The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 424 - 426. Do you really understand Shen Qinglan? (2)

Chapter 424: 426. Do you really understand Shen Qinglan? (2)

Chu Yunrong watched her hand in shock, only to see her right little finger bent at an unnatural angle.

"How could your hand..." Chu Yunrong couldn’t believe it, clearly when she had left the Shen Family her hand was still intact.

"Want to know?" Li Xitong forcefully wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes, her lips curling up slightly, "Then I’ll tell you."

Suddenly, Chu Yunrong didn’t want to listen anymore, she didn’t want to know the truth of the matter, she wanted to leave this place, but Li Xitong didn’t let her go and began to speak, "This was done by your biological daughter Shen Qinglan, she ruined my hand with her own hands."

"No, you’re talking nonsense, Qinglan is a kind child, she would never do such a thing, she absolutely wouldn’t." Chu Yunrong retorted loudly, her eyes changing as they looked at Li Xitong. The guilt and sorrow that had risen because of Li Xitong’s cries were instantly replaced by anger.

"Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you’ll know if you ask your beloved daughter when you get back. My dearest mother, do you really understand Shen Qinglan? Do you really know your own daughter? Seeing how you are being deceived makes me truly feel sorry for you." Li Xitong looked at Chu Yunrong’s pale face with a flicker of madness in her eyes. She was in so much pain, so why should the family that harmed her still be happy? It was one thing for them to be happy, but why did they have to appear before her, reminding her that her own tragedy was caused by this family?

"Let me tell you about your daughter’s heroic deeds. I believe you will have a newer understanding of her after hearing them." Li Xitong smiled.

"No, don’t say anything more, I don’t want to hear it." Chu Yunrong shouted, turning around and fleeing. Behind her, Li Xitong’s crazed laughter echoed.

"Ha ha ha, Mother, you are really pathetic, to be blindfolded by others and not even know it, go back and ask her properly, see how many atrocious things she has done."

Qin Yan was waiting outside for Chu Yunrong, and seeing her leave with a pale face, seemingly unable to even walk steadily, she hurriedly went up to support her, "What happened? Wasn’t it just a visit? How did you become like this once you came out?" Her voice was full of urgency, with no one seeing the satisfaction in her eyes.

Chu Yunrong leaned on her, "Hurry up, let’s leave this place."

Qin Yan helped Chu Yunrong into the car, didn’t head home, but instead drove towards the seaside. Chu Yunrong sat in the car, silently watching the sea, and didn’t speak for a long time.

Qin Yan accompanied her on the side, "Yun Rong, can you tell me what happened?"

Chu Yunrong was silent for a long while before finally speaking up, her voice hoarse, "How much do you know about Li Xitong’s situation in prison?"

"I don’t know much either, after all, I also found out through connections." Qin Yan stuttered.

"Tell me everything you know. I want to know."

Qin Yan glanced at Chu Yunrong, then slowly began, "After you hear this, try not to be too agitated."

"Alright, go ahead."

"Since Li Xitong was transferred to this prison from the Detoxification Center at the beginning of the year, she’s basically been bullied by her cellmates every day, beating and berating is the least of it, and the prison guards turn a blind eye. She was beaten up and ended up in the hospital twice, nearly dying. That’s about all I know, I’m not very detailed since I don’t have well-connected acquaintances."

This information was consistent with what Chu Yunrong had seen, as well as Li Xitong’s own account. She clenched her hands tightly and quietly asked, "Why would those people treat her that way?"

"I’m not sure about that," Qin Yan replied, "but I suppose she must have offended someone. After all, bullying newcomers in prison is not unheard of, and prison guards will intervene if it goes too far. Her situation is clearly different, which may indicate she’s crossed someone powerful or influential. Does she seem in a very bad way?"

Chu Yunrong lowered her head, her expression unclear, "Yes, very bad."

"I wouldn’t have told you if I had known it would upset you so much." Qin Yan spoke as if regretful.

Chu Yunrong didn’t take up that line of conversation, instead saying, "It’s getting late, let’s go back."

Having achieved her goal, Qin Yan naturally had no objections and started driving back, "Shall I take you straight home?"

"No need, just drop me off at the restaurant, and I’ll drive myself back."

