"Okay." Xu Qingqing wiped away the tears that welled up again from Jing Zhen's eyes.
"Sister Jing Zhen, I'll definitely help you."
"Thank you so much." Jing Zhen wiped her own tears dry, too grateful to know what else to say.
"You're welcome." Xu Qingqing said with a smile.
The car fell into silence. Jing Zhen said to Lu Chuanbai, who was driving in the front, "Please stop at the intersection ahead. I'll just walk a few steps to get home."
"It's okay to drive you all the way home." Xu Qingqing suggested.
"No need... My husband is prone to suspicion. I don't know how to explain if he sees you." Jing Zhen declined.
Hearing this, Xu Qingqing felt a bit sorry for Jing Zhen.
Lu Chuanbai stopped the car. Xu Qingqing watched Jing Zhen's lonely back as she got out of the car.
Sister Jing Zhen must not be having a good time in her husband's house.
After Jing Zhen got out of the car, Lu Chuanbai started the car and drove away.
When the car faded from sight, Jing Zhen waved to hail a taxi. She opened the door and got in. "Driver, please take me to the villa in Qingyuan District."
"Sure thing."
Jing Zhen didn't tell Xu Qingqing that she had already moved and was now living in the house where she got married.
The taxi took Jing Zhen to Villa No. 402 in the Qingyuan Villa Area.
After paying the fare, Jing Zhen got out of the car. "Thank you, sir."
The taxi sped away. A shrill and sarcastic female voice reached Jing Zhen's ears.
"Stepmom, Dad bought you such a nice car. Why don't you drive it? Taking a taxi every time you go out. People who don't know might think our family mistreats you."
Jing Zhen looked up at the girl standing at the door of Villa 402.
The girl had dyed her hair pink and had heavy makeup on her face. Especially the exaggerated false eyelashes, which looked like two black caterpillars lying on her eyelids.
She had painted her lips with the most eye - catching bright red, a thick layer that made her look like she had the sausage lips of a cartoon character.
The girl looked to be in her early twenties. Jing Zhen was at most seven or eight years older than her, so it sounded strange for the girl to call Jing Zhen "stepmom".
Jing Zhen didn't retort. Her expression was calm, obviously accustomed to the girl's sarcasm.
Seeing that Jing Zhen didn't say a word and didn't get as angry as she had expected, the girl was a bit unhappy and continued to sneer.
"Did you find your ex - boyfriend? Did he agree to come and do the appraisal for my dad?"
"Stepmom, I really admire you. You can call your ex - boyfriend to be with your current husband. Are you happy to see the two men arguing over you?"
Hearing the girl mention her ex - boyfriend, Jing Zhen remembered Xu Yan's strong reaction when he heard she was married.
This time, Xu Yan must be completely disappointed in her.
"Song Yuanyuan, I never said the master I invited was my ex - boyfriend. Don't make up rumors."
Jing Zhen looked at Song Yuanyuan calmly. There was a slight ripple in her otherwise calm pupils.
Hearing Jing Zhen's words, a flash of sarcasm and disgust crossed Song Yuanyuan's eyes. Her tone was full of mockery. "So what if I made up rumors? Go and tell my dad! I hope he'll beat me up!"
"I never told your dad..." Jing Zhen retorted.
"You're lying! If you hadn't told on me last time, why would Dad have frozen my bank card!"
Song Yuanyuan glared at Jing Zhen. Without waiting for Jing Zhen to defend herself, she turned around and left in her high heels.
Seeing Song Yuanyuan's back, exhaustion flashed across Jing Zhen's face.
After Lu Chuanbai and Xu Qingqing got home, the two children were standing on the threshold of the Xu family, waiting for Xu Qingqing.
In the past, the two children would have pounced on Xu Qingqing and Lu Chuanbai like little swallows returning to their nest. But today, it was obvious that they had something on their minds.
Their concern was clearly about Lu Chuanbai.
"Yiyi, An'an, don't you miss Mom? Why don't you come and give Mom a hug? Mom's wound hurts so much. I need a hug to feel better."
Xu Qingqing stood in front of the door with her arms outstretched, waiting for the two children to run over.
Only after Xu Qingqing said that did Xu Yiyi and Xu An'an quickly walk over and gently hug Xu Qingqing, pretending not to see Lu Chuanbai who had come home again.
Lu Chuanbai helped Xu Qingqing take out the luggage from the trunk. Although he seemed calm on the surface, his heart was in great pain, as if being cut by a knife.
These two children used to be so attached to him, but now they didn't like him anymore.
It was all his fault. If he had discovered them and their mother earlier, they wouldn't have suffered so much abroad for so many years.
Lu Chuanbai was full of self - blame and guilt. He even wanted to slap himself.
Xu Qingqing felt Lu Chuanbai's mood change. She sighed softly and comforted Lu Chuanbai reluctantly. "Don't be sad. They'll get used to it."
After Xu Qingqing said that, she also felt a bit disappointed. In the past, the two children would have welcomed her very enthusiastically.
But today they were too cold. Although she knew they were struggling, her motherly heart was extremely sad.
"I understand." Lu Chuanbai carried the luggage and went in with Xu Qingqing.
Xu's mother and Xu's father were busy in the kitchen. Xu's mother happened to come out of the kitchen with a casserole of soup. When she saw Xu Qingqing, her face lit up, and then her nose turned sour.
Xu's mother quickly put the casserole on the table and came over to gently hug Xu Qingqing angrily.
"If it weren't for you getting hurt, you little brat, I'd really beat you up."
Xu's mother wiped away her tears. "Such a big thing happened, and you didn't even tell your dad and me. You're going to worry us to death!"
"Mom, I know I was wrong." Xu Qingqing said with a smile.
The disappointment she felt from the children was instantly healed by Xu's mother.
"If you don't want to come home, then don't. You're such an adult, but still make your family worry about you all the time. It's just not right!"
Xu's father came out of the kitchen with a straight face. Looking at Xu Qingqing's thin face, he was both anxious and angry.
But Xu's mother exposed the details of Xu's father's concern for his daughter.
"Don't listen to your dad being so harsh. He watched your live - broadcast twice from beginning to end. He dragged me to the market early this morning to buy your favorite dishes."
"Humph, just spoil her." Xu's father walked away angrily.
"It's clearly you who spoils her." Xu's mother pouted at Xu's father's back.
"It's clearly you two who spoil me." Xu Qingqing walked over with a smile and hooked her arm around Xu's father's. "Dad, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me this time."
"Don't let it happen again."
"Yes!"
Lu Chuanbai watched the warm scene of Xu Qingqing getting along with her father. Xu's father seemed strict and macho, but in fact, he was an affectionate and proud man who loved his wife and children very much.