Lin Jingshan flung himself into the newcomer's arms.
"Mother, they bullied me!" Tears instantly poured down his face. Pointing toward Jiang Yingcheng, he accused her through sobs. "Lei-ge'er and I kindly took them out to play, but they shut the door and beat me!"
Madam Zhang's heart clenched with distress. "Where are you hurt? Hurry, let Mother see!"
Lin Jingshan hastily lifted his shirt, exposing his soft, round belly.
The skin was smooth, fair, and tender, without the slightest bruise.
Even Lin Jingshan's sobbing faltered at the sight. "Wh-why isn't there anything? This is where they hit me! They hit me so many times!!"
Madam Zhang's expression froze as well.
Just then, an even shriller wail suddenly rose beside them. "Waaah-Brother Jingshan pushed my head against the ground and yanked hard on my sleeve!"
Madam Zhang turned toward the sound.
The little tot in the Strange Man's arms had black soot smeared all over her face, and her cuff showed obvious signs of being torn. Knowing her own child's temperament all too well, Madam Zhang believed the little tot almost the moment she laid eyes on her.
Comparing the two scenes left Madam Zhang, who had always played the loving mother, unable to find any words to rebuke the other child.
"She rubbed that soot on herself! Her Mute Older Brother tore her cuff, too!!" Lin Jingshan grew even more frantic. "Mother, believe me! Mother, it really wasn't me and Lei-ge'er-"
"Boohoo, it hurts so much." Jiang Yingcheng lifted her cuff to reveal her delicate arm. The distinct purple handprint startled even her into crying out. "Waaah-"
That large patch of bruising was far more convincing than Lin Jingshan's fair, unblemished belly. In an instant, everyone present began looking at him with meaningful gazes.
Even the servants of the Lin