Chapter 138: Children’s Laughter (17)
As the live stream gained more popularity, the discussion around the program on social and video platforms continued to rise. It wasn’t just the viewers who subscribed to the live stream or the fans of the guests; more and more passersby became curious and clicked on the hashtags, only to be shocked by the overwhelming amount of information.
During the live stream, Chi Yan actually admitted that she raised a ghost child and harmed a fellow group artist!
Perhaps because the title was in such stark contrast to Chi Yan’s usual image, many, after their initial shock, joined the discussion and eagerly shared it with their friends.
Chi Yan’s fans, along with the PR team from Chi Yan’s company, worked tirelessly to restore her image. Some fans remained steadfast in their belief that Chi Yan was innocent, thinking this was yet another targeted attack by the entertainment media—after all, Chi Yan had just taken on the lead role in the highly anticipated project directed by Li Xuetang.
The two sides refused to back down, arguing fiercely on social platforms, which only fueled further discussion of the incident.
Originally, the program’s own audience joined the fray briefly, but as the arguments escalated, more and more viewers began to withdraw from the central focus, settling into the role of passive bystanders. They were delighted by the drama unfolding and happily watched from the sidelines.
Some viewers alternated between the live stream’s shocking scenes and the discussions on social media. Those who had been frightened half to death by the intense broadcast were now re-engaging with the discussions and found comfort in the heated arguments between Chi Yan’s fans.
Some even commented, “This is what real popularity looks like—getting cursed a bit means the other side is alive and kicking. Better than having a cold and silent atmosphere where no one’s around.”
A surprising number of people found joy in the drama, walking freely between both sides of the argument. This unusual group of people became a rare phenomenon in the entertainment industry’s usual bickering.
Whether they were fans of one side or random onlookers, they all happily observed, occasionally applauding, and believed certain evidence provided by one party to be quite convincing.
If anyone criticized them, they didn’t get angry, but instead responded cheerfully with, “Thanks, big brother, you’ve made me feel the warmth of living humans again.”
Gradually, both those supporting and opposing Chi Yan’s scandal became speechless at this group of people.
“What are you here for? Are you Chi Yan’s black fans?”
“Did the Best Actress buy some water army? After all, didn’t Chi Yan just expose the fact that she raised a ghost child and harmed others? Is she seeking revenge?”
“Well, her payment for these people certainly wasn’t enough. Have you ever seen a water army so chill? They’re not cursing anyone, just watching the drama, and even thank others when they’re caught up in it… emmm, I’ve been following celebrities for years, and this is my first time encountering this kind of operation.”
Facing these doubts, the program’s audience remained unfazed.
—Anyone who had experienced the terrifying scenes of wailing ghosts and resurrected corpses, or followed the guests’ split-screen cameras to experience a life-or-death escape, nearly being killed by ghosts, would no longer care about other matters.
Moreover…
“Brother Yan said we should read more and follow fewer celebrities. Good Yan Mai will be a well-behaved kid, so I won’t get involved in things like this. I’m just watching the drama to feel the popularity.”
“I was originally a fan of An Nanyuan, but after switching my allegiance to Yan Mai, I feel like the storms you’re concerned about aren’t all that important. Tell me, will winning the argument save a life? No? Then what’s the point of arguing?”
“Ah… don’t be so frantic, okay? Didn’t Brother Yan say everyone has their own karma? If Chi Yan did something wrong, she’ll surely receive the punishment she deserves, no need for me to worry. I’m just here because I was scared half to death by the corpse that came back to life. I’m here to feel some warmth.”
“Wuwu, me too, sister, did you see that scene? I almost died from the fright. Back during the Wild Wolf Peak episode, I screamed when I saw the burned corpse, thinking nothing could be scarier than a charred corpse. Now I realize I was wrong, terribly wrong—the thing that’s scarier than a burned corpse is a half-burned one!!!”
“Damn! The worst part is this is seriously disgusting! Brother Yan and the others were pulled out from the fire. The fire came strangely but fiercely, and when they dug them out, they had already burned halfway… The skin had curled up, exposing the blood and flesh underneath, with black and red mingling, and in some places, you could even see the blood vessels. It was the kind of thing that could really give you nightmares!”
