Her Imperfection for Wifehood - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Feeling that Lu Cheng’s words were reasonable, and seeing him uncharacteristically stubborn and defiant, An Jing compromised and went to the nearest clinic for disinfection and medication.

The wound was only an index finger’s length away from her old scar on her forehead. The doctor wanted to wrap a bandage around her head, but she found it troublesome and an overreaction, arguing with the doctor.

Finally, the nurse suggested shaving a small area of hair around the wound to make enough space for gauze and tape.

Hair, once shaved, would grow back.

Besides, her hair wasn’t long to begin with.

It was only when the nurse was shaving her head and some hair fell onto her hand that An Jing suddenly realized her hair was almost as long as her forearm.

After treating the injury on her head, An Jing and Lu Cheng arrived at Manager He’s empty house in the old district.

The lock on the door was broken, and a seal was posted.

Lu Cheng asked An Jing for instructions, then directly tore off the seal and pushed the door open.

Inside the two-story loft, An Jing and Lu Cheng searched every room thoroughly, equivalent to searching twice, but found nothing.

An Jing stood by the window of the master bedroom on the second floor and noticed a little girl peering out from the second-floor window of the house diagonally across, looking this way.

The first time she entered this room, the window across the way did not have that girl with pigtails.

The straight-line distance between the two houses was estimated to be about twenty meters. An Jing, as if inspired, also stuck her head out and looked and felt all around the window frame, above and below.

Still nothing.

She looked across again and saw the little girl covering her mouth, seemingly laughing?

On a whim, An Jing waved at her and repeated the gesture of having her pull her head back, worried she might accidentally fall.

And the girl waved back in response.

“Miss, did you find anything?” Lu Cheng was curious who she was waving to.

“No.”

After An Jing stepped back, Lu Cheng also leaned over and looked out the window. There was no one there. But as soon as he closed the window, he heard a “thwack”—the sound of glass being hit.

He opened the window and looked down: “Miss, there’s a little girl downstairs, seems to be signaling us to come down.”

As soon as Lu Cheng finished speaking, he turned his head, and An Jing was no longer in the room.

He quickly closed the window and rushed downstairs.

Seeing An Jing come out, the little girl signaled to her—Are you looking for Grandpa He?

An Jing couldn’t understand, but her intuition told her that this little girl must hold a secret. So, she knelt down on one knee, bringing her vision level with the girl’s.

“Little sister, what do you want to tell me? Do you know the people in this house?”

The little girl nodded, pointed to her mouth, and then covered it with one hand and shook her head, indicating she couldn’t speak.

Just then, an elderly woman ran out of the little girl’s house: “Oh, darling, come back quickly! I told you not to sneak out, not to go near strangers.”

The little girl reached out and touched An Jing’s hair draped over her shoulder. She then stared at An Jing’s forehead, her finger slowly moving up, stopping at the faint scar, and gently touching it.

The old woman was getting closer.

The little girl pulled something out of her sleeve and shoved it into An Jing’s hand, then turned and ran away.

The little girl was swept up by the old woman: “I’ve told you many times, there are bad people nearby. Don’t run around. Didn’t you see the police officers?”

An Jing stood up, looking down at the object the girl gave her, deep in thought.

It was an imported fountain pen, a New Year’s gift from An’s father six years ago.

She, An Xi, and the three factory managers each received one.

—Practicing calligraphy is passing down the national essence; practicing penmanship is keeping up with the pace of civilization, so as not to be eliminated by the world. I’m giving you this pen to remind you to remember four words: ‘See the word as the person.’ It is said that everything is without fixed form, and form is born from the heart. Handwriting is the same; it’s also born from the heart. Practicing calligraphy is the same as cultivating the heart. You are the pillars of the An Corporation and its navigators. Your face cannot be dirty, and your heart must not be crooked.

An’s father’s earnest words of that day were still ringing in her ears. Holding the pen, An Jing became even more convinced that Manager He’s heart had not strayed from the An Corporation.

She turned and walked back into the house, heading upstairs. A faded piece of calligraphy hung on the stairwell wall—Zheng Xin (Righteous Heart).

It was by An’s father’s hand.

She had personally taken this piece to be framed.

