Chapter 161: Returning to Ximen City (Part Two)

The scenery along the way was truly beautiful. Having been too hurried last time, Qian Yin had not had the chance to admire it, but on this trip, she kept her eyes fixed on the view. From time to time, she chatted with Boss Jin about jade; she was planning to purchase a very large piece of jade from him to commission a statue of Leng Xue.

Although Boss Jin was puzzled, he had already called his jade shop to ensure a piece of millennium ice jade was set aside for Qian Yin. Pieces of that size existed, but they had to be reserved; otherwise, they would be snatched up for various jewelry projects.

An Feng drove, occasionally stealing glances at Mo Lan’s expression in the passenger seat. He kept thinking that since they were now so far from the Mo family estate, she should be in a better mood.

"If you're driving, just drive. Watch the road! If you keep driving like this, I’m getting out. I’ll go ride with Xiao Qi and the others." Mo Lan didn't care what An Feng was thinking; she only felt that this man was being far from focused behind the wheel.

Upon hearing this, An Feng’s face darkened instantly. He didn't look at Mo Lan again, his face flushing with embarrassment. He inwardly complained that this woman was being ungrateful when he was clearly so concerned about her.

Mo Lan played with her phone, checking on recent affairs within the Mo family. She had no idea which fool was calling her father, but it seemed he really wanted to leave and was looking for a defeat.

She hadn't left any confidants within the Mo company; those people were too spineless to be her partners, and those who were too calculating were beyond her ability to manage. It would be better to wait for Mo Fan or her grandfather to recover so they could manage the company.

The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became. She hadn't realized running a company was so troublesome. Her grandfather had managed it so well—he was truly remarkable—and Mo Fan did an excellent job too. It seemed she really wasn't cut out for management.

"Stop overthinking it," An Feng said, sensing Mo Lan’s frustration. This time, he kept his eyes on the road, determined not to be scolded again. If word of that got back to the other car, he would lose all his dignity.

Mo Lan rolled her eyes at him and remained silent, continuing to look down at her phone, though she was thinking: Now that we are in Ximen City, is it necessary to take Qian Yin to visit Leng Xue’s grave?

Unable to decide on her own, she looked out the window, then ahead, and asked in a low voice, "Now that we’ve come to Ximen City, should we take Qian Yin to see him?"

An Feng paused, then immediately refocused, driving attentively while checking the car following behind them. After a moment of thought, he said, "Let’s go. Too many people already know; there's no need to hide it from her."

Mo Lan nodded. She hoped Qian Yin wouldn't be overly emotional this time; she didn't want a repeat of the past.

The journey was smooth, with no incidents, and they soon arrived at the residence arranged by Boss Jin. It was a beautiful villa—not massive, but twice the size of the one in Lindu. The decor was luxurious, and the potted plants inside were so well-tended they appeared to be groomed regularly.

After the group parked and surveyed the courtyard, they headed into the living room. Xiao Qi and Liu Fei, having never been out like this before, marveled to themselves: Boss Jin was truly generous. He was clearly a wealthy man, and someone who could befriend people like them couldn't be all bad.

Mo Lan observed everyone, sat down beside Qian Yin, and quietly whispered the news to her. A flash of heartache crossed Qian Yin’s eyes, but she quickly nodded. She looked at the others, then took Mo Lan’s hand and headed toward the door.

An Feng followed immediately. Feeling uneasy, he turned back to the others and said, "I’ll accompany them to clear their heads. Xiao Qi, Liu Fei, you two stay here and protect Boss Jin."

Though the others were curious, they nodded. Boss Jin didn't care much for Xiao Qi, but he had a good impression of Liu Fei, so he arranged for bodyguards to buy them food and fruit.

Rarely having the chance to be out, Xiao Qi and Liu Fei were exceptionally well-behaved, terrified of being sent back. They sat obediently on the sofa playing with their phones, or when bored, strolled to the doorway to look at the garden.

Boss Jin, meanwhile, had his own affairs to attend to. He owned many mines and needed to keep track of the operations. If anything unusual turned up, he would need to inspect it personally.

Once in An Feng’s car, Qian Yin felt nervous, her palms slightly sweaty. Around her neck hung a beautiful star-shaped pendant containing a shattered four-leaf clover—it had belonged to Leng Xue.

The four little ones had specifically asked someone to make it. Though the materials weren't expensive, the clover meant the world to Qian Yin. During the time she was comatose, the four of them had done so much, all for her sake.

Seeing Qian Yin’s nervous state, Mo Lan squeezed her hand tightly and said with a smile, "You’re going to see him. Don't be sad anymore; find peace and smile. He wouldn't like to see you unhappy."

Qian Yin nodded, pressing her lips together so hard she didn't even feel the pain as her teeth bit into her flesh. She forced herself to stay clear-headed and managed a faint smile, not wanting the two of them to worry.

Seeing that smile, Mo Lan knew Qian Yin couldn't find peace so easily—anyone would feel the same. She could only feel relieved that Qian Yin was making an effort to change. She closed her eyes and prayed that nothing else would happen to cause her pain.

In the front, An Feng twitched his mouth. He didn't quite understand these emotions. He hadn't lost Mo Lan yet, so he didn't know the bitterness of losing someone; he only knew that when Mo Lan ignored him, his heart ached too.

The scenery along the way seemed to grow gloomier as their moods darkened. Soon, they arrived at the cemetery. It was deathly quiet, with no one else around, just rows of gravestones.

Qian Yin scanned the area slowly until she finally spotted the third row, third grave: Leng Xue’s tombstone. On it was a photograph of him wearing a rare smile. She wondered which of those four rascals had managed to capture that shot.

Seeing that image, a faint, genuine smile graced Qian Yin’s lips. She stood there foolishly, staring at the "lonely" gravestone, which looked as though no one had ever come to pay their respects.

"Would you like to buy some flowers, miss?" A pale, elderly person suddenly appeared, carrying five or six bouquets of roses. It looked exhausting for the old person to hold them all, and she had no idea how they had managed to enter the cemetery unnoticed.

Mo Lan and An Feng frowned simultaneously. They hadn't seen anyone just moments ago. Had the gravestones been blocking their view, or had the person followed them in? How could someone of such an advanced age be selling flowers here? Was there something suspicious going on?

"How much for a bouquet? I’ll take one." Qian Yin didn't have the capacity to think about these questions. She had never visited a grave before and hadn't even realized she needed to bring flowers. The thought made her feel even more desolate.

"Two hundred yuan," the old person said, holding up two fingers with a guileless expression.

The person looked quite simple and honest. Were they just overthinking it?