Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 606 - 302 Each Harboring Ulterior Motives_2

Chapter 606: Chapter 302 Each Harboring Ulterior Motives_2

As soon as these words were spoken, Old Madam Ran became even more furious.

She took the cane in her hand and threw it fiercely at her daughter-in-law, who was so frightened that she hid behind her husband again.

"Get out! Get out! Get out of here!!"

Originally, Old Madam Ran’s face was pale due to the depression in her heart, but now under the torrent of her emotions, a hot surge rushed to her head as if all her blood was reversing its flow in an instant.

Her body swayed more and more violently, and before long, she fell backward.

"Old Madam Ran!"

Jinxiu was startled and hurriedly supported Old Madam Ran.

"Mother!"

"Old Madam Ran!"

"..."

Everyone else was also frightened and quickly gathered around.

The pillar of the Ran Family was none other than Old Madam Ran; if anything happened to her, who else could protect the Ran Family?

Desperate, Jinxiu cried out while pinching Old Madam Ran’s philtrum anxiously.

Ran Jinyi quickly reacted, and after overcoming his frantic state, he hurriedly directed the servants to search for a doctor.

Shortly after, Old Madam Ran slowly regained consciousness.

When everyone saw Old Madam Ran waking up, their taut nerves relaxed, and the hearts that had been hanging fell slightly.

"Quick, quick, take Old Madam Ran back to her room," Ran Jinyi said urgently.

People clumsily took Old Madam Ran back to her room.

Ran Jinyi sent his annoying brother, Ran Jinsheng, and Hu Meixin away, leaving only his wife and Jinxiu by his side. Looking at Old Madam Ran, who lay wan and sallow on the bed, his heart ached:

"Mother, the Ran Family has me; don’t worry. You just concentrate on recuperating, and when Qingchen returns, I will send you both away from the Capital."

By his side, Zuo Su wiped her tears, "Mother-in-law, the family can’t function without you; you mustn’t fall."

Old Madam Ran slowly raised her hand.

Ran Jinsheng wanted to step forward and hold his mother’s hand, but the latter weakly waved her arm, pointing towards Jinxiu.

With tear-reddened eyes, Jinxiu quickly held Old Madam Ran’s cold hand: "Old Madam Ran."

Old Madam Ran’s voice was weak and filled with deep sorrow:

"Jinxiu, tell Qingchen that she is always the eldest young miss of the Ran Family, always my granddaughter; no one will drive her away, this will always be her home..."

"Old Madam Ran, take good care of yourself, the eldest young miss will definitely come back. She just wants to make a clean break with her husband. The eldest young miss will not abandon the Ran Family."

Jinxiu said through her tears.

Old Madam Ran revealed a faint smile and gently patted the back of the girl’s hand: "I know that girl’s temperament. Go find Jiang Yi, she will locate Qingchen. Follow her."

"Old Madam Ran..."

"Go now, be obedient."

Old Madam Ran’s gaze was kind and affectionate.

Jinxiu nodded with a choked voice, stood up, and walked out of the room, reluctant to leave.

After Jinxiu left, Old Madam Ran turned to Zuo Su and spoke softly: "Su’er, you have suffered over these years."

Zuo Su’s eyes revealed a hint of complexity, and then she forced a smile. She approached the bed and said, "What suffering? Right now, Old Madam Ran, you should focus on recuperating. If Qingchen returns and sees you like this, she will be heartbroken again."

Suddenly, Old Madam Ran asked, "Su’er, do you think the Ran Family should sever ties with Qingchen?"

Ran Jinyi beside her showed a flicker in his eyes, hesitated, but eventually did not speak.

Zuo Su was taken aback and then sighed,

"I’m just a woman of the household, what do I know? As I said before, at worst, one will just die."

Old Madam Ran said softly, "After Qingchen’s mother passed away, it was you and Jin Yi who took care of her. In Qingchen’s heart, you are like a mother to her; she will listen to you."

Zuo Su gently rotated the Buddha beads on her wrist, falling silent.

"Su’er, go and rest first. I want to speak with Jin Yi," Old Madam Ran said.

Zuo Su nodded, carefully covered Old Madam Ran with a blanket, and left the room.

Ran Jinyi approached the bed and whispered, "Mother, don’t mind the words of my second brother and sister-in-law; I’ll discipline them properly later."

Old Madam Ran stared blankly at the ceiling, her expression distant. After a while, she murmured, "You know what your second brother is like; he’ll never change in this lifetime.

As for your sister-in-law, when her child died prematurely, it was our Ran Family’s fault.

If she wants to leave the Ran Family, give her some money and settle her down in secret; make sure she isn’t bullied."

"Yes, I will make sure she is well taken care of," Ran Jinyi nodded slightly.

