The Yandere Queen's Manual for Training Her Wife - Chapter 74

When Qin Yan saw Xia Huaying, the elderly lady was praying.

Somehow, an incense burner had appeared in the study. Xia Huaying held a string of prayer beads, eyes closed, quietly chanting something.

Qin Yan didn’t make a sound. She stood at the doorway, silently waiting for Xia Huaying to finish a stick of incense.

Xia Huaying opened her eyes and saw the person standing at the doorway, pale as paper, and felt a pang of compassion.

“You’re here. Come, sit.”

Qin Yan walked over to the sofa and sat down, suppressing the pain in her heart as she spoke soothingly.

“Grandma, please don’t be sad. No matter what it takes, I will find Tangtang. She… will definitely be safe.”

At this moment, she was so weak that she spoke each word very slowly. While comforting Xia Huaying, her eyes were already red.

Seeing her like this, Xia Huaying sighed.

She opened her mouth, recalling what Ji Xianglan had said before leaving:

[“Grandma Xia, Xia Mingtang really had no choice this time, that’s why she faked her death. Please do not let anyone else know about this, otherwise next time, it could really be dangerous.”]

Xia Huaying gently patted Qin Yan’s shoulder and reassured her:

“You should rest and recover properly first. As for Tangtang… we, the Xia family, will continue to search. Don’t shoulder everything by yourself.”

Qin Yan and Xia Huaying exchanged a few more words of comfort. Seeing that the elderly lady had no intention of keeping her, Qin Yan discreetly took her leave.

She sat in the Rolls-Royce’s stern and left Xia Manor, her mind replaying the conversation with Xia Huaying. Something about it felt off.

Just now, Grandma… seemed… a little too calm.

Her beloved granddaughter had suddenly gone missing. Her life was uncertain, and the incident had happened on the same yacht they had been on.

Yet, Xia Huaying was not overwhelmed with grief, nor did she show any blame toward herself. Instead, she comforted Qin Yan.

This didn’t seem natural.

Qin Yan had spent years dealing with people and was adept at reading them. Whether Xia Huaying’s composure was just for appearances or genuine, Qin Yan could tell at a glance.

Though the doctor had told her to relax and rest, Qin Yan, stubborn as ever, couldn’t help but analyze everything.

She carefully recalled every detail before and during the meeting, unwilling to miss a single clue.

The driver maintained a steady speed. Since the boss didn’t mention a destination, she assumed they were heading back to the Xijing Villa.

Suddenly, Qin Yan looked up from the back seat, her weak voice carrying a cold authority:

“Go to Ji’s International.”

Ji Xianglan, having regained control of Ji’s International, seemed like a fish back in water.

Returning to the company she had built with her own hands, she immediately felt more energized.

Leaning back in her executive chair, she enjoyed the familiar office scenery and breathed a contented sigh.

But the joy didn’t last long.

Bang! The executive office door burst open.

What’s going on? Can anyone just barge into the CEO’s office like this? Isn’t there security?

Ji Xianglan looked at the woman leaning on a cane, barely able to stand, followed by a string of assistants and secretaries.

She understood: it’s not that no one stopped her—they dared not.

She realized that in matters like share transfers, it’s impossible to hide anything.

But this person’s determination was overwhelming. She had just left the ICU three days ago!

Couldn’t she wait a few more days to prepare?

Ji Xianglan silently raged but remained composed on the outside, waving the staff away. After all, this was partly a family matter, not something to cause a scene in front of employees.

The junior assistant, perceptive as always, even closed the door behind them.

Qin Yan, leaning on her cane, hobbled toward Ji Xianglan.

Though her body was weak, her aura was fierce. Within seconds, frost formed on her expression, and her words cut like ice across the room.

“Don’t force me to act. You have one minute to tell the truth.”

Ji Xianglan rarely saw Qin Yan so frail yet so imposing. She thought: even if she tried, she couldn’t possibly win in a fight right now.

Out of basic humanity, she attempted a half-truthful explanation:

“Obviously, the shares of Ji’s International were sold to me by your wife. She approached me before the incident to sell them.

“As for why she did this… perhaps she suddenly had a change of heart and decided to return them.”

Qin Yan listened silently. Her expression grew colder.

“Shares?”

Ji Xianglan caught the doubt in her tone and swallowed hard. So… you didn’t know about the shares!

“Then why are you here to see me?”

Seeing Ji Xianglan’s guilty expression, Qin Yan’s eyes met hers, and a disdainful smile barely touched her lips.

