Chapter Sixty-Seven

Qin Youming looked at the shards scattered on the ground, then at the resolute look in Qin Zhining's eyes, and knew that she meant what she said.

He gritted his teeth and finally compromised, "Fine, I'll write it. But you have to promise not to cause trouble before Ayu gets married."

Qin Zhining nodded, "As long as you behave yourselves, I naturally won't cause trouble. But if Qin Zhiyu dares to provoke me again, or if you try anything funny..."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Qin Youming's face. "I don't mind letting the He family know that the woman they're going to marry is a concubine's daughter who stole her younger sister's fiancé and whose mother was an illegitimate child with her cousins."

Qin Youming froze, no longer daring to say anything more. He could only ask Qiu Xiang to bring him paper and pen, and with trembling hands, he wrote down the agreement and pressed his fingerprint on it.

Qin Zhining took the document, read it carefully, and only put the banknote into her pocket after confirming that it was correct.

"Write another letter severing ties." Qin Zhining's tone was cold and ruthless, causing Qin Youming's eyes to widen in surprise. "What did you say? A letter severing ties?"

Qin Zhining nodded resolutely, "Yes, it's a letter of severance. I—Qin Zhining, Xie Mingyuan's daughter—cannot live under the same roof as the executioner who killed my mother."

"Master Qin, after I return my mother's dowry and money in three days, I will have no further dealings with you. This will save you from worrying that I might inadvertently reveal everything you've done."

Qin Youming's fingers were still covered in the red mud from his handprint. He confirmed that he had heard Qin Zhining say the words "severance of kinship." He felt as if his bones had been removed.

He slumped into his chair, muttering repeatedly, "No, this is absolutely unacceptable! Zhi Ning, you are a daughter of the Qin family. How can you sever ties with your family so easily? What will outsiders think of our Qin family if word gets out?"

Qiu Xiang stood to the side, her hand holding the pen and paper almost slipping from her grasp. She secretly glanced at Qin Zhining and, seeing that her expression hadn't changed at all, she handed the things forward without hesitation.

Qin Zhining ignored Qin Youming's bitter face, staring only at the inkstone on the table. Her voice was as cold as ice in the twelfth lunar month, chilling to the bone.

"How you see it is an outsider's business. All I know is that when my mother passed away, you unscrupulously used her dowry to satisfy your and An Qinghe's selfish desires, and you couldn't even tolerate me, your young daughter."

Having survived several brushes with death, I've returned from my ancestral home. For your sake, my sake, and everyone's sake, let's sever all ties—cleanly and decisively, so we don't get in each other's way in the future.

Qin Youming swallowed hard, his eyes darting away from Qin Zhining's gaze. He rubbed his hand on the edge of the table, but still didn't dare to pick up the pen.

"Zhining, we're all family. Let's talk this out. Severing ties is too serious. If your mother were still here..."

"If my mother were still alive, she wouldn't have watched me being tormented by you all!" Qin Zhining suddenly raised her voice, interrupting him, her fingertips tapping the table.

"Stop with the nonsense. Either write a letter of severance now, return my mother's things in three days, and we'll be even from now on."

Either I go to the government right now and tell them everything about how you withheld my mother's dowry and mistreated me, and then we'll see who ends up losing face.

"Master Qin, don't forget, many people are eyeing your position as county magistrate. If I deliver your heinous acts to the county magistrate, I believe that even the county constable alone can take your place."

These words struck Qin Youming like a huge rock.

He shuddered, finally daring not to harbor resentment or delay any longer.

Reaching out to grab the pen, without even dipping it in ink, this most aggrieved father in history began to write crookedly on the paper.

When writing the two characters "severing ties," the pen tip paused several times, and the ink smudged on the paper, like tears dripping into my heart.

Granny Cheng and Qiu Xiang watched from the side, feeling both happy and sad for their young mistress. They secretly wiped away their tears but dared not utter a word of comfort.

Qin Zhining stood to the side, her eyes fixed on the words on the paper, without wavering.

After Qin Youming finished writing, signed his name, and pressed his fingerprint, she walked over, picked up the paper, and looked at it carefully.

After confirming that it clearly stated "Qin Zhining and Qin Youming's family hereby sever all kinship ties and shall have no further contact with each other," she folded the paper and put it into her bosom along with the previous written agreement.

"Three days later, I will return to my home to take my mother's dowry and dowry money."

Qin Zhining threw the paper and pen back on the table, turned around and walked towards the door. When she reached the threshold, she paused, but did not turn around. "If I don't see my mother's things by then, we'll see the authorities."

Granny Cheng, Qiu Xiang, Chai Bao, Chai Li, and Chai Xiu followed closely behind.

Qin Zhining left without looking back, without any regrets.

The door creaked shut, and Qin Youming slumped into his chair, his back already soaked with cold sweat. Tears welled in his eyes as he stared at the crookedly written letter severing ties on the table. He sighed deeply, his hands still trembling, muttering, "What a tragedy, what a tragedy..."

He was in pain—definitely in pain—because he had severed ties with his family.

After all, she's his own daughter. It would be a lie to say he wouldn't feel heartbroken if he severed ties with her.

The letter severing ties lay right before him, the ink blurred on the words "sever all kinship" piercing his eyes like needles.

He remembered Zhi Ning as a child, with two pigtails, chasing after him calling "Dad," clutching freshly picked wild strawberries in her hand, the juice dripping onto her clothes, dazzlingly red. "What a tragedy..." he murmured again, his voice full of bitterness.

It's not that he doesn't feel pain, it's just that the pain has been distorted by years of scheming and Aunt An's whispered words.

He always thought that Zhi Ning was a girl who would get married sooner or later, so he might as well keep Xie Mingyuan's dowry in his hands, save it for Cheng Xuan, and prepare it for Zhi Yu.

How did things come to this point of severing ties?

Qin Youming's heart was bleeding, and his fingers were still trembling. The red mud that had gotten on his handprint hadn't been wiped off and was still smeared on the tablecloth, looking like a small, indelible bloodstain.

The curtain to the inner room was suddenly lifted with a "whoosh," and Aunt An and Qin Zhiyu came out, supporting each other, their faces beaming with smiles.

"Master, that little jinx—she really asked you for a letter of severance? Oh dear—that heartless ingrate, how could she be so cruel? Huh?"

However, my lord, let me tell you, this ungrateful wretch should be cut off, lest you, as a loving father, raise her only to be repaid with ingratitude.

Once this letter of severance is written, the house will be peaceful from now on. And you'll be spared the trouble and effort of dealing with her, which will only bring you no reward.”

Qin Zhiyu was secretly happy, but she still pretended to be sad and wiped her eyes. "Father, my sister is still young and a little willful. You—you must not be angry. In two years, when she is older and more sensible, she will be fine."

Aunt An praised her daughter's performance, leaned over to the table, glanced at the letter of severance, and said with a tone full of schadenfreude, "Master, Qin Zhining dares to act recklessly because she is the legitimate daughter. She doesn't respect you as her father. I think it's good that she's gone now, so she won't be an eyesore and make you angry."