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At this critical moment, Qin Jiang limited Cheng Qiuyi's options. There was no other explanation besides the matter concerning Ye Jing; Cheng Qiuyi was determined to go all out against Ye Jing, and even Qin Jiang's arrival could not stop her.
Qin Jiang was a close friend of Cheng Qiuyi's mother, and he knew a few people from her maternal family. A-Zhi's father was considered a friend of his. This time he came to C City, but since Cheng Qiuyi was not there, Uncle Song received him instead.
Both Qin Jiang and Uncle Song were tea enthusiasts, especially Uncle Song, who loved to search for various fine teas. Unfortunately, while many people drank tea, few truly understood it. With a wealth of tea knowledge but no one to share it with, Uncle Song was delighted by Qin Jiang's visit. The two sat down to enjoy tea together, and before they knew it, half a day had passed.
"I have been living away from home for years and haven't returned in ten years. I never expected Brother Song to have a grandchild now." The tea was indeed excellent; the brew was clear and fragrant. Over the years, Qin Jiang had become entangled in worldly affairs and had lost the original appreciation for tea, feeling somewhat regretful for wasting such fine leaves.
Mentioning his newly born granddaughter brought joy to Uncle Song's face. "Not just you; I didn't expect it either. A-Zhi is lucky to have married such a good wife, so I don't have to worry about him."
Qin Jiang set down his teacup and shared in Uncle Song's happiness. However, thinking of his two disappointing disciples, he furrowed his brow and said helplessly, "If A Jing and Qiu Yi had half of A-Zhi's sense, I wouldn't still be worrying about them at my age."
Uncle Song knew a bit about the conflict between Cheng Qiuyi and Ye Jing and even turned a blind eye to A-Zhi's involvement in it. Although both girls were Qin Jiang's disciples and Ye Jing's mother had been close friends with Mother Cheng back in the day, Uncle Song was ultimately from the Zhou family on Mother Cheng's side and naturally sided with Cheng Qiuyi. He just couldn't say it outright and pretended to focus on his tea.
"Poor teaching leads to lazy students. A Jing has come this far because I failed as her master." Before visiting Uncle Song, Qin Jiang had already met with Ye Jing. His proud disciple showed no signs of repentance even when facing dire consequences; thus, he could hardly blame Cheng Qiuyi for being ruthless.
Cheng Qiuyi returned home to change her clothes and rushed straight to A-Zhi's house without even having a sip of water. A-Zhi had been waiting for her and immediately greeted her upon arrival. "Miss, you finally made it."
"Where is Master?"
"In the backyard drinking tea with my dad." A-Zhi expressed her concern. "Miss, Master Qin must have come for Ye Jing this time; I'm afraid his intentions are not good."
Cheng Qiuyi sneered. "One of us must die; there's no room for negotiation. Even if my mother stood before me pleading, it would be impossible."
Just as Qin Jiang and Uncle Song were enjoying their tea halfway through, Cheng Qiuyi barged in. Uncle Song understood that the two had urgent matters to discuss and made an excuse to leave, dispersing everyone else to give them some privacy.
"Master." Cheng Qiuyi bowed to Qin Jiang, and after receiving his acknowledgment, she took a seat in Uncle Song's former position. Although Qin Jiang had once expelled her from the sect in a fit of anger, a master is like a father for life, and the proper etiquette must be observed.
Cheng Qiuyi looked haggard, with a wound on her forehead. Qin Jiang initially intended to mock her a bit, but after so many years of master-disciple relationship, he ultimately sighed, "You and A Jing both think you've grown wings. Now look at you, both suffering losses."
Qin Jiang's straightforwardness caught Cheng Qiuyi off guard. "Have you seen Ye Jing?"
"Not only have I seen her, but I also wish I could have killed her on the spot to prevent her from tarnishing my reputation."
"If you're here to plead for Ye Jing, then forget it." Cheng Qiuyi poured tea for Qin Jiang from the purple clay teapot on the table. "Every accusation against Ye Jing has solid evidence; the law will give her a fair judgment. I'm just an ordinary citizen and can't stop justice from being served."
Unexpectedly, Qin Jiang said, "I'm not here to plead for her. A Jing's current situation is entirely of her own making; I know that."
Cheng Qiuyi was speechless. "Then you..."
"I'm just here to ask you if you're really determined to be with Liu Shuhan."
