The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 375 - 377. Do you still remember Qin Mu (second update)?

Chapter 375: 377. Do you still remember Qin Mu (second update)?

Doug grew intensely curious about the woman Jin Enxi had mentioned and asked, "Who is she?"

"For now, I can’t tell you. When I catch her, I’ll let you know," Jin Enxi said. For the past few months, Allen had been hiding in the shadows, without even showing his face, so Jin Enxi didn’t know Xu Nuo’s whereabouts. But she believed firmly that if she searched seriously, she could definitely find Xu Nuo. Then, heh heh...

Shen Qinglan spent a long time comforting Ya Xi before she eventually drifted off to sleep. But Ya Xi clutched Shen Qinglan’s hand the entire time, like a helpless child grasping at the last straw.

Shen Qinglan gazed at Ya Xi’s peaceful sleeping face and let out a soft sigh. She tucked the blanket around Ya Xi before slipping her hand away and leaving the room only after Ya Xi was genuinely asleep. "Doug, I’ve got things to take care of. Please look after Ya Xi."

Doug nodded. Shen Qinglan walked a few steps, paused, and said, "Ya Xi has been having nightmares recently, but she doesn’t remember what they’re about. I suspect they’re about unhappy things from the past."

Hearing this, Doug’s eyes sharpened. "I understand. I’ll pay special attention to her. If it’s necessary, I’ll medicate her."

Shen Qinglan, without opposition to his statement, left with Jin Enxi. Just as they reached the bottom of the hotel, they ran into Yan Shengyu, who was returning.

"Shen Qinglan?" Yan Shengyu was somewhat surprised.

Shen Qinglan stopped and looked at the man in front of her. With his disheveled beard and exhausted expression, gone was the sunny aura he once had. She sighed inwardly. "I came to see how Ya Xi is doing."

Yan Shengyu’s lips twitched into a smile. "Thank you. How are you feeling?" He eyed Shen Qinglan’s pregnant belly with involuntary concern.

"I’m fine. But you need to take good care of yourself. Ya Xi now only has you as family. If you don’t look after yourself properly, what will she do?"

There was a warmth in Yan Shengyu’s eyes. "I will. Xiao Xi, she..."

"She’s asleep now. I have some things to handle. When I finish, I’ll come to see her again. I’m leaving now."

Yan Shengyu nodded. "Be careful on your way." He watched Shen Qinglan’s retreating figure until she was out of sight, and could not help but admit to himself that he still liked Shen Qinglan. But this feeling was slowly fading with time. Maybe one day, he would suddenly realize that he no longer carried feelings for this aloof girl.

"An, where are we going now?" Jin Enxi asked in the car.

"To the Yan Family. To find Yan Anbang," Shen Qinglan said indifferently.

Jin Enxi looked at her in surprise, "What do we need him for?"

Shen Qinglan remained silent, and Jin Enxi didn’t press further.

**

Things at the Yan Family had been miserable lately. Qin Yan had disappeared without a trace, dead or alive no one knew, his ex-wife had been murdered, and the police suspected Qin Yan had a hand in it. To Yan Anbang, this was nothing short of absurd. Qin Yan couldn’t even bear to kill a fish on regular days, let alone a person.

He left the military, only to be recalled to cooperate with the investigation into a leak that happened during a military exercise. The leadership suspected it was him that brought the training plan home, allowing Qin Yan to see it, leading to the leak. This, too, was ridiculous; Qin Yan was just an ordinary woman, how could she have ties with an internationally renowned mercenary group? And baseless suspicions are unwarranted.

Yan Anbang was kept at the military for a long time, questioned over and over by the investigation team like a criminal, only to be let go due to insufficient evidence.

Yan Anbang lay on the couch in the living room—a room that was now empty and cold, devoid of its former warmth. The doorbell rang, and it took Yan Anbang a while to react, thinking he must have heard wrong, as those relatives and friends hadn’t visited since his ordeal began.

Yan Anbang got up to answer the door and was taken aback to see who it was. He recognized Shen Qinglan, of course—Ya Xi had talked about her more than once, and Shen Qinglan had been involved in the same incident as Ya Xi.

"Ya Xi and Yan Shengyu don’t live here anymore. If you’re looking for them, you’ve come to the wrong place," said Yan Anbang.