Upon hearing this, Qin Yan slightly raised her brows. She could distinctly feel that since her release from prison, Chu Yunrong seemed to have become much more distant from her. However, Qin Yan did not care about this. What she wanted was to gradually unravel the mysterious veil of Shen Qinglan; if Mrs. Shen couldn’t withstand it and was struck too hard, then all she could do was apologize.

After all, to be candid, she didn’t particularly dislike the woman before her.

Qin Yan left after dropping Chu Yunrong off. As soon as she got into her car, the worry on her face disappeared without a trace. Glancing at Chu Yunrong, who was still standing motionless where she was left, Qin Yan chuckled. Indeed, it was the innocent ones who were the most interesting. If it were Shen Qinglan, these tactics would be utterly useless.

She had considered revealing Shen Qinglan’s identity to Fu Hengyi, but after observing how Fu Hengyi was, a careful thought led her to understand that he probably already knew Shen Qinglan’s identity. Since he had not divorced Shen Qinglan, his choice was obvious.

Shen Qian had seen that information and, after learning about it, also chose to conceal it for Shen Qinglan. Since these men all wanted to protect Shen Qinglan, then what about Chu Yunrong, this delicate flower raised in a greenhouse?

She couldn’t even handle learning about Li Xitong’s current situation today; wouldn’t it be interesting if she knew about Shen Qinglan’s past and the truth of those years?

Just the thought of this filled Qin Yan’s heart with excitement.

As for Yan Anbang in Nancheng, she had already thrown him to the back of her mind. He had become a cripple, not worth expending any more of her energy on.

While driving home, Chu Yunrong ended up rear-ending someone’s car. When Shen Qinglan received the call and rushed to the hospital, she found Chu Yunrong sitting alone in the hospital corridor.

"Mom, are you okay?" Shen Qinglan asked softly.

Chu Yunrong didn’t react. Shen Qinglan called out again, and Chu Yunrong’s eyes moved slightly, focusing on Shen Qinglan’s face, looking at her without speaking.

There was a bandage stuck to her forehead.

Seeing that she didn’t respond, Shen Qinglan asked again, "Mom, do you feel any pain anywhere?"

Chu Yunrong lowered her head and silently gazed at Shen Qinglan’s face. Her daughter was very beautiful—perhaps even more so than her. Even though she appeared somewhat aloof, she was kind-hearted and had a tender heart. How could she possibly be the terrible person Li Xitong described?

She reached out, gently caressing Shen Qinglan’s cheek. Shen Qinglan, sensing Chu Yunrong’s unusual emotions, didn’t move and let Chu Yunrong’s hand gently stroke her face.

"My Qinglan is truly beautiful," Chu Yunrong suddenly said.

Shen Qinglan’s gaze flickered slightly, "Mom, did something happen to you? Did you meet someone today when you went out?"

Chu Yunrong shook her head with a smile, "No, I just had a rear-end collision on the way home and got frightened." There was a loving light in her eyes, yet it made Shen Qinglan somewhat unable to fathom her thoughts.

"Mom, do you have any injuries besides the one on your forehead?"

"No, I’m fine."

"Then let’s go home," Shen Qinglan said. "My brother is already handling the accident. I’ll take you home first."

Chu Yunrong nodded, stood up, and followed Shen Qinglan.

On the way back, Chu Yunrong didn’t say a word. Shen Qinglan glanced at her and casually asked, "Mom, where did you and your friend go after the concert today?"

"I went to the...," Chu Yunrong started to answer instinctively but caught herself midway, changing her response, "I just went for a walk by the sea."

Shen Qinglan’s expression shifted slightly. She knew Chu Yunrong was lying but did not expose her. "Speaking of which, it’s been a long time since our family has gone on a trip together. Let’s plan to go out to the countryside once Fu Hengyi is back."

"Of course you can," Chu Yunrong agreed, her voice complying pleasantly but her attention clearly elsewhere. When Shen Qinglan spoke to her, she often seemed preoccupied, causing Shen Qinglan to feel a sinking sensation in her heart. What had Chu Yunrong just said—"room," "see"? Which word was it exactly?

Returning home, Chu Yunrong went directly to her room, claiming she was a bit tired and needed some rest.

