At the thought that his son was there, Mr. Jin did not continue arguing with her.
The atmosphere reached the peak of its coldness, then An Xiaoning and Pan Zhenghui came out.
“Did you find anything?” Jin Qingyan inquired.
An Xiaoning leaned in to his ear and whispered some words. Jin Qingyan immediately got up and went out with Pan Zhenghui while An Xiaoning sat on the sofa to wait.
“Where have they gone?” Mrs. Jin asked.
An Xiaoning put on a faint smile. “There’s something they need to settle.”
“I know, what is it?”
“You can ask him when he comes back,” An Xiaoning said, refusing to answer her.
Mrs. Jin looked embarrassed, and she could only stand there waiting quietly.
Before Jin Qingyan and Pan Zhenghui came back, Jin Qingyue arrived. She came over despite her huge belly, and because she did not want Shi Shaochuan to know about it, she did not make him accompany her there.
“Qingyue, you’re here. Your father has been locked up at the police station,” Mrs. Jin immediately said.
“Isn’t my father sitting here all well and fine? What police station?” she remarked deliberately, obviously not treating the butler as her own father.
“Qingyue, you already know who your biological father is, don’t tell me you’re going to stand by and watch him die?”
Jin Qingyue was actually feeling rather hesitant, which was why she came over.
“What can I do?” Jin Qingyue waved her arm. “I really don’t know what I can do.”
Mr. Jin stepped in and said, “Qingyue, leave this matter to the police. We’ll not get involved in it. I hope you’ll not get involved in it as well. It’s true we’ll remove you from the household register and the ancestry record, but…” Mr. Jin’s tone changed. “If you don’t get involved in this matter, you’ll always be part of the Jin family. Qingyan’s sister, and my daughter.”
Through these frank words, Mr. Jin’s meaning could not be made clearer. No matter whether or not Jin Qingyue got involved in the matter, the result would not change. If she chose to be on his side and not create any trouble, then they would still be a family going forward. If she did not, then they would no longer be a family.
Jin Qingyue originally did not have much of a bond with the butler and was ashamed of her mother’s ways. Since Mr. Jin had said it that way, she knew clearly that anything she did would not change the result, so she replied, “Alright, Father.”
“Qingyue!” Mrs. Jin’s pupils constricted. “He’s no longer your father now.”
“Yes, even though I’m not his biological child, he raised me for so many years and loved me dearly. His act of raising me is far greater than any biological relations. In my heart, he will always be my father.”
Mr. Jin nodded, somewhat touched by her words.
Mrs. Jin felt disheartened by the world. She was overwhelmed with disappointment.
At this point, Jin Qingyan walked in alone, with Pan Zhenghui nowhere in sight.
“Where’s Chief Pan?” An Xiaoning asked.
“He’s gone back because there was a small head accessory found in the butler’s house. After comparing it with the other maids’, we found it’s Liu Yingying’s indeed.”
Jin Qingyan’s words added to Mrs. Jin’s worry.
“What can one head accessory prove?” Mrs. Jin was indifferent. “It can only prove that she’s been to his room, but it can’t prove that he killed her.”
“Mother, a maid who was used by the two of you – you’re telling me her death had nothing to do with you both?” Jin Qingyan placed his gloves in his pocket and offered his hand to An Xiaoning. “Come, let’s go back.”
An Xiaoning placed her hand in his, and the two exchanged glances, walking out of the front gate together.
The air outside was chilly, and the cold breeze was penetrating. An Xiaoning sniffed. “I think your mother will hate you and your sister.”
“Parents don’t bring us into this world for us to become their private goods or tools. If they made a mistake, then that’s that. For such a huge matter to end just like this, we’ve been lenient enough already. I don’t want to fret over other people’s issues. My time is precious. I don’t want to waste it for other people.” He held her hand tightly and moved forward.
“Brother!” Jin Qingyue walked towards them.
“Umm?”
“Mother said she doesn’t want to live anymore, she wants to commit suicide.” Jin Qingyue was obviously shaken; her face had even turned pale.
Jin Qingyan reached out and straightened out her hat. “She can’t bear to die. I’ll bet you a dollar on that. If you don’t believe me, we’ll see tomorrow morning.”
“You… you’re sure?”
Jin Qingyan replied, “Umm. It’s getting late, go back to rest.”
“Okay.”
Hearing his reply, Jin Qingyue did not go back into the house, and the three left the old Jin residence.
An Xiaoning returned home and stood on the yoga mat to practice yoga. She had put on a face mask, and Jin Qingyan sat opposite her, imitating the same yoga pose, wearing the same mask on his face as well.
