"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."
Wan Zixuan and everyone else turned their gazes in unison to look at Wen Yan.
Frowning deeply, Wan Zixuan asked, "Miss Wen, what exactly do you mean by that?"
When Wen Yan had read her mother's fortune earlier, she had been standing hidden behind the bushes in the dark.
She was the one who had reported her mother under her real name. Knowing her mother would attend the gathering at the Tang family's estate tonight, she had planned to expose her directly in front of everyone.
When Wen Yan mentioned that her mother was about to face complete ruin and imprisonment, she was absolutely stunned.
Only Han Xu knew of her plan, which she had been meticulously plotting for three whole years.
It was the most closely guarded secret, yet this woman had guessed it all perfectly!
It was obvious that this young woman, who was a few years younger than her, possessed true abilities.
The world had never lacked people with extraordinary talents.
When it came to the unknown, Wan Zixuan always maintained a sense of reverence.
She didn't think Wen Yan would say those words without a reason.
Wen Yan could tell that Wan Zixuan was a completely different type of person from Madam Wan; deep down, she was righteous and had a strong moral bottom line.
Not wanting to see Wan Zixuan's efforts go to waste and end up benefiting someone else, Wen Yan pursed her lips slightly and said, "Beware of the person sharing your bed."
Having said her piece, Wen Yan didn't add anything more.
She headed to the restroom.
Si Moye followed closely behind her, matching her step for step.
Wen Yan glanced back at the tall, aloof man and raised an eyebrow slightly. "Hubby, do you really have to follow me to the restroom?"
Si Moye looked at her with dark, profound eyes. "The people here tonight are all powerful figures. They've seen what you can do, and I'm worried someone might try to harm you for their own benefit."
A smile couldn't help but curve Wen Yan's lips. She stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on the man's thin lips.
"Hubby, here's a kiss for you."
Although she was perfectly capable of dealing with anyone who harbored ill intentions toward her, having someone so attentive and protective by her side at all times still deeply moved her.
A few minutes later, Wen Yan emerged from the restroom.
She saw a wealthy lady pulling at Si Moye.
Si Moye's sharp brows were furrowed. "My wife is not a savior!"
Upon seeing Wen Yan come out, the lady quickly bypassed Si Moye and approached her.
Before Wen Yan could react, the woman dropped heavily to her knees.
Si Moye quickly pulled Wen Yan behind him. "Ms. Liu, what exactly are you trying to do?"
Liu Yunru was the daughter-in-law of the Zhao family, the watch tycoons of Hong Kong. In her youth, she had been a famous professional model in the country.
Later, she married into a wealthy family and became a full-time housewife.
Looking at Liu Yunru, who was only in her early forties but already had white hair, Wen Yan frowned slightly. "What happened to you?"
For a wealthy society lady to suddenly kneel to her, she must have encountered an unsolvable problem.
Liu Yunru was wearing a long-sleeved suit jacket today. Hearing Wen Yan's question, she slowly rolled up her sleeves.
Seeing the terrifying, winding knife scars on her wrist, along with a patch of festering, pus-filled flesh, both Wen Yan and Si Moye were somewhat shocked.
Si Moye reached out and helped Liu Yunru up.
Wen Yan gave Liu Yunru a nod. "Ms. Liu, if you have something to say, just say it directly!"
Liu Yunru had originally lost all hope in life, living every day like a walking corpse.
She couldn't die, yet living was pure agony.
"Miss Wen, I saw how accurately you predicted Madam Wan's fate. I want to ask you to read my fortune too. I want to die, but I just can't. What do I have to do to end my own life?"
Wen Yan carefully examined Liu Yunru's facial features and frowned. "Your full name and your birth data."
Liu Yunru immediately provided her full name and exact birth details.
Wen Yan did some calculations first, then checked Liu Yunru's past in her system.
[No wonder Liu Yunru has white hair at such a young age. It turns out her mother-in-law has been borrowing her lifespan.]
Si Moye's dark, narrow eyes narrowed slightly.
The Zhao family was actually doing something so wicked?
