Chapter 31: At Worst, We Die Together

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Jiang Li’s mind flashed back to four years earlier, when Jiang Xue, whom she had not seen for several months, had come to find her with a heavily swollen belly.

“Cousin, it’s been so long since I last saw you, and you’re pregnant too?

“Did you know? We conceived at almost the same time. It was that night at the hotel…

“I became pregnant with Brother Qin Mu’s child because I was trying to save him. We may even have conceived on the same day of the same month in the same year.”

Jiang Li had been furious.

She refused to believe that she had conceived that night. During those three months, including the days when Qin Mu had held her captive, she had endured his torment every single day.

But why had Jiang Xue come to her with that belly today? Was she declaring that she was Qin Mu’s true wife?

It no longer mattered. She and Qin Mu could never be together in this lifetime. After loving and hating each other, there was probably no way back.

Jiang Li remembered that when Qin Mu had imprisoned her, it was Jiang Xue who had rescued her, so she had not driven her away.

Yet her kindness had come at a price.

“It’s raining so hard, Cousin. Let me stay at your house. We still have a month before our due dates, so you don’t need to worry.”

Even then, Jiang Li had felt uneasy.

But fearing that Jiang Li would refuse, Jiang Xue brought out her trump card.

“Cousin, my mother misses your mother very much, so she asked me to come find you. I searched for you for so long, and only today did I finally meet Auntie. Don’t you want to see me?

“Are you angry because I rescued you? Do you think I kept you from achieving happiness with Brother Qin Mu?”

Jiang Li did not want to speak. Pregnant with twins, she merely shook her head warily.

But Jiang Xue refused to let the matter go.

“Actually, ever since I became pregnant with Brother Qin Mu’s child, I haven’t returned to the Qin Group, because I know I can’t steal your boyfriend.

“Are you still blaming me? I was truly terrified that day. Someone had drugged Brother Qin Mu, and he grabbed me. I had nowhere to hide.”

Faced with Jiang Xue’s complaints, Jiang Li did not drive her away.

After all, her mother and Jiang Xue’s mother were sisters. They were relatives, and Jiang Xue could never harm her.

Although Jiang Li had always been suspicious about the car accident that had killed Qin Mu’s father, Chairman Qin, she truly believed at the time that it had been nothing more than an accident. She had never imagined Jiang Xue to be so malicious.

But now she was wavering. She seriously suspected that her mother had been right: Jiang Xue had deliberately approached her with an ulterior motive.

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In particular, during those three days of torrential rain, Jiang Xue had insisted on eating soup dumplings that night.

She had clearly said that her due date was still a month away, while Jiang Li’s was nearly a month and a half away.

Jiang Li did not know whether she should explain the truth about the pregnancy, but she was afraid Jiang Xue would think she, too, was carrying Qin Mu’s child.

So Jiang Li simply laughed it off.

Even so, Jiang Xue still caused trouble, making Xie Yun brave the rain to buy her favorite soup dumplings and cake.

“Auntie, I remember that you’ve always loved me the most. I’m pregnant now, so why are you unwilling to buy me a little food? I’ll pay for it myself. Isn’t that enough?”

She pulled two thick bundles of cash from her bag. Embarrassed, Xie Yun had no choice but to run the errand.

Jiang Li had felt that something was strange, but she said nothing.

When Xie Yun returned with the food, Jiang Xue immediately went to take it. Her foot suddenly slipped, and she crashed into Xie Yun, knocking her down.

By coincidence, Xie Yun was shoved toward Jiang Li, while Jiang Xue fell on top of Xie Yun.

All three of them went down in a heap.

Looking back now, Jiang Li remembered that she had been in unbearable pain and had even started bleeding, while Jiang Xue had been completely unharmed.

Jiang Li had been rushed to the hospital that very night, where she gave birth to Youyou.

The baby was a boy. He had not been breathing since birth, and Jiang Li could never forget the tiny boy, his whole body purple, being carried away by the doctor with a look of pity.

That child had died.

Jiang Li pressed a hand to her aching chest and turned around in grief.

When she saw Qin Jinchen sitting in a chair, waiting for his meal, her heart suddenly clenched painfully.

“Pretty Mommy, will you eat with Chenchen?”

A steaming bowl of noodles was set on the table, and the little boy’s appetite was instantly awakened.

Jiang Li could not help walking toward him, but the little boy shook his head.

“Mommy, go rest. Chenchen can eat by himself. You should eat too, and we can eat together!”

Jiang Li’s heart felt like a bottle of mixed spices had been overturned inside her. Every emotion was bitter and unbearable.

“Little Jinchen, can you tell Auntie why you don’t like your biological mother?”

Chenchen looked up while eating.

“I don’t like her, and she doesn’t like me either. She’s always嫌弃 me. My existence is only because she desperately wanted to get close to Daddy, and she really doesn’t like me as her son.”

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Jiang Li felt a pang of pity. She stroked the little boy’s head.

“All right. But I may have to deal with your parents, and I hope you won’t be hurt.”

“Mm-hmm. Are you going to find the older sister? I support Pretty Mommy in finding her. And I really hate that mother.”

After saying this, the little boy finished his noodles. A servant then brought in several plates of fruit.

The servants specially cut the mango flesh into small pieces and placed them in a bowl for him, but the little boy shook his head.

“No, no. That yellow fruit will give me an allergy.”

Jiang Li froze.

She was going to have a paternity test done.

This could not possibly be a coincidence. Otherwise, how could she be allergic to mangoes and Qin Jinchen be allergic as well?

Xie Yun was stunned too. She was allergic to mangoes, as were Jiang Li and Youyou. Could this little boy be allergic to them too?

Was this really a coincidence?

Xie Yun and Jiang Li exchanged a knowing glance and stepped forward at the same time. Jiang Li immediately plucked a strand of hair from the little boy’s head.

“Bear with it. I need one of your hairs. Pretty Mommy has a use for it.”

“Mm-hmm. Chenchen isn’t afraid of pain.”

The little boy cooperated completely. Jiang Li pulled out one of her own hairs as well, then added, afraid that he might misunderstand, “Do you trust me?”

“Yes. Chenchen trusts Pretty Mommy.”

Jiang Li smiled faintly and hugged Qin Jinchen tightly. Just then, her phone rang. Qin Mu was calling.

Jiang Li could no longer hold herself back. She picked up the phone and answered.

“Qin Mu, if I can’t find my daughter, you and I will fight until one of us dies!”

His anxious voice came through immediately.

“Jiang Li, Jinchen is missing. Did he come to find you? Did you take him? Whatever you’re unhappy about, tell me. Don’t hurt the child.”

Hearing the panic in Qin Mu’s voice, Jiang Li laughed.

“What? Is President Qin anxious? My daughter is missing too. Ever since you handed her over to Chen Shaojie, Youyou has disappeared!”

Qin Mu could hear the sarcasm in her voice. He spoke with desperate urgency.

“Jiang Li, don’t hurt Jinchen. He’s innocent.”

“But Youyou is missing! Your son is a person, but my Youyou isn’t? Qin Mu, unless I see Youyou, we’ll both go down together!”

Qin Mu was terrified.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I know I was wrong. Jiang Li, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have given Youyou to Chen Shaojie. I thought Youyou was his daughter. I’m sorry—I was wrong. It was all my fault. Can you let Jinchen go now? Please, I’m begging you. Can you release my son?”