After Her Death, They Begged for Forgiveness - Chapter 58

Xu Bingqi was almost pestered daily by the cat about “techniques and skills.”

She felt her skin was gradually thickening.

[Sis, have you studied the learning materials in the compressed file today?]

[Learning Materials 2.zip]

[I’ve compiled some others too. Sis, make time to study them when you’re free.]

Xu Bingqi couldn’t understand how someone who filmed from morning till night could still have so much energy.

But to avoid making the cat feel neglected, and to prevent the cat from thinking her attitude toward learning was improper, the usually upright and honest Xu Bingqi finally learned to lie.

[I studied them.]

The cat, on break at the set, replied almost instantly: [How was it? Useful?]

Xu Bingqi deliberated for a moment and chose to continue lying: [I benefited greatly.]

These past few days, aside from preparing for the music variety show, Xu Bingqi had spent most of her time investigating Jiang Ruo’s recent schedule. She truly had no extra energy to study the “learning materials” Song Guanjin had sent her.

But it shouldn’t be too difficult, Xu Bingqi thought. Catching up on it in a few days shouldn’t be a problem.

Surely it couldn’t be harder than mastering a new musical instrument. Besides, no matter what instrument she played, she could play for hours without issue. This kind of thing shouldn’t be a problem either, and she definitely wouldn’t feel tired in her hands.

The cat instantly perked up. Everyone on the set noticed the lead actress, Teacher Song, smiling more and more brightly, radiant enough to captivate even in the bleak winter.

[I’ve also learned a few positions recently.]

After receiving Song Guanjin’s latest message, Xu Bingqi’s typing hand froze.

Positions? What positions? Could it be the kind of positions she was thinking of?

She typed and deleted, deleted and typed in the chat box, finally sending just a few words: [What positions?]

It wasn’t like she hadn’t studied the learning materials at all, she had at least glanced at them.

[Sis, you’re too impatient! With so many people around, I’m too embarrassed to send them to you!]

[So come to my place tonight and see them up close.]

Xu Bingqi quickly turned off her phone. She still had to investigate whether there was any connection between Jiang Ruo and the staff member who prepared the harness for Song Guanjin. She absolutely couldn’t let beauty distract her from her task.

Besides, what if the cat asked her to reciprocate and demonstrate her recent learning progress? Then her lies would be exposed.

[No, I have things to do tonight.]

After sending the message, Xu Bingqi let out a soft sigh of relief.

She needed to focus on the investigation now and stop thinking about positions or anything else.

After closing the chat box, Xu Bingqi glanced at the Americano on her desk and sighed. Perhaps she shouldn’t have drunk coffee in the afternoon but should have taken Chinese medicine to regulate herself instead. If only someone could develop coffee mixed with Chinese medicine or Chinese medicine that tasted like coffee.

Otherwise, it was almost impossible to concentrate on anything else.

Xu Bingqi tried hard to banish Song Guanjin’s image from her mind and continued gathering information about Jiang Ruo. While quickly browsing, she suddenly came across a piece of gossip about Jiang Ruo.

A piece of gossip she already knew about and that was long outdated.

The poster analyzed in detail how Jiang Ruo and a young talent had developed mutual affection, and how Jiang Ruo intended to introduce this young talent to her adoptive mother, Xu Qingci.

A piece of gossip that had long expired and was only half-true had miraculously survived due to its low view count.

Xu Bingqi paused for a moment before promptly closing the post.

It had been a long time since she had heard any news about Xiao Hua. It was as if all information about this person had vanished into thin air.

Her last impression of Xiao Hua was of his attempt to sabotage her with a smear campaign to prevent her from joining that music variety show.

She had already investigated most of the tax issues related to Xiao Hua’s company. Only a final bit of work remained before she could submit all the evidence to the court.

Clutching the USB drive containing evidence of Xiao Hua’s tax evasion, Xu Bingqi’s mind suddenly drifted to another thought.

Xiao Hua’s previous attempt to tarnish her reputation with a smear campaign was meant to stop her from joining the music variety show. However, it clearly wasn’t his own idea. Xiao Hua was foolish and had no knowledge of the novel’s plotline, so he wouldn’t have wasted so much effort and resources on something that harmed others without benefiting himself.

It seemed more likely that Jiang Ruo was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes.

If that were the case, then Xiao Hua probably knew about the other things Jiang Ruo had done, right?

