Transmigration; Married to My Ex-Fiancé's Uncle-Chapter 332; Lin family 11

"That’s my baby you’re carrying. If you hurt the fetus, I can sue you as my surrogate, you know!" Shuyin spoke up, reminding her of the lie they thought they could use to fool the public.

Lin Yueling’s hands immediately flew to her belly, wrapping around it protectively.

Now, with Lu Zeyan’s condition deteriorating, she could be promoted to legal wife and rise in social standing.

Lin Yueling’s face contorted with disgust and confusion. She looked at the plate again, and the maggots were still there, writhing, some of them falling onto the table.

"This is outrageous!" Lin Feng slammed his hand on the table, causing the dishes to rattle. But when he looked at his food again, the sight of those pulsating larvae made his stomach turn. "Someone call the chef! I want to know where this food came from!"

"Of course, Father," Shuyin said, rising gracefully. She walked to the kitchen entrance and called out, "Excuse me? Could the chef come out for a moment?"

An elderly man in chef’s whites appeared, looking nervous. "Yes, Miss?"

"My family seems concerned about the quality of the food tonight," Shuyin said sweetly. "Could you confirm what you prepared?"

The chef looked confused. "I prepared my usual dishes, Miss. Braised abalone, Peking duck with the house sauce, steamed fish, the same recipes I’ve used for fifteen years in this household."

"And the ingredients? All fresh?"

"Purchased this morning from the usual suppliers. The finest quality, as always."

Lin Feng stared at the chef, then at his plate, where the larvae seemed to pulse and breathe. "But this... look at this!"

The chef approached and looked at Lin Feng’s plate. His face showed genuine confusion. "Sir? The abalone looks perfect. Is there a problem with the preparation?"

"The abalone?!" Lin Feng’s voice cracked. "This isn’t... can you not see..."

Chen Madam grabbed the chef’s sleeve. "The fish! Look at the fish bleeding on my plate!"

The chef looked at her plate and saw exactly what he’d prepared, a beautiful piece of steamed fish with ginger. "Madam, I... I don’t understand. The fish is perfectly cooked. Is the seasoning not to your liking?"

"Not to my..." Chen Madam’s voice rose to near-hysteria. "It’s bleeding!"

Shuyin placed a gentle hand on the chef’s shoulder. "Thank you. I think perhaps my family is overtired. It’s been a stressful day. You may return to the kitchen."

The chef bowed and retreated, clearly bewildered.

Lin Yueling was crying now, actual tears streaming down her face as she stared at her plate. One hand protectively cradled her pregnant belly. "I can’t... I’m going to be sick..."

She stood abruptly and rushed from the room.

Chen Madam was gripping the edge of the table, her face a mask of horror and confusion. "This isn’t possible. This isn’t... Feng, you see it too, don’t you? Tell me you see it!"

Lin Feng nodded mutely, unable to tear his eyes away from his plate where the larvae seemed to grow larger, more grotesque.

"Perhaps you’re experiencing food poisoning from lunch?" Shuyin suggested innocently. "Or stress? It can cause hallucinations sometimes."

"We’re not hallucinating!" Chen Madam shrieked.

"Well, we’re all eating the same food," Lu Yuze pointed out reasonably, taking another bite of his duck. "And it’s perfectly fine for us. Chen Xiao, are you feeling sick at all?"

The little boy shook his head, his cheeks full of rice. "Uh-uh. I feel good!"

Chen Madam looked at them, at Shuyin, Lu Yuze, and the children calmly eating their dinner, and something desperate entered her eyes. "You’re doing this," she whispered, pointing a shaking finger at Shuyin. "Somehow, you’re doing this."

Shuyin’s expression was pure innocence. "Doing what, Mother? Eating dinner?"

"You..." Chen Madam’s stomach suddenly churned. The smell of blood seemed to intensify, that metallic tang filling her nostrils. She gagged. "I can’t..."

She stood and fled, one hand pressed to her mouth.

Lin Feng remained, but he’d pushed his plate away, his face gray. "What is happening?" he muttered. "What is this?"

"Father, perhaps you should lie down," Shuyin said with false concern. "You don’t look well."

From down the hallway, they could hear the sounds of the Lin family vomiting violently.

Lin Feng stared at Shuyin. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes, suspicion, fear, recognition that something was very wrong here. But then his stomach roiled again as the smell of decay wafted from his plate.

"Excuse me," he managed, and then he too fled.

The dining room fell silent except for the quiet sounds of Shuyin’s family continuing their meal.

Chen Xiao looked at the empty chairs, confused. "Why did everyone leave? The food is so good."

"They weren’t feeling well," Shuyin said calmly, taking a sip of her wine. "More for us."

Lu Yuze set down his chopsticks, looking at her with a mixture of awe and slight concern. "That was you, wasn’t it? The illusion?"

"I have no idea what you’re talking about," Shuyin said, her eyes glinting. "I’m just a poor nanny who’s grateful for a meal."

"Mama," Yuyan said quietly, "that was... that was amazing. They really couldn’t see the real food at all?"

"Allegedly," Shuyin said with a small smile. "If such a thing were possible, which of course it isn’t. Because that would be magic, and magic isn’t real."

She took another bite of duck. "It would be quite a coincidence though, wouldn’t it? All of them having the same hallucination at the same time?"

"Quite the coincidence," Lu Yuze agreed dryly. He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "You’re supposed to be magically exhausted. Didn’t you just complain about being drained?"

"Minor spell," Shuyin whispered back. "Just an illusion. Barely cost me anything." She paused. "And completely worth it to see the looks on their faces."

From the hallway, they could still hear retching sounds.

"How long will it last?" Lu Yuze asked.

"The spell?" Shuyin considered. "Until they leave the dining room. The moment they’re far enough away, it’ll break. But the nausea?" Her smile turned cold. "That might linger a bit longer. Psychosomatic, you know. The mind can be very powerful."