C5 Like Some Maid! 

As soon as Xiao Chuhee heard him call her his 'sister-in-law', her expression darkened even more. If looks could kill, Moo Nuannuan would've already been buried six feet under the ground with no way out. This time, not even the richest man in the city could help draw her out from the mess Mu Jiachen had created for her. Clenching her fists, she could only keep her head high as her own mother dragged her into the living room.

Was this man trying to kill her?

Xiao Chuhee struggled to keep a straight face as she turned away from the handsome man and switched her attention to the hardwood door before them. However, as soon as they had stepped foot into the main hall, she swatted her daughter's hand away as if they were mere garbage and scowled. All the sweetness and innocent surprise were drained from her features.

"That man–did he just call you sister-in-law?" She blinked, looking a bit shaken. "Is he Mu Tingxiao's cousin?"

"I–yes." It wasn't as if she could lie her way out of this one.

Slap! Moo Nuannuan's face swung to the side, and she could feel her ears buzzing from the impact. If she hadn't readied herself earlier, she would've already collapsed onto the ground from the force. After all, she had already gotten used to it after all the years she lived in this household.

"Are you crazy?" Xiao Chuhee clenched her jaw. "If you want to die, then you can just go kill yourself! I'll even hand you the knife! But don't even think about dragging our family down with you!"

She lowered her gaze, letting her fingers linger across her soft cheeks. They were still stinging from the smack, but her face remained impassive. "Do you think I was the one who had kissed him first? Do you think I wanted him to kiss me?"

It had always been like this! Whenever something had gone wrong, her mother wouldn't even bother asking her for a reason. Instead, she'd use her insults and hands to do the talking. 'Worthless,' 'good-for-nothing', 'wrench'–all of them already came out of her lip. At this point, if Moo Nuannuan got a dime for every time her mother had used them, she'd be a billionaire by now.

"One is a cripple and the other one's healthy. Even someone as stupid as you would choose the latter. Did you spend the night with this cousin?"

A soft voice echoed from the staircase.

Xiao Chuhee turned back to see Moo Wanqi walking down the staircase, and she immediately came up to greet her with a hug. "Wanqi," she addressed her so carefully as if she were a fine china glass that she had just picked up from an auction. "Are you feeling better? Do you need me to fetch you a cup of tea? Or to turn down the AC?"

"Mom, I'm fine, seriously." She giggled. Although her smile held innocence and brightness, there was a certain glint in her eyes–one that held all the maliciousness hiding in her heart. She may have had everyone fooled, but Moo Nuannuan knew exactly what her true colors were. "Nuannuan, I understand your feelings and that you have...urges that need satisfying, but you have to consider our family. Try to restrain yourself a little, all right? Do it for us."

Just a few seconds ago, she had seen Moo Nuannuan kissing the handsome man through her balcony. That was the reason why she had raced down the staircase. She didn't think that someone as ugly and stupid as her would even have the qualms of hooking up with that kind of man! Even then, she restrained herself from insulting her stepsister, and instead, coated her words with sugar.

"Mom, am I right?" Moo Wanqi's eyes squinted with delight.

"Of course you're right! You always are."

Moo Nuannuan pursed her lips, not bothering to say a word to this charade.

Any outsider would've thought that Moo Wanqi and Xiao Chuhee were biologically related, and she was just a stranger who had entered the family when she was younger. After all, who would even think about treating their own blood like trash?

However, after years of trying to stand firm with the Moo family values, Xiao Chuhee had already forgotten all about her. In her eyes, the original Moo family members were placed on a pedestal–never to be touched. Her daughter was simply attached for the ride and a burden that she had cursed upon them, and she'd do everything to put her last, even if it meant sacrificing her own blood.

At the sight of Moo Nuannuan's expression, Xiao Chuhee arched her eyebrows. "Since you've already married into the Mu family, you shouldn't think of ways to embarrass us. We're only doing this because we care for you."

Care for her? Had she ever? She suppressed the urge to scoff as she lowered her head, hiding the ridicule that had flashed in her eyes. "I know my responsibilities," she said calmly. "It would be tragic if I'd do something...extraordinary one day that could put the entire Moo family in danger, wouldn't it? That would definitely be the end of us all...well, in my case...it will be the end of yours."

Moo Wanqi blinked. When did this stupid girl grow a tongue of her own? "What did you just say?"

"I don't think I need to repeat myself." Although her voice was appeasing, the same couldn't be said with her biting words.

Did they think that she'd allow them to call her around like some maid?

In the past, she was still holding onto that hope that Xiao Chuhee would finally turn back from her ways and accept her as her own daughter. After all, wasn't blood supposed to trump anything else. Yet as years had passed, Moo Nuannuan's hope slowly dwindled. And when she was forced to marry into the Mu family in her older sister's stead, that was already her last straw.

"You!"

Moo Wanqi gritted her teeth. This was the first time that woman had snapped back at her.

"Mom, I was kind enough to give her some advice, and she does this!"

Xiao Chuhee raised her eyebrows. This was also the first time she had seen her daughter standing firm on her words. When had she become this hardheaded? "Nuannuan, apologize to your sister! Now!"