Chapter 192 - Song Ci VS Mu Qiu
Chapter 192: Song Ci VS Mu Qiu
Mu Qiu felt that she had done it secretly. Moreover, it had been so long. How did my father know the truth?
Who told him?
How did that person know?
At this moment, the agent suddenly called and said that there was a buyer who wanted to see the house.
The reason why she decided to sell the house was firstly because it was too luxurious to live in such a big house alone. Secondly, the house was too big and she needed to hire helpers to clean it, and it would be a necessary expense.
Of course, Mu Qiu was not short of money. These were not the main reasons why she decided to sell the house. The real reason was that Mu Qiu was always ill at ease staying in this house. She would suffer from insomnia all night long and her body would not be able to take it in the long run. Moreover, because of her guilty conscience, she still did not dare to go up to the second floor.
The Amethyst Gated Community was built 16 years ago and was considered an old villa community in Wangdong City. Although it had been around for a long time, due to its good geographical location and quiet environment, the design of the house was still in trend, so the house was still relatively easy to sell.
A few days ago, Mu Qiu had asked a real estate agent to sell her house, and someone had already expressed interest today.
After hanging up, Mu Qiu hurriedly drove home to personally receive the buyer.
The buyer was a businessman who had just returned from overseas. He had taken a fancy to Mu Qiu’s house, but had also heard of what had happened to the Mu Family during this period. He felt that it was a haunted house.
Indeed, in just a few short months, the male protagonist was sentenced to death, the female protagonist suddenly died of cerebral hemorrhage, and her only daughter also suffered from a heart disease.
No matter how one looked at it, this house was a haunted house.
The villa in the Amethyst Gated Community was priced at least 40 million yuan. In the past, this villa of the Mu Family would have been priced at 60 million yuan. Mu Qiu also knew that it was not easy to sell her own villa and didn’t put a high price. Instead, she priced it at 50 million yuan.
The buyer told Mu Qiu, “Miss Mu, your house is inauspicious. It has bad fengshui and is a haunted house. But I am a very lucky person and can handle a haunted house. Can you give me a few million yuan more discount?”
Mu Qiu’s brows twitched. Who gave him the guts to ask her to give a discount of a few million yuan the moment he spoke?
Mu Qiu could have opened the door to send him off, but…
“45 million yuan. It can’t be any lower. If you don’t want to buy it, forget it.” Mu Qiu just wanted to sell this house as soon as possible, as long as the housing prices would not cause her a loss.
“Deal!”
Mu Qiu also had a house in the city area. She planned to move into that house. Mu Qiu would also continue to hire Auntie Zhang to cook and clean for her. Her salary was 10,000 yuan a month. It was slightly lower than her previous salary, but there was also less work to do.
Since Auntie Zhang was nostalgic and couldn’t bear to part with Mu Qiu, she agreed without any objections.
After selling the villa at the real estate office, Mu Qiu and Auntie Zhang went home to pack up their belongings. All the antiques in the house had been sold off by Mu Qiu at the auction house. The rest were family photos.
Mu Qiu told Auntie Zhang, “Auntie Zhang, please help me put away my parents’ wedding photos and art photos. We will bring them to our new home.”
“Okay.”
After going up and down several times, Auntie Zhang was almost done cleaning up. There was only one set left —
“That painting hung on the wall of the staircase landing is the most satisfactory artistic photo that Madam took when she was alive. You must bring it with you. I will go and bring it over. Miss, you can hold it for me from below.”
“Okay.”
Auntie Zhang went to the tool shed to find a ladder and moved it to the corner platform in the stairwell.
Mu Qiu stood at the bottom of the stairs, supporting herself on the spot where Du Tingting had laid that day. Mu Qiu couldn’t help thinking of the day Du Tingting had a miscarriage. She felt like her feet were stepping on her mother’s blood.
Leaning against the ladder, Mu Qiu’s face suddenly turned pale.
