They clicked open the group chat and saw the photos Elric had posted. The dishes on the table didn't look like restaurant fare, but they were plentiful and seemed tasty. All four, including Olivia, suddenly lost their appetite. However, after working hard all day, they were hungry and had to continue eating.After a while, more notification sounds chimed. They couldn't resist clicking to open and saw Elric’s selfies, proudly munching on chicken legs. He even sent a message, "These chicken legs are so fragrant, thumbs up!"After a while, he deliberately posted a plate of stir-fried shrimp and deep-fried spare ribs. Elric wrote, "Not only is this shrimp fragrant, but it also has a fresh sweetness, delicious!" He added, "First time trying spicy spare ribs, so tasty!"Lindsay commented, "I also love this shrimp dish, so flavorful!"Wendy said, "I love the spicy spare ribs, so fragrant."Leslie added, "I prefer the fried meat, it's more delicious than anything I’ve had before."Alex, Ol
After finishing their meal, Lindsay and the others took a stroll around the village before returning to their courtyard. By that time, Alex and his group had also finished their meal. Olivia had proactively washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen. Though she despised doing such tasks, she endured them to appear as the "angel" in the livestream, aiming to impress the audience.Just as Olivia finished tidying up and stepped out of the kitchen, she saw Lindsay and her group entering, chatting and laughing. Remembering the photos they had posted earlier, Olivia felt a sudden wave of resentment. Why did she have to do all the work while Lindsay could go out and enjoy a meal with others?After returning, Lindsay and her group sat in the courtyard, chatting and continuing to weave storage baskets. Seeing this, Alex couldn't help but think of how they had been under the scorching sun all day. He walked over and sat down near Lindsay.He asked her, "The straw hats you wore today, did y
Lindsay looked at Olivia with a smirk. "I forgot to mention, I recorded everything that happened that day."Olivia's expression changed, but she quickly composed herself. "I don't know what you're talking about."She hadn't expected Lindsay to record that day's events. This woman was too cunning. If Olivia had known about the recording, she wouldn't have allowed her brothers to let Lindsay off so easily. Although she didn't think she was in the wrong, releasing the recording could harm her.Olivia regretted volunteering to learn how to weave straw hats just now. She had guessed that with Lindsay's personality, Lindsay wouldn't teach her, so she wanted to make Lindsay look worse in front of the livestream audience.Lindsay raised an eyebrow. "If you provoke me again, I won't hesitate to let everyone hear the recording."Most of the people present looked intrigued, their expressions showing they wanted to know more. It seemed there was indeed something going on between Lindsay, Alex, a
Seeing Lindsay and Elric working together so seamlessly, Justin grew even more frustrated. He also started feeling a strong dislike for Elric. Frowning, he looked at Elric. "Linds and I have some misunderstandings, so you don't need to worry about it," implying that Elric should mind his own business.Elric shrugged. "That's not right." He asserted, "Linds is my lifesaver, so her business is my business now."Justin was momentarily at a loss for words, which made him even more irritated. He didn't want Lindsay to be Elric's lifesaver or have any ties with him. He especially didn't want to deal with Elric right now.So, he turned to Lindsay and explained, "I wasn't saying you were wrong. I just hope everyone can get along."Lindsay replied coolly, "As long as you don't provoke me, everything will be fine."If they didn't provoke her, she wouldn't start any trouble during the livestream. But if they came looking for trouble, she wouldn't hold back.Justin, knowing Lindsay well, unders
Elric was immediately intrigued. "You mean we should perform a puppet play?"Lindsay nodded. "Exactly, we can each take on different roles and perform a puppet show for everyone."Leslie also found the idea interesting. "I think it's a great idea, it sounds really fun."Wendy agreed. "I'm on board. But are we just doing the puppet play?"Lindsay smiled. "Remember, we told Mr. Warren and the villagers that those interested can come here for classes tomorrow. You can teach the kids to sing and dance, and then they can join us on stage for the performance."Leslie said, "That's a great idea too. Parents will be thrilled to see their kids on stage, and the villagers will feel more connected seeing familiar faces perform."Over the past few days, they had noticed that few villagers recognized them. The elders and children in the village weren't interested in celebrities, so their performances of popular songs and dances might not be well received. But if they involved the villagers, everyo
Lindsay looked at Alex's pitiful expression and couldn't help but laugh. In the past, when she got upset and ignored him, he would act this way. Back then, she thought it was a sign of sibling closeness and would indulge him.Now, she simply scoffed. "Alex, it seems you still haven’t grown a brain."Alex looked at her in disbelief. "What did you say?"This was his attempt to reconcile with Lindsay, but even after lowering himself like this, she still wasn't having it.Lindsay replied, "I said you're brainless."Alex's voice rose, full of indignation. "My hands and legs hurt. Are you really not going to help me?"Lindsay rolled her eyes. "That's not my problem."With that, she called out to Wendy and continued walking, basin in hand, leaving Alex fuming behind her. "Lindsay, you're something else. I've seen through you this time."She didn't even know how to care for her brother anymore. She was becoming more heartless. Alex spoke tough, but inside he felt hurt.Lindsay didn't stop
