"Kneel!"
The instant after Liu Family's cold command, as if afraid Cui Lingyao would actually obey and kneel, Shen Tingyu grabbed her arm—only to find she hadn't budged an inch.
Her knees were ramrod straight, showing no intention of bending.
'After all, I was Princess Consort to Xie Jinbai for three years,' she thought. 'During that time, I was constantly reprimanded by the Empress. I rarely performed a full kowtow even for the Empress, so the intimidation from the mere wife of a Duke Mansion's heir was hardly enough to faze me.'
When Liu Family witnessed her son's subconscious move to protect Cui Lingyao, her chest heaved with fury.
Shen Tingyu took a step forward and poured her a cup of tea. "Such anger is bad for your health, Mother," he said gently. "You must take care of yourself. If you have something to say, you can say it directly to me. She's just a young girl who doesn't understand anything. Please don't make things difficult for her."
Every word hit its mark.
