Her Imperfection for Wifehood - Chapter 51

Chapter 51

During the day at the racetrack, An Jing had seen Wei Yinxia’s figure, even meeting her gaze several times. However, her gaze never lingered on Wei Yinxia, while Wei Yinxia’s gaze constantly followed her.

Her heart seemed much calmer. She no longer unconsciously sought out Wei Yinxia or pondered Wei Yinxia’s intentions, treating her as if they were unrelated.

But when Tang Yunqing produced An Xi’s “will,” a storm surged in her heart again.

A giant wave instantly engulfed her from all sides, followed by immense panic and sorrow.

What kind of last words would An Xi leave her? The letter must contain words about that woman, right?

She didn’t want to see a single word about the bad woman. She didn’t want to waver her resolve again. But this was the last letter An Xi left her; she couldn’t not read it.

It wasn’t until late at night that An Jing opened the letter An Xi had left her with trembling hands:

Sister, by the time you read this letter, I will have reunited with Mom and Dad in the afterlife. I’m sorry for leaving without your permission.

Forgive me for breaking my promise. I said I would deal with Kahn, but things changed too quickly. The war was urgent, and I could only put aside personal revenge for the time being. I said I would come back for you, but I can’t.

I always listened to you. This time, your little brother has been disobedient.

You don’t have to worry about Mom and Dad. The decline of the An family was caused by this unfilial prodigal son—me. Even if you made mistakes, it was only the mistake of not keeping a close eye on your brother.

The heavy burden I couldn’t share with you when I was alive can finally all be shouldered by me now. So, please don’t fight me for it anymore.

But I bet you’ve made a lot of money again, right? Enough to support another good-for-nothing little brother?

If so, next life, and the life after that, I’ll still stick to you.

Sister, thank you.

Thank you for saving me when I was very young, thank you for being willing to come to the An family and become our relative, and thank you for always protecting and pampering me unconditionally.

Thank you, the best sister in the world, for making me the happiest and most carefree little brother in the world.

Similarly, I wish for your happiness more than anyone else.

After I leave, please stop being anyone else’s sister. I forbid it. Not because I’m overbearing and want you all to myself, but because the rest of your life should be lived completely for yourself.

Therefore, I have some big truths that I didn’t get a chance to tell you in person.

Although I don’t know when this letter will reach you, no matter how many years pass, I believe the person you love can only be her.

If you two are together right now, I wish you and my sister-in-law a happy life together, bound by the same heart forever.

If you are not together, regardless of the reason, please reconsider whether you want to be together after reading this letter.

The reason I didn’t say these things when we parted that day was for your safety. We both love you. I don’t want to become a burden to you, and neither does she.

While Kahn was detained by the police station, I took the opportunity to contact her once through Xu’er and asked her if she was willing to leave Shanghai with you.

Her reply is also attached to the letter.

See for yourself.

Actually, I realized the relationship and feelings between you and her had become special not at the nightclub entrance, but as early as the day we went to see the play together.

The sunset that day was beautiful. You and she were even more beautiful under the sunset, and you looked particularly good together.

I didn’t lie to you.

After the play ended, Ruyue and I looked back and saw you stand up and hug her. We exchanged glances, understanding without needing to say anything.

Your embrace with her didn’t look like an embrace between sisters at all.

Your love for her is no less than your love for me.

But I’m not jealous or envious.

Sister, since childhood, to shield me from trouble and to repay Mom and Dad’s kindness, you have always lived as a man. You are so exceptional that no man is worthy of you, and so exceptional that you abandoned romance.

Brother Qiang is a tough man who protects you everywhere. If you two end up together, I would certainly be at ease.

It’s just a shame that you, of all people, fell in love with her, a woman just like you.

After meeting Ruyue, I also fell in love and have a girl I love, so I’m not blind. I can see the silent messages exchanged between you two.

I am very grateful to her. It is because of her appearance that my sister finally understood what love is at the age of thirty. Your smile has also become genuinely heartfelt.

Seeing you happy makes me genuinely happy, too.