Old Madam Ran turned her head slightly, her gentle gaze fixed on her eldest son, her tone filled with deep guilt and apology:

"Insisting that you marry Su’er, handing over the Ran Family’s burden to you, forcing you to give up your studies, it was your father’s and my mistake. We let you down."

Ran Jinyi wanted to console her, but seeing his mother’s sincere, remorseful eyes, his heart suddenly ached.

He clenched his fists tightly, bowed his head, and said nothing.

In those years, as a Grand Scholar of the Wenhua Palace, he ought to have had a brighter future. He who was once ambitious and spirited, should have married that woman... who waited for him so desperately.

Regrettably, all this had become a regret.

Old Madam Ran said mockingly, "Sometimes, even though I clearly know you dislike it, I still stubbornly make decisions for you, believing it’s for your own good.

The death of the third son, I, as a mother, must also take responsibility. The current state of the Ran Family, bluntly put, is all my doing.

Su’er hating and loathing me is also justified."

Ran Jinyi was astonished, looking up at Old Madam Ran, "Mother, Madam has always respected you."

Old Madam Ran revealed a bitter smile, "The third son once told me that a bird caged for too long yearns for freedom. The longer it’s caged, the more docile it becomes, but it also becomes increasingly ferocious.

Su’er is just such a bird, imprisoned in a cage since she was young."

Jin Yi, you do not understand your wife. If Su’er wants to leave the Ran Family, let her go. If she wants more..."

Yet Old Madam Ran did not continue.

Although Ran Jinyi was surprised, he did not take Old Madam Ran’s words to heart.

He did not like his wife.

Stiff, traditional... trained under extremely strict family teachings from a young age.

There was no pleasure to speak of in bed, either.

A woman like her is suited to be a traditional noble wife, not a spouse.

As Ran Jinyi pondered, he noticed that Old Madam Ran had fallen asleep.

He tiptoed out of the room.

At the moment he closed the room’s door, Old Madam Ran murmured, "Jiang Wan, it turns out you’ve won, after all."

...

Carrying a heavy heart, Ran Jinyi went to his own courtyard.

Upon entering, he saw his wife Zuo Su standing silently in front of an orchid, seemingly lost in thought.

Ran Jinyi glanced at her, preparing to enter the house.

"What your brother said is correct."

Zuo Su suddenly spoke, turning to look at her husband, "If you want to save the Ran Family, save Old Madam Ran, and save Qingchen, the only way is to sever ties between her and the Ran Family."

Ran Jinyi was stunned, said bluntly, "Do you think Old Madam Ran would agree?"

Zuo Su spoke indifferently, "You are the head of the family. Now that Old Madam Ran’s health is declining, only you can shoulder the family. Anyone with a bit of sense knows Qingchen will ruin the Ran Family, and they expect you to make this decision.

You only need to issue a statement severing ties with Qingchen, just deliberately keep it from Old Madam Ran. Right now, Jinxiu is not in the residence, who would tell Old Madam Ran?"

Ran Jinyi fell silent.

A moment later, he waved his hand in vexation, "We’ll talk about it later."

"She has no blood of the Ran Family in her to begin with."

A cold smirk flickered on the corners of Zuo Su’s mouth, "The reason you treat her well is nothing more than... your fondness for Jiang Wan."

"Shut up!"

Ran Jinyi’s expression changed.

"What? Did I hit the mark? When your third brother died, you were the happiest—"

"I said shut up!!"

Ran Jinyi rushed over to his wife, raised his hand as if to slap her.

But looking at his wife’s deliberately raised, defiant cheek, and her eyes full of mockery, a sense of panic inexplicably seized him.

At that moment, he suddenly felt his wife before him was so unfamiliar.

Zuo Su gently caressed the man’s chest, her fingertips tapping lightly, feeling his heartbeat. Unlike her usually dignified and proper self, she revealed a rare hint of seductive charm:

"Ran Jinyi, you know what you must do? Deep down in your heart, you agree with your brother’s suggestion."

The woman turned and swayed her graceful hips as she entered the house.

Ran Jinyi was somewhat dazed.

After a long while, he recovered his senses, sighed at the night sky, and left the courtyard.

...

As night deepened, in the Buddha hall, after Zuo Su finished striking the wooden fish and reciting the sutras, she undressed from her simple and conservative clothing.

The woman lay bare on the cold ground.

Then, she placed the wooden fish between her legs and picked up an embroidery needle, stabbing herself repeatedly... The woman kept her eyes closed, biting hard on her lips.

In the darkness, on the rooftop opposite, Dugu Luoxue in a plain white dress silently watched the house.

Her cold and clear eyes seemed to see through to the woman inside.

Dugu Luoxue’s lips parted gently and she slowly uttered a word:

"Desire..."