Cheng Qiuyi nodded firmly. "Shu Han and I have waited for each other for ten years. How many ten-year spans do we have in life? I don't know what the future holds, but I only know that in this lifetime, I can only love one Liu Shuhan and no one else."
Qin Jiang felt a wave of nostalgia as his memories drifted back several decades when another woman had told him, "In this lifetime, there will be no one else; I can only love one Cheng Tianhong. Knowing he isn't a good person, I still love him." That woman had sharp insight and could see at a glance that Cheng Tianhong was not a good man. Yet love is something one cannot escape.
Qin Jiang sighed, "You are just like your mother." He himself had been unable to extricate himself from his own feelings throughout his life; he had no right to advise Cheng Qiuyi to give up on someone she deeply loved.
"I'm not here for A Jing; I just want to tell you that regarding you and Liu Shuhan, I no longer oppose it."
Have you really come to terms with this? Cheng Qiuyi found it hard to believe. "Are you serious?"
Qin Jiang nodded, "As for love, it's like drinking water; only the person knows whether it's cold or warm. Since you have already made your decision, even as your master, I have no right to interfere."
"Thank you, Master, for your understanding!" Cheng Qiuyi was unsure how her master had come to this conclusion, but Qin Jiang's approval filled her with joy. She immediately knelt before Qin Jiang and bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you, Master, for your understanding."
Throughout their journey together, the only ones who truly supported their relationship were Yuan Ying and A-Zhi. Even Liu Shuhan had doubts in her heart. Qin Jiang was Cheng Qiuyi's master and the elder she respected the most. With his approval, it would be a lie to say that Cheng Qiuyi wasn't moved. Qin Jiang was a traditional person; if he could accept such a love that defied societal norms, Cheng Qiuyi felt a surge of confidence.
"Get up now. I heard from Brother Song that you were injured recently and shouldn't be too emotional."
"Thank you, Master."
As Cheng Qiuyi stood up, Qin Jiang noticed that her eyes were slightly moist.
"What about Liu Shuhan? Why isn't she here with you today?"
"I lost her," Cheng Qiuyi said with a wry smile. "I need to find her now."
Qin Jiang shook his head. "You both swore eternal vows in front of me; I thought you were inseparable. But it seems that's not the case after all."
Cheng Qiuyi teased, "Hitting is affection and scolding is love; what couple doesn't argue? You wouldn't understand since you've been alone for so long."
"You little brat are getting bolder; how dare you joke about your master?" Qin Jiang waved his hand impatiently at her. "Get out of here so you don't annoy me."
Cheng Qiuyi nimbly dodged Qin Jiang's hand and smiled as she cupped her hands in respect. "Master, wait for me! I'll bring my wife back to serve you tea!"
Before leaving, Cheng Qiuyi heard Qin Jiang call out again, "Qiu Yi, is there really no chance at all regarding A Jing?"
Cheng Qiuyi paused and turned, saying, "In the end, Master is still here to plead for her."
"I have only two disciples in my life. No matter how much of a beast A Jing is, she is still my disciple."
"I don't know what kind of punishment she will face, but I do know that I will never forgive her for the rest of my life."
Qin Jiang expressed understanding and sighed, "Qiu Yi, you have suffered all these years abroad."
"Master, I don't want to talk about the past anymore. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
"Go ahead, but don't forget to bring Liu Shuhan back to serve me tea."
Qin Jiang sat alone in the backyard for a long time. He had sent someone to investigate the grievances between Cheng Qiuyi and Ye Jing. It had been too long since the incident occurred across the ocean, making it inconvenient to investigate. In the end, Qin Jiang personally went to ask Ye Jing.
Ye Jing was quite frank about the events of that year and even mocked Qin Jiang for being foolish, realizing the clues only after so many years.
"Master, do you know when I started to take an interest in Qiu Yi? Since I can remember. Qiu Yi has always been mine. When she was little, she stuck to me like a little shadow, calling me 'sister A Jing' all day long. This little thing grew up until she was fourteen, and in her world, there was only me. Tell me, shouldn't she belong to me?" Ye Jing spoke boldly as if Cheng Qiuyi were truly her possession.
"I originally wanted to watch her grow up and ensure that she would always belong only to me. Who would have thought that fate would intervene? She came into contact with a new world and met new people; she no longer belonged to me. Master, how could I accept that?"
