Chapter 98: Chapter 92 Thoroughly Enraging Zhan Qipei
 

The other two also echoed, begging for mercy.

“Yes, yes, go ahead, we’ll wait in line!”

Zhan Qipei had intended to teach them a lesson and leave, but upon hearing these words, his face instantly exuded a bloodthirsty and cold chill.

He dialed Tang Yan’s number, “There are a few people here, take them to the police station.”

In the past, he had never been in the habit of sending people to the police station, preferring to settle any grudges on the spot with his own methods.

But ever since he met Qiao Jing, he felt that sending people to the police station was a good habit.

After dealing with the matter, Zhan Qipei turned his head to look at Qiao Jing.

“Didn’t I tell you to wait for me? Why did you leave first?”

Qiao Jing lowered her hand, her fine eyebrows slightly furrowed, “I thought you were going to take her home, especially since she was crying so hard.”

“She took a taxi by herself.”

“You’re okay with that?”

“She’s an adult, what’s there to worry about?” As for you, you look like a siren tempting people, walking alone in the scarcely populated night, isn’t that enticing someone to commit a crime?

Of course, Zhan Qipei didn’t say the latter part out loud.

“Let’s go back,” Qiao Jing turned around and walked toward the car.

Just as she reached the car door and was about to open it, she suddenly heard the man’s voice behind her.

“Your mother’s death is not something you should keep blaming yourself for.”

Upon hearing this, an indescribable emotion surged within Qiao Jing, and the hand holding the door handle tightened uncontrollably.

Zhan Qipei’s sharp gaze swept over Qiao Jing’s hand, then he continued, “Mothers are the greatest and most selfless beings in this world. They wholeheartedly wish for their children’s safety and health. Therefore, any mother would not be able to abandon her child. Put yourself in their shoes, if it were you, you would also do everything in your power to take care of your child, unlike Qiao Licheng who is selfish.”

Zhan Qipei’s words were all known to Qiao Jing, Grandpa Zhang had said something similar to her…

But she just couldn’t get past that one hurdle in her heart…

“I know.”

Her voice was low, her expression dejected.

Zhan Qipei took a deep breath and then said, “She loved you so much, she gave her life for you. Your mother, who loved you so dearly, if she were still alive and saw you like this, do you think she would be sad?”

Qiao Jing’s heart skipped a beat, and she looked down.

After hesitating for over ten seconds, she finally opened the car door and got in.

Having said all that he could, if she still could not extricate herself from guilt and self-blame, there was nothing more he could do.

Zhan Qipei’s gaze lingered on Qiao Jing for a while longer before he opened the car door and got in.

Qiao Jing watched the snowflakes drifting outside the car window, captivated.

“Zhan Qipei.”

Suddenly hearing the girl call his name, Zhan Qipei was somewhat unused to it.

“What’s wrong?”

“Can we take a longer route? I just want to watch the snow scenery like this.” Qiao Jing leaned comfortably against the seat, quietly observing through the car window.

Zhan Qipei, looking at Qiao Jing’s reflection in the rearview mirror, couldn’t understand why, but he found himself unable to refuse the girl’s request.

“Alright.”

Not to mention just a few detours, even if it meant driving around the capital, he would agree.

As Qiao Jing watched, she gradually closed her eyes.

Then in a moment of darkness, a vision flashed before her: she was walking through a vast expanse of white snow, snowflakes swirling all around.

She walked alone, in a dim environment without light. Her vision was narrow; she could only see the tips of her feet.

There was not a soul around, so quiet it was as if time had stood still, to the point where even the sound of falling snowflakes couldn’t be heard.

Suddenly, a very warm voice sounded in her ear.

“Xiao Jing…”

Such a gentle voice, it felt so comfortable to listen to in her heart…

Qiao Jing slowly lifted her head, looking in the direction the voice came from.

A wonderful thing happened: her vision had been so narrow she could only see the tips of her toes, but now it was expanding, continuing to expand.

Eventually, at the end of her sight, she saw a woman, who wore a beige sweater and a plaid woolen skirt, with long, slightly curled hair draped behind her, radiating a soft glow.

It was just a back view, but Qiao Jing recognized her at once.

She had seen such an outfit in videos.

“Mom… Mother…”

The woman seemed to have heard Qiao Jing’s call, turning her head toward her, her eyes and brows showing a gentle luster that was three parts similar to hers.

“Xiao Jing, come here, come quickly, into Mommy’s arms.” The woman beckoned to her tenderly.

Seeing the woman’s call, Qiao Jing couldn’t help but run towards her.

As she ran, her body shrank at a speed visible to the naked eye, until she became the image of a four or five-year-old girl, and threw herself into the woman’s embrace.

“Mommy…”

Even the voice she called out was babbling.

In that moment, Qiao Jing understood that she was dreaming.

If it was a dream, let it be a dream. It’s rare to have such a beautiful dream, so let her indulge in it for now…

The woman crouched down, holding Qiao Jing’s little shoulders, and tenderly kissed her chubby cheeks on each side.

“The snow is getting heavier, let’s go back inside. Mommy has made you a delicious and nutritious chicken soup.”

After bringing little Qiao Jing inside, the woman had her sit down and then went to the kitchen to bring the chicken soup.

Little Qiao Jing looked around. This was the countryside house where she lived with Grandpa Zhang. In the dream, it was the place where she lived with her mother.

The woman brought over the chicken soup and placed it in front of Qiao Jing, “Xiao Jing, try it and see, is the chicken soup Mommy made delicious?”

“Mm!” Xiao Jing hugged the bowl of chicken soup and started to gulp it down.

She didn’t know what flavor it was that she was tasting, she only felt blissfully happy.

“Delicious, it’s so delicious. Mommy, I want another bowl!”

“Alright, Mommy will get you more.” The woman tenderly stroked little Qiao Jing’s head and then turned to go back into the kitchen.

In the blink of an eye, she was in primary school and the woman dropped her off at the school gates each morning and picked her up after school.

The two of them lived together very happily.

Time flew by, and she went to middle school, high school, and finally, university.

The day university started arrived, and the woman stood at the station, waving her off. She sat by the window, looking reluctantly at the woman left alone.

By this time, the woman was middle-aged, with a few mild traces of the years on her face, but they could not conceal her gentle and tender love for her daughter.

The train gradually pulled away, and she shed reluctant tears.

The scene swiftly changed. She was getting married, dressed in a bridal gown, walking into the hall with that man, and she saw the woman in the audience stealthily wiping away tears.

Then came another change—she entered middle age. Her mother, white-haired and aged, lay on the hospital bed, nearing the end of her life’s journey.

The woman held her hand, with a face that always wore the tenderness she was so familiar with.

“Xiao Jing…” Her voice was aged, weak.

“Mom!” She gripped the woman’s hand tightly, tears dropping with a plop.