Chapter 785: A Million Times for You (147)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Despite being alleged expert hypnotists, they did not manage to get the truth out of them at all.
The hypnotists could tell that both An Xiaoning and s.h.i.+ Qingzhou were rather strong-willed and resistant to hypnosis, despite having already slipped into the initial stages of the sleep cycle. Yet, the hypnotists did not wish to admit to their incompetence right in front of the royals, for they would be ruining their own reputation that way.
In the end, s.h.i.+ Qingzhou and An Xiaoning did not breathe a word about the book.
The two of them had already expected such an outcome. At the end of the session, Madam Tuoba shot s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu a glance whose meaning the latter understood clearly.
The other members of the Tuoba family were dismissed, all of whom felt that the matter was absolutely absurd, ridiculous, and a waste of their time.
However, s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu still refused to believe the truth before her eyes and did not actually give up like she had promised her mother-in-law.
The deaths of s.h.i.+ Qingzhou and An Xiaoning were the only things that could put her mind at ease.
However, there was no way she could have them executed openly with a rightful reason.
She was filled with regret, now that she had to suffer the consequences of not being merciless enough and killing s.h.i.+ Qingzhou back then.
s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu was filled with anger and frustration. Why didn’t I just get rid of s.h.i.+ Qingzhou and her daughter back then? If only I did so, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.
What was I thinking all these years? All I did was enjoy the thrill of tormenting and abusing s.h.i.+ Qingzhou.
Yet, I’ve never thought of using a lie detector or carrying out hypnosis.
Seems like it’s going to be extremely difficult to lay another trap again.
But I’ve got plenty of time and a long way ahead of me. I’ll definitely find an appropriate chance now that they’re both in the Autumn Palace.
Just as the idea formed in her head, s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu’s hopes were instantly dashed.
The reason was that An Xiaoning said to Tuoba Gucheng, “Your Majesty, you initially requested for us to stay here for a week, but I don’t see a need to anymore now that this matter has been clarified. My parents are still wounded from the gunshots they suffered. They ought to head home to get some rest and recuperate. We won’t impose on you any further. Will you allow us to go home, Your Majesty?”
“Your parents? You mean, you address Shuo as your father?” Madam Tuoba asked in astonishment.
“My father has loved my mother and did so much for her throughout his lifetime. Now that they finally get to be with each other again, I’d naturally consider him to be my father. From now onward, I’ll treat him with respect, be filial to him, and take care of him in his old age, until he departs from this world.”
Tuoba Rui, her biological father, was rather upset and aggrieved to hear her words.
Old Madam Tuoba turned around to glance at her elder son, not uttering a single word apart from a sigh she let out.
“I’ll approve of that,” said Tuoba Gucheng, who agreed to let them leave.
An Xiaoning looked at him and said with a smile, “Thank you.”
Tuoba Gucheng nodded and answered, “Don’t mention it.”
——
On the way home, the three of them dared not to speak much about the matter. Once they returned to s.h.i.+ Qingzhou’s bedroom at home, An Xiaoning and s.h.i.+ Qingzhou embraced each other in utmost joy and agitation.
Before they arrived at the Autumn Palace, the two of them had already a.n.a.lyzed the strategies to adopt when facing the possible situations that might occur during their visit.
They had already expected that the Autumn Palace would engage hypnotists as well as carry out lie detector tests.
In fact, lie detectors were merely a test of one’s emotions.
Hypnosis is not entirely real either, for one would be insusceptible to hypnotic guidance so long as their willpower was strong.
“If it were me, I probably wouldn’t have pa.s.sed the tests. I was really nervous at the start,” said Tuoba Shuo.
“Fortunately, they didn’t make you partake in the tests too. I guess they’ve put an end to this matter. There’s nothing s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu can do even if she’s disgruntled and unappeased by the results.” s.h.i.+ Qingzhou lay down slowly and continued, “Xiaoning, start practicing the techniques tomorrow. Your grandmother managed to master it within a short amount of time back then. I reckon it would be the same for you.”
