CHAPTER 171: LOVE WASN’T SOMETHING YOU COULD FORCE

Mrs. Qi’s face grew increasingly pale the longer she listened to Qi Jianyi’s explanation. Her heart ached. Not because she blamed Qi Jianyi for exchanging lives with her daughter, but because she realised something far more painful.

Even after seven long years, her daughter had never truly stopped wishing to return to Qi Jianyi’s world. Perhaps this time, it was indeed Qi Jianyi’s wish that brought her here. But just as she said, it took both their consent to make the exchange possible.

Qi Jianyi might have taken the first step, but Miss Qi... she had always been waiting.

"You are not at fault..." Mr. Qi murmured. He opened his mouth, about to call her name, but the word caught in his throat. In the end, he left it unsaid.

"It was our failure as her parents. None of this is your responsibility," he added after a long sigh. "We’ve never truly fulfilled our role in her life. The only thing we can do now... is respect the choice she made."

There were no words that could fully describe the depth of pain or the sharp sting of regret both Mr. and Mrs. Qi were experiencing. Their first child—the one they had failed in countless unseen ways—had ultimately chosen to leave them.

And no amount of pleading or begging could change that fact.

All that remained was the agonising truth they had no choice but to accept. They had no right to interfere with her life any longer.

Miss Qi might have grown up surrounded by family, but in reality, she had always been alone. Physically present, yes—but emotionally and mentally, she had endured everything in isolation.

If living in Qi Jianyi’s world was the only way she could truly be happy and even if that truth hurt. Then Mr. Qi could only respect it and let her go.

While Mr. Qi was offering what little comfort he could to Qi Jianyi, Mrs. Qi stood silently beside him, unable to speak. She didn’t say a word—she simply wept. There was no anger in her heart, only the aching sorrow of a mother who had lost her child twice.

Knowing that neither of them held her responsible, Qi Jianyi finally allowed herself to breathe a little easier.

"Thank you," she said, bowing her head in sincere gratitude.

Though heavy emotions still lingered, she was truly thankful that, at the very least, Miss Qi’s parents didn’t hold hatred toward her. Lifting her head, Qi Jianyi finally decided it was time to share her plans for the future.

"Me and Qi Jianyi made a deal to exchange back once in a month. She said she will come and visit you. So, I will also return home the day before the promised date." Her voice was calm, formal, and polite—too polished, almost as if she were speaking to a client rather than to the people whose daughter she now lived as. Her tone carried the cold edge of business.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Qi’s expression darkened with a frown, while Mrs. Qi stared at her, eyes wide in disbelief. Even Grandpa He, who had remained quiet throughout, now furrowed his brows in displeasure and spoke in a stern voice.

"Are you saying you will not associate yourself with us? Where are you going then?" His sharp tone caught Qi Jianyi off guard. She turned to glance at him, briefly hesitating before answering.

"Qi Jianyi told me that she had a house in City A."

"Then," Grandpa He’s frown deepened, "you will live there?"

Not entirely understanding where the conversation was heading, Qi Jianyi nodded with confusion. She assumed that her presence would only serve as a painful reminder to Mr. and Mrs. Qi, so she believed it was best to give them space.

That was why she had planned to settle into Miss Qi’s home in City A before making any move to reconnect with Song Chengfeng.

"Do you know that Qi Jianyi has a publishing company?" He Zeqing suddenly interjected, his tone heavier than before.

He was trying to suggest that, since Miss Qi’s business was headquartered in the capital, it would make more sense for Qi Jianyi to stay there too, instead of isolating herself in City A.

Everyone in the Qi and He families knew the reason Miss Qi chose to live in City A—it was to distance herself from her family. But now, was Qi Jianyi planning to do the same? Her decision made both families frown in silent disapproval.

"Yes, I am aware of that," Qi Jianyi replied curtly, her tone short but not dismissive.

"Then, aren’t you going to handle it?" He Zeqing pressed further, his gaze sharp as he leaned slightly forward.

Nodding her head, Qi Jianyi responded, though her voice carried a hint of confusion.

"Of course."

"If so, what are you doing in City A then? Her company is in the capital." He Zeqing exhaled as if relieved to finally address the matter directly.

His question, however, caused Qi Jianyi’s brows to furrow deeper.

"What’s wrong with living in City A? Jianyi told me that she had hired capable people to take care of everything. I can handle matters that need my approval remotely from City A," she rebutted, her tone calm but firm, determined to stand by her reasoning.

He Zeqing was left speechless by Qi Jianyi’s nonchalant response. For a brief moment, he stared at her in disbelief. Did she truly not understand what everyone was trying to imply, or was she just pretending not to? He clenched his jaw, unsure if he was more frustrated by her obliviousness or by her calm refusal to engage.

"Why are you following her way of living?" he finally muttered, snorting under his breath as he turned away in exasperation.

Seeing He Zeqing’s annoyed face, Qi Jianyi couldn’t help herself—her lips curled up slightly, trying hard not to burst out laughing. She looked down and bit the inside of her cheek, suppressing her amusement. It was rare to see this man, who always carried himself so coolly, acting like a sulking child.

"Did you forget what happened the last time you went to City A?" Grandpa He interjected suddenly, his sharp tone cutting through the atmosphere as he shot his useless grandson a disdainful look.

