Chapter 18: The Only Person She Could Think Of At This Time Was Ji Xiao
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
It's been a long time since anyone wished Wei Qingyu "good night," and it's been a long time since anyone treated Wei Qingyu so kindly.
Ji Xiao's mood is unpredictable, and she's arrogant and indulgent. She was the first person to push Wei Qingyu into hell after her life took a downturn, but she was also the first person to extend a helping hand to her.
What kind of person is Ji Xiao now?
This time, Wei Qingyu placed a question mark in her heart.
Just before the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, the outcome of Liu Meina's case and Director Liu's decision was announced.
Liu Meina received academic probation under the pressure of Ji Qingyun. The Liu family had no way to intervene, and this stain would permanently mark Liu Meina's record. As for Director Liu, the discarded son from Liu Meina's paternal family, he was investigated and permanently expelled from the teaching staff.
Morning sunlight streamed through the narrow floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a bright and gentle glow into the room.
Ji Xiao sat at the dining table, looking at her phone, with her long legs resting on the table legs, presenting the nonchalant demeanor of a spoiled young lady.
She was still reading yesterday's school official notice on her phone, and her round eyes were smiling gleefully. Such satisfying news never felt tiresome no matter how many times she read it.
At this moment, footsteps could be heard from not far away on the staircase.
Wei Qingyu, wearing a light blue dress, walked down from upstairs.
Her glossy, black hair cascaded smoothly down her chest, and a delicate silver brooch appeared faintly under the dark waves.
She still wore an expressionless face, with fine eyelashes covering her turquoise eyes, making it difficult to discern her emotions.
Wei Qingyu is almost invisible in this house. Aunt Wu saw her but didn't bother to acknowledge, continuing with her work.
However, Ji Xiao noticed she was carrying a bag on her shoulder as if preparing to go out.
"Hey, on this big Mid-Autumn Festival, where are you going?" Ji Xiao leaned back in the chair, looking at Wei Qingyu who walked past.
"Sweeping the grave," Wei Qingyu replied casually.
Ji Xiao paused for a moment and casually said, "Oh."
She vaguely remembered from the book that Wei Qingyu never celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival because her mother's lunar birthday fell on that day.
This year marked the first anniversary of Wei Qingyu's mother's passing and her first time honoring her mother's birthday by sweeping the grave. Mid-Autumn Festival, originally a day for a family reunion, now found Wei Qingyu at the cold tombstone, paying respects to her parents. The thought alone made her nose feel sore.
The cemeteries in City A were located in the suburbs, just a short drive on the highway. However, taking a bus from the city center required a longer route with some backtracking.
On a major holiday like this, it would be good if Wei Qingyu could make it by noon.
Ji Xiao rubbed her nose gently and waved, saying, "I'm in a good mood today. I'll have the driver take you there."
Wei Qingyu's motion of changing shoes paused briefly. Then, she continued to change the other shoe with a subtle movement and coldly declined, "No need."
Ji Xiao anticipated Wei Qingyu's response and had grown accustomed to her distant attitude. Asserting herself, Ji Xiao spoke sternly, "I said the driver will take you, so let him. Why so much nonsense?!"
With that, Ji Xiao didn't give Wei Qingyu a chance to refuse again, stating, "Aunt Wu, go and tell the driver to prepare. Bring the best car from the garage!"
"Yes," Aunt Wu responded respectfully and promptly set aside her current task to contact the driver.
In the early morning of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the roads were filled with vehicles heading home for reunions. Amid this bustling traffic, a Maybach Landaulet zoomed by.
The radiant white car instantly made all the other drivers silently give way, and both drivers and passengers cast heated and curious glances toward this luxurious vehicle. However, they could only catch a glimpse of a delicate profile in the rear seat.
Wei Qingyu sat quietly in the comfortable back seat, still surprised by everything happening at the moment.
She observed the high-rise buildings retreating in her field of vision, and the villa area where the Ji residence was located had long disappeared.
Ji Xiao had assigned the best car from her home to Wei Qingyu. Was it merely because Ji Xiao was in a good mood today?
As the car crossed the bridge, the sunlight reflected on the lake's surface, creating dazzling ripples that momentarily blurred Wei Qingyu's eyes.
Unable to comprehend, she decided to close her eyes and let it be.
With the luxury car buff as her reliance, Wei Qingyu arrived at the cemetery in less than fifteen minutes.
This was her second visit here, with six months having passed since the last time.
Wei Qingyu stepped out of the car, and the azure sky showed no signs of imminent rain.
The alternating memories of fierce storms and the current clear and beautiful weather played in Wei Qingyu's mind. As she walked on the clean stone steps, her feet still remembered the muddy and difficult journey of that day.
Clutching a bouquet of hyacinths that both her parents loved, the girl arrived at the gravestone. She knelt with her knees together, and slowly lowered herself.
When she saw the photos of her parents on the stone, tears welled up in her turquoise eyes.
Wei Qingyu looked at her mother's forever gentle face on the gravestone, extending her slender fingers to brush away the dust from their photos.
With tightly pressed lips, she raised a faint smile, softly saying with a trembling voice, "Mom, happy birthday."
"I'm doing well, no need to worry about me."