After leaving the Shen Family’s house, Shen Qinglan thought about calling Jin Enxi, but the moment she picked up her phone, she hesitated and put it back down. Chu Yunrong was, after all, her mother. It wasn’t right for her to spy on her.

In the following days, Shen Qinglan noticed that Chu Yunrong often stared blankly at her, her gaze seemingly appraising before quickly shifting away when Shen Qinglan looked back.

"Mom, do you have something you want to tell me?" Shen Qinglan asked one day when Chu Yunrong was watching her with that look again.

Chu Yunrong blinked in surprise, "No, nothing."

"Really? Mom, if there’s something on your mind, you can just ask me," Shen Qinglan urged sincerely.

Chu Yunrong smiled faintly, "Really, there’s nothing. What could I possibly doubt about my own daughter?"

Seeing that Chu Yunrong was not willing to open up, Shen Qinglan didn’t press further.

That night, after thinking it over for a long time, Chu Yunrong finally picked up her phone and called Shen Qian. Shen Qian was about to sleep when he saw the incoming call and sat up, "Yun Rong, why aren’t you sleeping so late?"

"Aqian, I can’t sleep. I wanted to talk to you."

There was a warm tone in Shen Qian’s voice, "What do you want to talk about?"

Chu Yunrong hesitated before speaking softly, "I went to visit Li Xitong the other day."

Shen Qian’s expression became guarded, "Why did you suddenly decide to visit her?"

"I just suddenly felt like checking on her. Aqian, she’s not doing well."

"Yun Rong, she’s no longer part of the Shen Family."

"I know, but Aqian, we raised her for so long, I couldn’t help it. And, her ending up like this today, we’re partly responsible for not raising her well."

"Yun Rong, I know you’re soft-hearted, but Li Xitong’s current situation is her own doing. It has nothing to do with you," Shen Qian said gently.

Chu Yunrong fell silent for a while before speaking again, her voice barely above a whisper, "Aqian, she gets beaten up in prison every day. She said someone’s behind it. Do you think it could be..."

"Could be what?" Shen Qian asked dispassionately.

"Never mind." Chu Yunrong didn’t want to voice the terrifying suspicion that lingered in her mind.

"Do you suspect that Qinglan is behind it?" Shen Qian asked directly, knowing the woman he had lived with for decades. He might not understand everything Chu Yunrong thought, but he could guess some of it.

Chu Yunrong’s eyes filled with panic, "No, how could it be Qinglan? It’s not possible."

"Yun Rong, I’m certain Qinglan didn’t do this," Shen Qian assured her decisively.

"You think so too, don’t you?" Chu Yunrong’s eyes instantly brightened as if she had received reassuring support.

"Yes, it’s not something Qinglan would do. Did Li Xitong say anything specific to you?" Shen Qian seemed to ask offhandedly.

Chu Yunrong didn’t keep secrets from Shen Qian and told him everything about meeting Li Xitong. Shen Qian’s gaze darkened, "Why did you suddenly decide to visit her?"

It had been so long since Chu Yunrong had even mentioned Li Xitong’s name. The very idea of visiting her was strange in itself.

Chu Yunrong hesitated for quite a bit before finally speaking about her encounter with Qin Yan, without giving away her name, "An old friend from the band just remembered and inquired about her situation for me."

"Yun Rong, Li Xitong’s heart is filled with resentment towards the Shen Family, especially towards Qinglan. The things she said to you weren’t true. You understand what really happened back then, and Qinglan would not do such a thing. Li Xitong deliberately said those things to cause misunderstandings between you and Qinglan," Shen Qian comforted his wife.

"I know, and I don’t believe Qinglan would do such a thing either, so I didn’t mention it to her. But Aqian, seeing Li Xitong like that, I feel very sad."

Shen Qian knew what his wife was thinking and softly consoled her, "Yun Rong, we’ve fulfilled our responsibilities towards Li Xitong. We gave her more than one chance, and it was her own failure to treasure them. You can’t blame yourself for her current plight. Her downfall today is of her own making, and you shouldn’t feel guilty."

Shen Qian broke down the situation for Chu Yunrong. By the time their conversation ended, she seemed to have been persuaded by Shen Qian, and the guilt she felt towards Li Xitong was slowly fading away.

"It’s getting late. You should rest early and not overthink things. As for Li Xitong, better not visit her again; her mentality is completely twisted, and she won’t have anything good to say."