“I can only say, Director Li is amazing! Even the costume and makeup are done so meticulously, I’m already looking forward to *Binhai Nocturne*. Hehehe, the presale tickets are irresistible!”
“?? You got presale tickets? Also, did you get Brother Yan’s only poster? Ahhh, lucky bastard, I’m so jealous, sob sob.”
The Chi Yan fans, who had been gearing up for a fierce battle: “???”
They were now left utterly confused, watching the situation unfold with laughter and warmth. It felt like they had punched a cotton ball, frustrated enough to almost spit blood.
However, they were also perplexed. Despite their firm belief that Chi Yan, who had such a good character and was down-to-earth, wouldn’t do something like raising a ghost child or harming others, Chi Yan’s star power was evident. To them, even passersby should have been interested in the situation, right?
Yet, this group kept talking about “Brother Yan” and showed no interest in Chi Yan’s trending topic.
What… was going on?
The Chi Yan fans were left speechless, their faces full of question marks.
From here, the narrative took a surprising turn, as the program’s viewers and the fans of Yan Mai led the discussion into an unexpected direction.
There were still some who were unsure whether what they had seen in the live stream was real or part of a script directed by Li Xuetang. After all, the program team had a history of such incidents, so who knew if this was another staged danger?
But these doubts were quickly suppressed by others.
“The online world is full of both truth and lies, don’t take it too seriously~ If you take it seriously, you’ll lose~”
“Yeah, it’s all fake, what you saw is definitely scripted. How could there be such a thing as a resurrected corpse? We’re all people who believe in science.”
“That’s right, the one who was talking about superstition—why are you slandering people? Let me teach you how to write ‘fennel bean’ in different ways [dog head emoji].”
Some were confused by Yan Mai and were directed to the Yan Mai fan tag.
Once they clicked on the tag, they saw a big reminder: “Do not spread rumors, do not create rumors, do not believe rumors, be a good Yan Mai who loves science and positivity.”
The Yan Mai administrators also advised not to get too caught up in whether it was a script or not.
“If you believe it, then it’s a script. If you don’t, just pretend it’s a movie that Li Xuetang directed, tailored to fit the style of the program. Don’t be so curious, isn’t it enough to just watch with Brother Yan and enjoy yourself?”
Many fans of Yan Mai agreed: “Yeah, even if everyone else is drunk and you’re the only one sober, and you’ve figured out this isn’t a script, then what? Your live streaming privileges get revoked, and no one gets to watch?”
“Exactly, if it really gets blocked, Xiao Bing will probably cry like a dog for you [Xiao Biing holding onto Brother Yan’s leg, crying].”
Curious onlookers: “…”
These fans of Yan Shixun must be contagious!
While everyone else was scrambling for traffic and public opinion dominance, only the fans of Yan Shixun were happily watching the drama and even managed to turn the fans of An Nanyuan, who had friendly ties, into spectators, sipping tea and enjoying the show in a laid-back manner.
The leader of the public opinion team, who had originally braced himself with great determination, preparing to face a tough battle, was left speechless: “………”
He stared at the public opinion analysis chart on the tablet, feeling a mix of laughter and tears. He couldn’t understand how Yan Shixun’s fans had managed to guide the once dangerous public opinion situation to this unexpectedly magical and oddly harmonious outcome.
“Maybe people who are similar just tend to gravitate toward each other,” the opinion group leader chuckled, shaking his head. His impression of Yan Shixun had just gone up another notch.
Having dealt with special incidents in the public relations department for a long time, the group leader had seen countless discussions sparked by leaked special events. Nearly every time, it was full of blood and chaos, with conspiracy theories running wild.
No matter how carefully one tried to explain, there were always some who slipped through the cracks.
The more seriously you tried to clarify, the more intense and far-reaching the rumors became. Eventually, the truth was completely distorted. What had started as a lonely ghost simply wanting to chat turned into a story about Yama King coming to inspect the realm.
The leader of the public opinion group, who knew the truth, was stunned.
Since the launch of this show, despite the program continuously stirring up public controversies, strangely enough, thanks to Yan Shixun’s guidance, these controversies had not escalated into dangerous speculation. On the contrary, they had quieted down and even inspired many people to reject superstition.