As she spoke, a reassuring smile adorned her petite, white face, bringing comfort to any parent who would see it.
Yet, her eyes became even redder.
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
With these two sentences, the surroundings instantly fell silent.
A gentle breeze brushed over the petals of the hyacinths, and a round teardrop fell into the heart of a flower.
The girl's fragile body trembled violently. She buried her face in her arms, desperately trying to hide the uncontrollable emotions from her parents.
The wind settled on her back, lifting her long hair and gently caressing her. It seemed to embrace her.
"Qingyu, I knew you would come today."
Suddenly, a man's voice fell from above Wei Qingyu's head. Wei Qingyu hurriedly wiped away the tears on her face and looked up.
Ji Qingyun, dressed in a suit, stood to the side, his tall figure blocking a large portion of the sunlight.
Wei Qingyu was surprised, "Uncle Ji..."
A hint of red appeared at the corner of the girl's eyes, making Ji Qingyun particularly itchy.
He smiled slightly, and placed the flowers in his hand in front of Wei Qingyu's mother's tombstone, "Today is Manlin's birthday; I came to visit her."
"Mm." Wei Qingyu answered, standing up from the ground, maintaining a distance from Ji Qingyun without making a sound.
"Let's go; it's almost noon. Uncle will take you out for lunch. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, it's all about family reunion." Ji Qingyun said as he reached out to pull Wei Qingyu's arm.
Wei Qingyu casually took out her phone, avoiding Ji Qingyun's hand, "Then, let me message Ji Xiao to come over."
Ji Qingyun's hand hung in the air, withdrawn with a hint of disappointment. He asked in confusion, "Have you become close to Xiaoxiao again?"
Wei Qingyu didn't answer him but indeed sent a message to Ji Xiao: [Uncle Ji wants to take us out for a meal. Get ready.]
Then she looked at Ji Qingyun, asking, "Where are we going?"
Ji Qingyun, glancing at the message Wei Qingyu sent to Ji Xiao, smiled awkwardly and said, "No hurry. Let's go visit your former home first. It's going to be auctioned off next week. I arranged this opportunity with a few friends, and if we don't go today, it will be void."
Wei Qingyu's initially calm eyes were instantly filled with shock.
She knew that due to Ji Qingyun's scheming, her family's house would eventually be auctioned off, but she didn't expect it to happen so soon.
Though she was reluctant to be alone with Ji Qingyun, she had no choice but to rely on him to enter.
The cloud covered the sun, dimming most of the light.
Wei Qingyu silently watched Ji Qingyun, who opened the car door for her and got into the car.
The place with the most beautiful memories for their family, she must take a last look at it.
Though the Wei's house in City A might not be a top-notch mansion, it held the most charming atmosphere.
Red bricks, white tiles, and the lush camphor tree in front. Standing behind the rose-covered courtyard wall, Wei Qingyu felt like the days she spent here with her parents were just yesterday.
In the living room, Wei Qingyu looked around. Everything here still retained the appearance from when she was expelled from this home.
However, there was a strange smell, not like mold or pheromones, making Wei Qingyu frown.
"Qingyu, you've lost weight," Ji Qingyun stepped closer, assessing her.
"Uncle Ji..." Wei Qingyu stepped back warily, maintaining a distance.
"Qingyu, Uncle really wants to take care of you," Ji Qingyun's eyes were sincere, appearing genuinely concerned. "Why not come with Uncle? Uncle can give you everything."
"No, thank you. I don't need anything," Wei Qingyu said, feeling nauseous. She retreated, slipping her hand into her skirt pocket.
"As long as you're willing, I'll buy this house for you," Ji Qingyun tempted, reaching out as if to grab Wei Qingyu.
"I don't want it!" Wei Qingyu exclaimed with a furrowed brow, her hand tightly gripping a portable suppressant that she had pulled out of her pocket, swinging it towards Ji Qingyun.
The sharp needle swiftly crossed Ji Qingyun's arm, leaving a bloody trail in an instant.
Ji Qingyun covered his injured arm in pain, and fresh blood flowed from the wound.
Watching the reddish-brown bloodstain on the floor, Wei Qingyu's mind buzzed, and in panic, she raised her leg and ran upstairs.
The strange smell in the room became even stronger, and Wei Qingyu, in fear, realized that something was wrong with her body.
Her breathing started to become laborious, and her steps became heavy.
Wei Qingyu looked at the room door, so close in her line of sight, and with great effort, she managed to open it.
It turned out that Ji Qingyun had set a trap in this room early on, just waiting for her to fall into it.
The light began to scatter in Wei Qingyu's vision, and the pungent smell of cheap musk swept over her from all directions.
The world started to spin, and Wei Qingyu leaned heavily against the room door, trembling as she struggled to lock this vulnerable door.
Her five senses were amplified, and she could clearly hear Ji Qingyun's footsteps coming from the staircase.
Each step felt like a stomp on her heart.
The window lattice divided the sky into several parts. Wei Qingyu looked at the golden sunshine with a sad smile on her lips.
The only person she could think of at this time was Ji Xiao.
Author's Note:
I will join v tomorrow! I have thousands of bigger and fatter chapters for you!
