Chapter 121: The Source Of Misfortune
Xie An’an hurriedly wiped away the tears on her face before gently supporting Old Madam Xie.
"Grandmother..." she said softly, her eyes still glistening with tears. "Please calm your anger."
She forced a faint smile despite the redness around her eyes. "It is already getting late. Sister-in-law has only just regained consciousness today..." She lowered her gaze.
"This granddaughter believes... Perhaps we should wait until tomorrow. When the Sister-in-law has recovered a little more, we can sit together and clear this misunderstanding."
She paused briefly before adding with a bitter smile, "This granddaughter does not wish Grandmother to worry because of us."
She paused briefly before adding with a bitter smile, "This granddaughter does not wish Grandmother to worry because of us."
Xie Rong regarded her quietly for a moment before turning toward Old Madam Xie.
He bowed, "This grandson shall take his leave."
Without waiting for permission, he turned and strode toward the entrance.
"Stop." Old Madam Xie’s voice was neither loud nor hurried. Yet it carried enough authority to bring every servant’s heartbeat to a halt.
Xie Rong’s footsteps came to a stop.
"Bring Taotao here." Old Madam Xie ordered.
Only then did he slowly turn around. "No."
The single word echoed through the hall.
Even Xie An’an looked up in surprise.
Old Madam Xie’s eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"
"Furen nearly lost her life today." Xie Rong’s voice remained even. "This grandson will not allow anyone to disturb her rest."
A heavy silence descended.
Old Madam Xie slowly rose from her seat. "You... will not allow it?"
The atmosphere instantly became suffocating.
"Rong’er. Since when did the affairs of this residence require your permission?" She turned her head slightly. "Nanny Zhao."
"This servant is here." Nanny Zhao responded immediately
"Go to the East Courtyard." Old Madam Xie’s eyes narrowed sharply.
Nanny Zhao hesitated. Her gaze instinctively flickered toward Xie Rong. "Old Madam..."
"Bring the Young Madam here. If she cannot walk..." Old Madam’s eyes never left Xie Rong, "then have someone carry her."
Xie Rong closed his eyes briefly before letting out a slow, measured breath. When he opened them again, his voice remained calm.
"I see." His lips curved into a faint smile that never reached his eyes. "So, this grandson’s opinion holds no value. Even the well-being of my own wife... requires Grandmother’s permission."
Xie Rong inclined his head slightly, "Since Grandmother insists upon seeing Furen... this grandson will bring her here personally."
He lifted his head, his expression as composed as ever. "There is no need to trouble the servants nor... is there any need for anyone to lay a hand on her."
He turned toward the entrance of the hall. However, before he could take another step, his footsteps suddenly halted.
The subtle change did not escape Old Madam Xie. "Rong’er?"
Xie Rong remained silent.
Following his line of sight, everyone inside the hall instinctively turned toward the doorway.
The next moment, the hall fell deathly silent.
Standing quietly at the entrance was Wang Gege.
Qing’er stood faithfully at her side, one hand gently supporting her arm.
Wang Gege’s face remained noticeably pale, and even beneath the loose sleeves of her robe, her figure appeared much more frail than before. A faint sheen of perspiration clung to her forehead, as though the journey from the East Courtyard had exhausted nearly all of her strength.
Even so... She slowly withdrew her arm from Qing’er’s support.
Taking one careful step after another, she crossed the threshold into the hall.
She lowered herself into a respectful bow. "This granddaughter greets Grandmother."
Qing’er immediately followed suit. "This servant greets Old Madam."
Before anyone could react, Xie Rong had already strode to Wang Gege’s side.
"Furen..."
The concern in his voice was impossible to conceal as he reached out to support her unsteady figure.
However, before his hand could settle upon her arm, Wang Gege quietly took half a step to the side.
The movement was subtle.
So subtle that, to everyone else, it merely appeared as though she was stepping forward to pay her respects.
Yet Xie Rong’s outstretched hand remained suspended in the air for the briefest of moments before he slowly lowered it.
Wang Gege did not look at him. Instead, she bowed once more toward Old Madam Xie.
"This granddaughter-in-law has come to answer every question."
She slowly straightened, her complexion still frighteningly pale. Though her voice trembled from exhaustion, she deliberately raised it so everyone within the hall could hear.
"This granddaughter-in-law is prepared to explain everything that transpired at the lotus pond... so that this misunderstanding may finally be brought to an end."
Old Madam Xie’s gaze lingered on Wang Gege for a long moment.
Seeing the young woman’s deathly pale complexion and the obvious weakness she could no longer conceal, a trace of hesitation surfaced in her aged eyes.
She had, after all, only just awakened after nearly losing her life.
But... As one incident after another flashed through her mind, that fleeting hesitation gradually disappeared.
She slowly cleared her throat.
"This old one never intended to act irrationally." Her voice remained calm, though noticeably heavier than before. "However..." She let out a quiet sigh, "Ever since you entered this residence, peace within the Xie family seems to have vanished."
Her gaze rested steadily upon Wang Gege. "Rong’er’s poisoning... the death of the servant... Now, the incident at the lotus pond. This old one has never once declared that every one of those matters was your doing. But neither can this old one continue pretending they are merely coincidences."
Another pause followed. "Taotao... Can you truly blame this old one for wanting to know whether bringing you into the Xie family was a blessing... or a calamity?"
"Grandmother!"
Xie Rong rarely raised his voice. Yet this time, the single word reverberated throughout the hall.
Even Old Madam Xie was momentarily taken aback.
His chest rose and fell once before he spoke again, each word restrained with visible effort.
"Those words are undeserved."
The heavy silence that had settled over the hall was gently broken by Wang Gege’s frail voice. "If..."
Everyone’s gaze instinctively turned toward her.
Wang Gege lowered her eyes, her fingers quietly tightening around the fabric of her sleeve.
"If Grandmother truly believes this granddaughter-in-law is the source of the Xie family’s misfortunes..." She paused, drawing a slow, shallow breath, "then this granddaughter-in-law will leave."
The simple sentence landed like a stone thrown into still water.
Even Old Madam Xie was momentarily stunned.
Xie Rong’s pupils contracted.
"Furen." It was the first time a trace of panic slipped into his otherwise composed voice.
Wang Gege, however, did not look at him. Her gaze remained fixed upon Old Madam Xie.
"This granddaughter-in-law has no wish to become the burden weighing upon the Xie family. If my departure can restore peace to this residence... then I am willing to leave."