She looked coldly at Justin. "You really make me sick right now."Justin's expression changed again. "Lindsay, stop this, will you?"Why couldn't she just calm down and talk things out? Why did it have to escalate to this, with hurtful words, making everything worse?Lindsay hated hearing the words "stop this.""You're becoming more like the Harper family. If you're sick, go get treated, but don't come looking for validation from me."With that, she grabbed Wendy's arm and walked away.Justin wanted to step forward to stop Lindsay; he was determined to talk to her today. But just then, Elric emerged from the side.He walked over as if he didn't see Justin at all, smiling at Lindsay. "Linds, are we making breakfast ourselves tomorrow morning or heading to the villagers' homes?"Lindsay smiled back. "Do you have anything specific you want to eat?"Elric's eyes lit up. "You mean I can place an order?"Lindsay nodded. "Sure, as long as it's something I can make."Elric didn't hold back. "I
On the other side, back in the room, Lindsay noticed Wendy staring at her. She smiled and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"Wendy didn't hold back. "I didn't expect to uncover such a big secret about you and the movie star."She had suspected something was off with Justin, and now she knew he and Lindsay had a past relationship.Lindsay shrugged. "A result of youthful impulsiveness."Wendy chuckled. "Who hasn't liked a jerk in their youth? The important thing is to cut your losses in time."She had also been betrayed by a boyfriend before and despised guys like Justin, who had a girlfriend but still tangled with other women. The recording Lindsay had would certainly impact Olivia. Justin didn’t want to break up but also wanted Lindsay to delete the recording for Olivia's sake. That made him even worse.Lindsay nodded in agreement. "Exactly, cutting your losses is key."Wendy thought for a moment, unable to contain her curiosity. "You and Alex didn't have something going o
In the vibrant district of the historic town, the streets were lined with vintage boutiques and various artisan stalls. Lindsay's group visited the town’s administration office and rented a temporary booth.Alex and Justin eagerly borrowed a table and chairs, setting up the booth. Following Lindsay's instructions, they also bought a piece of white fabric and worked together to create a simple sign. The production team provided markers and other supplies.Lindsay glanced over at Benedict and said, "Benedict, I’ll let you handle writing the banner."She was eager to observe his writing and the energy he gave off while doing it.Benedict sighed inwardly—this girl was constantly trying to test him. After a moment’s thought, he nodded. "Alright, I’ll write it."He grabbed a marker, uncapped it, and wrote in bold letters across the white fabric: “Fortune Telling, Divination, and Tarot Readings.”Lindsay watched him closely, noticing the fluidity of his movements as he wrote, his posture exud
Justin added, "My mom’s been trying to get me to help Olivia and distance myself from Lindsay. She’s also said plenty of nasty things about Lindsay. This time, not only did I ignore her, but I even pushed back. It probably pissed her off, and now she’s taking it out on Lindsay."Alex, clearly upset, said, "You should talk to her and tell her to stop fixating on Lindsay. Lindsay hasn’t done anything to provoke her. It’s ridiculous."He was frustrated that Justin’s mom had been stirring up trouble, making Grace even more difficult to deal with.Justin nodded. "Alright, after the show is over, I’ll have a talk with her."He also felt his mom was acting out of line. Back when he liked Lindsay, her disapproval at least made sense. But now that Lindsay had kicked him to the curb, his mom’s continued obsession was baffling.Although they were speaking softly, Lindsay and Benedict, walking ahead, heard every word.Lindsay found the situation with Abby baffling as well. A woman who fawned over
After Lindsay left, the other guests quickly followed, leaving only Alex standing there awkwardly. He spoke briefly to the production staff, and they soon shifted the cameras away from that area. Alex then walked over to Grace, saying, "Mom, since Lindsay won’t lend it, let’s just drop it."Grace shot him a cold glare, her expression dark. "How can you be so heartless? The one lying in bed is your fourth brother. Are you hanging around Lindsay all the time just to learn how to be cold and ruthless?"Unable to contain her frustration toward Lindsay, Grace directed it at Alex instead.Alex sighed in exasperation. "Even if we need help, it has to be something she’s willing to do! We’ve wronged Lindsay enough as it is, so why do you keep trying to guilt-trip her? Brandon’s situation isn’t Lindsay’s fault. Why don’t you go find Olivia? She’s the one who caused all this, maybe she can fix it. After all, whoever’s behind her is no easy target."Right now, all Alex felt toward Lindsay was gui
