Chapter 63 How absurd!

Loe is a British photographer and a member of the photography team at GlobalEye News. Qin Qiao became his partner after joining the company.

They went on missions together. This somewhat roguish man would always put two fingers to his lips and whistle lightly whenever he met her. Every time she walked quickly past, he and his friends would laugh behind her.

It was this man who shielded her with his own body during the terrorist attack.

The shotgun pellets rained down like a sudden downpour, and hundreds of shrapnel fragments instantly embedded themselves in his blood vessels, heart, and muscles... They were like lurking bombs, threatening his life at any moment.

Although Loe miraculously survived, twenty-two shrapnel fragments remained permanently lodged in his body. The most fatal were the three that were lodged in his spine. Each excruciating pain attack could only be suppressed by large doses of painkillers.

When Qin Qiao went to see Loe again after giving birth to her two children, Loe was ravaged by illness and barely recognizable. She learned that his wife had left home after the children were born, and that his elderly mother still needed care.

In order to become Loe's long-term medical manager and the guardian of their child, Qin Qiao decided to marry him. For the next three years, Loe frequently traveled between the hospital and home, while Qin Qiao, as his wife, handled matters such as insurance claims and medical decisions for him.

However, as time went on, the medication gradually lost its effectiveness, and Loe lost the dignity and quality of life to live.

In the spring of the fourth year, Loe chose to leave quietly on a sunny morning. He left her a letter, a signed divorce agreement, and custody documents for Danie.

...

That night, Chen Jiashu had his assistant buy him a plane ticket to London, England, for the 15th.

After finishing their work, the two boarded a plane to London on the third day.

There were only the two of them on this trip, and they didn't bring any luggage. Their flight arrived on time at 9:10, and a taxi arrived at the cemetery half an hour later.

There was a church not far away, and hymns drifted over on the breeze. The lawn was covered with green grass, and the tombstones were neatly arranged. Because it was morning, the fine leaves brushed against my trouser legs and left faint damp marks.

Qin Qiao led Chen Jiashu to Loe's tombstone. He looked down and stared at it for a few seconds before kneeling on the ground and bowing deeply with his hands on the ground.

He was extremely grateful to Loe for saving his family of four's lives, and he also repented and confessed to Loe for his years-long 'curse'.

Their return flight was at 8 p.m., and since it was still early after leaving the cemetery, the two walked slowly along the Thames River, their fingers intertwined.

A gentle breeze from the riverbank ruffled her hair, which she brushed aside with her slender, pale fingers. Qin Qiao tightened her khaki wool shawl.

“Danie’s mother is still alive. The most important thing is that he is still young and needs to wait until he comes of age so that he can make his own choice about where to stay.”

Her words were a response to Chen Jiashu's statement that the child should not feel discriminated against, that he wanted to adopt the child, and that he would treat Danie as his own child from now on.

After that, they continued chatting as they walked on.

“Qiaoqiao…”

Chen Jiashu unconsciously slowed down.

He glanced at her sideways and said, "Actually, at that time, I subconsciously felt that as long as you were doing well, I shouldn't bother you."

Qin Qiao stopped walking, and Chen Jiashu was also pulled to a stop.

The two turned around together, facing each other. The surroundings were noisy, with tourists of all skin colors passing by, chatting and laughing, while they were like hidden reefs in the sea, which people deliberately avoided.

It was still early morning, and a thin mist hung in the air. Gazing at the person opposite me through the mist, it felt like a dream.

The sunlight intensified this feeling.

"Then...why did you change your mind?" Qin Qiao asked.

“One year, two years, three years… I tried to let you go,” Chen Jiashu’s narrow eyes instantly welled up with tears as he gazed at her. His tone was low and slow, but the sorrow was amplified infinitely. “But I couldn’t do it. But at that time, I was no longer qualified to appear in front of you. I could only wait… wait for a ‘possibility’.”

A speedboat sped across the Thames, its roar fading into the distance, but a gust of biting wind it brought with it pierced through the back of Qin Qiao's neck, sending a chill down her spine, causing her to involuntarily shiver.

"possible?"

But this brief, chilling sensation passed, and suddenly an intense heat surged forth, as if she had turned into lava, scorching her entire body. A large tear welled up from the corner of her reddened eye, and because her head was tilted back, the tear quickly sank into her temple. At this moment, Qin Qiao felt only endless sorrow.

"During those years, I secretly visited you four times."

Under the light, the tears welling up in his eyes looked like shattered glass.

The child... became an insurmountable barrier, making it impossible for Chen Jiashu to intervene in a family.

All that remained was waiting. But was this waiting also mixed with a secret longing for that "possibility" that even he himself couldn't face? He couldn't tell.