I believe Mom and Dad will also be happy.

On the way to pick you up from the nightclub, she revealed to me that Kahn and Wei Zhengqing were old acquaintances. She had seen him once at the Wei house five years ago. In the past few months, Kahn occasionally went to the Wei house to talk secretly with Wei Zhengqing. There must be “unclean” dealings between them. She warned us to be vigilant and wary of both sides.

I asked her why she would betray her father and tell me this.

She said she yearned for the light, and the dark Wei family was never the home she wanted.

She also apologized to me, saying that she approached me on Wei Zhengqing’s orders. But she doesn’t regret doing so, because meeting me led to meeting you, and meeting you led to the good fortune of meeting Sister Yunqing and Doctor Fu. It was us who taught her what friendship is, what family is, and what true affection is.

She said she envied me, envied that I had a sister like you.

I replied that she now had your concern and love, just like me.

But she looked out the car window and was silent. After a long time, she muttered to herself that, just like the cycle of day and night, darkness and light can never coexist.

Sister, she is different from you, Sister Yunqing, and Ruyue. The scary thing is not that she was born into the Wei family, but that being born into the Wei family was only the beginning of her life’s misfortune.

I can understand her pessimism and timidity.

And her lack of resistance.

Trapped in the cage of the Wei family, with her mind and body long manipulated, living in a suppressive environment, she didn’t dare to have her own thoughts, let alone foolish ambitions. Only by being obedient could she survive to adulthood.

It was you who awakened her long-dormant “self.” You are her light, her thought, her foolish ambition, and her courage.

If she didn’t love you enough, how would she dare to defy Wei Zhengqing and desperately beg Kahn to let us go?

After all, at that time, even the Central Police Bureau of the Chinese territory was wary of Kahn, let alone the Wei family.

So, don’t take the things she said to the reporter too seriously.

They were just for Wei Zhengqing to hear.

Even I can feel her love for you. As the person involved, you couldn’t possibly not feel her sincerity.

Aside from the two families later calling off the engagement, the An family and the Wei family genuinely have no deep-seated hatred. Love whom you want to love, and don’t feel any burden.

I just hope that someone who loves you, and whom you also love, will accompany you on the road ahead.

If it’s truly difficult to be with her in this life, whether it’s a brother-in-law or a sister-in-law, I accept whoever you choose.

Look at Ruyue and me. We are separated by death. We can’t love even if we want to.

I wish I could have lived to marry her officially.

If Ruyue is still alive, please take good care of her for me.

If she also unfortunately sacrificed herself, please ask Boss Qi if she can be buried with me. Even if it’s just a cenotaph.

Sister, farewell forever.

Don’t be sad for me for too long. Dying for the country, I die with honor and immense pride.

You must live well, take good care of yourself, balance work and rest, earn more money, do more good deeds, and may our family meet again in the next life.

Finally, please say hello to Brother Qiang for me, and wish him an early encounter with a good person and the blessing of children.

I respect him as an older brother. When you give gifts at his wedding, remember to give an extra portion.

…

Inside the envelope was a small slip of paper: —Do not risk danger, only wish you well. Leave quickly.

Judging from the content of the letter, An Xi wrote this letter when Wei Yinxia hadn’t been kicked out of the Wei family, and Kahn hadn’t died yet.

Kahn’s death that day was blamed by the Municipal Council on the Lu Gang’s revenge. Since the Lu Gang was fragmented, the police went through the motions of searching the streets for the remaining members to no avail, and the matter was dropped.

The self-righteous Kahn probably didn’t anticipate that he would die in a foreign land and be discarded like a worn-out shoe.

An Jing’s eyes were sore and swollen. She folded the letter and put it back in the envelope, but she used a lighter to burn Wei Yinxia’s note.

An Xi could speak so many “good” words for Wei Yinxia simply because he didn’t know how deep Wei Yinxia’s cunning was. The thing she could least forgive was that even “Hongying” was fake.

Not a single word from that woman’s mouth was believable. She had deceived both An Xi and herself.

