{We don’t need to have any further contact in this lifetime. 2}

As she was about to walk into the manor’s villa, Qian Xu noticed a young boy standing on her path. Taking advantage of the quiet surroundings, he seemed ready to have a quick word with her.

Qian Xu hadn’t expected that Shen Qinian would, for the sake of his own interests, come to her with such a tentative question: “Do you have some time lately?”

The boy seemed evasive as he spoke, as if he wanted to use her but was unwilling to admit it, hoping she would bring it up instead. Compared to Shen Qiyue’s blatant rudeness, this covert approach was almost harder for most people to bear.

After all, this was a child she had raised herself.

They had once been inseparable in a foreign country, and even though they weren’t related by blood, years of companionship made it inevitable for humans to form bonds that transcended blood. Yet, Qian Xu had to admit, perhaps these feelings were one-sided.

She left no room for doubt.

“No.”

Shen Qinian stammered, “Maybe we could join an activity together…”

He knew it was wrong—even disregarding whether it was a task given to him by his sister—yet he was so obsessed with the idea of seeing his biological mother. Even though he knew she wasn’t particularly attentive to him and was warmer toward his sister than to him, he still felt that, on camera, his mother might show a glimpse of motherly affection.

“Then why did you look so hesitant when you invited me?”

Qian Xu had long seen through the tricks of the two children. The reason she had come to someone else’s manor today, making a big loop around the property, was not for anything else; from the beginning, it was to lead her into a trap. “Are you realizing that your plan might be unethical?”

“You want to fight for something for yourselves, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Even if you’re seeking the motherly love you desire, I’ve tried to respect you as much as I can,” Qian Xu said, disappointment evident in her voice as she looked at Shen Qinian. She never thought he would merely go along with his sister’s commands, but in this moment, the storyline of these siblings seeking maternal affection surpassed everything else. “But to use someone who spent three years of her time on you—this makes me feel that the last three years were not worth it at all.”

“I… I didn’t mean to,” Shen Qinian stammered, “I was just asking. If you don’t want to join…”

“I don’t want to.” Qian Xu firmly declined.

In a crowd, Qian Xu had shown restraint, giving Shen Qiyue room to act out and even watching her cry patiently. “Earlier, I didn’t want to push an ignorant child into the spotlight in front of everyone. However, your behavior is not my concern; I act based on my principles.”

“But, Shen Qinian, I hope you can manage this, and please pass this along to your sister—”

She took a deep breath. “I think it’s best if we never cross paths again in this lifetime.”

“I don’t like your father, nor do I have the slightest interest in the role of your family’s mistress.” Qian Xu had no desire to discuss these matters with overly mature children, nor did she wish to rely on the adult world’s tactics as threats. Gazing intently at the cowardly child who dared to scheme but not admit to it, she said, “If you twist my words again, I won’t hesitate to consult a legal advisor on how they handle cases involving minors.”

“You’re lying!”

Shen Qiyue couldn’t help but jump out from behind the hillside.

Under the secluded, starry sky, Shen Qiyue had been secretly watching her brother to see how he would explain things to Qian Xu. But unfortunately, her brother hadn’t had the chance to finish what he wanted to say.

“There’s no way you’re not interested in my father. Otherwise, why would you have been so nice to us before?”

Qian Xu was thoroughly disgusted by the girl’s unreasonable behavior and excessive self-importance. To her, that man was already insignificant. “Then, should I say that I regret it?”