Lin Mei shook her head decisively. How could that be? Xing Zheng had so many women around him. If Jiang Chu Bi really wanted to investigate, it wouldn't be her turn. The child's mother, or his white moonlight, whoever was more important than her, a casual fling.
"Then she's after Chen Qi?" Lan Lan found it incredible. "I haven't met Jiang Chu Bi before and thought Xing Zheng's fiancée must be quite capable, but I didn't expect her to be so blind to fall for trash like Chen Qi."
---
Western Suburbs Cemetery.
Xing Zheng walked to the tombstone holding a bouquet of white daisies and stopped. A black and white photograph was mounted on the tombstone. The man in the photo had similar features to him, but his gaze and facial contours were much gentler.
The tombstone bore a row of characters: Tomb of Beloved Son Xing Yan.
Xing Zheng held the white daisies and stood before the tombstone, staring at the person in the photo. Memories of their shared experiences flooded his mind, as well as the bloody scene and the raging fire on the day of the accident.
"Brother," Xing Zheng bent down and placed the daisies in his hand before the tombstone, then knelt again. His thin lips moved, and he said hoarsely, "Happy birthday."
June 20th was Xing Yan's twenty-ninth birthday. If he were still alive, the two brothers would have been sitting together, raising glasses in a toast.
The sun blazed in the sky over Nanjiang in June. Xing Zheng wore all black. The sunlight beat down on him, and sweat continuously beaded on his forehead and even his arms. The sweat trickled down his eyelids, casting a hint of sorrow onto his solemn expression.
Xing Zheng knelt there for over an hour, silent, like a lifeless tree. He paid no attention to the people passing by, the wind blowing, or the butterflies flying.
---
"Be careful!" Xing Sha quickly stepped forward to support his wife when she stumbled in her haste, then bent down to check on her. "Did you sprain your ankle?"
Xie Qin Jia: "No, let's go. Don't worry about me, just hold onto the things."
Xie Qin Jia pushed her husband away, unconcerned about herself, her mind solely on the birthday gift for her son.
Hearing his wife, Xing Sha picked up the food containers beside them and accompanied her as they walked deeper into the cemetery under the scorching sun. As they approached, Xie Qin Jia murmured to herself, "A Yan loved stir-fried string beans the most, and also his favorite braised peanuts. He must be happy for this birthday..."
Before she finished speaking, Xie Qin Jia saw the man kneeling before the tombstone. Xing Sha looked over and saw him too. Xie Qin Jia was indignant. Xing Sha stopped her, "A Zheng means no harm."
"He is the greatest harm!" Xie Qin Jia ignored his restraint and walked towards Xing Zheng. Xing Zheng saw the figure stop beside him and looked up, "Mom."
"Don't call me Mom," Xie Qin Jia pushed him away. She ordered him to leave, "You have no right to be here. Get out."
Xing Zheng remained kneeling, his expression solemn, "Mom, I'm sorry."
"I told you not to call me Mom!" Xie Qin Jia was furious. She pulled out her phone and hurled it at him forcefully.
Xing Zheng did not dodge. The phone hit his forehead, and a corner of it drew blood. The bright red blood seeped out, mixing with his sweat, yet he acted as if nothing had happened. He even picked up the phone for Xie Qin Jia.
"A Zheng!" Xing Sha could no longer bear to watch his wife and son confront each other like this. He doted on his wife and could do nothing about her, so he advised Xing Zheng to leave, "You go first."
Xing Zheng looked back, his gaze lingering on the photograph for a moment, and replied hoarsely, "I'm leaving now."
Perhaps it was because he had been kneeling for too long, but even with his strong physique, his legs felt numb and weak as he stood up, his vision darkening as if he were about to collapse. Xing Zheng's disheveled appearance at this moment was a far cry from his usual demeanor. Xing Sha, as his father, felt a pang of sympathy. "Hurry back and tend to your wound."
As he spoke, Xing Sha gave Xing Zheng a meaningful look, signaling him not to speak to Xie Qin Jia any further. Although Xing Zheng understood his father's intention, he still said something to Xie Qin Jia before leaving, "Mom, I'm leaving."
"I only have A Yan as my son. Don't call me Mom again!" Xie Qin Jia was extremely resistant to the address, and her words were filled with disgust when she spoke to him.
Xing Zheng no longer replied. He turned around and left quietly.
The harsh sunlight of the midsummer afternoon fell upon him, but he no longer felt the heat. A coldness seeping from his bones consumed him. He walked out of the cemetery like a walking corpse, dazed and disoriented.
After Xing Zheng left, Xie Qin Jia's anger had not subsided. She picked up the small bouquet of daisies Xing Zheng had placed at the tombstone and threw it aside. Xing Sha was helpless, but he could do nothing about his wife.
Xie Qin Jia opened the food containers and laid out the prepared dishes one by one. She did not allow Xing Sha to help, insisting on doing it herself.
When Xie Qin Jia looked at the photograph opposite her, her gaze was exceptionally gentle, completely different from how she looked at Xing Zheng. Only when she treated Xing Yan did she resemble a mother.
Xie Qin Jia's hand covered the photograph, and she carefully wiped away the dust. She said softly, "A Yan, Mom brought your favorite dishes. Are you happy?"
"Last time Mom saw you when you returned, you met a girl. If only you were still here, you two would surely be a match made in heaven."
Xie Qin Jia greatly admired Lin Mei. After Lin Mei visited that day, Xie Qin Jia would mention her from time to time, always sighing about how well she and Xing Yan would have matched.
She was bound to tell Xing Yan about this when she visited him today, but Xing Yan could not hear her. The living's confessions to the dead were merely a form of self-comfort.
Xing Sha stood by, watching his wife speak at the tombstone of their son who had passed away years ago. His heart was filled with sighs. He knew his wife was consumed by grief over the loss of her son and could not extricate herself, but he had no way to pull her out of the abyss of pain and hatred.
That year, both sons were in a car accident, but only one survived. His wife then became convinced that her younger son had caused the death of her elder son and refused to forgive him, even forbidding him from entering their home.
At that time, Xing Sha had found a psychologist to treat his wife. However, the psychologist was also unable to help. She had shut herself off, refusing any counseling, her mind filled with hatred, and she constantly shouted not to see Xing Zheng again.
In desperation, Xing Sha had to ask Xing Zheng to move out of the house. But his wife was still dissatisfied and caused trouble for another year or two, eventually leading him to send Xing Zheng abroad.
He had been gone for almost five years.
Now that Xing Zheng had returned, his wife had started causing trouble again, refusing to acknowledge this son.
---
Xing Zheng had told Lin Mei to come over at seven o'clock. With him holding leverage over her, Lin Mei couldn't disobey. After a simple afternoon tea with Lan Lan and Feng Feng, she drove to Pearl Manor.
Lin Mei parked her car and looked towards the villa, noticing that the lights were off in Xing Zheng's house.
Lin Mei frowned. After thinking for a few seconds, she decided to go up and confirm if he was there. She walked to the door, and before she could ring the doorbell, the door was opened, and she was pulled inside, her waist held tightly.