Shen Qinglan replied calmly, "I’m here to see you. I’d like to discuss some matters with you."

Yan Anbang looked at her. "With me? What is there for us to talk about?" He had no connection to Shen Qinglan, although he was somewhat acquainted with her father, Shen Qian, since they had been comrades-in-arms in the military over twenty years ago.

Shen Qinglan uttered a name, and Yan Anbang’s expression shifted. He stepped aside. "Come in."

Shen Qinglan surveyed the messy living room and took a seat on the couch. Yan Anbang brought two cups of boiled water and set them before Shen Qinglan and Jin Enxi. "That’s all we have at home, so please make do."

Shen Qinglan acknowledged with a word.

"Do you know Qin Mu?" Yan Anbang asked eagerly as soon as they were sitting.

Shen Qinglan glanced at Jin Enxi, who knowingly gave Yan Anbang a box. He opened it to find a painting and immediately stood up, staring intensely at Shen Qinglan. "Where did you get this painting?"

"I painted it myself," Shen Qinglan said in a calm voice.

"Do you know Qin Mu or not?" Although it was a question, Yan Anbang was already certain—the person in the painting was obviously Qin Mu as a child. With Qin Mu missing for many years, how could Shen Qinglan know what she looked like as a child unless she knew her?

Shen Qinglan nodded. "Yes, I know someone named Qin Mu."

"Where is she now, where is she?" Yan Anbang was intensely emotional. He had never forgotten about Qin Mu over the years. Sometimes, when he looked at Ya Xi, he would think about what it would have been like if Qin Mu was still by his side.

"Qin Mu is dead. She died on her tenth birthday," Shen Qinglan said quietly, a flicker of sadness crossing her eyes. Yes, Qin Mu died on the very day she turned ten.

Yan Anbang stepped back, as if in disbelief. "You just said Qin Mu is dead?"

Shen Qinglan nodded firmly. "Yes, Qin Mu is dead. She has been dead for over a decade."

"How did she die?" His voice trembled slightly.

Shen Qinglan met his gaze, "She was killed by someone, by the person she loved and trusted the most. Do you know where I saw her? At an assassin training camp."

Yan Anbang’s expression changed drastically but quickly recovered. "Impossible, how could you possibly know about such a place?" Suddenly, he looked directly at Shen Qinglan. "Were you there too?"

"Haven’t you already guessed? I was kidnapped by human traffickers, while she was sent there by the person closest to her," Shen Qinglan spoke, her gaze serene.

Yan Anbang’s expression kept changing, and he fell silent as he stared at her. After a long while, he sat back down on the sofa. "I can’t believe what you’re saying. If you truly entered such an organization like you said, how could you possibly return to the Shen Family now?"

Putting aside his initial shock, Yan Anbang quickly realized there were glaring loopholes in Shen Qinglan’s story.

A glint of dark light flashed through the depths of Shen Qinglan’s eyes, seemingly mocking. In this day and age, telling the truth was still met with disbelief.

"Actually, deep down, you’ve already believed it, haven’t you? This painting in your hand is the best evidence," Shen Qinglan said calmly, seemingly not needing Yan Anbang to believe in the truth of her words.

Yan Anbang looked stupefied, gazing at the painting in his hand, followed by a prolonged silence.

From the moment Shen Qinglan revealed her identity, Jin Enxi had been watching Yan Anbang, her eyes filled with murderous intent. Shen Qinglan’s actions were quite risky; her past identity was like a ticking time bomb. If known, it would bring significant trouble with severe consequences.

However, Shen Qinglan wasn’t worried about this. Since she dared to speak out, she was certain that Yan Anbang wouldn’t disclose it, or even if he did, she could make others disbelieve his words.

"How did she die?" Yan Anbang asked in a hoarse voice.

This was the second time he asked this question today.

Upon hearing this, Shen Qinglan knew he fully believed her and spoke softly, "She died during a trial, killed by a fellow participant."

"How did she end up in such a place?"

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "I’m not clear on the details. I met her after arriving there. I once asked her, but she wouldn’t say. She only told me not to trust anyone in this world but myself, including those closest to me. I think you understand what that means."