Auntie Zhang was only focused on taking the photo and didn’t notice anything unusual about Mu Qiu. She wiped the photo from the front and was about to put it into the box when she suddenly noticed a small object. She hurriedly waved at Mu Qiu. “Miss, quickly come and see what this is?”
Mu Qiu leaned over and recognized what it was. Her face darkened. “It’s a pinhole camera.”
Auntie Zhang’s expression also changed drastically.
Who was so immoral to install a surveillance camera in the house!
Mu Qiu took off that camera and held it in her palm. Staring at the camera, Mu Qiu said to the person behind the camera, “Who are you? If you don’t contact me on your own accord, I will call the police.” With that, Mu Qiu threw the pinhole camera to the ground and trampled on it.
It was illegal to break into a house and install surveillance cameras to monitor someone’s house.
After transporting the items to her new home with Auntie Zhang, Mu Qiu returned to the Mu Family residence. Sitting alone in the empty living room with only the sofa, she felt that the house was very shady, as if someone was blowing cold air beside her ear.
She had a guilty conscience and suspected that there was something else in this house other than her. Mu Qiu knew that she was scaring herself, but she still felt anxious.
The night was silent. Mu Qiu suddenly heard a strange sound coming from upstairs. That tapping sound was especially similar to the sound of Du Tingting walking down the corridor in slippers.
Mu Qiu’s breathing was unstable.
It’s all fake. There are no ghosts in this world. Don’t scare yourself. Mu Qiu comforted herself.
Knock knock.
The sudden knock on the door scared Mu Qiu.
She turned to look at the main door. Realizing that it was the person she had been waiting for, Mu Qiu heaved a long sigh. “Please come in. The door isn’t closed.” Her voice was slightly flustered.
The door was pushed open and the cold wind rushed into the house and into Mu Qiu’s neck. Mu Qiu hunched her shoulders and narrowed her eyes as she stared at the door.
It was Song Ci.
It was a cold winter night and Song Ci was wearing a down jacket that was better than knee-length knee-length boots. That ginger-colored down jacket looked like a thick layer of cotton wool on others, but on Song Ci, it looked like a custom-made suit and was full of charm.
She strode gracefully into the Mu Family residence.
The sofa opposite Mu Qiu was empty. She pushed a cup of hot tea over and said to Song Ci, “I guessed it was you. The hot tea is ready. Have a seat, Elder Sister.”
Song Ci walked in and sat down on the sofa. She looked down at the glass of water and suddenly asked, “There’s no poison in here, right?”
Mu Qiu was pouring herself a cup of tea. Hearing this, her hand trembled and the tea splashed onto the table. She put down the teapot, picked up her own cup, took a sip, and said, “Look, I’ve already drunk it.”
Song Ci spread out her hands and said in an infuriating manner, “You have nothing to worry about anymore. So what if you die? I have a husband who dotes on me and an elder sister who protects me. It’s not strange that you want to drag me down with you even in death. After all, you are a jealous woman.”
Mu Qiu was speechless.
Song Ci was very satisfied to see that Mu Qiu was at a loss for words. She took out a small white thermos from the pocket of her down jacket.
She opened the cup and shook it before saying, “Brother Han made me chrysanthemum tea, so I won’t drink yours.” Saying that, she looked up and took a sip.
Mu Qiu was amused by her antics. “You’re so annoying. Your mouth stinks.”
Song Ci retorted. “It’s better to have a foul mouth than a dark heart.”
“Elder Sister, don’t talk about such nonsense. Let me ask you, when did you set up surveillance cameras at my house?” This was what Mu Qiu was most concerned about. When she discovered those surveillance cameras in the day, Mu Qiu felt a chill run down her spine. Every time she thought of how her every action at home was being observed by others, she hated it to the core.
At this point, there was nothing Song Ci couldn’t say. “After I cohabited with Brother Han, I came back to get something and took the opportunity to install it.”
Mu Qiu was shocked. “You already knew about my father’s plan then? I thought…”
“You still thought that after you tried to kill me that night and let me off in a moment of weakness, I won’t find another opportunity to monitor you two?” Song Ci finished Mu Qiu’s sentence.