The leader of the public opinion group remarked that this approach was ridiculous; he had worked in the field of public opinion for ten years but had never encountered anything like this.
However, the leader also understood why things had turned out this way.
Although Yan Shixun was the top figure of the younger generation at Haiyun Temple, and according to Taoist Li, none of the living Taoists at Haiyun Temple had greater talent than Yan Shixun—he was a person watched by the heavens—he never boasted about this or used it to elevate himself. Instead, he remained so low-key that he hardly seemed like someone from this circle, often mocking his fans for being overly superstitious and encouraging them to believe in science and read more books.
The public opinion leader smiled and shook his head involuntarily, recalling Yan Shixun’s disdainful expression when he said, “Don’t be superstitious. Don’t idolize celebrities.”
Mr. Yan really played a great role in guiding the public…
“Leader, do we need to delete discussions about this matter?” A team member came over to ask. “The social media administrators called, saying they would fully cooperate with our work and delete posts from users spreading rumors, as well as ban their accounts.”
To their surprise, the leader shook his head. “No need.”
“Although we can’t reach the person in charge right now, the rescue team on-site said that he entered the misty area with Taoist Song Yi, but don’t worry, this matter won’t go wrong.”
The leader smiled and looked at the discussion environment on the tablet, which had been harmonized by Yan Shixun’s followers.
“Mr. Yan has already provided the best guidance. Furthermore…”
The leader laughed. “Everyone believes this is just a short video used to warm up for Director Li Xuetang’s work, right? Then let’s continue promoting it in that direction and reinforce that it’s a script.”
“After all, it’s a movie. So, it’s not strange for anything to happen, right?” The leader shrugged and added, “Maybe they’ll even be pleasantly surprised and think that domestic horror films are rising.”
The team member laughed. “Okay.”
While the atmosphere in the public opinion group was lighthearted, elsewhere, the mood was heavy and oppressive.
In the capital, at the Jing family estate.
At the old house on the outskirts, although it was already late at night, the house was brightly lit.
Normally, at this time, the old master of the Jing family would have already gone to bed for his health. However, tonight, he was sitting in the main seat of the living room with a serious expression, staring intently at the tablet in front of him.
What was playing on the screen was the live broadcast of the program team.
In front of the camera, Chi Yan was wearing a form-fitting qipao, which accentuated her graceful figure. Gold and jade ornaments adorned her hair and neck. When she smiled, her red lips formed a curve, making her look like a rose blooming on the bloodstained and suffering shores of Old Binhai.
However, when Chi Yan introduced herself as “Lin Ting,” the old master’s anger nearly erupted.
“How dare she? How dare she!”
The old master, who had been cultivating peace for many years, was furious. He smashed the teacup beside him and trembled with anger. “Mr. Lin Ting was someone of great stature. She devoted her life to serving the country and the people. And what about her? She stole someone’s child and raised a ghost child! What gives her the right?”
The younger generation in the room fell silent, not daring to speak. Only a calm middle-aged man adjusted his glasses and spoke up to persuade him. “Father, please calm down. I’ll fly to Binhai tomorrow to resolve this matter.”
“It’s my fault. I never expected that Chi Yan, after stealing Uncle’s remains, would still dare to return to the country. That’s why I kept searching for her abroad and ended up missing her trail.”
The middle-aged man solemnly promised, “Rest assured, I will make her tell me where she hid Uncle’s remains and then bring him back in one piece.”
“Am I at ease? The consequence of my being at ease is that as soon as I delegated power, someone managed to steal his tomb right under your nose!”
The old master’s voice echoed angrily. “Didn’t you notice anything when you went to offer sacrifices every year?”
The middle-aged man, feeling guilty, fell silent.
Over a decade ago, the old master of the Jing family had handed over the family’s power to his son due to health reasons, retiring to focus on his recovery and not getting involved in worldly affairs.
But there was one thing the old master had particularly warned his son about: “My elder brother, who passed away early, I heard from my mother and the servants that he was a mischievous child. He was lonely and often played around. You must visit his grave every year, talk to him, and play with him.”
