Just as the atmosphere grew heavy, a loud slap echoed through the room.

Everyone suddenly looked up toward the door and saw Mingyue leaning casually against the doorframe of Liu Lai’s room, raising an eyebrow at the tear-streaked old woman and teasing with a smile: “Tsk, tsk, tsk—so this is a full-blown power-struggle drama in progress? Oh my, oh my, looks like I arrived at the wrong time.”

“You!”

Ma Fengying’s aged face instantly turned a deep purplish-red, her tears still un wiped away.

Liu Lai, however, instinctively shrank back, pressing even closer into Ma Fengying’s embrace.

Was it fear?

Then what was it?

Liu Qinxin, of course, could see right through it. Her heart ached, and she squeezed her son’s little hand before casting another sidelong glance at Mingyue. Though she still appeared soft and fragile, a fleeting glint of murderous intent had already flashed in her eyes.

Ming Shuo’s gaze darkened as well, and he instinctively stepped in front of his mother and brother, his brows nearly knotted together. “What tricks are you up to now?”

“What tricks could I possibly be playing?”

Mingyue’s lips curled into a sly smile, even more brazen than before. She glanced at the elderly woman and the young girl on the other side who were glaring at her, then asked with a cheerful grin: “I’m just curious to see what tricks Grandma and our little Lai Lai have cooked up this time.”

“Damn it, shut your mouth!”

Ma Fengying’s face flushed bright purple as she angrily pointed at Mingyue by the door, her whole countenance betraying the embarrassment of having her lies exposed.

Liu Lai, meanwhile, huddled even tighter in her grandmother’s arms, too afraid to say a word.

Mingyue was thoroughly satisfied. She cast one last glance at Liu Xian Hui, whose expression had grown somber beside them, then stretched lazily, as if performing a magic trick, pulling out a tablet. With a light tap of her finger, she played the video she’d recorded on her phone for everyone to see.

The brief clip finished playing in just a few minutes.

Ma Fengying’s claim that Mingyue was plotting to torture and kill Liu Lai immediately fell apart. In an instant, her already purplish-red complexion became even uglier, blotches of bruising spreading across her face—she didn’t know what to do anymore.

Liu Lai dared not utter a sound, continuing to cling tightly to her grandmother.

Ming Shuo wore a dark expression, saying nothing at all.

Though Liu Qinxin’s gaze had softened considerably, she finally understood the truth.

Yet in her mind, the image of Mingyue hanging her son on the wall and forcing him to perform the “turtle dance” kept replaying over and over again. Tears streamed down her little face once more.

Behind the scenes, where no one could see, Liu Qinxin’s small hand tightened ever so slightly, and a fierce glint of malice shot quickly from her beautiful eyes.

Mingyue pretended not to notice, as if she hadn’t seen anything at all, her gaze drifting slowly toward the gray-faced old woman. “Grandma, what do you say now? Are you going to keep dying? Keep dying? Or keep dying?”

“You!”

“Alright, alright. Take your time thinking it over. I’ve presented all my evidence. You guys go ahead—I’m tired; I’m heading back to my room to get some sleep.” She yawned, truly ignoring these people any longer, and turned to walk away.

But then something occurred to her, and she suddenly turned back toward Liu Lai, huddled in Ma Fengying’s arms. “Little Lai Lai, don’t forget! We still have some scores to settle, and I’ll be waiting for you.”

She gave her body a casual shake, then smiled sweetly as she reminded the little one in Ma Fengying’s arms: “The ‘turtle dance,’ of course! And make sure you strip down to just your underpants!”

“Get lost!”

Ma Fengying snapped.

Mingyue chuckled. “Sorry, but you can’t exactly make her run away. Your son knows this routine inside out—after all, you’re his mother, so you must be pretty familiar with it too.”

Both Ma Fengying and Ming Shuo wore grim expressions.

Mingyue loosened her muscles and continued on her way to her own room.

Unable to bear it any longer, Ma Fengying pointed at Mingyue’s retreating figure and angrily demanded of her son, Ming Shuo: “You saw it yourself! How much longer are you going to keep this crazy person in the house?”

“But she didn’t hit Lai Lai,” Ming Shuo said, his face clouded with gloom.

Ma Fengying froze for a moment, then snapped back: “What do you mean? Are you saying I lied to you? Then let me ask you—did she really bully Lai Lai? Did she really hang Lai Lai on the wall? Did she really treat Lai Lai like a thorn in her side? With her around, will Jiajia and Lai Lai ever have a peaceful life?”

End of Chapter 37: Exposing the Lie