Chapter 177 The Truth and the Blade
Outside the car, the sun had already sunk below the horizon, and the sky was burned a deep red.
The clouds hung low.
In the distance, the gradually spreading darkness resembled a dark net slowly closing in.
On the empty riverbank, only the rustling of the wind through the reeds could be heard.
Her throat was dry and sore. Qu He swallowed hard, her voice hoarse, "Qiao Mian, listen to me first..."
"say what?"
Qiao Mian turned to look at Qu He, but her eyes were devoid of warmth, only a deathly darkness remained: "You say this is what I deserve, that I'm greedy, that I'm wicked?"
Her smile was more like a grimace. "But all I want is to get what I want. I want money, I want status, I want to be loved. What's wrong with that?"
Why are you all pushing me to the brink? Qian Zhaoye, Yan Shu, Zhuang Bieyan, and you, Qu He! Why?
Looking at her like this, Qu He felt a mix of emotions.
She had no idea that Qiao Mian's obsession would become so twisted.
"Qiao Mian, the failed surgery isn't irreversible. With today's advanced technology, we can help you find a better doctor to perform corrective surgery. There's still time, there's still time..."
"Repair surgery?"
Qiao Mian seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. Suddenly, she took out a lighter from the storage compartment in the passenger seat and fiddled with it in her hand.
"What good will it do to fix it? Anda is gone, and my child is gone too. Qian Zhaoye's eyes are full of disgust when he looks at me now."
"Qu He, isn't this ridiculous? He used to say he only loved me, but now he says he never loved me, that he's always loved you! Why! What am I to him?!"
She grew increasingly excited, the lighter clicking away, flames occasionally leaping out.
The hideous scars on her face looked even more terrifying in the red firelight.
Qu He: "Qiao Mian, don't be impulsive, let's talk this out..."
"There's nothing more to say."
Qiao Mian interrupted her, her tone so calm it sent chills down one's spine, "Qu He, let's die together."
"Look, I've already filled this car with gasoline. The fire I set later will be spectacular, more spectacular than any fireworks you and Zhuang Bieyan have ever seen."
The smell of gasoline in the air grew stronger and stronger, almost suffocating.
"No! Qiao Mian! Calm down!" Qu He's head was throbbing so badly it felt like it was going to explode, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
"You can't do this! You have a long life ahead of you, you still have opportunities, you shouldn't..."
"Opportunity? I haven't had my chance for a long time."
Qiao Mian laughed maniacally, tears mixed with pus on her face, looking extremely miserable. "From the moment Anda left, I had no chance. From the moment the surgery failed, my life was completely ruined!"
Now, I have nothing left. I might as well take you with me to hell. With you, Mrs. Zhuang, buried with me, it'll be worth it."
She pressed the lighter again, and the flame shot up with a "whoosh," illuminating her face.
Qu He was so frightened that she trembled all over and tried to struggle, but she couldn't move at all.
Just then, the sound of engines grew louder and louder in the distance, as if several cars were rushing towards them.
Qiao Mian's expression changed, and she looked out the window.
Several police cars were seen driving down the bridge, their red and blue flashing lights particularly glaring against the fiery red sunset.
At the very front of the police car was a black Maybach.
The sirens grew closer, and a policeman's voice came through the loudspeaker, "Qiao Mian, we'll agree to whatever your conditions are. We can talk things over! Don't hurt the hostages!"
Upon hearing this voice, Qu He's eyes burned, and the tears she had been holding back finally burst forth.
Tears mingled with the blood from biting my lips, a salty and bitter taste.
He's here! He's finally here!
But the sound didn't frighten Qiao Mian; instead, it aroused her even more.
She stared at the approaching convoy, her eyes filled with resentment and bitterness.
She became even more frantic, slamming on the gas pedal. The van started up again and sped off towards another path along the river.
"Ha, you're really lucky! Then let's all be buried with you!"
