Xia Mengge was framed.

The next day, in the kitchen.

"Let's go see a movie," Xia Mengge suggested.

"I'll go call Yuntang and the others," Wei Xunzhou said, turning to head out.

At that moment, Li Yuntang was busy playing with Wei Ming.

"Yuntang, Xia Mengge wants to catch a movie. Would you like to come along?"

***

At the cinema, Li Yuntang’s eyes lit up with interest, and she readily agreed. Inside the theater, the lights dimmed, the large screen flickered to life, and a thriller began to unfold. As the plot deepened, the eerie soundtrack and sudden, terrifying imagery caused Li Yuntang to instinctively grip Wei Xunzhou’s arm. When a particularly gruesome close-up appeared, she shrieked, squeezed her eyes shut, and leaned back, as if trying to flee from the formless dread. Wei Xunzhou hurriedly patted her back to soothe her. The muffled giggles of the audience mingled with the chilling sound effects, making the night all the more memorable.

Suddenly, chaos erupted in the aisle. A patron stumbled, sending a bucket of popcorn flying—it struck Li Yuntang’s ankle with precise impact. She cried out, her high heels wobbling, and she lost her balance, tipping backward. Wei Xunzhou reacted with lightning speed, catching her by the waist, but the momentum caused them both to tumble into Xia Mengge. Sharp, stinging pain radiated from Li Yuntang’s ankle. She furrowed her brows, tears welling in her eyes. Wei Xunzhou checked her injury anxiously, while nearby viewers turned to watch, their faces filled with concern.

Seeing this, Wei Xunzhou stood up and carefully helped Li Yuntang to her feet; her ankle was already swollen and red. Without a word, he scooped her up into his arms and strode past the audience—who were still gripped by the movie’s atmosphere—toward the exit. Wei Ming trotted along behind them, fretting over her injury. Outside, neon lights flickered in the night. Wei Xunzhou hurried toward the parking lot, every step marked by urgency and resolve. Inside the car, he gently settled Li Yuntang into the passenger seat and sped toward the nearest hospital. Outside the window, the scenery blurred like film strips; inside, there was only the sound of Li Yuntang’s soft sobs and the sight of Wei Xunzhou, his hands white-knuckled on the steering wheel, his gaze fixed firmly on the road ahead.

***

Near the day of her discharge, Xia Mengge was alone, struggling to push a wheelchair to handle the paperwork. She happened to see Wei Xunzhou and his son, Wei Ming, pushing Li Yuntang toward her. Li Yuntang’s face flushed slightly. "Xunzhou, there's no need to push me like this. I wasn't really hurt. You should go help Mengge..."

"No way, Aunt Yuntang. You were so terrified, and the doctor said you need to rest and shouldn't overexert yourself. As for my mother, don't worry, she’s plenty capable," Wei Ming said urgently, tucking a blanket around Li Yuntang as he spoke. Wei Xunzhou, too, pushed her with a gentle expression, showing no intention of leaving her side.

Xia Mengge watched this scene and let out a self-deprecating laugh. Once they were outside, they all piled into Wei Xunzhou’s green military truck.

As the vehicle moved slowly, Wei Ming, who was being held by Li Yuntang in the back seat, suddenly clamored to go to a jewelry store. "Dad, let's go to the jewelry store! Let's buy Aunt Yuntang a gift for getting discharged!" Li Yuntang’s eyes brightened, though she quickly waved her hand, saying it wasn't necessary.

"Of course it is! If Mom hadn't insisted on seeing that movie, you wouldn't have been scared!" Wei Ming added, still clearly fuming, and shot a sharp, hateful glare at Xia Mengge in the front seat.

"Wei Ming!" Watching his son’s behavior, Wei Xunzhou realized for the first time that there were flaws in how he had raised his child. Yet, Xia Mengge in the passenger seat kept her eyes tightly closed, offering no reaction.

It wasn't until the truck pulled up in front of the jewelry store that Xia Mengge opened her eyes and pushed the door open. The next moment, her hand was gripped tightly. She turned to see Wei Xunzhou holding her wrist, looking as if he wanted to say something but held back. "Mengge, what has been going on with you lately?" Even as little attention as he paid to her, he had noticed her recent strangeness. The Xia Mengge who used to be jealous, who loved to monopolize them, and who tried to stop them from seeing Li Yuntang seemed to have vanished entirely. In her place was a calm, cold, indifferent woman who didn't seem to care about anything. He had always hated the old Xia Mengge, but now, seeing her like this, he felt even more uncomfortable.

Xia Mengge glanced at him. "What has been going on with me? Nothing at all." With that, she pulled her hand away and stepped out of the vehicle. Wei Xunzhou stared at her back for a long moment before driving off to find a parking spot.

Once out of the car, Xia Mengge had no interest in browsing the store and simply stood to the side to wait for Li Yuntang and Wei Ming. "Why is this bracelet so expensive!" Li Yuntang’s exclamation pulled Xia Mengge back to reality. She looked up and saw Li Yuntang holding a solid gold bracelet. Despite her verbal complaints, Li Yuntang’s fingers were clamped tightly around the jewelry.

The salesperson across from her looked distressed. "Comrade, this is already the cheapest one in our store."

"If you aren't going to buy it, please put it back." Li Yuntang’s expression stiffened, then she retorted, "Who said I wasn't buying it? Do you have other styles? Let me see." The clerk’s face lit up, and she turned around to retrieve other options.

But the moment the clerk turned away, Li Yuntang secretly tucked the gold bracelet into her pocket, then acted as if nothing had happened and prepared to leave.

No sooner had she reached the door than the security alarm began to wail. Li Yuntang, having never expected an alarm, turned deathly pale. The clerk heard the noise and rushed out in a panic, shouting for someone to call the police while lunging to grab her!

Panic-stricken, Li Yuntang tried to bolt for the door, but she slammed directly into Xia Mengge! Xia Mengge stumbled backward from the impact, and suddenly, her hands felt heavy. Before she could even react, Li Yuntang had shoved the stolen bracelet into her arms!

"Stop right there!" By now, the clerk had chased them down, grabbing Li Yuntang’s clothes and demanding the bracelet back. Li Yuntang, trembling with fear, pointed a shaking finger at Xia Mengge. "Look closely! The bracelet is with her! She’s the one who stole it—it has nothing to do with me!"

Xia Mengge’s eyes widened in disbelief, and she threw the bracelet to the ground. "What are you talking about!" The clerk, realizing what was happening, released Li Yuntang and tackled Xia Mengge to the floor! Her face slammed hard against the ground, the delicate skin on her cheek torn by the gravel, and tears of pain welled in her eyes. The commotion had already drawn a crowd of onlookers, some of whom even recognized Xia Mengge.