After Her Death, They Begged for Forgiveness - Chapter 67

After some time had passed, Xu Qingci planned to visit Jiang Ruo again.

During this period, she had thoroughly investigated Song Guanjin, but the more she looked into it, the stranger it seemed.

Song Guanjin’s background was remarkably simple, with virtually no family history to speak of, she was a child who had grown up in an orphanage.

Yet something about it didn’t quite add up.

Song Guanjin’s behavior was too naive so naive that she hadn’t retaliated when Jiang Ruo quietly replaced her role, so naive that she hadn’t pursued the matter after being deliberately pushed into a fall from a height, and afterward, she hadn’t even shown any sense of caution. It didn’t align with someone who had clawed their way up from the bottom.

Xu Qingci considered another possibility: perhaps Song Guanjin simply didn’t care about these things. Maybe, in her eyes, these so-called accidents were nothing more than minor disturbances.

But if someone had the ability to handle such situations, how could they remain an unknown, insignificant actor to this day?

Xu Qingci stared at the information she had gathered for a long time but still couldn’t figure out what kind of person Song Guanjin really was.

She decided to take the opportunity of visiting Jiang Ruo again to ask about Song Guanjin’s true nature.

However, when Xu Qingci arrived at the hospital, she was informed that Jiang Ruo had already been discharged.

“Discharged? But her injuries were severe!”

“The patient was discharged a few days ago.”

Xu Qingci couldn’t understand Jiang Ruo’s decision. She even wondered if Jiang Ruo was worried about the hospital bills. Frantically, she dialed Jiang Ruo’s number, only to hear the automated female voice informing her that the phone was switched off.

She closed her phone, a vague unease settling in her heart.

Even during Jiang Ruo’s hospitalization, Xu Qingci had sensed that something was off. The way Jiang Ruo looked at Xu Bingqi was inexplicably unsettling, but at the time, she had dismissed it as Jiang Ruo being emotionally unstable after the recent trauma.

Xu Qingci recalled what Xu Bingqi had said earlier: “Jiang Ruo isn’t as innocent as she seems. Who knows, she might seek revenge.”

At this thought, Xu Qingci’s face instantly turned pale. She realized she knew nothing about Xu Bingqi and Jiang Ruo.

In her memory, Jiang Ruo had always been a kind and innocent person, merely blinded by love. Yet later, Jiang Ruo had inexplicably attempted suicide and now had been discharged just as mysteriously.

During her previous visits, Jiang Ruo had stubbornly refused to reveal the real reason for her suicide.

Everything was a tangled mess. Xu Qingci closed her eyes, exhausted, and left the hospital.

After her last unpleasant encounter with Xu Bingqi at the hospital, she hadn’t dared to reach out to her daughter again.

Although she could easily obtain her daughter’s contact information, doing so would only deepen her daughter’s resentment.

Sitting in her car, Xu Qingci closed her eyes to rest when another name came to mind.

Gu Xiaozhou had been a friend to both Xu Bingqi and Jiang Ruo. Moreover, during her recent period of instability, Xu Bingqi had even visited Gu Xiaozhou. Perhaps Gu Xiaozhou would know something?

Gu Xiaozhou’s mental state had only recently stabilized, so Xu Qingci decided to visit her and ask about Xu Bingqi and Jiang Ruo.

But Xu Qingci hadn’t expected that Gu Xiaozhou, who had just regained her composure, had already gone out to walk her dog.

“Does Xiaozhou have to walk the dog herself?”

Xu Qingci asked in great confusion, “Can’t you just find someone else to walk the dog?”

Gu Nan shook her head. “Douhua only likes it when Xiaozhou walks her.”

Xu Qingci nodded doubtfully. What a dog with personality.

“How long does the walk usually take?”

Gu Nan checked the time. “She should be back soon.”

In truth, she wished Gu Xiaozhou would walk the dog a bit longer, since that beagle named Douhua was really too annoying.

Only a daughter as annoying as Douhua could tolerate her.

“But having a dog is quite nice,” Xu Qingci sighed. “At least it makes the house livelier.”

However, it didn’t take long for Xu Qingci to abandon that thought.

Ever since that dog named Douhua returned, the house had been anything but peaceful.