Several days had passed since the racetrack opening. Seeing that An Jing was clearly distracted, Xu Weiqiang instructed Bai Yang: “Book the Sincere Garden for tonight. Find all the brothers who used to follow me. The more, the better.”

“Yes.”

Bai Yang was still single and hadn’t been involved in romantic relationships, but he probably guessed that An Jing’s various “abnormalities” since returning to Shanghai were all related to Wei Yinxia.

He had carefully observed Wei Yinxia at the Sincere Garden and the racetrack. Privately, he had also hired a private investigator to look into Wei Yinxia’s activities over the past three years, confirming that she hadn’t been romantically involved with any men or women again.

Now that Boss Qiang had Lixia, and An Jing and Wei Yinxia both had no new partners, why weren’t they together?

An Xi’s request back then for him never to tell An Jing that Wei Zhengqing had caused the deaths of An’s parents was likely because he knew An Jing and Wei Yinxia were in love.

He hadn’t interacted much with Wei Yinxia, and his impression of her was neither good nor bad, but he still hoped that Sister Jing could emerge from the gloom, and he hoped An Xi’s efforts weren’t in vain.

So, even though Wei Zhengqing was dead, he would keep the secret buried in his heart.

At night, An Jing was coaxed by Xu Weiqiang to go to the Sincere Garden. With her fiery temper, if she truly didn’t want to go, no one could drag her.

About thirty people, most of whom hadn’t fared well, filled the room with a chaotic atmosphere.

“Boss Qiang, it’s so kind of you to remember us after all these years. Thanks to you and Sister Jing’s care back then, and for giving us the capital to make a living before we left. I’ll drink this glass first as a sign of respect, and I wish Boss Qiang and Sister Jing a harmonious life together until old age!”

The money he mentioned was the money An Jing had brought from home. After deciding to go north, she distributed most of it to the brothers.

“Boss Qiang, Sister Jing, I’ll toast you too! No, one cup is not enough. I’ll drink three in a row. I wish you both flourishing businesses and for all your bad luck to turn to good fortune!”

“Boss Qiang…”

They all believed that Xu Weiqiang’s long-cherished wish had finally come true, and he and An Jing were now a couple.

An Jing and Xu Weiqiang didn’t immediately correct their narrative, but An Jing still instructed: “Bai Yang, go call Lixia over. It’s time the brothers recognized their sister-in-law.”

Xu Weiqiang had been busy with the racetrack recently. He had originally planned to bring Lixia back today.

Lixia had changed her style from only wearing Cheongsams. Today, she wore a socialite-style short dress, which Wei Yinxia had specially accompanied her to the street to select.

After receiving the news that they were booking the venue, Wei Yinxia was overjoyed. She took Lixia shopping, and both of them meticulously dressed up from head to toe.

“Sister Jing, Boss Qiang,” Lixia curtsied gracefully.

Xu Weiqiang extended his hand, and Lixia took it, understandingly sitting next to him.

Bai Yang poured Lixia a glass of wine, then turned to Xu Weiqiang. Seeing him nod, he called out: “Sister-in-law, please drink.”

Hearing Bai Yang’s address to Lixia, everyone was stunned. They exchanged glances, regretting their earlier inappropriate remarks.

An Jing was the first to raise her glass and clink it against Lixia’s: “You must keep a good eye on him from now on. Make him smoke less, drink less, and live a few more years to enjoy a peaceful life.”

Lixia quickly raised her glass too: “Sister Jing, I should be toasting you. Thank you for taking care of me in the past.”

Seeing this, the others also raised their glasses and called out “Sister-in-law.”

The person on the stage had been replaced at some point.

A brother glanced over: “Oh, isn’t that Boss Ying from Sincere Garden on the stage?”

Sincere Garden was Tang Yunqing’s property, but the manager was Hongying, so everyone uniformly called Hongying “Boss Ying.”

“Boss Ying personally performed a song! It seems our Boss Qiang and Sister Jing have a lot of influence.”

