The system fumed, [Master, does this woman have no heart? She’s here pleading for this impostor, afraid she’ll suffer in the countryside—why doesn’t she spare a thought for what her own flesh and blood endured? That child was only five years old, abused and beaten by this impostor’s birth parents and brothers until she froze and starved to death. And now she has the audacity to beg you? This so-called motherly love of hers is utterly nauseating!]

Yue Fuguang replied coldly, "This ‘motherly love’ is indeed revolting. She dares to play the elder in front of me? She neither bore me nor raised me—what right does she have to beg? If she wants to plead, she should go to the underworld and beg her real daughter."

[Exactly! Master already repaid the debt of this body’s life. Otherwise, how would she even have the health to stand here shouting? If she dares disrespect you again, I won’t hesitate to strike her with heavenly lightning!]

"Indeed. The debt is settled. If she offends me again, I permit you, Little Pearl, to strike her with heavenly lightning—publicly, no less. As long as she’s not killed, do as you please.

Want to act as my elder? She’s only an elder if I acknowledge her. If I don’t, she’s nothing!"

[Don’t worry, Master. If she dares step out of line, I’ll make sure she regrets raising her voice at you!] The system’s tone turned icy and sinister.

Madame Sun instinctively stumbled back, and the surrounding crowd fell deathly silent.

Only when she felt she’d retreated far enough did Madame Sun stammer, trembling uncontrollably, "Y-you… I-I… n-no…" Her tongue twisted, her teeth chattered—she couldn’t even form a coherent sentence.

But even someone as foolish as Madame Sun valued her life. Terrified of Yue Fuguang, she no longer dared to approach or spout nonsense.

Yue Fuguang, however, deliberately asked, "What was Auntie Sun trying to say?"

Before Madame Sun could respond, Yu Qinchun hastily interjected, "Fuguang, don’t mind her. Go sit by your grandmother, have some pastries, and rest. We’ll handle this quickly."

Then, turning back to Madame Sun, he said sternly, "Madame Sun, what I said earlier was about sending you to the estate for recuperation. As for her—"

His gaze shifted to Yu Ningrou, who had been hiding behind Madame Sun, letting her fight the battle. There was no trace of paternal affection left in Yu Qinchun’s eyes.

This child was scheming to the core. Even after years of Madame Sun’s doting care, she had never shown an ounce of genuine gratitude.

Was it truly impossible to raise a child not of one’s own blood?

He addressed Yu Ningrou coldly, "Now that our true daughter has been found, it’s time for both of you to return to your rightful places. From today onward, the Yu family no longer has a Sixth Miss Yu Ningrou. You will revert to your birth name—Zhou Wuya."

At the mention of "Zhou Wuya," Yu Ningrou’s face drained of color. Tears welled up instantly, her head shaking frantically—her mannerisms a perfect mimicry of Madame Sun.

Her tears fell like broken strings of pearls as she sobbed, "Father… Father, you can’t mean it! You’ve always doted on Ningrou—how could you bear to cast me out? Didn’t you and Mother promise that even after my sister returned, I’d remain your only legitimate daughter? How could you go back on your word so quickly?"

Then she turned to Yue Fuguang, her expression shifting to one of pitiful, silent suffering.

In a soft, pleading voice, she said, "Little Sister, dear sister, I beg you—don’t let Father send me away! I’ll give you everything I have, just let me stay with the Yu family. I can’t bear to leave Father, Mother, and my brothers!"

As she spoke, she began tearing off her bracelets, rings, and earrings, shoving them toward Yue Fuguang. "Here, take them all! These were gifts from Father and Mother—I don’t want any of it. Please… forgive me, Sister. I never meant to steal their love from you. I didn’t know…"

Yue Fuguang frowned, unwilling to listen to her nonsense. "So noisy. So ugly."

The system chimed in, [Exactly! Who’d want to compete with her for these foolish parents? ‘Only legitimate daughter’—as if anyone would covet that title!]

Yu Qinchun flushed with embarrassment at the system’s words. Looking back now, he realized how idiotic he’d been.

Meanwhile, Madame Sun had blocked out everything else. All she heard was that her husband intended to cast her beloved Ningrou out of the Yu family—to suffer in the Zhou household!

That was unacceptable! Her Ningrou had always been delicate, raised with the utmost care—how could she endure such hardship?

Suppressing her fear of Yue Fuguang, Madame Sun shrieked at Yu Qinchun, "Husband, how can you say such cruel things? Ningrou grew up before our eyes! You’ve always adored her—how can you send our precious daughter into that den of wolves?"

Her words left the entire Yu family speechless.

Yu Qinchun nearly lunged to cover her mouth. What would Yue Fuguang think of them after hearing such nonsense?

Sure enough, Yue Fuguang's voice rang out: "So she always knew the Zhou Family was a den of wolves! I used to think Madame Sun was simply foolish and unaware, but now I realize she’s both vicious and stupid!"

The system chimed in: [Thank goodness she’s no longer the master’s nominal parent, or Little Pearl would’ve been tempted to obliterate her!]

Yu Qinchun’s heart sank further upon hearing these words. The child had never been close to them to begin with—she had never even called them "Father" or "Mother," skipping straight to "Uncle" and "Aunt"!

Not only was this fool incapable of facing reality, but now she was also stirring up resentment against him. He bitterly regretted not having gagged her and thrown her into the countryside estate.

Madame Sun, terrified by the system’s words, was left speechless. She turned to her pillar of support—her dear husband—only to finally notice Yu Qinchun’s increasingly grim expression.

When she glanced at her in-laws and Elder Master Yu’s family, she was met with nothing but icy indifference.

Earlier, Madame Sun had been too consumed by fear and tantrums to notice, but after the system’s repeated threats, she calmed down slightly. Only then did she belatedly realize the change in everyone’s gazes toward her and her daughter.

Her eyes darted around the room, landing on her last shred of confidence—her two biological sons.

Suppressing her overwhelming dread and panic, she pleaded frantically: "Fourth Lang, Sixth Lang, hurry and beg your father and grandfather for mercy! You don’t want to lose your mother, do you? You wouldn’t let your sister suffer in the Zhou Family, right?

"Have you forgotten? You both swore to take care of her! Don’t forget how good your sister has been to you—those embroidered pouches at your waists were stitched by Rou’er through sleepless nights!

"Fourth Lang, Sixth Lang, you wouldn’t want to never see your mother again or watch her heartbreak, would you?"

Madame Sun clung to her last lifeline, using filial duty and familial bonds to pressure her sons.

Yu Ningchen and Yu Ninghao wore expressions of anguish and panic, still reeling from the shock. The same went for the Fourth Branch’s couple.

At first, they couldn’t believe what they were hearing—Yue Fuguang’s voice and some unknown "thoughts."

But as their faces grew paler, Yu Chongshan and Elder Master Yu realized these reactions meant they, too, had heard the inner voices.

After subtly signaling them to keep silent, Yu Ningchen and Yu Ninghao found themselves cornered by their mother’s emotional blackmail and the weight of filial obligation.