Grace held back her anger and said, "It'll only take a few minutes. I have something important to discuss with you."Lindsay sat back down in her seat. "Fine, go ahead."The livestream was on, and Lindsay was fully aware of it—she was doing this on purpose.Grace was about to speak when her assistant whispered something in her ear. Her expression changed, and she subtly shifted her body to turn away from the camera.Then she looked at Lindsay. "Can we talk outside?"In her rush to find Lindsay, she had almost forgotten that this was a live-streamed variety show. She didn’t want to be on camera, much less discuss such personal matters in front of an audience.Lindsay, however, refused. "If it's important, say it here. If not, then don’t say anything."Grace’s expression darkened. "It’s because it’s important that we need to talk privately."She emphasized, "It’s not appropriate in front of the camera."Lindsay just smiled. "Unless it's something shady, what’s wrong with saying it on cam
Lindsay thought about it for a while and figured that if Grace was coming to find her, it was probably for Brandon. The only thing she could want would be the artifact in her possession.Alex saw her reply and couldn’t help but smile wryly. His sister was indeed sharp and saw right through it.He sent a voice message, repeating what the head of the Divination Association had told them. "Mom just wants to borrow the artifact from you to suppress Brandon’s condition."Lindsay replied, "Tell her not to waste her energy."Seeing that message, Alex knew right away that she wouldn’t lend it out. It didn’t surprise him—his sister could be ruthless when she wanted to be."We can’t convince her otherwise, not even Dad can stop her... sigh," Alex added. When their mom’s temper flared, she wouldn’t listen to anyone.Lindsay didn’t seem to care. "Then let her come. I’m not going to do her any favors."Alex recalled the conversation between their parents at the hospital and decided to warn her, "M
Recently, Grace had been spending more time with Abby, often meeting up for outings. Over time, Richard noticed that Grace's anger towards their biological daughter had deepened. Abby had always disliked Lindsay and showed more favoritism towards Olivia. She must have been stirring up trouble and egging Grace on whenever they met. With time, Grace was bound to be influenced.Grace, clearly annoyed, said, "You even want to control who I make friends with? Aren't you going too far? What's wrong with me getting along with Mrs. Ford and spending more time with her?"Richard felt cornered. "I just think there's something off about her. Her intentions in getting close to you don't seem good. That's why I'm trying to give you a heads-up."Grace didn't believe him at all. "I think you're overthinking it. We’ve always had a decent relationship. We’re just closer now, that’s all.""What do you men know about women’s matters? Don't interfere." She now had plenty to talk about with Abby. Jenny wa
Richard glanced at Grace with clear disapproval. “This whole mess was caused by Olivia and Brandon. What does any of it have to do with Lindsay?”He could tell that recent events, and the embarrassment caused by their sons, had left his wife feeling bitter. It seemed she had begun to project that frustration onto Lindsay, despite the situation having little to do with her.Grace crossed her arms defensively. “If it wasn’t for her ongoing fight with Olivia, Brandon wouldn’t have gotten involved. He’s her brother. Doesn’t she owe him some consideration now that he’s in this condition?”Richard frowned. “What exactly are you trying to say?”Valarie, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up, her displeasure clear. “I see it differently. It’s Olivia and your son who started the trouble, and all Lindsay did was defend herself. Are you really looking to embarrass yourselves even more?”Grace shifted uncomfortably, feeling the sting of her mother-in-law’s words. “I’m just thinking abou
Given the Harper family's persistence, there was no way the Divination Association could avoid a thorough investigation. Seeing that Randolph wouldn’t back down, the official left, courteously escorted out by Randolph, who, for the moment, had ceased his protests.Valarie carefully placed the multicolored stone inside a small protective pouch before securing it around Brandon's neck. Though he felt a slight relief after putting it on, the bad luck continued. As the official had warned, his misfortune was too severe for one artifact to fully contain.Randolph tried every connection he had, attempting to borrow a second artifact, but came up empty-handed. Time slipped by, and evening approached before they could find any further solutions.By the time Richard and Grace arrived at the hospital, they were met with the weary faces of their parents. Feeling guilty for everything his father had gone through, Richard bowed his head. "Dad, Mom, I'm so sorry you had to go through this today."
Hearing their words, the hope that had briefly flickered in Brandon’s eyes quickly faded, leaving him more devastated than before. "Grandfather, I know I was wrong," he muttered, finally realizing the truth. His foster sister had been nothing but trouble—far from trustworthy, she had been a constant source of harm. Meanwhile, his real sister, though harsh and distant, had proven to be far more reliable. Regret gnawed at him deeply.Randolph sighed, his voice heavy with disappointment. “Knowing you’re wrong doesn’t change anything. It’s too late now.”Turning back to the two mystics, Randolph asked, “If you can’t break the curse directly, could you at least help suppress his misfortune? Maybe with a protective charm or some kind of mystical object?”Despite his frustration with his grandson’s foolishness, he couldn’t just leave him to suffer.Both mystics exchanged uneasy glances. “We don’t have the ability to suppress his bad luck with charms.”“For something like that, you’d need t