Chapter 63: The “little devil” who was acquitted

Of course, it wasn’t that Liang Lai didn’t want to save her—it was Duoluosa who’d yanked her back, too far to reach, so at the instant Therilens tumbled, Liang Lai’s body twisted in full warp.

Luckily, Asteris and Delucia reacted fast, snagging Therilens back in one pull.

The moment Therilens hit ground, her frame shook violent—“thump”—collapsing to a sit.

“Wh-What… did I just do?!” She burst into breakdown sobs, body quaking nonstop—like true terror gripped her.

“Good girl, good…!”

Liang Lai lunged too, scooping her into embrace tight.

“No fear, no fear… My fault—froze, didn’t grab you in time.”

Liang Lai patted Therilens’s back steady, one-two, soothing her.

Therilens cackled mad inside, but played the fright outer—clinging Liang Lai’s waist death-grip.

One’s joy another’s woe.

Therilens thrilled—but Duoluosa’s face darkened thunderous.

She’d never dreamed Therilens’d go that ruthless—balcony leap.

Beyond Iluci, another self-maul fiend?

“Alright, Little De—no more tears. Mom believes you’re innocent… You can stay. No more crying—don’t be scared, don’t… From now, pre-sleep, Mom’ll check your ropes tight. No drop risk ever!”

“Mm…” Therilens’s voice quavered, words mushy.

“Thanks Mom… As long as you let me stay… that’s my one wish…”

“Mom wants you here, of course… Enough tears—or you’ll catch cold…” Liang Lai dabbed her face-tears tender, heart aching.

Beside, Duoluosa’s fists balled white-knuckled.

“I hear Liang Lai say you walked once before—near-floor drop,” Duoluosa stepped up sudden, icing Therilens with her glare.

“But pre-Immaculate Courtyard… why no full plunge? Drops scar… or cripple. Your wounds? None from falls.”

The words fell; hush crashed again.

Therilens didn’t flinch a beat at the probe—sniffling up at Duoluosa, gaze all woe.

“I… never lived anywhere nice before—with second, third floors. Always ground-level… Sometimes, no shelter—street-sleep with trash bags… No chance to jump, even if I wanted.”

She said it like fresh wound-salt, bawling harder.

Liang Lai held back from scolding Duoluosa—she knew: waking to a knife-wielder bedside? Terror city.

So targeting Therilens now? Fair.

But post-this… talk with Duoluosa: one, clear sister-mis; two, fear trauma-lingering.

“Enough—this settles it. Therilens is innocent… Pre-bed ropes, outer door lock. Done.”

The call landed.

Duoluosa’s brows knotted sour, glaring Therilens—but lips parted—when Asteris clamped her shoulder.

“Hey, not chasing cheap talk-win, right?”

Just that line snuffed Duoluosa’s blaze cold.

Right—mouth-off now? Pointless.

Liang Lai’d bought the sly one’s tale full; no hard proof? No sway—might paint her bully, dent her image.

Revenge: ten years ain’t late.

Tonight? Let it lie.

Duoluosa shot Therilens one venom look—then stormed off.

Asteris and Delucia trailed tight, shadowing Duoluosa out.

Liang Lai watched the three backs fade, mouth opening—closing wordless.

First: settle the arm-child; then Duoluosa chat.

“Come, Little De—you’ve skimped full sleep days. Crash proper now—or burnout breeds sick.”

Liang Lai’s scare-tactic topped at “sick”—no wilder, no overkill.

“Mm…”

Therilens nodded meek, hand-led back to her room by Liang Lai.

The rest gone—leaving Iluci statue-still, lost on trail Liang Lai or tail Duoluosa.

In end, Iluci tailed—eavesdropping what Duoluosa, Asteris, Delucia’d spill.

At Duoluosa’s door, Iluci caught Asteris chiding:

“Why so rash still? You know Therilens’s sly, fib-machine, right? Scene was set—Mom bought her hook-line. That’s when you bail tears, tug her heart—not probe more.”

Asteris schooling Duoluosa on pity-play.

Iluci’s eyes lit; she squatted ground-level, ear-glued to door.

Gotta learn—beyond self-harm sob-stories, she blanked.

Time for crash-course!

“I know.”

Duoluosa raked her hair irked, heaving heavy sigh.

“Yeah… lost it. But say I hit with ‘She’s faking—for your pity’? Mom’s react? Therilens’s spin?”

Asteris and Delucia blanked a tick—then cracked belly-laughs.

“Hahaha~”

Delucia teared up laughing. “Duoluosa, you got nerve calling us sis? Asking something that dumb!”

Duoluosa—mid-thaw toward the twins—face-sagged, flushing rage, slamming the table.

“Skip the chat if you hate it! Laughing fit for what?!”

Like a tail-pinched cat.“These children by the saintess’s side aren’t like those dustfolk outside.”

Therilens summed it up.

“Looks like I can’t rush—if I want Liang Lai all to myself… gotta grow strong first…”

Therilens’s gaze hollowed gradual, drifting to far, far thoughts.

Time ticked on; Duoluosa stewed too riled for sleep, while Asteris and Delucia—as shadowkin