"Yes, Dabao, listen to your grandmother this time. Just divorce Yun Qi. There's no benefit in keeping a wife like this. I originally thought she was an honest person; she's been obedient around the house these past few months. I even thought that once Ziqing marries in, the first child born would be placed under her name. Who knew she harbored such a venomous heart," Madam Huang also stood up from her chair, echoing Madam Zhao's words.

Dabao's face was ashen. He didn't answer Madam Zhao or Madam Huang. Instead, he walked step by step toward Yun Qi and asked her, enunciating every word: "Yun Qi, you've been in this household for so long, and we haven't treated you poorly. Why would you do this? If you needed money, you could have told me directly. Why harm your own family like this? If He'er hadn't discovered this, were you planning to ruin the household completely?"

Yun Qi wasn't one to stubbornly insist, either. She knew that even if they lacked concrete proof regarding the pastries, the matter of Xin Rou alone meant the family would never forgive her. Since she was capable of secretly learning the pastry recipes, she had anticipated a day like this.

Hearing Dabao repeatedly refer to "their family," she found it deeply ironic. She stood up, first addressing Dabao: "Dabao, do you and your family truly consider me part of the family? In all the years I've been married, have you ever truly valued me? On our wedding night, you left me alone and ignored me. If your mother hadn't scolded you, who knows how long that would have lasted? In all this time, besides eating and sleeping, I don't know what else you see me capable of doing. Your family constantly claims I can't do anything, but did you ever give me the opportunity?"

"I am completely ignorant of everything in your household. Whenever these matters are discussed, you all avoid me. I know nothing beyond the fact that you own a pastry shop. Is this how you treat a family member? When your grandmother learned He'er was pregnant, she scolded me severely. Because I dared to talk back a few times, she had the servants flog me. Your mother and your two paternal aunts were standing right there, yet not one of them pleaded for me. Dabao, you know how rarely your family punishes the servants unjustly, but you had me beaten so easily. Is this treating me like family?"

Yun Qi paused to catch her breath, then continued: "After the incident with Xin Rou, I truly resolved to live well in your Lin family. Regardless of whether I had children or how my maternal relatives tried to persuade me, I gave up any other notions. I truly kept my word. It was your family who reneged. Every one of you told me that as long as I lived quietly at home, I would always remain the eldest young mistress. I no longer crave the glory of that title; I only wished for the minimum respect from your family, but you couldn't even grant me that. How could you expect me to believe I could stay in this house in the future?"

"That's right, I was responsible for the pastry shop affair this time. Since He'er has investigated clearly, I won't say more. How you choose to proceed is up to you now; it means nothing to me anymore. Separation by mutual agreement or divorce by decree—it's all the same. Moreover, it's simple for you; I've fulfilled nearly all the 'Seven Grounds for Divorce' anyway. Any single one of those reasons is enough to dismiss me, correct?"

After speaking these words to Dabao, Yun Qi took two steps toward Lin He. She stopped while still a short distance away from Lin He and smiled gently: "He'er, among all the mistakes I've made, you are the one I owe the most apology to. Since I married into this family, you have treated me the best—even better than my own sisters. When Dabao slighted me, you found ways to comfort me. When the mother-in-law blamed me for not bearing a child, you were the one who tirelessly spoke up for me. Even after the Xin Rou incident, you not only helped me hide it from the family but also helped me send Xin Rou away. He'er, I know you always saw me as one of your own, and I believe you always meant what you said. But I can no longer stay in your house. Please forgive me for everything I have done."

After saying this, Yun Qi didn't look at anyone else in the room and walked softly out. If one had looked closely at her back then, they would have seen that her posture had never been so light. Perhaps, for her, leaving the Lin family was not the worst outcome.

Dabao felt that he also bore some responsibility in Yun Qi's matter and couldn't push all the blame onto her. In the end, he did not use the Seven Grounds for Divorce to dismiss Yun Qi; he only signed a separation agreement, stating that henceforth, neither party would interfere in the other's future marriage. After signing the agreement, Yun Qi left the Lin family that very day.

When Yun Qi returned home, no one knew what method she used to halt the shop run by her sister's husband's family. In any case, from then on, that shop never sold those types of pastries again, and Lin He and Dabao did not pursue the matter of their imitation pastries any further.

More than two months later, one day, Lin He was admiring flowers in the courtyard, using a pair of scissors to trim the branches of a potted plant. Suddenly, a familiar, rich, gentle voice called out from behind her: "He'er, what are you doing? Haven't I told you that scissors and knives shouldn't be handled casually?"

Lin He was about to turn and give that scoundrel Wen Ningxuan a harsh glare when her heart suddenly clenched. A sharp pain struck her abdomen, causing her waist to bend. Before Lin He could cry out, she heard Ziyu exclaim happily: "The young mistress is going into labor! Young Master, quickly, carry the young mistress inside!"

The usually composed man seemed momentarily flustered and at a loss. After a brief pause, he swiftly scooped her up and hurried toward the delivery room.

Lin He awoke an hour later. Wen Ningxuan was on her right, his phoenix eyes shining brightly as he looked at her. He reached out, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, leaned down, and kissed her lightly, murmuring, "He'er, you've worked hard."

Lin He finally registered her surroundings and quickly asked, "The child? Where is the child?"

Upon hearing this, Ziyu immediately turned and walked out. A moment later, two wet nurses entered carrying the babies and placed them on the couch. Lin He reached out to touch them, glancing from the left one to the right one, then frowned at Wen Ningxuan: "They look exactly alike. Which one is the daughter?"

Wen Ningxuan shook his head, a smile playing at the corners of his eyes. "There is no daughter. Both are sons."

Lin He was stunned into silence for a moment: "Then where is my daughter?"

"She wasn't born."

"How is that possible?! How could I not give birth to a daughter?"

Ziyu and Qingzhu, standing nearby, spoke in unison, "Young Mistress, just like Madam, you gave birth to twins—two young masters."

End of Book RS