Mr. Qin was puffing away on his long-stemmed pipe. Beside him, his wife shelled beans, a sour look on her face. Qin Jiqun and his wife were cracking sunflower seeds nearby, scattering the shells all over the floor, while Qin Xiaotao was sprawled on the ground playing with marbles.

The whole family was here.

Mr. Qin knocked his pipe on the floor and said to Qin Zhonghui, "Close the door!"

Qin Zhonghui was taken aback. "Dad, it’s still so early. Why are we closing the main door?"

"Just do as I say! No more questions! Hasn’t there been enough disgrace!?" Mr. Qin flew into a rage and kicked a nearby stool away.

The stool tumbled toward Qin Jiao and Qin Shi. With a cold look in her eyes, Qin Jiao pulled her sister close and dodged out of the way.

Seeing her dodge only made him angrier. "You dare to dodge!"

Qin Jiao’s tone was flat. "Oh, I thought you just missed, Grandpa. Turns out you were deliberately trying to kick us. What have I done to make you so angry?"

Su Yun snapped to her senses. She immediately pulled her two daughters behind her and said nervously, "Dad, if you have something to say, just say it. Why are you getting physical with the children?"

"Say it directly? You have her say it. Have her tell you what disgraceful thing she’s done!"

’The exact same lines as in my past life.’ Qin Jiao’s eyes filled with scorn.

’Fine, let the last life go. But in this life, that whole affair had already been resolved. It was just a rumor, yet they, her own family, had immediately believed outsiders. They didn’t give her a chance to explain, instead turning around and cursing her for being shameless.’

’Is this what you call family?’

’They’re worse than strangers on the street!’

’Just because you’re related by blood doesn’t mean you deserve to be called family!’

Su Yun and Qin Zhonghui were dumbfounded. Meanwhile, Feng Lan slowly rose to her feet, brushed the sunflower seed shells from her hands, and walked over to close the main door. Returning, she sneered, "Qin Jiao, I never would have guessed. You’re so young, but you sure aim high, and you’ve got quite the nerve! By the way, is that Young Master Shen’s family really that rich?"

Qin Jiao watched her coldly. "Aunt, if you have something to say, then say it. Stop being so passive-aggressive."

"Oh, my. You’ve got quite a temper for a little girl. That whole business is so shameful I can hardly speak of it! What, you slept with someone just to latch onto a rich young master? Tsk, tsk."

Qin Jiao kicked a small stool at her side, sending it crashing right into Feng Lan’s foot. Feng Lan let out a pained shriek, clutching her foot and yelling, "Qin Jiao, have you lost your mind!?"

"I haven’t lost my mind. But I would like to ask you, Aunt, where did you hear such crazy talk? By spouting this nonsense, you’re not just humiliating me—you’re humiliating the entire Qin family as well!"

Feng Lan was stunned for a moment, then she glared at Qin Jiao with hatred. "You did something shameful, and you’re afraid of people talking about it?"

"I never did any such thing. If I had, wouldn’t the teachers at school have contacted you by now? You hear one little rumor and blow it all out of proportion. What is it, Aunt? Are you mad because I stopped Xiao Tao from beating up Xiao Shi last time? Are you holding a grudge, so now you’re trying to ruin me?"

"I..."

At this, Su Yun was practically bursting with rage. She took a step forward and glared at Feng Lan. "Feng Lan, what is the meaning of this? You keep spouting this filth, and believe me, I will tear that mouth right off your face!"

In the past, for Qin Zhonghui’s sake, and because she had to leave the children in their hometown where Feng Lan and the others helped look after them, Su Yun had always been very deferential toward her.

But now, she was done giving in.

’If I give in any more, both of my daughters will be ruined!’

Qin Zhonghui grew anxious as well. He turned to his father and said, "Dad, who on earth is spreading these malicious rumors? Who’s saying such vile things! Our Little Nine would never do something like that!"

The sternness in Mr. Qin’s eyes lessened slightly.

He knocked the bowl of his pipe again, then looked up at Qin Jiao. "Little Nine, that business... did you do it, or not?"