“Hasn’t she already been walked? How can this dog still have so much energy?”

Gu Nan politely turned her head away, avoiding the sight of Douhua’s slobber on Xu Qingci’s pants. “Maybe she’s especially happy to see you today.”

Gu Xiaozhou tried to pull Douhua away from Xu Qingci, but Douhua protested with “werwer” sounds while persistently licking Xu Qingci’s pants. Despite multiple attempts, Gu Xiaozhou couldn’t get Douhua to budge.

“Auntie Xu, maybe Douhua really likes you.”

Gu Xiaozhou stopped trying. In her view already that of an extremely patient person this wasn’t a particularly big deal.

Besides, this was Douhua’s way of showing affection. Perhaps Auntie Xu would feel happy despite her surprise, especially since she had earlier mentioned that having a dog could make the house livelier.

“Xiaozhou, are you feeling better now?”

Xu Qingci had initially asked this question out of politeness, but her tone carried a hint of concern as she spoke.

In her opinion, anyone who could show such an indulgent expression while watching this dog wreak havoc must have a mental state quite different from ordinary people.

“I’m much better now,” Gu Xiaozhou smiled. “And walking the dog every day is great for keeping a good mood. Auntie Xu, you could also get a beagle, it might bring you a lot of joy.”

Xu Qingci shook her head and quickly changed the subject. “Xiaozhou, do you know anything about Bingqi’s friend, Song Guanjin?”

She had intended to ease into the topic more gradually, but she was worried that if they continued talking, Gu Xiaozhou might actually give her a beagle.

“Song Guanjin?”

Gu Xiaozhou paused for a moment. “I’ve met her a few times, but I don’t know her very well.”

“What kind of person is she?” Xu Qingci asked urgently, ignoring Douhua tugging at her pants. “Do you know that Bingqi seems to like her?”

Gu Xiaozhou felt a slight pang of disappointment and answered gloomily after a short delay, “She treats Bingqi quite well.”

Since regaining her past memories, Gu Xiaozhou had accepted that she and Xu Bingqi could never go back to how they were.

Moreover, that “vase” was genuinely sincere toward Xu Bingqi from beginning to end.

If she set aside her biases, Xu Bingqi would surely be very happy with that “vase.”

Xu Qingci nodded. “I see.”

She didn’t entirely trust Gu Xiaozhou’s judgment, as Gu Xiaozhou wasn’t particularly clever and might only see things on the surface.

“Yes, I feel Bingqi is very happy with Song Guanjin.” Gu Xiaozhou completely missed Xu Qingci’s perfunctory tone and continued on her own: “Actually, happiness is what matters most.”

Xu Qingci shook her head slightly: “I’m worried Song Guanjin might be like Xiao Hua.”

Gu Xiaozhou’s eyes widened upon hearing this, making her resemble a puppy with round, douhua-like eyes even more: “How could Song Guanjin be like Xiao Hua?”

Even during the time she disliked Song Guanjin the most, she never sensed any similarity between Song Guanjin and Xiao Hua.

“Auntie Xu, you’ve never even met Song Guanjin. Why would you speculate about her like this?”

Gu Xiaozhou genuinely felt that Xu Qingci seemed to have too much prejudice against Song Guanjin so much that even she, who had once been quite dissatisfied with Song Guanjin, couldn’t stand such assumptions.

Xu Qingci fell silent for a moment, feeling that her train of thought and Gu Xiaozhou’s were completely misaligned. In the end, she only offered an ambiguous remark: “Xiaozhou, perhaps you’re just too naive.”

Gu Xiaozhou felt it wasn’t that she was too naive, but that Xu Qingci harbored too much malice toward Song Guanjin.

“Song Guanjin is much better than Jiang Ruo and me.” After hesitating for a while, Gu Xiaozhou still tried to explain seriously: “When I made mistakes, Song Guanjin was always there for my sister.”

Xu Qingci knew which “mistakes” Gu Xiaozhou was referring to, but she was puzzled by the first part of Gu Xiaozhou’s statement.

Why would Gu Xiaozhou compare Song Guanjin to herself and Jiang Ruo?

