The young attendant outside the door, with keen awareness, acknowledged.
Feng Jin looked down at the four members of the Sheng family. She suppressed the emotions on her face and was about to turn away when she paused. She addressed the attendants at the door: "Escort all the Sheng family members away. From now on, no Sheng family member is allowed within twenty meters of the Ling manor. If anyone is found here, I will hold you accountable!"
"Yes, Young Madam."
After giving her instructions, Feng Jin strode into the manor. Ling Muzhu and Ling Wan, who had followed her, also hurried after her.
"No! No! You can't leave... you can't leave!" Seeing Feng Jin enter, Madam Sheng's nerves were completely frayed. She immediately jumped up and rushed forward, her movements propelled by some unknown strength. She pushed past the attendants who tried to stop her and lunged at Feng Jin, grabbing Feng Jin's sleeve with manic intensity, refusing to let go.
"Madam Sheng, what are you doing? Please let go of my sister-in-law... Madam Sheng!"
Ling Wan was startled by her sudden action and quickly moved to pull Madam Sheng away, fearing she might accidentally harm her sister-in-law.
"You must come with me. You have to save my son, save my son!"
Master Sheng was also shocked by the scene and rushed forward to pull Madam Sheng: "Calm down. You can't save Xubai like this; you'll only harm him!"
"Let go of me, let go of me! Don't stop me from saving my son, don't stop me..."
By the end, Madam Sheng's voice was tinged with a sob, but her hands still clutched Feng Jin's sleeve tightly. She knelt before Feng Jin, imploring her repeatedly, "I beg you, please save my son, save my son!"
Her sincerity touched everyone who heard her. Ling Wan was also moved, and a soft spot in her heart was stirred.
After a moment's hesitation, she tentatively asked, "Sister-in-law... how about we..."
"Have you forgotten how she humiliated you that day, how she righteously forbade you from ever entering the Sheng manor again? She even vowed never to set foot in the Ling manor again. Now that she's in trouble, she's begging for help, lowering herself, and shamelessly clinging to you. She believes her previous words can be disregarded."
Among those present, only Feng Jin remained rational. "If that's the case, then if I kill someone, I only need to cry and express my remorse, and everything I've done can be forgiven. What would be the point of laws then? Living in this world, one must be responsible for their actions and words!"
Feng Jin's words left Master Sheng with no place to hide his shame. Having lived so many years and priding himself on being a gentleman, he felt utterly disgraced and could no longer bear to stay.
"Young Madam Ling, all of this was my wife's fault. I apologize on her behalf. I hope you, with your magnanimity, will not hold it against her. We intruded upon you today. We shall leave now!"
With that, Master Sheng bent down to help Madam Sheng up from the ground. He had already lost enough face today and was determined not to let her embarrass herself further.
Madam Sheng, as if driven to madness, shoved Master Sheng away violently and shouted, "I'm not leaving! I have to save Xubai... save Xubai..."
Her gaze fell upon Feng Jin, and she lunged forward even more frantically, grabbing Feng Jin's sleeve, "Please... please save my son..."
"Mother... let's go back!"
A clear, weak voice sounded from behind them. All of them turned to look for the source of the voice.
Sheng Xubai, clad in white, walked forward slowly, supported by an attendant. He helped his mother, who had collapsed on the ground, to her feet. "Mother... let's go. Aren't I alright now?"
"Xubai, you... you're well? You... you scared me to death just now. I thought... I thought you were..."
Earlier, Sheng Xubai had fainted before her with a pale complexion, and she couldn't wake him no matter how much she called out. She had been so terrified that her heart had nearly stopped, and she couldn't believe that the person standing before her was Sheng Xubai.
Sheng Xubai managed a wry smile. He tidied the messy hair on his mother's forehead and said reassuringly, "Mother, don't worry, I'm fine now. It's all thanks to Young Madam Ling sending medicine over just in time; it saved my life."
"What... Muzhu, are you saying..." Madam Sheng found it hard to believe what she had heard. Feng Jin had been determined not to help Muzhu earlier, so how could she have secretly sent medicine behind their backs? She couldn't figure out what Feng Jin was truly up to.
"It was just a small gesture, no trouble at all. Young Master Sheng, there's no need for thanks. Please take Madam Sheng back as soon as possible and stop blocking my doorway. With people coming and going, it's bound to cause trouble."
She had done this because she wanted to get rid of these troublesome people from the Sheng family as quickly as possible, so they wouldn't continue to offend her eyes and only make her more unhappy.
"Of course. Please forgive us for this incident, Young Madam. Our Sheng family will give the Ling family an explanation."
Sheng Xubai's words made Feng Jin feel that she hadn't acted as a do-gooder in vain; at least there was some reciprocation.
Feng Jin's expression softened slightly. She waved her hand, "Alright, all of you, go back. I have other matters to attend to at my manor. Your family should hurry back and enjoy your time together. Don't linger here."
As she finished speaking and turned to go back, Madam Sheng's voice called out from behind, "Wait a moment!"
Having been stopped several times, Feng Jin was starting to feel impatient. However, she forced herself to suppress her displeasure and asked as gently as possible, "Madam Sheng, is there something else?"
Madam Sheng's face was filled with hesitation. After a pause, she turned her face away and said, "Regarding what happened before, it was all due to my momentary foolishness. I hope you and Ling Wan won't take it to heart. Just pretend it was never said."
Feng Jin snorted coldly, her smile tinged with mockery. "Madam Sheng, there's a saying: spilled water cannot be gathered. Once the words are out, there's no room to take them back. Even if a broken mirror is pieced back together, there will still be cracks. Perhaps Madam Sheng and I were never meant to get along, so there's no need to make things difficult for yourselves."
Feng Jin's lightly spoken words were like sharp slaps to Madam Sheng's face. Her face immediately felt hot and burning, and Madam Sheng was overcome with shame.