“I originally had other matters to discuss with you. But for now, let’s talk about the shares. ‘Change of heart, returning them’—do you take me for a fool?”

If Qin Yan really thought she was a fool, she wouldn’t have spent three whole days concocting such a plausible reason.

Of course, Ji Xianglan didn’t dare reveal her true thoughts and continued with her rehearsed story:

“Have you considered that maybe this incident with Xia Mingtang isn’t an accident? Maybe she was driven to the brink by you and already contemplated death?

“The saying goes, ‘A dying person speaks good words.’ It could make sense… right? Cough! Cough cough cough!”

Her last word barely left her lips when Qin Yan grabbed her by the neck. The intense choking forced her to cough uncontrollably, tears streaming down, unable to struggle free even against a seriously ill person.

Qin Yan didn’t intend to kill her. Just a few seconds was enough; she let go on time.

Free again, Ji Xianglan covered her neck and collapsed into the chair, gasping for air.

After experiencing that, she no longer dared to act carelessly.

Staring at this hellish, fearsome figure, she felt true terror for the first time.

Qin Yan didn’t give her long to recover and pulled another chair in front of Ji Xianglan.

Her next words carried a composed yet chilling authority:

“Tell me everything about any dealings you had with Tangtang. Whatever she could give you, I’ll give you three times that.”

Ji Xianglan still rubbed her neck but stared intently at Qin Yan.

She feared another sudden attack. She wasn’t greedy; after all, Xia Mingtang had already given her the shares of Ji’s International. Qin Yan couldn’t conjure more than that.

But she couldn’t refuse either.

She realized that the frail woman in front of her—just out of ICU—was not someone she could fight.

Unable to confront her, she resorted to persuasion:

“When Xia Mingtang came to sell the shares, I was surprised. She looked so troubled, I didn’t dare ask too much. Selling the shares was harmless to me.

“But now I think… are you sure finding her will make her happy?

“If you suspect this incident was her plan, then if she was determined once, she could do it twice or thrice…

“Well, actually, I don’t know anything. I’m just reasoning based on my observations and your suspicions.”

Fearing to slip up, she ended with a display of survival instinct.

Qin Yan coldly laughed:

“You’ve said so much, but the crucial information? You know nothing, right?”

“Yes!” Ji Xianglan nodded firmly.

Having obtained the answer, Qin Yan saw no reason to press further.

She rose from her chair, voice imbued with bone-chilling coldness:

“Even if you don’t tell me, I’ll find out. You’d better pray that Tangtang is safe. Otherwise, neither you nor the Ji family will escape.”

At this moment, Xia Mingtang was already holding her newly issued ID, sitting on a bus leaving Spring City.

This bus was chartered by a tour group, rarely passing through Spring City.

She slipped red envelopes to the tour guide and driver, securing an empty seat.

“A young lady, you’re not from our group, are you? Are you here for sightseeing too?” The aunt in the next seat, friendly and talkative, seized the chance to chat with the unfamiliar Xia Mingtang.

“Uh… I joined midway. I’ve traveled elsewhere before, but this time I wanted to see the gardens in Su City.” Xia Mingtang had already prepared this explanation.

“The gardens of Su City? You’re in for a treat! I went years ago—the rockeries, the pavilions, the night view… amazing!” The aunt, once having a topic, couldn’t stop talking.

The bus drove steadily on the highway, scenery flashing past.

Xia Mingtang listened while discretely removing the temporary SIM card she had used to contact Ji Xianglan, tossing it into the front trash bag.

The deal was done; there was no need to maintain contact.

Ji Xianglan had arranged accommodations for her in Spring City, but Xia Mingtang knew she could never stay there.

Even if she didn’t know Ji Xianglan well, could she not know Qin Yan?

Once Qin Yan regained consciousness, her suspicious nature would make her immediately suspect Ji Xianglan and trace the leads…

Her decision to disappear was both impulsive and calculated.

At that time, going into hiding was the only quick and direct way to escape Qin Yan.

But she could never abandon her family, friends, and career entirely to become rootless.

So she asked Ji Xianglan to deliver a message to Grandma Xia: whenever Qin Yan agreed to dissolve their marriage, she would return home.

Even though Xia Huaying usually favored Qin Yan, in a life-or-death situation, she would side with her granddaughter.

For now, all Xia Mingtang needed to do was wait.

And, perhaps, take a long vacation.

Until Qin Yan was willing to let her go, she absolutely, absolutely, absolutely cannot be found by that person!

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