"Then he really left. That day I saw you dressed in black, holding his... I even... shamefully felt fortunate, but seeing your grief, I could only... wait. It was karma, I guess... After that, my eyes started having problems."

These words were like a blunt knife stabbing straight into her heart, and the pain instantly consumed her like a raging fire, making it difficult for her to resist.

Qin Qiao was in so much pain that she could no longer stand. She reached under his arm, wrapped her arms around his back, and leaned into his embrace.

Their burning body heat penetrated the fabric, searing their skin.

He always attributed his own faults and tormented himself like this... He was the one who suffered the most during those years.

She looked up and froze. He stared intently at her: "That year, I was learning how to be a 'qualified blind person'... It was difficult, but I still wanted to see you in a somewhat dignified manner."

"I'm despicable, aren't I?"

Qin Qiao shook her head vigorously. How could that be?

Chen Jiashu was never a malicious person; he was just used to blaming himself for all the mistakes and constantly punished himself in a way that was almost self-destructive.

Qin Qiao buried her face in his chest, shaking her head, tears welling up silently: "Don't talk about yourself like that... I've known you for so many years, don't I know what kind of person you are? But I... I was wrong too. I stubbornly waited for six years, just to hear you admit your mistake. I could have done it in a much better way..."

Their "stubbornness" turned into thorns, and these thorns paved their six years together. The road was full of sharp thorns, and to get close, they had to pull out each thorn with blood and flesh. Although they were covered in blood and flesh, they finally touched each other's truest warmth.

Chen Jiashu pulled her into his arms with tremendous force, as if he wanted to embed her into his body.

After that day, the two of them were so busy they barely had time to breathe.

On the 28th of the year, Qin Qiao received an email from Chen Jiashu's assistant with the subject line "Property Information".

She recalled that on the day she returned to China, he casually mentioned, "Let's move to a different house. Keep an eye out for it when you have time."

At the time, I thought it was just a normal discussion, but I didn't expect him to act so quickly.

As Qin Qiao scrolled through the mouse, the screen displayed various luxurious model rooms, but she couldn't help but drift off into thought, remembering the house she was currently living in.

She had chosen this place with a heart full of love, visiting each real estate agent and comparing and selecting options repeatedly. She even personally oversaw the renovations, keeping a close eye on every detail, a process that took a whole year. At the time, she only felt sweetness and didn't feel tired at all.

My phone vibrated, and a voice message from Chen Jiashu popped up on WeChat: "Take your time picking, and send it to me when you're done."

She replied with "okay," but her finger remained on the screen.

She continued browsing listings, her mind already wandering. When she was decorating, she only envisioned a world for two. When the designer cautiously suggested adding a children's room, she rejected it without a second thought, insisting on turning the only room into a dreamy princess room, convinced she would have a daughter.

Now, they have three children. Zhaoye and Danie's room is still a temporary conversion from a guest room, furnished with a newly bought bunk bed.

As children grow up, they need their own space. But in our current home, each room already has a designated purpose—a home theater, a gym, a guest room—making it feel cramped. Furthermore, the previous decorating style is indeed outdated.

A thought flashed into my mind like lightning.

She pressed the voice recorder button, her speech unconsciously quickening: "You... you specifically waited for me to come back before deciding to move, right?"

When she asked the question, she already knew the answer in her heart. Chen Jiashu stayed in this home waiting for her to return. A lump formed in her throat, and she felt an urge to cry. Qin Qiao leaned back in her chair and covered her eyes with the back of her hand.

The phone vibrated again very quickly.

Chen Jiashu's reply was simple and direct: I'm afraid you won't be able to find your way home.

She was completely drunk, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't open the door with her key. The panic and pain she felt at that moment were exactly the same as when she left this place with her bag six years ago.

This used to be their home, a home they built bit by bit with their own hands.

Several snowfalls fell intermittently for about half a month before finally stopping on New Year's Eve.

The temperature warmed up to fifteen or sixteen degrees Celsius, and outside the window, the sky was a rich, clear azure blue. Qin Qiao gazed into the distance from the balcony for a long time before returning inside, where her eyes met those of Chen Jiashu, who was coming out of the bathroom.

Qin Qiao suggested taking the children to the park near their home while the weather was nice.

Bring Chengcheng along as well.

Chen Jiashu walked to the bedside table, touched it a couple of times, and picked up the phone. He dialed the number, but Uncle Zhang told him that Zhang Mi had taken the child out to the street.

On this day, Chen Jiashu granted the children's every request. Whether it was a safe little activity or a "fierce battle" in the bumper car area, he accompanied them to the very end.

