Her Imperfection for Wifehood - Chapter 54

Chapter 54

The tin frog on the cabinet stopped hopping after a short while. But An Jing remained frozen, staring blankly at the rusted frog, trying to recall the original pattern on its body.

Was it this one? Was it… her?

The little girl who was once so small was now being abused by herself in a fit of vengeance.

“A-Jing.” Wei Yinxia cupped her face, made her turn around, and kissed her eyes: “Look at me.”

The memory was too distant. An Jing couldn’t recall the pattern on the tin frog, nor could she remember the little girl’s appearance.

She pulled out her fingers, wrapped her arms around Wei Yinxia’s waist, buried her head in Wei Yinxia’s shoulder, and felt angry at herself for her beastly behavior.

In this moment, she was holding not the bad woman who had deceived her, but the innocent little girl.

Wei Yinxia comforted her with tenderness, patting her back, kissing her hair, and gently coaxing: “So, from a very young age, my life was yours, and my heart was yours. A-Jing, besides you, I owe no one else. There is nothing in this world more important than you. No matter how much of my life is left, I will only live for you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t love me or forgive me. As long as you are willing to come, it doesn’t matter if you hit me, scold me, bully me, or humiliate me. I’ll wait for you here and won’t go anywhere.”

After a long silence, An Jing finally detached herself from the confusion of her emotions and carried Wei Yinxia to the bed.

She wanted to sleep peacefully, but the person in her arms didn’t want to spend the night so calmly.

“Is A-Jing angry? Angry that I hid it from you?”

The gradually extinguished flame reignited. An Jing indulged Wei Yinxia, had her turn her back to her, and changed the subject: “How much do you know about Yunqing and Yang Qiyuan?”

“Does A-Jing know that Doctor Fu has admired Sister Yunqing for a long time?”

“Fu Wenjing?”

Wei Yinxia endured the stimulation beneath her: “Doctor Fu has had a crush on Sister Yunqing for many years. I noticed it back at the manor.”

“Is that so? When did they cross that line?”

“During the enemy invasion of Shanghai. But Sister Yunqing always considered her family and children and never accepted her. During the war, Doctor Fu stayed by Sister Yunqing’s side. Xiao Ning was also born with Doctor Fu present. Yang Qiyuan only returned from Tianjin after the war ended, and he brought a woman with a child with him.”

An Jing’s hand movements intensified, and she cursed under her breath, “D*mn it.”

Wei Yinxia gave a muffled groan, gripping An Jing’s other hand tightly, and continued: “Sister Yunqing gave birth prematurely due to excessive worry. Fortunately, Doctor Fu was there to rush her to the hospital in time to avert disaster. Doctor Fu also carefully prepared medicine and diet to help her recover after childbirth, so she didn’t suffer any lasting illnesses.”

The storm swept over suddenly.

Both fell silent.

An Jing was the first to regain clarity from the pouring rain, and only weariness remained after the release.

“Does Boss Ying want more?”

“Next time, next time, please?” Wei Yinxia trembled, begging in a low voice.

“Sleep.”

An Jing settled down, holding Wei Yinxia and pondering.

Considering what Wei Yinxia just said, combined with Tang Yunqing’s own words, and the small gestures and details when she saw Tang Yunqing and Fu Wenjing riding the same horse at the racetrack that day, Tang Yunqing’s stubbornly defiant personality must have meant she had feelings for Fu Wenjing. No doubt about it.

“What is A-Jing thinking about?” Wei Yinxia wanted to turn around to look at her more, but didn’t dare to move, afraid of making her angry.

“I’m thinking,” An Jing indulged Wei Yinxia, loosened her arm, signaling for her to turn her body to face her, embracing her face-to-face, “how to help Yunqing punish that bastard Yang Qiyuan and let off some steam.”

“Doctor Fu is worthy. Doctor Fu and Sister Yunqing are both more worthy than me.” Wei Yinxia spoke these words as a genuine outpouring from the heart.

In the years she had personally witnessed, Fu Wenjing had always been the one giving unilaterally and without complaint, never hurting Tang Yunqing once. When conflict arose between her ideals and love, Tang Yunqing was her unwavering choice.

