After Her Death, They Begged for Forgiveness - Chapter 5

Xu Bingqi drove aimlessly.

She had always believed that Xu Qingci was merely strict with her, yet still held some maternal affection for her. She thought it was only because she, as the universally disliked child, had repeatedly disappointed Xu Qingci that Xu Qingci had ultimately been forced to give up on her. However, Xu Qingci’s casual admission of tracking her phone shattered all those illusions.

Xu Bingqi fully accepted the fact that, as an adult, Xu Qingci did not love her.

But Xu Bingqi vividly remembered the worried look in Xu Qingci’s eyes and her round-the-clock companionship during her childhood fevers.

Those memories were deeply rooted in her mind, remaining fresh and clear despite countless washes of time.

When did it all start to change?

Xu Bingqi sank into a long and painful recollection.

When she was eight years old, Xu Bingqi attended an outdoor summer camp organized by her school. Upon returning home, she found a delicate, doll-like little girl hiding behind her mother.

Xu Bingqi greeted her warmly, only to be told that this was a girl Xu Qingci had adopted, a sister she would need to support and rely on from then on, someone they would live with forever.

The sun-tanned, dark little Xu Bingqi widened her eyes in surprise and protested, only to faint from the overwhelming shock.

This time, Xu Qingci did not stay by her side. Every time Xu Bingqi opened her eyes, all she saw was the indifferent face of the newly hired live-in nanny.

Anxiously, Xu Bingqi asked where her mother was and received a brief reply from the nanny: “Madam Xu has taken her daughter to the seaside for a vacation.”

From then on, as Xu Bingqi transformed from a dark little sesame ball back into a fair, glutinous rice ball and eventually grew into the tall, beautiful young woman she was today, Xu Qingci never again accompanied her as she once had.

Xu Bingqi pulled the car over to the side of the road and began to seriously ponder this abrupt and inexplicable turning point.

A twist so sudden it seemed like possession in real life felt entirely normal in the context of a novel’s plot.

Thinking of that overpoweringly favored character in the novel, Xu Bingqi realized that this memory roughly aligned with the beginning of the story.

At the start of the novel, Jiang Ruo was adopted by Xu Qingci but faced dissatisfaction from Xu Qingci’s biological daughter, Xu Bingqi.

Xu Qingci, who had always been doting on Xu Bingqi, began to feel disappointed in her for the first time after growing fond of the well-behaved and kind-hearted Jiang Ruo, especially when comparing her to her own spoiled and delicate daughter.

As the plot progressed, Xu Bingqi’s classmates, friends, and even everyone around her grew utterly disappointed in her in contrast to Jiang Ruo, drawing a clear line between themselves and Xu Bingqi.

Xu Bingqi sighed. The loving mother from the depths of her memory had gradually transformed into someone she no longer recognized, starting from that pivotal moment in the novel.

It seemed as though she alone retained a sense of self, detached from the flawed personality of the Xu Bingqi in the novel.

Xu Bingqi pressed her temples. She wasn’t suffering from a headache, but her mind was a tangled mess of countless clues that she couldn’t unravel.

The only thing she was certain of was that she needed to move out of the Xu family villa as soon as possible and check whether any of her belongings in her room had been tampered with.

Only then could she ensure that her fresh start would have no ties to the past.

Having made up her mind, Xu Bingqi gently pressed the accelerator and drove toward the Xu family villa.

In the distance, the mountains met the horizon, shrouded in mist and clouds. Sunlight filtered through the clouds, spilling onto the ridges, where light and shadow intertwined in a dazzling display.

The trees along the roadside stood like guardians on either side, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. Occasionally, a few birds swept across the sky, tracing elegant arcs through the blue expanse.

It was as if everything was celebrating her rebirth.

Fifteen minutes later, Xu Bingqi returned to the home she had lived in for over twenty years.

But this time, it was to bid a final farewell.

Yet, as she stood in the room, her emotions surging, Xu Bingqi once again sank into contemplation.

The belongings accumulated over two decades in this house were not so easily packed and taken away.

After a brief struggle, Xu Bingqi decided to rely on the power of money, hiring a courier service for moving and storage.

She had a strange intuition that moving out as quickly as possible, especially during Jiang Ruo’s birthday celebration, was the best choice. Otherwise, she would inevitably be hindered by the constraints of the novel’s plot.

The moving company was remarkably efficient, swiftly packing all of Xu Bingqi’s belongings into cardboard boxes and moving bags.

“Miss, this piano needs to be wrapped in bubble wrap and stretch film. It’s best to hire professionals to move it,” one of the movers suggested.

Xu Bingqi followed the mover’s gaze to the Steinway B211 standing quietly in the corner.

It was a piano Xu Qingci had bought for her long ago.

Xu Bingqi still remembered Xu Qingci’s doting smile back then: “If Bingqi is interested, you can try playing it. We can always upgrade to a better one later.”

Xu Bingqi walked over to the piano, her gaze lingering tenderly on the black and white keys, her mind echoing with the melodies once played on this instrument.

“Forget it, let’s leave the piano here,” Xu Bingqi said with a faint smile. “Thank you for your hard work. Please take the packed items to the storage facility first.”