Mu Qiu nodded with uncertainty. “So you knew what happened that night.”
Song Ci sneered. “Am I an idiot? How can I not notice a small scar on my chest?” Song Ci’s heart thumped as she recalled what happened that night.
Mu Qiu took a sip of water. She gazed past the steam rising from the hot tea and looked at the calm and elegant Song Ci. She felt that Song Ci was quite a scary person. “You already knew that I wanted to kill you, but you still pretended to be close to me in the future. Elder Sister, you really surprised me.”
“This is nothing.” Song Ci took out a flash drive and waved it in front of Mu Qiu. “The things inside will definitely shock you even more.”
Mu Qiu stared at the USB drive and guessed what was inside. She asked calmly, “What are you trying to do?”
Song Ci said, “I can kill you. You know that very well.”
Mu Qiu said, “Who do you think you are? Do you think you can just kill people like that?”
Song Ci waved the USB stick again and said slowly, “I have video evidence of you murdering your mother and her child. Once I release this evidence, everyone will see the true colors of the Mu Family’s daughter, especially your beloved Cheng Yanmo.”
“At that time, the mentally ill Miss Mu will be discovered to have died in a car accident, taken poison, drowned, or even committed suicide by jumping off a building. In short, there are countless ways to die in this world. No one will suspect you if you died in any way.”
“After all, in just two to three months, you have endured the pain of your mother’s death, the pain of your father’s death, as well as the pain of your own reputation being tarnished. It’s very normal for such a young lady to seek death.”
“Do you think my analysis makes sense, Mu Qiu?” As she spoke, Song Ci’s expression was sinister and sinister.
This is a clear threat!
After hearing Song Ci’s threatening words, Mu Qiu’s originally calm eyes were now filled with uneasiness. In the end, even her pupils started to tremble.
Song Ci smiled like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, her eyes narrowed into crescents. For the first time, Mu Qiu realized that this woman was not to be trifled with. “What do you want me to do?” Since Song Ci was willing to meet her, she must have left a way out for her.
Song Ci kept the flash drive.
She looked around the house. After living in this house for eight years, Song Ci had poured all her love into this house. Thinking of the deceased Du Tingting and the 18.88 million yuan in her bank account, Song Ci’s heart, which should have been as cold as iron, softened.
“I won’t push you into a corner, but I won’t let you be free and unrestrained either…” After all, if Mu Qiu was too unrestrained, Song Ci would be very troubled. Changing the topic, Song Ci suddenly said,” Mu Qiu, do as I say and I will destroy this video. ”
Mu Qiu looked at her in confusion. “What do you want me to do?”
Song Ci said, “Father will be executed tomorrow. I want you to go to the execution ground and personally send him off!”
“What did you say?!” Mu Qiu shot to her feet and glared at Song Ci in disbelief. She never expected Song Ci to make such a request. “Impossible, I won’t go!” Mu Qiu would never agree to let her personally witness her father’s execution.
Song Ci glanced at her mildly and said, “I said, I want you to observe Father being executed tomorrow.”
Mu Qiu instinctively shook her head. “No, no way! How can you let me witness my father’s execution with my own two eyes? Song Ci, you are too vicious!” Mu Qiu grabbed the cup of tea on the table and was about to splash it at Song Ci. Song Ci ducked and quickly picked up the cup of water in front of her and splashed it on Mu Qiu’s face.
The tea was cold and splashed on her face. Mu Qiu shuddered. She wiped the tea off her face and vaguely saw Song Ci walking towards her.
Mu Qiu’s chin was grabbed by Song Ci. She wiped her eyes again before looking at Song Ci’s face. Song Ci’s expression was cold and she looked at Mu Qiu with extreme disgust, as if she was looking at a smelly bug. “I’ve long wanted to do this. I wonder if this cup of tea has splashed you awake?”
Mu Qiu glared at her indignantly and remained silent.
