NOVEL NEXT Chapter 394 - 394: Do You Want To Know?
Chapter 394: Do You Want To Know?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Sister, are you here to visit our mother?” “No, I came to see Madam Qiao Lu.”
“After all these years, you still can’t forgive us?”
“After all these years, can you have a bit of kindness? Can you get rid of your selfishness and self-interest?”
At this point, the daughter-in-law lowered her head, and Yuan Jiaqi sighed in his heart.
Qiao Mai pushed the door and walked in. “I don’t have extra time to stay here. Where is Madam Qiao Lu?”
“Mother is lying in the room, sleeping most of the time.”
Qiao Mai walked into the master bedroom. The room was relatively bright with no peculiar smell. It seemed that Madam Qiao Lu hadn’t suffered much after falling ill.
The daughter-in-law came to the edge of the bed and called softly.
“Mother, Mai is here to see you.”
Not knowing if she heard Qiao Mai’s name, Madam Qiao Lu slowly opened her eyes. When she saw Qiao Mai, she shed tears of remorse.
“Daughter-in-law, you go out first.”
“Okay.”
Qiao Mai looked at her calmly. “Say what you want to say.”
“Mai, I’m sorry.” “It’s too late.” “Mother knows.” “You don’t know.” “That year, what did you tell your father? He cried bitterly and regretted it all the time.”
“Do you want to know?”
“Mother is dying. Let me understand before I die, okay?”
Qiao Mai glanced at Yuan Jiaqi and said slowly, “Your Qiao Mai had already passed away that night at the Tian family.”
Madam Qiao Lu’s face turned pale. “She? Then you?” “I’m just replacing the soul of this body after she died.”
“No wonder you don’t accept us.”
“It’s not that I don’t accept you, but you failed as parents. When your child faces difficulties and setbacks, instead of helping, you add insult to injury. She reached such a state, yet you still want to suck her blood. Do you have any reason for me to be kind to you? Are you worthy?”
Madam Qiao Lu’s lips trembled. “Yes, I’m not worthy. I’m not worthy.”
When Yuan Jiaqi heard these words, he was also shocked. It turns out that his wife is not the original Qiao Mai.
Although he was shocked, he didn’t say much.
Watching Qiao Mai leave the room, he followed her. The daughter-in-law expected Qiao Mai to leave some money but was disappointed when she returned to the room and saw the empty bed.
Madam Qiao Lu kept muttering, “I’m not worthy. I’m not worthy.”
The couple rode on horses slowly on the official road.
“Wife?”
“Are you afraid?”
“No. You treat this family, us, and the children so well. What is there to be afraid of?”
“This is the reason why I don’t treat them well. They were wrong, made mistakes, and never regretted it. Why should I be kind to them?” “Sigh. Maybe those two people from the Yuan family are the same. They want me to soften my heart and give them money to live a better life.”
“Shall we still go to Apricot Blossom Village?” “We have nothing to do now. Why not?”
“Good, I’ll accompany you.”
The couple went to Apricot Blossom Village again. The Yuan family didn’t expect them to come together.
As soon as they entered the house, the Yuan family members came over.
They wanted to bow to the couple, but Yuan Jiaqi refused. When Qiao Mai saw Yuan Jiaqi’s parents on the bed, she fell silent, reached out, and took their pulse.
“They’re okay. It’s just a cold. Have the doctor prescribed medicine for you?”
“Yes, he did.”
“Alright, then it’s fine.”
Yuan Jiaqi’s parents saw him and excitedly pulled his sleeves. “Son, you finally came to see us.”
Yuan Jiaqi’s face remained cold. “Don’t think about it. I just came to take a look.”
“That is enough.”
“We’ll leave if there’s nothing else.”
“Son, please don’t go. We were wrong. Forgive us, okay?”
“Wrong?”
“Yes, we were wrong.”
“Have you ever burned incense for Chuan’er’s mother? Have you apologized to her?”
The old couple fell silent, and Yuan Jiaqi snorted.
“Is this your idea of admitting a mistake? You caused harm to a life and not even offer an apology. Why should I forgive you?”
Yuan Jiaqi stood up and left, with Qiao Mai following him and the Yuan family members trailing behind.
“Jiaqi! You!”
“I’m doing well. Don’t worry about me.”
Yuan Jiaqi helped Qiao Mai onto a horse first and then mounted his own. He had no attachment to this place.
The head of the Yuan family pounded his chest with regret.
“So many years have passed, yet he still hasn’t forgiven us.”
“Yes. Our family produced a duke, but it ended like this. When our Yuan family should have been prosperous, alas…”
“In the future, we must unite and avoid such incidents.’
“Yes. They say success cannot be achieved without the support of the family.
We can’t do without him.”
The Yuan family head looked at the distant figures of Yuan Jiaqi and Qiao Mai, wiping away bitter tears. They had overestimated their importance after he became an official. There was nothing to rely on. Others had wealth and power; they could only rely on themselves.
Back in town, looking at the once-familiar places, Qiao Mai sighed.
“The feeling of coming home is amazing!”
The emperor and empress rested for a few days, finally recovering, and they strolled around Lucky Garden.
They checked the warm sheds in the backyard, finally understanding why Qiao Mai liked this place.
Inside, warmth enveloped them like spring; outside, it was a world of ice and snow, a freshness wherever they went.
Hearing that the two had returned, they even went to the door to welcome them.
“Dear in-law. where did vou go?”
“We went out. Are you two used to being here?”
“Of course. Your snack shop is similar to the one in the capital. We like it.”
“It’s a pity we returned late. Otherwise, we could have seen the market in the north. ”
“I see your place is lively. There are still stalls set up outside.”
“Yes, the town has grown several times larger than before. With more people, there’s a need for more supplies. The town’s mayor is from the Qian family under the court.”
“This place is well-managed.”
“Of course. There aren’t many good mayors like him, contributing effort and money.”
“Should I promote him?”
“Humph, who would be interested?”
“Haha.”
Tianshui Town prospered over the years. Families started setting off fireworks before the New Year. The festive atmosphere was strong.
At nighttime, Qiao Mai bought many fireworks from the platform.
Adults could still enjoy them without children. From that day on, the fireworks and firecrackers never stopped.
In the imperial palace, the Crown Prince and Ling’er sat in the courtyard after dinner.
“It’s New Year. Father and the others must have arrived in Tianshui Town by now.”
“Probably. Mother has been counting the days. I also want to spend the New
Year there.”
“Don’t feel bored. On the fifteenth day of the New Year, I’ll organize a Lantern Festival for you. I’ll take you to see it?”
Ling’er shook her head. “Just a distant look is enough. It’s a special period now. Let’s protect our children.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes flickered. He nodded. “The Crown Princess is right.” In Lucky Garden, Jiamei held the child in her arms while Chuan’er stood by.
“Without our parents, the house feels empty.”
“Yes. Mother is so heartless, saying she won’t return after going back.” Chuan’er pinched her nose. “Mother is doing it to become stronger to protect us.”
“I know, but it feels more reassuring when Mother is here.”
“Even if she’s not here, we must still protect this place.”
On the thirtieth night, the emperor and empress got drunk. It was Qiao Mai’s territory, and there was nothing to worry about.
Yuan Jiaqi also drank quite a bit. They all liked this relaxing feeling.
On the first day of the new year, Qiao Mai and Yuan Jiaqi entertained friends and relatives from the town. Many years passed, and their children were married and had children of their own. If they didn’t introduce each other, they might not even recognize everyone..