Tang Yunqing had also always been An Jing’s most solid and reliable iron-like support, helping An Jing keep her cards close, helping An Jing care for her burden (Wei Yinxia), and always trying her best to fulfill the instructions of the An siblings, no matter how hard or tiring. Compared to herself, Fu Wenjing and Tang Yunqing were more deserving of precious love.

Yang Qiyuan’s return to Shanghai this time was not just to bring his mistress to revisit old haunts; he was back to buy land.

The land he had his eyes on was in the central area of the city, surrounded by water on two sides. It was the former connection between the concession and the Chinese district. Across the river, you could see the Shanghai International Hotel and a former old wharf site.

The municipal government gave Yang Qiyuan a slight concession: if his people could handle the relocation of the old residents, that piece of land would be assigned to him for development.

An Jing hadn’t originally planned to launch Jingqiang Real Estate in Shanghai so quickly, only intending to complete the Yongxi Woolen Mill. But Yang Qiyuan was too much, and she had to teach him a lesson.

So, after discussing it with Xu Weiqiang, on one hand, Xu Weiqiang, representing Jingqiang Real Estate, stepped forward to negotiate with the municipal government, applying appropriate pressure. On the other hand, Bai Yang contacted former members and acquaintances of the Lu Gang who lived in that area, rallying the public to refuse the demolition compensation terms offered by Yang Qiyuan’s side, and then led the support for Jingqiang Real Estate’s plan to directly offer new housing with double the area. The two-pronged approach successfully hijacked the development and operating rights of that piece of land.

An Jing genuinely wanted to ruin Yang Qiyuan. She wouldn’t care if he was the backer of the Tang family, but she had to consider the future of Tang Yunqing and her two children.

In this society, a thirty-year-old divorced woman, with her family’s influence waning, and carrying a son and a daughter, would receive very poor public opinion.

Furthermore, if in this situation, the relationship between Fu Wenjing and Tang Yunqing were exposed by people with malicious intent, leading public opinion astray, they would find themselves in an unimaginably difficult and terrifying situation.

So, during this time, An Jing also arranged a private meeting with Fu Wenjing.

In the tea restaurant, the early-arriving Fu Wenjing was wearing a white European-style lace hat and elegantly sipping fruit tea.

Although An Jing had not stated her intentions over the phone, the woman’s sixth sense told her that An Jing meeting her was not about Wei Yinxia, but about Tang Yunqing. Or, to be precise, about the relationship between herself and Tang Yunqing.

Before seeing Fu Wenjing, An Jing had gotten a haircut. She still preferred short hair; she didn’t like her long “three thousand strands of trouble.”

She definitely wouldn’t admit it was because when doing that with Wei Yinxia, long hair got in the way, blocking her eyes and sticking to her face when wet—it was quite annoying!

An Jing took her seat, and Fu Wenjing poured her tea: “Congratulations, Boss An has returned to her original dashing and spirited state. Your mood must be good lately. Finding time for someone like me in your busy schedule, is it regarding Miss Tang?”

“Let’s be straightforward. Hongying told me everything she knows about you and Yunqing.”

“Then what conclusion has Boss An drawn?”

“What conclusion does Doctor Fu want to hear?” An Jing took a sip of the sweet and sour tea: “Fruit tea. A doctor indeed knows how to stay healthy.”

“I told Hongying the recipe for the fruit tea. If Boss An also wants to maintain her health, Hongying definitely won’t find it troublesome.” Fu Wenjing and Wei Yinxia could be described as two unfortunate souls who loved but couldn’t have. They had been mutually supporting each other for a long time.

“Let’s get straight to the point. I’ll just ask you one question: what is the best outcome you can imagine and achieve with her?”

An Jing’s question was too difficult to answer.

Fu Wenjing’s body seemed to freeze. Only her fingers nervously rubbed the teacup.

With her family background and her own work, it was not a problem to support herself and Tang Yunqing comfortably. But to match the Tang family, not only was her female identity a hurdle for the Tang elders’ acceptance, but her significantly poorer family finances would certainly not meet the eyes of the two elders.

