Thinking of Mu Ziqi's words, Shen Zhiqi shook her head, leaning her weight on Lu Jia, her voice a little hoarse, "Mom didn't want me to go over there. She didn't want to involve me and the children."

I think she might not want to leave Nancheng during this period. I have wanted my mother to come over many times before, but she can't bear to leave my father.

She always said that only in the southern part of the city did she feel close to her father; if she left, he would sleep alone, all lonely. She couldn't bear to leave him.

“Hmm.” Lu Jia rested her chin gently on Shen Zhi Qiu’s head. “Then let’s wait a while, until things calm down, and then we’ll try to persuade Aunt Mu again.”

"Okay." A single, glistening tear slid down Shen Zhi Qiu's cheek. She gently raised her head, looking into Lu Jia's firm yet tender eyes. She knew that Lu Jia was someone she could rely on, her strongest support in the world. She nodded gently, indicating her agreement to his suggestion.

When she came downstairs, Rong Mo was already waiting for Shen Zhi Qiu in the living room.

Seeing him arrive, Shen Zhi Qiu wasn't surprised. She walked over to greet Rong Mo, forcing a smile as she said:

"Brother, I'm fine."

Rong Mo looked her over and over, and only after confirming that she was really alright did he feel relieved.

“I have already called Aunt Mu and told her that if there is anything I can do, she can contact me directly, but Aunt Mu said that it is not necessary. She said that she and Uncle Gu had long expected this outcome.”

“Hmm.” Shen Zhi Qiu nodded knowingly. Indeed, Gu Qing Yan’s madness was definitely not something that happened overnight. The gears of fate had already begun to turn the moment Xiao Wan Qing returned to the country.

The fate of the Gu family has already been written; it's just a matter of when it will collapse.

On the other side, Shen Meiyan was hiding at home, afraid to go out, lest Gu Qingyan find out and come after her.

They only felt relieved after the news about the Gu family broke.

"Shen Meiyan, don't think you're safe just because Gu Qingyan can't deal with you. Heh, I can beat you to death anytime I want!" Song Shiyao sent a WeChat message, and Shen Meiyan felt a chill run down her spine even through the screen.

Killing one is the same as killing two.

Since he didn't care about taking another life, he became wicked.

"Yaoyao, I'm sorry, I know I was terribly wrong. Don't worry, I've already broken up with Lin Shihao. I promise I won't have anything to do with him again. Don't scare me. I really know I was wrong! I'll listen to you in everything from now on!" Shen Meiyan lowered her stance.

"Ha, what a coward." Song Shiyao tossed her phone aside and raised an eyebrow at herself in the mirror. She knew she had Shen Meiyan's weakness; if she wanted, she could plunge Shen Meiyan into an abyss of despair at any time. However, she didn't act immediately but planned to slowly torture Shen Meiyan, letting her taste the bitterness of despair.

That night, Song Shiyao was camping with her friends.

The private investigator that Shen Meiyan hired immediately sent this information to her.

The opportunity has arrived!

Shen Meiyan acted quickly, selecting a fitted black tracksuit from her wardrobe, then putting on a black baseball cap, covering herself completely except for her determined eyes. She scrutinized her outfit in the mirror, making sure no detail was overlooked, and nodded in satisfaction.

She had been preparing for this day for a long time.

Shen Meiyan got into a car salvaged from a junkyard and headed straight for the camp.

As dusk fell, the road outside the window grew increasingly remote. But Shen Meiyan felt a surge of excitement; the more remote the location, the easier it would be for her to strike and escape. She knew this operation had to be a swift and decisive victory; alerting the enemy could lead to utter ruin.

Upon arriving at her destination, Shen Meiyan spotted several tents pitched on a grassy area at the foot of the mountain. She parked the car, turned off the engine, and quietly observed them. She noticed that the tents were arranged in a regular pattern, with each tent maintaining a certain distance from the others. This was good news for her; she could use this opportunity to approach her target undetected.

That night, just as Shen Meiyan was about to fall asleep, she suddenly heard the sound of fireworks. Peeking out, she saw Song Shiyao and some friends setting off fireworks on the grass. The fireworks bloomed in the night sky, colorful and incredibly beautiful.

"It's quite romantic, but you probably never imagined that this would be the last fireworks display you'd ever see!" Shen Meiyan pulled her hat brim down even lower, then crouched low in the dark and quietly made her way to the lawn.

Perhaps they were tired from playing all day, because everyone dispersed after setting off the fireworks. Shen Meiyan carefully observed the tents and, after confirming that Song Shiyao was sleeping in a tent by herself, couldn't help but smile. She knew her chance had come.

She took a deep breath and stealthily approached the tent in the dark...