Chapter 642: 337 Unashamed

“Mom, I’m back.” Zhu Xiangxiang walked into the living room, her pupils shrinking at the sight of three people watching television on the sofa together.

But she quickly put on a smile, stepping forward, “Did not expect Ming Jing to be here. If I’d known, I would have returned earlier.”

Li Juan took her bag, passing her a cup of warm tea.

Granny Zhu glanced at her before returning her attention back to the television. It was a family reality show, quite educational.

Lin Qing coughed slightly, somewhat unnaturally, “Where have you been these past few days?”

“I visited Jiuhua Mountain. They say the blessings from the Buddha are highly efficacious there. I asked for good health and longevity for Granny and my parents, wisdom for Shaodan, of course, improved grades for me and for me to become ever so more beautiful.”

Lin Qing exclaimed with mock annoyance, “With such many wishes, which one can Buddha really help you fulfill?”

“Where there is sincerity, there are blessings. I prayed with sincerity, so Buddha will definitely help.”

Zhu Xiangxiang’s gaze shifted to Ming Jing, “What do you think, Ming Jing?”

Ming Jing smiled faintly, “One act of worship eradicates sin, saying the Buddha’s name ten times plants roots of kindness. The Buddha is in our hearts, our hearts are the Buddha, sincerity is more important than any act of worship.”

What does she mean by this?

Zhu Xiangxiang had an uneasy feeling. Ming Jing’s smile felt loaded and her words seemed to contain hidden meanings.

Did she discover something?

There’s no way.

Zhu Xiangxiang found herself unable to sit still, she quickly excused herself to go upstairs to change her clothes.

Li Juan glanced in Ming Jing’s direction before heading upstairs with her cloth.

Lin Qing sneaked a glance at Ming Jing. Seeing her normal expression, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“This type of man, is absolutely despicable!” Granny Zhu suddenly blurted out, Ming Jing reached out to pat her back and soothe her.

“It’s just a TV show, why get so angry?”

“Did you not see the lower right corner? It’s based on a true story, such men bring shame to their families.”

Lin Qing smirked, “Men are fickle in this world, they are all like pitch-black crows.”

The protagonist in the TV show cheated on his wife with her best friend while his wife was pregnant. When discovered, he abused his wife which caused her to miscarry. The child of seven months died in the womb, rendering the wife infertile for life. That’s not all, the best friend and the protagonist then ousted his wife from their home. The wife, unable to bear the shock, committed suicide by jumping from a building.

If it were only playacting, the ending could be arranged at will. Good is rewarded with good and evil with evil, then the couple would have received their punishment and met a dismal fate.

Yet in reality, the two led a carefree and happy life despite taking two lives. The police couldn’t pin them down, the law couldn’t bind them and all they faced were moral condemnations.

However, to such morally bankrupt individuals, no amount of criticism would touch their conscience.

Whether the Buddhist principle of good and evil receiving their respective just deserts really exists or not is still a question.

Granny Zhu’s face stiffened, Lin Qing was obviously speaking metaphorically.

Zhu Wentao’s actions were partly her fault as a mother. Let Lin Qing vent, as long as it makes her feel better.

Granny Zhu went from a daughter-in-law to a grandmother and understood the difficulties of being the former. She tried to put up with Lin Qing wherever she could.

However, hearing that Zhou Ling had died, and that Zhu Wentao had returned home, he hadn’t spent a night outside after that. He also quietly cared for Lin Qing.

After all, they shared over two decades of sentiments, both were merely holding their breath, waiting for the other to concede.

——

“Dad…” Zhu Xiangxiang knocked on the study room door.

“Come in.”

Zhu Xiangxiang pushed open the door and walked in, cautiously closing the door.

The moment she turned around, her eyes welled up with tears which made her look pitiful and all the more adorable.

Zhu Wentao furrowed his brows, “What’s the matter?”

“Dad, mom wants to send me abroad for studies and I don’t want to go…”

Zhu Xiangxiang didn’t cry out loud, but her tears were rolling down her face, down her pure white cheeks, glistening like crystal-clear pearls.

This sight was enough to melt even the hardest of hearts.

“Studying abroad?” Zhu Wentao’s fingers were moving across the edge of his cup.

“I…I just overheard mom’s phone call, plus I saw a pile of overseas study application forms with my name on them in her room. I know my presence disturbs Ming Jing. She wants to send me abroad. I too shouldn’t stay in the Zhu household any longer, but… I really can’t bear leaving you, mom, granny, and Shaodan. Can you please plead with mom on my behalf? I’m willing to leave the Zhu household. I won’t compete for anything with Ming Jing, but moving to a foreign country, a place where I know no one… where I might never see you and mom again, I…I just can’t bear it.”