The atmosphere at the Jin residence the next morning was extremely tense.
At the dining table, Jin He and Zhao Qin sat facing each other, their expressions stern. Neither spoke to the other. He Qing sat beside Zhao Qin, her emotions unreadable.
The meal was eaten in silence.
After finishing, Jin He stood up, grabbed his car keys, and prepared to leave.
Zhao Qin glanced at him, wanting to ask something, but pride prevented her. She gritted her teeth and remained silent. At that moment, He Qing stood up and followed him. "Mr. Jin."
He Qing approached the main door and said softly, "Are you going to the company? Will you be back tonight?"
Her words carried a hint of ambiguity, especially after their physical contact the previous night.
Jin He's expression turned serious. "Mm."
A smile bloomed on He Qing's alluring face. "Please don't be upset with Sister Qin. She has her own difficulties. I'll talk to her properly today. I know Su Ding is a good girl. Sister Qin must have been brainwashed by someone. I'll find out what's going on."
Hearing this, Jin He looked at her with a newfound hint of appreciation. He nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "Thank you for your trouble."
He had initially thought He Qing was instigating Zhao Qin to dislike Su Ding, but now he realized he might have been mistaken. Zhao Qin valued her friendship with He Qing greatly. If He Qing could reason with her, it would be for the best.
"Be careful on your way. I'm going back."
He Qing gave a charming smile and gracefully turned to return to the living room.
Zhao Qin sat on the sofa with a cold expression, clearly unhappy. He Qing glanced at her, a flicker of disdain in her eyes, but then she put on a smile and walked over to embrace Zhao Qin.
"Sister Qin, don't be unhappy. Mr. Jin is going to the company today, and he'll be back tonight. He even asked me to keep you company and cheer you up," He Qing said softly, her gaze appearing genuinely sincere, as if she were a true confidante.
Hearing that Jin Ye still remembered to care for her before leaving, Zhao Qin's mood improved considerably. However, she was still bothered by what happened last night…
"Xiao Qing, were you and Old Jin down there getting water last night?"
Although she didn't truly suspect He Qing of seducing her husband, she still wanted to hear another party's perspective.
He Qing's mind raced for a moment, and she replied softly, "I went down to get some water after my bath yesterday and ran into Mr. Jin. We just said hello, and then he went upstairs. Is something wrong?"
She looked at Zhao Qin with confusion, her innocent face etched with bewilderment.
Now Zhao Qin had nothing more to say. Jin He had also stated they merely met while getting water. Perhaps the scent on him was just from being close.
Zhao Qin smiled. "It's nothing. I was just asking."
He Qing then deliberately said, "Sister Qin, you don't happen to suspect something is going on between Mr. Jin and me, do you?" She put on a surprised expression.
"No, no, of course not."
Zhao Qin smiled awkwardly. Thinking about it was one thing, but voicing it was another, as it implied a lack of respect for He Qing.
He Qing, however, acted somewhat hurt. "You must be thinking that. Otherwise, why would you ask what happened last night? You must be suspicious. Sister Qin, you'll break my heart if you think that way. I just went down to get water; I didn't want to run into Mr. Jin, nor did we sleep together. It was an accident..."
"Oh, this, I didn't, that..." Zhao Qin became flustered as He Qing seemed to be taking it seriously. She was anxious to explain, not wanting to lose her friend.
He Qing put on a forlorn expression. "It's okay, Sister Qin. I understand. Su Ding is becoming more and more brazen. Mr. Jin doesn't believe you, and you're feeling upset. I get it. But there's really nothing between him and me. It's true that being alone together downstairs might give you ideas. How about this, maybe I should leave? If I don't live here, I won't affect your marital relationship."
Hearing He Qing's willingness to leave, Zhao Qin's suspicions vanished. She quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Xiao Qing. I was wrong. I shouldn't have suspected you. Please stay. Sister Qin is just in a bad mood. Forgive me, won't you?"
Seeing Zhao Qin truly flustered, He Qing felt a surge of triumph but kept it hidden. She leaned closer and patted Zhao Qin. "I'm not leaving, Sister Qin. We're both women. I understand you."
"Your marital conflict isn't about affection; it's about ideology. The main reason is that daughter-in-law, Su Ding. Don't you think so?" He Qing guided her gently.
"Yes, it's all Su Ding's fault. I just don't understand how Su Ding brainwashed Old Jin's family!" Zhao Qin said indignantly.
He Qing patted her shoulder. "Sister Qin, instead of getting angry yourself, why not take the initiative? Don't you have any girls you like? Have her compete with Su Ding. It would be best if she has some past grievances with Su Ding, that way her targeting will be stronger."
Hearing this, Zhao Qin actually began to ponder.
Someone who liked Jin Ye and also had grievances with Su Ding... The person who hated Su Ding the most in this world was Shao Lin.
But where was Shao Lin now?
She had disappeared for a long time. Could she be found?
Observing Zhao Qin's expression, He Qing knew her guidance was successful. Now all she needed was a nudge. "Sister Qin, is there such a girl?"
"Yes, her name is Shao Lin. In the past..."
Zhao Qin didn't hold back and recounted everything that had happened. Of course, it was heavily colored by her personal biases, portraying Shao Lin as a pure and kind girl, Su Ding as a shameless third party, and crucially, a single mother.
After Su Ding went to the Southern Territory, Shao Lin disappeared.
"It must have been that bitch Su Ding who harmed Linlin. Poor Xiao Xi, she still doesn't know who her biological mother is. Sigh."
Zhao Qin shook her head with regret. Even if Shao Lin's background was not honorable, she had at least given birth to a descendant for the Jin family. Moreover, she had been respectful to her as a mother-in-law. She couldn't understand why her son disliked Shao Lin.
He Qing listened intently, her face showing a thoughtful expression. Soon, she said, "Sister Qin, why don't you send people to look for Shao Lin?"
"We tried, but we couldn't find her. Gradually, we gave up," Zhao Qin replied.
He Qing, however, revealed a certain look of conviction. "No, Shao Lin should still be here. If I were Su Ding, I wouldn't move such a big threat far away. What if you or someone else took her away? Then she'd be out of my control. The best thing would be to keep her under my watch, within Jiangcheng, and constantly monitor her."
"...That makes sense. But if Linlin is in Jiangcheng, why hasn't she contacted me? Could she have been...?" Zhao Qin suddenly had a terrifying suspicion.
Su Ding was a ruthless killer. What reason would she have to keep Shao Lin alive?