The paper had traces of being scratched with a small knife, but the scratches showed no sign of a hidden compartment.

An Jing took it down. Upon close inspection, scratches on the scroll’s spindle attracted her attention. She held out her hand to Lu Cheng: “Give me your dagger.”

As expected, she pulled out a rolled-up check and a letter from inside.

Manager He had “fled,” but he hadn’t taken the twenty-eight thousand. In the letter, he meticulously detailed how Kahn had threatened his family’s lives to coerce him into betraying the An Corporation, and he denounced Kahn’s various wicked deeds.

The letter concluded: “Boss Jing, I am very fortunate that you are able to see this letter, giving me an opportunity for repentance. But I am also regretful that I cannot personally apologize to you, nor can I personally come forward to testify. I sincerely hope that you and Young Master Xi can work together to overcome this difficult challenge, and I pray that Heaven has eyes to see the wicked brought to justice.

“I have one foot in the grave and my death is not to be regretted. If my remnants are fortunate enough to see the light of day, I ask Boss Jing to give me a proper burial and not to report it in the newspapers. There is no need to seek out my family or inform them of my cause of death or my passing. Let it be believed that I fled out of guilt and changed my name. —He XX respectfully.”

An Jing took the items back home. She did not rashly submit the evidence to the police station. An Xi was shouldering a heavy responsibility, and they needed to synchronize information.

From the letter’s final wishes, it seemed Manager He had anticipated his own tragic end.

In the afternoon, An Xi returned from outside.

After asking his sister what had happened to the injury on her head, he recounted his visit to the police headquarters in detail.

“Sister, the police found Manager He.” The An Corporation was a leading enterprise, and the police had spent a significant amount of time tracing Manager He’s whereabouts, finally giving them an answer.

“Is he alive or dead?” An Jing already had a bad feeling.

“He’s dead. After the autopsy, they said he drowned. Sister, Ka…” Kahn’s name almost slipped out.

“The person who colluded with Manager He acted ruthlessly, afraid we would catch a handle, so he simply killed Manager He to eliminate future troubles. After all, only dead men tell no tales. This way, not only can we not recover the money for the old machinery, but the reason for his betrayal of the An Corporation, and who instructed him, all remain without a living witness.”

Speaking of ruthlessness, was Kahn the only ruthless person in the world?

An Jing’s emotions were at an extreme low: anger, frustration, and sadness. If everyone was rushing towards a dead end, what did she have to fear?

“Look at this. I found it at Manager He’s house.” She pushed the letter and check towards An Xi.

After reading Manager He’s “suicide note,” An Xi was grief-stricken.

It turned out that ever since the “fire warning” at Factory Two, which occurred right after Wei Zhengqing’s birthday banquet, Manager He had already been under Kahn’s control.

“Sister, solely based on a letter, which is the one-sided account of a dead man, I’m afraid we can’t prosecute Kahn.”

An Jing leaned back on the sofa, exhaling a puff of smoke: “An Xi, I’ve had enough. From now on, the affairs in the legitimate world are up to you.”

Hearing this, An Xi guessed she intended to seek help from Xu Weiqiang. Should he try to dissuade her or not?

“Yinghua is going too far. If we remain docile and allow them to slaughter us, they will only become more arrogant. This is our territory. We absolutely cannot tolerate them getting away with their crimes. Sister, you are not fighting alone. Give me a little more time, okay?”

He wanted to unite as many forces as possible, both inside and outside the concession. Then, he would publicly expose the evidence of the explosion case, the arms case, the murder case, and the gambling house case, making Kahn, this heinous villain, despised, and using public pressure to force the Board of Works to completely abandon him, after which he would be brought to justice.

An Jing didn’t say yes or no. She stood up and instructed An Xi: “You must fulfill Manager He’s final wish for him.”

“Mhm.” An Xi also stood up, grabbing An Jing’s arm. “Sister, Kahn is utterly wicked and deserves death. Don’t let a scumbag like him soil your hands.”

“I’m just going out to clear my head and relieve some stress. Don’t wait for me for dinner.”

“Ah? Oh.” An Xi released her hand. “That’s fine, but you’re so injured. You must have Brother Cheng accompany you.”