Song Ci suddenly dragged Mu Qiu towards the mirror hanging on the wall of the entryway. Song Ci was tall and she often exercised, so her arms were very strong. She was much more energetic than the sickly Mu Qiu. She easily dragged Mu Qiu to the mirror.
Song Ci made Mu Qiu stare into the mirror.
Mu Qiu looked up at the mirror and saw the pathetic her and the high and mighty Song Ci.
Song Ci stared at Mu Qiu in the mirror. “Mu Qiu, look at yourself in the mirror. Look at how black your heart is! Look at how beautiful and pure you are, but your heart is the blackest thing I have ever seen!”
“I really feel sorry for Mother.. She still loves you even in death and wants to give you her heart. But what about you? You can even harm your own mother. How can there be someone like you in this world!”
“Keep an eye on the mirror and let yourself see just how black your heart is! Are you made of flesh or not?!”
Mu Qiu stared at her own reflection in the mirror in a daze. She realized that her eyes were flashing and she didn’t dare to look straight at her reflection.
As she watched, tears suddenly streamed down Mu Qiu’s face. She didn’t know if it was because she was scared by Song Ci or if it was because she regretted doing those foolish things.
Song Ci released Mu Qiu and she sat down on the floor.
“Mu Qiu, if you don’t go to the execution grounds tomorrow, I will send this video to Cheng Yanmo, to our shared WeChat group, and to my homepage. I will let everyone see just how hypocritical, despicable, and disgusting this innocent young lady from the Mu Family is!”
Song Ci returned to the living room, picked up her white thermos, and left without looking back.
Mu Qiu gazed at the beautiful young lady in the mirror. For the first time in her life, she felt like a stranger*. Since when did I become a person who will do anything just to live?*
–
About 11pm on the night before the execution, Mu Mian was brought out of the cell. He was guarded by two armed police officers, a judiciary and a police officer. They chatted with him.
This was the beauty before death.
At this point, criminals were usually allowed to make requests. As long as they weren’t too rude, they would be satisfied. But Mu Mian just sat quietly in his chair. He didn’t cry or throw a tantrum. He was so calm that he didn’t seem like a criminal about to be executed.
The few public servants who were in charge of watching over him looked at each other. They all felt that this person was the most quiet and cooperative death row criminal they had ever seen in their lives.
It was 2am at night and the staff were all feeling rather sleepy. They perked up and asked Mu Mian, “If you have any last words, you can tell us.”
Mu Mian glanced at them and shook his head.
Last words?
I didn’t have that kind of thing.
There’s no one left in this world worthy of my final words. Although Mu Qiu was still alive, in Mu Mian’s heart, his and Du Tingting’s daughter were already dead.
“Then, is there anything you want to eat?”
Mu Mian was about to shake his head but suddenly stopped. He thought for a moment and said, “I want a bowl of beef noodles.”
“Alright, we will make it for you now!”
20 minutes later, a bowl of fragrant beef noodles was placed on the table in front of Mu Mian. They even thoughtfully brought over a small bowl of chili sauce. “If you want to eat chili, add it yourself. The chef is worried that you won’t eat spicy food.”
Mu Mian shook his head. “I don’t eat spicy food.”
He stared at the bowl of noodles in silence for a while, before picking up his chopsticks and putting it into his mouth. As he chewed, Mu Mian’s movements became slower and slower.
Seeing that he didn’t seem very satisfied, the staff was very patient. “Why? Does it not suit your taste? Shall we get another chef to cook for you?”
Tears suddenly welled up in Mu Mian’s eyes. He gazed at the bowl of noodles, at the garlic fruit inside, and suddenly said softly, “My wife knows I don’t like garlic. She never puts garlic in the beef noodles that she makes for me.”
Everyone in the room fell silent.
Mu Mian still finished the bowl of noodles.
After finishing his noodles, he remained silent and closed his eyes, as if he was about to fall asleep.
Only when the sun rose did he open his eyes and stare fearfully at the dazzling rays of the morning sun outside the house. This was the last time he saw the rising sun in his life. It was beautiful, but not as spectacular as the sunrise he and Du Tingting had seen on their first trip to Mount Huang.
