It was past three in the morning when Xie Youlin's phone suddenly rang.
— Xie Youlin on call —
Auntie: "Young Master, please come back quickly. Madam has gone mad again..."
Xie Youlin: "Lock her up. Call the doctor. Why are you calling me!"
Auntie: "But..."
— Xie Youlin ends call —
Without waiting for her to finish, Xie Youlin impatiently hung up.
But less than a minute later, his phone rang again!
— Xie Youlin on call —
Xie Youlin: "If she wants to die, let her die. Don't call me!"
Shen Yuxuan: "How can you say that? She's your mother!"
— Xie Youlin ends call —
Xie Youlin never expected Shen Yuxuan to show up at the Xie family's again. Did this troublesome woman enjoy meddling so much?
He turned off his phone and lay in bed, but he couldn't sleep. That damned woman, Shen Yuxuan should be forbidden from the Xie family!!!
Xie Youlin put on his clothes and drove to the Xie family home, a place he hadn't returned to in a long time.
By the time Xie Youlin parked his car, he could hear that madwoman shrieking inside the house.
The maids throughout the house had been woken by her screams. The entire household seemed to be chasing her like she was possessed, none daring to act rashly for fear of hurting the lady of the house.
Maid: "Young Master, you're finally back. We can't catch Madam."
Xie Youlin watched as Shen Yuxuan was grabbed by Mrs. Xie, who then, as if possessed, incessantly cursed and hit her.
Shen Yuxuan, meanwhile, was still trying to reason with her, telling her not to get agitated and that she wasn't a bad person.
Mrs. Xie picked up a feather duster and began to whip Shen Yuxuan repeatedly. The girl cried out in pain, begging her to stop.
Xie Youlin stormed in, snatched the feather duster from Mrs. Xie, and threw it far away with a swish.
Seeing her son's face, Mrs. Xie seemed to become even more frenzied.
Mrs. Xie: "You're dead! You're dead! You were thrown down the stairs and died long ago! You're not my son, you're a demon!!!"
Xie Youlin shoved Mrs. Xie forcefully, pushing her into a corner, and roared, "Stop it! Are you done yet!!!"
Mrs. Xie pointed at Shen Yuxuan, first crying, then furious, before lunging and clawing at Shen Yuxuan's face.
Mrs. Xie: "She killed you! Son! She shouldn't have been there! She came, I wasn't paying attention, and that's why I dropped you down the stairs..."
Mrs. Xie: "Mommy didn't mean to, it was this bitch!!!"
Xie Youlin: "Look closely, I'm not dead! Xie Youlin is me, I am Xie Youlin!!!"
Mrs. Xie: "Son? Ah, my son is still alive! My son is still alive! Mommy is sorry, Mommy didn't protect you. Son, my son."
Xie Youlin thought his mother had calmed down enough to become lucid, but what she said next nearly shocked everyone.
Mrs. Xie: "You're not my son! You're a murderer!!! You killed my husband!!!"
Xie Youlin immediately covered his mother's mouth and then drowned out her ravings with his own shouts, repeatedly slamming her head against the wall.
Everyone was shocked, but thankfully, they all knew Mrs. Xie was insane. Based on that alone, no one would truly take her words seriously...
Fortunately, the doctor finally arrived. He administered a sedative to Mrs. Xie and asked if she was still on medication.
Xie Youlin: "Doctor, I have something I'd like to consult you about."
Doctor: "Mr. Xie, please speak."
Xie Youlin looked at Mrs. Xie, who was slowly falling asleep, and then asked, "She said some things while she was delirious that have made me suspicious..."
Doctor: "What Mrs. Xie says when she's unwell could be a fantasy, or it could be a misplacement of old memories. You can't take it as truth."
Xie Youlin: "Is that so? Then, if she... if she knew something, and if problems arise later, could her words be used as evidence?"
Doctor: "Evidence? I can tell you with absolute certainty that the complications of Mrs. Xie's epileptic seizures include mental confusion. It's a mental illness."
"Whether she's saying it in a normal state or during an episode, her words will be deemed low in credibility."
Xie Youlin: "That's good..."