"Okay, I understand," Chu Yunrong said before hanging up the phone.

For several consecutive days, Qin Yan didn’t contact Chu Yunrong, and it seemed that Chu Yunrong gradually forgot about the entire incident.

Shen Qinglan watched Chu Yunrong feeding Anan some apple puree, her eyes filled with a trace of inquiry. She always felt that Chu Yunrong had been acting strangely a few days before and that it had to be related to her. But now, seeing Chu Yunrong behaving normally for the past few days, as per usual, made her wonder.

"Mom, will you have lunch here today?"

Chu Yunrong was engrossed in feeding her grandson and didn’t even lift her head, "No, Mommy will go back soon. Isn’t it time to take Anan for his vaccination tomorrow?"

Shen Qinglan nodded, "Yeah, I’ve already made an appointment with the doctor for early tomorrow."

"I’ll come with you then."

"Okay."

Anan only had his fill of the apple puree after half was finished; he preferred egg custard and didn’t care much for apple puree.

Chu Yunrong spent half a day with her grandson, feeling more at peace with herself, and gradually pushed the matter of Li Xitong to the back of her mind.

The next day, right after Chu Yunrong and Shen Qinglan had returned home from getting Anan vaccinated, Chu Yunrong received a call from Qin Yan. Chu Yunrong’s eyes flickered before she answered hesitantly, "Yun Rong, how have you been these days? Is everything alright?"

Chu Yunrong’s expression became slightly unnatural, "I’m fine."

"Do you have time tomorrow? I would like to invite you for afternoon tea; I might be leaving in a few days."

"Leaving? Where to?"

"I’m thinking of going somewhere to clear my mind, not sure when yet."

"It’s good to take a trip. Let’s meet at the usual place tomorrow afternoon."

"Alright."

**********

The next day, Qin Yan arrived first again. Chu Yun Rong smiled, "How come you’re always earlier than me?"

"There’s nothing for me to do at home alone, so I just came out early. I saw you looked really bad when you went home the other day, and I didn’t dare bother you for the past few days. Are you really okay now?"

Chu Yun Rong shook her head, "It’s all right now. At the time, there were some things I couldn’t figure out, but now that I understand them, I’m fine."

Qin Yan scrutinized her expression and saw that she seemed genuinely untroubled, with no sign of being upset by the incident, her heart sank. Could it be that Chu Yun Rong didn’t say anything to Shen Qinglan after going back?

Thinking of this, Qin Yan tentatively asked, "Are you and your daughter doing okay?"

Chu Yun Rong was confused, "Qinglan and I are very good. What’s the matter?" Realizing that Qin Yan might be referring to Li Xitong, she added, "I have long ceased to have any relationship with Li Xitong."

Qin Yan instantly understood. It seemed that Chu Yun Rong really hadn’t said anything to Shen Qinglan after returning home. A flash of disappointment swiftly crossed her eyes, and she felt dissatisfied with this outcome.

"Yun Rong, what is your opinion on Li Xitong’s situation?" Qin Yan couldn’t give up and wanted to steer Chu Yun Rong towards thinking of Shen Qinglan.

Chu Yun Rong replied indifferently, "There’s nothing I can do about her situation."

"It’s strange. Someone has the power to not leave her alone even when she’s already in prison," said Qin Yan, noting the suspicion in Chu Yun Rong’s gaze. She sighed as if it were an afterthought, "If my daughter hadn’t gone missing, she would be about the same age as Li Xitong now. If she faced something like this, I think I’d collapse."

That single statement immediately stirred Chu Yun Rong’s compassion, "Don’t be too sad. Your daughter will be living well."

Qin Yan forced a smile, "I hope so. Yun Rong, I just hope you don’t think I’m meddling too much."

"Not at all, it’s me who is overthinking. It has nothing to do with you."

"I understand, it’s hard to be either adoptive or biological parents, especially in your situation. The day you went to see Li Xitong, she must have complained, which is why you looked so upset."

Chu Yun Rong had not intended to bring up this topic, but seeing Qin Yan repeatedly touching on it, she couldn’t help but feel a wave of sorrow, with the scene of Li Xitong’s accusations in the prison flashing involuntarily in her mind.

