EHTM | Chapter 13 - I'm Afraid Sister Will Get Angry

"What's going on here? Second Young Master Xie isn't helping his own brother, he's helping his sister-in-law instead? Are they that close?"

"What do you mean 'close'? Don't you know that Second Young Master Xie has never gotten along with his older brother? The Xie family could only have one heir, and they chose the eldest from the start. Xie Shu was sent abroad at six years old and left to fend for himself. So of course he's always been hostile toward his brother."

"Ah, I get it now. Xie Shu isn't actually looking out for Shen Donghuan, he's just trying to piss off Xie Yuming."

The commotion downstairs was so loud that it quickly reached Huo Lingjun's ears upstairs.

She descended the staircase, her silver hair gleaming, her eyes sharp and penetrating, leaning on her cane.

"What is all this racket about?"

Her aged voice carried an undeniable authority.

The entire hall fell silent. Everyone looked at the matriarch of the Xie family with a mix of fear and respect.

When Shen Donghuan saw Huo Lingjun appear, a flicker of fear passed through her eyes before she quickly suppressed it. She addressed the old lady softly.

"Grandma."

Huo Lingjun, however, said nothing. She walked past Shen Donghuan coldly, her gaze radiating displeasure, clearly unsatisfied with her granddaughter-in-law.

Then she looked at Xie Yuming and Xie Shu, who were still at odds. In an instant, her expression softened. She gazed tenderly at Xie Yuming.

"Yuming, did Xie Shu upset you? He's always been disobedient. Don't pay any attention to his nonsense."

Her tone softened noticeably, carrying the gentle affection of an elder.

With those words, she made it clear to everyone in the room: the Xie family cared nothing for the second son, Xie Shu. Xie Yuming was the only one who mattered.

Xie Yuming glanced at Shen Donghuan, then at Xie Shu. He walked over to Huo Lingjun, took her arm, and his eyes filled with a hint of a smile.

"Grandma, my younger brother is still young, and he's been away from home for so long. He doesn't know how to watch his words. As his older brother, of course I wouldn't get angry with him."

"Today is your 80th birthday. You can't let something so trivial ruin your mood. You need to be happy so you can live to be a hundred."

Huo Lingjun had always doted on Xie Yuming the most among her grandchildren. Hearing him say this, she couldn't help but feel overjoyed.

She patted the back of his hand and said with a laugh, "Alright, alright, alright. Grandma will listen to you. I'll watch your child be born, see four generations under one roof, and live to be a hundred."

At the mention of a child, Huo Lingjun suddenly noticed Fu Ling standing there with her slightly swollen belly. A flash of delight lit up her eyes.

"Yuming, is this Fu Ling?"

Xie Yuming nodded. "Yes. This is Fu Ling."

Then he turned to Fu Ling. "Fu Ling, this is Grandma."

Fu Ling's eyes reddened slightly. She looked like a startled fawn, pitiful and endearing, as she gazed at Huo Lingjun.

She said softly, "Hello, Grandma. I'm Fu Ling."

Huo Lingjun's frail, aged body trembled slightly. She eagerly reached out her hand toward Fu Ling, her cloudy eyes gleaming with an almost frightening brightness.

"Good child, come here. Let me have a look at you!"

Fu Ling obediently stepped forward.

Huo Lingjun grabbed her hand.

"Xiao Ling, Yuming has told me about you many times. I'm so glad to finally meet you."

Her burning gaze traveled downward, fixating on Fu Ling's belly as if it were a priceless treasure.

"And the child in your belly."

This was her precious great-grandson!

She had waited three years. Finally, finally, her wait was over!

Having spent years in the entertainment industry, Fu Ling had long since developed a keen sense for reading people's expressions. She could clearly see how much Huo Lingjun longed for the child in her womb.

Her eyes darted around. She immediately grabbed Huo Lingjun's hand, placed it on her belly, and spoke in a sweet, coquettish voice.