Xu Bingqi found the address of Xiao Hua’s company but hesitated about whether she should approach him first to gather more information.

After all, Xiao Hua was shortsighted. If he knew that Xu Qingci had already decided against leaving the family fortune to Jiang Ruo, he would likely betray Jiang Ruo without much hesitation.

Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that with Jiang Ruo’s meticulous nature, he must have planted many informants within Xiao Hua’s company. If she went there recklessly, it might alert them.

If Jiang Ruo found out she had contacted Xiao Hua, it could tip him off.

At this point, Xu Bingqi was still unaware that Xiao Hua had already had his leg broken by Jiang Ruo and was recuperating in the hospital.

And, as it turned out, he was in the same hospital as Xu Qingci.

“Xiao Zhou, why are you running to the hospital every day?” Gu Nan looked at her daughter with a headache. “You’re going more often than I am. You know perfectly well that Aunt Xu doesn’t lack people to take care of her.”

What she didn’t say outright was that her daughter had no idea how to care for others. Going to Xu Qingci’s place only caused more trouble than it was worth.

“I just want to do my part,” Gu Xiaozhou insisted.

Ignoring her mother’s advice, Gu Xiaozhou once again made her way to Xu Qingci’s hospital room.

“Aunt Xu, I’ve come to see you again!”

After accidentally knocking over a water cup behind her, Gu Xiaozhou offered an awkward smile.

Xu Qingci sighed silently. In truth, her left eye had almost fully recovered. She could have returned home and been cared for by the family doctor, but she had no desire to go back to the cold, lifeless Xu residence. She would rather stay in the hospital.

Though the hospital wasn’t cold, it was certainly bustling with too much “liveliness.”

“Aunt Xu, are you really not going to let Jiang Ruo stay in the family?” Gu Xiaozhou launched into her daily routine of questions. “Don’t you feel even a little bit soft-hearted?”

Xu Qingci had been asked this question so many times that she no longer felt like responding.

But Gu Xiaozhou was like the beagle she had raised, if she didn’t get a response, she would just keep barking “wer wer” endlessly.

“Auntie Xu, actually Jiang Ruo is quite well-behaved and sensible. Why don’t you let her come back?” Xu Qingci turned her head away but still heard Gu Xiaozhou’s persistent voice: “And her boyfriend is quite good too. Anyone who could attract Jiang Ruo must have some redeeming qualities.”

Gu Xiaozhou couldn’t actually think of any redeeming qualities Xiao Hua might possess, but she continued speaking earnestly, hoping Xu Qingci would change her mind.

What if Jiang Ruo gets kicked out of the Xu family and goes looking for Xu Bingqi again!

Xu Bingqi already has that vase Song Guanjin by his side – he definitely can’t take on another delicate beauty like Jiang Ruo!

While her own failure was frightening enough, her friend’s success would be even more devastating.

After much deliberation, Gu Xiaozhou concluded that she had no chance of becoming Xu Bingqi’s lover anyway, but Jiang Ruo, who had never offended Xu Bingqi, stood a much better chance.

Since Xu Bingqi wouldn’t be returning to the Xu family, it would be better to keep Jiang Ruo in the Xu household – she couldn’t create any opportunity for Jiang Ruo to go play the poor little thing in front of Xu Bingqi.

So Gu Xiaozhou continued chattering beside Xu Qingci like her beagle Douhua.

She had grown so accustomed to Douhua’s daily “werwerwer” that she was gradually becoming assimilated, believing that only continuous talking could capture the listener’s attention.

Xu Qingci finally lost her patience: “If you’re so worried about Jiang Ruo, why don’t you take her in? You two are practically childhood sweethearts anyway, having grown up together all these years.”

Gu Xiaozhou immediately shut her mouth.

She didn’t want to bring Jiang Ruo back to the Gu family. Gu Xiaozhou had a premonition that when it came to matters of the heart, she was no match for Jiang Ruo.

She might just end up being a stepping stone in Jiang Ruo’s successful pursuit of Xu Bingqi.

“Actually, Jiang Ruo and Xiao Hua are quite well-suited for each other,” Gu Xiaozhou finally found an excuse after a long pause: “Young couples should live together. I can’t possibly play third wheel.”

Gu Xiaozhou practically gritted her teeth as she said this, thinking resentfully that Jiang Ruo already had Xiao Hua, yet she still kept visiting Xu Bingqi every now and then!