Jiang Ruo was Xu Bingqi’s former sister, and Gu Xiaozhou was Xu Bingqi’s former friend this comparison seemed rather inappropriate.

Xu Qingci felt that Gu Xiaozhou’s mental state might not have fully recovered, so she couldn’t help but glance sympathetically at Gu Nan.

Meeting Xu Qingci’s slightly sympathetic and pitying gaze, Gu Nan smiled helplessly: “Xiaozhou has been heartbroken for a long time, but fortunately, she’s adjusted now.”

“Heartbroken?” Xu Qingci was greatly shocked: “Who did she like? Song Guanjin?”

Suddenly, it dawned on her. She seemed to understand why Gu Xiaozhou was so fervently defending Song Guanjin.

It was because Gu Xiaozhou liked Song Guanjin even after being heartbroken, she couldn’t help but speak up for her.

Xu Qingci’s expression darkened. This Song Guanjin was too cunning she actually managed to make both her daughter and her friend’s daughter fall for her at the same time.

Gu Xiaozhou’s eyes widened even more.

“No, I don’t like her.” It was the first time Gu Xiaozhou had heard someone say she liked Song Guanjin, and she hurriedly explained: “Strictly speaking, I once considered her a love rival.”

“Oh, considered her a love rival.” Xu Qingci echoed perfunctorily before it sank in: “Considered her a love rival?”

Gu Xiaozhou nodded calmly: “Yes, I like Xu Bingqi.”

She used “like” instead of “liked,” though she was well aware now that there wasn’t the slightest possibility between her and Xu Bingqi.

Xu Qingci was completely stunned.

“You like my daughter?” Still in shock, she confirmed again: “What kind of liking? As a friend or …”

She didn’t finish, but Gu Xiaozhou quickly added: “It’s the kind of liking related to love.”

Xu Qingci glanced at Gu Nan again: “Is Xiaozhou still confused?”

Between the two of them, there must be one whose mental state wasn’t quite right.

Gu Nan shook her head. “Xiaozhou has returned to normal.”

“Did you really never notice that Xiaozhou liked Bingqi before?” Gu Nan felt that Xu Qingci seemed particularly slow on the uptake. “You never paid attention to it?”

Xu Qingci shook her head, then heard Gu Xiaozhou’s slightly excited voice: “Then does Aunt Xu know that Jiang Ruo also likes Bingqi?”

Xu Qingci felt as if her entire world had completely collapsed.

Still, she instinctively refuted it: “Doesn’t Jiang Ruo like Xiao Hua?”

“Jiang Ruo rarely visited Xiao Hua after he was hospitalized.” Gu Xiaozhou was puzzled by how oblivious Xu Qingci could be. “Besides, there wasn’t a hint of affection in her eyes when she looked at Xiao Hua.”

“That doesn’t prove Jiang Ruo likes Bingqi.”

Xu Qingci refused to accept the assumption that “Jiang Ruo likes Xu Bingqi.” Her mind felt completely overwhelmed.

She didn’t believe Gu Xiaozhou’s words, but she trusted Gu Nan’s reaction. Gu Nan hadn’t refuted Gu Xiaozhou, which meant that what Gu Xiaozhou said was likely true.

“Aunt Xu, you really should let go of your biases and gradually accept reality.” Gu Xiaozhou shook her head. “Maybe if you show some acceptance of Song Guanjin, Bingqi might resent you a little less?”

As soon as Gu Xiaozhou finished speaking, Gu Nan scolded her.

Gu Nan sighed helplessly, rubbing her forehead. Her daughter was too straightforward, and her words felt like knives stabbing into Xu Qingci’s heart. “Xiaozhou, say less.”

After that, she turned to Xu Qingci. “But let’s not interfere too much in the younger generation’s affairs. They’ve all grown up now.”

Xu Qingci sighed and slowly stood up.

She already knew the exact filming location of Song Guanjin and planned to quietly visit her in a few days to see what kind of person Song Guanjin really was.

By then, Douhua had lost interest in Xu Qingci’s pant leg. When Xu Qingci stood up, the dog merely lifted its head to glance at her.

Lazily sprawled on the ground, Douhua felt that its intelligence was at least higher than that of two people present.

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