Chapter 314 Ji Ying, Your Retribution Has Arrived

Shen Jingxiu wiped his face with a face towel and tried to remain calm, explaining, "This isn't crying. I'm just being fumed by the mist from the medicinal spring."

Madam Shen isn't a three-year-old child who believes everything she's told.

However, she couldn't delve into it at the moment, so she could only silently suppress her doubts. But her husband's unusual concern for Ji Ying had already cast a deep shadow of suspicion in her heart.

About an hour later, after soaking in the medicinal spring for a while, the group of people came out of the pool one after another.

Just as Ji Ying finished tying her bathrobe, Madam Shen grabbed a cloak from the side before Liang Yi could do so, with a hint of pity and apology for her earlier outburst, and tried to drape it over her shoulders.

However, Ji Ying dodged to the side.

“Madam Shen,” she said detachedly, “everyone has their own hardships. I face my own scars not to gain anyone’s sympathy, but to overcome them.”

As he spoke, his gaze gradually turned mocking.

"You should save your sympathy for your adopted daughter; she seems to need your 'care' more than I do."

Madam Shen's expression gradually turned ugly.

"I'll do it."

Liang Yizhi took the cloak from her hand and draped it over Ji Ying. The two greeted Shen Jingxiu and then left the hot spring.

Madam Shen was somewhat angry, "What kind of attitude is this!"

Shen Jingxiu raised an eyebrow. "I think this attitude is quite normal. The longer Madam spends with Ruofu, the more 'flexible' her standards for dealing with people become. You can't just allow yourself to make things difficult for the younger generation several times, but not allow them to give you a cold shoulder, can you?"

After he finished speaking, he got into his wheelchair by the door and left, leaving Madam Shen standing there in a daze...

Shen Ruofu sulked in her room all night.

Although she had bribed Pang Xiao's assistant to lure him over, even if things went smoothly, he wouldn't arrive until tomorrow night.

The thought that Ji Ying had tampered with her food to prevent her from going to the hot springs with her parents fueled her anger.

As dawn broke, she finally came up with a brilliant idea: if she could prove that Ji Ying was the missing Shen Ruoheng, then Pang Xiao would be even less likely to let her go.

The next morning, Liang Yizhi took Ji Ying hiking.

His intentions were clear: he didn't want Ji Ying to have any more contact with Madam Shen.

Having finally managed to get out of the house, he didn't want to cause her unnecessary distress.

In order to wait for them to return so they could have lunch together, Shen Jingxiu specially postponed the mealtime to 1 p.m.

As a result, the two didn't arrive at the restaurant until 1:30.

"Sorry, I got all sweaty from playing, so I took a shower when I got back."

Ji Ying's cheeks were flushed, whether from climbing the mountain or from being steamed by the hot water in the shower, it was hard to tell.

After explaining softly, she sat down in the chair that Liang Yizhi had pulled out for her.

Shen Jingxiu showed no displeasure and asked kindly, "It's alright, is the scenery on the mountain fun?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Ying glanced at Liang Yizhi beside her and complained, "Ask him. All along the way, he either complained that I was walking too slowly or that I had too little stamina. It's like a military training exercise instead of a proper sightseeing trip."

Despite the fact that Liang Yizhi's hand remained firmly supporting her even on the rugged and difficult terrain.

Not only did he help her up, but he also misbehaved when no one was around.

It truly allowed her to experience firsthand the vastness and grandeur of nature.

Liang Yizhi laughed at her words, "You're usually not in the lab, you're just sleeping at home. Isn't it good to let you get close to nature?"

Their seemingly complaining yet actually intimate interaction made Shen Ruofu feel incredibly sour, like she had drunk a bowl of aged vinegar.

She couldn't help but say in a soft but barbed voice, "Yizhi and his wife love each other so much, it's truly enviable. However, it's not right to make the elders wait so long on an empty stomach."

Ji Ying turned to look at her, a faint, emotionless smile curving her lips.

“Miss Shen’s words are very well said. I hope that when you make demands of others, you can also be consistent in your words and deeds, and not just pay lip service to ‘manners’.”

Shen Ruofu's face turned pale instantly, and she couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

This time, Madam Shen did not speak up for her adopted daughter, but calmly said to the waiter beside her, "Serve the food."