“Mhm.”

Meanwhile, ever since Wei Yinxia was brought back to the Wei house, Wei Zhengqing had not allowed her to leave again.

Madam Wei had relayed all the continuous troubles encountered by the An Corporation cotton mill over the past few days as amusing gossip. Wei Yinxia was so worried about An Jing that she couldn’t eat or sleep, yet she couldn’t even touch a telephone.

It wasn’t until she heard that An Jing’s head was smashed by a stone during the workers’ riot, and Manager He’s body “surfaced,” that Wei Zhengqing ordered her to seek “help” from Tang Yunqing.

Thus, under Wei Zhengqing’s supervision, she called the Tang house.

“Sister Yunqing, I’m sorry, I really have no other choice. Could you please find a reason to help me go out? I… I’m very worried about Boss Jing and want to go see her.”

Wei Yinxia’s voice was low and anxious. Because her worry was genuine, Tang Yunqing was able to empathize.

The Tang family had received news of the incident at the An Corporation cotton mill that morning, but Tang Yunqing did not yet know the details.

She initially didn’t agree to Wei Yinxia’s request: “Wait a little longer.”

“Just one look.” Wei Yinxia’s voice was choked with tears. “Sister Yunqing, she’s injured. You must be very worried, too, right? Could you take me to see her?”

Injured? Tang Yunqing subconsciously looked up towards her father’s study, and then at her mother knitting on the sofa.

She suddenly switched to a conversational tone: “Fine. The rain has stopped, and the weather is nice today, suitable for sunbathing.”

Hanging up the phone, Tang Yunqing asked Qingyan to prepare picnic provisions, falsely claiming that she had arranged to meet Second Miss Wei to take Xiaoyu to the park, and she even offered to take a bodyguard so her parents wouldn’t worry.

While her daughter went upstairs to tidy up, Madam Tang called the Wei house. After confirming her daughter’s words with Madam Wei, she didn’t object further, only reminding them to return early.

The bodyguard drove to the Wei house. Tang Yunqing personally went to the door with Xiaoyu to pick up Wei Yinxia: “Sorry, Boss Wei. Xiaoyu misses her Auntie Yinyin and insisted on coming to find her to play.”

“Miss Tang, you are too kind. You are Yinxia’s sworn sister, and since Xiaoyu calls her Auntie, she should spend more time with Xiaoyu.”

Wei Zhengqing released her.

With the help of Tang Yunqing and Xiaoyu, Wei Yinxia successfully left the house.

As the car pulled away from the Wei house, Wei Yinxia, sitting in the passenger seat, turned back to thank Tang Yunqing: “Father is watching me closely and won’t let me leave. Sister Yunqing, thank you for being willing to help me.”

The bodyguard was a man arranged by her father, so Tang Yunqing couldn’t discuss the An family’s affairs too much.

When they reached the street, she asked the bodyguard to get out and buy a nang bread for Xiaoyu. Then, she opened the car door and got into the driver’s seat, saying to Wei Yinxia: “You sit in the back and keep an eye on Xiaoyu. The bodyguard doesn’t completely listen to my orders. We won’t be able to go to the An house today unless we shake him off.”

She could have easily dropped Wei Yinxia off and let her go to the An house on her own. But she wasn’t that selfless. She was also worried about An Jing and wanted to visit the An house again.

“Okay, Sister Yunqing.” Wei Yinxia listened to Tang Yunqing, quickly getting out of the car and back in.

Xiaoyu was tired from the car ride and had been drowsy since leaving the Wei house. She was curled up on her side in the back seat, sleeping soundly.

Once seated, Tang Yunqing stepped on the gas pedal and drove onto the road.

As the car neared the An family’s mansion, Tang Yunqing got straight to the point: “The An Corporation was framed this time by a concerted effort from multiple parties, with internal and external collusion, a meticulously planned conspiracy. Wei Yinxia, did your father have a hand in this?”

Faced with Tang Yunqing’s accusation, Wei Yinxia’s back stiffened: “I, I don’t know. I have no say at home, and Father wouldn’t reveal anything about business matters to me.”

“Yinyin, you said you would disregard even your own life for her. If you are willing to uphold justice and find evidence of Wei Zhengqing’s dirty dealings with Yinghua, we can use the law to punish him.”