“I thought so too, but, Mother, the book doesn’t mention what’ll ensue once one has mastered the techniques. I was wondering if I’ll really be able to attain such potent powers once I’ve acquired those skills.”
“We’ll know when you’ve successfully mastered them. I’m not too sure about it either. I was so afraid of implicating you into this matter, but let’s put it behind us now that we’ve managed to dupe and convince them. Xiaoning, you didn’t sleep at all last night. Go get something to eat before taking a nap. Otherwise, your body won’t be able to take it,” said s.h.i.+ Qingzhou, who felt like a burden had been lifted off her shoulders.
“Alright.”
“Xiaoning, remember to stop immediately once you discover that you’re on the verge of going too far or becoming nefarious. You must know when to stop and refrain from forcing yourself to master it.”
An Xiaoning nodded solemnly and said, “I understand.”
After exiting her mother’s room, An Xiaoning instructed No. 13 to fix her some food and send it to her room once it’s ready.
A smile formed on her face as she lay in bed and stared at the ceiling above her.
The air seemed to have become fresher as well.
After having some food, she proceeded to take a nap that lasted all the way until evening.
She then woke up again feeling fresh and energized, devoid of any sleepiness. She then reached out to switch on the side lamp.
After switching off the heater, she touched up her makeup and headed downstairs, all refreshed and rejuvenated.
“Sis, would you like to have something to eat?”
“Nah, I’m going out alone. I’ll get something to munch on along the way.”
“Wait a minute, Sis, you have a parcel. In order to ensure that it’s not a dangerous item, we’ve checked it and verified that it’s a bucket of paper cranes,” said No. 10, who handed her the parcel.
An Xiaoning immediately sensed a red flag.
She hurriedly took it from his hands and opened the parcel to discover that it was a box in which there was a plastic bottle of paper cranes that she had folded for Pei Yi in R Nation.
I remember folding him two large bottles. Did he return one of them to me?
She removed the lid of the bottle and took a look at the paper cranes inside, only to receive a great shock.
The paper cranes in the bottle were not the same ones that she had folded previously.
She knew because she had used colored paper to fold the paper cranes in R Nation, whereas the ones she had just received were folded using white paper.
According to the significance of colors, white usually symbolized simplicity, peace, tranquility, and cleanliness, which was the exact opposite of black. However, it could also signify death and inauspiciousness.
She grabbed a few paper cranes and unfolded them to discover that there were no writings on them.
“The sender was anonymous. Sis, do you know who had sent it?” No. 3 asked.
“I do.” She then looked at No. 13 and No. 14. “I’m not going out anymore, please make dinner for me.”
She then headed upstairs with the bottle of paper cranes in her hands.
She poured them out onto the bed and checked through every single one carefully, only to find that there were really no writings on them at all.
An Xiaoning put them back into the bottle and placed the bottle on the table beside the bed.
She initially wanted to go out to meet Jin Qingyan and Jin Yiheng. However, she was instantly snapped out of her mood.
What did Pei Yi mean by sending this to me?
Although she could not figure it out entirely, she could vaguely guess what was going on.
However, she would not be daunted or falter, regardless of what he meant. Instead, she would take things as they come and brave through them.
She had always been flexible and highly tolerant of hards.h.i.+p. She would always adopt the strategy of putting down her pride in the face of adverse situations while at the same time abiding by her personal principles and morals.
Regardless of how formidable Pei Yi may be, he would never have the audacity to bring his troops to S Nation and throw his weight around.
He wouldn’t dare to show his face by coming forth personally either.
An Xiaoning was well aware of that.
She did not have much for dinner, which consisted of only a gla.s.s of milk, half a bowl of rice, and a plate of fried egg with tomato.
She cooped herself up in her bedroom and sat cross-legged on the bed without switching on the heater. The content of the first page of the book flashed through her mind.