Danie and Zhaoye act as "navigators," while Chen Jiashu controls the direction. Every near-collision triggers an excited scream.

Time flew by and it was already three in the afternoon. They came out of the shopping mall next door, their hands full of purchases. The children jumped and chattered excitedly around them, like happy little birds on a branch.

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Qin Qiao drove to Chu Yutong's house and stayed for the night. Upon learning that she had submitted her resignation, Chu Yutong admired her decisiveness while also half-jokingly remarking, "Where can you find a husband like Boss Chen who is both rich and reliable?"

After the jokes, Chu Yutong leaned over and affectionately hugged her arm, then asked seriously, "So what are your plans next?"

"I don't want to be chased by traffic and deadlines anymore. I might write something, or I might try teaching." Qin Qiao glanced at the halo of light on her soft hair. "But I'm more inclined to the latter. I want to see my former self."

Just last night, she discussed this with Chen Jiashu. Chen Jiashu laughed and said that if she became a teacher, she would definitely be a patient and good teacher, educating and nurturing students, and would surely have countless students in the future.

She made the decision to resign two days ago, informing Chen Jiashu only after she had already done so.

Chen Jiashu naturally supported all her decisions, but Qin Qiao could tell from his slightly furrowed brows that he was worried. He was concerned about whether he had sacrificed his ideals for his family.

Of course not, or not entirely. Over the years, she has traveled the world for her career. Although she has not reached the top, she has realized her dream from her youth. Her heart is already full and she has no regrets.

For her, returning to family life is not a retreat. She will have more time to accompany her children as they grow up, take them on trips every holiday, and try to seriously fulfill her role as a wife.

This certainly involves making up for past shortcomings, but at a deeper level, it reflects her completely new plan for the future. Approaching forty, she is no longer a girl in her twenties; all of this is a sober choice made after careful consideration.

With his brows relaxed a little, Chen Jiashu lowered his head and placed a kiss on her forehead.

He didn't say anything more.

On the morning of the first day of school, the cafeteria was filled with the sound of children crying.

It all started when Xixi said, "When Xixi turns eighteen, Daddy's eyes will be able to see again." Yang Shuhua unintentionally replied, "Daddy's eyes won't get better."

That one sentence shattered the children's long-held innocent beliefs, and their grievances and sadness erupted instantly.

Zhao Ye grabbed Chen Jiashu's arm as he stepped through the door and roared, "Grandma is lying!" Danie and Xi Xi sobbed uncontrollably to the side. No matter how gently the nannies tried to comfort them, the children's grievances were like a flood that had burst its banks and could not be stopped.

"Mom, they're still so young. Did you even consider the harm you're causing them?!" Chen Jiashu, hearing the children crying, snapped at Yang Shuhua for the first time.

“I…I was just telling the truth,” Yang Shuhua said, feeling wronged because they hadn’t discussed the matter with her. “I didn’t know you and Qiaoqiao were lying to each other and keeping it from them…”

Chen Jiashu didn't say much to her, but instead beckoned the three children over and led them upstairs.

“Qiaoqiao, I didn’t know you weren’t telling the child the truth.”

“You don’t need to worry about the child anymore,” Qin Qiao said.

Yang Shuhua's cheeks twitched: "What did you say?!" She couldn't believe her ears: "Qiaoqiao... say it again?!"

Qin Qiao's lips parted slightly, but ultimately closed indifferently as she turned and resolutely left. The cold, resolute look in her eyes caused Yang Shuhua a dull ache in her chest, almost suffocating her.

Before Yang Shuhua could say anything more, her daughter had already resolutely turned and left.

The nannies ignored her and dispersed.

In Xi Xi's room, Chen Jiashu sat cross-legged on the floor mat, his white cane placed outside the mat, and the three children sat around him.

Xi Xi continued to sob, and Chen Jiashu reached out to her. Her soft little hand touched his fingertips, and he gently took it, then pulled the child onto his lap.

"Zhaoye, Xixi, Danie, Daddy needs to tell you something important. Grandma's words just now scared you, didn't they?"

Upon hearing this, Xi Xi cried even louder, and Zhao Ye and Danie also went from sobbing to quietly whimpering.

"Zhaoye, give your hand to your father." Chen Jiashu stretched out his hand and opened his palm.

Zhao Ye entrusted his little hand to him with trust. Chen Jiashu held his little finger and guided him to touch his eyelid with his finger.

"Did you touch it? The eyeball is still round, but the 'little camera' inside is broken."

He paused, giving them time to process what he had said.

Danie and Xixi also came over to touch it. It was round and soft, just like their eyes.

The children's crying gradually stopped.

