"Auntie, please don’t say that. Shanshan is so young, well-behaved, and smart. Who wouldn’t adore her?"

Fang Jianing quickly waved her hands, a sincere and gentle smile on her face.

The more Ding Qin looked at her, the more she liked what she saw. The last of her doubts vanished in an instant.

"Why don’t you stay here with us? I’ll have someone fetch your clothes from your place, so you can just settle in. Anxun happens to be on leave right now, so you two can spend more time together."

She felt this was a great opportunity.

It would not only help their relationship grow but also allow Jianing to integrate into the family more quickly.

"Auntie..."

Fang Jianing froze for a moment, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

She had thought that by moving into this house, she could get closer to Ling Anxun and bridge the distance between them.

But the reality was, Anxun was as cold to her as ever, rarely even giving her a second glance.

And as for Shanshan, she would hide the moment she saw her.

Just then, Ling Anxun noticed that Shanshan was avoiding him, too.

Ling Anxun’s heart sank, and his brows furrowed even more deeply.

’When did my daughter start being so guarded around me?’

She used to run up and throw her arms around him the moment she saw him.

He knew Shanshan hadn’t been herself lately; something must be weighing on her mind.

As her father, he couldn’t just pretend not to see it.

But even though Shanshan was small, she was a fast runner.

"Aunt Fang, why are you here again? Didn’t I tell you I don’t like this stuff? It’s tacky and cheap. The things Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, and my uncles give me are a hundred times better than this!"

Shanshan shoved aside the gift box Fang Jianing offered, her tone icy.

What she hated most was how Fang Jianing put on a gentle act in front of her father.

’She doesn’t like me at all. She’s just using me to get on Dad’s good side.’

Shanshan stared straight at her, her big, bright eyes unblinking.

She didn’t miss the hint of malice in them.

"Even if you can’t stand me, Auntie, you don’t have to fob me off with this street-market junk, do you?"

"Shanshan, how can you say that? I... I spent so long picking these out! I looked over every single one, so worried you wouldn’t be satisfied. I even chose the prettiest wrapping paper and tied the ribbon several times just to get it neat. Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong with it?"

Fang Jianing was exploding with rage inside.

But with Ling Anxun right there, she could only force herself to look wronged.

"Shanshan, Auntie truly sees you as family, doting on you as if you were my own daughter. Can you please not accuse me so wrongly? I really meant well. Was that a mistake? The way you talk is just so disheartening."

"Oh, so telling the truth is what you call being ’wrongfully accused’? I guess I overestimated things. I thought the Ling family had at least a little sincerity, but it’s all just a joke."

Ling Anxun swept his daughter into his arms.

"Ms. Fang, my daughter is still young. She doesn’t know how to lie, and she doesn’t know how to pretend. Whatever she thinks is what she says. If you’re not comfortable staying here, you should go back to your own home. The Ling family doesn’t need another smiling face, nor do we need false sentiment."

"That’s not it! Mr. Ling, please let me explain, that’s not what I meant! I wanted to be good to the child, I really did... I just..."

Fang Jianing’s eyes were red and her voice was choked with sobs, tears welling up.

But before she could finish, Ling Anxun had already turned and walked away without a backward glance.

Shanshan, draped over his shoulder, made a goofy face at Fang Jianing.

Her eyes curved into crescents as she stuck out her tongue, and she secretly flashed a V-sign with her little hand.

’You little brat!’

’Just you wait, I’ll kill you!’

Fang Jianing gritted her teeth, her nails digging deep into her palms.

She swore that one day, she would make this little girl cry and beg for her forgiveness on her knees.

「That day, Ling Zhiwei went out with his friends.」

Shanshan was left all alone in the courtyard.

This was the moment Fang Jianing had been waiting for.

She snuck up silently behind Shanshan and kicked her hard.

Caught completely off guard, Shanshan pitched forward into a mud puddle, sending a spray of murky water everywhere.

Her new dress was instantly soaked in mud, its white lace trim stained brown.

Watching this, Fang Jianing felt a rush of satisfaction so intense she wanted to laugh out loud.

"You little bastard, you really think you’re one of the Ling family? Always acting all cute and clever for Ling Anxun, you put on a pretty convincing show! Who the hell do you think you are? Mother unknown, origins a mystery, and you have the gall to put on airs in front of me? Dream on!"

Shanshan slowly picked herself up, soaked and cold.

She looked down at her new dress.

Ling Anxun had specially asked someone to bring it back for her from the city.

But now, it was ruined, stained beyond cleaning.

"You... you’re an evil woman! You pretend to be kind, you pretend to be virtuous, but your heart is full of jealousy and hate! Did you think I didn’t know? You hate me because Dad loves me more, don’t you?"

"Ha! Me? Evil?"

Fang Jianing covered her mouth, laughing so hard she bent over.

"That’s right, I am evil! I’m sinister, and I’m vicious to the core! What are you going to do about it? Hit me? Tattle on me? Do you think Ling Anxun will believe a little brat like you, or me, the woman who’s with him day and night?"

Shanshan clenched her small fists, her nails digging into her flesh.

"Bad people... always get what they deserve! One day, you’ll regret this! I’ll make sure everyone knows who you really are!"

Before the words were even out of her mouth, she kicked off the ground and, without warning, charged at the stationary Fang Jianing.

Fang Jianing had no time to react. The impact sent her stumbling backward, and her foot slipped.

She staggered and fell right into the mud.

She looked down to see her simple white dress now covered in mottled mud stains.

"You little bitch! Are you crazy?!"

Seething with uncontrollable anger, she raised her hand to slap Shanshan hard across the face.

But Shanshan was prepared. With a nimble twist of her body, she dodged to the side.

Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps came from the front courtyard.

Shanshan’s ears twitched. Her eyes darted, and a plan formed in her mind.

She subtly formed a small, secret Spell in her palm, her fingertips twitching.

A faint wisp of Spiritual Power slipped out, coiling around the muddy ground beneath Fang Jianing’s feet.

The next moment, Fang Jianing felt her feet slip out from under her. Losing her balance completely, she flailed her arms wildly but found nothing to grab onto.

SPLAT!

With a dull thud, she landed heavily in the mud.

Shanshan seized the opportunity, scrambling to her feet and bolting without a backward glance.

As she ran, she started shouting at the top of her lungs.

"Fourth Brother! Help, she’s trying to hit me! Come save me!"

"Whoa there, you little rascal, what happened? How did you get so filthy? You’re covered in mud, like a little mud monkey!"

Ling Zhiwei was walking over from under the covered walkway, a smile on his face as he fanned himself and teased her.

"This filthy? Your dad will have your hide for this. See if you dare run around getting messy again!"

But just as he laughed, he looked up.

His gaze went past the running Shanshan and landed on the other figure behind her, who was also covered in mud.

He saw Fang Jianing kneeling in the mud, her dress caked with sludge and her hair in disarray.

The smile on Ling Zhiwei’s face froze instantly.

The next moment, he strode forward without hesitation, reaching Shanshan’s side in a few large steps.

"Fourth Brother!"

Shanshan gripped the corner of his shirt tightly, her little face turned up to him, her eyes red-rimmed.

"She kicked me from behind and pushed me down! You have to teach her a lesson for me!"

Fang Jianing struggled to her feet from the mud, brushing at her dress.

"Shanshan, don’t talk nonsense! How would I dare bully you? You’re covered in mud, and I haven’t even scolded you for dirtying the courtyard. In fact, I was just worried you’d catch a cold and said a few words. How can you turn around and accuse me, putting on a show and running to tattle?"