At this moment, the armed police opened the door and walked in. They started tying Mu Mian up. They called this a “execution rope”. After tying him up, they placed a wooden plaque on the back of Mu Mian’s neck. On it was written “Execute Murderer Mu Mian” and a red cross.
After the forensic doctor came over to verify Mu Mian’s identity, Mu Mian was brought to the public trial. Once the trial ended, Mu Mian was brought to the execution grounds in a large van with a license plate.
The car sped along the road with high alert.
–
Mu Qiu, who had also not rested the entire night, looked very fatigued. Her skin also looked slightly dull and lusterless. She leaned against the head of the bed and stared at the white horizon outside the window. She was struggling internally.
After thinking for a long while, Mu Qiu finally got out of bed. She opened the wardrobe and chose a black down jacket for herself.
She decided to listen to Song Ci’s threat and go to the execution grounds.
Song Ci knew very well that although Mu Qiu and Cheng Yanmo had broken up, Cheng Yanmo was still the man that Mu Qiu loved the most. Mu Qiu was most afraid of letting Cheng Yanmo know of her evil deeds. Mu Qiu didn’t want Cheng Yanmo to see her, Mu Qiu, as a vicious beast apart from being a murderer’s daughter.
Song Ci had truly seen through Mu Qiu and grasped her greatest weakness, forcing her to give in.
Mu Qiu was stopped by Long Yu, who had been waiting downstairs for a long time. “Miss Mu, Madam asked me to wait for you here and send you over.”
Mu Qiu recognized Long Yu. He was Song Ci’s driver.
As Mu Qiu was against Song Ci, she did not have a good attitude toward Long Yu either. Mu Qiu sneered at Long Yu. “You are such an obedient dog.” With that, she got into the car.
The good dog Long Yu drove the car out of the city area. Seeing that there weren’t many cars, he started drifting. By the time the car stopped, Mu Qiu’s face had already turned pale. She pushed open the car door, got out, and vomited.
Long Yu alighted and glanced disdainfully at the disheveled Mu Qiu. He said, “Even if I am a dog, I am a loyal dog that will never betray its owner. But you, Miss Mu, are a street rat that everyone hates.”
Mu Qiu vomited until there was nothing left but sour juice before finally stopping. She stood up slowly and mocked Long Yu. “Who do you think you are!” With that, she saw two people walk out of the execution grounds.
]She quickly shut her mouth and stared at the two of them uneasily.
Long Yu said a few words to them and took out his identity card to show them. After confirming that Long Yu was the person Old Master Han specially approved to observe the execution process, they brought Long Yu and Mu Qiu into the execution grounds.
Standing in the middle of a desolate plot of land, Mu Qiu shuddered at the thought of how many people had died here.
It was nearly noon and Mu Qiu felt increasingly uneasy. About 10 minutes later, Mu Qiu heard the sound of a car approaching from afar.
She hurriedly turned to look in the direction of the sound of the car and saw two cars driving rapidly towards the execution grounds. One was a large van with a plaque and the other was a van.
Realizing that her father was sitting in that huge van and about to be shot, Mu Qiu’s face paled.
The car came to a stop at the entrance of the execution grounds. The escorts and the two shooters alighted and said to the officer-in-charge, “The murderer, Mu Mian, has been brought over. Wait for further instructions!”
The commander lifted a finger and pointed at the desolate land.
The escort immediately dragged Mu Mian out of the car. Mu Qiu covered her lips when she saw Mu Mian tied up tightly. She said hoarsely, “Father…”
Mu Mian seemed to have heard her. He looked over at Mu Qiu. Unexpectedly, he saw Mu Qiu at the execution grounds. Mu Mian’s pupils constricted, but they were quickly replaced by indifference.
Mu Mian was forced to his knees by them. The moment his knees touched the ground, Mu Mian truly felt the approach of the grim reaper. At that moment, Mu Mian suddenly felt somewhat afraid and started to tremble.
