Chapter 88: Unfathomable
Shao Siming led his men out through the back door of the Cishan Hall. Throughout the process, Xie Qingtang kept a distance of more than a meter from them, her silver needles at the ready, watching them warily. Only after they had all left did she swiftly shut the back door of the Cishan Hall. Her heart was still pounding, but without a moment’s pause, she rushed straight to her grandfather’s room.
Seeing that her grandfather and Zhao Xianglan were merely sitting anxiously in the room, unharmed, Xie Qingtang finally let out a slow breath of relief.
“My dear miss, that villain Shao Siming didn’t harm you, did he?” Zhao Xianglan hurried over to her, looking her up and down, her eyes reddening as if she might burst into tears at any moment, her voice full of concern.
Xie Qingtang quickly shook her head and took Zhao Xianglan’s hand, her gaze turning to her grandfather. “Grandpa, did Shao Siming do anything to you?” she asked worriedly.
“No, he didn’t. That’s what puzzles me,” her grandfather replied, frowning in confusion.
Not long after Xie Qingtang had left the Cishan Hall, Shao Siming had suddenly arrived with a group of men. Zhou Jinfan had been quick enough to shut the front door, but unexpectedly, they had forced their way in from the back. At first, her grandfather had feared the worst, thinking Shao Siming would detain him again. Yet, instead, Shao Siming had his men escort her grandfather and Zhao Xianglan back to their rooms and stationed guards at the doors—nothing more.
They had remained like that until Xie Qingtang returned, leading to the recent confrontation.
When her grandfather finished recounting the events, Xie Qingtang’s face darkened, her cheeks clouded, and she fell silent, casting a shadow over everyone’s hearts.
“Grandpa, I feel something isn’t right. If Shao Siming barged into the Cishan Hall while I was away, he’d surely have taken you. But not only did he not do so just now, his words and demeanor seemed as if he wanted to restore some sort of father-daughter relationship with me.”
Xie Qingtang spoke stiffly, almost to herself, while her grandfather was momentarily stunned by her words. “That’s strange. Why would Shao Siming behave like this? He once abandoned you in a remote village and locked me away.”
“By all rights, he should know that the rift between us is beyond mending. Why would he now speak so gently, trying to win your favor?”
This was what everyone found so bewildering. Xie Qingtang could sense that Shao Siming’s motivations today were far from simple. Whatever his reasons for trying to get close to her, it could not be as straightforward as it seemed.
Nevertheless, she was grateful that her grandfather had come to no harm. It made her realize she ought to reinforce the security at Cishan Hall.
The next morning, Cishan Hall opened as usual. Many local residents, suffering from minor ailments, came to see Xie Qingtang for treatment. Unbeknownst to her, Cishan Hall had already earned the trust of the community. Some people, having seen Zhou Jinfan’s online promotions, even traveled from afar for consultations, and business was booming.
The day passed in a whirlwind of activity, and by evening, Xie Qingtang had all but forgotten the previous night’s incident, swept away in the busyness. She never expected, however, that some people would not let her forget. As dusk fell, Shao Siming appeared again. Xie Qingtang instantly grew wary, her hand slipping beneath the counter to rest on a small medicine bottle.
The bottle contained a powder potent enough to render a person unconscious. A light sprinkle would be enough to make Shao Siming and the bodyguards behind him collapse on the spot.
Yet, to her surprise, Shao Siming did not act as he had before. Instead of letting his men rampage through the hall, he produced a thick stack of cash and placed it on the counter.
“Qingtang, I know I lost control the last time I came and let my men smash your Cishan Hall. This is some compensation. I hope you can forgive me,” Shao Siming said, putting down the money and taking a step back.
His posture seemed deliberately distant, as though trying to lower her guard.
“Something’s off, Boss. A weasel wishing a chicken a happy New Year—no good intentions there,” Zhou Jinfan whispered in Xie Qingtang’s ear.
Of course, Xie Qingtang had seen through this. A mercenary man like Shao Siming would never change his attitude for no reason and suddenly become so generous.
Hearing movement in the front hall, her grandfather, with Zhao Xianglan’s help, came out from the courtyard. The moment he saw Shao Siming, he barked harshly, “You ungrateful beast! What are you doing here again? Get out, this instant!”
“Dad, what are you saying? You must be mistaken about me. I only sent you to the sanatorium because your illness was worsening. I restricted your movements there for your own safety. You weren’t in your right mind; if you’d wandered off, Qingtang would have blamed me,” Shao Siming said, stepping closer, his tone full of explanation, but his words sounded feeble and hollow.
His eager attempts to please were inexplicable. Xie Qingtang tossed the stack of cash to the floor, her voice quivering with anger. “Shao Siming, do you really think we’ll forgive you just because you sweeten the blow after striking us? Do you take us for children? You’ve already heard what my grandfather said. Now get out of here.”
Seeing that Xie Qingtang was completely unmoved, Shao Siming’s expression finally changed, but he buried the malice in his eyes deep within and persisted, “Qingtang, is this how you speak to your father? In all the years you spent exiled in the countryside, I was the one looking after your grandfather. Even if I did nothing else, I still worked hard.”
“How dare you say that! You didn’t look after my grandfather—you imprisoned him! You even gave him poisonous medicine to hasten his end, making sure nothing could be traced back to you. How ruthless you are, Shao Siming.” Xie Qingtang cared nothing for pleasantries, exposing his hypocrisy in front of everyone, leaving him nowhere to hide. Shao Siming’s smile froze on his face.