Song Zhiyu watched Shen Jinxiu's aggressive back with a thoughtful expression, knowing that she would not give up easily, and remained vigilant.

After all, she had experienced Shen Jinxiu's viciousness in her previous life.

But she would meet force with force and water with earth. If she showed the slightest intention to back down, it would only embolden these people and lead to her being gradually devoured.

*

Songzhuyuan.

"The second young lady hasn't come to Songzhu Courtyard for many days. Do you think she's really not going to treat the young master's leg anymore?" The maid Xiuzhu sighed as she looked at the few remaining herbs and asked tentatively.

Changde denied it outright, but her tone was not as certain as before. "How could that be? No matter how cold the young master was to her before, she still shamelessly came over to massage his legs and treat him."

Her absence for so many days is nothing but a ploy to lure him in; she won't last much longer.

Xiuzhu was somewhat skeptical of Changde's words. She felt that the Second Miss wasn't playing tricks, but was genuinely heartbroken by the Young Master. "I hope so. The Young Master's medicine is almost finished."

Previously, the second young lady personally went into the mountains to collect these herbs and dried them herself. Only she knew which herbs were most effective and which were easiest to preserve.

"..."

Changde choked, his usually quick tongue unable to utter a single word, and could only say dryly, "Perhaps she went into the mountains to gather herbs for the young master, which is why she didn't have time to come to Songzhu Courtyard."

"You don't understand the Second Miss. When she cares about someone and treats them well, she's incredibly kind, wanting to give that person the best of everything in the world."

But when she's heartbroken, she'll take back all the kindness she showed to that person. Although Xiuzhu wasn't exactly familiar with Song Zhiyu, she was a woman and naturally understood women better than Changde.

The Marquis's wife and several young masters treated the Second Miss badly, never showing her any genuine affection, only taking from her. Naturally, this eroded the Second Miss's feelings for them.

But they didn't see her as clearly as a mere maid. They thought the Second Miss could only rely on them to survive, so they never showed her any respect.

As Shen Yuzhou listened to their conversation, a look of bewilderment appeared in his eyes for the first time. It seemed that he did not understand Song Zhiyu at all.

To avoid upsetting Shu'er, he refused to acknowledge Song Zhiyu's identity.

Even his legs were crippled in order to save Shu'er. He himself had given up on them, but Song Zhiyu valued them more than anything else and went to great lengths to cure him.

Did he really do something wrong? Shen Yuzhou asked himself inwardly.

But before he could get an answer, Shen Jinshu arrived.

"Big brother, please persuade second sister. She listens to you the most. If things continue like this, I'm afraid she might really cause trouble and ruin herself one day." Shen Jinshu's words pulled Shen Yuzhou back to his senses.

Shen Yuzhou frowned subconsciously, "What did she do now?"

Shen Jinshu told Shen Yuzhou everything that had happened in the mansion during this period, including the poisoning of Shen Muxun and the other two, and the punishment of Shen Jinxiu by Song Zhiyu, but deliberately concealed some of the truth.

As Shen Yuzhou listened to each and every detail, his brows furrowed, and the pity he had just felt for Song Zhiyu vanished completely.

"I knew I hadn't wronged her." Shen Yuzhou sneered, finding his earlier reflection on whether he had done something wrong utterly ridiculous.

"Eldest brother, all three of our brothers are still bedridden, and Jinxiu has also caught a cold. I only hope that our second sister can stop here and not make any more mistakes."

Shen Yuzhou reached out and ruffled Shen Jinshu's hair, smiling indulgently, "I know, I'll handle Song Zhiyu's situation. You're just recovered, don't think too much about it, after all, it wasn't your fault."

If she remains obstinate, that's her fate; no one can change it.

"Okay." Shen Jinshu smiled gently, resting her head on Shen Yuzhou's lap. In the instant she turned her head, a sinister look flashed across her face.

*

Night falls at Songxi Courtyard.

Song Zhiyu lay on the bed with her eyes open, silently counting the hours.

Just then, a dark shadow darted past the window.

Song Zhiyu's eyes lit up, and she quietly clenched her hands, which were hidden under the covers.

It's finally here.

"Creak~" A slight sound of the door being pushed open came from inside. The man in black, carrying a knife, silently entered the inner room.

Seeing that the person on the bed was sleeping soundly, the man in black did not hesitate for a moment and raised the knife in his hand to slash at her.

Song Zhiyu suddenly opened her eyes, flipped over to dodge the blade, and threw the powder she was holding tightly at the face of the man in black.

"Ah!" A shrill scream rang out. The man in black covered his eyes, dropped the knife from his hand, and rolled on the ground in pain.

Song Zhiyu got up, picked up the knife from the ground, and swiftly and accurately stabbed four bloody holes in the black-clad man's arms and legs, crippling him instantly.

"Did Shen Jinxiu send you?"

"..."

Seeing that the man in black remained silent, Song Zhiyu stepped on his hand and ground it hard against the bloody hole several times.

"Still a tough nut to crack." Song Zhiyu lowered her eyes and saw the cold, sharp blade raised, a flash of silver light passing across Song Zhiyu's face.

With a swift movement, the knife fell, accompanied by the black-clad man's scream and the dull thud of a severed finger bone hitting the ground.

"Miss, are you alright?" Hearing the noise, Lu Bai rushed in and looked Song Zhiyu up and down. Seeing that she was not injured, her tense nerves finally relaxed.

She kicked the man in black a few times, still angry, and said indignantly, "Miss, the Third Miss is really too vicious. You can't let her off so easily."

Song Zhiyu nodded. Of course, she wouldn't let Shen Jinxiu continue to act so arrogantly in front of her. "Throw him into the woodshed, make sure he gives a statement, and whatever you do, don't let him die."

"yes."

...

Shen Jinxiu paced anxiously back and forth in the room, her unease growing stronger.

Why hasn't she heard any news about Song Zhiyu's accident yet?

If Song Zhiyu cannot be eliminated, her scheme to make Chu Sangyue an idiot will be exposed.

The Chu family will not let her go, and the Marquis of Chengen's mansion will not protect her either.

Thinking of this, Shen Jinxiu could no longer sit still. She put on her cloak and wanted to go out. She wanted to go to Songxi Courtyard to see for herself.

As soon as the door opened, Shen Jinxiu's unease turned into fear. Forced to retreat step by step by the person who came in, she finally collapsed to the ground as if all her strength had been drained, her waist pressed against the edge of the table.

"Where do you think you're going in the middle of the night?" Song Zhiyu slowly squatted down, meeting Shen Jinxiu's resentful gaze, and pinched her chin with her slender, fair fingers.

"Look what this is." Song Zhiyu threw the box in her hand to the ground. The box scattered, and a bloody finger rolled to Shen Jinxiu's side.

"ah!"

Shen Jinxiu was so frightened that her face turned pale. She struggled to turn her head away, but Song Zhiyu grabbed her chin and she couldn't move. She could only close her eyes tightly, but her whole body was trembling uncontrollably.

The terrifying scene from just now was still firmly imprinted in her mind, lingering there.