Chapter 14 If you dare touch her, I'll fight you to the death!
The fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month was the day when Shen Qingshu's mother, Jiang Yuelan, was released from prison.
Qiao Xingjia took a day off today and accompanied Shen Qingshu to pick up Jiang Yuelan.
The weather forecast was very accurate; today is indeed a beautiful sunny day.
Sunlight broke through the thick winter clouds and shone down on the earth. The light fell on the snow and shimmered with a brilliant, brick-like luster.
Outside the prison gates on the outskirts of the northern city, Shen Qingshu, dressed in an apricot-colored plush coat, was slender, with her long, smooth hair reaching her waist swaying gently in the wind.
"Stars, what time is it?" Shen Qingshu stared at the hundred-meter-high wall in front of her, her tightly clasped hands betraying her nervousness.
Qiao Xingjia patted her shoulder, "It's only 8:30, they'll be out soon, don't worry."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a commotion came from the prison's tall iron gate.
The small iron gate in the corner opened.
Shen Qingshu's eyelashes fluttered, and she immediately ran over.
"mom!"
Jiang Yuelan was slightly taken aback when she saw her, then smiled and said, "A-Shu is here."
"Go out and be a good person, start over." The young prison guard gave a few words of advice, then turned and went back.
The door closed again.
Shen Qingshu draped the down jacket she was holding over Jiang Yuelan's shoulders. "Mom, I've come to take you home."
Jiang Yuelan nodded, then turned her gaze to Qiao Xingjia's face, looking at her for a while before recognizing her: "Is that Xingjia?"
Qiao Xingjia smiled and said, "It's me, Auntie. Shu and I have come to pick you up and take you home!"
Jiang Yuelan was overjoyed. She held Qiao Xingjia's hand tightly and wouldn't let go. "Good child, I'm so glad you've been there for A-Shu all these years. Auntie wants to say thank you!"
"Auntie, you're too kind. Ashu and I grew up together, we're like sisters. Don't feel bad about it. Let's go home first. Ashu bought a new house and it's decorated so warmly and beautifully, I'm sure you'll like it!"
"Okay, let's go home first." Jiang Yuelan held Shen Qingshu's hand in one hand and Qiao Xingjia's hand in the other. Her wrinkles deepened as she smiled. "Let's go home."
-
Dolphin Bay.
The elevator arrived at the top floor, and the double doors opened.
The three of them stepped out of the elevator. Qiao Xingjia went in first and lit the stove, placing it in the middle of the entrance. "Auntie! Step over the stove to get rid of bad luck, and from now on, your life will be smooth sailing and wonderful!"
Jiang Yuelan's eyes reddened, but she nodded with a smile and stepped over the stove.
As Shen Qingshu watched her mother step across the stove into her meticulously decorated new home, her nose stung with tears, and they fell suddenly.
She hurriedly turned around and raised her hand to wipe away her tears.
After five years, she finally brought her mother back to their home from that cold prison.
A home that belongs entirely to the mother and daughter, without any members of the Shen or Jiang families.
Qiao Xingjia led Jiang Yuelan around the new house, inside and out, before finally taking her to her bedroom.
On the bed were new clothes that Shen Qingshu had prepared in advance. Qiao Xingjia picked up the new clothes and handed them to Jiang Yuelan.
"Auntie, take a shower and change into some new clothes. Later, Ah Shu and I will take you out for a big meal!"
Jiang Yuelan took the new clothes, looked down at them, and her hands tightened slightly.
After a long silence, she choked back tears and whispered, "Ah Shu has suffered so much for me all these years..."
Qiao Xingjia patted her back, "Auntie, now that you're back, A-Shu won't be suffering anymore."
The bathroom door closed, and the sound of the water spraying drowned out Jiang Yuelan's suppressed sobs.
Qiao Xingjia came out of the room, and Shen Qingshu also came in from outside, having just composed herself.
"Auntie went to take a shower." Qiao Xingjia looked at her badly red eyes and sighed softly, "You and your daughter are quite alike, you both like to hide and cry."
Shen Qingshu was taken aback. "Did my mother cry?"
"It's okay, it's good to let Auntie vent. She just feels guilty towards you."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingshu pursed her lips and remained silent.
Jiang Yuelan has been in prison for five years. She looks much older and more haggard, and has lost a lot of weight. She looks more than ten years older.
Shen Qingshu visited her frequently over the past five years, telling her about her entrepreneurial ventures and the progress of their new home renovation, but she never mentioned her marriage to Fu Siyan.
If her mother knew that even her marriage was so terrible, how heartbroken she would be...
"Are you really not going to tell your aunt?" Qiao Xingjia walked over and said in a low voice, "Although painless abortion is very mature now, it's best to have a short period of confinement after the procedure to avoid any sequelae."
“I’ve already made arrangements,” Shen Qingshu said. “The live-in caregiver will start tomorrow, and the surgery is the day after tomorrow. I’ll lie to her and say I’ll be away on a business trip for about a week, and I won’t be back until around the Lunar New Year.”