She’d even tracked down the hotel where Xu Bingqi used to stay!

She must have developed feelings for this unrelated older sister.

“Xiao Hua is still in the hospital,” Xu Qingci smiled lightly: “Xiaozhou, didn’t you know?”

After speaking, Xu Qingci finally turned to carefully observe Gu Xiaozhou’s expression, narrowing her eyes slightly when she saw the other’s shocked look.

She had initially thought Gu Xiaozhou had a crush on Jiang Ruo and had secretly sent people to break her love rival’s leg, but Gu Xiaozhou’s reaction suggested this was the first she was hearing about it.

“Someone broke his leg. He’s in this hospital too.”

Xu Qingci provided more details about Xiao Hua’s condition, noticing the subtle traces of fear mixed with shock in Gu Xiaozhou’s expression.

“Was it you?”

How terrifying – just because someone pursued your adopted daughter, you sent people to break his leg? That’s so authoritarian and cruel!

Xu Qingci coughed lightly: “It wasn’t me. I would never do something like that.”

She hadn’t even forced Xiao Hua to transfer hospitals.

Gu Xiaozhou breathed a sigh of relief. Auntie Xu wasn’t as unreasonable as she had imagined. Even if her feelings for Xu Bingqi were discovered, her personal safety should be guaranteed.

Besides, she was the daughter of Auntie Xu’s good friend – there was no way her legs would get broken!

The two exchanged awkward glances. After a moment of silence, Gu Xiaozhou made up a random excuse and left Xu Qingci’s hospital room.

Now she was more interested in visiting Xiao Hua, the one with the broken leg.

And while she was at it, she intended to persuade Xiao Hua to be more loyal and attentive to his girlfriend, Jiang Ruo preferably so devoted that Jiang Ruo wouldn’t have the time or energy to seek out Xu Bingqi.

With the relentless determination of a Beagle, Gu Xiaozhou soon arrived at Xiao Hua’s ward.

Unlike Xu Qingci’s room, Xiao Hua’s was plain and desolate. For a moment, Gu Xiaozhou wondered if she had come to the wrong place.

Xiao Hua’s face was as pale as paper, his bloodless lips slightly chapped. His sunken eyes were dull, filled with exhaustion and helplessness.

Gu Xiaozhou hesitated for a few seconds before asking, “Are you Xiao Hua?”

Could Jiang Ruo’s boyfriend really be in such a state? She even doubted whether he had any nursing care at all.

Xiao Hua nodded. His first instinct was to size up Gu Xiaozhou’s attire. Noticing that the woman before him was dressed head to toe in luxury brands, a faint glimmer sparked in his lifeless eyes.

Jiang Ruo was practically a devil. He feared that even if he could marry her and inherit Xu Qingci’s fortune, he might not live long enough to enjoy it.

He needed to find another way out.

Fortunately, he still had his good looks. Xiao Hua covered his mouth with a light cough, then subtly tugged at his hospital gown to reveal a hint of his abdominal muscles, hoping to catch the woman’s attention.

But Gu Xiaozhou was busy scrutinizing the room’s furnishings, clicking her tongue in disapproval.

It was clear Jiang Ruo didn’t care much about this Xiao Hua. Gu Xiaozhou had always suspected Jiang Ruo’s interest lay not with Xiao Hua but with Xu Bingqi and now it seemed all the more obvious.

“Are you Jiang Ruo’s boyfriend? Do you know what she’s been up to lately? After moving out, does she plan to live with you?”

Gu Xiaozhou fired off three questions in a row, but Xiao Hua’s mind went blank at the last one.

“Jiang Ruo is moving out? Where to?”

Gu Xiaozhou shot a disdainful look at the clueless man before her. How useless, he couldn’t even hold onto Jiang Ruo’s heart.

“Auntie Xu doesn’t want Jiang Ruo living in the Xu residence anymore,” Gu Xiaozhou frowned. “Didn’t she tell you where she’s moving?”

Could Jiang Ruo really be planning to move in with Xu Bingqi? Had she already discarded this useless man in the hospital bed, pretending to be single to win Xu Bingqi’s trust?

How utterly despicable! She had to stop Jiang Ruo!

Compared to Jiang Ruo, even Song Guanjin, that decorative vase seemed more tolerable. At least that vase wouldn’t two-time like this.

“She’s not allowed to live with the Xus anymore?” Xiao Hua felt as if his whole world had collapsed. “Then can she still inherit Xu Qingci’s fortune?”