"It’s my fault too. If I’d treated everyone equally, Xitong wouldn’t have become so fixated on it," she said.

"You’ve done well already. You raised her to be excellent. It’s her own doing that she ruined everything," Qin Yan consoled her.

"Let’s not talk about her anymore. Where do you want to go to relax this time?"

Chu Yun Rong shifted the topic again, and Qin Yan went along, "I haven’t decided yet. I’ll see where I can leave for the quickest. After all, it’s just to relax; the destination doesn’t matter. Anywhere is fine."

"Be careful on your own out there," Chu Yun Rong cautioned.

Qin Yan laughed, "Don’t worry. I used to travel by myself quite often."

After chatting with Chu Yun Rong for a while longer, and seeing that she didn’t seem very keen to talk today, Qin Yan didn’t continue and suggested leaving.

After parting ways with Qin Yan, Chu Yun Rong drove to the prison by herself. By the time she realized it, she was already standing at the prison’s gate. Looking at the towering iron doors, she turned and went back to her car. After hesitating for a while, she got out again.

Li Xitong hadn’t expected Chu Yun Rong to come see her again. This time, she didn’t go into a hysterical state but instead sat down.

Chu Yun Rong didn’t know why she had come here, but a conversation with Qin Yan had reminded her of Li Xitong, and unconsciously, she had driven to this place.

For a time, neither of them spoke.

"What are you doing here?" In the end, it was Li Xitong who broke the silence.

"I just wanted to come and see you."

"Have you gone home and talked to your daughter? Have you realized her true nature?" Li Xitong’s tone was sarcastic.

"Xitong, you’ve misunderstood Qinglan. She wasn’t responsible for this."

"Haha, you still don’t believe me after all this time. If so, why did you come here today?" Li Xitong’s face darkened, and she shook her disabled right hand in front of Chu Yun Rong, "You don’t believe that Shen Qinglan was the one who crippled my hand, do you?"

Chu Yun Rong lowered her eyes; indeed, she didn’t believe it.

"Heh, blood is thicker than water, after all. Now in your eyes, whatever she says is right, and everything I say is a lie. Mom, I really feel sorry for you, utterly deceived by your own daughter."

"Xitong, stop it. I know you’ve suffered in here, but these issues have nothing to do with Qinglan. If you hadn’t taken drugs, how could you have ended up like this?"

When it came to drug use, Li Xitong’s expression instantly turned fierce, "Did I want to get addicted? It was all Shen Qinglan’s doing."

"Impossible."

"I know you won’t believe me, so let me tell you the truth about Shen Qinglan. Since you’ve come to see me again, you must be curious about this matter."

Li Xitong’s smile was eerie, "Do you remember when Grandpa got sick from anger because of Shen Junze and was hospitalized? I went to see him then. At the time, I hated him, hated him for driving me out of the Shen Family. When I saw him lying in the bed, I suddenly wanted him dead. I thought about pulling out his oxygen tube, but Shen Qinglan caught me red-handed."

Seeing the shock on Chu Yun Rong’s face, Li Xitong laughed cheerfully, "Surprising, isn’t it? I didn’t expect that I would do such a thing myself. It’s just too bad, it wasn’t successful."

"What will surprise you even more is still to come. The seemingly kind-hearted Shen Qinglan actually had someone kidnap me, locked me in a garage, tortured me, and even forced me to take drugs, turning me into an addict."

"That’s not true, you’re lying, none of this is possible, the person you’re speaking of isn’t my daughter."

Li Xitong looked at Chu Yun Rong with a face not much better than a blank sheet of paper and lifeless eyes, and a strange sense of satisfaction surged in her heart, "Everything I’m saying is the truth. My hand was personally ruined by Shen Qinglan. She stomped on my hand until it broke, ignoring my pleading and apologies. My dear mother, your own daughter is a devil, a full-fledged devil. Oh, and on the way back after they released me, I was raped, and that was her doing too. Haha, do you still think she’s kind? Do you still think she’s harmless?"

Chu Yun Rong’s hand leaned against the wall; she could no longer stand, feeling as if all her strength had been drained out of her.

"Don’t speak anymore, all of this you’re saying is false."

