Zhou Zhennan, in his fury, was almost unrecognizable. Veins bulged at his temples, his eyes were bloodshot, and all traces of his usual gentle demeanor were gone.

Zhou Xiaohong had never seen her father like this. Trembling with fear, she burst into tears, shaking her head frantically. "I didn't poison anything, I swear! It wasn't poison!"

Her words made it clear—she had indeed tampered with the egg custard.

Li Yunlan snatched up a feather duster from nearby and began striking Zhou Xiaohong across the back. "You monster! How did I give birth to such a foolish, wicked child!"

Stung by the blows and terrified by the rage in the room, Zhou Xiaohong dropped to her knees before Zhou Zhennan. "Dad, I didn't mean to hurt her! Hu Ling gave it to me! She said it was medicine to make childbirth easier!"

"I ate some myself—it wasn't poisonous. I was afraid Sister-in-law wouldn't take it willingly, so I... I put it in the egg custard."

Instead of calming Li Yunlan, this confession enraged her even more. She rained blows down on Zhou Xiaohong with the duster. "Are you out of your mind? You're still in contact with Hu Ling?

Do you have any idea what that family is like? Have you forgotten what Hu Yaozong did to you?"

"Zhou Xiaohong, what did we ever do to deserve this? Why are you destroying our family like this?"

She couldn't understand how her daughter, who wasn't stupid, could keep making such terrible mistakes.

Zhou Bingwen clutched his chest and sank onto the sofa. Lin Xiaoxiao, forgetting for a moment whether Zhou Xiaohong was lying, urgently called to Lin Wenbin, "Brother, quick—call a doctor!"

Lin Wenbin wasn't sure who to call, but the housekeeper, snapping out of her shock, quickly dialed the family physician. What should have been a joyful New Year's Eve had descended into chaos.

After the doctor arrived, checked Zhou Bingwen, prescribed medication, and left, the family sat in grim silence in the living room. Outside, firecrackers popped cheerfully, but inside, the atmosphere was heavy and tense.

Only Lin Xiaoxiao and Lin Wenbin were eating at the dining table. Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't afford to go hungry—it made her dizzy and weak—so even if the world was falling apart, she needed a few bites. Lin Wenbin simply didn't know what to say. As much as he wanted to strangle Zhou Xiaohong himself, the Zhou family seemed to have it under control.

Watching his sister eat, he muttered under his breath, "Was your sister-in-law bitten by something as a child? How can she not tell right from wrong?"

Lin Xiaoxiao wondered the same. Both Zhou Xiaoming and Hu Yaozong had hurt Zhou Xiaohong deeply. How could she still trust Hu Ling?

Hu Ling was Zhou Xiaoming's wife and Hu Yaozong's sister. Both men had been sentenced to death—thanks largely to the Zhou family.

Hu Ling must have hated them, especially Zhou Huai'an. Why would she ever give Zhou Xiaohong a "painless childbirth" medicine? Even a five-year-old would see through that. Was Zhou Xiaohong really that naive, or was it deliberate?

Zhou Xiaohong remained kneeling in the middle of the living room. Exhausted from beating her,

Li Yunlan sat weeping, unable to comprehend her daughter's actions.

Zhou Zhennan stayed silent, his mind racing—not only about how to handle Zhou Xiaohong, but also how to deal with Hu Ling and the remaining members of the Hu family, who were clearly still seeking revenge.

Zhou Huai'an watched Zhou Xiaohong with a cold, piercing glare. His thoughts aligned with his father's. Whether Zhou Xiaohong had been manipulated or not, there were people hiding in the shadows waiting to strike.

He had been the one to put Zhou Xiaoming and Hu Yaozong behind bars. He had brought down the Hu family. It was only natural they would seek revenge—even if it meant targeting the innocent, like Lin Xiaoxiao and their unborn children.

After a while, Zhou Bingwen regained some composure. "Huai'an, request a transfer back to Beijing. Those people don't want to see you here—so that's exactly where you should be."

Zhou Huai'an didn't respond, his gaze still fixed on Zhou Xiaohong.

That cold, furious stare terrified Zhou Xiaohong. She cried uncontrollably. "Please, Brother, I never meant to hurt the babies."

"Ever since you came back, I've wanted us to get along. I wanted us to be a family."

"Hu Ling and I have always been close. After what happened with Zhou Xiaoming and Hu Yaozong, she came to comfort me. She apologized in tears, saying the Hu family had wronged me."

Zhou Zhennan closed his eyes and waved a hand. "I don't want to hear it, Xiaohong. You made a mistake, and you must face the consequences. You never listen to your parents, but you'll believe every honey-coated lie from outsiders."

He couldn't understand how they had raised a daughter who could be so easily deceived.

Zhou Xiaohong fell silent, tears streaming down her face. She had truly believed Hu Ling was different from the rest of her family. Hu Ling had condemned Zhou Xiaoming and Hu Yaozong's actions in front of her, calling them monsters who deserved punishment.

Neither Zhou Bingwen nor Zhou Zhennan mentioned calling the police.

From where she sat eating, Lin Xiaoxiao listened quietly. It seemed like the matter was being swept under the rug. Li Yunlan had beaten Zhou Xiaohong, and that was the end of it.

A wave of disappointment washed over her. So blood really was thicker than water. Even attempted murder could be forgiven when it was your own child. She couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness.

Lin Wenbin knew his sister well—she was clear-headed and fair, but sometimes too straightforward. He whispered, "They have to keep this quiet. Zhou Huai'an is now a Zhou. If Zhou Xiaohong has a criminal record, it could ruin his future."

Lin Xiaoxiao was confused. "Are they still into collective punishment?"

He tapped her forehead lightly. "You're usually so sharp. Zhou Huai'an and Zhou Xiaocheng—wherever he is—both work in sensitive fields. The background checks are extremely strict. Zhou Bingwen and Zhou Zhennan are old foxes. They know exactly who wants to see them fall. They won't allow anything to tarnish Zhou Huai'an's reputation."

Just then, Zhou Huai'an glanced over and saw Lin Wenbin and Lin Xiaoxiao with their heads close together, whispering intimately.