She was thinking too far ahead.

Tang Yunqing herself hadn’t even expressed whether she liked her. How could there be talk of parental approval?

After waiting several minutes, An Jing expressed her disappointment: “Lacking courage and strategy.”

“Heh.” Fu Wenjing sneered: “I am lacking courage and strategy, then what about Boss An? What good did Boss An’s courage and strategy do for you? What use were your courage and strategy in relation to the person you love?”

An Jing, feeling mocked, looked gloomy and retorted coldly: “Today’s main topic is you and her.”

Fu Wenjing let out a sigh of frustration: “I apologize. I spoke out of turn.”

“If I didn’t provoke you today, were you planning to remain inactive, allowing yourself to wallow in self-pity, and allowing her to confine herself to a marriage in name only?”

“I have tried.” Fu Wenjing smiled helplessly: “I’ve forced myself to walk toward her for nine years, but she hasn’t been willing to walk one step toward me. You know how stubborn and proud she is!”

“Time for strong medicine.” An Jing also wanted to use Fu Wenjing to force Tang Yunqing to confront her feelings, to force her to make a decision. Only by drawing a clear line with the Yang family could she step into a better life again.

“What do you mean?”

“The ‘provocation method’? The ‘suffering strategy’? These two are most suitable. Use retreat as a means to advance. Are you willing to try it?”

Fu Wenjing was not as confident as An Jing: “I’m afraid that if I put on a wedding dress and marry, she would still happily attend my wedding with her two children and say to me and the groom: ‘I wish you a harmonious and blissful marriage.'”

The thought of Tang Yunqing’s ambivalent attitude toward her made Fu Wenjing grit her teeth, hating that woman who couldn’t be honest about her feelings.

She had even been physically intimate with her, yet that woman could still casually tell her to leave.

But precisely because of this, she couldn’t bring herself to leave after all these years.

During Wei Yinxia’s imprisonment, she had considered cutting the emotional ties and dedicating herself to the nation. However, then came the continuous incidents of Tang Yunqing’s premature birth putting her life in danger, and Yang Qiyuan’s affair and taking of a concubine.

“This can’t continue forever.” An Jing certainly understood the “unfair” treatment Fu Wenjing received from Tang Yunqing: “Fu Wenjing, I can be the villain and help you once. If it succeeds, everyone is happy. If it fails, you part ways. That’s better than the two of you dragging things out vaguely. What do you think?”

“How will you help?”

“With me in Shanghai, I won’t let her and her two children suffer any injustice. I have some connections with the medical school in Beijing. Do you want to go for advanced studies? The medical technology and research there are the most advanced in the country, which would be greatly beneficial to your career development.”

An Jing thought Fu Wenjing would consider it for a long time, asking her to wait a few days for her answer. But after only two minutes, she heard Fu Wenjing reply: “Okay.”

“You agreed so readily. In fact, are you tired?”

Not being tired was a lie.

Protecting them—with An Jing’s current strength and influence, she was superior to her in every way. So, why would she be worried?

In Fu Wenjing’s life, besides patients, there were only Tang Yunqing and her two children, rarely her own family or herself.

She was approaching thirty. How could she not want to live for herself? How could she not want to go out and see the vast world?

“Yes, I am tired. Isn’t Boss An tired too?” Fu Wenjing couldn’t intervene or offer any practical help regarding An Jing and Wei Yinxia’s reunion but lack of reconciliation. Each should clean up their own mess.

“Let’s not talk about my matters today.”

An Jing felt a little melancholy, draining the tea in her cup. “If she reaches the point of divorcing Yang Qiyuan, don’t worry, I will handle the Yang family for her. If she wants to find you, I will deliver her to you unharmed.”

“Thank you.” With a myriad of emotions, Fu Wenjing could only say “thank you” at this moment.

“Before you leave, you should still say goodbye to her. Life is unpredictable. Perhaps the next meeting is the last in this life. Whether you say goodbye or not, sometimes it means never seeing each other again. While you still have the chance to meet again, do so properly and with dignity.” An Jing stood up: “Call me when you’ve set the date.”

