Holding a bouquet of flowers, Shen Shuoyan walked in from outside the ward and chimed in, "Qiao Xia, I really don't know what you're thinking. You keep saying you don't like me, but you've been encouraging Tang Ling to break off our engagement."

"I see now, you just can't stand seeing Tang Ling living a better life than you."

Faced with the crowd's attack, Qiao Xia's large movements aggravated the wound on the back of her head.

She gasped, gritting her teeth, "Can you not be so confident? Isn't it possible that she doesn't even like you?"

“Impossible.” Wang Youyi was the first to retort. “My Lingling is loyal and devoted. Without Shuoyan, where would she find such a good marriage? If no one was saying anything to her, she would never have mentioned breaking off the engagement.”

Tang Ling raised her head in Wang Youyi's arms and looked at her mother in disbelief.

Even though Qiao Xia is a playboy like Shen Shuoyan, who keeps chasing after her, she doesn't even look at him. But her mother says that she can't find a better marriage than Shen Shuoyan.

How could she accept this? Unfortunately, Wang Youyi was so engrossed in her confrontation with Qiao Xia that she didn't notice her daughter's change at all.

Grandpa Tang nodded in agreement, "You've taught Lingling very well in this respect."

Shen Shuoyan said angrily, "It's fine if you don't like me, and I don't want to be a lapdog at your feet, but why did you encourage Lingling to break off our engagement?"

Qiao Xia looked around and said, "You all keep saying that I encouraged Tang Ling, that Tang Ling didn't want to break off the engagement, but has anyone actually asked Tang Ling what she thought?"

Then, Qiao Xia looked at Wang Youyi and Old Master Tang seriously, "It's the 21st century, and you're both vying to erect a memorial arch for Tang Ling's chastity, making her tied to this kind of person for the rest of her life, and you even feel proud of it?"

Tang Ling's face, which was already pale from blood loss, looked even worse now.

Although Grandpa Tang also looked unwell, he genuinely loved his granddaughter and immediately asked, "Lingling, tell me, was the annulment of the engagement your own choice, or did Xiaxia instigate it?"

Tang Ling was forced to lift her head from Wang Youyi's embrace.

Shen Shuoyan looked at him expectantly.

Wang Youyi, with her back to everyone, gripped her hand tightly. "Lingling, tell the truth. If Mom really misunderstood Xiaxia, Mom is willing to apologize to Xiaxia in front of your grandfather."

Tang Ling pulled her hand away, "It was my own decision to annul the engagement."

Shen Shuoyan's gaze dimmed inch by inch. "Lingling, didn't you say you liked me for many years? In the past, I neglected you, but I will cherish you and always be good to you from now on."

Tang Ling felt a wave of nausea.

Wang Youyi looked at her in disbelief, forcing a smile. "Look how good Shuoyan is to you. Marriage is a big deal. You should think it through."

Wang Youyi's eyes were full of threat.

"Forget it!" Old Master Tang sighed. "The children have grown up and have their own ideas. We adults can't force them. I think we should call off this marriage."

Shen Shuoyan shook his head, hurt. "Impossible, Lingling, were you lying to me before?"

Tang Ling glanced at him hesitantly, then turned her head and said firmly, "It was my cousin who woke me up. I've grown up and can't live under the protection of my family forever. I want freedom, but freedom comes at a price."

After he finished speaking, everyone present was stunned.

Tang Ling looked down on Shen Shuoyan and didn't want to get entangled with him, but she didn't want to offend anyone, so...

Wang Youyi immediately covered her mouth in surprise, trying to hide the smile on her lips. "Dad, look, Lingling has clearly been brainwashed by Xiaxia."

"Wow~" Qiao Xia sat up straight, feeling that Tang Ling was becoming more and more like her aunt, and that she had truly learned the essence of her aunt.

Tang Ling looked at Qiao Xia with innocent eyes, and even retorted to Wang Youyi, "I won't allow you to talk about my cousin like that. She's the only one who's truly good to me."

Wang Youyi lowered her head and forced out a sob, saying, "Dad, did you hear that? Lingling is usually the most filial, but now she's talking to me like this."

"I don't know where I offended Xiaxia to make her sow discord between my mother and me. Dad, I really, really..."

Wang Youyi turned her back to everyone and began to sob softly.

Grandpa Tang looked at Qiao Xia and shook his head in disappointment. "Xiaxia, you're really getting more and more outrageous. You taught your sister to disobey her elders, made her run away from home, and she was almost trafficked. Do you even acknowledge these things?"

Seeing that no matter what she said, Grandpa Tang wouldn't listen, Qiao Xia lost her temper and retorted provocatively, "So what if you admit it? So what if you don't?"

"You..." Old Master Tang's hands trembled with anger.

Wang Youyi rolled her eyes and stepped between the two, saying seriously, "Dad, what's done is done, there's no point in arguing about who's at fault. But Lingling just escaped death, she needs to rest."

As she spoke, she added, "Xiaxia's family is having financial difficulties right now. It's not that I'm worried about her using Lingling's hospital room, but I don't think Xiaxia is seriously ill, so why don't we let her be discharged first?"

Grandpa Tang sighed, "Very well."

Wang Youyi added, "I have something else to say. Although Lingling likes this older sister, they don't see each other for very long because of their studies. She taught Lingling to be like this with just a few words. I really don't dare to let them see each other more often."

Old Master Tang frowned. "You mean...?"

Wang Youyi said stiffly, "I hope that Xiaxia won't go to the Tang family's old house for a while."

Qiao Xia couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Wang Youyi choked, "What are you laughing at?"

"I think Auntie's assessment of herself is correct. You really are always looking at money." Qiao Xia adjusted her posture. "You say such high-sounding things, but in reality, you only mean one thing: you want me to stay away from Grandpa, as if you're afraid I'll take advantage of the Tang family, right?"

Wang Youyi, her secret exposed, angrily pointed at Qiao Xia and said, "Dad, did you hear that clearly? This time, this little beast insulted me right in front of you."

"Alright, Auntie." Qiao Xia pointed to the small black dot in front of her with her chin. "Tang Ling and I, one is a disaster victim and the other is a real victim. The police have installed surveillance cameras in the ward to protect our safety. Should we ask them to pull up the surveillance footage and see who said those things first?"

Wang Youyi knew that she absolutely could not let Old Master Tang hear what she said, otherwise her carefully cultivated image over the years would be ruined.

Little did she know that because of her offhand use of the word "little beast," Old Master Tang's gaze towards her had already taken on a blatant scrutiny.

"I was so angry when I saw how badly Lingling was injured that I said some harsh things to Qiao Xia. But no matter what, for Lingling's sake, Qiao Xia has to move out of the ward today!"