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nChapter 419: New Life?

nAs Qi Yan spoke, she smiled slightly. Zhang Xinhui was silent as she looked at her quietly. She just said, “Oh, right, Yan Yan, you haven’t eaten yet, right? I made you a bowl of noodles.

n“It’s the first time I’ve cooked in my life.

n“Thinking about it, I’ve never cooked anything good for my daughter. You won’t despise me, right?”

nAs Zhang Xinhui spoke, she got up and went to get the noodles.

n“No, of course not!”

nQi Yan was a little puzzled. Seeing that her mother had already brought the noodles over, she naturally hurried to take it.

nThe noodles were a little better than she had imagined. The meat slices were just thick enough and stacked on top of each other, and there was also some crispy green garnish. It wasn’t especially delicious, but the broth was just right.

n“Quick, try it?”

nHer mother stuffed a pair of chopsticks into her hands expectantly.

nIt was as if she couldn’t wait for her to eat the noodles she made.

nQi Yan paused for a moment, but then didn’t hesitate as she quickly accepted the chopsticks and started eating.

n“How is it?”

nBefore she even took a bite, her mother looked at her expectantly.

nQi Yan felt that her mother was acting strange tonight. Was something wrong?

nShe bit into her noodles, nodded slightly, and said, “It’s good.”

n“Good, good.”

nTears welled up in Zhang Xinhui’s eyes, and there was a hint of pain on her face.

nLooking at her daughter quietly eating noodles, Zhang Xinhui suddenly started talking. “Yan Yan, did I tell you that before you came to this family, your father actually had a mistress, and even had a son with that mistress?”

n“Oh…

n“No!”

nQi Yan was so surprised that she almost didn’t eat another bite. She just looked at Zhang Xinhui silently and was dumbfounded.

nHer mother, Zhang Xinhui, wasn’t looking at her face anymore. She continued in a low voice, “How should I put it? I made a lot of noise about it in the beginning!

n“But later, I understood. I didn’t have anything, and he could divorce me for all sorts of reasons at any time, so I compromised.

n“I even helped him and his mistress raise their child. I thought that they would give me a secure life…”

nAs Zhang Xinhui spoke, she gently wiped her tears and pretended to be strong. After a long pause, she continued, “However, I’ve thought it through now. Before, you asked if I had anything you could be proud of.

n“Unfortunately, I don’t.”

n“Also, I’m already at this age. It’s unrealistic no matter how hard I try, so…”

nAs Zhang Xinhui spoke, she suddenly looked nervous and a little embarrassed. She looked back at her daughter, but still said in the end, “Yan Yan, in the future, will you abandon me? Will you not take care of me or support me in my old age?”

nAs Zhang Xinhui spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. She clenched her fists and looked eagerly at Qi Yan, her only daughter.

nQi Yan couldn’t help but be stumped. So, she had specially made a bowl of noodles for her…

nSo that Qi Yan would take care of her in the future?

nHeh!

nQi Yan couldn’t help but look a little amused. She was a little speechless, and said, “Mom, I’m a little tired.

n“Do you see the scratches on my face?

n“Lu An scratched me because she suspected that I wanted to hurt Grandpa.

n“How could I hurt Grandpa?

n“They’re too unreasonable. I’m going to rest.”

nAs Qi Yan spoke, she forcefully pulled her hand out of her mother’s grasp. Then, she put down her chopsticks, got up, and left without looking back.

nShe left!

nNo matter how much Zhang Xinhui wanted to scream, her daughter didn’t even look at her for another second.

nZhang Xinhui couldn’t help but laugh dryly.

nHer dark eyes were fixed on Lu An’s tender and calm little face in an old pocket watch.

nIt had been a very cold winter’s day, and that d*mn man had gone to fool around with his mistress again. She had been bored at home alone, so she went to the countryside where the old man lived.

nShe vaguely recalled that the girl had been wearing a pink cotton jacket that day, and her fair and rosy little face was tender. She actually thought that the girl was quite cute, and had wanted to get closer to her, but then she thought of how she was just a girl and was ill; what was the use of just being cute?

nIt was Grandpa Lu who said that it was rare for her to come, so they should take a photo together.

nShe had still been a little reluctant.

nShe vaguely felt that the little girl seemed to take the initiative to lean closer to her. She even calmly and disdainfully avoided her.

nThinking about it now…

nZhang Xinhui couldn’t help but cry even harder. She looked at the noodles; Qi Yan had only eaten a few mouthfuls.

nShe had gone to a lot of effort to finally make it.

nShe was someone who didn’t know how to cook to begin with. Worried that the taste wouldn’t suit Qi Yan, she had cooked the noodles again and again, many times!

nBut…

nJust like how she had endured that heartless man, again and again…

nIt was also because she was stupid and only cared about appearances…

nZhang Xinhui was already in extreme pain. She took out the sleeping pills from her pocket and placed them in the bowl. Then, she picked up her chopsticks and started eating the noodles in big mouthfuls. Grieved, she ate the noodles…

nShe vaguely realized that she had learned a skill. She saw herself wearing a rough apron, and even though it was just a small stall she set up on the roadside, the passers-by gave her a little money and even smiled at her…

n…

nWhen Qi Yan came downstairs again, she realized that her mother was lying on the sofa and was no longer moving.

nShe would never move again.

nQi Yan’s face was tense. She tentatively reached under her mother’s nose —

nThere was no breath.

nShe was already dead.

nDead!

nQi Yan inexplicably started to sob. She recalled the bowl of noodles last night, and how her mother had asked if she would take care of her…

nWhy, why?

nQi Yan couldn’t understand. She didn’t know why she had to bear all this.

nEspecially when she thought of her father, who never came back.

nHe probably…

nHe wasn’t worthy of being called a father at all.

nQi Yan suppressed her emotions. She suddenly recalled the card that Mr. Xing had given her, and slowly took it out of her pocket with slender fingers —

nThe gold card was bright, as if to symbolize a new life!

n…

nAfter the matter came to an end, Lu An sent Grandpa back to his house in the countryside.

nQi Xiuyuan’s face was calm. He hesitated, but in the end, he took out a photo and gave it to Lu An as he said, “An, to be honest, I actually also had a daughter when I was young. At that time, it was all Grandpa’s fault for being indiscriminate. My daughter left me, and said that she wouldn’t come back…

n“I haven’t thought about it again in all these years.

n“I even ruthlessly thought that was that. I didn’t care, but lately…”

n“Er, this… Isn’t this my mother?”

nBefore Grandpa Qi could finish speaking, Lu An exclaimed in surprise.

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