Fu Wenjing broke down crying at the table.

Only by crying it all out now could she bid Tang Yunqing a dignified farewell. Crying in front of her always made her seem so humble.

Why should she love so humbly? Why should she beg for affection? If Tang Yunqing truly loved her, why would she watch her be so utterly beneath her?

Tang Yunqing, what is the source of your feelings for me, your tolerance?

Gratitude? Or being moved? There is no love, is there…

These words would only be buried in my heart. Once exposed, I wouldn’t even have a final piece of dignity left.

Tang Yunqing, I don’t want to cry for you anymore, and I don’t want to revolve around you anymore.

Unless you say: I love you.

Unless you say: Don’t go.

It was your unhappiness that gave rise to my audacious thoughts.

I am not so noble and selfless as to ask for no return. All I ask for is one sentence of “I love you.” Only then will I have the courage to leap into the fire in the years to come.

Tang Yunqing, if I am a dispensable existence in your life, then let’s end it here. An Jing will protect you, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Ning from now on. She has money and power, and she will definitely do a better and more thoughtful job than me.

Two days later, at the construction site of the newly built An mansion, Bai Yang reported the progress after laying the net to An Jing.

“The brothers have made catches. Quite a few small fry have been sent directly to the police station, but it has also completely alerted the enemy. Their side sent a messenger, requesting a face-to-face meeting with you and Boss Qiang. The gift they sent is the deed to the former Wei family house. They must be seeking peace.”

“A meeting is fine, but seeking peace is out of the question.”

“Then…”

“If he’s truly sincere, tell him to come here the day after tomorrow at noon to see me. If he’s brave enough to come alone, everything is negotiable, and I can even guarantee his safe return. If he’s as timid as a mouse and brings a single soldier, then his life is in the hands of fate, and wealth is in the hands of heaven. Oh, by the way, when you relay the message, remember to remind him: if he doesn’t want to walk here the day after tomorrow, that’s fine, because one day, I will make sure he comes lying down comfortably.”

“…Yes.” These fierce words were even more extreme than those of Boss Qiang, the gang leader of yesteryear. “Sister Jing, Boss Qiang also said that you must carry a weapon with you when you go out, and absolutely cannot be willful and ditch your bodyguards again. If you don’t listen to advice again, we won’t be responsible for the fate of the one in the basement.”

“Got it. I have a sense of proportion.”

“I’m sorry, Sister Jing, I overstepped. We are just looking out for your best interests.”

“Mm, I don’t blame you.”

Kahn was dead. Liang Xu was dead. Wei Zhengqing was dead. The one who must die but hasn’t yet is Jin Baolu.

They had to dismantle the Sea Gang’s power, hollowing out Jin Baolu’s painstakingly built gang little by little, making Jin Baolu fearful, and forcing Jin Baolu to walk into the trap.

The pain Lu Cheng suffered, she would make Jin Baolu repay twofold.

It was also that night that An Jing received a call from Fu Wenjing: “Boss An, I have submitted my resignation to the hospital. My parents are also very supportive of me going to Beijing for advanced studies. I have said goodbye to her as well. She sent me off with the words—’A brilliant future.'”

“Good. Doctor Fu, from now on, live for yourself. I will immediately arrange things in Beijing. I believe there is a broader world waiting for Doctor Fu out there.”

“Live for yourself”—these were also the words An Xi repeatedly stressed to An Jing in his will.

Now, she passed them on to Fu Wenjing. Her purpose was not to “break them up.”

The prison Tang Yunqing was in was one she drew for herself, and the key was in her hand, only one. If she was too stubborn to open the prison door herself, no one else could open that door for her.

It must not feel good for Fu Wenjing to be indefinitely trapped.

And giving Fu Wenjing a brilliant future was one of the few “good deeds” An Jing could do for Tang Yunqing. Perhaps only after Fu Wenjing left would she understand her own feelings, and figure out who the person she truly cared about was.

Yunqing, don’t blame me.

Fu Wenjing guarded you for too long. Maybe you mistakenly thought she would never leave, which is why you were so reckless and complacent.

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