Chapter 665: A Million Times for You (27)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Don’t think this will end just because you abused your authority to make the judge grant you the custody rights.”
“I didn’t, I’m not like you. You exploited a young child’s innocence and gullibility to manipulate her into telling all sorts of lies. How dare you have the cheek to criticize me when you’re so despicable and shameless? s.h.i.+ Shaochuan, don’t think of seeing Bao’er again, not even during the weekends. I won’t give you the chance to lead her astray again!”
“We shall wait and see then! You may have Bao’er’s custody, but she’ll still be closest to me. Jin Qingyue, I bet you don’t have the capability to keep her away from me forever!” s.h.i.+ Shaochuan hollered, glowering at her.
“Sure, I’m not afraid of you!”
Jin Qingyue was filled with frustration after pondering it over. She then glared at Jin Bao’er and asked, “Why did you say those things during the court trial?”
“I just prefer being with Daddy right from the start, but you insisted that I stay with you. I was just speaking the truth.”
“What I mean is, why did you say that I hit and reprimanded you?”
“Didn’t you do that before?”
Jin Qingyue was at a loss for words. Of course she had hit and scolded her before. After all, which parent hasn’t punished their child before? In her memory, she had never been able to bring herself to lay a finger on her child. She only ever hit Bao’er when the latter had something wrong that drove Jin Qingyue to her wits’ end.
“You want to be with your Daddy so badly but I just won’t allow you to. He’s led you astray.”
“I think you’re the one who’s leading me astray! Mommy, why don’t you respect my decisions at all? I don’t want to live with you at all. I don’t want to, I don’t want to!” Jin Bao’er snapped in disgruntlement.
Jin Qingyue ignored her and said to the chauffeur, “Start driving.”
Jin Bao’er had no choice but to bite her lip and warn, “Mommy, don’t regret your choices in the future.”
Jin Qingyue could not help but get gooseb.u.mps upon hearing those words from her six-year-old daughter.
“What am I supposed to regret? You don’t know any better, foolish child. Will Mommy possibly harm you?” Jin Qingyue questioned.
“I just prefer Daddy. Daddy’s not like you at all. Daddy has never brought a woman home. All you do is date other men. Mommy, you’re a disgrace to me!”
“I was the one who gave birth to you and raised you single-handedly. Don’t I deserve to pursue my own happiness too? You’re still young, you won’t understand no matter how I explain it to you,” Jin Qingyue snapped angrily.
“Why wouldn’t I understand? I understand everything!”
Jin Qingyue ignored her and brought her back to Wei Ni Estate.
She was greatly astonished to see that her daughter had become a complete devil before she even realized. Moreover, it was just the beginning of her evil and wayward behavior.
Just as Jin Qingyue finished preparing dinner and set the dishes onto the table, Ling Ciye returned.
He was not at all surprised to see Jin Bao’er, since he had already expected Jin Qingyue to be granted the rights to her custody.
“Hurry, wash your hands and begin eating.”
Ling Ciye proceeded to wash his hands and sat down on his chair. He looked at the spread on the table before turning to look at Jin Bao’er, who was sitting on the couch. “Bao’er, why aren’t you coming here to eat?” he asked.
“I don’t feel like eating.”
Jin Qingyue removed her ap.r.o.n and said, “Don’t bother caring about her. She doesn’t want to eat because she’s not hungry. She’ll eat once she’s starved for a few meals.”
Jin Bao’er’s anger and resentment toward her mother grew deeper the moment she heard her words.
She stared at the two of them while they tucked into the food, secretly filled with delight.
Ling Ciye caught sight of a peculiar object in the pot of tomato and egg soup when he was trying to scoop some into his bowl. “Qingyue, what’s this?” he asked in bewilderment.
Jin Qingyue took a closer look and brought the pot of soup toward the kitchen without uttering a word.
Ling Ciye could tell what it was even though Jin Qingyue had kept quiet and, thus, instantly lost his appet.i.te.