It didn’t make sense. Shouldn’t Xu Bingqi be the one out of the picture? Why would Jiang Ruo have to move out?

Maybe it was a test from Xu Qingci, Xiao Hua tried to reassure himself.

Gu Xiaozhou felt the man before her hadn’t just broken his leg, he’d lost his mind. “How could that be? Xu Bingqi is Auntie Xu’s own daughter. Why would she leave her fortune to Jiang Ruo?”

As the words left her mouth, Gu Xiaozhou herself felt a moment of disorientation.

She, too, had once believed Xu Qingci ought to leave everything to Jiang Ruo. She had even mocked and belittled Xu Bingqi at every turn, worried she might get a share of the inheritance and in the end, her disgust for Xu Bingqi had driven her to do that terrible thing.

In just a few short months, her thoughts had undergone a dramatic transformation.

After a long daze, Gu Xiaozhou finally snapped back to reality and continued to look disdainfully at Xiao Hua: “Did you seduce Jiang Ruo just because you wanted Aunt Xu’s fortune?”

Xiao Hua paid no mind to Gu Xiaozhou’s accusation, merely muttering in rebuttal: “Impossible, she said it! She said the entire Xu family fortune would be hers! As long as I marry her, the inheritance will be mine too!”

Gu Xiaozhou was utterly disappointed: “How could Jiang Ruo ever say something like that? Did you really hit your head?”

Although her relationship with Jiang Ruo had grown quite distant lately, over the past twenty-plus years, she had come to know Jiang Ruo’s character well. There was no way Jiang Ruo would openly talk about fighting over family wealth.

This man was absolutely obsessed with money.

“Who are you? Are you close with Jiang Ruo?” Xiao Hua clenched his hospital gown, his knuckles turning white from the force: “Can you please not tell Jiang Ruo about our conversation today?”

Jiang Ruo had broken one of his legs, and he still couldn’t get out of bed to walk. If Jiang Ruo found out he already knew she couldn’t inherit the family fortune, things might get even worse for him.

In any case, he had to find another way out without Jiang Ruo knowing.

“So scared of her, huh.”

Gu Xiaozhou was slightly puzzled. Jiang Ruo always spoke softly and treated everyone with kindness, so why was this person so terrified at the mention of her?

Maybe his mind really wasn’t all there?

Gu Xiaozhou hadn’t planned on telling Jiang Ruo about their conversation anyway, but she waved her hand dismissively: “Then just treat her well, make her unable to live without you. Maybe then I’ll consider it.”

As long as Jiang Ruo and Xiao Hua remained in a relationship, Jiang Ruo’s chances of pursuing Xu Bingqi were extremely slim.

At this thought, Gu Xiaozhou felt a pang of heartache. By doing this, she was actually helping that vase-like woman.

“When the snipe and the clam grapple, it’s the fisherman who profits.”

That Song Guanjin clearly knew nothing, yet she had already won big time.

With this in mind, Gu Xiaozhou left Xiao Hua’s hospital room dejectedly.

Her alternate account, which she had used to post numerous photos of a Beagle named Tofu in hopes of getting a reply from Xu Bingqi, had been ruthlessly blocked by him after he recognized her while she was walking the dog.

Heartbroken, Gu Xiaozhou could only register a new alternate account to secretly and bitterly watch Xu Bingqi and Song Guanjin’s sweet interactions in the comments.

She didn’t dare comment anymore, only daring to silently downvote Song Guanjin’s comments to vent her frustration a little.

That vase’s cat was also extremely annoying. She had seen photos of Xu Bingqi with the cat multiple times on his account updates.

The cat even buried its head in the crook of Xu Bingqi’s neck, its green eyes half-closed in contentment, shameless just like its owner!

However, at this moment, Miss Gu had no idea that the cat’s skills were far more advanced than she imagined.

After a busy day, Xu Bingqi lay quietly in bed, having a voice call with the cat.

“Sister, let’s switch to a video call. I want to show you a few new poses I’ve learned recently.” In the darkness, Song Guanjin’s voice carried a hint of temptation: “I’m really flexible, sister. Don’t you want to see?”

After the voice call, Xu Bingqi no longer had nightmares about her past life. Her dreams were now filled with tender and intimate moments with Song Guanjin.

The first thing Xu Bingqi did after waking up the next morning was to order a suitable finger sleeve online.

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