Wen Yan pursed her lips and looked at Liu Yunru with a frown. "In front of outsiders, you and your husband appear to be a loving couple, but in private, he subjects you to cold violence. Your son also treats you terribly. Yet, your mother-in-law constantly protects you and treats you as dearly as a daughter, right?"
Liu Yunru nodded. "Yes."
Although she had her mother-in-law's affection, she lived on thin ice in the Zhao family.
When she first married into the Zhao family, she and her husband were deeply in love, and she gave birth to a son a year later.
Their family of three lived very happily.
Later, her father-in-law passed away, the company faced a financial crisis, and her husband's work became incredibly busy. She stayed home full-time to raise their child and take care of her frequently ill mother-in-law.
At that time, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy, and they couldn't afford servants. So, she woke up early every day to make breakfast, prepared dinner in the evening, and frequently stayed up late to care for her mother-in-law, keeping everything in the house perfectly organized.
Day after day, year after year.
As her husband grew older, he became more mature, steady, and charming.
Her son also slowly grew up into a handsome young man. But she had worn herself down into a haggard housewife.
Even then, she hadn't felt any sense of crisis.
She still believed she was an indispensable part of the family.
It wasn't until her husband started giving her the cold shoulder and her son complained that she wasn't as young or pretty as his classmates' mothers that she realized everything she had sacrificed was just her moving herself.
They felt that since she didn't have to work, she had the easiest life and was the most worthless person in the family.
She hired a private investigator to look into her husband. He hadn't cheated; his heart simply no longer had room for her.
Her son also despised her and threw tantrums at her.
The only person in the house who treated her well was her mother-in-law.
But what she found bizarre was that over the past year, her memory had started to decline, and her body frequently experienced issues. Sometimes her stomach hurt, sometimes her eyes ached, sometimes her legs were sore, and at night, she was often tormented to the point of insomnia.
She went to see a doctor, who said they were just minor ailments.
Later, she thought she had developed depression, but a psychologist told her she only had mild anxiety, not depression.
She tried to change herself, stepping out to socialize with other wealthy ladies.
She actively participated in every gathering, working hard to improve herself.
However, she was often ostracized because her sluggish thinking made it hard to keep up with their conversations, or because she would faint out of nowhere due to physical weakness.
Eventually, many of the ladies stopped inviting her.
For this gathering, it was only because Madam Tang was kind-hearted and didn't discriminate against her that she had received an invitation.
"Miss Wen, I don't know what's wrong with me. I live in agony every single day. These marks on my body were all done by me. I want to commit suicide, but I just can't die every time I try!"
Wen Yan sighed softly. "How should I put this... A woman needs to love herself more. In the eyes of your husband and son, all your sacrifices are just you indulging in your own martyrdom. When you lose your self-worth, to them, you're just a piece of trash that can be discarded at will."
"Moreover, the physical conditions you're experiencing now are because someone is trying to borrow your lifespan. Every night at midnight, they kowtow facing your bedroom door."
Liu Yunru's eyes widened in shock. "Borrowing lifespan by kowtowing?"
Wen Yan nodded. "Is your mother-in-law about to celebrate her seventieth birthday?"
"Yes."
"If I am not mistaken, she will kowtow to you in front of all the guests that day, and at that exact moment, you will drop dead."
Liu Yunru swayed unsteadily. "Are you saying that the one kowtowing to steal my lifespan is my mother-in-law?"
She shook her head in disbelief. "How could that be? She has always been so good to me..."
Liu Yunru clearly didn't believe it.
Her mother-in-law was the person who treated her best in the Zhao family; it was impossible for her to do something so wicked.
Seeing Liu Yunru shake her head, Wen Yan expressed her understanding. "You probably won't believe this kind of thing unless you see it with your own eyes. Observe quietly at midnight tonight."
A bitter smile appeared on Liu Yunru's face. "Although I don't believe my mother-in-law would harm me, I still thank you for the warning, Miss Wen."
Looking at the haggard and weary woman before her, Wen Yan couldn't help but add, "Ms. Liu, no matter how big someone else's roof is, it's never as good as having your own umbrella. You're only in your early forties; you can still find your own light again."
