Chapter Forty-One: Your Mother Is Not Dead

Looking at the dark shadows under Xie Jinchuan’s eyes, her heart ached for him. She decided not to look at him any longer, and, bored out of her mind, she began flipping through the magazines on the sofa beside her.

Yet she’d already leafed through these magazines so many times in the past few days that they were tattered and held nothing new. Xie Jinchuan caught a glimpse of Shen Qingli’s restless posture out of the corner of his eye and immediately knew she was feeling bored.

A gentle smile flickered in his eyes. “Bored?”

Shen Qingli saw the teasing look in his gaze and felt a bit embarrassed, rubbing her nose. “Mm-hmm.”

He rose to his feet, took two long strides, and was soon crouched before her, looking her in the eye as if coaxing a child. “Mrs. Xie, I’m a little busy right now and can’t keep you company. Go home first, I’ll cook something delicious for you tonight!”

Faced with his dazzling, handsome face and his gentle coaxing, Shen Qingli’s mood instantly softened. She nodded, “Then I’ll head home. Come back early, and remember to eat!”

Xie Jinchuan helped her put on her coat, tapped her nose indulgently, and said, “Got it.”

After bidding him farewell, Shen Qingli walked out. The feeling of being soothed by her beloved was wonderful, and she headed straight for her little sedan, ready to drive home.

She hadn’t expected a black car to suddenly pull up in front of her, its window rolling down to reveal her father’s weathered face.

“Qingli, it’s been so long! I’ve missed you,” he said.

Shen Qingli felt repulsed at the sight of his greasy smile, but was startled by his sudden change of attitude, unsure what scheme he was plotting. She eyed him suspiciously. “Out with it, if you have something to say.”

Her father wasn’t embarrassed, chuckling. “Oh, you child, I just missed you! I’m here to take you home for dinner.”

She studied him for a moment and decided to get in the car. What chaos could an ordinary mortal stir up? She’d go along and see what tricks he had up his sleeve.

With that thought, she didn’t hesitate and climbed in.

Her father drove, his smile growing brighter as he saw her settle in. “Qingli, when you were little, your mother adored you. She’d hold you and swing you in the yard.”

“You were so adorable as a child—every uncle and elder who visited couldn’t help but praise you!”

“Your mother loved—”

“Enough!” Shen Qingli interrupted him bluntly. “What do you really want?”

Now he wanted to invoke her mother’s memory, but when he brought that mistress and her daughter into their home, he hadn’t cared about her mother at all.

Despicable man.

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Her father faltered at the interruption, his eternally unchanged face showing a hint of embarrassment. Seeing Shen Qingli’s impatient expression, he didn’t dare beat around the bush any longer and stammered, “Qingli, could you speak to Mr. Xie for us?”

“I don’t know what happened, but Mr. Xie must’ve been offended. None of our partners in the circle will work with us anymore. The Shen family business is on the verge of collapse!”

“Qingli, please help your father!”

Shen Qingli shot him a cold look. “You really don’t know what offended Jin?”

Her father broke out in a sweat under her gaze, wondering how this young girl could command such pressure. He hesitated, “I—I think Jingrong must’ve angered Mr. Xie somehow. I’m not really sure!”

A cold smile played at Shen Qingli’s lips. “There’s nothing I can do. Shen Qingli brought this upon herself—why should I save you?”

“If you want to blame someone, blame your precious daughter.”

“Offending Jin—do you really expect the Shen family to survive in City A?”

In truth, Shen Qingli could resolve the matter with a single word. But she had no intention of pleading for Shen’s father, the Shen family, or Shen Jingrong.

What were they to her?

Her father watched her indifferent demeanor and felt a surge of panic, fearing the family business would be ruined. He pleaded, “Qingli, I don’t even ask for a foothold in City A anymore—just let us withdraw safely, don’t let all these years of hard work go to waste!”

“Qingli, for the sake of raising you, help your father!”

Shen Qingli remained unmoved, sinking back into the rear seat, arms crossed, eyes closed in feigned sleep.

Her voice was cool as she said, “I am powerless.”

Seeing her obstinate refusal, her father knew he was at a loss.

Reflecting on his past treatment of Shen Qingli, regret crept in. Who would have thought that their vast business empire would depend on the rescue of an unloved daughter?

But now was not the time for regrets. If she refused to help, everything would be lost.

He was left with only his final card, and bracing himself, he said, “Qingli, your mother isn’t dead.”

As expected, the words made Shen Qingli open her eyes in the rearview mirror. “Why do you say that?”

Her father, sensing hope, pressed on, “Recently, as I was sorting through your mother’s belongings, I found a letter she left for you and a strange box.”

“I opened the letter, and it said she wasn’t dead.”

Shen Qingli had only seen traces of her mother in memories. If her mother truly lived, she would care for her, fulfilling the original wish—after all, a mother was the most important person.

She pressed further, “Where is she now?”

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Her father replied with difficulty, “Don’t get your hopes up. If she’s alive, she must be mad.”

“The letter mentioned some battle between gods and demons—nonsense, really. I couldn’t make sense of it. I suspect she was mentally unwell then.”

Battle between gods and demons?

Shen Qingli’s pupils contracted at those words. How could the original mother know about that?

Could there be some hidden secret to her own crossing into this world?

She was just a mortal—how would she know about such a battle?

Was it possible the original mother was somehow connected to her?

Countless speculations raced through her mind.

Her father saw her silent contemplation and assumed she was unwilling to help, so he said nothing more.

After a long moment, Shen Qingli came back to herself and said, “I can help you, but you must let me see that letter and the keepsake.”

Her father could hardly refuse, and quickly agreed, “Alright, I’ll show you as soon as we get home!”

The two sped toward the Shen residence.

Before long, they arrived.

Shen Qingli and her father got out of the car. Having reached an agreement, he wasted no words and led her straight to the second floor, to her mother’s old room.

He rummaged through drawers and boxes for a while and finally found the letter and the peculiar box.

Shen Qingli unfolded the letter, only to discover it was blank.

She stared at the empty paper, unmoving. Her father was puzzled.

He craned his neck to look, and was dumbfounded—how could there be no writing?

He protested anxiously, “I’m not lying! When I read it last time, there really were words—about the battle between gods and demons. I’m not making this up!”

Shen Qingli held the fragile paper and sensed a faint trace of spiritual energy, understanding he hadn’t lied.

The letter must have been activated once with spiritual power, so its contents no longer appeared.