Chapter 9 : Silent Love
Chapter 9: Silent Love
Jiang Xinyue pushed the door open and entered the room. She first swept her gaze around quickly and saw Shen Qingzhou sitting cross-legged on the prayer cushion.
She hurried forward and immediately knelt before him, bowing down until her forehead nearly touched the ground, speaking with reverence and respect, “Mr. Shen, Master Shen… the incense has burned out. I can’t see her anymore…”
Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, even her speech becoming uneven, revealing how turbulent her emotions were.
After speaking, she gently placed a piece of yellow paper in front of Shen Qingzhou—it was the very paper figure he had just cut.
At the exact moment the incense burned out, her daughter had turned into this yellow paper in front of her.
Shen Qingzhou did not reach out to take it, but said, “Keep it as a memento.”
“Thank you.”
Jiang Xinyue quickly retrieved it carefully.
“Stand up when you talk. I don’t do this here,” Shen Qingzhou said.
“I… it’s alright,” Jiang Xinyue replied somewhat nervously.
Then she urgently asked, “Master, where is my daughter now? Has she gone to the underworld?”
Shen Qingzhou shook his head and looked to her side.
“You’re still laughing—come here,” he beckoned.
The little one immediately ran over obediently.
“Gege,” Xiao Qiu called sweetly.
“You’ve already found your mother and fulfilled your wish. Didn’t you feel that pulling force? Don’t resist it. Follow that feeling, and you’ll go where you’re supposed to go.”
As Shen Qingzhou spoke, he reached out and pinched Xiao Qiu’s chubby little face. The moment his hand touched her, her figure appeared once again before Jiang Xinyue.
“Xiao Qiu~”
Jiang Xinyue reached out to hug her, but embraced nothing—because Shen Qingzhou had already withdrawn his hand.
Missing her grasp, she stumbled forward and crashed into Shen Qingzhou’s arms.
“I’m sorry, Master, I was too emotional…”
Jiang Xinyue quickly steadied herself and knelt properly again.
Shen Qingzhou waved his hand dismissively and turned his gaze to Xiao Qiu.
“I’m not going anywhere. I want to stay with Mommy,” Xiao Qiu said.
“She… what did she say?” Jiang Xinyue asked nervously.
Shen Qingzhou did not answer. Instead, he placed his hand on Xiao Qiu again.
Sure enough, the miraculous scene repeated.
Xiao Qiu appeared once more before Jiang Xinyue.
“Say what you just said to your mother again,” Shen Qingzhou instructed.
“I want to stay with Mommy, I want to stay with Mommy…”
Xiao Qiu spoke louder and louder, her little face tense, her tone stubborn.
“Alright, I understand. In that case, go home with your mother.”
Shen Qingzhou removed his hand, and Xiao Qiu vanished again from Jiang Xinyue’s sight.
Jiang Xinyue glanced at his withdrawn hand, took a deep breath, and steadied her emotions before saying, “Master, please give me an account. I’ll transfer your payment.”
“Payment?”
At the mention of money, Shen Qingzhou immediately perked up.
He reached into his pocket and handed her a business card.
Jiang Xinyue quickly accepted it with both hands and glanced at it. The card was simple, with the words “Qingzhou Information Consulting Office” embossed in gold, and below it was Shen Qingzhou’s name. There was no specific title, not even a phone number.
“The bank and account number are on the back. Just transfer the money there,” Shen Qingzhou said.
Jiang Xinyue flipped it over and immediately noticed something strange.
Because the account name was Giraffe Welfare Institute of Huinan City, completely unrelated to the so-called Qingzhou Information Consulting Office.
She looked at Shen Qingzhou in surprise.
“You’re not mistaken. Just transfer it directly to the Giraffe Welfare Institute,” Shen Qingzhou said.
“All of it?” Jiang Xinyue asked.
“All of it.”
Without hesitation.
“Alright,” Jiang Xinyue agreed.
Her admiration for Shen Qingzhou deepened. So all the money he earned was used for charity—at that moment, the last trace of doubt in her heart disappeared completely.
In truth, Shen Qingzhou did not want it this way either. If the one hundred thousand were transferred into his own account, it would cost him his life. Because of this, he had taken some defensive measures, and now he was heavily in debt, with only enough money left to cover food.
So what he urgently needed now was a rich woman to support him.
What a headache.
Rich woman, where are you?
His thoughts drifted.
“Master, then I’ll take my leave.”
Jiang Xinyue stood up, but because she had been kneeling for too long, her legs were numb. Her body gave way, and she fell toward Shen Qingzhou again.
Fortunately, he reacted quickly and caught her, preventing a collision.
Jiang Xinyue quickly steadied herself, her cheeks flushed as she broke free from his arms. The faint masculine scent from him made her body feel slightly weak.
“Are you alright?” Shen Qingzhou asked casually.
“I’m fine, thank you. I’m really sorry for troubling you…”
Jiang Xinyue apologized repeatedly as she hurried toward the door. Her legs were still numb, but she endured it.
When she reached the door, the moment her hand touched the handle, she suddenly calmed down.
Taking a deep breath, she turned back to look at Shen Qingzhou, who had already stood up, and softly asked, “Master, where is my daughter now?”
“She’s holding onto the corner of your clothes,” Shen Qingzhou pointed to her left side.
Jiang Xinyue lowered her head and smiled gently.
“Xiao Qiu, let’s go home.”
“Okay~”
Xiao Qiu responded crisply. Although Jiang Xinyue could not hear it, she seemed to sense it, and her smile grew even brighter.
“Master, don’t worry. I’ll transfer the money as soon as I get back,” Jiang Xinyue said.
“No rush. No one can default on what they owe me,” Shen Qingzhou said lightly.
Only then did Jiang Xinyue open the door and walk out.
“Hey.”
At that moment, Shen Qingzhou called out to her.
Jiang Xinyue turned back in confusion.
“If you need my help, you can come here again. This time, I can charge you less.”
As he said this, his gaze fell on Xiao Qiu beside her.
Jiang Xinyue instantly understood his meaning.
Her daughter’s death was clearly not an accident. If she wanted justice and normal methods failed, then she could consider… other means.
“Alright, thank you, Mr. Shen.”
This time, Jiang Xinyue no longer called him “Master,” but addressed him as “Mr. Shen.”
Shen Qingzhou nodded, watching as the mother and daughter left. He could faintly hear Jiang Xinyue’s voice drifting from outside.
“Xiao Qiu, we’re going home. All your things are still there, not a single one missing…”
“The fluffy puppy you wanted last time—Mommy bought it for you…”
“And your grandparents miss you very much. Shall we go visit them tomorrow?”
“Mommy can’t see you, so don’t run too far. When you come back, hold onto the left side of Mommy’s clothes, so I’ll know where you are…”
……
Shen Qingzhou suddenly felt like having another cigarette.