Chapter 778: A Million Times for You (140)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
An Xiaoning was surprised by the unexpected sight of s.h.i.+ Qingzhou and Tuoba Shuo at her doorstep. She rushed forward and hugged her mother. “Mother, why are you back so soon? Aren’t you still recuperating and nursing your wounds?”
“It’s just a minor wound, I’m fine. I don’t wish to live abroad any longer. I missed you so much. Baby, it’s been hard on you,” said s.h.i.+ Qingzhou, tears flowing from her eyes.
Regardless of how old one may be, they’ll always be a child in the eyes of their mother.
An Xiaoning was a tough woman who could withstand all kinds of grueling situations. However, her mother’s endearing words were enough to bring tears to her eyes. “It’s nothing,” said An Xiaoning.
An Xiaoning realized that her mother was looking drastically different from her previous emaciated self. She used to be as thin as bones; however, she had since gotten chubbier and appeared much healthier than before.
An Xiaoning pulled her mother into the house and showed her to a room inside. “This is a room I had prepared for you guys beforehand. Mother, do you like it?”
s.h.i.+ Qingzhou nodded with a smile and said, “Yes, I do.”
She then helped s.h.i.+ Qingzhou into the room and allowed her to lie in the bed. “Quick, let me see your wounds.”
s.h.i.+ Qingzhou lifted her s.h.i.+rt to expose the bandaged wound on her abdomen, which was the result of a gunshot.
Noticing the look of pity and worry on her daughter’s face, s.h.i.+ Qingzhou patted her hand and said, “It’s alright, I’ll be fine after resting for a few days.”
“Father, did you get injured too?” An Xiaoning asked, looking at Tuoba Shuo.
“He took a bullet for me but he didn’t want me to tell you about it,” said s.h.i.+ Qingzhou.
“Where is the wound? Hurry and sit down, don’t keep standing.”
“On my arm. It’s alright,” said Tuoba Shuo, who took a seat on the bed.
An Xiaoning moved a chair toward her and said, “Tuoba Gucheng said that he’ll keep an eye on s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu and take her subordinates away from her, as long as I don’t leak the video of s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu being hypnotized. I agreed to it.”
“That means he doesn’t plan to let s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu continue being lawless, but… s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu will definitely pursue the matter,” said s.h.i.+ Qingzhou.
She was extremely certain.
“Why so, Mother?”
“Because I have something she yearns to possess. Do you know what it is?” s.h.i.+ Qingzhou asked softly.
“No.”
“It’s a book your maternal grandmother had left for me. I kept it hidden away from her and your grandfather. Apart from wanting to torture me, she kept me alive also because she wanted to know where that book is. She wouldn’t give up unless she finds out more about it,” s.h.i.+ Qingzhou said truthfully.
“What book is that?”
s.h.i.+ Qingzhou immediately recalled the book and the incidents related to her mother.
“Your grandmother was exceptionally gorgeous when she was younger. In that era, psychic individuals were deemed to be reincarnations of evil souls and were considered to be inauspicious beings. Thus, she dared not reveal her psychic abilities to anyone, for fear that she would bring unnecessary trouble and disaster upon herself. However, it still got leaked in the end by her mother-in-law, who was also my grandmother. Afterward, a lot of people were after her and tried to burn her alive. However, my mother managed to escape. According to what she told me, she fled to an ancient grave in which lay a night luminescent pearl. She then opened the coffin to find that there was a book beside the corpse. That was the very book that gave my mother the courage to return home. It’s also the one that s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu is desperately looking for.”
An Xiaoning and Tuoba Shuo listened quietly without interrupting.
s.h.i.+ Qingzhou continued, “The first thing my mother did when she returned was to kill those who tried to take her life, all except my father and grandmother. The two of them were the root cause of everything. In my memory, my mother was a person of strong character who had never once shed a tear in front of me. I witnessed her bawling and weeping for the very first time when your grandfather divorced her and chased her out of the house. Later on, more and more people tried to kill her, and they even tried to use me to threaten her. At last, she succ.u.mbed and allowed them to tie her limbs to firewood, after which they drenched her in kerosene and set her on fire. She was burned to death alive. Do you know who’d instigated your grandmother’s death?”
Sobbing and tearing up uncontrollably, s.h.i.+ Qingzhou added, “It wasn’t anyone else but your paternal grandparents, the president of that time and his wife. I then entered the Autumn Palace with the intention of seeking revenge for your grandmother. However, I had a slip-up and fell in love with Shuo, thus leading myself to the plight I’m in now.”
“How did s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu know about that book?” An Xiaoning asked.
“Actually, it was all my fault. Back then, your grandfather and the s.h.i.+ family made your grandmother out to be a demonic witch. In order to prove her innocence, young and foolish me had decided to spill the beans about the book. Your grandfather then interrogated me, but I didn’t divulge any further. But of course, he found out later that I was psychic too, just like your grandmother. I heard from s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu that when everyone thought I was dead, your grandfather constantly rejoiced about my death and said that it was a blessing since I would no longer be able to bring harm to the s.h.i.+ family. I’ve long resented them to the core and I’ve also once thought of exacting revenge if I ever get to escape. However, I’ve changed my mind now, because there’s someone I want to protect, and that person is you.”
“Mother,” An Xiaoning called, moved beyond tears.
“I’ve never taken care of you properly or given you a heartwarming family. I’m willing to give up the idea of revenge for your sake, so long as you’ll be alive and well. That book has always been one of my greatest concerns. I’d like to hand it to you and have you keep it for me,” s.h.i.+ Qingzhou said with a sigh.
“You want to hand it to me?”
“Yes, I’ve discussed it with your father when we were in M Nation. We were discussing if we should let you learn the techniques and skills taught in that book. Once you’ve mastered them, I’ll no longer have to worry about anything happening to you. However, at the same time, I was also worried that things would go awry if you lose self-control. But after much thought, I decided to hand it to you. It’s up to you to decide if you want to learn it.”
“Mother, just what… is that book about?”
“It’s a book about witchcraft. It’ll allow one to expand their capabilities in a short period of time. Your grandmother said that it’ll allow you to attain immortality, allowing you to go for long periods without eating, drinking, or answering nature’s call. I’ve never seen your grandmother kill anyone before, but word about her being responsible for a ma.s.sacre had kept spreading. s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu and your grandfather were desperately after it, but I’ll never give it to them even when I’m dead.”
“You may hand it to me. Mother, give it to me,” said An Xiaoning, staring at her intently.
“Come closer, I’ll tell you where it is.”
An Xiaoning leaned in closer, after which s.h.i.+ Qingzhou whispered something into her ear.
——
Tuoba Gucheng and s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu sat facing each other in the room.
“Mother, what did you want to say by calling me here?”
“I have something important to talk to you about, of course. I understand that you took away all my subordinates because you’re afraid I would stir trouble again, but there’s something I must tell you about clearly,” said s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu, appearing pale and ghastly without makeup. In fact, she looked like she had aged ten years overnight.
“Speak.”
“Do you think I locked s.h.i.+ Qingzhou up for so many years solely because I wanted to torture her? Son, it’s because there’s something of hers that I’m after,” said s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu, staring at him.