The two looked at each other.
An Xiaoning reminded him, “Don’t move your body unnecessarily, remain stable…”
“Looking at you, my heart can’t stay calm.” His deep gaze could almost devour her.
“Jin Qingyan, you’re getting better at saying such romantic stuff.”
“You don’t like it?”
“I like it.”
Jin Qingyan’s face lit up with happiness. “An Xiaoning, I feel that it’s not enough looking at you for the rest of my life.”
“I know I’m quite good-looking, I’m aware of this.”
“Tsk…”
“Am I wrong?”
“No, you’ve hit right at my heart. It’s exactly what I wanted to say.”
He blinked his eyes at her, then straightened his body, letting out a long breath.
“Boss, someone is calling you again!”
“It must be from the police station, help me to pick up the call,” she remarked while staying in her position.
Jin Qingyan took the phone on the table and, seeing that it was a call from Gu Beicheng, he coughed and slid her phone screen to answer. “Hello.”
“Pass the phone to Xiaoning, I have something to tell her.” When he heard Jin Qingyan’s voice, Gu Beicheng’s tone sounded unfriendly.
“If you have anything to say, just say it. I’ll pass the message for you.”
Gu Beicheng’s tone was impatient. “Pass her the phone quickly, I have something important to tell her.”
“I said, I can pass the message for you. Just tell me.”
An Xiaoning realized that it was probably not someone from the police station, so she got up from her yoga position and snatched the phone from his hands. Seeing that it was a call from Gu Beicheng, she immediately put the phone to her ear. “Beicheng, it’s me.”
“Just now, people guarding the cemetery told me that the person who was on night duty saw a figure before Grandfather’s grave. They were scared out of their wits. Xiaoning, can ordinary people see those who’ve died?”
An Xiaoning frowned. “That’s impossible. Ordinary people can only hear but not see them.”
“Do you have time now? Let’s bring some people there to take a look.” Gu Beicheng was rather unassured. “The people guarding Grandfather’s grave are two middle-aged couples. I want to arrange for more people to stand guard. Can you come and see if there is really something there?”
“Alright.”
An Xiaoning had just replied when the man beside her cut in, “Xiaoning, quick, come and wipe my back.”
At the thought that his son was there, Mr. Jin did not continue arguing with her.
The atmosphere reached the peak of its coldness, then An Xiaoning and Pan Zhenghui came out.
“Did you find anything?” Jin Qingyan inquired.
An Xiaoning leaned in to his ear and whispered some words. Jin Qingyan immediately got up and went out with Pan Zhenghui while An Xiaoning sat on the sofa to wait.
“Where have they gone?” Mrs. Jin asked.
An Xiaoning put on a faint smile. “There’s something they need to settle.”
“I know, what is it?”
“You can ask him when he comes back,” An Xiaoning said, refusing to answer her.
Mrs. Jin looked embarrassed, and she could only stand there waiting quietly.
Before Jin Qingyan and Pan Zhenghui came back, Jin Qingyue arrived. She came over despite her huge belly, and because she did not want Shi Shaochuan to know about it, she did not make him accompany her there.
“Qingyue, you’re here. Your father has been locked up at the police station,” Mrs. Jin immediately said.
“Isn’t my father sitting here all well and fine? What police station?” she remarked deliberately, obviously not treating the butler as her own father.
“Qingyue, you already know who your biological father is, don’t tell me you’re going to stand by and watch him die?”
Jin Qingyue was actually feeling rather hesitant, which was why she came over.
“What can I do?” Jin Qingyue waved her arm. “I really don’t know what I can do.”
Mr. Jin stepped in and said, “Qingyue, leave this matter to the police. We’ll not get involved in it. I hope you’ll not get involved in it as well. It’s true we’ll remove you from the household register and the ancestry record, but…” Mr. Jin’s tone changed. “If you don’t get involved in this matter, you’ll always be part of the Jin family. Qingyan’s sister, and my daughter.”
Through these frank words, Mr. Jin’s meaning could not be made clearer. No matter whether or not Jin Qingyue got involved in the matter, the result would not change. If she chose to be on his side and not create any trouble, then they would still be a family going forward. If she did not, then they would no longer be a family.
Jin Qingyue originally did not have much of a bond with the butler and was ashamed of her mother’s ways. Since Mr. Jin had said it that way, she knew clearly that anything she did would not change the result, so she replied, “Alright, Father.”
“Qingyue!” Mrs. Jin’s pupils constricted. “He’s no longer your father now.”
