Chapter 20: Chapter The Duchess looked at Su Yueqing slowly.
Today had already been such a long and stressful day, and now all of this was happening.
"Su Yueqing... answer me. Did you really burn down the kitchen?"
Her question made the entire courtyard fall silent.
They all knew that when Lin Meiyun became serious, she was truly frightening.
But Su Yueqing looked completely unbothered by her authoritative voice and cold expression.
She simply shrugged her shoulders.
"If I said I didn’t do it, would any of you believe me?" she asked calmly as her eyes swept across everyone present.
Inside her mind—
[Bunch of hypocrites.]
[You’re asking me that question as if you would actually believe me if I said I didn’t do it.]
[But I guess it doesn’t really matter, does it?]
[What’s the point of explaining anything to a bunch of people who are already doomed anyway?]
"You—"
Lin Meiyun’s expression darkened even more, but before she could speak again, the Duke gently held her arm, trying to calm her down.
He knew better than anyone how short-tempered his wife could be sometimes.
This new daughter-in-law had truly said a lot of unbelievable things since entering the Xi Manor.
Yet somehow...
Everything she said kept turning out to be true.
"Oops. It looks like Sister-in-law has really gotten on Mother’s nerves."
Xi Yunchen spoke with a faint smirk.
Xi Yunhao immediately shot him a warning look.
Xi Lanyin quickly stepped forward and gently held her mother’s hand.
"Mother... maybe Sister-in-law is telling the truth."
She looked toward Su Yueqing before continuing softly,
"The servants could have accidentally left something burning in the kitchen. Things like that can happen."
"We shouldn’t judge her so quickly."
"Please calm down."
Su Yueqing looked at Xi Lanyin for a moment.
Inside her mind—
[Hmm.]
[Looks like she’s the only sensible person among all of you.]
[Now can everyone hurry up and finish this?]
[I still want to take a bath.]
[I smell like smoke, and I feel disgusting.]
Before anyone could say another word, hurried footsteps suddenly came from the direction of the burning courtyard.
A guard shouted from afar,
"Young Master is back!"
Everyone instinctively turned toward the entrance.
The next moment, Xi Wenzhe walked out of the thick smoke.
His black robes were stained with ash, and one of his sleeves had been burned slightly by the flames. His expression was as cold as ever, but there was a trace of exhaustion hidden beneath it.
And in his arms...
He was carrying Li Mei.
Her eyes were tightly shut, and her face was covered with soot. Her hair was a mess, and she looked so weak that it seemed she could collapse at any moment.
The entire courtyard fell silent.
Even Lin Meiyun stopped speaking.
Xi Ronghua frowned deeply.
Gu Zhen quietly glanced at his wife, already knowing she was about to lose her temper.
Su Yueqing slowly looked up.
Her eyes moved from Li Mei...