Li Xitong shrugged, "If you want to keep deceiving yourself, then so be it. I’ve said everything I needed to say, and you don’t need to visit me again. My well-being is long irrelevant to the Shen Family, and seeing you only makes me hate you more. Don’t perform your hypocritical motherly love in front of me; it nauseates me. But remember this, as soon as I get out, I won’t spare a single person from the Shen Family. The suffering I’ve endured in this life, if I can’t repay it now, I will make sure you repay it in the next one."

With that, Li Xitong turned and walked away, her long steps taking her back to her cell, her expression cold and indifferent.

Back in her cell and with everyone there, Sister Li was lounging with her legs crossed, waiting for her, "Li Xitong, come here."

Hearing Sister Li’s voice shook Li Xitong to the core; the indifference on her face disappeared, replaced by a pitiable expression. She walked over to Sister Li and lowered her head, "Sister Li."

Sister Li looked her up and down, then stretched out her legs, "I’m tired; massage my legs."

Upon hearing this, Li Xitong’s expression didn’t change as she knelt down and began massaging Sister Li’s legs.

"Put some muscle into it, didn’t you eat?" Sister Li scolded sharply.

Li Xitong increased the strength in her hands, only for Sister Li’s brow to furrow, after which she slapped Li Xitong hard, "Using so much force, do you want to hurt me to death? Every time I ask you to do something, you act so unwilling and resentful. What, you don’t agree with me? If you have a problem with me, that’s fine. You can hit me, and if you win, you can be the boss, and I’ll be at your beck and call, pour your tea, do your bidding."

Li Xitong’s face was filled with panic, "Sister Li, I didn’t mean to, I don’t have the slightest grievance against you, I just made a mistake. Please give me another chance, I promise to serve you well."

Sister Li let out a cold laugh and said to the others who were enjoying the show, "Don’t just stand there! Come and teach her a lesson. What are you doing, planning to be saints?"

A few people immediately came over, surrounding Li Xitong tightly. She curled up with her head in her arms, enduring the punches and kicks that landed on her while hatred blazed in her eyes. She bit her lip to keep from making a sound, because her past experiences told her that any groan would only result in a longer beating.

After the beating, Li Xitong lay on the ground without moving for a long while. No one else paid her any attention until the prison guard knocked on the door, "Get out for labor."

Sister Li was the first to stand up, kicking Li Xitong with her foot, "Get up, stop playing dead."

Li Xitong moved slightly, wincing as she touched a painful spot on her body, facing Sister Li’s cold gaze, she struggled to get up from the ground.

Li Xitong went out to labor bearing her wounds. During a break, she reported to the prison guard watching over them that she needed to go to the restroom.

At the entrance of the restroom, Li Xitong saw a woman washing her hands as she came out. She went over, stood next to the woman, pretended to wash her hands, and then, as if inadvertently, lowered her voice and said quietly, "I’ve already told Chu Yunrong what you asked me to. You promised that you’d get me out. When are you planning to keep your word?"

The woman kept her head down, her face unclear, "What’s the rush? Are you sure you’ve told Chu Yunrong everything?"

"I did, I left nothing out."

"Good, I’ll confirm with my boss. As long as what you’ve said is true, my boss will naturally get you out."

"Who is your boss?"

"You don’t need to know that. You just need to know that my boss has the ability to get you out of here and will give you some money to start over."

"When can I get out?" Li Xitong wasn’t concerned about the money; her priority was to get out. If she continued to stay in this hell, her life was truly at stake.

"Didn’t I tell you not to rush? Although my boss can get you out, it still takes time," the woman said unhurriedly.

How could Li Xitong not be in a hurry? She desperately wanted to leave immediately, "You’re not the one getting beaten, of course, you’re not in a hurry."

The woman’s face grew cold, "Sister Li isn’t that brutally violent. If you avoid her and humor her, would she target you like this?"

Li Xitong, provoked by the woman’s words, lifted her clothes to show her wounds, "Do you see this? If I don’t get out soon, I really might not survive."

The woman glanced indifferently then quickly averted her eyes, not expecting that Sister Li was so heavy-handed this time, "I’ll contact my master as soon as possible. Just be patient. As for Sister Li, don’t worry, she wouldn’t dare to kill you for real."

After speaking, the woman left.

Li Xitong stood where she was, her eyes deep with thought.

