C8 You Don't Know What's Good for You!

Soong Dabao beamed and eagerly nodded his head in agreement.

As she descended the stairs, Soong Qingyue saw Soong Qingrou enjoying dinner with Soong Yi and Ann Yun. Neither Soong Yi nor Ann Yun showed any inclination to invite her to join them. However, Soong Qingrou put on a show and said, "Sister, come join us for dinner."

Soong Yi immediately shot a glare at Soong Qingyue, "Come over here now. Do I need to personally extend an invitation?"

Soong Qingyue gave them a brief glance, then ignored the comment and headed to the kitchen to make herself some noodles. As she carried her meal upstairs, she could hear Soong Yi's voice trailing after her, "Ungrateful wretch."

"Dad, let it go. Maybe sister got used to prison food and can't adjust just yet," Qingrou interjected.

"Qingrou, stop defending her. She's a disgrace, unfit for the public eye. I can't believe the Soong family has to deal with someone like her."

Their harsh words pierced Soong Qingyue like a multitude of needles. Yet, she kept her spine straight and didn't pause for a moment.

Only after Dabao and Erbao had finished their meal did Soong Qingyue allow herself a few bites of her own food, finding it bland and unappetizing. She cleaned up the dishes and, noting the lateness of the hour, bathed Dabao and Erbao before settling them down to rest.

Exhaustion took its toll, and Soong Qingyue fell into a deep sleep early on.

The next morning, Soong Qingyue woke up with a start. She reached out to embrace Dabao and Erbao, but her hands found nothing but empty space. Panic surged through her, and she sat up abruptly, her mind instantly alert.

"Dabao, Erbao, where are you?" Soong Qingyue's voice shook with fear.

"Please stop playing hide-and-seek with Mommy. Can you come out now?"

But the silence that answered her was deafening and terrifying.

Her heart felt as if it were being wrenched from her chest. Without a second thought for her own appearance, she dashed out of the room. She searched the entire villa frantically, but Dabao and Erbao were nowhere to be found.

Soong Qingrou watched from the staircase, observing Soong Qingyue's frantic search with a detached gaze.

"Sis, there's no point in searching any longer." With no one else around, Soong Qingrou dropped her façade and stared at Soong Qingyue with a mocking gaze, reminiscent of a clown's.

Upon hearing Soong Qingrou speak, Soong Qingyue seized her arm in a panic. "Was it you? Did you hide Dabao and Erbao?"

Soong Qingrou shrugged off her grip and rolled her eyes dismissively. "I'm not capable of such feats. Sis, I suggest you dutifully attend that blind date today. Otherwise, you'll never see those kids again."

Soong Qingyue's realization hit her hard.

They were truly ruthless in coercing her into this blind date.

Her slender frame conveyed her utter helplessness. "Fine, I'll go. Now, will you tell me where Dabao and Erbao are?"

Soong Qingrou couldn't hide her glee at Soong Qingyue's desperation, her smile blooming triumphantly.

"Sis, who would've thought you'd ever be the one asking for help? Your children are still useful to us; we won't harm them."

"Let me be honest with you. I was supposed to be the one meeting Zhang Yunshan. But now that you're here, you can take my place."

"Sis, the moment you married Qingchuan, you should've realized that you'd be indebted to me for life."

Soong Qingyue spoke with a heavy heart, "I've already divorced Ye Qingchuan. What more do you want from me?"

If it hadn't been for Soong Qingrou's sudden disappearance, Soong Qingyue would never have had to marry Ye Qingchuan in her place.

Everyone believed that Soong Qingyue had stolen her sister's betrothed.

But who could know that if she hadn't married, the Soong family would have collapsed?

At that time, the Soong's were on the brink of financial ruin, with only the Ye's in a position to save them. Moreover, the Ye family had pledged that if the Ye and Soong families united through marriage, they would not abandon the Soong's.

From start to finish, she had no say in the matter.

Yet in the end, why was she the one to bear the blame?