, to vent her anger.

"Aqi, if you can't even keep your composure over something this simple, how will you manage the Murong family in the future? Always remember to stay calm, understand?" Li Shuhui calmly put down her spoon and earnestly lectured her.

"Mom, look at Xiang Jin's despicable behavior! She really thinks she's the mistress of the Murong family. Who does she think she is? And these arrogant servants, when I marry into the family, I'll kick them all out!"

She was just not convinced. She was better than Xiang Jin in every way, but now she couldn't compare to her in anything. Was God blind?

"Right now, your most important thing is Murong Xiao. You need to find a way to win his heart and make him infatuated with you, understand? As long as Murong Xiao is devoted to you, he will naturally be willing to do anything for you. Then, divorcing Xiang Jin will be a piece of cake."

"But what if the Murong family arranges a political marriage for him, forcing him to marry another woman?"

“I’ve already found out that Murong Xiao and his mother Lin Anrong don’t get along. Murong Xiao has always been the one to make the decisions in the Murong family. No one else dares to say a word against it. As long as he’s willing to marry you, everything is negotiable.”

Xiang Qi was still somewhat hesitant.

"What if he refuses to divorce Xiang Jin, Mom? What do you think...?"

"impossible!"

Li Shuhui's expression was firm and full of confidence: "Aqi, you are so outstanding, how could any man in the world not like you? If Murong Xiao really likes Xiang Jin, and you and Xiang Jin are seven or eight parts similar, isn't that practically the same as him liking you? Besides, you are more outstanding and more beautiful than her. You must not back down, you must have confidence in yourself, understand?"

"Aqi understands."

Xiang Qi's eyes sparkled, and the lingering doubt in her heart gradually disappeared.

Through these days of interaction, she discovered that Murong Xiao's mind was far too deep and complex. After several encounters, she still couldn't fathom his temperament, joys, sorrows, or anger. For a man like that to keep a woman by his side, there were only two reasons: either she was useful to him, or he liked her.

Since Xiang Jin, this convict, has no value to us, the only explanation is the second one.

However, judging from his and Xiang Jin's behavior, they didn't seem like an ordinary loving couple. Their interactions always seemed a bit strange, and it was hard to explain why.

Therefore, she was a little unsure.