bookrebus Chapter 256 Fearing the Lie Would Be Exposed
Chapter 256 Fearing the Lie Would Be Exposed
Chapter 256 Fearing the Lie Would Be Exposed
After the meal, Xiao Xingyi made an excuse to go out and hurriedly left Jiayuan.
When he left, he didn't tell Zhu Ziqing that he was actually going to report the situation to Tan Haoyu.
Little Qingqing held Zhu Ziqing's hand and said in a soft, sweet voice, "Sister Ziqing, will you come upstairs with me to sleep?"
Looking at Xiao Qingqing's pitiful eyes, Zhu Ziqing's heart softened, and she couldn't bear to refuse: "Okay, then take me to your room."
Xiao Qingqing shook her head and pulled Zhu Ziqing upstairs, saying, "No, I want to sleep in Daddy's room with you."
Zhu Ziqing followed Xiao Qingqing into the master bedroom. Looking around, the furnishings in the room seemed familiar to her.
A black-and-white photograph of Tan Haoyu hangs on the wall, giving it a solemn feel; a bouquet of fresh flowers sits on the bedside table, emitting a faint fragrance.
Zhu Ziqing realized that this was undoubtedly Tan Haoyu's room.
"Little Qingqing, this is Daddy's room. You have your own room," Zhu Ziqing said softly, trying to guide Little Qingqing to her own room.
Little Qingqing pouted, her eyes full of stubbornness: "I want to sleep here with Sister Ziqing! I'll be scared if Daddy isn't home."
Seeing her aggrieved look, Zhu Ziqing felt a pang of heartache and finally sighed, "Alright, I'll stay with you for a while, and I'll leave once you're asleep."
Little Qingqing happily took Zhu Ziqing's hand and ran to the bathroom. The maids had already prepared Little Qingqing's toiletries, handed them to Zhu Ziqing, and then left the room.
Zhu Ziqing carried Xiao Qingqing into the restroom, and was slightly taken aback when she saw the familiar layout.
Although she didn't remember ever being here before, everything felt so familiar, as if her body had memorized every corner of the place.
After being placed in the bathtub, Xiao Qingqing immediately started playing in the water excitedly, splashing Zhu Ziqing all over. Zhu Ziqing smiled and reminded her, "Xiao Qingqing, don't play in the water, be careful not to catch a cold."
Xiao Qingqing finally calmed down and obediently let Zhu Ziqing help her take a bath.
Looking at Xiao Qingqing's happy face, Zhu Ziqing felt a pang of sadness. She thought of Xiao Qingqing's mother and couldn't help but wonder: why did she have to be so heartless as to leave such a lovely child?
Little Qingqing had been making a fuss all day and was now exhausted.
Zhu Ziqing quickly helped her take a bath, dried her off, and then carried her back to the room and helped her put on her pajamas.
"Sister Ziqing, can you tell me a story?" Little Qingqing leaned against Zhu Ziqing's chest, her eyes already narrowed into slits.
Zhu Ziqing nodded gently and said softly, "Okay, what story would you like to hear?"
Before Xiao Qingqing could answer, she had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Zhu Ziqing looked at her sleeping face, her eyes full of tenderness. She gently covered Xiao Qingqing with the blanket, sat on the edge of the bed, but her heart was filled with complicated emotions.
She realized that her understanding of Xiao Qingqing's family was probably only the tip of the iceberg.
Zhu Ziqing gently covered Xiao Qingqing with the blanket and prepared to get up to tidy up the bathroom.
Little Qingqing suddenly tugged at her clothes and mumbled sleepily, "Mommy..."
That one word, "Mommy," instantly touched Zhu Ziqing's heartstrings. She paused for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, then gently took Xiao Qingqing's little hand, leaned down to kiss her little face, and softly comforted her, "Sweetie, sleep well."
Little Qingqing seemed to feel the warmth, her lips curving slightly upward as she drifted back to sleep. Zhu Ziqing looked at her sleeping form, her eyes filled with tenderness, yet tinged with a hint of confusion.
Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Tan Xiaoxuan walked in. She saw Zhu Ziqing sitting on the edge of the bed, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "Ziqing? What are you doing here?"
Zhu Ziqing raised her head and smiled slightly: "Xiao Qingqing asked me to sleep with her. Haoyu is away on a business trip, so I came to see her."
Tan Xiaoxuan nodded, her gaze falling on Zhu Ziqing. Suddenly, she noticed that most of her clothes were wet: "Your clothes are all wet. You'll easily catch a cold like this. Let me find you some pajamas."
Tan Xiaoxuan walked to the wardrobe in Tan Haoyu's room, opened the door, and began to choose pajamas for Zhu Ziqing. She casually pulled out a pink pajama, gently shook it open, and said, "This one suits you quite well. It's new and I haven't worn it yet."
Zhu Ziqing hesitated for a moment, after all, it was always a little uncomfortable to wear other people's clothes: "This isn't very convenient, is it..."
Tan Xiaoxuan smiled and handed her the pajamas: "It's alright, these clothes were all prepared for you, and the size is just right. Besides, this will be your home from now on, so don't be shy."
Zhu Ziqing took the pajamas, a slight stirring in her heart. Looking at Tan Xiaoxuan's warm gaze, she nodded and whispered, "Thank you, Xiaoxuan."
Zhu Ziqing changed into her pajamas and sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes casually scanning the room. She noticed there didn't seem to be any photos of the woman of the house, and a question arose in her mind: "Where's Xiaoqingqing's mother? Why isn't she here?"
Tan Xiaoxuan was taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. She hadn't expected Zhu Ziqing to suddenly bring up this topic, and for a moment she didn't know how to answer.
"Xiao Qingqing's mother..." Tan Xiaoxuan hesitated for a moment, her mind racing as she considered whether she should tell Zhu Ziqing the truth. She knew that Xiao Qingqing's mother had passed away many years ago, and this might be a blow to Zhu Ziqing.
Tan Xiaoxuan's expression faltered slightly as she fell into deep thought. She considered whether to fabricate a reason to explain the missing photos, but worried that the lie would be exposed. She knew that although Zhu Ziqing had lost her memory, she wasn't stupid, and things could get more complicated once she sensed something was wrong.
Ultimately, Tan Xiaoxuan felt that now was not the best time to tell Zhu Ziqing the truth, so she decided to remain silent for the time being.
Tan Xiaoxuan was silent for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. She took a deep breath and said softly, "Ziqing, there's a reason why your sister-in-law left. Haoyu was afraid of being reminded of her painful memories, so he put away all her photos."
Zhu Ziqing nodded, a hint of understanding in her eyes: "I see... It seems there might be some irreconcilable conflicts between Haoyu and his sister-in-law."
Upon hearing this, Tan Xiaoxuan's eyes instantly tensed. She hurriedly explained, "No, that's not it! Ziqing, you've misunderstood! Their breakup was entirely due to unforeseen circumstances, not a problem with their relationship!"
Xiaoxuan spoke hurriedly, as if afraid that Zhu Ziqing would think Tan Haoyu was a heartless man.
Seeing her anxious expression, Zhu Ziqing smiled helplessly: "Xiaoxuan, I know the truth. Don't worry, I haven't misunderstood."
Tan Xiaoxuan was slightly taken aback, a hint of relief flashing in her eyes, but it quickly turned to sadness again. She said softly, "Haoyu has really had a hard time since his sister-in-law left. He misses her every day, and sometimes he even talks to the air as if she were still by his side."