Sensing the change in Mu Mian’s mood, the escort hurriedly grabbed his shoulders tightly, not allowing him to move much.
The commander asked, “Is everything ready?”
“Yes!”
The commander waved the small flag and the sniper placed the rifle’s tip on Mu Mian’s chest. Seeing that all preparations were complete, the commander shouted “release” and the shooter pulled the trigger!
Bang!
Mu Mian’s eyes widened as his upper body collapsed to the ground. His head moved a few times before he stopped breathing. No one knew if he ever regretted his actions the moment the bullet pierced his body.
From the time Mu Mian arrived at the execution grounds to the time he stopped breathing, the entire process took less than three minutes!
So quick and heartless!
The justice of heaven was long and unbreakable. Anyone who committed evil would be punished by the heavens. This was Mu Mian’s ending.
This was also Mu Qiu’s first time seeing a living person die so quickly and so tragically in front of her. It was as if she had suffered a serious injury. Her body trembled violently and she was so scared that she peed her pants.
Father is dead!
I had indirectly caused his death!
I was selfish and wanted to live on. I had purposely hinted at him to commit a crime and murder. That was why my father had been arrested! My mother had passed away in a fit of rage because my father had been arrested!
I’m the one who destroyed this family!
Mu Qiu refused to accept this fact.
Mu Qiu snapped out of her trance and fell to the ground. She stared at Mu Mian, who was sprawled on the ground, and finally broke down in tears.
That person was her father! Her father who would place her on a horse’s back when she was young. Her father who would bring her to the principal’s office to seek justice after she was bullied by her classmates!
Trembling, Mu Qiu crawled toward Mu Mian. No one stopped her.
“Father!” Mu Qiu hugged Mu Mian’s corpse and flipped him over.
Mu Qiu was momentarily stunned, when she saw Mu Mian’s twisted face and the bloody wound on his chest. She hurriedly pressed her hand against his chest to stop the blood. However, the blood kept gushing out like an out-of-control tap and quickly drenched Mu Qiu’s hand.
Mu Qiu was scared witless by this scene, which was similar to the one where Du Tingting bled profusely from her miscarriage.
“Father, Father! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Father!” Mu Qiu laid her head on Mu Mian’s shoulder and cried bitterly.
Long Yu watched this scene coldly. He picked up his cell phone and sent Song Ci a message.
It was noon and the sun was shining brightly. It was warm and comforting. Song Ci wasn’t wearing a jacket. She was only wearing a long fur dress and leggings. She sat by the French window and gazed out at the distant suburbs.
Song Fei, who was sitting on her sofa, glanced at the black clock on the wall. She suddenly said, “It’s already noon.”
Song Ci’s heart suddenly stopped beating.
She stared at the sky in the suburbs, turned back, and said to Song Fei, “He’s dead, Song Fei. We’ve finally gotten our revenge.” But she didn’t feel the joy of getting her revenge.
Song Fei got up and walked to the French window. She crossed her arms and looked at the bustling city bathed in the sunlight. After a long while, she finally gave a soft grunt. “He’s dead.”
Song Ci said, “Strange, I don’t feel any pleasure.”
Song Fei looked down at her and asked, “Are you pitying him?”
Song Ci shook her head. “I will never pity a murderer. I just feel rather emotional.” Just then, Song Ci received a new message on her cell phone. She opened it.
Song Fei asked her, “Who is that?”
“Long Yu.”
“What did he say?”
“Mu Mian has already been executed. Mu Qiu has broken down and is scared witless.”
Hearing Mu Qiu’s name, Song Fei frowned in disgust. “Song Ci, you are still not ruthless enough.”
Song Ci didn’t retort.
Song Fei told Song Ci, “If I were you, I would publicize Mu Qiu’s actions. She will definitely die in my hands in the end.” This was Song Fei. She was vengeful and petty. She would take revenge on anyone who bullied her.
