Chapter 11: The Wretched Child

Lu Qingqing’s expression was dark and frightening. She had never been one for patience, though the sharp edges of her temper had been dulled over the years. Yet when it came to her daughter, Manman, that smoldering anger reignited within her.

But the group blocking her path refused to let her pass, their swords even pressed to her chest.

“Madam, please don’t make things difficult for us,” one said.

“If you kill me, I’m still going back today. If anything happens to my Manman, none of you will survive,” Lu Qingqing retorted, her voice thunderous. She was ready to die together with them—she’d had enough of living.

Her eyes were red, her fearless demeanor causing the guards to shrink back, though none dared actually let her go. The standoff held, tense and unmoving.

Suddenly, Jiang Jiuyue walked over from nearby, speaking gently, “Put down your weapons, everyone. Our guest is still a guest of the house, no matter what.”

“Miss Jiang…” The guards hesitated, knowing Jiang Jiuyue’s place in Shen Jin’s heart and not daring to defy her. They stepped aside.

Jiang Jiuyue seized Lu Qingqing’s hand and pulled her along, her tone dripping with sarcasm, “I told you I could let you leave, but you insisted on being proud. It’s not too late to change your mind now.”

She spoke as if she couldn’t stand to have Lu Qingqing remain in the manor, her dislike written openly across her face.

“I hope Ah Jin can let go of the past, so I must ask you, Madam, not to appear before him again in the future,” Jiang Jiuyue chided Lu Qingqing, but the woman was too anxious to care about anything else.

“Do you think I want this?” Lu Qingqing replied, following Jiang Jiuyue forward, only to find herself led to a remote corner of the back courtyard. Glancing around, she saw no door—just a hole amidst tangled weeds not far ahead.

“You want me to crawl through a dog hole?” Lu Qingqing’s heart sank. She knew Jiang Jiuyue was not a good person, but hadn’t expected her to take advantage of the situation to humiliate her.

Jiang Jiuyue feigned concern, “If you leave through the main gate, Ah Jin will know soon enough. This is the only way. Forgive me for your trouble.”

Her words carried an air of consideration, but the sneer at her lips betrayed her. She pointed at the hole and continued, “You can choose not to leave, but you know Ah Jin’s temper best. You betrayed him once; he’s bound to seek revenge. If you defy him again, he might lock you up for a year or two…”

Lu Qingqing could not bear to imagine it. She only wanted to see Manman as soon as possible, fearing something terrible might happen to her daughter.

Even knowing Jiang Jiuyue was doing this on purpose, Lu Qingqing swallowed her pride, crouched down, and crawled out through the dog hole.

She’d never had a choice, and now was no different.

Lu Qingqing hurried away, seeing no one around, and took a shortcut toward the manor gate.

But she hadn’t gone far before she saw Shen Jin waiting for her nearby, his eyes blazing with fury.

Lu Qingqing cursed inwardly—she was doomed. There was no time to escape; the man seized her hand, pinning her against the wall, his voice trembling.

“You couldn’t endure even one day? Where do you think you’re running off to?”

“Shen Jin, let me go. Something’s happened to Manman. I need to go back.” Lu Qingqing was frantic, struggling to break free.

But the more she struggled, the tighter Shen Jin held her, refusing to let her go.

“You won’t stay by my side even for a moment longer?”

“Don’t make me hate you,” Lu Qingqing said through gritted teeth, her expression cold, her gaze fixed on Shen Jin.

His heart sank, and he mocked, “So you care that much for that bastard child with Xie Zhiyun?”

Lu Qingqing looked at the man before her and suddenly felt utterly estranged. That was their daughter, yet in Shen Jin’s mouth she was nothing but a bastard. How had her youthful lover become like this?