Her Imperfection for Wifehood - Chapter 48

Chapter 48

If there is a person whose every encounter with you, from the first one many years ago to countless subsequent meetings, even including seducing and pleasing you, was all a carefully planned deceit, a premeditated plot with the sole intention of ruining you financially and reputationally, and they succeeded.

That person, even if she had an unspeakable hardship, even if she was compelled against her will, even if she truly developed feelings for you, does not deserve to be forgiven.

Because all the damage is a done deal, and the current reality will be like a knife, constantly stabbing your heart. This kind of pain is only understood by those who have experienced it.

Yes, I hate that “bad” woman named Wei Yinxia.

But hate also means that I still love her.

I love her. I cannot deny it, because this is also a fact.

So, I chased her away, sent her to a safe place, and let her be with the person closest to her. Wei Yinxia, I have been more than fair to you.

At least you can still live day and night with the mother who deeply loves you.

And I have nothing left.

In the basement, she cried and said “I’m sorry” many times, but she never said “Please let me explain” or “Please forgive me.”

She clearly knew that whether or not she was the initial instigator, what she did to me required no explanation, and she had no right to ask for my forgiveness.

Wei Yinxia, let’s stop here.

The hairpin and jade pendant I gave you, and that ridiculous marriage certificate, are all eyesores.

Since everything was false, I will destroy them all and let you see with your own eyes that the relationship between you and me is just like this torn marriage certificate—a broken mirror that cannot be mended.

Boss Jing and Boss Qiang, who once dominated Shanghai, are now destitute, displaced, like street rats.

Kahn is dead, and Wei Zhengqing should also die.

But he is her father, a person who shares the same blood as her.

I actually couldn’t bring myself to do it.

So, I said to Xu Weiqiang: “Liang Xu killed our brothers, occupied the An family residence, and hurt An Xi. He must pay for his sins with death.”

However, Xu Weiqiang was not in a hurry for “revenge” this time. He just wanted to take me away from Shanghai.

Under the stalemate, we both conceded.

We would stay two more days to observe Liang Xu’s movements. Regardless of whether we could take Liang Xu’s life then, I would go north with him two days later.

Liang Xu had soldiers under his command.

Our men had been lurking outside the An residence for several days, unable to find an opportunity to strike.

Just as we were preparing to leave that day, the enemy army landed in Shanghai.

Liang Xu probably didn’t anticipate that the Southern Ocean enemies would disregard the balance of the concession and aggressively land, heading straight for the old town.

The Western officials in the concession were momentarily overwhelmed, watched from the sidelines, and tried to protect themselves. Liang Xu, pressured by the situation, also led his troops to join the war to resist the foreign invasion of our territory.

It is only in times of national crisis and a matter of ethnic survival that we Chinese stand united.

The enemy was wreaking havoc, and Shanghai was in peril.

Before leaving, we received a message from Boss Qi, informing us that An Xi was a loyal and brave man who had resolutely returned to his faction and rushed to the Northeast frontline. Ruyue supported him and had also gone to the rear of our army to join the medical team.

An Xi, you are the pride of Mom and Dad, and the pride of your sister.

You are my only brother in this world, my only remaining family. How could I leave you in danger?

I insisted on following the main troop where An Xi was, and Xu Weiqiang and a few brothers also insisted on coming with me. He said: “We are fighting for the country, not for you.”

Our army achieved an initial victory in the war after two months, and the battlefield with the Southern Ocean enemies gradually shifted toward the Northeast.

Shanghai was out of danger. She was safe.

But during the journey north, the faction led by Liang Xu betrayed the alliance and defected, ambushing the division where An Xi was.

Hundreds of people were completely wiped out.

And I watched helplessly as they fell one by one in pools of blood.

Xu Weiqiang pulled me back, covered my mouth, and held me down fiercely with the brothers.

We were too weak. Going out would not save anyone, and it would only lead to our own death.

When Liang Xu’s troops withdrew, I dug An Xi out from the pile of dead bodies. He was such a sunny, cheerful, and clean person, a person who loved to show off…

Yet he was completely unrecognizable, filthy.

Xu Weiqiang remained silent, giving An Xi and me time to say goodbye. He and the brothers found a spot not far away and dug a grave.

He said: “We’ll bury him here first. Later, we’ll come back to take him home.”

I took off the silk handkerchief I used to tie my hair, carefully wiped An Xi’s face clean, straightened his clothes, and personally buried him, one handful of dirt at a time.

An Xi, I will definitely repay what I owe the An family in this lifetime.

Dad, Mom, when I reach the underworld, I will definitely come and ask for punishment. I let down your nurturing, I let down the An family’s cultivation, and I let down An Xi’s trust.

I do not deserve the surname An.