The moment those words left Grandpa He’s mouth, Qi Jianyi froze. A flash of memory surged through her—hot, jarring, painful. How could she forget? The last time she had gone to City A while in this world, things hadn’t gone as planned.

In fact, she had never even made it to the capital. That trip ended in disaster—an accident that nearly cost her life.

The impact of that accident still lingered within her. Even after she returned to her world, it took weeks—months—for her to feel safe behind the wheel again.

But what haunted her the most wasn’t the crash itself. It was the terrifying, sinking feeling as her body failed her—how her limbs grew colder, her vision dimmed, and every movement felt like she was dragging herself through water.

Back then, all she could do was steer the vehicle toward a tree to stop it, because anything more was simply beyond her strength.

"Well," Qi Jianyi lowered her head and sighed, her tone quieter, more subdued, "that accident was out of my control."

"What happened?" Grandpa He frowned, his stern expression softening ever so slightly as he caught the heaviness in her voice.

Qi Jianyi shook her head gently, unwilling to dig into that particular memory any further.

"It’s okay," she said, her voice light but firm, clearly indicating that she didn’t want to elaborate.

She then looked up and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. The needle pointed exactly at nine o’clock. Without delay, she turned toward her parents and straightened her posture.

"Well, I’ll take my leave first," she said as she pushed her chair back and began walking toward the door.

Miss Qi had told her that Grandpa He’s birthday banquet would take place in two days. If she wanted to have any chance to meet Song Chengfeng again, she would need to go to City A and settle herself properly before that event. It was better to get ahead of things than to stumble into them unprepared.

"Jianyi..." Mrs. Qi’s soft voice called out to her, hoarse and trembling slightly.

The moment Qi Jianyi heard that tone, her steps faltered. She paused, then slowly turned around to face the woman who shared the same face as her mother.

Though they looked the same, they weren’t the same. Yet somehow, this woman’s eyes—full of hesitation—tugged at her heart.

"Why don’t you just stay here?" Mrs. Qi asked gently. Her voice held uncertainty, as though she didn’t quite dare to expect anything in return.

Although accepting her daughter’s decision to leave was painful, Mrs. Qi didn’t want to treat Qi Jianyi coldly. The girl standing before her was also her daughter—just one who had grown up in another world.

If Qi Jianyi’s mother could open her heart and welcome Miss Qi as her own, what right did Mrs. Qi have to do any less?

Qi Jianyi remained silent for a while, quietly processing Mrs. Qi’s soft persuasion. Her gaze shifted slowly across the table, settling on Mr. Qi, then to the twins. None of them looked unhappy or resistant.

On the contrary, there was a flicker of hope in their eyes, a quiet longing that touched her deeply.

"I have to go to City A," she finally answered, her voice calm but quiet.

Her words dimmed the light that had just bloomed in their eyes. However, before the atmosphere turned heavy again, Qi Jianyi added without hesitation:

"I will come back for Grandpa He’s birthday and stay here then." She had changed her mind.

After all, what was the point of isolating herself in City A? No matter how independent she had become, being alone in a strange place didn’t sound so appealing now. If she had to start anew, wasn’t it better to do it surrounded by familiar faces even if they weren’t from her own world?

"Will you return to City A after that?" Qi Jinli asked softly. His tone was uncertain, but his eyes stayed locked on her, full of quiet expectation.

Seeing how much the twins wanted her to stay with them, Qi Jianyi couldn’t bear to disappoint them. A small smile tugged at her lips.

"Well," she shrugged playfully, "it’s scary to live alone."

In truth, she wasn’t afraid. But she offered this harmless excuse to make her decision seem lighter, easier to accept.

"Good, good," Grandpa He broke into hearty laughter, his eyes crinkling with satisfaction as he nodded in agreement.

"That’s right—it’s not good to live alone by yourself. It’s much better to come and live in the capital with us," he said cheerfully, not missing the chance to echo her words and support her choice.

From the side, Grandma He smiled warmly. She had accepted Qi Jianyi into the family the moment Miss Qi told them about her. And now that Miss Qi had made her choice to leave, Grandma He knew better than to try and hold onto someone whose heart was no longer here.

But, accepting Qi Jianyi doesn’t mean she disliked Miss Qi. How could she? Miss Qi was her eldest granddaughter, the pearl in their eyes. No matter what Miss Qi did, Grandma and Grandpa He could never dislike her.

But Grandma He also understood that love wasn’t something you could force. And sometimes, letting go was the kindest form of love there was. Since Miss Qi had found happiness elsewhere, they had to respect that. Even if it left a void behind.

Mr. and Mrs. Qi understood this too, all too well. They had carried the guilt of neglecting their daughter for years, and now, all they could do was silently bear that regret.

Letting her go was the only way to give her peace, even if it tore them apart inside.

Before Miss Qi left, she had told them her one final request. Which was to treat Qi Jianyi kindly.

She didn’t want Qi Jianyi to suffer or be wronged—not even a little. Because she knew that Qi Jianyi’s parents would cherish her too. And in return, she hoped her own family would show the same kindness.

Whatever resentment lingered between her and the Qi family should remain theirs alone. Qi Jianyi, who had nothing to do with their past wounds, should never be burdened by it.