Yan Anbang turned pale, bowing his head, looking at the person in the painting. "Do you suspect Qin Yan is behind this?"

"I am well aware of your family’s affairs. Qin Yan told you that Yan Xi’s mother was behind Qin Mu’s disappearance, but as far as I know, Zhao Jiaqing and Qin Mu did not even know each other then, so how could they be close? And as Qin Mu’s father, I believe you wouldn’t do such a thing either. So isn’t the truth of the matter obvious?" Her voice was clear and melodious, yet it fell on Yan Anbang’s ears like water dropped into boiling oil.

Yan Anbang was unwilling to believe what Shen Qinglan said. Qin Mu was born to Qin Yan after ten months of pregnancy, her own flesh and blood. Even a tiger wouldn’t eat its offspring, so how could Qin Yan be so heartless? He had witnessed Qin Yan’s madness himself back then. Could such emotions also be faked?

Qin Yan, how many things have you hidden from me? Which are true and which are false? If things are as Shen Qinglan says, then who was the terrifying woman I fell in love with back then? And Zhao Jiaqing, my wife, what did I do to her? And even Yan Xi and Sheng Yu...

Upon thinking this, Yan Anbang felt a chill that seeped through his heart and into his very bones. He didn’t want to believe it, nor did he dare to believe it.

"What are you telling me all this for?" Yan Anbang asked her.

"Qin Yan chose to leave in this way, so she must have planned a day to return. What I want is her, the person herself. If she really does come back to you, I hope you can help me keep her, to turn her over to me," Shen Qinglan revealed one of the reasons for her visit.

Yan Anbang lifted his head, staring intently at Shen Qinglan. "What do you want to do?"

Shen Qinglan gave a faint smile, "That I cannot tell you."

"Why did Qin Yan do this?"

"That is exactly what I want to know from you. I’m curious about how you met Qin Yan back then, and how you ended up together. Did Qin Yan know my father at that time?"

Yan Anbang was slightly stunned, "Qin Yan and Shen Qian?"

Shen Qinglan nodded. She had been plagued by the question of whether her disappearance was a coincidence or something more since Zhao Jiaqing’s death.

Yan Anbang shook his head, "Qin Yan didn’t know your father..." He told Shen Qinglan about how he met Qin Yan. Finally, he said, "At that time, I had just retired from the special forces and returned to the South City Military District. It was through a friend that I got acquainted with Qin Yan. Your father was always in Beijing; he’s never even visited Nancheng, and Qin Yan had just arrived from the countryside to the city. It’s impossible for the two to have crossed paths."

Shen Qinglan’s gaze paused briefly, "Qin Yan came from the countryside? Which part?"

Yan Anbang gave an address, "She is my friend’s cousin. She has lived in the countryside since she was young, and that was her first time coming to the city to visit." In those times, the city was a huge allure for rural people, many of whom longed to leave the countryside for urban life. Qin Yan was one of them; she wanted her cousin to help her find a job so she could work and stay in Nancheng. It happened that this cousin knew Yan Anbang, who then helped out by introducing Qin Yan to him.

Shen Qinglan exchanged a glance with Jin Enxi, silently noting the location that Yan Anbang had mentioned.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Yan Anbang asked hoarsely. It was clear to him that Shen Qinglan had known about these matters for a long time, but had only told him now, even revealing her own past identity. He couldn’t believe she did this out of trust for him.

"I’ve already mentioned my purpose earlier. If there’s another reason, it’s for Ya Xi and Qin Mu. I don’t want the father whom Qin Mu loves so dearly to remain in the dark. I don’t want her to die with a heart full of regrets."

Yan Anbang had always thought of Qin Yan as a good person, even abandoning his wife and hurting his two other children for Qin Yan’s sake.

"Aren’t you afraid I’ll disclose your identity?" Yan Anbang asked.

Shen Qinglan looked at him steadily. "Qin Mu once told me that her father is the most upright, most heroic person in the world. I believe such a person would not do such a thing. Besides, I’m confident that even if you do tell others, no one would believe you."

Suddenly, Yan Anbang laughed, "I’m really envious of Shen Qian now; he’s luckier than I am. I agree to what you just said—if Qin Yan really comes back to me, I will certainly help you keep her."