Xie Youlin: "Doctor, thank you for coming so late."
Doctor: "I still suggest Mr. Xie reconsider whether to send Mrs. Xie to a psychiatric hospital for treatment."
Xie Youlin: "Alright, alright. Then I won't see you out."
After hearing the doctor's words, Xie Youlin felt a bit more at ease.
A madwoman's words couldn't be taken seriously, meaning no one would ever know he killed Xie Hongtian!
Xie Youlin looked at Mrs. Xie, motionless on the bed, and wished he could strangle her to end it all. But why wasn't this damned woman just dying of old age already!!!
The maid suddenly knocked and entered. Xie Youlin immediately removed his hand from Mrs. Xie's neck, as if tucking her in.
The maid placed the medicine on Mrs. Xie's bedside table.
Maid: "Young Master, Madam's medicine is almost finished."
Xie Youlin: "I know."
The maid tucked in the quilt around Mrs. Xie's feet and was about to leave.
Xie Youlin: "Don't go. I have something to ask you."
The maid stood obediently in place.
Xie Youlin: "How did Shen Yuxuan get here?"
Maid: "Miss Shen has been staying with us these past few days. Oh, Madam invited her. She's helped a few times when Madam had an episode. Today Madam was too agitated and couldn't control her."
Xie Youlin suddenly remembered that Mrs. Xie was a nursing student. As long as there were medicines at home, Shen Yuxuan could also give injections for Madam.
It seemed Mrs. Xie had indeed found a good caregiver!!!
Xie Youlin: "I understand. You may go."
When only Xie Youlin and Mrs. Xie were left in the room, Xie Youlin leaned close to Mrs. Xie's ear and whispered, "You fear death, so I'll make sure you die!"
Xie Youlin, who had gone downstairs, saw Shen Yuxuan sitting on the living room sofa, applying medicine to herself.
Shen Yuxuan: "Stop!"
Xie Youlin: "What did you say?"
Shen Yuxuan limped over to Xie Youlin. She wasn't afraid of him at all!
Even her past admiration had vanished. Now she only felt that Xie Youlin was not only unfilial but also a cold-blooded man!
Shen Yuxuan: "Give me the doctor's prescription. I'll go to the hospital to get medicine for Mrs. Xie."
Xie Youlin: "You? What are you? You're going to get medicine for my mother?"
Shen Yuxuan: "I told you a week ago. If you were busy, I'd go for you."
Xie Youlin: "I just won't give her the medicine. I want her to become completely insane."
Shen Yuxuan: "She's the mother who gave birth to you! How can you be so wicked as to harm even your own mother!"
Xie Youlin: "So what? I'm in charge of this house now. Whoever I want to live well, will live well. If I want that madwoman to suffer a bit, I'll make her suffer."
Shen Yuxuan: "I was truly blind to have fallen for you. You're a disgrace! A beast in human clothing!!!"
Xie Youlin pushed Shen Yuxuan away. He was not a man to spare a woman's feelings, and besides, he had long found Shen Yuxuan to be an eyesore!
Xie Youlin: "I've warned you many times not to meddle. You still live in the Xie family. Are you here to fight me for the inheritance? You think by pleasing a lunatic you can compete with me? Dream on!!!"
Shen Yuxuan: "Are you crazy!!! I think you're the one who's gone mad!"
Xie Youlin: "Get out of my house now!"
Shen Yuxuan: "I'm Mrs. Xie's guest. It's not your place to kick me out!!!"
Xie Youlin: "She's a lunatic. Who do you think the police will believe, me or you?"
Shen Yuxuan: "They'll testify for me!"
Shen Yuxuan pointed behind her, where several servants were tidying up the broken pieces.
This gesture reminded Xie Youlin. There were indeed too many idlers living in the Xie household now. So many people serving just one Mrs. Xie was a waste of money!!!
Xie Youlin: "Starting tomorrow, it will be just you and Mrs. Xie in this house."
Shen Yuxuan: "What do you mean?"
Xie Youlin: "They're all fired."
Shen Yuxuan: "How can you treat Madam like this!!!"
Xie Youlin: "You stay and take care of this madwoman until she dies!"