For many days, I didn’t speak a word, just focused on tracking Liang Xu’s whereabouts. They clearly understood what I wanted to do.

And this time, Xu Weiqiang did not stop me.

Finally, on a rainy night after crossing the Daling Mountain, we found our opportunity.

Xu Weiqiang and I fired simultaneously. My shot hit Liang Xu’s left chest. His shot blew off Liang Xu’s head directly.

During our escape, we risked hiding in a concave area caused by a landslide, only two kilometers from the camp. We could even clearly hear the conversations of the pursuers above our heads.

I don’t know whether to feel lucky or sad, but Xu Weiqiang and I were buried under mud and boulders.

The heavy rain lasted for two days and two nights.

It wasn’t until the third day, when the rain stopped and the large army left the camp, that the other brothers found and rescued us. Xu Weiqiang’s right leg was ruined, and my waist was also ruined.

What was the point of pretending to be strong when we were two disabled people?

Beijing became our resting place.

During our recovery, we relied entirely on the brothers going out to do hard labor to cover the expenses. Half a month later, just as I was able to walk, I met an unexpected person.

His arrival improved our lives and brought hope for a new beginning.

He said to me: “Boss Jing, An Xi and Boss Qiang considered everything they could for you. Don’t blame them. All this money was left to you by An Xi.”

This person was Bai Yang.

I didn’t question why he faked his death, nor did I question why Xu Weiqiang kept collaborating with An Xi to deceive me repeatedly.

In this world, besides Mom, Dad, and An Xi, Xu Weiqiang and Tang Yunqing were the people least likely to harm me, and the ones most worthy of my trust.

That night, fueled by all the emotion, I tried to convince myself to be an ordinary woman. What was wrong with being spoiled, protected, and loved by a man like Xu Weiqiang?

That night, with my hair already grown past my chest, I wore a revealing nightgown and walked into Xu Weiqiang’s room.

That night, taking him completely by surprise, I sat on his lap, wrapped my arms around his neck, and slowly leaned down to kiss him. Our lips gently touched.

But he pushed me away, holding my shoulders. Like an older brother, he patted my back and stroked my hair: “An Jing, you don’t have to force yourself. I don’t need you to be my woman. I just want to protect you, that’s all.”

Once again, like a child, I burst into tears in his arms: “Call me A-Jing. Xu Weiqiang, from now on, you are the person closest to me.”

With over one hundred thousand in capital and three years of time, with the capabilities and methods of Xu Weiqiang and me, it was enough to make a name for ourselves in Beijing.

I said: “I want to return to Shanghai.”

He said: “You should.”

The Southern Ocean enemies had long been sanctioned by the international coalition forces and rolled back to their own territory.

However, the internal conflict for power had not stopped, only the various factions had shifted to the southwest.

Beijing and Shanghai regained their tranquility, and economic trade flourished.

We took a detour to bring An Xi back to Shanghai. I buried him with Mom and Dad near the old An family residence, renovated the tomb, moved Lu Cheng to keep An Xi company, and simultaneously began rebuilding the An residence.

Bai Yang and the others now addressed me as Sister Jing, and people in the business world still called me Boss Jing.

All the An Corporation’s money was seized by Liang Xu back then. After the war, my uncle and his family moved into the concession, and he passed away from illness a year ago. An Yi squandered their remaining fortune and became a hoodlum following Jin Baolu of the Sea Gang. My aunt was reduced to working as a maid for wealthy families.

As for my fourth uncle’s family, it is said that after buying expensive cruise tickets overseas during the chaotic times of war, they were never heard from again, and no one knows if they ever arrived.

The An Corporation no longer exists in Shanghai.

I do not deserve the surname An.

But the An family’s honor must be restored.

So, I had the business people refer to me as—Boss An.

Zhengqing Department Store also no longer exists in Shanghai.

In its place stands a magnificent international hotel.

The owner is Qin Zhe.

So, I have never stepped foot inside.

I haven’t inquired about that bad woman, nor have I thought about what the scene would be like if we were to meet again.

With tears? With silence? With hatred?

Or a lighthearted, “How have you been?”

Sometimes I feel that life is so long, having experienced thousands of trials and tribulations in just thirty years, feeling as long as a century. Sometimes I feel that life is so short. After traveling thousands of miles and seeing a thousand kinds of scenery, I return to find that all I see is the most simple and unadorned view, just like the very beginning.

The world changes, and the travelers in life come and go in a hurry. How many remain?

Some people, once missed, are missed for a lifetime. Even if there is lingering obsession, it is nothing more than a long-standing affection for nature itself.

I convince myself every single day and night.

Time is impartial. It has given us much beauty and much harm.

That is what is called fairness.