“Yes, I am soft-hearted.” Song Ci also hated herself for being so soft-hearted. She said, “I wanted to kill Mu Qiu, but Song Fei, whenever I think of Du Tingting, my heart softens.”
“Little fool, you’ll be bullied for your kindness.”
Song Ci remained silent.
Song Fei sighed. She stroked Song Ci’s hair. Only when Song Ci was sitting like this would she stroke her hair.
Being short was a hard wound.
“Forget it, continue being stupid. I will protect you.” I’m your elder sister after all.
Song Ci was exceptionally moved and decided to drink a beer.
Song Ci happily took out her beer. Song Fei’s gaze was cold. She snatched the beer away and said sternly, “You are preparing for pregnancy recently and drinking ice will reduce your chances of pregnancy.”
Song Ci widened her eyes. “How did you know I was preparing for pregnancy?”
Song Fei analyzed calmly. “I’ve been seeing you these few days and you have hickeys all over your body. This means that the two of you have been having a lot of sex. If it’s too frequent, you should be trying to make a baby.”
“So.” Song Fei stuffed the ice-cold beer back into the fridge, leaned against it, and asked Song Ci, “Are you guys creating a little person?”
Song Ci’s ears turned red.
There was nothing Song Fei didn’t understand, upon seeing this.
Song Fei told Song Ci, “I’ve done some research. The positions during pregnancy preparation are actually very important. I made a preconception position to adjust my watch and have already sent it to you. Take a look later and remember to follow the positions on it. It will definitely be easy to get pregnant.”
Song Ci was both embarrassed and angry. “You are unmarried. How can you research such things?”
“To be honest, I also wish to have a child.” Song Fei felt that this elder sister of hers was a failure. “I am lagging behind you in love, marriage and height. I definitely cannot lose to you in childbirth.”
Not only was Song Fei intelligent, she was also very competitive.
Hearing this reason, Song Ci didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Are we still going to compete on this?”
“Of course, I am your elder sister.”
After Song Fei left, Song Ci still felt that this was very unreal.
–
After the news of Mu Mian being executed was released, the internet was abuzz.
After the execution, Mu Mian’s body was cremated and his ashes taken away by his daughter, Mu Qiu. Mu Qiu bought a grave and buried Mu Mian in a beautiful cemetery.
Mu Mian’s old friends cut all ties with him. No one came to mourn him at the funeral. It was a cold and cheerless funeral.
The funeral ended in the morning but Mu Qiu only returned home despondently at night with a layer of white snow covering her shoulders.
When Auntie Zhang saw that she had finally returned, she felt at ease. Realizing that Mu Qiu’s hands were cold, Auntie Zhang was shocked. She hurriedly brought the ginger tea over and stuffed it into Mu Qiu’s hands. “Miss, drink this ginger tea quickly. Don’t catch a cold.”
Mu Qiu picked up the bowl of ginger tea and finished it.
Auntie Zhang brought the dishes back to the kitchen to wash them. “Miss, who attended Sir’s funeral?”
“No one.”
Auntie Zhang was momentarily dazed before sighing. “Not a single person?”
“No.”
Auntie Zhang knew that she should say something to comfort Mu Qiu now, but this was indeed too heart-wrenching and no amount of comforting was effective.
Auntie Zhang wiped away the water in the bowl and placed it in the disinfectant cupboard. She took off her apron and went to the living room. She said to Mu Qiu, “Miss, quickly get some rest. You have also been very tired these few days.”
Mu Qiu shook her head. “Auntie Zhang, sit down. I have something to tell you.”
Puzzled, Auntie Zhang sat down.
Mu Qiu suddenly opened her bag and took out a document. She handed it to Auntie Zhang. Auntie Zhang looked down and saw that it was a house ownership book and she was the beneficiary.
Auntie Zhang was stunned. “Miss!” She raised her voice. “Miss, what are you doing?”
“I’ve decided to leave.” Mu Qiu smiled at Auntie Zhang. “I’ve sold everything that I could, leaving this house. Auntie Zhang, I treat you as my family. Thank you for taking care of our family all these years. I don’t have anything else to give you before I leave. I’ll give this house to you.”
