Nuonuo's eyes turned red. "I didn't..."
Seeing her aggrieved look, Fang Ru felt a pang of heartache and quickly hugged her, gently chiding Madam Fu, "Mother, look how you've frightened the child."
Madam Fu's face was stern. "If you can't stand it, then move out. I won't force anyone to stay."
Nuonuo was still young and couldn't comprehend such words. She covered her face and sobbed. Fang Ru quickly held and comforted her, but she dared not offend the old madam, lest the old madam drive them, the couple, out as well.
With the old madam's deterrence, they finally quieted down.
It wasn't until evening that Fu Jingshu and Shen Qingqing arrived home one after another, just in time for dinner. Xixi couldn't sit still and volunteered to help serve the dishes.
The maids all liked him; he was too adorable.
"Little master, this is very heavy. I'm afraid you can't lift it."
"I can!" Shen Jinxi patted his small chest that had no more than two ounces of flesh. "I'm very strong. I'll help you!"
The maid then let him have his way, but she watched him carefully, not fearing that the food would be spilled, but worried that if it spilled, the scalding hot dishes and broken porcelain shards would turn into sharp weapons.
At first, Xixi was still carrying the dishes steadily, but as he walked past the stairs, he suddenly saw a figure out of the corner of his eye, and at the same time, a hand reached out and knocked over the food tray!
With a clatter, the food spilled all over the floor.
He glared at the culprit, Nuonuo. "What are you doing? Why did you deliberately bump into me?"
Nuonuo cried out "wah" and turned to run.
Shen Jinxi was dumbfounded and instinctively chased after her. Before he could speak in the living room, he was severely reprimanded by Fang Ru.
"What is wrong with you, child? How can a boy bully your sister like this? How does your mother usually teach you? Why don't you ever let your sister have her way?"
Shen Jinxi immediately glared angrily at Nuonuo. "Why are you playing the victim? You were the one who dropped the food, so why blame me?"
"It wasn't me..." Nuonuo sobbed, "It was you who insisted on performing in front of Great-Grandmother, so you went to serve the dishes. I saw you carrying the dishes and about to spill them, and I wanted to help you. How can you blame me instead?"
After speaking, she turned and threw herself into Fang Ru's arms, crying loudly.
"Grandma, Grandma save me, I'm scared..."
Fang Ru hugged her and sternly rebuked Shen Jinxi, "Hurry up and apologize to your sister!"
Shen Jinxi said indignantly, "I won't!"
He hadn't done anything wrong. This Nuonuo looked quite delicate, but he didn't expect her to be so wicked!
He should have been prepared long ago.
Chenchen also stepped forward and stood in front of him, shielding him. "Brother would never do such a thing."
"Grandma..."
Nuonuo just cried. Fang Ru felt extremely distressed, patting her back and looking at the twins unfavorably. "Truly, 'like mother, like son'!"
"You should be mindful of your words."
After changing her clothes in the room, Shen Qingqing came downstairs and saw Fu Tingyi and Fang Ru bullying her son. She walked over and stood in front of the two children, shielding them.
Fang Ru said sarcastically, "I'm just speaking the truth. If you hadn't taught them poorly, how could they bully their sister? It's not uncommon for children to make mistakes; many are instructed by adults. You must have said something to the children."
"Is this how you teach your children?"
"If that's the case, then the child is not suitable to be by your side," Fu Tingyi said in a deep voice. "Our family also does not welcome someone as scheming as you."
However, Shen Qingqing merely glanced at them lightly, then her gaze fell on Nuonuo. Her eyes were clear and sharp.
Nuonuo was just a child and couldn't withstand her scrutiny. Her expression became flustered, and her eyes darted away.
"It's easy to see who knocked over the food," Shen Qingqing said without preamble, grabbing Nuonuo's hand. There were remnants of food and oil stains on his palm and under his nails.
Nuonuo struggled and cried. Fang Ru snatched her back and hugged her, shouting angrily, "How can your elder criticize a child!"
"Don't change the subject." Shen Qingqing then pulled out her two precious sons' hands. "See? My son's hands are clean. The truth is self-evident, isn't it?"
Fang Ru's expression changed slightly, and she argued, "But no matter what, you can't bully a child like this. Moreover, they are older brothers and should let their sister have her way. What's wrong with that?"
Lu Wanying hurried over upon hearing the commotion and happened to hear this sentence. She immediately chimed in, "Yes, Miss Shen. People say that harmony in the family brings prosperity. They are siblings, after all, and part of the same family. If things get too strained, it won't do the family any good."
The two of them sang in unison, trying to cover up the matter.
Unfortunately, Shen Qingqing did not give them any face. She looked sternly at Nuonuo, who was hiding behind the adults. "You should apologize for what you did wrong."
Nuonuo flinched, feeling fear and panic, then cried out "wah."
Lu Wanying hugged her with pity and couldn't help but cry along. "My life is so hard. After finally bringing my daughter back and reuniting as mother and daughter, we are still being bullied. Nuonuo, it's all my fault for being useless and unable to protect you."
Nuonuo cried even louder.
Mother and daughter hugged each other, crying and sobbing, looking extremely pitiful. Fang Ru glared at Shen Qingqing. "Look what you've driven this mother and daughter to!"
"How can a woman like you marry into our Fu family and be the lady of the house?" Fu Tingyi looked at her with disdain and righteously lectured, "Since you want to be with Jingshu, you must accept his daughter, not let your children bully her. You should treat her as your own."
"Moral blackmail?"
Fu Tingyi was momentarily choked. "What nonsense are you spouting? What 'moral collapse'? I just want you to know what it means to respect the elders and love the young!"
"A woman should stay at home, support her husband, and raise her children, managing the food, clothing, and daily expenses for all family members," Fang Ru said as a matter of course. "A woman like you who is always out and about and doesn't know how to teach children properly is not qualified to marry into our family."
"You should learn more from Wanying."
This remark pleased Lu Wanying, and her crying subsided considerably for a moment.
"Your values truly shock me."
Shen Qingqing found it both absurd and laughable. The evidence was right in front of them, yet the perpetrator received sympathy for shedding a few tears, while the victim became the most heinous person.
Were this couple blind?
She remained silent, but her strange, mocking gaze made the couple vaguely understand what she was thinking. Apologizing was impossible; it would never happen in this lifetime.
Nuonuo next to them had not stopped crying, and by the end, her voice was hoarse.
Fang Ru, unable to bear it any longer, said angrily, "If you refuse to apologize, then get out!"
"You have no right to make her leave."
Everyone turned around and saw Fu Jingshu standing at the top of the stairs, an aura of impending storm surrounding him.