The scent of disinfectant clung faintly to the hospital room.
Madam Song sat stiffly on the visitor's chair, her hands twisting the strap of her handbag. Across from her, the family physician's voice was low, his expression grave as he gave his report.
Though his words were calm, each one seemed to weigh heavily, pressing down on her chest.
"…we're doing everything we can… but the strain is worsening."
Madam Song's knuckles whitened on the strap. Her eyes flickered toward the figure on the bed—unmoving, pale beneath the layers of machinery. A thousand emotions tangled in her throat, but she forced them back.
"Keep me informed of every change," she whispered, her voice steady though her heart was anything but.
The doctor nodded solemnly.
Her phone rang just as she stepped into the corridor. One glance at the caller ID, and her face drained of color.
"What—what did you say?" she breathed, her composure cracking. A pause, then her voice dropped to a harsh whisper, "Fine. I'll come immediately."
She didn't even wait for the elevator, choosing instead to hurry down the stairs, her heels clicking urgently against the sterile tiles.
---
Back at the Qin residence, Xi Jiayi had been sitting in her room, cross-legged by the window, lost in her quiet rhythm of breath.
The sudden clamor downstairs broke the stillness. Voices rose and fell in sharp tones—unfamiliar, cutting. She had no intention of going down, but a maid soon appeared, bowing stiffly.
"Miss Xi, Butler Wen requests your presence in the main hall."
Her brows furrowed faintly. She set down her teacup and descended.
The sight that greeted her froze her steps.
On the carved sofa sat an old man draped in silken robes, his figure frail but his presence sharp. His face was lined with age, but his eyes gleamed with cunning calculation.
Qin Weishan—the Fourth Elder of the Qin family.
Beside him was a young woman in a pale lilac dress, her beauty carefully cultivated, her smile demure. Qin Suyin, his granddaughter. She was two years younger than Qin Yuxi, the eldest sister, and had grown up pampered under her grandfather's wing.
Xi Jiayi's lips pressed into a thin line. These were two people she neither expected nor wanted to see.
Fourth Elder Weishan's eyes lit up as soon as they landed on her. His lips curved into a sickly sweet smile, one that made her stomach twist.
"Ah, so this is Jiayi." His tone was full of syrupy warmth, a complete contrast to the scorn she remembered. "It's been years, hasn't it? You've grown so… composed. Truly, a young lady of the Qin family."
Her hands tightened slightly at her sides.
How could she forget?
She was ten when this man had sneered down at her, his words slicing sharper than any knife. "Illegitimate child, born of low blood. Nothing good will ever come from a scheming woman like your mother… and you'll be the same."
He had spat those words in front of everyone, not caring that she was just a child, that she understood every venomous syllable.
And now he dared to look at her with grandfatherly affection?
Xi Jiayi's gaze remained steady, her face unreadable.
Qin Suyin rose gracefully, her eyes shining with feigned warmth. She reached out as though they were close cousins.
"Cousin Jiayi, we've heard so much about you lately. Finally, I can meet you properly." Her voice was sweet, her touch lingering as she held Xi Jiayi's hand. "You must feel so lonely here… don't worry, we'll always treat you as family."
Family.
The word rang hollow.
But before Xi Jiayi could pull back, Madam Song's voice cut through the hall.
"What are you doing here?"
Her tone was sharp, cold in a way rarely heard from her.
Xi Jiayi turned her head slightly. Madam Song stood at the doorway, her complexion pale, her expression tight with exhaustion and worry.
Fourth Elder Weishan rose slowly, leaning on his cane with exaggerated weakness. "Ah, Madam Song, don't be so hostile. We came merely to check in on the family. News spreads quickly, you know. Everyone is… concerned."
His eyes gleamed as he spoke, the mockery barely hidden beneath the veneer of kindness.
Qin Suyin added sweetly, "Yes, Auntie Song. We only wish to help. Isn't it better to show unity in times like these?"
The tension in the hall thickened, silence settling heavy between them.
Xi Jiayi lowered her gaze, her lashes veiling the cold light in her eyes. She didn't need to speak—every word, every gesture, every memory already told her what she needed to know.