The wheels rolled over the reeds, bumping along the potholed path, growing faster and faster.
The police cars and Maybach immediately caught up, leaving the van sandwiched between pursuing vehicles on both sides. Qiao Mian continued to frantically steer the van, even crashing into them.
The car that was chasing her was getting closer and closer. She looked at the person relentlessly pursuing her in the rearview mirror, her eyes filled with resentment.
With a screeching sound of brakes, the van came to a stop again.
Qiao Mian turned around, grabbed Qu He's hair, and pulled her to the front seat.
Qu He was in so much pain that she tried to struggle, but her mouth was quickly sealed with tape, and she could only make muffled whimpering sounds.
Qiao Mian lowered the car window halfway, and the river breeze blew in, ruffling Qu He's hair.
Zhuang Bieyan had already stepped out of the Maybach, his black suit was full of wrinkles, and his tie was hanging crookedly around his neck.
He stared at the figure inside the van from a distance of several dozen meters.
The river wind was biting, tousling his hair, but he was completely oblivious.
His world had already collapsed the moment the car window was rolled down!
Qu He was being held by Qiao Mian, and her usually smiling eyes were now filled with fear and helplessness.
Zhuang Bieyan felt as if his chest had been torn apart, and he was overwhelmed by endless pain.
"Ahe," he called out in a trembling voice, taking a few steps forward.
But Qiao Mian shouted at her, "Stop! Just stand there!"
Zhuang Bieyan had no choice but to stop.
"Qiao Mian, let her go. I can give you whatever you want—money, status, or anything else—as long as you release Qu He."
What do I want?
Qiao Mian gripped Qu He's hair even tighter, causing Qu He to wince in pain.
"What I want, you can't give me! I want Qian Zhaoye to continue loving me! I want my child back, I want to go back to the way things were before it all happened, can you give me that?"
Her manic voice carried on the wind, filled with a resolute determination to perish together with him: "Qu He, do you really understand Zhuang Bieyan? Hahahaha…."
The moment Zhuang Bieyan heard her words, his expression changed drastically.
"Do you know who sent you that video of me and Qian Zhaoye in the car?"
Qiao Mian's voice suddenly became very low, as if she was talking about a secret, but every word clearly reached Qu He's ears.
Qu He seemed to have guessed the answer and subconsciously looked at Zhuang Bieyan.
His shoulders trembled slightly. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he only closed his eyes, which were bloodshot. He could not refute.
"Hahaha! You're such a good husband!"
Qiao Mian suddenly shouted, "It was Zhuang Bieyan! He sent you that video! He just wanted you to give up on Qian Zhaoye completely so he could have a chance! What a refined and elegant Zhuang family man, he's just a despicable scoundrel!"
Qu He's head was throbbing so badly she couldn't think straight. She looked at Zhuang Bieyan in disbelief.
She tried to speak, but could only whimper.
Qiao Mian watched Zhuang Bieyan's expression and laughed heartily.
"You only found out about Qian Zhaoye's affair after seeing that video. We were both getting what we wanted, so wouldn't it have been better to just pretend we knew nothing? It's all his fault. Isn't he despicable? But do you think that's the end of it? Is that all he did?"
Qiao Mian looked at Zhuang Bieyan, her hatred almost overflowing, "Zhuang Bieyan, if you hadn't sent me to Qian Zhaoye's company four years ago, would I be in this situation today!"
She almost screamed, tears dripping from her chin onto Qu He's clothes, spreading out in a dark hue.
It wasn't until Yan Shu threw those investigation documents in front of her that Qiao Mian finally realized that she had been nothing more than a pawn carefully designed by Zhuang Bieyan to obtain Qu He!
Qu He felt a sharp pain in her scalp and was completely stunned.
Four years ago?
Four years ago, she and Zhuang Bieyan had not yet reunited, so how could Qiao Mian have gotten involved with Zhuang Bieyan?
Qiao Mian noticed her confusion and explained with a cold smile.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
