Life settled into a comfortable routine without notice. Every morning, Lu Wanqing would prepare breakfast for Xiao Yu Shu, then accompany Yu Nong to take the child to kindergarten. Afterward, she would head to the Academy of Sciences for work, where she’d spend her time reading, watching videos, and tending to the plants in the cultivation base.
Whenever Yu Nong had to go out, Lu Wanqing would join him to observe. Some things were easier to grasp when experienced up close, especially with Yu Nong, who was always generous with his knowledge and quick to offer explanations whenever she had a question. Lu Wanqing learned a great deal about plants very rapidly.
A day would pass, and by afternoon, they would be picking Xiao Shu Shu up from school.
It's worth mentioning that after they’d exchanged contact information, Lu Wanqing gradually began connecting with other parents in Xiao Shu Shu's class, learning more about the child and kindergarten-related matters.
Most importantly, at the Academy of Sciences, several friends Lu Wanqing had made knew about her fondness for plants. They loved taking her to see various flora, and on weekends, when they weren't studying, they would even arrange outings to the countryside.
Lu Wanqing, in turn, would prepare barbecues, grilling meat outdoors. Everyone enjoyed themselves immensely, especially Xiao Shu Shu, who had never experienced such fun outings with her father before.
Life was getting better and better. However, the only recurring disturbance was An Zhi Zhi's frequent visits to the Yu family. Each time she came, Madam Yu would pressure Yu Nong to marry An Zhi Zhi, which greatly displeased both Xiao Shu Shu and Yu Nong. Their unhappiness, in turn, caused Lu Wanqing to sigh with a hint of worry.
Despite her concerns, worrying was futile. Lu Wanqing had already begun researching how to cultivate honeysuckle, hoping that cultivating it successfully and quickly resolving Madam Yu's poisoning would be the key to a better future.
Yet, this tranquility was not to last. On a certain festival about a month later, after Lu Wanqing returned from shopping with Xiao Shu Shu, she decided to visit the flower room. From a distance, they saw a figure inside the beautiful glass greenhouse—it was An Zhi Zhi.
Lu Wanqing suddenly felt a premonition of impending disaster. She hurried into the greenhouse with Xiao Yu Shu, only to discover that the plants Xiao Shu Shu had meticulously cultivated were being uprooted and scattered everywhere, some broken into pieces on the floor.
"What are you doing!!!" Lu Wanqing couldn't contain her rage as she rushed in and yelled.
Inside the glass flower room, An Zhi Zhi's body stiffened slightly upon hearing the voice. She then looked up and realized someone had arrived. But that was all; her expression remained as calm as ever, devoid of any guilt or fear that typically accompanied being caught in wrongdoing.
"An Zhi Zhi, what are you doing?!" Lu Wanqing could no longer tolerate it. She walked up to An Zhi Zhi and asked in extreme anger.
Had Xiao Shu Shu done anything to provoke her?
What was An Zhi Zhi thinking, inexplicably wanting to destroy Shu Shu's glass flower room?
"Aunt Xue doesn't really like mutated plants. I don't think it's a good idea to grow so many mutated plants at home," An Zhi Zhi said indifferently.
"Slap!" Lu Wanqing suddenly raised her hand and slapped An Zhi Zhi hard across the face.
Caught off guard, An Zhi Zhi's head turned from the force of the blow. She turned her head back, her eyes wide with shock, staring at Lu Wanqing. She couldn't believe Lu Wanqing would dare to hit her.
"Slap! Slap! Slap!"
Lu Wanqing showed no restraint, proceeding to deliver several more slaps to An Zhi Zhi.
An Zhi Zhi's face was slapped from left to right, receiving four blows in total. Each side of her cheeks was hit twice. She raised her head, her gaze filled with disbelief as she looked at Lu Wanqing, "You dare to hit me?"
As she spoke, An Zhi Zhi raised her hand, intending to strike Lu Wanqing.
Suddenly, Xiao Yu Shu rushed forward and clamped her mouth down, fiercely biting An Zhi Zhi's hand, refusing to let the bad woman hurt Mommy!!!
Xiao Yu Shu was usually gentle and well-behaved, but her teeth were sharp when she bit. An Zhi Zhi cried out in pain and instinctively raised her other hand, attempting to pull Yu Shu away.
Seeing An Zhi Zhi dare to touch Xiao Shu Shu, Lu Wanqing's heart leaped with alarm. She immediately stepped forward and forcefully slapped An Zhi Zhi's raised arm.
The sound, "Slap," was crisp and loud!
An Zhi Zhi's arm throbbed with pain again. Her expression changed drastically, and she looked at Lu Wanqing in disbelief.
Lu Wanqing quickly went to pull Shu Shu away, anxiously saying, "Shu Shu, let go quickly."
Xiao Yu Shu's eyes turned red, and she started to cry. This bad woman had destroyed her plants and was now trying to hit Mommy. She hated this bad woman and wanted to bite her to death!
Seeing her child cry, Lu Wanqing's heart sank. Xiao Shu Shu, though seemingly delicate and quiet, had never cried before. Even when scolded by her grandmother, the little one would only look frightened, never cry. This was the first time, and An Zhi Zhi had actually made the child cry.
"Let go, don't bite, it's dirty!" Lu Wanqing couldn't help but say.
The little one's sharp teeth had bitten An Zhi Zhi's arm, drawing blood. Bright red blood flowed from the wound, and some even spilled onto Xiao Shu Shu's lips.
"Shu Shu, let go quickly," Lu Wanqing urged.
Lu Wanqing reached out, intending to pry open the child's mouth. However, at that moment, An Zhi Zhi's hand was raised again, about to hit Shu Shu!
Without a second thought, Lu Wanqing directly raised her hand and delivered another fierce slap to An Zhi Zhi, saying coldly, "Get out!!!"
An Zhi Zhi: "You!!!"
Xiao Shu Shu finally released her bite. An Zhi Zhi and the others stumbled, falling in opposite directions.
However, both parties quickly regained their footing and looked at each other with grim expressions.
Their fight in the glass flower room triggered the intelligent security system, and soon the entire family rushed over: Yu Nong, Aunt Zhang, and Madam Yu.
Yu Nong arrived the fastest. Upon seeing the mess inside, he rushed in, but upon entering, his eyes were not drawn to the plants in the flower room but to the blood on Xiao Yu Shu's lips.
Yu Nong was hemophobic. Seeing blood, his vision immediately darkened, the world spun, and he collapsed.
Lu Wanqing was startled and quickly supported Yu Nong.
"Yu Nong!" Lu Wanqing cried out, instinctively trying to wake him with his name.
Yu Nong remained motionless, showing no signs of waking.
Aunt Zhang also entered. She saw the blood on Xiao Yu Shu's lips and the distinct, bloody imprint on An Zhi Zhi's arm. Her face changed, but she grew more anxious. Looking at Yu Nong, she quickly said, "Young Master Yu Nong is prone to fainting from blood."
Fainting from blood?
Lu Wanqing was astonished. She lowered her gaze to Yu Nong in her arms.
Aunt Zhang called an ambulance, and soon paramedics arrived. They carried Yu Nong away on a stretcher. An Zhi Zhi, with her arm covered in blood, looking quite frightening, also needed to go to the hospital to have her wound treated.