751 A Million Times for You 113

"What!?!" Madam Xu stumbled backward while Xu Cai hurriedly held her with a sullen expression on his face.

"My uncle is dead anyway. I've been wanting to tell you guys these things since years ago, but I haven't had the chance to. I just want to say that your family had brought all of these upon yourselves. You deserve it. I do take pity on your daughter, however. She'd had to atone for the sins her parents had committed. I heard that you often go to the mountains to burn and offer incense. Madam Xu, do you really think you'll be able to erase all the misdeeds you and your husband have done by doing so?"

Feeling much better after saying everything she had been bottling up, Li Mei continued, "I've already informed my uncle of the good news. I'm sure he'll be over the moon when he hears about it. It's a shame he didn't get to see your family's downfall while he was still alive, but I suppose he can put his mind at ease now."

"You… you…" Madam Xu spluttered, clutching her chest that was in excruciating pain.

Li Changde's incident had taken place way too long ago, and the Xu family all thought that Li Changde and his family had already died. Hence, Madam Xu was still grief-stricken and wondered who the abductor of her daughter was back then.

It seemed like she had really committed a great sin.

"I've already informed the inspection unit about this matter. There's no need to pursue anything further since my uncle is already dead. Your family totally deserves to end up in such a plight today! I've already said everything I wanted to! I'm not at all afraid that you would take revenge on me. If I ever get murdered, I would know that your family was behind it. The higher authorities would also easily find out that you people are guilty of my murder. Your son is the only one left who isn't implicated. Madam Xu, you'd better not let your family's bloodline cease. Otherwise, that'd be the retribution you get for all the sins you've committed! Hahaha."

Li Mei turned around to leave as soon as she finished speaking.

Overwhelmed with agitation and pique, Madam Xu passed out straight away.

"Mother!"

Xu Cai hurriedly carried her to her bedroom and called for the family doctor to attach her to an intravenous drip.

Madam Xu only came to an hour later and began weeping immediately with tears streaming down her face.

"Was what she said true?" Xu Cai asked with a frown.

"It's true. I've always known about this. Your father was young and full of rigor back then. He only annihilated Li Changde and his family because he was afraid that they would exact revenge on us. I didn't expect them to really have done it."

After a moment of silence, Xu Cai said, "That means, our family landed in this plight because of that incident. If Father didn't accept bribes back then, Li Changde wouldn't have caught him in the act and Father wouldn't have tried to kill Li Changde and his family. Baizhi wouldn't have been abducted and Xu Youran wouldn't have come to our family. Everything would have been fine…"

Madam Xu's lips were cracked, and she lay in bed quietly with tears streaming down her face. "If I'd known earlier, I would've done everything I could to stop your father. It's my fault for failing to stop him. It's all my fault."

"Things have already come to this, there's no point in bringing up the past anymore. Everything happens in this world for a reason," Xu Cai said with a sigh.

"Thank Heavens. Fortunately, you didn't heed your father's advice and delve into politics. Otherwise, you'd be implicated as well. Xu Cai, you must live as an upright person. Don't end up like your father and brother. You're the Xu family's last hope," said Madam Xu, staring at him.

"Yes, I understand."

——

After filming a scene in the morning, Fang Erlan proceeded to wait in the studio for the next scene in the afternoon.

She sat on the chair and watched Yan Ge rehearse the scenes with the supporting actors.

Xiao Yue instantly felt disgusted toward Jing Shui after hearing about what happened last night.

Thus, as soon as she saw Jing Shui, Xiao Yue hurriedly said to Fang Erlan, "Sis, he's here."

Fang Erlan knew who she was referring to without even looking up.

"He's walking toward you."

Fang Erlan looked up to see that Jing Shui, dressed in his work attire, was walking toward them. She could not help but feel uncomfortable about the way he was looking at her.

She kept a straight face despite feeling jittery.

Jing Shui stopped in front of her and said, "I really had something to discuss with you last night. Must you do that?"

"I didn't know what you wanted to talk to me about, Co-director. You may tell me now, there are no outsiders here," she said in a cold and aloof manner.

Jing Shui's face stiffened as he asked, "Did you get the wrong idea?"

"I didn't…"

Fang Erlan sneered in her head, How could I possibly misunderstand this?

He was being so obvious!

I bet he harbors ill intentions.

Seemingly having guessed what she was thinking, Jing Shui chuckled and said, "I've been looking for a chance to chat with you privately, but it seems you've mistaken me for a crook. Have you really forgotten who I am?"

Slightly taken aback, Fang Erlan stood up and took a closer look at him. However, she had no recollection of him before and was sure that she had met him for the first time yesterday.

"Co-director, have you met me in the past?"

Jing Shui nodded and answered, "I lived with Auntie for a few months when I was ten years old. You were only about five years old back then and you loved playing with me. You look exactly the same as you did when you were younger, especially the teardrop mole right below your eye."

Fang Erlan finally remembered a vague memory of the scene he described.

Feeling a little guilty for mistaking him for someone who was trying to violate her, Fang Erlan quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I… I…"

"It's alright. It's always good to be wary of others and be on your guard at all times. I know what you thought I was trying to do. I can tell that you're a decent girl," Jing Shui said with a chuckle.

"No wonder I sensed something peculiar about the way you were looking at me yesterday. Actually, you should've just told me directly when you saw me yesterday. You didn't have to do that…" Fang Erlan said awkwardly.

"Well, I wanted to have a private chat with you. I'm sorry for failing to consider the consequences."

Fang Erlan smiled and said, "It's alright, the misunderstanding is cleared now."

As soon as Yan Ge approached after filming his scene, he caught sight of Fang Erlan and Jing Shui chatting merrily with each other. He walked toward them, after which Jing Shui casually greeted him and left.

Yan Ge stared at his back view with raised brows and asked, "What's the situation now?"

"I thought he was harboring ill intentions, but he told me that he stayed with his auntie for a few months when he was ten years old. His auntie and I come from the same village. I was only about five years old then and I loved playing with him. But I was still young back then. I wouldn't have remembered if he hadn't mentioned it. It happened way too long ago."

Greatly taken aback, Yan Ge remarked, "What? That's a scenario straight out of a television series."

"I was just too suspecting and paranoid. But then again, he was acting too strangely and anyone would've gotten the wrong idea. Everything's fine now. I no longer have to be on my guard against him," Fang Erlan said with a smile.

——

After dinner, An Xiaoning sat up and rubbed her belly. "I'm so full, I'm going out for a walk."

"I'll go with you."

"Carry on eating."

"I'm full too," said Jin Qingyan, who then put down his chopsticks and began wiping his mouth with a handkerchief.

An Xiaoning had no choice but to wait for him.

"Shall we go to the hot spring after taking a walk? I know you love soaking in hot springs and it's winter now too. Shall we?"