“I…”

“Of course, you are father and daughter, after all. No matter how badly he treats you, blood is thicker than water. An Jing wouldn’t ask this of you. If you are unwilling, then pretend I never said anything.”

Tang Yunqing “instigated” Wei Yinxia to uphold justice against her own father, betting on her conscience and the true weight of An Jing in her heart.

At the An house, An Xi was present, but An Jing was not.

“Miss Tang, I’ll carry Xiaoyu upstairs to sleep.” As the car entered the courtyard, Wanyun welcomed them.

“Mhm.” Tang Yunqing nodded to Wanyun.

“Sister Yunqing, Yin… Second Miss Wei, why are you here?” An Xi came down from the second floor, puzzled. He never expected the two of them to arrive at the same time.

“Where’s your sister? Not home?” Tang Yunqing looked up the stairs.

“She went out.”

“Young Master Xi, may I go upstairs?” Wei Yinxia asked.

An Xi nodded.

Wei Yinxia went upstairs. An Jing’s door was open, and Xixi was sound asleep on a chair.

As she approached, Xixi heard the sound, raised its head, “meowed,” stretched, and rubbed its head against Wei Yinxia’s palm, purring.

“Xixi, you’re waiting for her too, aren’t you?” Wei Yinxia picked it up, pressing her face against its soft, long fur.

It carried the scent of A-Jing.

Downstairs, Tang Yunqing was scolding An Xi: “Didn’t she get hit on the head? You can’t even keep an injured person at home. What kind of brother are you?”

“Sister Yunqing, you know my sister’s temper better than I do. Who in this world can control her? You and Second Miss Wei sit tight here. I’ll go find her right now!”

Lu Cheng had informed him after taking An Jing to her intended destination.

“You know where she is and you’re not going immediately! Wait, take Yinyin with you.” She needed to stay and call her mother to report her safety.

“Oh.”

Nightclub.

A drunken An Jing lay on the sofa. A beautiful girl beside her was using a handkerchief to wipe the alcohol-soaked parts of her clothes.

“Sister!” Seeing the scene, An Xi told the girl, “Your business here is finished. Please leave.”

The girl only looked up but did not move.

Wei Yinxia walked past An Xi and entered, then realized the girl was an acquaintance: “Lixia?”

Lixia found the voice somewhat familiar. She eyed Wei Yinxia’s face suspiciously, unable to determine who she was: “You, you know me?”

She was Wei Yinxia, not Hong Ying.

Without further explanation, Wei Yinxia helped An Jing up, looking at her with concern: “Boss Jing?”

An Jing shook her head: “Yinyin? Am I seeing things?”

“It’s me. Come on, let’s go home.”

Lixia stepped forward to block Wei Yinxia, grasping An Jing’s arm and asking, “Boss Jing, you haven’t told me yet, is he well?”

Only An Jing knew who “he” was in her question.

Lixia had developed genuine feelings for Xu Weiqiang. After one night with him, she hadn’t let any other man touch her.

She had refused An Jing’s earlier offer of kindness because she knew her place.

She wasn’t worthy of being a triad boss’s woman. Moreover, she wasn’t sure what Xu Weiqiang’s feelings were towards her; she was likely just a fleeting episode in his many dalliances.

With the intensifying gang conflict, she hadn’t heard from Xu Weiqiang for days and couldn’t help but worry about his safety. This was why she had asked the nightclub proprietress to notify her if Boss Jing came, hoping to get news from An Jing.

An Jing pushed Lixia’s hand away, but then leaned in and said, “Lixia, you missed your chance. What difference does it make to you now where he is, dead or alive? Following him won’t lead to a good life.”

Wei Yinxia didn’t hear clearly what An Jing said to Lixia, but she clearly saw her A-Jing being intimate with another woman.

Jealousy flared, and she said with slight anger: “An Jing!”

“Yinyin, you’re scolding me again.”

An Jing made a tearful face, shedding her previous cold indifference, and wrapped her arms around Wei Yinxia’s waist: “I’m already so upset, and you’re still scolding me. Can’t you comfort me?”