After the movers left, Xu Bingqi quietly observed the room she had lived in for over twenty years. Once filled with traces of life, it now felt empty. A few faint scratches remained on the floor, marks left during the cleanup.

The only thing left behind was the piano Xu Qingci had bought for her, standing silently in the center of the room, waiting for the next melody to be played.

After a moment’s pause, Xu Bingqi quickly left the room.

She still had many things to do, and her first priority was to find a suitable place to live.

Meanwhile, Song Guanjin was passionately engaging with Xu Bingqi’s anti-fans online.

[“Xu Bingqi is such a failure. Even with all the resources the Xu family poured into her, she’s still barely making a name for herself.”]

Song Guanjin first searched for the meaning of “fw” in the search bar, then looked up the definition of “barely making a name for herself.” She typed in reply: [“You’re the failure. She’s going to make it big someday.”]

[“The Xu family must be buying bots again. They’re wasting so much money on this good-for-nothing.”]

Understanding the term “bots,” Song Guanjin replied much faster this time: [“I’m not a bot.”]

[“Are you in elementary school? No homework to do, so you’re here seeking attention?”]

Song Guanjin searched for the meaning of “xxs” and fell into a rare silence.

She had never received nine years of compulsory education, so she couldn’t even be considered an elementary school student.

She replied: [“I’m not. You’re the one in elementary school.”]

[“This really feels like an elementary school argument. I’d guess you’re no older than 12.”]

By the time Xu Bingqi saw the thread, Song Guanjin had already exchanged hundreds of messages with the others.

Xu Bingqi stared at the fan with the ID “My IQ Is Normal,” lost in thought.

If her guess was correct.

Xu Bingqi clicked into the user’s following list and found only two accounts: her own and Song Guanjin’s verified account.

Well, her guess was spot on.

During the online argument, Song Guanjin was so furious that she forgot to hide her cat ears. The usually perky ears were pressed back slightly, and if her manager hadn’t been by her side, she would have been meowing in anger.

As a cat, she had never lost a verbal spat with her own kind, and her “cat punches” were unrivaled in fights. Yet, when arguing with humans, she always ended up at a disadvantage, which frustrated her immensely.

The manager sighed helplessly as she watched Song Guanjin, who had once again put on her cat ear accessories. “Do you remember the image you’re supposed to maintain?” she reminded.

Too engrossed in the argument to pull herself away, Song Guanjin typed rapidly, “What image?”

“Ethereal and fragile!”

The manager could no longer hold back her frustration and even considered snatching the cat ear accessories off Song Guanjin’s head. “We’re about to sign the contract for ‘The Sea.’ Why are you wearing cat ears and acting cute?”

Only then did Song Guanjin realize she had forgotten to hide her cat ears again.

She reached up and touched her two fluffy ears, pretending to remove the accessories.

Integrating into human society was just too difficult.

Life is hard, sighed the cat.

The manager shook her head helplessly. Song Guanjin usually carried herself with an icy elegance, but she often wore cat ear accessories that clashed with her appearance, adding a touch of adorable goofiness to her cool demeanor.

Who knows if she’ll ever make it big.

After confirming that her human form was flawless, Song Guanjin dove back into the intense online argument.

She concluded that her opponent must be using some sneaky, underhanded tactic.

For Song Guanjin, who was now fully invested in the argument, this wasn’t just about defending Xu Bingqi’s creative abilities, it was a monumental battle for feline dignity against humanity.

Xu Bingqi refreshed the page and noticed that Song Guanjin was still relentlessly arguing.

She glanced at the time on her phone and could only conclude that, through this practical exercise of online bickering, Song Guanjin’s typing speed had noticeably improved.

Alone in her spacious villa, Xu Bingqi suddenly felt as if she were being embraced by a warm presence.

It was like a small boat adrift on the sea being gently lifted and steadied.

A warm smile tugged at the corners of Xu Bingqi’s lips.

But the overwhelming emotion that followed wasn’t joy, it was fear.

She had lost too many people’s support in the past.

The novel Beloved, the Center of Attention was too long, so Xu Bingqi had only focused on the parts related to herself. With so many side characters, she hadn’t memorized every detail.

She wasn’t sure if Song Guanjin was one of those fleeting characters in the book someone who had briefly been kind to her before realizing her “universally disliked” true nature.

In her previous life, she hadn’t gone for the hospital check-up, so she never had the chance to meet Song Guanjin.

But she clearly remembered that the entire crew of The Sea had been on good terms with Jiang Ruo. Even years later, Jiang Ruo had posted a message thanking all the creators of The Sea.

In the world of Beloved, the Center of Attention, almost everyone was a fervent supporter of Jiang Ruo.

Song Guanjin couldn’t possibly be an exception.

Xu Bingqi watched the comment section gradually being buried under new posts and let out a soft sigh. He opened the chat window with Song Guanjin and typed, “Thank you for defending me, but it’s really not necessary.”

After drafting the message, he felt the tone was too stiff. After a moment of thought, he began rephrasing it.

Meanwhile, Song Guanjin had already emerged victorious in the debate. Those who had been arguing with her conceded one after another:
[“This troll has way too much energy. I surrender.”]
[“I admit defeat. Can’t help but admire the persistence.”]
[“With this level of determination, you’d succeed at anything.”]

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