Chapter 566: The Secret About the Past (184)

Translator:

Atlas Studios

Editor:

Atlas Studios

Panic engulfed An Xiaoning the moment she heard his words. “Why would you say that? Tell me exactly, just what are you unhappy about? Tell me everything. Let’s talk things through properly.”

Jin Qingyan was not in the mood to discuss his grievances with her patiently. He briefly said, “Regarding the child…”

“What about the child? Are you upset because I hid the pregnancy from you? I just didn’t want to worry you, and I was afraid that you wouldn’t allow me to stay here anymore after you’ve found out about the child.”

“Is that so? Will you come home if I want you to right now?” he questioned, utterly disappointed.

“Qingyan, didn’t I already say this before? It’d be difficult for me to come back in here again once I leave. No matter what, I have to continue staying here to find out the truth about my mother. Besides… there’s no way for me to leave the palace right now,” she said in a gentle voice.

“As long as you’re willing, I’ll do whatever it takes to get you out.”

“But I don’t wish to leave. It’ll become my greatest regret if I don’t ever find out the truth about this matter,” she admitted frankly.

“Do you still love me? Why do I feel like you don’t love me anymore? Did you meet another man who’s much better than me?” he questioned, his tears blurring his vision.

“What are you talking about? Of course I love you. You’re the one and only person I love,” An Xiaoning answered.

“I refuse to believe you.”

“Why not?” An Xiaoning asked.

“I got Xiao Chi to plant a surveillance camera in your room. Did you know that?”

“I saw it just now. So it was you. I thought it was Tuoba Gucheng who left it there.”

Jin Qingyan scoffed and said, “Why would he do that? Does he need to watch and supervise you?”

“No, I was just making a guess. Hubby, it’s not like you to beat around the bush. Just tell me straight, what are you upset about?” An Xiaoning urged, puzzled and confused.

“You still refuse to own up even until now. An Xiaoning, do you really think I wouldn’t know about it just because you choose not to admit it? You slept with Tuoba Gucheng and the child belongs to him. Do you think I didn’t know!?!”

An Xiaoning finally realized what he was referring to.

“I didn’t get intimate with him. There’s nothing between us at all. The child is yours.”

“Can you prove that?” Jin Qingyan asked.

“I can’t, but I’m speaking the truth. Qingyan, trust me.”

He was on the verge of losing his sanity. “I can’t trust you. He wouldn’t have said that if nothing happened between you two. An Xiaoning, don’t treat me like a fool, don’t you dare!”

“The thing is, he’s mistaken too.”

“How could he possibly be mistaken about something like that? Do you think I was born yesterday!?!” Jin Qingyan hollered in exasperation.

“No, he was…” Jin Qingyan hung up before she could even explain.

She looked down and hurriedly sent him a text message to tell him that Tuoba Gucheng had been drugged with an aphrodisiac. Little did she know, Jin Qingyan got even more upset after reading her message.

He knew clearly how it felt to be drugged with an aphrodisiac.

An Xiaoning tried to call him again and again but he refused to answer.

An Xiaoning then handed the mobile phone back to Xiao Chi. She was left alone in the room after Xiao Chi exited.

She remained seated in silence.

Initially, she thought that she could not explain herself clearly to Tuoba Gucheng.

Yet, it was the same for Jin Qingyan.

For the very first time, she felt more helpless than ever.

For the very first time, she felt extremely aggrieved and powerless.

She could imagine how distraught Jin Qingyan must be at the moment.

But, wasn’t it the same for her?

Wasn’t she just as devastated?

Just what did I do wrong!?!

She continued to sit on the bed for another two hours. The sky began to turn bright at past six o’clock in the morning.

Filled with immense sorrow and excruciating agony, An Xiaoning began to bawl loudly in misery.

She wailed incessantly with no scruples.

Tuoba Gucheng stopped in his tracks upon hearing her loud crying as soon as he stepped out of his room.

He then opened the door of her room with the spare key.

He immediately caught sight of her sitting on the bed, tears strewn all over her face.

He stepped forward and asked, “What’s the matter with you?”

An Xiaoning reached out to grab a piece of tissue paper from the headboard and wiped her tears with it. “Nothing,” she answered, choking with sobs.

“Why are you crying if it’s nothing?”

She looked up at him and said, “So what if I cried? I just feel like crying today, am I not allowed to, Your Highness?”

“Do as you please.” He turned around and left.

An Xiaoning’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. She lay down on her side, heartbroken and distressed.

—

Mrs. Gu went to the beauty salon for a facial and a haircut in the morning, followed by a high tea session with her friends in the afternoon.

She had an entire list of activities lined up for the day.

During her facial session at the beauty salon, Mrs. Gu declined politely with a smile when the beauty therapist offered her some tea, claiming that she had brought her own.

She was now extremely cautious and on her guard at all times. Thus, she would avoid drinking or eating anything as far as possible whenever she was outside.

She even decided to hold the high tea session in her own teahouse, just to be safe.

Xu Youran had initially begun shadowing her in the morning, all the way until the afternoon. However, she grew extremely frustrated when she realized that there would be no opportunities for her to take action as long as Mrs. Gu did not leave her house.

She repeatedly told herself not to get too impatient.

The opportunity will come sooner or later.

However, her plans backfired again and again.

She continued to wait for five consecutive days. Mrs. Gu had already left the house a few times. Yet, she still did not get the chance to act.

Xu Youran’s patience was wearing thin and she had no choice but to think of another solution.

However, it seemed difficult to come up with a feasible plan.

After racking her brains, Xu Youran decided to look for Yuan Mingzhu again.

Instead of visiting the latter at her apartment, she chose to meet her outside.

“Is there a way to control someone and force them to reveal something they don’t wish to, just with their birth characters and clothing?”

Shaking her head, Yuan Mingzhu answered, “That’s impossible.”

Xu Youran sighed and lamented, “I guess there’s really no way out then.”

“If that were possible, the world would be in chaos.”

“Is performing rituals detrimental to your health?” Xu Youran asked.

“That’s for sure. One’s lifespan would be shortened if they perform too many rituals.”

“Oh, I see. I used to read in books that some people are naturally born with an abundance of Yang (positive) energy while some are born with excessive Yin (negative) energy. Is that true?” she asked curiously.

“That’s true. Those whose Yang energy is abundant would usually be unaffected by evil spirits. Those who lack in Yang energy and have more Yin energy would usually become the targets of spirits who possess their bodies. That’s how some of the mysteries in cases come about,” Yuan Mingzhu explained truthfully.

“Could you summon spirits to possess others then?” Lin Mingxi asked softly, widening her eyes.