This woman had approached her after Chu Yunrong’s first visit, bluntly telling her she had a way to get her out early. The condition was that when Chu Yunrong visited again, Li Xitong had to tell her everything Shen Qinglan had done to her, one small detail at a time—a seemingly simple task that Li Xitong would have done even without being asked.

Li Xitong had waited many days, and just when she thought Chu Yunrong wouldn’t come, she did.

Li Xitong didn’t know the purpose behind these people’s instructions, but anything that could cause distress to the Shen Family was something she was happy to do. With Shen Qinglan’s temper, offending a few people and them getting revenge on her seemed quite normal, right?

Li Xitong waited a while longer before slowly returning to the labor site. Someone accidentally bumped into her, hitting right where she was injured, causing her to turn pale with pain. While gasping for air, she steadied herself, thinking it would be soon, very soon she would be able to leave this place, and then she would be free.

************

Chu Yun Rong drove her car out recklessly. She was driving fast, gripping the steering wheel tightly. She didn’t notice when it had started to rain, but the downpour was heavy, and she couldn’t see the road ahead. However, her foot was still on the accelerator, speeding up the car even more. The words that Li Xitong said today had a great impact on her soul, and she had to admit that she was affected by Li Xitong’s words.

The rain grew heavier, and in a moment of inattention, Chu Yunrong’s car crashed into a big tree by the roadside, snapping the tree with the front end of her vehicle. Fortunately, the car was well-built with high safety features, so besides a swollen forehead, Chu Yunrong had no other injuries.

She leaned her head on the steering wheel, taking deep breaths. After a long while, her emotions began to settle down. She picked up her phone, intending to call Shen Qinglan. The moment the number dialed out, she hung up and threw the phone away, clutching her pounding head, feeling as though it was about to split apart.

Shen Qian was studying the next phase of the new recruits’ training plan when he received a call from the duty guard. Hearing that Chu Yunrong had arrived, he hastily went out.

The rain had started in the afternoon and fell like a torrential downpour, showing no signs of stopping.

Shen Qian went back to grab an umbrella after reaching the doorway, and when he arrived at the Military Region’s gate, he saw Chu Yunrong’s car. Seeing him, Chu Yunrong immediately opened her car door and rushed into the rain.

Shen Qian’s expression changed slightly as he quickened his pace, covering Chu Yunrong with the umbrella, "Couldn’t you have waited for me to come over before getting out? Still think you’re a young girl, not afraid of getting sick, eh?" His expression turned serious.

Chu Yunrong bowed her head, standing silently in front of Shen Qian.

Shen Qian naturally sensed his wife’s unusual mood and spoke in a gentle voice, "Yun Rong, what happened?"

Chu Yunrong looked up, and only then did Shen Qian see the panic filling her eyes, his heart sinking, "Yun Rong, what’s wrong?"

Chu Yunrong looked at Shen Qian helplessly, "Aqian, tell me, Qinglan is a kind child, isn’t she?"

"What exactly happened, Yun Rong?" Hearing her mention Shen Qinglan, Shen Qian felt a surge of unease and fixed his gaze on her, "Did you go see Li Xitong?"

Chu Yunrong did not deny it, and Shen Qian’s eyes deepened, "What did she tell you?"

"Aqian, she said her drug addiction was caused by Qinglan. That’s not true, is it?"

"Do you believe Qinglan?" Instead of answering directly, Shen Qian countered with a question.

Chu Yunrong was momentarily stunned, looking into Shen Qian’s eyes, "Do I believe Qinglan?"

"Yun Rong, are you willing to believe Qinglan or what Li Xitong said?"

"Of course, I am willing to believe Qinglan."

"Since you’re willing to believe Qinglan, then how could you believe what Li Xitong said? Have you forgotten what I told you that day?"

Of course, Chu Yunrong hadn’t forgotten, but Li Xitong’s words were like a thorn, deeply embedded in her heart.

"Yun Rong, Qinglan is our daughter. You have to trust her," Shen Qian said warmly, watching as his wife’s eyes gradually calmed, but the worry in his heart did not subside.

"Alright, the rain is too heavy now, let’s go inside and talk," Shen Qian escorted Chu Yunrong, leading her to the car.

Chu Yunrong looked somewhat dazed, seemingly still affected by those words.