“Yes, even though I’m not his biological child, he raised me for so many years and loved me dearly. His act of raising me is far greater than any biological relations. In my heart, he will always be my father.”
Mr. Jin nodded, somewhat touched by her words.
Mrs. Jin felt disheartened by the world. She was overwhelmed with disappointment.
At this point, Jin Qingyan walked in alone, with Pan Zhenghui nowhere in sight.
“Where’s Chief Pan?” An Xiaoning asked.
“He’s gone back because there was a small head accessory found in the butler’s house. After comparing it with the other maids’, we found it’s Liu Yingying’s indeed.”
Jin Qingyan’s words added to Mrs. Jin’s worry.
“What can one head accessory prove?” Mrs. Jin was indifferent. “It can only prove that she’s been to his room, but it can’t prove that he killed her.”
“Mother, a maid who was used by the two of you – you’re telling me her death had nothing to do with you both?” Jin Qingyan placed his gloves in his pocket and offered his hand to An Xiaoning. “Come, let’s go back.”
An Xiaoning placed her hand in his, and the two exchanged glances, walking out of the front gate together.
The air outside was chilly, and the cold breeze was penetrating. An Xiaoning sniffed. “I think your mother will hate you and your sister.”
“Parents don’t bring us into this world for us to become their private goods or tools. If they made a mistake, then that’s that. For such a huge matter to end just like this, we’ve been lenient enough already. I don’t want to fret over other people’s issues. My time is precious. I don’t want to waste it for other people.” He held her hand tightly and moved forward.
“Brother!” Jin Qingyue walked towards them.
“Umm?”
“Mother said she doesn’t want to live anymore, she wants to commit suicide.” Jin Qingyue was obviously shaken; her face had even turned pale.
Jin Qingyan reached out and straightened out her hat. “She can’t bear to die. I’ll bet you a dollar on that. If you don’t believe me, we’ll see tomorrow morning.”
“You… you’re sure?”
Jin Qingyan replied, “Umm. It’s getting late, go back to rest.”
“Okay.”
Hearing his reply, Jin Qingyue did not go back into the house, and the three left the old Jin residence.
An Xiaoning returned home and stood on the yoga mat to practice yoga. She had put on a face mask, and Jin Qingyan sat opposite her, imitating the same yoga pose, wearing the same mask on his face as well.
The two looked at each other.
An Xiaoning reminded him, “Don’t move your body unnecessarily, remain stable…”
“Looking at you, my heart can’t stay calm.” His deep gaze could almost devour her.
“Jin Qingyan, you’re getting better at saying such romantic stuff.”
“You don’t like it?”
“I like it.”
Jin Qingyan’s face lit up with happiness. “An Xiaoning, I feel that it’s not enough looking at you for the rest of my life.”
“I know I’m quite good-looking, I’m aware of this.”
“Tsk…”
“Am I wrong?”
“No, you’ve hit right at my heart. It’s exactly what I wanted to say.”
He blinked his eyes at her, then straightened his body, letting out a long breath.
“Boss, someone is calling you again!”
“It must be from the police station, help me to pick up the call,” she remarked while staying in her position.
Jin Qingyan took the phone on the table and, seeing that it was a call from Gu Beicheng, he coughed and slid her phone screen to answer. “Hello.”
“Pass the phone to Xiaoning, I have something to tell her.” When he heard Jin Qingyan’s voice, Gu Beicheng’s tone sounded unfriendly.
“If you have anything to say, just say it. I’ll pass the message for you.”
Gu Beicheng’s tone was impatient. “Pass her the phone quickly, I have something important to tell her.”
“I said, I can pass the message for you. Just tell me.”
An Xiaoning realized that it was probably not someone from the police station, so she got up from her yoga position and snatched the phone from his hands. Seeing that it was a call from Gu Beicheng, she immediately put the phone to her ear. “Beicheng, it’s me.”
“Just now, people guarding the cemetery told me that the person who was on night duty saw a figure before Grandfather’s grave. They were scared out of their wits. Xiaoning, can ordinary people see those who’ve died?”
An Xiaoning frowned. “That’s impossible. Ordinary people can only hear but not see them.”
“Do you have time now? Let’s bring some people there to take a look.” Gu Beicheng was rather unassured. “The people guarding Grandfather’s grave are two middle-aged couples. I want to arrange for more people to stand guard. Can you come and see if there is really something there?”
“Alright.”
An Xiaoning had just replied when the man beside her cut in, “Xiaoning, quick, come and wipe my back.”