Qiao Xingjia sighed, "Alright, since you've made all the arrangements, I'll cooperate with you."
-
After Jiang Yuelan took a bath and changed into new clothes, Shen Qingshu and Qiao Xingjia took her to the hair salon.
In prison, Jiang Yuelan cut her hair short. Over the past five years, a lot of white hair had grown out. Shen Qingshu asked the hairdresser to dye her white hair black and give her a slight haircut.
Jiang Yuelan felt reborn as she left the barbershop.
Shen Qingshu had reserved a private room, and the three of them arrived at the Emperor Hotel close to noon.
The private room was on the third floor, and a waiter led the way.
A group of people walked towards them, led by an elderly man with a wealthy air. The young man beside him bore a resemblance to Shen Qingshu in his features.
Shen Qingshu frowned slightly.
I never expected to run into them here.
When Jiang Yuelan saw them, her face turned pale and she stopped in her tracks.
Qiao Xingjia was also dumbfounded. Was the world a little too small?
Aunt Jiang ran into these people on her very first day after being released from prison!
"What bad luck!" Qiao Xingjia muttered under her breath, "Auntie, we have to step over the stove again when we get home!"
Jiang Yuelan pursed her lips and didn't speak, but her tense body still betrayed her nervousness.
Shen Qingshu originally wanted to take Jiang Yuelan around to avoid them, but the Shen family also discovered them.
Old Madam Shen slammed her cane against the marble floor. "Ah Ying, isn't that the bitch who killed your father?!"
Shen Yanying looked at Jiang Yuelan with resentment in his eyes: "Grandma, it really is her."
"Fine!" Old Madam Shen said angrily, "I can't even enjoy my 80th birthday in peace! That bitch has actually been released from prison!"
Several members of the Shen family behind him were also indignant.
"My older brother died so unjustly, and she's doing just fine! She served five years in prison and is now enjoying delicious food and drinks at a fancy hotel! It's outrageous!"
"My uncle died unjustly! If it weren't for Shen Qingshu protecting that woman, she would have been shot long ago!"
Old Madam Shen gritted her teeth, "My son died so unjustly, you vile woman, don't think that five years in prison can wipe the slate clean!"
"Grandma, don't worry, I will definitely avenge my father!" Shen Yanying said, striding towards Shen Qingshu and Jiang Yuelan.
Seeing Shen Yanying approaching step by step, Shen Qingshu knew that the newcomer was up to no good, so she protected Jiang Yuelan behind her.
"Shen Yanying, look closely, this is your own mother." Shen Qingshu stared directly into Shen Yanying's eyes, which were filled with hatred. "If you dare to touch her, I'll fight you to the death!"
Shen Yanying looked at Shen Qingshu, who was protecting her chicks like a mother hen, and sneered, "Shen Qingshu, you will soon find out that prison is the best protection for her!"
Shen Qingshu's brow twitched.
Jiang Yuelan lowered her head and trembled all over.
Shen Yanying looks remarkably like his biological father, especially in his threatening manner at this moment.
The images of being beaten flashed through Jiang Yuelan's mind, and she gripped Shen Qingshu's hand tightly.
Sensing her unease, Shen Qingshu whispered reassuringly, "Mom, don't be afraid, I'm here."
A waiter pushed a food cart past them.
Shen Yanying's gaze fell on the steaming soup on the food cart, and he scoffed coldly: "Heh, then I'd like to see how you protect her!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Yanying picked up the bowl of stew and poured it directly at Jiang Yuelan—
"Mom! Watch out—"
"Ah Shu!"
The moment the stew was splashed over, Shen Qingshu pushed Jiang Yuelan away.
Most of the stew spilled onto the wall, and Chen Qingshu couldn't dodge in time, burning a large area of the back of her hand red.
A burning pain shot through her, and Shen Qingshu's face turned deathly pale.
"Ah Shu!"
When Jiang Yuelan saw Shen Qingshu's burns, tears streamed down her face. She was filled with remorse and guilt. "It's all my fault. I'm so useless..."
Despite the pain, Shen Qingshu reassured her mother, "I'm fine, some medicine will do the trick."
Qiao Xingjia was furious. She stepped forward, pointed at Shen Yanying, and started cursing, "Shen Yanying, you're worse than an animal! One is your own mother, and the other is your own sister! How could you do that!"
Shen Yanying's face darkened, and he raised his hand to shove Qiao Xingjia hard, "Who do you think you are, daring to yell at me like that!"
Qiao Xingjia was pushed back a few steps and was about to fall when the man behind her reached out and caught her.
After Qiao Xingjia regained her footing, she was about to express her gratitude when she looked up and froze, "Director Qin!"
Qin Yancheng smiled politely, "Dr. Qiao, what a coincidence, what brings you here..."
His gentle, peach-blossom eyes swept over Shen Yanying, finally settling on Shen Qingshu's scalded hand. His brow furrowed slightly at the shocking burns. "What happened?"
Just as Qiao Xingjia was about to speak, the door to the private room next to her suddenly opened—
Fu Siyan's tall figure walked out of the private room.
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