Chapter 60: Prove Yourself

This slap stunned even Liang Lai—Therilens had struck her own face, yet Liang Lai grabbed her hand in haste.

“Alright, alright, Therilens—no more hurting yourself. Without proof, I won’t chase you out.”

At those words, light sparked instant in Therilens’s eyes; she blinked her big watery ones, sensing she’d pulled it off again.

But Liang Lai followed quick: “Still… you popping up in Duoluosa’s room unexplained? Sure, I believe you’re… a good kid. But sleepwalking as excuse… it’s hard to buy without seeing it.”

The glow in Therilens’s eyes dimmed gradual.

But she knew: Liang Lai was handing her a shot to prove it—as long as she nailed the sleepwalk, the open-eye sleep… she’d stay.

“Mm, I get it—sudden in big sis’s room? Super suspect. No blame on Mom and sisters fearing me…”

Therilens sniffled. “So… so for nights on, tie me for sleep? Or… Mom and sisters watch me doze? Days of it… If I walk, just wake me firm.”

Of course, that’d fall short on quashing doubts—so Therilens cooked up a self-punish zinger.

“If… if that’s still untrusted… then wake me hard on walks—take turns rousing, keep me tossed sleepless for days… I’d be wrecked total, bound for real crash. No walk then? Proves I lied.”

Her eyes brimmed sincere, all piteous plea to the crowd.

“You think that works?”

The plan held water.

But Duoluosa panicked, snatching Liang Lai’s arm.

“Liang Lai! She talked to me—eyes open! No way asleep! She’s lying!”

The plea softened Liang Lai’s sway a tick.

But Therilens stayed ice-cool, turning teary to Duoluosa—fresh floods spilling, pattering floor.

“Big sis,” her voice rasped faint, “you can’t hate me and make stuff up… Sure, I popped in your room—clueless why, knife in hand—but I didn’t talk to you…! No intent to hurt! None, really!”

Duoluosa choked on a lungful of rage-blood.

God—she’d never clocked such brazen nerve.

And Liang Lai recalled too: Duoluosa’s snitch habit—tales tall or thin, all flung her way.

Asteris, Delucia, Iluci—all smeared sometime…

The kid’s cling ran deep—mom-dependent classic—so Liang Lai’d let it slide before.

But now? Stakes sky-high.

Misjudge a kid… scar ’em soul-deep, both sides.

One fresh pickup, unknown sweet; the other four-month foster, known black-tale queen.

Liang Lai floundered sudden—no wish to wrong any, fearing a sleepwalk fluke.

“Enough, Little Duo.”

Liang Lai drew the quaking Duoluosa to her chest, soothing soft: “Little Duo… maybe a mix-up? We gotta test it…”

The words left furious Duoluosa speechless.

She gazed Liang Lai sad, aching to demand why no trust—but next tick, it hit: her own lies pierced by Liang Lai endless…

Pattern clear as day: boy who cried wolf third time? No believers left.

Liang Lai now? Same.

Duoluosa drowned sudden in regret—why’d her jealousy fits always spill fibs and frames? Some clumsy, popped easy.

No snitch history? Liang Lai’d lean her way more—not chance Therilens a shot.

She fell mute, regret’s pit yawning deep.

With Duoluosa quiet, Liang Lai took it as assent—so turned to Therilens, tone easing—warmer than before.

“Therilens, your cheek’s swelling—grab ice, wrap it; hurts bad if not. Then… we watch your sleep, like you said.”

Liang Lai bit her lip, eyes brimming hope for this gold-locked pickup.

“I really want this a mix-up, Therilens. These two days fostering you… I’ve seen a good girl.”

Something flashed in Therilens’s eyes—then she bowed meek, nodding soft.

“Mm, I know, Mom… Won’t let you down… Didn’t do it? Didn’t. Blank? Blank.”

The words rang so sure—sans the kids’ insight to her core, her act’d fool ’em full.

Liang Lai murmured comfort to her eldest a beat—then herded the children to a bigger room.

“Little Te—fetch Therilens ice, towel-wrap it; her face’s ballooned. No ice? Agony.” Liang Lai tasked Asteris.

Still fretting the poor thing.

Asteris nodded, darting downstairs for ice quick.

Liang Lai pressed the towel-wrapped cold to Therilens’s cheek.

“There—let it ease the swell a bit, then bed. We’ll all watch… Like you pitched… Tossing your sleep might sting cruel, but it’s your best shot to clear.”

“Mm-hm~”

Therilens nodded meek on; she took the ice-pack obedient from Liang Lai’s hand, pressing it to her face—the chill’s bite warming her deep.

Liang Lai’s care-warmth.

Therilens regretted sudden—not the harmless Duoluosa swing—but rushing blind, no scout on her strength before clash.“Th-Then… then my arm hurt so bad… and then, then Mom rushed in… I really don’t know how any of this happened, I really don’t…”

She wept torrents, every word ringing true—even her gaze so steadfast, so clear—as if the murder attempt truly hadn’t been her doing.

The other four children gawked at her masterful performance, eyes darting from one to the next in stunned silence.

What an actress!

Damn, this girl’s a pro.

Duoluosa marveled at her shameless gall; Asteris and Delucia gaped at the skill rivaling their own; Iluci stood frozen in the scene’s shock, limbs lost on where to land.

Liang Lai reeled a touch too.

She hadn’t processed yet—in healing Therilens’s crystallized arm, her mind looped on Duoluosa’s “Therilens tried to kill me.”

The floor-dropped knife, the wall-stuck blade, Therilens midnight in Duoluosa’s room… All pointed clear: Duoluosa told no lies—Therilens had come to kill.

But…

Liang Lai eyed Therilens’s wretched sobs, recalling the girl’s obedient days past—no killer vibe…

Still, if picking faith… Duoluosa, after four-plus months—her character, known.

“Therilens—tell me straight: you really blank on it all?”

Liang Lai stroked Duoluosa’s head soothing her eldest, while frowning at Therilens—eyes doubtful, but hungry more for truth and cleared name.

Meeting Liang Lai’s look, Therilens knew: stick to the script, play lost—steer her to “sleepwalking,” and turnaround loomed.

“I really didn’t know