A Wicked Idea For Revenge.

Meiying woke up in an unfamiliar room, her heart racing with panic before she realized where she was. It turned out to be the other room in Huilian's apartment. She sat up, letting out a big yawn, and glanced over at the nightstand where her phone lay.

The previous day, Zhang Hongzong had returned, but Meiying had hurriedly retreated to this room out of embarrassment. After what had happened, she wasn't ready to face him just yet. However, it seemed that he had only come to return her phone, as Huilian had brought it to the room for her.

Meiying had fallen asleep as soon as Huilian had left, not even bothering to touch her phone. Now, as she swiped it up, she saw numerous missed calls, particularly from Li Chenwei and Zeng Wei.

Curiosity piqued, she wondered how Zeng Wei had gotten her number since she hadn't called him after receiving his. Then, as she glanced at the other missed calls, she saw that they were from her in-laws, Li Jingyi and Du Xinyi. Of course, her husband wasn't among the callers.

Meiying speculated that since Du Xinyi also knew her number and had called her, she might have pulled some strings to give Zeng Wei her number. It made sense in her mind.

Deciding to prioritize her family, she called Li Jingyi first to inform her that she couldn't make it to the shooting for the day. However, to her surprise, Jingyi urged her to check the latest trending news.

A groan escaped Meiying's lips. Why couldn't they allow her to live in peace? Reluctantly, she searched for the news online, and what she discovered left her in shock. Mrs. Feng, the woman who had accused Meiying of pushing her, was now claiming that Meiying was innocent. It turned out that a cat kept in the house had actually caused the accident. Mrs. Feng also mentioned that eyewitnesses, including the housemaids, had made statements confirming the truth.

But what shocked Meiying the most was how Mrs. Feng and her children, in front of reporters, praised Meiying and admitted that they had misunderstood her all along. They revealed that everything negative they had said about her in the past was false.

Unable to process this newfound information, Meiying felt suspicious. Something fishy was going on. She hadn't experienced such a sudden change of heart in her past life. Determined to get to the bottom of it, Meiying resolved to pay them a visit and find out what they truly wanted.

Leaving the room, Meiying stepped into the foyer and noticed Huilian's daughter, Liling, engrossed in her sketchbook once again. Her seat on the couch next to Liling offered a perfect vantage point to appreciate the young girl's talent for art. Each page was adorned with intricate drawings, showcasing Liling's remarkable imagination and skill.

Unable to contain her admiration, Meiying couldn't help but compliment Liling. "You truly have a gift, Liling," she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine awe. "Have you ever considered pursuing art professionally?" Meiying joked.

Liling's eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked up at Meiying. "Do you really think I'm good enough?"

A warm smile spread across Meiying's face as she nodded earnestly. "Absolutely! Your talent is undeniable. With your potential, you could create beautiful artwork and make a name for yourself in the art world."

Liling's face lit up with joy, and Meiying felt a surge of fulfillment in her heart. "Thank you," Liling replied, her voice filled with gratitude.

Meiying continued to smile, genuinely pleased by the interaction. "Where is your mom?" she inquired, curious about Huilian's whereabouts.

Liling paused for a moment, glancing up from her sketchbook. "She went to buy more yummy food!" she replied casually before returning her attention to her drawing.

Noting Liling had yet to eat, Meiying offered to prepare something for her. "Have you had anything to eat yet?"

Liling shook her head, a hint of hesitation in her eyes. "Not yet. I want to finish this drawing first."

Meiying's determination kicked in. "Let me take care of it. You continue with your drawing. I'll prepare something for both of us," she assured the young girl.

Liling looked at her with a mix of surprise and disbelief. "You can cook?" she asked, skepticism lacing her words.

Feeling slightly offended, Meiying raised an eyebrow. "Why are you looking at me like that? I'm a grown woman, of course, I can cook," she retorted playfully. "And I'll show you just how good I am!"

With an unwavering determination etched on her face, Meiying strode purposefully towards the kitchen. Oh, how she longed to show that cunning little feline who was truly in charge! As she swung open the refrigerator door, a triumphant smile curved her lips.

