CHAPTER 444: CHAPTER 394

Gu Qili and Mu Shuoqian had sorted out their affairs in Aus City and took Mu Qinian with them, preparing to undergo three months of rehabilitative treatment there.

As soon as they got off the plane, there were people from Qiu Lan’s side to pick them up.

Gu Qili’s recovery was going well, and so far, there had been no adverse rejection reactions. Despite once being at odds with Qi Meihui, it was unexpected that her liver was surviving so robustly within her body.

After undergoing a series of comprehensive system checks, the place, located at the foot of the mountains, was marked by fresh air and a fine environment, making it an excellent spot for convalescence.

The day after their arrival, Qiu Lan rushed over. Her relationship with Jason had mended and was like new, and she appeared to be in very good spirits.

"Oh, right." Qiu Lan, sipping tea prepared by a servant, suddenly remembered something, "

Speaking of Qiu Yufei, Gu Qili felt real disgust from the bottom of her heart. She could forgive Qi Meihui, but not Qiu Yufei. That year, Qiu Yufei had almost killed her child. The grudge was deeply engraved, impossible to forget.

Perhaps sensing that Gu Qili didn’t like to talk about Qiu Yufei, Qiu Lan hastily comforted her by patting her hand: "Qili, don’t take it to heart. I didn’t mean anything by mentioning Feifei,"

"It’s alright, mom. I didn’t mind." Gu Qili smiled generously at her.

"Don’t worry, this time, I will keep a close eye on her and won’t let her mess around anymore," Qiu Lan asserted with a vow.

Qiu Lan originally planned to marry Qiu Yufei off to Steve, but upon returning home, Qiu Yufei made a scene with crying, tantrums, and threats of suicide. After all, she was the child Qiu Lan had raised for over a decade, and ultimately, Qiu Lan couldn’t bear it. Thus, the marriage was put on hold for the time being.

Gu Qili of course understood the depth of maternal love, and even though Qiu Yufei’s actions were unforgivable, she couldn’t possibly have Qiu Lan deal personally with her own daughter. As long as Yufei didn’t bother them, she’d act as if she had never known her.

After Qiu Lan left, Gu Qili was accompanying Mu Qinian in drawing. Mu Shuoqian, having finished his business, came back from outside and saw, on the living room coffee table, the warm afternoon sunlight tenderly bathing them as they sat side by side, big and small. This tranquil and beautiful scene was all he ever wanted in life.

He watched quietly for a while, completely immersed in this quiet happiness until Gu Qili looked up, "You’re back."

"Yeah." Mu Shuoqian hung up his coat and sat down next to her, "Did mom come by?"

"She just left a short while ago."

"What did she say?"

Gu Qili put down her pen, knowing he seemed to understand everything, and she relayed Qiu Lan’s words exactly as they were spoken.

After she finished, Mu Shuoqian didn’t react, his dark eyes pondered deeply.

"Let it be. She is, after all, mom’s daughter. We don’t need to stoop to her level. As long as she stays far away from us, out of sight, out of mind," Gu Qili, fearing he might make things difficult for Qiu Lan because of Qiu Yufei, gently patted his arm, "be good."

Mu Shuoqian chuckled and couldn’t help but press a kiss on her cheek, regardless of his son being there.

Mu Qinian, who was absorbed in drawing, felt a strong vigor of public displays of affection. He turned his head, his little noggin wobbling: "This is not suitable for children, mind the influence."

Gu Qili gently tugged his ear: "This time you’ve used the idiom correctly."

"Hmph." Mu Qinian pouted and continued with his doodling.

～

Qiu Lan was almost persuaded not to marry her daughter off. Just when she thought she had escaped this ordeal, she overheard a conversation between Jason and Qiu Lan.

Ever since she was eavesdropped upon, Qiu Lan had been cautious, having her bodyguards check her residence and all her personal belongings every day. She managed to overhear because Jason did not close the door properly when he came to visit Qiu Lan that day. She peered through the gap,

"How are things on Steve’s side?" Qiu Lan asked with concern, aware that it had always been a big issue troubling Jason.

"That’s actually why I came to talk to you." Jason sighed, pulled Qiu Lan to sit beside him: "Steve called me today. He explicitly stated he would cooperate with us, but he has one condition."

"What condition?" Qiu Lan had an inkling already.

"He said marriage alliance." Jason, fearful that she might get angry, spoke with utmost soothing, "Lanlan, I know Yufei is your daughter, and you must not want to part with her, but she won’t be at a loss marrying Steve; she’ll have everything she wants — the wind when she wishes for it, the rain when she desires. Although Steve is a bit older, age-gap love is in vogue nowadays. Don’t you always say that age is not an issue?"