Shen Jingxiu specially ordered the mushroom stew here, one for each person, which was very delicious.

The last dish served was shrimp balls in broth, a local specialty.

Madam Shen, intending to ease the distance between herself and Ji Ying, served her a bowl of rice.

"This is made with lake shrimp raised in medicinal spring water. I've heard it has some nourishing effects. You should try it."

Ji Ying lowered her eyes, her heart clear.

The person who started serving this dish was probably Shen Ruofu again.

Ji Ying stirred the soup with a spoon with a normal expression, scooped up a shrimp ball, and pondered how to spill the soup.

Shen Ruofu was already watching her closely; as long as she didn't eat, she would be able to confirm her identity.

Just as Ji Ying was about to put the shrimp ball into her mouth, Liang Yizhi suddenly leaned over and whispered, "Feed me first."

Ji Ying then handed the shrimp ball in the spoon to his mouth.

He ate it calmly, nodded, and said, "It tastes good, you should try it."

Ji Ying disdainfully put the spoon back in the bowl. "You want me to eat what you've already eaten? No way."

Liang Yizhi raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery in his eyes, "I never complained when I was eating your saliva."

One sentence made Ji Ying blush instantly. She gently pinched him and scolded him in a low voice, "What nonsense are you talking about..."

Amidst their playful banter, the bowl of shrimp balls was ultimately left untouched.

Another plan has failed!

Sulking, Shen Ruofu finished the mushroom stew in front of her.

In the afternoon, Shen Jingxiu originally suggested continuing to soak in the medicinal hot spring, but Liang Yizhi changed his mind, saying that another kind of medicinal bath would be better for Ji Ying. Shen Jingxiu didn't know what he was up to, so he agreed.

And this time, they did not drive Shen Ruofu away.

However, after soaking in the hot spring, Shen Ruofu felt a bit dizzy.

But the news of Pang Xiao's arrival spurred her to pull herself together.

A little while later, she was going to bring Ji Ying to Pang Xiao alone.

After tonight, that woman will be nothing but a tattered rag.

At that time, all the humiliation I have suffered will be repaid with interest.

As night fell, Ji Ying felt a little tired, so she said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Shen and went back to her room.

Shen Ruofu's head was still spinning. Seeing that Ji Ying was about to leave, she also suggested going back to her room.

Seeing that she looked unwell, Madam Shen told her to get some rest.

But as soon as she was out of sight of the Shen couple, Shen Ruofu quickly caught up with Liang Yizhi and Ji Ying, who were walking side by side.

She softly called out "Brother Yizhi," and then, as if tripped by something, she fell straight toward Liang Yizhi.

Liang Yizhi tried to turn aside, but Shen Ruofu reached out and grabbed his clothes at the waist.

At first glance, it looked as if he had reached out to support her.

Ji Ying took in the whole scene, her eyes instantly turned cold, and she turned and left.

Liang Yizhi quickly abandoned Shen Ruofu and chased after her, explaining, "She was the one who wanted to touch me; I didn't mean to touch her."

Ji Ying sneered, "Knowing full well that she has ulterior motives towards you, why did you agree to her request?"

Liang Yizhi frowned at her words. "Can't you be reasonable? I've been avoiding her the whole way. What more do you want from me?"

Ji Ying raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you mean I'm the one hindering your contact?"

Liang Yizhi stared at her with a somber gaze for a moment before finally turning and leaving.

Instead of going back to his room, he headed towards the parking lot, seemingly because he was angry with her and wanted to leave.

The corridor leading to the guest rooms suddenly became quiet.

Ji Ying looked in the direction Liang Yizhi had left, feeling somewhat irritated.

Just then, Shen Ruofu's triumphant laughter came from behind, "Ji Ying, your retribution has come."

Ji Ying turned around and saw Shen Ruofu leaning against a pillar, with a strange man who looked like an assistant standing beside her.

A strong sense of crisis instantly surged through Ji Ying's spine. She decisively turned to leave, but a slightly overweight man stood in front of her.

The corridor lights outlined Pang Xiao's distorted face, especially the obvious indentation of his skull on one side, like a rusty key that pried open the nightmare Ji Ying had experienced when she was 13.