Chapter 69: Antidote 

The green in her vision grew deeper as the car slowly drove into the mountain outskirts where the most expensive cemetery in A City was located.  

The moment Ji Xiao heard Ji Qingyun’s words, she immediately realized she had misspoken. She lightly pressed her lips together and said nothing more.  

Yet, Ji Qingyun reminded her again, “Xiaoxiao, you can forget everything else, but you must never forget your Mom.”  

Dark clouds shrouded the world in a hazy gloom, and at that moment, the car came to a stop.  

Listening to Ji Qingyun’s words, Ji Xiao felt that there was an eerie and obsessive undertone hidden within his reminder.  

Stepping onto the moss-covered stone steps, Ji Xiao followed Ji Qingyun’s lead to the gravestone of the original owner’s mother.

The black tombstone was still covered in raindrops from the early morning drizzle. A photograph of a young woman appeared before Ji Xiao’s eyes.  

The black-and-white photo couldn’t hide the woman’s delicate features. Beneath her small, elegant nose was a slightly upturned smile.  

Her deep eyes carried a mother’s unique gentleness, curving as she smiled, making her look very approachable.  

Ji Xiao looked at the red-engraved surname and black-engraved name "Xiao Yu"* on the tombstone and noticed that the date of passing was sixteen years ago—the year the original owner was born. The hand holding the bouquet slightly tightened.  

*萧雨 - same ‘Xiāo’ as Ji Xiao, 萧 - can mean desolate/mugwort/ or onomatopoeia for the neighing of a horse or soughing and sighing of the wind and rain. 雨- means rain 

"Xiao* Yu'er, Xiaoxiao, and I came to see you." Ji Qingyun spoke as he knelt on one knee before Xiao Yu's tombstone.  

*小 (Xiǎo) - which means young or little 

He squeezed Ji Xiao’s hand and, with a faint smile, introduced her to Xiao Yu again, "Look, our Xiaoxiao’s grown taller than last year, hasn’t she? She’s even prettier now, already a fine young lady."

"Xiao Yu'er, you probably don’t know yet, but Xiaoxiao got into the experimental class at school last year. She’s done really well."  

Hearing this, Ji Xiao also bent down and placed the flowers she was holding. She said, "Mom, I know I used to make you worry, but you don’t have to anymore."  

Ji Qingyun felt a slight pang in his heart as he listened to Ji Xiao’s words.

He let go of Ji Xiao’s hand and placed his on Xiao Yu’s photo. As he wiped away the water droplets on it, he said, "Xiao Yu’er, our daughter is doing great, so don’t worry. But what about you? Are you doing well over there? Do you have enough to eat? Enough to wear? If you’re missing anything or if someone bullies you, just send me a dream. You weren’t wronged when you were here, and even now that you’re down there, I won’t let you suffer either..."  

The sun was trapped behind the clouds, and the pitch-black sky was woven tightly together, blocking out every bit of light.  

A damp breeze brushed against Ji Xiao’s arm, making the fine hairs on her skin stand on end.  

She did not know why, but listening to Ji Qingyun speak to Xiao Yu’s photo gave her a creepy feeling.  

Finally, Ji Qingyun finished speaking to Xiao Yu.

He took a light breath, turned slightly, and looked at Ji Xiao beside him, asking, "Xiaoxiao, do you have anything else to say to Mom?"  

Ji Xiao shook her head at his words.  

She had no idea what kind of relationship the original owner had with Xiao Yu, and she was afraid of saying something wrong again, just like before. So she used an excuse, "Dad, I think Mom can see everything even when she's beside me, so there's no need to say it again. And as long as Mom knows I'm doing well, she can be at ease."  

Ji Qingyun nodded thoughtfully and raised his hand to rest it on Ji Xiao's head. "Good girl, Dad really thinks you've grown up."

The memorial ended just like that, and Ji Xiao returned to the car with Ji Qingyun.  

The atmosphere in the car seemed better than before. Ji Qingyun placed his hands on his crossed knees and said, "Xiaoxiao, I heard about what happened that day. Xiao* Shan went too far."  

*小 (Xiǎo)

The sudden words in the quiet car made Ji Xiao's heart jolt.  

