Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: She’s Not Her!
Chapter 348: She’s Not Her!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
He used his last bit of strength, staring with wide eves as he took his final breath.
Tian Sanzhuang knelt on his body and wept bitterly. The chubby woman rolled her eyes, taking her son to inform everyone.
People often say that when a person is about to die, their words are sincere. Unexpectedly, the dying words of this old man were like that. In the next life, he might still suffer!
Qiao Mai came out of seclusion ten days later. She couldn’t stay closed off forever; the two children were still there.
Upon hearing this news, she curled her lips and thought, “Good riddance!”
It was already the twentieth day of December, and the journey took six days. They will arrive just in time for the New Year without delaying anything.
Just as she prepared to return to the capital, the eldest son of the Qiao family arrived. He didn’t enter Lucky Garden but had someone deliver a letter to Qiao Mai before leaving.
It turned out that Qiao Shicheng, the body owner’s father, was not feeling well. Sensing that his time was running out, he wanted to see her while she was home.
After much consideration, she decided to meet the owner’s father.
Qiao Mai rode in a carriage, braving the wind and snow, and arrived at Lihua Village. She hadn’t been back since the owner was taken away by Tian Sanzhuang.
For some reason, Qiao Mai’s heart fluttered, perhaps due to the owner’s reflexive emotions. Regardless of how terrible this family treated her, she couldn’t forget them.
But she wasn’t the owner. She came to fulfill Qiao Shicheng’s last wish. With the owner’s personality, she would have forgiven them if her parents had said a few kind words.
But Qiao Mai couldn’t. From the first meeting, they insulted her. Moreover, they wanted to sell her again. She had never intended to acknowledge them. Love is love, and hate is hate. She didn’t want anything that could waver between love and hate.
After asking around, the carriage stopped at the gate of a house.
Although it was still an adobe house, it was not in disrepair. It seemed that after Yuan Jiaqi gave them jobs, they lived a decent life.
She got off the carriage, dressed in fine clothes, raising her head high with a straight posture.
“Mistress, shall I knock on the door?”
“No need. Just wait here.”
Qiao Mai walked forward, knocking a few times. Soon, Madam Qiao Lu walked out trembling. The owner’s mother, who was in her fifties, had aged.
Upon seeing Qiao Mai, tears welled up in Madam Qiao Lu’s eyes, and she tried to reach out to Qiao Mai.
Qiao Mai avoided her outstretched hand and asked coldly, “Does he want to see “Daughter, do you recognize us now?”
“No. I heard that he was about to die, so I came. Don’t daydream if there’s nothing else to do.”
“Why did you come then?”
“I came for the deceased Qiao Mai.”
Madam Qiao Lu looked at her. “Deceased? Aren’t you alive and well?”
Qiao Mai didn’t want to explain to this idiot. “If you don’t want to see me, I’ll leave.”
She was about to turn around when Madam Qiao Lu quickly stopped her. “He’s inside. He has been sick for several months.’
Qiao Mai ignored her and walked in. The Qiao family members were all in the house, sensing that Qiao Shicheng’s health was deteriorating. They were afraid he might pass away. They even prepared the coffin.
Upon entering the room, she saw the Qiao family members but didn’t greet them. Seeing Qiao Shicheng lying on the bed, she walked straight toward him.
Someone made room for her, but she didn’t sit and stood by the bed.
“I’m here. What do you want?”
“Daughter, it’s my fault. I’m glad you came to see me. Can you forgive your father?”
“Why?”
“Because Qiao Mai was already killed by the Tian family. She died the night she gave birth prematurely.”
Perhaps others thought she was speaking out of anger, but the dying man widened his eyes and turned to look at her.
“You… You are not her?”
“A father who can’t protect his daughter but still wants to eat her flesh and drink her blood. Are you worthy of being a father?”
“I… Who are you?”
“I am a wandering ghost, a vengeful spirit. I should have avenged her by killing everyone who harmed her. You should be grateful that you’ve survived until now. You should thank the one who died! I will return to the capital tomorrow.
Goodbye,”
Qiao Mai glanced at the people in the room and turned to leave.
She walked away, and although the Qiao family members wanted to see her off, they didn’t dare. Madam Qiao Lu sat by the bed, keeping watch over Qiao Shicheng.
“You got your wish, right?”
“She’s not her! She’s not her! So that’s how it is. Haha, I understand now. I understand.”
“What are you talking about?”
Qiao Shicheng spat out a mouthful of blood, fainting. The Qiao family rushed over, shaking Qiao Shicheng incessantly.
On the twenty-first day of December, Qiao Mai left Tianshui Town with the two girls.
When they left, friends from the town got up early to see them off. Qiao Mai had inquired about the health of the Yuan couple. They were in good health with no apparent problems.
Although her husband did not recognize them, he couldn’t be as heartless as her.
This time, she didn’t forget to collect snow into her space. Greeny also created a snowy mountain for her master to use anytime.
In the carriage with the two girls was a handle with sugar-coated fruits hanging on it. These were made in advance by Qiao’s Small Eatery to be eaten on the way.
This type of candied stick was only authentic in the north. Although southern sugar-coated fruits were available, the sugar on top was sticky due to the humid air. Here, they were crisp.
Jiamei ate a hawthorn, and Ling’er ate a strawberry. Having spent so much time together, their relationship was more like close friends than sisters-in-law.
Looking at the handle, they smiled foolishly. “Ling’er, I feel that the north is better.”
“I feel the same way. If it weren’t for Mother having a way, I wouldn’t adapt to life in the south, especially in the summer. It’s too uncomfortable everywhere.”
“Yeah, the north has four seasons, while the south only has summer and winter. If Aunt returns next year, let’s come back together and stay for a while.”
“I’ll follow Mother’s arrangements. If she wants us to follow, we’ll follow. If she doesn’t want us to, there’s nothing we can do. You must remember that whatever Mother says, it usually won’t change. We can only go along with it.”
Qiao Mai retracted her spiritual energy and smiled. Was she domineering and arbitrary, as if she were a mother tiger, as this girl described?
On the twenty-seventh day, they returned to the capital. Qiao Mai had Jiamei sent back to the palace. Unexpectedly, the emperor saw the carriage and confiscated it.
The old emperor took a liking to the carriage at a glance, and when the coachman returned, he felt wronged.
“Mistress, the carriage was left in the palace.”
“Okay. Consider it a New Year’s gift for him.”
“But without a carriage, I have no means of transportation.”
“After the New Year, I will buy several more carriages for you. You can leave for now.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
At this moment, the old emperor sat in the carriage with the empress, having two horses pulling them around the palace, enjoying a stroll.
“This carriage is outstanding. I don’t know where it came from. It doesn’t jolt at all.
“They returned to Tianshui Town in this carriage.”
“Yes, if I didn’t know she had another one, I wouldn’t have the face to confiscate it. Hehe, it’s so comfortable. I’ll take you out to see the scenery another day.”
“That would be nice. It’s been a long time since I’ve been out.”
“When the time comes, we’ll disguise ourselves as an ordinary couple and eat at their snack shop. It will feel special there.”
“It’s great that they’ve sent so many gifts over the years. I heard they gave everything they had in the shop to us.”
“Of course. Our families are close relatives.
While the two enjoyed themselves in the carriage, Yuan Jiaqi served Qiao Mai to wash up and dressed her on the warm bed for a massage.
“Wife, you’ve worked hard.”
“I’m not tired. This year, we earned ten thousand taels more than last year. I plan to let the children collect debts next year. I won’t go..”