“Boss Qiang, you wouldn’t know, but Miss Hongying hasn’t taken the stage since she took over Sincere Garden two years ago. Old customers who used to hear Miss Hongying sing here get thrown out by bodyguards if they complain. This Hongying is no longer the weak, helpless little girl from back then.”

“Who said otherwise? Who would have thought that quiet little singer from back then now has the demeanor of a boss?”

After playing two tunes, Wei Yinxia stepped off the stage and removed her veil in front of everyone.

She picked up the foreign wine glass in front of An Jing: “Boss Xu, Boss An, thank you both for patronizing Sincere Garden. Hongying salutes you.”

For those who didn’t know Wei Yinxia, Hongying’s beauty was stunning. For those who knew Wei Yinxia, Hongying’s appearance was a shock.

Who said that the secretive Boss Ying wore a veil every day because she was ugly? And who said that Wei Yinxia died in prison after her treasonous acts against her father and mother?

Wait a minute… wasn’t this Wei Yinxia once with Boss Jing…?

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Xu Weiqiang nodded: “Boss Ying, you’re too kind. Sincere Garden is a nightclub that A-Jing and I often visited before. It holds extraordinary significance for us.”

“Sincere Garden also holds extraordinary significance for Hongying.” She stared at An Jing, but saw no ripple of emotion in the other’s eyes.

Wei Yinxia’s heart ached.

She tilted her head back and drank the wine. Her ensuing smile was enchantingly beautiful, captivating the men present.

Afterward, she drank a lot of wine with the men of various backgrounds. No one stopped her, so she kept drinking and drinking until some men were drunk and started getting handsy with her.

Xu Weiqiang glanced at the indifferent An Jing and raised his hand to the men: “Boss Ying is in high spirits today. If any of you can cheer up the beauty, perhaps you can follow the wealthy Boss Ying onto the road to prosperity.”

With Boss Qiang’s words, the men became even more brazen.

Lixia felt restless but was restrained by Xu Weiqiang.

An Jing finally glared at Xu Weiqiang. He, in turn, raised his wine glass to her, adding fuel to the fire: “Boss Ying is not young anymore. How can she not have someone who cares for her?”

Wei Yinxia refilled her glass and chimed in with a smile: “It is Hongying who lacks the good fortune of Sister Lixia. Boss Qiang, please don’t disappoint Sister Lixia’s deep devotion.”

“Boss Ying, drinking too much will harm your health.” A man in his thirties leaned forward, grabbed Wei Yinxia’s wrist, and drank the wine from the glass in her hand: “I’m the best at caring for people. Why don’t you consider me, Boss Ying?”

“Words are cheap,” Wei Yinxia didn’t struggle. Instead, her other hand refilled the glass with wine: “I accompany guests at the nightclub. I have to drink at least twenty glasses a night. How many can you drink for me? Hmm?”

“Twenty glasses is nothing. If Boss Ying gives me the chance, I’ll drink thirty for you.”

As the man spoke, the hand gripping Wei Yinxia’s wrist gradually covered the back of her hand. He drank the wine in the glass completely again.

After drinking, he licked his lips: “The wine personally fed by Boss Ying tastes even smoother.”

“Get out.” An Jing barked, her voice low.

Both the man and Wei Yinxia were startled, and the glass fell to the floor.

The man gulped, secretly relieved, and sensibly backed away. If Bai Yang hadn’t told him before he came that Hongying was Sister Jing’s person, that the two were having a spat recently, and he needed to cooperate in putting on a show, he wouldn’t dare to flirt with Hongying right under Sister Jing and Boss Qiang’s noses, even if he had ten times the courage.

This man had been close to Bai Yang before. Bai Yang trusted him, and he trusted Bai Yang.

An Jing stood up, grabbing Wei Yinxia’s wrist without any tenderness, and dragged her out.

Xu Weiqiang signaled to Bai Yang: “Follow them. Listen to her instructions.”

“Yes.” Bai Yang acknowledged the order and followed them out.

After returning to Shanghai, they were still facing hidden threats. After all, the Lu Gang had dissolved, and the Qiao Gang later disbanded, but the Sea Gang had not.

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