Chen Jiashu nodded, a faint smile spreading across his lips: "Dad's eyes certainly can't see the beautiful, colorful world like your little eyes, but Dad wants you to know that 'getting better' doesn't necessarily mean that your eyes can see again, but rather..."

Chen Jiashu pretended to think for a moment, then used an interesting example to encourage the children to think: "...The other day, Xixi's favorite teddy bear got a hole in it. Did Auntie mend it for you? Although we can't make it new again, it can still accompany Xixi to sleep and play bedtime stories, right?"

The children nodded and hummed in agreement.

“Dad is the same way. Although his eyes can’t be ‘fixed’, Dad can ‘see’ Zhao Ye’s upturned lips with his ears, ‘see’ how much weight Danie has gained with his arms, and ‘see’ Xi Xi’s new height by touching her with his big hands. Dad just ‘sees’ you in different ways.”

Danie started thinking: "So, when Uncle found me hiding behind the sofa last time, was it because he heard me?"

That day they were playing hide-and-seek. When the uncle came home that night, he immediately found Xixi hiding behind the sofa.

He felt that although his uncle was blind, he was like Daredevil in the cartoon, able to catch all the bad guys, which was really amazing.

“NO.” Chen Jiashu shook his head, sniffing mysteriously: “It’s because I smelled… Danie ate some chocolate, and Xi Xi secretly poured out the milk this morning, right?”

The children stopped crying and started laughing. Xi Xi hugged his neck and kissed his cheek.

Xi Xi blushed and snuggled into his arms.

But getting back to the point, Chen Jiashu wanted to apologize to them: "The reason your father and mother didn't tell you was because they were afraid you would cry like little kittens just now."

He paused for a moment: "But Zhaoye taught me one thing."

Zhao Ye blinked and pointed to himself with his little finger.

Chen Jiashu's tone became serious: "We are teammates on the 'Protect Inventors' team, and we shouldn't have any secrets."

At that moment, the door was gently pushed open.

Qin Qiao stood at the door, hands behind his back, face tense, and said in a serious tone: "Super soldiers, instructions have come from the front. Zhao Ye, Xi Xi, and Danie's mission buttons are constantly turning red. The 'Lu Ye Team' will depart in two minutes."

"We're going to be late for school!" the children cried out, jumping up and rushing out like three cheerful little sparrows, chattering away.

The footsteps faded away at the elevator, and the world returned to silence. Chen Jiashu tried to get up by pushing himself off the floor mat, but his legs were numb, and he slumped back down.

Qin Qiao quickly stepped forward, bent down, and helped him up by his arm: "My mother is not in good health. Jingjie and the others will take care of the child from now on."

Chen Jiashu rolled up his trousers: "I was too hasty and said some harsh words. We didn't communicate with Mom beforehand, so we can't blame her." The children were crying together, and he felt heartbroken and helpless at the time, which is why he spoke without thinking.

Qin Qiao went to work, and Chen Jiashu, who hadn't left the house yet, came to Yang Shuhua's room door.

He knocked on the door.

Yang Shuhua opened the door a crack, blinking her tearful eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Mom, I was in a hurry downstairs just now, and I spoke too harshly," Chen Jiashu apologized sincerely. Then, he lowered his chin slightly: "Regarding my eyes, we want to tell the child in a more positive way. So, please don't discuss this with the child anymore."

Chen Jiashu's tone was respectful, but it made Yang Shuhua startled. She gripped the doorknob tightly, and her sharp nails dug into her palm.

As dusk fell outside the window, Qin Qiao had just returned from Lu Tai's place. Her phone on the table showed three missed calls: two from Sister Jing and one from Chen Jiashu, with the call log showing that they had been missed a minute earlier.

Before Qin Qiao could call Chen Jiashu, Sister Jing called again.

She put it to her ear to answer the call.

"Madam, your mother just left with her suitcase."

She ran her fingers through her hair, brushed aside the hair that was covering her eyes, and after a while said, "I understand."

After hanging up the phone, she swiped to find Yang Shuhua's phone number, hovered her finger over it for several seconds, and finally dialed, only to be told that the phone was switched off.

Chen Jiashu called.

"Qiaoqiao, Sister Jing said Mom left with her bag." Chen Jiashu asked with some concern, "Did she go home?"

Chen Jiashu meant the apartment that Lan Chuan and the others rented.

"You don't need to worry about her, she won't get lost," Qin Qiao said indifferently.

Chen Jiashu remained silent for a long time before saying, "I spoke too harshly this morning..."

"Ignore her," Qin Qiao said coldly.

Despite saying that, ten minutes later Qin Qiao returned to her rented apartment, only to find it empty and cold.

