Chapter 398 - She Would

"Qing Chen," said their father. "I don't know what has been going on with you lately—"

"No!" he said. "Nothing is going on with me. It's just that I am done cleaning up after your messes. Years ago, she told you that she was going to leave the family to end this crap with Checks. You FAKED HER DEATH and made us believe that she died. Then she shows up when she couldn't fix it. So we tried, didn't we? We tried to help her. But at the end when she told you that she was going to handle it, you let her again!"

Qing Chen ran a hand through his hair. "It's me who doesn't know what is going on. Here we are, trying to help her and you just let her make it all crumble." He cursed aloud. "Then what was the point on making us do all that when you're just going to let her settle everything in the end? We should've just let her be."

He saw that his father's hand twitched, probably itching to strike or punch him. Qing Chen wouldn't mind. He didn't like the words that were coming out of his mouth either, but he already had enough.

"He has a point," seconded Wuming. "I mean, if she didn't really need us then why bother showing up again. We didn't really want to see her."

"She should've stayed dead," said Qing Lok, who looked equally tired as his older brothers. He was slumped agains the corner of the sofa with both arms splayed on either side of him. 

Upon hearing the words from his youngest son, Qing Zihao's chest constricted. He wanted his sons to understand why… but they were within reason of their anger.

"So," said Qing Chen, all business-like, "are you going to tell us why you let her? Why you let her keep messing this family up?"

"There is no other answer," answered Qing Zihao. "Your mother is a hard-headed person. She would've left even without my permission."

"We should've chained her then," said Wuming.

"She would've escaped."

"Not with one of us guarding her," retorted Wuming. He was also annoyed but there was nothing else that he could do. Their mother messed up, they helped her, now they were all back in the house.

Then the question that was hanging in the air was finally asked by Qing Chen, "When is she leaving? Are you going to come with her?"

"Are you really that cruel, Qing Chen?" their father asked. "To your own mother?"

"She was cruel to us too. And her cruelty that was supposed to have done us good, did more damage. She's a risk. And we cut our risks. Isn't that what you thought us?"

"But not family."

"She did it first."

Qing Zihao looked at his two other sons on either side of the middle one. "And you agree with him?"

Neither of them answered.

Their silence meant yes.

Qing Zihao nodded in defeat. "I understand. You want your mother out of the picture. She's going to leave as soon as she's well enough to travel. We're going to one of our houses."

Qing Chen nodded. "Just as we agreed upon." He wiped his hands on his pants. "Are we done talking? I'd like to rest."

Qing Zihao waved his sons away and they filed out of the room. He had never smoked since he had been diagnosed with his cancer. But now, he felt for the tobacco on his pocket. He lit it.

He knew that he was killing himself just by smoking this. But he badly needed it tonight.

This should be one of the moments that he should be proud of his sons. He had thought them to be cruel and ruthless. Now, they would not even let their family sway their decisions.

He was in full regret. They really did make the wrong decision years ago. And as if he had not learned, he let his wife had her way again to endanger her life.

So Qing Zihao spent a few minutes in the dark and empty living room, smoking the thing that was taking minutes out of his counted hours in the world.

Thinking that he was not really fit to lead anything now.

**

Feng Xuan had been waiting for Qing Chen anxiously in his bedroom. The surprise mission had been a success but she knew that the matters of the family were far from being over.

When the door finally opened, she turned off the TV.

"How was it?" she asked.

"She's leaving," answered Qing Chen as he took off his coat and hung it on the backrest of a computer chair. "As soon as possible."

"Are we going to go back to our house?"

"Yes, tomorrow."

"But where would your mother go?"

"She's going with father. Who knows? Maybe she would try to backpack to the Himalayas. Who cares anyway?"

Feng Xuan felt hurt for her mother-in-law. "Are you really sure you're going to cut her off?"

"Wife," Qing Chen said and went to the bathroom. "She had not been in our lives for the past few years. It would not make a difference."

But Feng Xuan believed that it would. "You thought she was dead all those years ago. Isn't this a different scenario? Because you know that she's alive?"

"I don't think I have any intention of making her a part of my life again. I don't think Lok and Wuming also have an intention."

Feng Xuan pursed her lips. She wanted to help them, make Qing Chen see reason. But he was not a child that she could persuade. He made his own decisions and he could very well think for himself.

Having not being with her mother, she could only imagine herself if she was in Qing Chen's shoes. She would've wanted to be with her mother.

When they were lying down, Qing Chen asked her. "You wouldn't do anything stupid like that, would you?"

She smiled at him comfortingly, "I don't think so."

But she knew that she would.