The object he had scooped up was the carca.s.s of their pet bird, which they kept on the balcony.
Jin Bao’er was the one who’d insisted on rearing that bird.
Ling Ciye had previously agreed to place the bird into a cage, which was to be kept on the balcony. The bird was still alive and well earlier in the day. Yet, it actually appeared in the pot of soup that evening. It was obvious who had killed it.
Noticing that he was visibly upset, Jin Qingyue asked softly, “Brother Ciye, are you alright?”
“I’m fine.” He returned to his room after having just taken a few mouthfuls.
Jin Qingyue stared at the dishes on the table and lost her appet.i.te as well.
She immediately dragged Jin Bao’er out of the house and glared at her coldly from above.
Jin Bao’er hung her head low before looking up at her with a sinister smile. “Mommy, if you don’t let me stay with Daddy, I’ll wreak havoc in your lives from now onwards.”
Jin Qingyue was instantly reminded of her younger self, who was bent on marrying s.h.i.+ Shaochuan regardless of her family’s objection.
She partly had herself to blame for the way her daughter had turned out.
Jin Bao’er was behaving that way precisely because she wanted to spite Jin Qingyue into sending her back to s.h.i.+ Shaochuan.
Yet, Jin Qingyue refused to let her have her way.
She decided to endure it and continued to stare at Jin Bao’er.
Finally, Jin Bao’er stopped smiling smugly and kept a straight face.
Ling Ciye opened the door all of a sudden and said calmly, “Don’t hit her, come in.”
Jin Qingyue dragged Jin Bao’er back inside the house before entering Ling Ciye’s bedroom alone.
“I’m sorry.”
Ling Ciye held her hand and said, “Why are you apologizing?”
“It’s my fault for failing to take her in hand and educate her properly. It’s all my fault for turning her into an ill-mannered and spoiled brat.”
“I’ve never seen a child who’s so severely deprived of paternal love that she’s become so extreme. Since she wants to live with her father so badly, why don’t you just let her have her wish? Anyway, you have the rights to her custody. Once she’s sick of spending time with her father, she’ll start to miss you, her mother,” Ling Ciye suggested.
“Shall I get s.h.i.+ Shaochuan to take her home with him tomorrow?”
“Sure.”
For the rest of the night, the two of them discussed what to do tomorrow.
Needless to say, Jin Qingyue was afraid that her daughter would come between her relations.h.i.+p with Ling Ciye, though the latter was not at all concerned about that. What he feared was the possible hazards and dangers Jin Bao’er posed. She had already attempted to disrupt their peace at such a tender age. One can only imagine what might happen if she tries to poison him to death when she’s older. Wouldn’t his life be at risk then?
He was greatly concerned about his own safety and did not wish to live each day in fear.
Besides, the idea of becoming an up-to-standard stepfather had never crossed his mind.
If she were a sensible child, he would have no qualms about living together with her so long as she did not stir any trouble. However, it was now out of the question since she was clearly an abhorrent loose cannon.
After all, it was hard to accept her unruly behavior, especially since she was not his flesh and blood.
The two of them thought that everything would be fine after sending her away to s.h.i.+ Shaochuan the next morning. However, it seemed they had both underestimated Jin Bao’er’s capriciousness.
Ling Ciye was shaken awake by Jin Qingyue.
The smell of gas infiltrated his senses as he felt weak and feeble all over. Coughing uncomfortably, he murmured, “Qingyue…”
Jin Qingyue was almost losing control of her limbs. “Brother Ciye, hurry and go outside…”
She struggled to get down from the bed and opened the windows before walking toward the door, swaying unsteadily from side to side.
After turning off the gas stove in the kitchen, Jin Qingyue sat on the ground and leaned against the kitchen cabinet to take a deep breath.
Pangs of panic engulfed Jin Qingyue the moment she thought of her daughter. She helped herself up and scurried into the room next door, only to find that it was empty and that Jin Bao’er was nowhere in sight.
“Bao’er!?!” she yelled frantically.