At the time, the son had agreed, although he found it strange to speak to a grave, it was understandable. His father seemed to feel great guilt toward his deceased brother, and while he could accept talking at the grave, why should he “play”?
After all, one could speak alone, but playing required two people.
It was then that the old master revealed a secret he had kept for years.
— “My elder brother had an Evil Spirit Bone Transformation.”
The Evil Spirit Bone Transformation’s influence was so deep that, despite the best efforts of his parents, even bringing in foreign doctors, the child couldn’t be saved.
On the day his mother gave birth to him, the child passed away.
The masters they had called said the child was aware that his presence would affect the people around him, that his parents’ deteriorating health and the repeated injuries from assassination attempts were all due to his influence. Therefore, in order not to affect the fragile newborn, the child chose to leave voluntarily.
The old master had never seen his brother, but decades later, he still vaguely remembered a child laughing and holding his finger, smiling at him.
He had seen photos from his childhood and knew that the child in them was his brother.
Life and death, the old and the new, intertwined.
When his brother was born, he had held his finger and shook it, as though saying, “Father and mother, it’s your responsibility to protect this family now.”
But his mother had been deeply affected by his brother’s death. Although she poured herself into her career, enduring many breakdowns, she still couldn’t help but repeatedly tell the son she had left, how sweet and lovely that deceased brother had been.
And in the surviving photos, the child in a small suit with suspenders, holding a leather ball, looked so smart and cute. Anyone who saw the photo could tell that this was a lively, clever child.
The old master had always felt guilty toward his brother, believing he had taken away the opportunity for his brother to live.
That was why every year, he would visit his brother’s grave, talking to him and spending time with him when he had the chance. His brother, after all, had been buried alone.
His parents were buried at the seaside, but his brother, who had died in the capital while they were taking him to see a Western doctor, was buried here. Due to the customs and the difficult times, they had no choice but to bury him in a barren mountain of the capital, hoping that he could always face toward Binhai.
Then, he suddenly realized—his brother’s spirit would run out of the grave.
The child wearing a small suit with suspenders had large, watery eyes, and long eyelashes that fluttered with every blink, almost touching people’s hearts, making them want to fulfill his every wish.
Let alone the old master, who already felt guilty.
So, he happily played ball with his brother and ran around the mountains with him. Even though he was in his fifties, he felt as happy as a child. Occasionally, he would see the ghosts avoiding his brother in fear.
After consulting with a famous master in the capital, the old master learned that the Evil Spirit Bone Transformation was a very cruel and rare condition, one that occurred once in a hundred years. Though it was difficult for such a person to survive, once they died, their soul naturally carried the spirit of an evil ghost, unable to enter reincarnation and feared by other ghosts.
The old master, shocked, asked if there was a way to help his brother reincarnate. Despite paying a large sum of money, the master still shook his head and sighed, saying this was a matter of heaven and earth, and mere mortals could not interfere.
The old master was devastated, but he did not forget to visit his brother, continuing to do so until more than a decade ago, when he was severely injured overseas and near death. He had to hand over everything to his son while he lay in a nursing home, unable to function normally.
Until—
A few years ago, one morning, the old master, who had been bedridden, suddenly got up, threw off the covers, and stood by the window in a daze.
He even startled the nurse at the nursing home.
“I dreamt of my brother,” he said blankly. “He told me he wanted to come home.”
It felt like he had been in a long, confused dream, and his brother had entered the dream, just like when he was born, holding his finger and leading him out of the dream.
But his brother looked very upset, disheveled and terrifying. His beautiful little suit was covered in blood.
“Little Brother… she’s not my mother. I don’t want to be with her. Come find me. I want to play with you.”
The old master’s body, which had been nearly decayed, was rejuvenated overnight as if a spring breeze had blown through, and with the help of the most advanced medical techniques, his health quickly improved. He immediately rushed to his brother’s grave.
And then he discovered—the grave had already been dug open, and the remains were completely gone.
On that day, those who had followed the old master up the mountain were as silent as they were today. Only the old master, in the cold mountain wind, slowly bent down and picked up the letter that had been buried with his brother’s body, the letter that had been left behind.
It was a letter filled with his mother’s desperate sobs and his father’s heartfelt blessings.
