"Ruomei, you were indeed wrong in this, and you should properly apologize to Nan Yu."
Nan Luzhi, who had rushed back, walked briskly from the door, and his usually stern face was now full of fawning as he faced Chi Ying.
"Old Madam, these two, mother and daughter, often quarrel, and whenever they do, they're unrestrained with their words, making a fool of themselves in front of you."
Chi Ying's face remained cold, and she didn't respond.
Sheng Ruomei, meeting Nan Luzhi's warning gaze, hid her unwillingness and anger beneath a smile as she complied.
"Nan Yu, that was just nonsense I spouted in the heat of the moment. Don't be so petty now; I'm apologizing to you, please forgive me."
Her tone was careless and tinged with a trace of contempt.
Nan Yu saw right through the resentment deep in her eyes and found it laughable.
She held back her disgust and taunted, "Mrs. Nan, I don't accept such hypocritical apologies."
"Nan Yu, I advise you, just take what...."
Sheng Ruomei hadn't finished her sentence about "taking what you can get" when...
Seeing this, Chi Ying, with a straight back, quickly came to her granddaughter-in-law's defense.
"Nan Luzhi, is this how your Nan Family apologizes?"
She then intentionally looked toward Sheng Ruomei, sizing her up from head to toe with a cold and contemptuous gaze, "It's true, after all, what can a mistress who has risen in status understand about apologizing? This kind of apology is not needed anyway."
Nan Luzhi's expression darkened, and he glanced at Sheng Ruomei with displeasure, agreeing, "Old Madam, you're right; she is just a person of no consequence, not worth our concern."
Sheng Ruomei's complexion grew even paler, her clenched fists showing bulging veins, humiliation swirling in her eyes, yet she still managed to force a smile and dare not speak out.
When her eyes flicked toward Nan Yu, she wished she could slice her into a thousand pieces.
Nan Yu was somewhat surprised; it was the first time she had seen anyone render Sheng Ruomei speechless and felt a grateful glance towards the protective Chi Ying.
Chi Ying noticed Nan Yu's look and said softly, "Xiao Yu, go and take what you need, and from today on, you'll move in and live with me."
Without giving Nan Yu a chance to refuse, she directly instructed Xu Qi, "Housekeeper Xu, accompany the Young Madam to pack her things."
Nan Yu pondered for a few seconds and decided to go up first to find Silver Needle.
Sheng Ruomei immediately signaled her maid with her eyes to follow up.
Chi Ying caught this from the corner of her eye and said coldly, "Sheng Ruomei, you don't need to worry; my Huo Family's granddaughter-in-law is not so poor that she would need to steal your trifles."
Sheng Ruomei twitched her mouth and tried to explain, "Old Madam, that's not what I meant..."
Inside, she cursed Nan Yu a hundred and eighty times once more.
Nan Luzhi quickly interposed, "Old Madam, you misunderstand; she was having the maid help pack."
Chi Ying huffed with contempt, "Hmph."
Nan Yu quickly found the box of Silver Needle in the corner of the room, carefully opened it, and after checking that everything was there, she breathed a sigh of relief.
She closed it carefully, held it in her hand, and, looking at the maid watching her intently, then toward Xu Qi, she said, "Uncle Xu, I've found what I was looking for; let's go."
Xu Qi looked around the empty room, void of any belonging of Nan Yu's, as if someone couldn't wait to erase her presence.
Considering how they had just kicked her out, he couldn't help but feel pity for the resilient Young Madam.
After they went downstairs, Xu Qi immediately relayed everything he had witnessed to Chi Ying.
Chi Ying, looking at the well-behaved Nan Yu and catching sight of the empty-handed maid behind them, then the cold-hearted couple, restrained her anger, took a deep breath, and took Nan Yu's hand, "Xiao Yu, from now on, the Huo Family is your home, let's go home!"
Nan Luzhi followed behind, feigning politeness, "Old Madam, how about staying for dinner before leaving?"
Chi Ying glared at them coldly.
"You abuse your own daughter, kicking her out, as if you want nothing to do with her. Being just an old relative of the Huo Family, I'm afraid you'd outright poison me."
Nan Luzhi's face turned the color of liver, "..."
Chi Ying forcefully escorted Nan Yu out the door, "Xiao Yu, if they ever bully you again, you tell me, and Grandmother will certainly see justice done for you."
Nan Yu looked at Chi Ying's aged yet resolute figure, feeling the warmth in her hand, and for a moment, it was as if she saw her master who had suddenly passed away two years ago.
Each time she was savagely beaten by her uncle, covered in wounds, it was always he who appeared gently by her side, treated her injuries, and then sternly chastised her uncle.
Just like Chi Ying now, protecting her at all costs.
Teary-eyed, Nan Yu suddenly remembered the words Huo Juanyan had left her the day before, advising her to maintain a distance.
She reined in all her emotions, pondering an excuse, and forced a smile, addressing Chi Ying, "Grandmother, thank you for helping me out today..."
Chi Ying interrupted her directly, "Xiao Yu, if you really want to thank me, just accompany me for a good dinner."
"It's the perfect chance for Juanyan to get to know you better; after all, you're already married, and it won't do to remain strangers."
"I certainly don't want to see you two quickly marry and just as quickly divorce!"
At this point, Chi Ying paused for a moment and looked closely at Nan Yu beside her.
"Xiao Yu, tell me the truth, has Juanyan mentioned divorcing you?"