Qin Qiao realized that Yang Shuhua must have returned to Jiang City. She went downstairs and drove straight to the airport.

That night, at 9:00 PM sharp, the plane landed at Jiang City Airport. After exiting the airport, she got into a taxi and gave them the name of her residential compound.

In the dazzling night, the taxi navigated the streets with practiced ease, arriving at the apartment building in less than twenty minutes.

The living room light was on, its cool white light spilling out and illuminating a small patch of darkness outside. Qin Qiao lowered her head, gripped her bag strap tightly, and then strode into the apartment building. One by one, the ceiling lights on the corner illuminated the building, continuing up to the third floor.

Qin Qiao knocked on the door once, and footsteps came from inside, stopping at the doorway. Then, the security door opened from the inside, and Yang Shuhua, with a cold face, turned and entered the living room without saying a word.

Qin Qiao entered the house and pushed the door shut behind her. The dim yellow light from the entryway lamp shone on her head, but it couldn't dispel the chill she had picked up from her journey.

She didn't change into slippers and went straight into the house. Yang Shuhua was already sitting on the sofa, her cold gaze fixed on the television in front of her, completely ignoring her.

Her mother undoubtedly loved her. From as far back as she could remember, although the family wasn't the wealthiest, they were still quite well-off. She always had two bags of milk a day without fail, and because of its high nutritional value, she ate beef three times a week. At times, she felt nauseous from eating it, but thinking that her mother would rather deprive herself than not give her what she considered the best, she always endured the discomfort and obediently finished the food.

She grew up being envied. In those days of modest material possessions, her mother always dressed her up beautifully and enrolled her in various tutoring and extracurricular classes. During holidays, the praise from relatives and friends made her enjoy being surrounded by admirers like a little princess.

From elementary to middle school, she had excellent grades. However, in high school, her math and science scores dropped to the bottom, and her confidence completely collapsed. At that time, she lived in the dormitory and often cried secretly at night. When her teacher found out, she was worried that she was depressed and notified her mother. Her mother came to pick her up and take her home that night.

Her mother asked her father to use his connections to hire a private tutor at a high price. Not wanting to let her parents down, she studied desperately, often staying up until two or three in the morning. Eventually, her grades started to improve, but they were still unstable, sometimes good and sometimes bad.

The pressure of senior year was immense, causing her to lose clumps of hair. Even though she had to work the next day, her mother still stayed up late with her. Her mother said gently, "As parents, we can't teach you anything at this stage; the only thing we can do is accompany you." Perhaps because she was going through a rebellious phase, she felt extremely annoyed by her mother's presence; that gentle gaze always made her feel like she was being pricked by needles.

When her mother consulted a college application advisor and suggested she apply for journalism based on her "interests," she deliberately filled in her application for a city more than a thousand kilometers away. In the years that followed, living away from home, she often felt indebted to her mother for her enormous sacrifices, especially after her father passed away.

Later, she got divorced, and even in her saddest and most difficult times, her mother was still by her side. Her mother not only raised her, but also raised her child from an infant to a child who could jump around and call out "Grandma, Mom".

Yet it was this mother, whose kindness was immeasurable, who orchestrated a shocking deception. She deceived everyone, arbitrarily stripping Chen Jiashu of his identity as a father, and also depriving the children of their right to have a father, attempting to alter their lives.

Countless complex emotions churned and tore at Qin Qiao's heart. Chen Jiashu still believed it was his fault! If he knew the truth, should he thank Yang Shuhua for raising the child, or should he hate her for stealing those six years?

It feels like a thief cleaned your house and then expects you to thank him for his hard work.

How absurd, and how cruel.

After sitting down, Qin Qiao's gaze involuntarily fell on the photo on the TV cabinet in the living room, which was taken by a stranger during a trip last year.

In the photo, the sunlight in Hyde Park is dazzling, and the Serpentine Lake glistens. Yang Shuhua holds one child in each hand, while she carries Danie in her arms. Everyone is smiling, and everything looks peaceful and serene.

But now, no matter how you look at it, it's glaringly irritating.

Qin Qiao blinked her moist eyelashes, lowered her eyes, took out a bank card from her bag, pressed her fingertips on the coffee table, and slowly pushed it toward Yang Shuhua.

"Mom," she looked up and met Yang Shuhua's icy gaze, "I can't come to Jiang City often. There's 200,000 in this bank card. I'll deposit 100,000 into it every year from now on. This is for your daily expenses."

Yang Shuhua trembled all over, a state that lasted for about half a minute. Suddenly, she grabbed a bank card from the table, flung it out of her hand, and the card flew away.