"As for how I did it, it was actually very simple. I soaked his underwear in high concentrations of nicotine. The symptoms of the poisoning were very similar to myocardial infarction."

"Nicotine is metabolized and broken down in the body within a few hours, so of course you can't detect it."

"For the rest of your life, this place will be both your prison and your grave."

"I will have someone look after you and make sure you live a long, long life."

Chu Yuqing was so angry that she wanted to eat her alive. "You are such a ruthless ungrateful person. I shouldn't have been soft-hearted and let you stay. If it weren't for you, your father wouldn't have treated me like that!"

Zhong Qing was not angry.

She had heard so much abuse like this that her ears were callused.

"Do you think I really want to be your daughter? It was you who was stupid. To avenge Zhong Jiping's infidelity, you had sex with someone overnight and got pregnant with me, your bastard."

"You thought you could hide the truth and let Zhong Jiping be a cuckold, but you didn't expect that my appearance would expose your infidelity."

"Zhong Jiping abused you for this and even beat you to the point of miscarriage twice. You didn't want to leave this scumbag, but instead thought he cared about you. You are not only stupid, but also cheap."

"But you are such a jerk, why did you drag me down with you? I protected you and helped you resist Zhong Jiping's atrocities, but you turned around and became his accomplice. When it comes to being vicious, no one in this world can compare to you."

Chu Yuqing was so angry that she was like a mad wild dog. "How dare you talk to me like that? I'm your mother. I gave you your life. You deserve this!"

"Well, so, your current situation is what you deserve. You reap what you sow, and I am your retribution."

Zhong Qing's tone was light, as if she was saying that the weather was nice today, but to Chu Yuqing it was like a wake-up call.

She started to insult and threaten Zhong Qing, but Zhong Qing just turned and left in response.

"Stop, stop—"

Seeing Zhong Qing walking further and further away, Chu Yuqing finally panicked and changed her tone to pleading.

"I was wrong, Qingqing, I was wrong. I will never treat you like that again..."

Zhong Qing turned a deaf ear and went straight to Zhong Jiping's room.

When she entered the room, Zhong Jiping was lying on the ground, crawling forward like a maggot, as if trying to escape.

Zhong Qing stood two steps away from the other party and taunted him, "Don't waste your energy. You can't get out."

Zhong Jiping wanted to reach out and grab her feet, but his hands were out of control. He couldn't even express his anger clearly and could only make strange noises like "Ugh".

"You guessed right. I was the one who did it. Thanks to my mother's help, she helped me get everyone in my family away. Otherwise, my plan wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

"But you're wrong about one thing. The problem isn't the bath water, but the underwear I gave you..."

As Zhong Qing narrated the whole process word by word, the anger on Zhong Jiping's face gradually intensified.

But he couldn't express it with words or actions, he could only stare blankly.

Because he used too much force, the capillaries in his eyeballs ruptured, and blood mixed with tears flowed out of his eye sockets, making him look like a demon.

"This nursing home specializes in treating patients with severe mental illnesses. Your fellow inmates are similar to you. They especially like to beat people up."

"...But don't worry, Chu Yuqing loves you so much. She is reluctant to leave you even after being abused by you for so many years. She will definitely take good care of you."

Looking at Zhong Jiping who was so angry that he fainted, Zhong Qing turned around and left with satisfaction.

At dawn, as the black car that Zhong Qing was riding in drove away, the heavy iron door of the sanatorium was slammed shut.

…

"Miss Zhong, we're here."

Zhong Qing woke up to the driver's reminder.

It started snowing at some point, and everything outside the car window was white. Two familiar figures were standing at the door and waving at her.

"Thanks for your hard work."

The driver did not accept it. "Ms. Zhong, you are too polite. I am just following Mr. Yan's instructions. Mr. Yan has already paid me."

Zhong Qing insisted on putting the envelope on the center console before getting out of the car.

As soon as she got off the car, Zhong Yin and Zhong Min ran up to her from both sides and surrounded her. "Sister, why did you come back just now? Have mom and dad already gone to the capital?"

"Um."

"Will Dad really be cured?"

"Um."

"Very good!"

The faces of the brother and sister were filled with joy. Zhong Qing smiled and took one of them by the hand, "Let's go home."

This work is organized and uploaded by Liujiu Book Bar~~

"Well, let's go home. It's so cold. I'm almost freezing."

…

In the coffee shop.

Zhong Qing put down the silver spoon in her hand, looked up and said to Yan Yi opposite her: "Thank you."

Yan Yi nodded, "What are your plans next?"

Zhong Qing looked at her, "Aren't you going to ask why? I sent my parents to a place like that. Once people find out, not only will I be condemned by everyone, but you, my fiancé, will also be implicated to some extent."

Yan Yi drank a sip of tea without commenting, "Since you have thought about the consequences clearly, but still insist on doing it, there must be a reason why you have to do it. I agreed to help, and naturally I also considered the consequences."

The favor that Zhong Qing asked Yan Yi to help her with was to "buy" two beds for Chu Yuqing and Zhong Jiping.

That sanatorium, ostensibly a mental hospital, was secretly a refuge for some special prisoners.

The location is very secretive, the access control is extremely strict, and all staff have undergone rigorous training.

"Anyway, thank you very much for your help this time. After the Spring Festival, I will propose to cancel the engagement. Even if something happens in the future, it will never involve you and the Yan family."

Yan Yi looked at her and said, "I have no plans to change my partner for the time being."

Meeting Zhong Qing's surprised gaze, Yan Yi smiled faintly.

"We each have our own weaknesses, and we are evenly matched, so I think we can continue to cooperate."

"If you have no objection, we can discuss the wedding date after the Spring Festival."

Zhong Qing lowered her eyes and stirred her coffee. "If I guess correctly, the soft spot you mentioned should be Mingzhu, right?"

Seeing that Yan Yi did not refute, Zhong Qing smiled and said, "You chose me because I have no ill will towards Mingzhu."

Her tone was not questioning, but firm.

Seeing that Yan Yi still didn't refute, Zhong Qing half-jokingly said: "If I were a man, I would definitely snatch her from you."

Yan Yi took a sip of tea and said, "I envy you."

Zhong Qing raised her eyebrows and extended her hand, "It's a pleasure to work with you."

…

On the twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, Shen Mingzhu and her family were invited to visit the Zhong family. (End of this chapter)