"I had no choice but to capture her and lock her away in a dark place, bringing her back to a world where only I existed. Her world should have only included me; I was just trying to restore things to their original state. What wrong did I do?" Ye Jing laughed carelessly. "It's just a pity that I used the wrong method and ended up making Qiu Yi hate me deeply. Back then, I was too young and didn't realize that for disobedient little ones, you need to coax them gradually—using a whip and a piece of candy works best. I focused solely on using the whip and forgot to sweeten her up with candy."
Qin Jiang's face turned pale with anger. "Ye Jing, you are a devil."
"Master, why do you say that too?" Ye Jing replied innocently. "Is there anything wrong with taking back what belongs to you?"
Qin Jiang finally understood why Cheng Qiuyi was at odds with Ye Jing and why she was willing to take risks to bring down Ye Jing. In the past, Qin Jiang thought Ye Jing was ruthless and paranoid, but at least she still had some humanity. Who would have thought that she had lost even that? With such a Ye Jing, Qin Jiang truly didn't know how to let Cheng Qiuyi give her another chance.
The backyard was cool, and the charcoal in the tea stove had long since gone out; the pot of good tea was gradually cooling down.
"Qin, don't leave tonight. Stay and try my wife's cooking," Uncle Song called out from a distance.
Qin Jiang responded from afar, "Sure." He bent his back and stood up, slowly walking toward the hall.
Let the younger generation handle their own matters; he was already of a certain age and couldn't see or hear everything. How could he manage every single thing and expect to get it right?
...
Cheng Qiuyi still had some affairs to settle regarding matter C, and it wasn't until two days later that she finally resolved everything and went to find Liu Shuhan.
In those two days, she thought a lot, somewhat understanding some things while being uncertain about others. The only thing she was sure of was that this time she had to bring Liu Shuhan back.
Cheng Qiuyi waited all day at Liu Shuhan's doorstep but didn't see anyone. Finally, in the evening, she spotted Liu Shuhan coming down with a basket to buy groceries. Fearing that Liu Shuhan might be on guard, she parked her car around the corner and suddenly appeared in front of Liu Shuhan to catch her off guard.
"Cheng Qiuyi?" Liu Shuhan jumped aside in fright. "Are you crazy hiding without making a sound? Do you know scaring someone can kill them?"
"Shu Han, come home with me."
"I told you this is my home. Are you annoying or what?"
This time, Cheng Qiuyi didn't bother arguing with her. She directly picked her up and tossed her into the car, quickly getting in herself and locking the doors.
Liu Shuhan pulled the car door with all her might but couldn't open it. Frustrated, she shouted, "Cheng Qiuyi, are you crazy? Let me out! Do you know this is kidnapping? If you don't let me go, I'm calling the police!"
Without saying a word, Cheng Qiuyi directly dialed a number and handed the phone to her. "If you want to call the police, go ahead. I'm just taking my wife home, and even if the police come, they won't be able to do anything about it!"
Liu Shuhan was taken aback by Cheng Qiuyi's domineering attitude and found herself thinking that she looked somewhat cool...
No! Liu Shuhan quickly hung up the call. "What are you doing? Do you know that reporting false alarms is illegal? The police will come and arrest you!"
No, no, that's not the point! "Cheng Qiuyi, let me go! My mom is waiting for me to buy groceries to cook dinner!"
"You can just tell Auntie that something came up at work and you had to leave early, or I can say it for you?"
This time, Cheng Qiuyi was determined. Reluctantly, Liu Shuhan informed Xu Ruyun that she wouldn't be able to leave tonight, and as expected, Xu Ruyun scolded her.
"Liu Shuhan, you've gotten bold! If you're so brave, don't come back for the New Year!" Xu Ruyun's yelling made even Cheng Qiuyi, who was far away, shiver.
"Mom, listen to me... Mom? Mom!" Liu Shuhan glanced at her phone and helplessly slumped in the passenger seat.
"Auntie really is getting stronger with age," Cheng Qiuyi chuckled.
"Shut up, Cheng Qiuyi. Don't think that just because you've taken me back I forgive you. This isn't over between us."
It’s better if it’s not over. Cheng Qiuyi thought wickedly; if you want to end things with me, I’ll find a secluded place to cry my heart out.
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