The envelope had already oxidized and rotted, but the signature was still faintly visible on it.
Father: Jing Shiwen. Mother: Lin Ting.
Wishing my son a life in the next world free from worry or care, living only as a rich and idle person, never facing the hardships of the world.
The old master felt a sharp pain in his heart, almost unable to breathe. He immediately flew into a rage, demanding that Chi Yan be investigated.
—That was in a dream, when his brother personally told him his name.
The Jing family had been searching for years, but Chi Yan seemed to have extraordinary luck, always managing to escape.
Only now, the old master had noticed Chi Yan’s appearance on a live broadcast program, thanks to the flood of online reports.
A middle-aged man tried to advise him again. After all, as the only remaining child of Jing Bin, the old master held an unparalleled position in this circle. If anything happened to him, it would undoubtedly send shockwaves.
But the old master rejected him fiercely.
“I believed you, believed you for over ten years! When have you ever done anything right?”
“I can’t wait any longer,” the old master said, standing up seriously. “I will personally go to Binhai City and bring my brother back.”
…
The rescue team captain, upon receiving the call, could hardly believe it.
“What? What are you saying? Say it again?”
The captain yelled through the thick fog, “Why would the old master of the Jing family in Beijing want to come here? Wait, what does this have to do with us? We handle special events, big brother, you must’ve dialed the wrong number!”
The person on the other end felt awkward but still repeated the explanation. “What we need to handle is… uh, a supernatural event.”
Seeing that the captain still didn’t understand, the person kindly added, “In the concession area, there’s a Jing mansion, that’s from their family. Diplomat Jing Shiwen is the old master’s biological father.”
The captain was in a dilemma. The official leader had already left with Taoist Song Yi, and after they entered the thick fog, they had lost contact with the program crew, just like those other people.
The problem was that the live broadcast hadn’t shown any trace of those two, so they didn’t even know what had happened to them.
Seeing that the other person insisted, the captain sighed and revealed the truth, hoping to deter them.
Unexpectedly, the person on the other end expressed gratitude happily.
Captain: “…Official in charge, come back quickly. This job is way too hard for me! I can’t do it!”
…
Inside the Jing residence, completely isolated from the outside world, the people there had no idea that every move they made was being live-streamed for the viewers, sparking a tsunami of discussions on social media.
The sound of Chi Yan’s high heels clicking on the floor had already faded. In the quiet dressing room, everyone’s attention turned toward Director Li Xuetang due to Yan Shixun’s words.
Although Li Xuetang didn’t know why Yan Shixun was interested in the script, this was not the time to get caught up in confidentiality issues.
He hesitated for a moment, then asked Yan Shixun directly, “Are we in Binhai from a hundred years ago?”
Compared to the other actors who were unfamiliar with the script, Li Xuetang, who had been preparing for this script for many years, knew the concession area like the back of his hand.
Long before, when he first heard about this long-forgotten story from an old friend, he frequently came to the concession area. To him, the Jing Estate had become a place he visited almost as often as his own home, and he was familiar with every corner of it.
So, when he entered with Lu Xingxing earlier, he was taken aback—this was clearly the Jing Estate, but it looked far newer than he remembered.
On the way there, Li Xuetang had seen many anachronistic things along the roadside. It didn’t feel like a preserved cultural heritage site; rather, it felt more like… a vibrant city.
When faced with Li Xuetang’s question, Yan Shixun raised his brows in surprise. He hadn’t expected him to accept so quickly.
“This is not only the old Binhai from a hundred years ago, but I believe, Director, this is your script.”
Yan Shixun said, raising his hand to adjust his gemstone cufflinks, speaking calmly. “You should have noticed by now, each of us is wearing clothing representing different identities. This was not our choice, but rather the work of the ghost child who placed us here.”
“And our identities come directly from your script.”
Even though Li Xuetang could accept that they had traveled back to a hundred years ago, he was still caught off guard by Yan Shixun’s reply. He hadn’t expected his script to be involved.
“So, my identity… a rickshaw driver, Ah Qiang!” Director Li Xuetang blurted out in shock.
Yan Shixun immediately asked, sensing something was wrong, “Is there a problem with this identity?”