"Grandma, the baby and I have actually wanted to visit you for a long time. It's just that my status wasn't really appropriate. But as soon as Yuming told me you wanted to see us, I agreed to come right away."

Huo Lingjun touched the pregnant belly, tears of excitement welling up in her aged eyes.

"Next time, come straight here. Better yet, come every day. Grandma loves seeing you and that child of yours."

In five more months, she would witness the birth of this child. She would finally see her precious great-grandson!

Xie Yuming stood nearby, his expression soft as he watched the scene.

In this moment, the three of them looked like a happy, harmonious family, with multiple generations under one roof.

Shen Donghuan, standing off to the side, looked like nothing more than a guest attending the birthday banquet.

Seeing this, Fu Ling's mind stirred. Pretending to have been wronged, she said quietly to Huo Lingjun, "Grandma, I don't dare come. I'm afraid Sister will get angry and hit me again..."

"It doesn't matter if she hits me, really. I'm mainly afraid she'll hurt the baby."

By the end, her voice had grown slightly choked.

"Hurt you?"

Huo Lingjun immediately stiffened and shot a glare at Shen Donghuan.

This was the first time that day she had truly looked at her most despised granddaughter-in-law, and it was with accusation and rage.

"Shen Donghuan, you've gotten bold! You dare to hit Xiao Ling? Do you have any idea that she's carrying the Xie family's child in her belly?"

In the silent hall, her words echoed again and again.

Every guest present heard them loud and clear. They looked at Shen Donghuan with mocking, gleeful expressions.

Old Madam Xie really wasn't giving Shen Donghuan any face at all!

Shen Donghuan had been married to Xie Yuming for three years. In the very first year, she had been diagnosed with a condition that meant she would never get pregnant.

At first, everyone thought it might be false. But three years had passed, and Shen Donghuan's belly remained completely flat. The truth was undeniable: she couldn't bear children.

For any woman, especially the young madam of a wealthy, powerful family, infertility was absolutely unforgivable.

So when they heard that Xie Yuming had been cheating on her with Fu Ling for three years and that Fu Ling was five months pregnant, no one was surprised. If anything, some thought he had waited too long.

After all, Xie Yuming was the head of the Xie Group. He needed an heir to inherit the Xie legacy!

Shen Donghuan could feel the malice closing in from all directions, yet her expression remained perfectly calm.

She lifted her clear eyes and looked at Huo Lingjun, her silver hair gleaming, and said something utterly shocking.

"A bastard child who isn't even born yet, if I refuse to let him be acknowledged by the family, then what kind of Xie family bloodline does he have?"

Huo Lingjun's hand flew up to slap Shen Donghuan across the face.

"What nonsense are you spouting? This is my precious great-grandson! I say he is, and he is! You don't get to, "

But before the slap could land, Shen Donghuan caught Huo Lingjun's wrist. A dark glint flashed deep in her eyes. The meek, weak woman from before was gone.

"Grandma, I am Xie Yuming's legal wife. I am the young madam of the Xie family. I have every right to refuse to let this child into the family!"

Huo Lingjun had never expected the always-obedient Shen Donghuan to defy her in front of so many people. Her face darkened, practically radiating black fumes.

She ground her teeth. "You say you're his legal wife? You and Xie Yuming aren't even really, "

Before she could finish, Xie Yuming suddenly called out, cutting her off.

"Grandma!"

He quickly walked over to Huo Lingjun and soothed her. "Grandma, it's time for the birthday banquet to start. Many guests are waiting to celebrate your 80th birthday. Don't waste any more time on Donghuan."

Huo Lingjun snapped back to her senses, realizing she had nearly let something slip.

She shot Shen Donghuan a vicious glare and tried to pull her hand back.

"Mm."

But her hand wouldn't budge.

Huo Lingjun looked again and saw Shen Donghuan squinting those beautiful eyes, dangerous, oppressive.

"Grandma, what were you about to say just now? Something about being 'not really' what?”