Chapter 53 Adding to the Misery

Chapter 53: Adding to the Annoyance

“Ms. Qi, forgive me, but ‘mother’ is a very heavy title. I’m afraid I cannot bear it.”

The past Qi Manjun recounted was heavy, and Qin Shuyi felt sympathy for her plight.

That Ling Jue grew up amidst such entanglements of love and hate was also deeply sad.

She wouldn’t claim that since he already had much more money than ordinary people, lacking love wasn’t a big deal.

The imprints left by life's painful trials on each person are different; their weight cannot be compared, and everyone has their own lessons to learn.

Yet Qi Manjun had been subtly guiding her to pity Ling Jue, to approach and heal him.

However, she didn’t know that their beginning was also just a frivolous game.

How sincere Ling Jue truly was remained unknown, and how long it would last was even more uncertain.

Regardless of whether she could succeed, getting close to a stray hedgehog requires the one embracing it to pay a price.

Unfortunately, she was a selfish person, incapable of being someone else’s sun.

She respected Qi Manjun’s deep maternal love, but she was also mindful of her own parents' feelings.

If she were to get hurt for loving a man, Qin Yuan and Zhou Yunhe would suffer even more than she would.

Because of this, she couldn’t be someone who threw caution to the wind.

…

Faced with Qin Shuyi’s refusal, Qi Manjun wasn’t angry; instead, she admired her even more.

She admitted she had intended to lead Qin Shuyi astray.

If it were a girl who prioritized romance and liked A’Jue, she might have already been moved to heartache by the complicated past, and would then be determined to do everything possible to give and make A’Jue feel loved.

But Qin Shuyi was soft-hearted and kind, yet always clear-headed.

Teaching a pure, blank-slate child is difficult enough, let alone trying to change a mature, mentally sound adult.

This wasn’t her responsibility.

Qi Manjun smiled helplessly. “It seems my one-sided support for you both is rather pointless.”

For A’Jue to win back his ex-girlfriend, the road ahead was likely long and arduous.

Following her gaze, Qin Shuyi saw Ling Jue walking toward them under his umbrella through the light rain, a slight glint in her eyes.

She suddenly said to Qi Manjun,

“I think love might not hold as much weight in Ling Jue’s life as you imagine.

As his mother, if you truly want him to enter a healthy intimate relationship, perhaps you should lead by example and first teach him how to extricate himself from an unhealthy one.”

Qi Manjun’s eyes shifted, looking at her in surprise.

But Qin Shuyi had already lowered her long lashes, her gaze withdrawn into herself.

Sorry to say, but on top of being selfish, she also held a grudge.

Since Ling Mufeng threatened her parents, she had no choice but to make things a bit difficult for him as well.

After all, Qi Manjun had already secured control of the Qi family, and Ling Jue had also assumed power from Ling Mufeng.

If not divorcing back then was due to practical considerations, now it was entirely up to Qi Manjun whether they divorced or not.

Of course, in a large family, one move can affect the entire board, so Qin Shuyi held out no hope that it would work.

But the way Ling Mufeng looked at Qi Manjun clearly showed lingering feelings, so letting him feel a sting from his wife wouldn't hurt.

Having a few more decades of life experience, Qi Manjun quickly sussed out her intentions.

Amused by this petty gesture, a slight smile curved Qi Manjun's lips, "Miss Qin, chatting with you is quite interesting. I hope A'Jue proves himself worthy."

As soon as she finished speaking, the stern-faced Ling Jue had already walked up to them.

His eyes held a fierce intensity, "I believe I told you not to seek her out."

He subtly positioned himself opposite Qi Manjun.

Indeed, as she had said, there was not a trace of familiarity or warmth between mother and son. The comfort from that night was merely a fleeting meteor.

Qi Manjun also dropped her relaxed manner, her expression turning indifferent, "Your father was the one who asked her to come."

She had no intention of covering for Ling Mufeng.

Qin Shuyi nodded as well, "Ms. Qi and I just happened to run into each other."

At the mention of Ling Mufeng's involvement, Ling Jue's expression grew even colder.

He pressed his lips together and said "sorry" to Qi Manjun.

Then he looked at Qin Shuyi and asked, "What did Ling Mufeng say to you?"

Qin Shuyi, sticking to her obedient and honest persona, easily snitched.

"He told me to stay away from you, know my place, and incidentally expressed concern for my parents."

Qi Manjun, listening on the side, smirked.

She certainly knew how to read the situation, adept at using others' strength against them.

Qin Shuyi stated with conviction.

Ling Mufeng and Tao Wangxi were indeed different. Back then, Tao Wangxi, wary of Ling Jue's methods, didn't dare to truly target the Qin family.

But Ling Mufeng was, after all, Ling Jue's father. What if he went crazy?

Rather than testing later whom Ling Jue would choose between an ex-girlfriend and his father, it was better to prevent it beforehand.

Sure enough, Ling Jue's face darkened even more, but he quickly took action.

His demeanor turned grave, "I'll have people keep an eye on your parents. Don't worry, no one will be able to harm them."

As for Ling Mufeng, someone who had stepped back from the forefront should have long since relinquished all power.

Ling Jue always kept his word.

Regardless of how their relationship might develop in the future, since Ling Jue had promised today, Qin Shuyi felt reassured.

As for Qi Manjun, she didn’t even raise an eyebrow at her son’s promise to his girlfriend.

There could only be one Wolf King. Eliminating the potential threat posed by the aging predecessor was cruel, but it was an inevitable path.

She looked at the two young people before her.

They weren’t standing particularly close, but their auras melded together—one sharp as a blade, the other gentle as a spring breeze. Their two black umbrellas, one high and one low, formed an inexplicably harmonious picture.

She gave a faint smile, “Since A-Jue’s here now, you two can talk. I’ll go back and spend a little more time with his uncle. No need to wait for me heading back to the city.”

Then, she turned to Qin Shuyi and nodded, “I’ll consider your suggestion.”

Holding her umbrella, she turned and walked alone into the wind and rain.

Her slim, elegant figure soon disappeared among the flowering trees at the end of the path leading to the cemetery.

…

Ling Jue watched his mother walk away, his expression pensive.

Qin Shuyi abruptly raised her umbrella and gently tapped the canopy of his much taller one with her own.

Meeting his gaze as he turned from the empty path, she smiled, “Perhaps you could let your guard down a little around Ms. Qi. She cares about you.”

Ling Jue’s dark lashes trembled slightly, “How do you know that?”

Qin Shuyi replied, “Love comes in many forms. Some of it isn’t spoken aloud—it needs to be felt with the heart.”

Ling Jue said, “You’re always so full of wisdom.”

Qin Shuyi laughed, “Exactly, so I’m always right.”

Her rare, proud, and slightly cocky demeanor cut through the solemn atmosphere of the cemetery. Ling Jue suddenly felt a weight lift from his heart and tilted his umbrella to gently tap the top of hers in return.

“Qin Shuyi, don’t listen to Ling Mufeng. He doesn’t get to tell me what to do.”

In the years when he needed a father most, Ling Mufeng was someone else’s good dad.

But now, he was no longer the little boy tied up in a bandit’s den, wondering whether his father would come to rescue him, or if he’d even be the priority.

Just like the first time he tasted the blood of a living person and realized that only self-rescue could lead to a way out, every step he had taken was his own.

Ling Jue didn’t need a nominal father making choices for him under the guise of acting in his best interests.

What he liked, what he wanted to protect—no one would ever be allowed to destroy it.

----------------------------------------