"At that time, I was truly too furious and never asked him for the specifics. Looking back now, I really regret it. I suspect Shen Cui and the others are nothing but dust by now, right?" Shen Qi said with a bitter smile. "He Yining promised me he wouldn't let them off easy. With his methods and abilities, finding Shen Cui should have been simple. He never told me what happened afterward, but I can guess their fate wasn't good. At least it avenged Dad."
Shen Ziyao nodded.
"Mom, tell me about your life abroad, okay?" Shen Qi grabbed Shen Ziyao's arm, gently swaying it. "I really want to know."
Shen Ziyao lightly wiped away her tears and replied, "As for me, it was just like that. Aside from not being able to use my identity in China or return home, I lived like an ordinary Chinese expatriate in a small town—settling down, teaching locals Chinese, painting, writing novels. Maybe because I had a solid foundation, I quickly found my footing abroad. My novels were serialized in local magazines and newspapers, and I even won a modest award. Yet, I couldn't leave that town. They would send me updates on you every month."
"For your sakes, no matter how aggrieved I felt, I had to endure. My son was so young, and my daughter was taken away right after birth... I could only suppress my longing, as long as you were safe." Shen Ziyao said softly. "I failed you, failed the Shen family. Coming back now, I don't even have the face to return to them. All these years, because of me, the Shen family has been shamed."
Shen Qi shook her head incessantly. "Mom, don't think that way. Grandma has always missed you, truly. Grandma and Uncle only blame the Lin family, Shen Gang, and Shen Cui, never you! If Grandma knew you had to cut ties with the family to protect me and Brother, she would definitely forgive you!"
Shen Ziyao's eyes reddened, and she sighed softly. "Alright, let me think it over. By the way, Xiao Qi, where is your father buried? I want to see him."
"Dad is buried in the place you agreed on. I'll take you there. Dad will be so happy knowing you've forgiven him, in heaven!" Shen Qi said, tears streaming down her face. "Mom—"
Shen Qi threw herself into Shen Ziyao's arms. "Don't leave me again! Xiao Qi wants her mom too!"
"Alright, alright. I won't leave! Never again!" Shen Ziyao and Shen Qi wept together. "When Xiao Liu comes back, our family will never be separated again!"
Shen Qi nodded vigorously. "Soon, Brother will be back! The doctor says he's showing a subjective will to return to the normal world! His autism was just triggered by later events; if his willpower is strong enough, he can recover! Our family will be together forever!"
The mother and daughter held each other and talked for a long, long time, until Shen Qi couldn't stay awake any longer and fell into a deep sleep.
Shen Qi didn't know how long she slept. When she opened her eyes, the sky was already bright.
The space beside her was empty.
With a jolt, Shen Qi sat up and instinctively cried out in panic, "Mom!"
Was she dreaming?
Had Mom never appeared?
Why was no one beside her?
Hearing no response, Shen Qi panicked, jumped out of bed, and rushed toward the door.
Before she reached it, she saw Shen Ziyao enter, holding a bouquet of freshly picked wildflowers still dotted with dew.
Shen Qi immediately hugged Shen Ziyao, her voice choked with emotion. "Mom, I thought you'd left me again, abandoned me."
Shen Ziyao smiled and patted Shen Qi's back. "Silly girl, don't cry. Any more crying and you'll look ugly. Go wash your face. Look, I just picked these wildflowers to place in every corner of the room. This natural floral scent beats any artificial perfume."
Shen Qi laughed through her tears and reluctantly went to wash up.
Once she was ready, she came out and saw wildflowers and mountain blooms placed in every corner of the room.
Pushing open the window, she saw red leaves like fire and a gentle breeze.
The view stretched endlessly.
"Washed up? Time to eat." Xu Yunxi came to knock on the door and saw Shen Qi staring blankly at the scenery outside. Leaning against the doorframe, she smiled brightly. "I made your favorites this morning. Xiao Yi said at the hotel, you couldn't take your eyes off the cheese."
Shen Qi pretended to look fierce. "Xiao Yi is so bad, selling me out!"
Xu Yunxi laughed heartily, came over, and pinched Shen Qi's cheek. "Youth is wonderful. Come on, let's eat."
"Mm." Shen Qi happily linked arms with Xu Yunxi and headed cheerfully to the dining room.
At the table, the young masters were all actively setting out dishes.
Everyone else was lively and enthusiastic.
Only Wen Yibo looked sullen and put out.
Shen Qi noticed a faint bruise around Wen Yibo's eye.
Had something happened last night that she didn't know about?
Shen Qi looked around for Liu Yi but couldn't find her.