Li Xuetang, in a daze, looked up at Yan Shixun, unsure how to respond.
In the Jing Estate, where the power had gone out, only the oil lamps the people held could barely light the space.
The wind howled, stirring the trees outside the estate, their branches swaying and dancing like ghostly shadows, stretching toward the large windows.
Meanwhile, Yan Shixun stood with his back to the terrifying scene outside, his posture straight and rigid like a blade. The strength and power beneath his fine suit were unmistakable.
He didn’t seem surrounded by evil spirits; instead, it was as if he commanded them.
Li Xuetang looked at Yan Shixun like this, and the earlier feeling that had stirred him to want to cast Yan Shixun in his film returned to his heart.
But this time, he understood why he had wanted Yan Shixun.
—The kind of determination, the relentless spirit of Jing Bin, was clearly reflected in Yan Shixun.
“How interesting,” Li Xuetang licked his lips and said with a dry, bitter laugh, “Our identities not only match the ones in the script but also seem to mirror the roles we play in real life.”
Yan Shixun furrowed his brow, immediately thinking of Zhang Wubing.
Although he didn’t know why the director made such a remark, in real life, Zhang Wubing often clung to him, calling him “Dad” and crying for help. Could this be why Zhang Wubing would become Jing Wan’s adversary?
But Bai Shuang? Why was she Jing Xiuwen?
And Ye Li’s identity was also strange.
No, the most strange of all—was that she was his wife!
Li Xuetang didn’t hide his thoughts and quickly explained everything.
Just as Chi Yan had said before, *Binhai Nocturne* was adapted from a real story that had once happened to Jing Bin.
Among the eleven, Jing Bin and Lin Ting were at the eye of the storm. Those who wanted to kill Jing Bin to protect their interests clashed with those who wanted to protect him to advance the agreement for the greater good. Both sides were unwilling to back down.
But what Jing Bin didn’t know, while he focused on protecting his family amidst the storm, was that within his home lived someone who would cause all the tragedy.
“When you said we’re all playing a role, I finally realized where this sense of déjà vu came from.”
Li Xuetang looked at Bai Shuang, guilt in his eyes.
He had thought that Chi Yan was genuinely concerned for Bai Shuang, but it turned out that Chi Yan was the one who caused Bai Shuang’s current unconscious state.
“—Lin Qiong.”
“If Chi Yan is playing the role of Lin Qiong, then everything makes sense.”
Li Xuetang calmly dropped a bombshell, leaving everyone stunned and speechless.
“Lin Qiong is not only Binhai City’s socialite, but she’s also a guest of the old-school aristocratic factions. She’s collected a massive fortune and plans to kill everyone in the Jing family.”
“What…” Zhao Zhen gasped in shock, but quickly thought of the wound on his head and Ye Li’s matter. “The matter with Jing Wanxiu and the butler, was that her doing too?”
Li Xuetang nodded. “Because Jing Bin and Lin Ting completely trusted Lin Qiong, they never realized that the most dangerous killer was right behind them.”
Yan Shixun coldly uttered a phrase: “The darkness under the lamp.”
“Exactly. But the key point is—Lin Qiong is Lin Ting’s half-sister. Lin Ting felt guilty for this unpublicized sister, so she never suspected her. And because of this, Lin Qiong became the best choice for the opposing old-school forces against Jing Bin.”
Li Xuetang dropped another bombshell, leaving everyone dizzy and almost in a daze.
Though it was an adaptation, Li Xuetang didn’t change the core developments of the story.
In the narrative, Lin Ting moved into the Jing Estate with her younger sister. However, she never expected that, despite the family always treating Lin Qiong kindly, even offering her a place at the prestigious Beijing University, Lin Qiong still carried resentment and jealousy toward Lin Ting’s family.
While Lin Ting immersed herself in the wave of new ideas and became an editor at the Binhai Daily, Lin Qiong was also mesmerized by the dazzling world of Binhai City, lost in its glitz and glamour. Because of Jing Bin’s status as a diplomat, even the usually arrogant foreigners showed respect toward Lin Qiong.
But this didn’t bring Lin Qiong any joy.