When the dust settles, I only want to return to the most primal simplicity, to quietly appreciate the autumn moon and spring breeze in a relaxed courtyard, washing away all worldly glamour with dew and clear tea, letting joy and sorrow come as they may, and growing old gracefully.

This is a dream, a dream I weave for myself. But I have absolutely no confidence in it.

After settling down, Xu Weiqiang said he was interested in a piece of land in the suburbs and wanted to partner with someone to build a racetrack. He said: “I know you can ride a horse, and I haven’t seen you in your riding attire for a long time. Come, let’s go check out the site.”

I went.

That plot of land was right outside Shiliu Garden.

Another year, autumn.

That day, there were many people picking pomegranates and tangerines, and many people who came to see Shanghai’s first racetrack.

Xu Weiqiang couldn’t ride a horse because of his leg, so I rode and ran on this track, which was not yet officially open, on his behalf as the owner.

The feeling was exhilarating.

And after this day, all of Shanghai would know that An Jing was back.

He had done too much for me.

The sun was setting, and the crowd was gradually dispersing. We were about to leave when a person stood in front of us, looking down.

As we approached, she looked up.

Was it a coincidence?

Or yet another calculated scheme?

Xu Weiqiang was much calmer now. He patted my back: “I’ll wait for you ahead. No rush.”

The woman before me was still breathtakingly beautiful. Three years had endowed her with a more refined face and a more charming demeanor. But what did that have to do with me?

I maintained a polite and appropriate smile, saying courteously: “Excuse me, Miss, is there something I can help you with?”

Her lips moved, but she didn’t speak. But tears were falling uncontrollably. In that moment, I was intensely annoyed.

Annoyed by her usual corny tactics, and even more annoyed by my own heartache.

I said carelessly: “If there’s nothing, I’ll be going now. A-Qiang is waiting for me.”

From beginning to end, she did not utter a word.

I thought she might call out “A-Jing” to me from behind, but she didn’t. Oh, I almost forgot. I was the one who said she didn’t deserve to call me that.

The day after going to the racetrack, I went to see Miss Tang.

I didn’t notify her in advance when I went to her house. Fortunately, Boss Tang did not turn me away.

Yes, Yunqing and the two children had been living in the Tang house for the past few years. And her husband, surnamed Yang, had ignored her.

It had been a few years. Yunqing was also thirty years old, and her temperament had mellowed.

When she saw me, she cried tears of joy. According to our old way of interacting, she should have punched me a few times and cursed me out.

But she just silently wiped away her tears, smiling as she complained: “If you hadn’t come back, Xiaoyu wouldn’t remember she had a godmother, and my son would be calling someone else godmother. Do you know that the new clothes you owe me, Xiaoyu, and Xiao Ning could open a clothing store? And the toys An Xi owes Xiao Ning could be sold wholesale…”

“I will repay everything I owe you, and everything An Xi owes you.”

That afternoon, I accompanied the mother and two children and went to almost all the famous department stores in Shanghai, buying enough new clothes and toys.

Xiaoyu was grown up and didn’t need me to hold her anymore.

I missed the adorable way she used to cling to me and ask for kisses and hugs.

Little Ning, who was over two years old, was much more “quiet” and “calm” than Xiaoyu was as a child. When I held him, he just quietly clung to me, rarely speaking and rarely expressing his thoughts.

He was heartbreakingly well-behaved.

Yunqing said she wanted to host a welcome party for me. I agreed.

I asked her: “Where is Yang Qiyuan?”

She said: “At his concubine’s place.”

After the great war, the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce disintegrated, and the Tang family and many other prominent households gradually declined.

The Yang family, whose real estate business spanned provinces, was flourishing and is now the richest family in Shanghai. It was perfectly acceptable for Yang Qiyuan to take a concubine after becoming the head of the family.

I carefully observed Yunqing’s expression. When she said this, she didn’t seem jealous or angry.

I smiled at her: “Miss Tang’s generosity will surely be a beautiful story.”

She, however, said: “I never loved him anyway. He was the one who loved me and accommodated me before.”

I nodded: “He’s the one without the good fortune. Let him be, as long as you don’t feel troubled. Have you thought about divorce? Or will you just carry on like this for the rest of your life?”

She shook her head: “I can’t divorce. The Tang family now relies on the Yang family, and the two children are still young and need a father.”

I respected her decision: “Whenever you change your mind and want to divorce, just tell me. I can support you and the children. Don’t let yourself suffer.”

Yunqing is my best friend. She has worked tirelessly for me, and yet I couldn’t be with her when she needed me most. I have been a terrible and incompetent friend.

After dinner, I drove them home. As we said goodbye, she took something out of her handbag and gave it to me. It was—the deed to the land I had once mortgaged to the bank.

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