"Godmother, where's Xiao Yi?" Shen Qi asked.
Xu Yunxi smiled meaningfully. "Oh, she's changing clothes. You'll see her soon."
Speak of the devil.
Liu Yi came out wearing a gray fleece hoodie, holding her cheek.
As she appeared, Wen Yibo stiffened, his eyes darting away, his expression uneasy.
Shen Qi stared at Liu Yi's cheek. "Xiao Yi, do you have a toothache?"
At her words, the men setting the table couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Wen Yibo's face darkened like the bottom of a pot.
Liu Yi shot Wen Yibo a fierce glare but didn't explain, mumbling, "Yeah, a bit of a toothache."
Xu Yunxi was also laughing.
It seemed everyone knew what had happened except Shen Qi.
During the meal, Liu Yi kept holding her cheek.
The more she hid it, the more curious Shen Qi became.
After eating, Shen Qi caught Liu Yi off guard and pulled her hand away, revealing a clear bite mark at the corner of Liu Yi's mouth.
A bite mark?
Shen Qi stood there, stunned.
Who had done this?
Wen Yibo immediately coughed awkwardly and changed the subject. "Xiao Qi, are you still going back to sweep your father's grave?"
"Yes." Shen Qi nodded, looking at Shen Ziyao, and smiled. "Our family should have a reunion."
He Yining sat gracefully in his seat, reached out to take a pen and paper from Xiao Chun, glanced over it briefly, signed quickly, and then said, "Perfect timing. I have some business there too. I'll take you."
Shen Qi looked at him in surprise. "You have business there?"
He Yining smiled faintly and nodded. "I'll handle both work and personal matters. Even if I didn't, I'd still take you. The people there are tough; I wouldn't feel safe letting you go alone."
Liu Yi immediately said, "I'm coming too!"
Wen Yibo hesitated briefly, glanced at Liu Yi, and then said, "I've got nothing else to do anyway. I might as well come along. I hear that place is the burial site of an ancient emperor—such great feng shui, it'd be a shame to miss it."
Fan Sheng and Fan Li grinned. "We're cutting in line without responsibility! We missed out on the fun last time; we're not missing it this time."
Feng Manlun smiled gently. "Good idea. We left in such a hurry last time and missed so many beautiful sights. I've been regretting it. This time, I won't pass up the chance to make up for it."
Shen Qi looked at the others. "You're all coming?"
Xu Yunxi waved her hand. "Not me. I still have to keep recording the show. I took the show's pay, so I can't just walk away."
So, except for Xu Yunxi, everyone was joining.
Xiao Xia walked in quickly, nodded to the others, then leaned in to whisper in He Yining's ear. "Boss, Xiao Dong reports that the foreign group has moved ahead of schedule and is gathering near the cemetery. They're said to have brought more complete gear this time, aiming to fully explore the site."
He Yining's phoenix eyes narrowed sharply, and he nodded slightly.
"Make preparations," He Yining said softly.
Xiao Xia acknowledged and left.
Shen Ziyao quickly glanced at He Yining.
This son-in-law gave her an inexplicable sense of danger.
No matter how humble and gracious he seemed, the arrogance and dominance in his eyes were only hidden, never gone.
The moment his eyes narrowed, he was both seductive and commanding.
Though he quickly concealed it, a keen observer could still catch it.
Would Xiao Qi suffer with a man like this?
Just then, Shen Qi's phone suddenly rang.
She swiped to open it and saw an email from her aunt, Ella.
The subject line was just one sentence: Call me!
The email body included a number.
Shen Qi was startled and immediately dialed it.
The phone rang once before being answered. Ella's urgent voice came through. "Xiao Qi, the company I used to work for has gathered more people to continue exploring the cemetery! Don't go to sweep the grave anytime soon!"
Shen Qi had the call on speaker, and everyone in the room heard it.
All eyes turned to Shen Qi's phone.
Shen Qi was taken aback. "But I've already found Mom! We're going to see Dad."
"What?" Ella screamed over the phone. "How is this such a coincidence? No, you can't go now! Something will happen there! Trust me, that tomb cannot be entered!"
Ella's panicked voice echoed through every corner of the room.
"Aunt, what's going on?" Shen Qi couldn't help asking. "What does their tomb raiding have to do with us? Dad's grave is over a thousand meters away from that cemetery!"
"I can't explain it in a few words. Just don't go! Xiao Qi, listen to your aunt! You absolutely cannot go!" Ella's voice trembled with fear. "Don't go!"
"Aunt, did you find something in the cemetery?" Shen Qi pressed.