Lixia: ………

An Xi: ………

Wei Yinxia: “Jing, Boss Jing, you’re drunk.”

By the main entrance, An Xi called Lu Cheng to bring the car over. An Jing threw a tantrum, breaking free from Wei Yinxia’s hands: “Yinyin, I didn’t come here to drown my sorrows. I’m not drunk.”

She was clearly speaking nonsense.

She had definitely come to drink her sorrows away. If she hadn’t gotten drunk, she would probably be rushing into the enemy’s camp with a gun.

Manager He’s death made her realize Kahn’s lawlessness.

The will of Heaven may be hard to defy, but one must act on one’s own will.

If extraordinary means were the only way to eliminate evil and secure peace, she was willing to vanish into the night and exact Heaven’s justice.

The An Corporation’s humiliation must be cleansed, Manager He’s injustice must be redressed, and Yinyin’s freedom must be seized. Unprecedented hatred filled her mind. She wanted Kahn’s life.

Looking at An Jing’s tired face, devoid of its former radiance, Wei Yinxia’s heart ached. She embraced her and kissed her.

Liking is indulgence; love is restraint. If she hadn’t wanted to spare Wei Yinxia the worry, and didn’t want her caught between herself and Wei Zhengqing, An Jing would have rushed to the Wei house to find her long ago.

With the kiss, the floodgates of longing opened.

The dizzy An Jing took the initiative, passionately embracing and kissing her beloved.

And An Xi saw this scene.

Lu Cheng also saw it.

Slamming on the brakes, Lu Cheng turned to silently question An Xi, who was sitting to his right.

It wasn’t night yet. Few people were entering and leaving the club, and few people passed by the entrance. But An Jing and Wei Yinxia’s action was extraordinary. An Xi immediately honked the horn to warn the two, while simultaneously telling Lu Cheng, “Drive over immediately.”

Wei Yinxia was startled like a frightened bird. After getting in the car, she didn’t dare to meet An Xi’s eyes, focusing only on tending to An Jing, who was leaning against her, eyes closed and resting.

As soon as they returned home, Xiaoyu, who had woken up, ran to An Jing with open arms: “Godmother, you’re finally back.”

An Jing reeked of alcohol. She bent down and stroked Xiaoyu’s head: “Be a good girl, Xiaoyu, can Godmother hold you after she takes a shower?”

“Mhm! Then Godmother, hurry up and shower, so you’ll smell nice, and Xiaoyu can hug you.” The innocent Xiaoyu continued to make surprising remarks: “Mommy, can we sleep with Godmother tonight?”

Tang Yunqing: …

Wei Yinxia: …

An Jing: “Ahem, Xiaoyu, Godmother isn’t feeling well today. I might be sick, and I don’t want to pass on a virus to you.”

Wei Yinxia also quickly added: “Boss Jing’s body feels a little warm. She might have a fever. We should also check the wound on her head. Shall we ask Doctor Fu to come and take a look?”

Tang Yunqing: …

An Jing: …

An Xi: “Who is Doctor Fu?”

Tang Yunqing looked at the gauze wrapped around An Jing’s head, touched An Jing’s forehead with the back of her hand, and frowned: “It is a bit warm. Didn’t you have the wound on your head properly treated?! Are you trying to risk your life?! What if it gets infected?”

An Jing’s face turned cold: “Yunqing, you’re scolding me too! Are all of you acting like my big brothers and sisters now?”

Wei Yinxia wrapped her right arm around An Jing’s waist, helping her upstairs, soothing her continuously: “We’re worried about you. How would we dare scold you? You are the famous Boss Jing who dominates Shanghai.”

Even with her own feelings hanging in the balance, Wei Yinxia didn’t forget to create an opportunity for Fu Wenjing.

Halfway up the stairs, she called out: “Sister Yunqing, we don’t have Doctor Fu’s home phone number. We’ll have to trouble you to call and ask Doctor Fu to come over.”

Tang Yunqing hadn’t memorized Fu Wenjing’s home phone number.

She turned to Wanyun and said, “Wanyun, contact Qingyan and have her call Doctor Fu and ask her to come to the An house immediately.”

“Yes.” Wanyun only obeyed orders. She remembered the Tang family’s number.

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