“Don’t reject me. I know that your daughter is married and it’s not convenient for you to live with your son-in-law and grandchild. You can just stay in this house. After you die, the house will be sold and the money from the sale will be donated to the charity foundation.”
Auntie Zhang was shocked. She asked Mu Qiu in a trembling voice, “Miss, where are you going?”
Mu Qiu was also on the verge of tears.
She said, “Auntie Zhang, I can’t stay in this city anymore. I am leaving. If I don’t leave now, I will really go crazy. Once I close my eyes, I will see my mother lying in the stairwell covered in blood. I will also see my father struggling on the floor when he passed away.”
Auntie Zhang was utterly confused. “Miss, were you frightened by Sir’s death and Madam’s miscarriage?”
Mu Qiu shook her head. “No, no, I am guilty! I am guilty!”
Auntie Zhang felt uneasy and instinctively lowered her voice. “Miss, what nonsense are you talking about? What crime have you committed?”
Mu Qiu slid down from the sofa and knelt on the floor, her hands resting on Auntie Zhang’s legs.
Mu Qiu looked at Auntie Zhang with teary eyes. She couldn’t hold it in anymore and was about to go crazy. She decided to tell the dirtiest thing in her heart. “Auntie Zhang, I harmed my mother and the child in her tummy. That day, I secretly applied some facial cream on the stairs and my mother stepped on it, causing her to slip and fall…”
“I am guilty…”
Hearing that, Auntie Zhang was totally dumbstruck.
She suspected that she was hearing things.
How can such a pure and innocent lady do such a thing? “Miss, you are joking, right? That is your mother, how could you do such a thing?” Auntie Zhang couldn’t believe it was true.
Mu Qiu was still crying and confessing. “It’s true. It’s all true. I harmed that child. It’s my fault. It’s all my fault.”
“These few days, I have been plagued by nightmares every night. I keep dreaming of my mother asking me why I killed that child. After waking up, I often hear my father scolding me for being inhuman.”
“Auntie Zhang, am I crazy?”
Auntie Zhang listened in a daze, momentarily unable to digest this news.
In her eyes, Miss Mu Qiu had always been a lovely, innocent girl. Auntie Zhang still remembered the first time she saw Miss Mu after coming to the Mu Family.
It was a summer day and it was raining cats and dogs. A group of ants was nibbling at a piece of bread. Worried that the ants might get trampled to death, Mu Qiu bent over and slowly moved the piece of bread and the group of ants to a corner.
At that time, Auntie Zhang already felt that Mu Qiu was a kind-hearted young lady. After all, Mu Qiu was only six years old then and knew not to kill. Compared to Mu Qiu, her adopted daughter, Miss Song Ci, was a vicious and merciless person.
It was also summertime. A group of ants was hiding in the corner of the Mu Family residence, trying their best to move a few grains of rice. Song Ci saw them when she got home. Without another word, she ran into the kitchen and boiled a pot of water. She brought the water to the corner and splashed it on the ants.
Because of that incident, Auntie Zhang always looked down on Song Ci. She felt that Song Ci was vicious and heartless. As a result, Auntie Zhang always sided with Mu Qiu.
Unexpectedly, the seemingly vicious Song Ci was actually a clean and upright person. Meanwhile, that Mu Qiu who would protect the ants and move house was a heartless lady who could kill the child in her mother’s womb.
Why are people so contradictory?
Auntie Zhang looked down at the tear-streaked Mu Qiu and couldn’t help feeling hurt.
Hugging Mu Qiu’s head, Auntie Zhang asked her in tears, “Miss, why are you so foolish? Even if you don’t like that child, you shouldn’t be so silly as to do such a foolish thing!”
She was not possessed. It was just her nature to be so cruel. Although she didn’t want to admit it, Mu Qiu saw the truth. She was indeed Mu Mian’s biological daughter. She had the same selfish, vicious blood as Mu Mian.