Chapter 168 Alienation

At the end of the day, everything seemed unchanged, yet everything also seemed to have changed.

No one blamed Ji Shi, and no one even mentioned the matter, but everyone, including Ji Shi herself, seemed to have something on their mind.

Suddenly, Madam Ji became somewhat hesitant to face her family, including when Madam Ji came from the Ji residence. She didn't dare to speak much to her.

Seeing this, Madam Ji had to give up her plan to stay with her for a few days.

Life seemed to continue as usual, but a few days later, what was bound to happen still happened.

Ji Shi endured the pain of the poisoning, but she couldn't bear the self-blame in her interactions with her family and jumped into the small lake in the mansion.

Just as dawn was breaking, the old woman who was boiling water was yawning and slowly walking towards the kitchen when a figure suddenly caught her attention.

The person was none other than Ji Shi, who was wearing an undergarment. The old woman was already puzzled to see Ji Shi at this time, and coupled with Ji Shi's attire, she unconsciously followed her.

Thus, the old woman witnessed Ji Shi jumping into the lake.

Fortunately, this old woman prevented a tragedy from occurring.

Seeing Ji Shi slowly waking up on the bed, Gu Shuyan immediately threw herself into her arms, while the whole family in the room looked anxious.

Seeing this, Ji Shi, who had been suppressing her emotions, finally broke down and hugged Gu Shuyan, crying.

After Ji finished crying, the old lady looked at her angrily and said, "You're already in your fifties, what are you doing? Do you want your children to feel guilty about you for the rest of their lives?"

"Mother!" Madam Ji said with a pained expression, "My daughter-in-law has only suffered a few attacks of the poison, yet she has already injured Shu'er. What's the point of living for someone like me?"

Clearly, Ji Shi's mood had sunk to rock bottom without her realizing it. Although no one said anything on the surface, Ji Shi could sense everyone's deliberate distancing from her.

"Foolish, you're utterly foolish." The old lady's tone had softened considerably. "You think the children will hate you just because Yan'er is injured? You're so wrong."

Although people's attitudes toward the Ji family changed slightly after Gu Shuyan's incident, it wasn't because the Ji family had hurt Gu Shuyan, but because they were worried that the Ji family would overthink things.

Little did they know, their worst fears came true; the more careful they tried, the more Ji Shi overthinked things. She even chose to end her own life because of the harm done to her daughter.

"Xiang Wan! You are the children's mother. Ask the children, is there any of them who dislikes their own mother?"

The old lady patiently explained to Ji Shi the thoughts of everyone present, and Ji Shi finally understood that she had misunderstood them all this time.

As a mother, she not only failed to protect her own child, but also caused everyone to live in fear because of her. Never before had Ji Shi realized that she was not a qualified mother.

"Mother, your daughter-in-law was wrong."

She almost caused her children to lose their mother because of her cowardice, and it may even leave a lifelong knot in their hearts.

After this incident, something subtly changed about Ji Shi, and this change manifested itself in a way that was particularly astonishing in her later days.

But that's a story for another time.

After the Dragon Boat Festival, the day of the Dragon Boat Race on May 5th arrived quickly.