Afterward, when she recalled that maid’s arrogance at the time, she felt that the woman wasn't simple. Sure enough, she was one of Ji Qingyun’s spies placed by her side.  

However, Ji Qingyun had overestimated that maid and underestimated her.

"I heard you bought some funds?" Ji Qingyun said. "What, are you starting to take an interest in these things? You used to get annoyed whenever I talked to you about them."  

Ji Xiao leaned back against the leather seat, looking carefree and rebellious. "I still find them annoying."  

"Dad, didn’t she tell you? Everything I bought’s been dropping nonstop. If I understood these things, I wouldn’t have asked Wei Qingyu to learn them and help me figure it out."  

Hearing this, Ji Qingyun momentarily set aside his suspicions about Wei Qingyu.  

Then, he patted Ji Xiao’s shoulder and encouraged, "Don’t be discouraged. You’re still young."  

"Since Xiaoxiao’s finally interested, how about I find you a teacher to give you lessons at home? After all, the company will  be yours in the future."

Hearing Ji Qingyun extend this olive branch, Ji Xiao instantly dodged it. "No need, Dad. You’re in your prime, what’s the rush?"  

After a brief pause, she righteously added, "Besides, Dad, have you considered what’ll happen if you bring a teacher into the house? What if Wei Qingyu eavesdrops? I already let her study this stuff herself, which is me loosening your restrictions on her. We can’t keep doing this."  

As soon as she finished speaking, Ji Xiao caught the faint satisfaction flickering across Ji Qingyun’s face, just as she expected.  

Ji Qingyun assumed the talk he had with Ji Xiao at the hospital had worked. He nodded. "That’s right, our Xiaoxiao thinks things through better than Dad does."  

"Since you want to play around with funds, I’ll transfer you some more money. Pocket money is pocket money, and investment money is investment money. If you lose, don’t worry about it. If you win, buy yourself something nice as a reward, understand?"  

Saying that, Ji Qingyun took out his phone.

After a few simple taps, Ji Xiao saw the bank's transfer notification pop up.  

Looking at the extra ten million in her account, she felt the tight-fitting qipao hugging her waist so snugly that even taking a sharp breath had to be done slowly.  

Holding her phone, Ji Xiao had no choice but to flash Ji Qingyun a smile. "Thanks, Dad."  

Ji Qingyun noticed the rare smile on her face—something that never appeared at this time of day before—and couldn't help but smile as well.  

His broad palm landed on the back of Ji Xiao's head, gently rubbing a few times. "It's nothing. Just keep Dad and Mom company for a nice meal later."  

The words "Dad and Mom" were deliberately spoken lightly by Ji Qingyun.  

Ji Xiao would never have guessed that his extra indulgence today was just laying the groundwork for what was coming next.

The car carried the two of them to Ji Qingyun's small estate.  

The European-style main building stood at the very center of the estate, yet the car veered off from the main path and headed toward a smaller annex on the side.  

Ji Xiao couldn't help but feel suspicious.  

She had been here before. Usually, meals with Ji Qingyun were in the main building, and during New Year's, they even dined in the grand banquet hall on the second floor.  

Why were they going to the annex this time?  

The overcast sky forced the well-lit house to turn on its lights. The quiet two-story annex still had pristine furniture, yet the subtle signs of wear on the details showed that someone had once lived there.

The ceiling light shone directly on a picture frame on the TV cabinet.  

The unclear photo gave off a strange feeling.  

Ji Xiao bravely walked over and saw that it was a family photo.  

In the photo, Xiao Yu was sitting on a high stool, holding her, while Ji Qingyun stood beside her with his hand on Xiao Yu’s shoulder.  

Xiao Yu was wearing a delicate dark green qipao with peony patterns.  

Ji Xiao raised her hand and touched the qipao she was wearing. The silk fabric felt very similar, making her fingers feel cold.  

At this moment, a cold wind mixed with rain blew in from somewhere.

Ji Xiao stood in the room, and the same hair-raising feeling she had at the cemetery returned.  

"Bang!"  

A sudden knocking sound echoed in the quiet room. Ji Xiao trembled violently, instinctively stepping back.  

In the next second, she crashed into a broad, unfamiliar chest.  

