She then secretly went upstairs and slipped into their bedroom, searching for anything Tianyi had used.
This time, she boldly entered the bedroom's bathroom and secretly took Tianyi's used razor. She then went to the walk-in closet and searched the laundry hamper for clothes Tianyi had worn, preferably smaller items like underwear.
"Miss Sophie, what are you doing?"
Aunt Chen came to Tianyi and their room to clear out dirty clothes, only to find Sophie there, rummaging through the laundry hamper.
Startled by Aunt Chen's voice, Sophie turned around in a panic, still holding a pair of Tianyi's underwear.
"I, I saw you were usually tired, so I wanted to help you with some chores."
As she spoke, she scooped up all the clothes from the hamper, regained her composure, and looked at Aunt Chen with a smile.
Aunt Chen, however, did not appreciate the gesture. She took the clothes from Sophie's hands and said, "No need. These small tasks don't tire me out. Besides, Xiaomei usually helps, and Xiaolin assists with the heavier work. You are a guest of the young madam, you don't need to do this."
Sophie said "oh" and looked at Aunt Chen with some worry, fearing she might reveal what happened tonight, and unsure of what to do.
Aunt Chen turned and left Tianyi's bedroom, still muttering to herself.
Why would Miss Sophie be here when the young master and madam were away? And her expression when she was holding the young master's underwear was so strange.
Sophie followed Aunt Chen, anxious to say something to her so that she wouldn't tell Susu and Tianyi.
As they reached the top of the stairs, Aunt Chen remembered something and suddenly stopped, turning to stare at her. "Miss Sophie, I remember you promised the young master and madam that you would never go upstairs. But you yourself sneaked up here, and it's not the first time you've entered their room, is it?"
Sophie quickly explained, "I've only been up here once. I really wanted to help you with some housework, I had no other intentions."
Aunt Chen looked her up and down and asked, "Miss Sophie, your illness..."
"I'm not sick," Sophie denied outright.
Aunt Chen pointed to her head and said, "I mean, has your mental condition relapsed? This is no joke. If there's a problem, it still needs treatment. This can't be hidden from the young master and madam."
Sophie nervously lowered her head, clasping her hands together, appearing flustered. She softly hummed in agreement.
Aunt Chen, holding the dirty clothes with one hand, gently patted Sophie's arm with the other, comforting her. "It's alright. Even if the young master and madam find out, they won't blame you. They will only help you."
Sophie said softly, "Thank you, Aunt Chen, but I'm not sick. I'm all better."
"That's good. However, I will suggest that the young madam take you for another check-up at the hospital. You don't need to worry too much." With that, Aunt Chen walked towards the stairs.
The moment Aunt Chen turned her back, Sophie suddenly raised her head and glared at Aunt Chen's back with resentment.
The resentment, anger, and grievances she had held in her heart for a long time were all unleashed like a demon. She quickly reached out with both hands and shoved Aunt Chen hard.
As Aunt Chen stepped onto the stairs, she suddenly felt someone push her from behind. She lost her balance and tilted forward, tumbling down the stairs.
Sophie, watching Aunt Chen fall all the way to the first floor without stopping, was also terrified.
She hurried downstairs. Aunt Chen lay on the ground, making faint groaning sounds, one hand still clutching the clothes. Her eyes were fixed on Sophie, and she tried to raise her hand to point at Sophie, but felt as if all her bones were broken, in immense pain.
Sophie frantically pulled the underwear from the bundle of clothes Aunt Chen was holding, intending to run back to her room.
But after only a few steps, she realized this wouldn't do. As long as Aunt Chen was alive, wouldn't she still let Susu and Tianyi know?
She quickly looked around the first floor. Xiaomei and the nanny were happily playing with the two children in the garden.
Xiaolin had left with Tianyi early in the morning and hadn't returned yet; he would surely return with Tianyi.
This meant no one would know what had happened. Sophie quickly hid the underwear under her pillow in her room and picked up the dumbbells from her room.
She returned to the living room and found no one there. She walked towards Aunt Chen, who was still lying on the ground, moaning in pain, and without hesitation, struck her head several times.
The dumbbells were not heavy; she used them to exercise her arms and maintain their aesthetic appeal, weighing only ten pounds.
After striking Aunt Chen, although she could no longer make a sound, she still had a breath.
Seeing Aunt Chen's wide-open eyes, Sophie felt even more disgusted and afraid. She struck her head again on the wound that had already formed, until Aunt Chen had no breath left.
She slumped to the ground for a few seconds, then immediately got up, smeared the blood from Aunt Chen's head onto several corners and sharp edges of the stairs, and then returned the dumbbells to her room.
After changing her clothes, she ran to the garden and cried out loudly to Xiaomei and the nanny, "Oh no, oh no! Aunt Chen fell from upstairs! Come quickly!"
Xiaomei jolted, put down the child she was holding, and immediately ran into the house. She saw Aunt Chen lying on her back on the floor, her limbs in strange positions, her head bleeding, and she was no longer moving.
Xiaomei ran over to help Aunt Chen up, while Sophie, standing nearby, said in a flustered manner, "What's wrong with her? Is she badly hurt? I'm afraid she might have a fracture, so I didn't dare to move her!"
Xiaomei picked up Aunt Chen's head and felt that her body was already cold. Crying loudly, she said, "What are you standing there for? Call an ambulance quickly!"
When Tianyi learned of the news and rushed to the hospital with Xiaolin, he saw Xiaomei crying heartbrokenly outside the morgue, while Sophie shed silent tears beside her.
Xiaolin walked up to Xiaomei, unsure how to comfort her, and could only hold her gently, allowing her to cry her heart out.
Tianyi couldn't believe it and asked in disbelief, "How could this happen? Aunt Chen was fine, how could she fall down the stairs?"
Sophie wiped away her tears and said, "I don't know. I was in my room at the time. I heard a loud noise from outside in the living room, and when I ran out, I saw Aunt Chen lying at the bottom of the stairs, holding a pile of clothes, with blood on her head. I didn't know what to do, so I immediately went to the garden to call Xiaomei and the others..."
Tianyi didn't finish listening to Sophie before shouting at Xiaomei, "Didn't I tell you not to let the elderly lady do the work of going up and down the stairs? Why didn't you take good care of her!"
Xiaomei instantly burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably, "It's all my fault, I didn't take care of her..."
"It's not your fault, it was an accident," Xiaolin said to Tianyi. "Young master, Aunt Chen's death was an accident. We usually don't let her do heavy or tiring work, but she always likes to keep her hands and feet busy, so she still personally cleans and tidies your room and the madam's room."
"Mr. Qin, please accept my condolences. Xiaolin is right, this was an accident, and no one can be blamed," Sophie added in agreement.