The sight of its contents filled her with a sense of satisfaction; she knew exactly what she needed to prepare, and she planned to do it in abundant quantities! Even if Liling dared to ask for seconds, foolishly believing she had perfected her culinary skills, Meiying vowed to ignore her—at least until she had been thoroughly entertained by Liling's desperate pleas.

Amid the sizzling, frying, and toasting, Liling occasionally crept into the kitchen, her curiosity piqued by the enticing aroma that wafted through the air. Finally, the dishes were ready, and Meiying gracefully served their food on the dining table, conveniently positioned close to the kitchen.

With a melodious call, she beckoned Liling to come and partake in the feast. Ever watchful, Meiying observed Liling's every move, from the moment she retrieved a knife and fork to the precise instant she cut into a piece of bacon and placed it delicately on her tongue.

To Meiying's dismay, Liling twisted her face in disgust and hastily wiped her tongue. "Ewww," she exclaimed, unable to hide her revulsion. Filled with brewing anger, Meiying rose from her seat, determined to quell her frustration by putting an end to this childish behavior once and for all.

But just as Meiying prepared to unleash her wrath upon Liling, both of them turned towards the entrance by the sound of Huilian's voice.

Standing there, with a visage filled with anger, was Huilian herself. Yet, what took Meiying aback was the presence of Xuejian—standing poised beside Huilian, his hand clutching a bag brimming with groceries.

In the midst of the unfolding chaos, Liling nonchalantly popped another morsel of bacon into her mouth. "Wow, this is super yummy!" she exclaimed, her eyes glimmering with delight.

Approaching the group with every intention to reprimand Liling further, Huilian's attention swiftly shifted to the delectable feast spread out before them. Without a moment's hesitation, she nudged Meiying aside, eagerly claiming a seat and savoring the mouthwatering meal with unbridled enthusiasm.

Caught off guard, Meiying stared at Huilian in astonishment. Huilian, with food still in her mouth, looked up at Meiying and exclaimed, "Poached Eggs, Bacon, Sausages, Baked beans, Grilled tomatoes, Fried mushrooms, and Toasted bread! You are truly magnificent. Would you consider becoming my personal cook?" Her words came out in fragments, skillfully navigating the spaces between each mouthful.

Meiying couldn't contain her laughter. Finally, someone had acknowledged her culinary prowess, apart from someone else, of course. Meiying's gaze then shifted towards Xuejian, who had just entered the kitchen to set the bag of groceries on the island.

With a beaming smile, Huilian turned to Meiying once again and inquired, "I hope there's enough for two." Meiying nodded in affirmation. "Then, please, get some for Wang Xuejian."

Meiying stared at Huilian in disbelief. She opened her mouth to speak, but before any words could escape, Xuejian interrupted, "That's very kind of you. I'm famished. Meiying, my love could you please serve me some food?"

Meiying almost fainted from the shock of his words. Did he just call her "my love"?

Huilian grinned mischievously and gently guided Meiying to swiftly dish out the food.

As Meiying distributed their meals, a wicked idea sparked in her mind. Sporting an evil grin, she sprinkled a dash of pepper onto the baked beans and a pinch of salt onto the poached egg. Maintaining an honest expression, Meiying served Xuejian his food, seating him next to Liling while taking her place opposite him, by Huilian's side.

As they began their meal, Meiying couldn't help stealing glances at Xuejian. He started eating, but when he reached the poached eggs, his face contorted in disgust.

Unable to resist, Meiying ventured, "Is something amiss?" Xuejian simply shook his head and bravely continued to eat, though his discomfort was evident. Meiying fought back a laugh, determined not to give in to the urge just yet. When Xuejian finally reached the baked beans, his face flushed crimson, but he soldiered on, resilient until the very end.

Curiosity getting the best of her, Liling couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Wang, why is your face so super red?"

Before anyone else could talk again, Xuejian stood up and disappeared into the corridor that led to the rooms.