Ji Qingyun, who had somehow appeared behind her, held her arm and spoke softly to comfort her, "No need to be afraid, the window was just not closed properly."  

But even though the man's voice was gentle, Ji Xiao did not feel the slightest sense of security.  

Instead, it felt like Ji Qingyun had expected her to be scared.

For some reason, ever since Ji Xiao entered this small annex, her body had suddenly become overly sensitive. Every cell in her body was screaming at her to leave immediately.  

Despite this strong sense of resistance, she still followed Ji Qingyun up the stairs to the second floor.  

The maid in charge of the annex saw them coming and took the initiative to push open the elegant, antique-style redwood door in front of her.  

"Creak—"  

As the door slowly opened, an old-fashioned room with vintage furnishings appeared before Ji Xiao's eyes.

On both sides of the room stood expensive redwood cabinets. The dim lighting, perhaps meant to enhance the elegant atmosphere, only made the room feel even darker.  

On the left, there was an area seemingly meant for tea drinking and painting. On the right, a delicate chaise lounge was placed, as if prepared for someone to rest.  

At the very center of the room, a square Eight Immortals table* stood upright, covered with a lavish spread of dishes from today's lunch.  

*八仙桌 (Bāxiānzhuō) is a traditional Chinese square wooden table, often used in dining or ancestral worship. The name comes from the fact that it can seat eight people, though it is not directly related to the Eight Immortals. The EightImmortalss are legendary figures in Chinese mythology and Taoism. 

However, unlike usual, on the altar table directly facing the main seat, a half-length colored photograph of Xiao Yu was prominently displayed.  

In the photo, the woman sat at a small round table, her gentle expression appearing before Ji Xiao just as it had on her tombstone.  

The dim lighting stripped away Ji Xiao's sense of security bit by bit. The eerie atmosphere did not fade with her arrival; instead, it only intensified.  

Everything in the room seemed so ordinary, yet she felt an inexplicable sense of unease everywhere.  

"Click."  

At this moment, the door was suddenly closed from the outside, and Ji Xiao's heart skipped a beat.

Ji Xiao looked back at the door, but before she could react, Ji Qingyun placed his hand on her arm again and said, "Xiaoxiao, after you finish this meal, Dad will naturally have someone send you back."  

Ji Qingyun was still smiling, but that smile sent a chill down Ji Xiao’s spine.  

She felt that everything was far too eerie. Wanting to end it all quickly, she said nothing and sat down at the Eight Immortals table.  

But the moment she sat on one of the Grand Tutor chairs at the side, she noticed a black and red qipao placed on the main seat’s chair.  

Its exquisite tailoring and craftsmanship were identical to the one she was wearing—perhaps even more refined.

The collar was perfectly aligned, facing upward, making it look as if Xiao Yu was wearing it.

But, perhaps it is a tailor's mistake? The collar of this qipao was actually left-lapped.  

No…  

It was intentionally left-lapped*

*In Han culture, burial garments for the deceased used the left lapel (the left side of the garment overlaps on top of the right side) and did not have cloth buttons but were tied with thin cloth strips in a dead knot, symbolizing the separation of yin and yang.

Also, in ancient times, the Chinese people, except for the minority Northern nomadic tribes, valued the right side so their upper garment overlapped to the right, they also believed that the left-side lapel of a person's clothing was a deviation from the traditional Chinese culture and spirit, or use "left-side lapel" to represent backward and barbaric foreign races.

The thought surfaced in Ji Xiao’s mind, and instantly, her head buzzed.  

A suffocating pressure crept in from all directions, pressing down on her.  

"Someday, some month, some year… just like a broken face…"  

Suddenly, the old and slightly distorted voice of a record player stuttered out from its slow rotation.  

Even though Ji Xiao was an S-class Alpha, her hand gripping the chair back clenched involuntarily.

But Ji Qingyun stood beside a cabinet, looking relaxed as he sorted through the yellowed record sleeves. He asked, “Xiaoxiao, what do you think of this year’s birthday banquet I prepared for your Mom?”  

Hearing this question, Ji Xiao’s fingers instantly went cold.  

She never expected that something she had only seen in Hong Kong horror films would actually unfold so realistically before her eyes.  