Qiu Lan remained silent without a word.

"Steve thinks that a marriage alliance will solidify the foundation of our cooperation. You’re aware of our current situation; if we don’t recruit more partners soon, we might lose a lot of advantages. You’re my wife, and at this time, you’re the only one who can help me." Jason’s earnest gaze made Qiu Lan hesitate.

"I promise you, as long as I’m here, Steve won’t bully Yufei. She’ll surely become a Mrs. envied by thousands."

"Let me think about it..." Qiu Lan had not finished speaking when Qiu Yufei suddenly burst in.

Qiu Yufei shouted almost out of control: "I won’t marry, I won’t marry that old geezer. For your own interests, you’re willing to sacrifice my happiness for the rest of my life — it’s not fair."

In the face of Qiu Yufei’s accusations, Jason’s brows furrowed with dissatisfaction. He was always decisive in action, and only Qiu Lan could make him plead in a soft and detailed manner.

"Feifei, how do you speak to your father?" Qiu Lan quickly glanced at Jason and noticed his displeased expression. She had just returned, and her relationship with Jason had only just been repaired; she couldn’t afford to fall short of reconciliation before it even began.

"What father? Would a father marry his daughter off to an old man? He is even older than both of you. If I marry him, are you going to let someone older than yourself call you mom and dad?" Qiu Yufei’s eyes were red, almost hysterical.

"Feifei, shut your mouth." Fearing that she would say something to offend Jason, Qiu Lan walked forward without hesitation and slapped her, "Shut up."

"Mom, you’ve changed too, you’d betray your own daughter just to win this man’s favor," Qiu Yufei complained grievously, covering her reddened face.

"Feifei." Qiu Lan finally lost her temper, "Go back to your room."

"I won’t go back, I want to leave this house." As Qiu Yufei spoke, she turned and ran out.

Jason’s sharp eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance: "Lanlan, is this the daughter you raised? Ungrateful and unable to discern what’s most important."

"Jason, don’t be angry, I’ll talk to her properly," Qiu Lan quickly signaled her two bodyguards with her eyes, and the bodyguards took the hint and left.

Qiu Yufei was stopped by the bodyguards before she could even get out the door.

"Miss, please stay."

"Where do you get the courage to stop me?" Qiu Yufei was frantic, feeling nauseous at the mere thought of the old geezer.

"It is the madam’s order. Please return to your room," the bodyguard insisted, escorting Qiu Yufei back to her room regardless of her protests, as she yelled and cried. Two bodyguards stood guard at the door like door gods.

Soon after, Jason left, and Qiu Lan felt that something was amiss; otherwise, Jason would not have suddenly come to her to discuss marrying off their daughter. Could someone have said something in front of Steve?

She soon thought of Mu Shuoqian.

Qiu Lan hurriedly called Mu Shuoqian. Before she could voice her suspicions, Mu Shuoqian admitted unabashedly, "Mom, there’s no need to plead for her. You might forgive her, but I cannot. She has hurt the most important person to me time and again; how could I let her live a carefree life after wrongdoing?"

Qiu Lan sighed, knowing that Qiu Yufei had touched Mu Shuoqian’s raw nerve. Even after they’d been harmed so much in the past and he hadn’t hated anyone this intensely, it showed how important Gu Qili and Mu Qinian were to him.

"Alas, Feifei has done wrong, and I, as her mother, share responsibility. She indeed deserves to be punished, but after all, I raised her." Qiu Lan’s heart was a mix of feelings, "I won’t interfere in this matter anymore; you handle it."

Qiu Yufei was confined for three days. She argued and made a fuss; she even smashed a bowl and attempted suicide, but lying in the hospital bed, nothing changed. Qiu Lan had completely stopped dealing with the matter, and Jason’s people had taken over looking after Qiu Yufei.

Qiu Yufei didn’t want to marry Steve; she had tried to escape three times but was caught and brought back by Jason’s people each time. Eventually, to prevent her from escaping again, Jason had her hands and feet shackled.

Three days later, Qiu Yufei was sent off in the wedding car. To ensure her cooperation, Jason had her drugged. She was groggy throughout the ceremony, not knowing how she entered the church or how the ritual was performed, as she was eyed by Steve like a predator fixating on its catch.

She desperately wanted to resist, yet she could do nothing, allowing Steve to put the ring on her finger and swearing vows before God,

Qiu Yufei’s gut-wrenching screams were unheard, and after the ceremony, she was quickly taken to Steve’s villa by car.