Seeing the gentleness and encouragement in Wen Yan's eyes, Liu Yunru instantly burst into tears.
She had endured so much hardship to raise her child and take care of her husband and mother-in-law, only to realize she had long lost herself.
She had no job, no savings, no social life, no confidence, and no one to truly rely on.
When her husband despised her for being a faded housewife who only knew how to ask for money, and the son she had raised single-handedly complained that she wasn't as young, pretty, or successful as his classmates' mothers, her heart felt as if it were being pierced by thousands of knives.
When her husband complained that she spent too much money, how much of that money was actually spent on herself?
Her son's tuition and tutoring fees, her mother-in-law's medical bills, the household living expenses.
She couldn't even remember the last time she had her nails done, dyed her hair, or went shopping.
All her hard work and endurance were seen by her husband and son as simply being a full-time nanny who was lucky enough not to have to work.
It was truly pathetic!
After leaving Mrs. Tang's house, Liu Yunru drove home.
Passing by a restaurant, she saw her son, Zhao Yu, coming out from a gathering with his classmates.
Zhao Yu was in his senior year of high school this year. Having been well taken care of by her since childhood, he had grown up to be tall and handsome.
He must have been drinking, as he was stumbling as he walked.
Even though she was despised by her son, he was still the apple of her eye. Liu Yunru couldn't help but get out of the car and walk toward him.
Zhao Yu didn't see Liu Yunru. He turned his head to speak to a fair and delicate young girl.
"Qianqian, I didn't expect your mom to be the famous model Li Liying. No wonder you're so tall and pretty."
Li Liying?
Liu Yunru hadn't heard this name in a long time.
Liu Yunru had also been a model in her youth, and she and Li Liying were bitter rivals.
But hadn't Li Liying married and moved abroad? After retiring from the industry, she frequently posted vlogs of her wealthy lifestyle on social media. Liu Yunru knew she had a daughter the same age as her son.
"Zhao Yu, it's not like you don't know my family's situation. My dad divorced my mom because he despised her for not giving birth to a son. Now my mom has to return to her old profession to support me, but she's older now and simply can't go back to how things used to be."
"That's not true. Your mom takes great care of herself; she looks like she's only in her early thirties. Unlike my mom—she's out of shape and has a sallow complexion. Now she not only has gray hair but also age spots. She has so much free time at home, yet she doesn't even know how to take care of herself. No wonder my dad doesn't want to take her out!"
Li Qianqian covered her mouth and chuckled softly. "I heard your mom and my mom used to be in the same agency. Your mom really doesn't pay enough attention to managing her figure and appearance. But your mom is lucky. She married your dad and gave birth to you, so she's set for life without worrying about food or clothing. Unlike my mom—a while ago, an endorsement she had secured was snatched away by a young model."
Zhao Yu frowned, then as if thinking of something, his eyes suddenly lit up. "My dad's watch company happens to be looking for a spokesperson. I'll recommend your mom to my dad!"
Hearing this, a metallic, sweet taste surged up Liu Yunru's throat.
What a truly filial son she had!
Liu Yunru returned to the Zhao household in a daze. Normally, she would wait for her husband and son to come home and make them late-night snacks before going to rest, but today, she went straight to her bedroom.
When her mother-in-law came to knock on the door and call for her, she ignored it.
Not long after, her son returned, knocking on the door to ask her to brew him some hangover tea and prepare a snack. She simply pretended not to hear.
She fell into a groggy sleep, and as midnight approached, she jolted awake from a nightmare.
Opening her eyes, she picked up her phone to check the time.
There were still ten minutes until midnight.
Unconsciously, the words Miss Wen had said echoed in her mind.
Even though she felt it was somewhat absurd, thinking about how Mrs. Wan's fate had been accurately predicted, she quickly got out of bed and ran to the unoccupied guest room diagonally across the hall.
When midnight arrived, she opened the door just a crack and quietly peeked outside.
She didn't see her mother-in-law anywhere.
She let out a long sigh of relief. She knew her mother-in-law wouldn't do something like that to her.
But in the very next second—