She only felt more disgust toward Lin Ting—why was it that Lin Ting always got the best of everything, even love? Was it because she was the child of a legal wife, while Lin Qiong’s mother was merely a concubine from the old days?
Lin Qiong couldn’t accept this. She wanted to see Lin Ting’s face when she lost everything and cried. Just imagining it made her feel immense pleasure.
And this opportunity came quickly.
Upon seeing the huge sum offered by the old aristocratic family, Lin Qiong immediately agreed to it.
She knew that Jing Bin cared deeply for his family, so she not only wanted him dead, but she also wanted to watch him suffer, seeing the pain on his face when he lost all of his loved ones.
—Why? Because Jing Bin, such an excellent man, repeatedly rejected her subtle advances, loving only Lin Ting!
He deserved it!
Lin Qiong prepared sleeping pills for Jingshi Wanxiu and killed the two children of the Jing family. When Jing Bin returned, he would see the tragic scene of his wife and daughters dead.
But Lin Ting, wanting to use public opinion to save Jing Bin, left the Jing Estate and went to the newspaper office.
Lin Qiong was left empty-handed.
So, she quietly waited in the mansion, surrounded by the dead bodies.
What she didn’t expect was that Butler Tang, who was also secretly on a mission, had infiltrated the mansion. His target was Lin Ting.
They ran into each other in the living room, neither knowing the other’s true identity, both thinking they had been exposed. In a panic, Lin Qiong tried to kill the butler to silence him.
But unfortunately for Lin Qiong, although she was a graceful lady, beautiful as she was, she lacked strength and couldn’t match the butler’s power. They struggled, and the butler even killed the people Lin Qiong had called to help her.
Realizing the situation was turning against her, Lin Qiong immediately fled.
The butler also discovered that Lin Qiong had planned to kill Jingshi Wanxiu. Since Lin Ting hadn’t appeared yet, his identity couldn’t be revealed, so he immediately chose to save Jingshi Wanxiu to strengthen his trust.
At this moment, Jing Bin returned home and was met with the stench of blood and the sight of corpses.
When he pushed open the door, he saw the two daughters’ bodies already growing cold and his wife barely clinging to life.
“History records that after the death of the two daughters, Jingshi Wanxiu died from overwhelming grief.”
Li Xuetang said. “I asked the family that had been passed down through generations, and they also knew about that time. According to them, those two daughters were killed by Lin Qiong, and Jingshi Wanxiu, burdened by traditional thoughts and motherly guilt for not protecting her children, quickly succumbed to sorrow and died.”
“As for Lin Ting, although she survived because she wasn’t at the Jing Estate at the time, the fact that her sister was the killer, and that Jing Bin lost his wife and daughters, made her feel guilty. Even after Jingshi Wanxiu’s death, Lin Ting accepted Jing Bin’s company, but the guilt never left her. She never agreed to expose their relationship or accept the role of being Jing Bin’s wife.”
“Because of this, the official records state that after Jingshi Wanxiu’s death, Jing Bin was left without a wife or children. But in reality, they did have children.”
Li Xuetang paused and turned to Song Ci, who was beside him. “You’re from the Song family, so you should know Jing Bin and Lin Ting’s child.”
Song Ci blinked in confusion but quickly realized something, exclaiming, “The Jing family from the capital!”
Li Xuetang nodded. “Because of the special status of Lin Ting and the Jing family, when someone told me that Chi Yan offended the Jing family, I didn’t pay much attention at first. I thought it was just the Jing family disapproving of the role chosen for Lin Ting. After all, in the position of a director, these things are common.”
“The things you create, the actors you choose, can never please everyone.”
Li Xuetang saw this clearly.
Everyone else now realized why Li Xuetang had said that Lin Qiong was the cause of everything.
—She had destroyed an entire family.
Yan Shixun asked, “What happened to Lin Qiong later?”
Li Xuetang paused, then slowly shook his head. “In the real events, Lin Qiong vanished without a trace, as if she evaporated. Some say she took the huge wealth and fled overseas to start a new life of luxury, while others say…”
At that moment, a sharp, heart-wrenching scream echoed from the wardrobe, reverberating through the Jing Estate.
“…She’s dead.”
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