Chapter 81: A Visit

Liang Sixuan looked at Lu Qi'an in disbelief. She recalled the first time she met him in South City—she had immediately thought he was President Lu, but Lu Qi'an had deceived her, claiming he wasn't!

"You lied to me! You said you weren't President Lu!"

Qin Miaoyu's gaze darted between the two, wondering if there was some hidden history between them.

Lu Qi'an, seeing her expression, allowed himself a rare smile, but it vanished as soon as he saw Liang Sixuan. He hadn't met Liang Sixuan formally more than a few times, so he naturally knew which occasion she was referring to.

"Miss Liang, please mind your words. I think it's perfectly reasonable for someone to invent an excuse to avoid getting too familiar with a stranger."

With those words, Lu Qi'an indirectly admitted his identity—he was indeed President Lu, the Lu Qi'an of the Lu family in Jing City.

Liang Sixuan involuntarily stepped back, remembering the words Lu Qi'an used when he rejected her previous proposals for cooperation and marriage. Now, knowing that Lu Qi'an was married to Qin Miaoyu, she felt humiliated and hurried away with her bag.

The clerk calculated the discounted price, and Qin Miaoyu paid with the card her second brother had given her.

She thanked Lu Qi'an. "If you hadn't stepped in, Liang Sixuan would probably still be pestering me. Now that she knows your identity, there's a small chance the Liang and Qin families will find out. Since you refuse to divorce now, if they track you down, you'll have to handle it yourself."

Qin Miaoyu had no interest in dealing with such troublesome matters herself, though the possibility was slim. Given the current situation of the Liang family, if they learned that Lu Qi'an, who married her, was actually the Lu family’s heir from Jing City, their attitude toward her would likely shift dramatically. So, if Sixuan didn’t want her own status in the Liang family threatened, she would certainly keep the news to herself—perhaps even wishing her family would find out as late as possible.

Of course, if Liang Sixuan was already prepared to sacrifice herself for the Liang family, she wouldn't conceal it.

As Qin Miaoyu predicted, no one from the Liang family approached her.

Life continued peacefully and bustlingly until the day Liang Siyuan and Zheng Suining were married.

Qin Miaoyu sat in the audience, feeling moved as she watched the couple. Although Suining always said she and Second Brother were marrying only to fulfill their elders’ wishes, and Second Brother seemed to agree, Qin Miaoyu, as an observer, could see the unusual understanding and atmosphere between them.

Not long after the wedding, Old Mr. Xi passed away.

The elderly man’s health had been poor, so he had hastily arranged the marriage between Liang Siyuan and Zheng Suining, urging them to hold the ceremony early. In the end, he was content to witness their union, and one day, he simply never woke up.

After Old Mr. Xi’s funeral, Qin Miaoyu visited the Third City Hospital.

She was preparing to leave South City and wanted to see Liang Qibin one last time before departing.

Liang Qibin, in his hospital room, turned his head away upon seeing Qin Miaoyu, unwilling to meet her gaze.

Qin Miaoyu sat on the stool beside his bed. "You don't need to hide anymore. I know everything."

Liang Qibin still refused to turn back, worried his aunt was simply bluffing.

"They brought me back to match your blood type, didn't they?"

That question unsettled Liang Qibin, and he struggled to sit up.

"Auntie, it wasn't my idea. Cough, cough, I didn’t know before! Cough, cough, cough..."

Qin Miaoyu quickly soothed him, patting his back. "Don’t get upset. I know. Weren’t you the one who said you never wanted to see me again, that you’d throw me out of the Liang family?"

"I—I was…" Seeing the smile on his aunt’s face, Liang Qibin realized immediately she was teasing him.

Still, he explained earnestly, "Auntie, they took my phone and watch, so I couldn’t contact you. I had no choice but to say those things. Please don’t misunderstand."

"I understand," she replied.

Liang Qibin continued, "When I learned that our blood types didn’t match, I was relieved. That way, Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, and Dad wouldn’t force you to donate for me. Otherwise, I’d never dare see you again..."

His voice grew softer and softer.

Qin Miaoyu, not catching his last words, asked about his condition. Learning that his chances of recovery were high, she felt reassured.

"When you're healthier, you'll have more time to do what you want."

"Yes!" At this, Qibin's eyes brightened. "Auntie, you'll keep teaching me to paint, right? I’ll tell Mom and Dad I want to learn painting!"

Qin Miaoyu patted his head. "That’s a wonderful idea. I can introduce you to an excellent teacher, but I won’t be able to teach you myself."

Liang Qibin grew anxious. "Why not?"

"Because I’m going traveling. I wanted to see you before I left."

"Then, when Auntie returns to South City, you can teach me again?"

Qin Miaoyu shook her head. "I won’t be coming back to South City often. This isn’t my home."

Though only about ten years old, Liang Qibin was mature for his age. He knew his aunt’s life in the Qin family was mediocre and her family in the Liang household was no better, so neither felt like home to her.

"Then where is Auntie’s home? Jing City?"

Watching a leaf drift past the window, Qin Miaoyu said, "Jing City? I’m not sure myself."

Her last words were so soft that Liang Qibin didn’t hear them at all. He assumed his aunt meant Jing City was her home and happily declared he would visit her there.

Qin Miaoyu didn’t explain further, simply agreeing.

She didn’t stay long in the hospital room, as her sister-in-law arrived.

Seeing her alone, Wei Wei's attitude was noticeably cold.

Qin Miaoyu had no desire to endure Wei Wei’s frosty demeanor, so after exchanging a few words with Liang Qibin, she left the hospital to pack her things.

She hadn’t brought much to South City, but during her stay with Second Brother, Aunt Yang had prepared plenty of clothes for her, and Suining, whose clothing company was quite renowned, often sent outfits her way.

The once-empty wardrobe was now full as she prepared to leave.

That evening, Liang Siyuan and Zheng Suining returned home as well, since Qin Miaoyu would be leaving South City the next day.

"Are you sure you don’t want to stay a while longer?" Liang Siyuan asked.

Qin Miaoyu shook her head.

Liang Siyuan, a bit concerned, said, "Is it because of what Lu Qi'an hid from you that you’re suddenly planning to travel, with no set return date?"

Qin Miaoyu smiled. "No, brother. I was already traveling before—halfway through, the Liang family called me back. Now, I just plan to finish the rest of my journey."