At that moment, Ji Xiao suddenly understood the meaning behind Ji Qingyun’s words when they visited the grave earlier.

She also finally understood why she had found the man’s lonely silhouette so eerily unsettling.  

This was not a dining hall for lunch at all—this was a memorial hall that Ji Qingyun had specially prepared for commemorating Xiao Yu!  

He had transformed this entire area into Xiao Yu’s old room, worshiping her, remembering her…  

Ji Qingyun was not only a daughter-slave described in the original text, but also a perverted and almost paranoid lover.

Even though Xiao Yu had been dead for years, he still chose to celebrate her birthday in this way!  

“They all say that a birthday, such a joyous occasion, should not clash with the anniversary of one’s death. But I still want to celebrate your Mom's birthday, because they say that at times like this, spirits are most likely to break through the boundary between life and death to return to our side.”  

Ji Qingyun didn’t seem to care about Ji Xiao’s response at all. He spoke to himself as he sat down beside the Taishi chair* where the qipao was placed.

*太师椅, Tàishī yǐ) is a traditional Chinese wooden chair with a tall backrest, often associated with authority and status. It was originally used by high-ranking officials, scholars, and nobles.

"Don't you think your Mom is back too?"

As he spoke, Ji Qingyun lit the candles on the cake.  

The candlelight was much brighter than the dim room lights, lighting up the dining table.  

The fish in the middle slightly opened its mouth, one pale eye staring straight at Ji Xiao. Her fingers happened to touch a dent that had been mended but still had marks.  

In other words, every year in the past, the original owner was either invited or forced by Ji Qingyun to come to this place to celebrate Xiao Yu’s birthday.

Even a mentally mature adult would have this kind of reaction, so it was hard for the original owner, who grew up in such a repressive and eerie atmosphere, not to become mentally twisted.  

Ji Xiao could almost confirm that the dent she touched was caused by the original owner's resistance against Ji Qingyun.  

Maybe she overturned the table, maybe she smashed a chair.  

But in the end, without exception, it all proved the little girl’s failure in resisting her father.  

And then, she gave in.

And then she became the same, turning into the paranoid and perverted vicious villain in the story.  

Ji Xiao hadn't expected that one simple sentence in the story would be so terrifying in the real world.  

But Ji Qingyun spoiled the original owner so much.  

How could he bear to do this...  

Ji Qingyun: "It's been sixteen years. I don't know if the qipao I made for you this year fits. Go try it on. This time, I used your favorite fabric, the same as Xiaoxiao's."  

"Xiao Yu’er, it's all my fault. If I'd known my pheromones would separate us by life and death, I never would've let you risk getting pregnant..."

Ji Xiao watched Ji Qingyun mumbling obsessively under the candlelight and suddenly felt the satin on her body was colder than ice.  

She suddenly understood. In the original story, Ji Qingyun was described as a doting father, but in reality, it was because of Xiao Yu’s death that he became this way.  

—Because she was the child Xiao Yu had risked her life to give birth to.  

The eerie old song was still playing in the room. Ji Xiao bit into the white rice in front of her, grain by grain. She had never missed Wei Qingyu’s pheromones this much before.  

The dark clouds in the sky slowly faded, and the suffocating birthday banquet finally ended.

Ji Xiao rushed into the car as if escaping. The relentless cold wind seeped through the eerie qipao on her body, chilling her to the bone.  

It was almost summer, yet she still felt freezing.  

She sat in the car the driver had come to pick her up in. The faint traces of Wei Qingyu's pheromones lingering in the car became the only antidote supporting her on the way home.

The car sped along the nearly empty road. The river Ji Xiao knew so well shimmered with gentle waves.  

When the car stopped at the front gate, Ji Xiao saw Wei Qingyu standing there with Aunt Wu.  

It was as if she had been waiting all along, standing there in advance just for her.  

Her fair little face held a warmth more radiant than any sunshine.

The heavy clouds were torn apart by the sun, opening a crack where golden sunlight poured down, draping over the girl's back.  

All the fear and oppression Ji Xiao had endured at noon suddenly erupted from her suffocating heart.  

She got out of the car and kissed Wei Qingyu recklessly.  

As if she could grasp her crumbling world in her hands.