Lu Meiqi stepped forward, eyes full of malice. "We prepared a gift for our sister-in-law."

She clapped.

And a servant brought forward a lacquered tea tray.

Su Wan’s eyes narrowed.

The memory struck instantly. The kneeling tea ceremony. In the original story, the tray was rigged. Hot tea would spill. Scald her. And she would be blamed for disrespecting the elders.

Another trap.

How predictable.

"Serve tea," Lu Meiqi smiled knowingly.

Everyone watched. Waiting. Hunting.

Su Wan lifted the cup. Slowly. Calmly.

Then—just as Lu Meiqi leaned closer in anticipation—Su Wan deliberately loosened her wrist.

The cup tilted.

Scalding tea splashed—not on Su Wan.

But all over Lu Meiqi’s hand.

"Aahhh!"

Lu Meiqi screamed.

Chaos erupted. The aunts lunged forward.

"You vicious woman!"

"You did it on purpose!"

But before they could continue—Su Wan raised the tea tray and showed everyone a loosened, tampered screw beneath it.

Silence.

Then she said mildly, "How strange. The tray was sabotaged or why could it misbehave like this?" 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

She looked directly at Lu Meiqi. "Cousin... were you trying to harm a pregnant woman?"

Boom.

The accusation detonated.

The aunts froze. Lu Meiqi’s face lost all color. The looked like people who had swallowed flies. Being caught red-handed wasn’t a good thing at all.

For a second, no one spoke.

Then a voice cut through the silence. Old. Cold. Authoritative.

"What is going on?"

Everyone turned sharply.

At the entrance, a servant hurried forward. "Old Master Lu has arrived!"

Shock rippled through the courtyard. Footsteps followed—slow, measured, heavy with authority.

Old Master Lu entered.

Still pale from the hospital. But his presence was overwhelming.

His sharp gaze swept across the scene—from Lu Meiqi’s burned hand to the exposed tray to Su Wan. He understood everything in a single glance.

His expression darkened.

"Excellent."

His voice struck heavy.

"The moment my granddaughter-in-law enters—she is ambushed."

Thwack.

His cane slammed against the ground.

"Who gave you this courage?!"

The aunts turned pale. Lu Meiqi trembled.

No one dared speak.

But then—before anyone could react—a large hand suddenly settled at Su Wan’s waist.

Firm. Possessive. Unmistakable.

Su Wan’s breath paused.

Lu Shaohan.

He pulled her slightly toward him—not gently, but decisively. Claiming her openly.

His voice dropped, cold enough to freeze the entire courtyard.

"My wife is carrying my heir."

He intentionally paused. His gaze swept across everyone, it was ruthless full of warning.

"Anyone who touches her... answers to me."

Silence. Absolute.

No one dared move. No one dared speak.

Su Wan stood there. Still. Calm.

But inside—something shifted.

Because this was not in the novel. This moment. This protection. This public claim.

It shouldn’t exist.

And for the first time, she understood—

This world was no longer following the script.

The plot wasn’t changing.

It was breaking.

---

Su Wan stilled for a fraction of a second.

Then—she adjusted her posture. Not stepping away. Not leaning in. But aligning herself just enough within his hold—as if accepting it without truly yielding.

From the outside, it looked natural. Intimate. Even obedient.

But her eyes remained clear. Cold. Watching.

Because she understood exactly what this was.

Not protection. Not affection.

A statement. A warning. A claim made for everyone to see.

And she chose not to break it.

---

The aunts exchanged a quick glance.

Then—as if nothing had happened—the first aunt stepped forward, her expression shifting instantly into concern.

"Father, you’ve just left the hospital. You shouldn’t be standing here."

The second aunt quickly moved to his side, lightly holding his arm. "Yes, your health is more important. This is just a misunderstanding."

Lu Meiqi bit her lip, her eyes reddening as if on the verge of tears. "Grandfather... I didn’t mean to hurt sister-in-law. The tray must have been prepared carelessly by the servants..."

Her voice trembled. Soft. Pitiful.

As if she were the one wronged.

Old Master Lu’s gaze darkened.

He looked at the hands holding his arm—then at Lu Meiqi.

His expression did not soften. Not even slightly.

"Let go."

His voice was low. But absolute.

The aunts stiffened. Their fingers loosened immediately.

No one dared insist.

"Do you think I’m blind?" he said coldly. "I saw everything."

Lu Meiqi’s face turned pale again.

The act collapsed instantly.

Su Wan watched quietly.

So this was how they survived in this house—

Not with strength.

But with performance.

---