"Qiaoqiao cannot have a murderer for a mother. She has no parents already, and she cannot live her entire life under the stigma of being associated with a criminal. That would ruin her life."
Mu Wanqiu clutched Mu Yuxin's hand tightly, her eyes wide.
Mu Yuxin had always thought Mu Wanqiu was a gentle girl, and she had never seen her in such a twisted, terrifying state.
She looked like someone on the brink of death, clinging to the last straw, or like someone making a dying declaration, staring intently at Mu Yuxin as if she would not die in peace unless she agreed.
Mu Yuxin was still wearing Guan Yang's clothes and looked disheveled. Her complexion was no better than Mu Wanqiu's.
She seemed to understand Mu Wanqiu's words, yet also not.
"Xinxin, we never had a father growing up. We were bullied, gossiped about behind our backs, and lived lives where we couldn't hold our heads high. I gave birth to Qiaoqiao, but I can't be there to watch her grow up. I can't leave her with a terrible life."
"Sister..."
"Xinxin, in all my years, I've never asked you for anything. You must promise me."
Mu Yuxin struggled for a long time before nodding in despair, "I understand. I killed him. It has nothing to do with you."
"No! You can't be the killer either. You still have to raise Qiaoqiao. If I leave her to Mom, I might as well strangle her now. It would save her from a more tragic fate later."
Mu Yuxin suddenly understood what she meant, her face turning even paler and more distressed. She shook her head hysterically, "No… no… Guan Yang is innocent. If it weren't for him, I would have already..."
Before Mu Yuxin could finish her words, Mu Wanqiu's grip on her hand slowly loosened. When Mu Yuxin looked up, Mu Wanqiu had already stopped breathing.
She stared at Qiaoqiao with wide eyes, her last tear falling, looking like reluctance mixed with regret.
"Wah..."
Qiaoqiao in her arms cried uncontrollably. Several doctors rushed in and pushed Mu Yuxin out of the operating room.
That day was a blur for Mu Yuxin. She was just a college student, and overnight, she had experienced too much and lost too much.
Song Qinian's heart clenched as she listened to Mu Yuxin's words.
"So, for your sister and Qiaoqiao, you told the police that Guan Yang was the killer?"
Mu Yuxin shook her head, "No, I didn't say anything."
It was precisely because she said nothing that Guan Yang served eight years in prison.
Mu Yuxin collapsed, covering her face. Her shoulders shook as she cried with profound sorrow and despair.
The knife used to kill Gao Pingyang had fingerprints from both Mu Wanqiu and Guan Yang.
With Mu Wanqiu dead, Guan Yang became the prime suspect.
During the trial, Mu Yuxin left Qiaoqiao with Feng Wanhuai, hoping she would look after her. Feng Wanhuai appeared impatient.
She even pointed at Mu Yuxin's nose and scolded her, "This is all your fault. If you hadn't dated a hoodlum boyfriend, your sister and brother-in-law wouldn't be dead."
Feng Wanhuai knew everything but habitually blamed Mu Yuxin for all the wrongdoings.
In the past, Mu Yuxin might have felt compelled to defend herself, but that day, she didn't. She prepared everything Qiaoqiao needed, including milk powder, and left after saying, "Don't forget to change Qiaoqiao's diaper."
Since that bloody and brutal night, Mu Yuxin had never seen Guan Yang again.
When she saw him in court, tears immediately welled up in Mu Yuxin's eyes.
"Xinxin..."
Guan Yang saw her too and instinctively started to run towards her, but he was held back.
Guan Yang had lost a lot of weight and looked extremely gaunt.
Guan Yang's parents and younger brother had also come. Mu Yuxin dared not look at them, let alone Guan Yang.
Later, when the judge asked her if she saw who killed Gao Pingyang, she lowered her head and replied, "It was too chaotic that night; I didn't see clearly who it was."
Upon hearing this, Mu Yuxin knew without a doubt the shocked and hateful expression on Guan Yang's face.
Guan Yang was sentenced to eight years. His mother rushed over and slapped her.
That day, many people cursed at her, but she couldn't hear anything. All she knew was that she had fulfilled her sister's dying wish but lost everything.
She knew she was selfish and deserved to die, but she didn't know what to do.
Growing up, whenever Feng Wanhuai verbally or physically abused her over trivial matters, Mu Wanqiu was always the one who protected her. Once, after Mu Yuxin talked back, Feng Wanhuai locked her in a dark room.
She had a fever that day. After Feng Wanhuai left, Mu Wanqiu went to see her and took her to a clinic. The doctor said if it had been any later, her brain could have been permanently damaged from the fever.
But Feng Wanhuai didn't care and even said Mu Wanqiu was meddling. She beat Mu Wanqiu with a broom, and Mu Wanqiu was bedridden for several days before she could get up.
Later, when Mu Yuxin got accepted into university and was about to leave, Feng Wanhuai only gave her a thousand yuan, telling her to figure out the rest of the expenses herself, or else she shouldn't go.
It was Mu Wanqiu who borrowed money from others to help her attend university. She secretly slipped her five hundred and eight yuan, giving her all her savings.
Such a good sister, entrusting Qiaoqiao to her before her death, all she wanted was to give Qiaoqiao a stable and happy life. How could she refuse?
But to the Guan family, she was the executioner who destroyed their family.
After that, she wanted to spend the rest of her life making amends to Guan Yang and the Guan family.
She visited Guan Yang every month, but he never agreed to see her.
During holidays, she would buy a large amount of tonics and leave them at the Guan family's doorstep. She dared not see them, only leaving them secretly.
Then she would watch as they threw all the gifts into the trash.
"Okay, okay, stop talking..."
Song Qinian hugged Mu Yuxin tightly, tears streaming down her face. She could feel Yuxin's despair, pain, and helplessness.
Mu Wanqiu used her death to secure a future for Qiaoqiao but pushed Mu Yuxin to a dead end.
The dead know nothing.
But the living are forever tormented.
Guan Yang spent eight years in prison, hating Mu Yuxin for not clearing his name. He hated her for eight years. After his release, he could take all the suffering he endured out on Mu Yuxin.
But what about Yuxin?
Besides blaming herself, she had no one else to blame.
Her grievances had no one to tell, her pain no one to understand.
She was supposed to be the daughter of the Lin family, a young lady who could live a life of luxury and wealth, but due to Feng Wanhuai's selfishness, she endured so much hardship and suffering.
Everyone felt wronged, so what about her?
She still had to watch the man she loved get engaged to another woman.
Song Qinian's heart ached for Mu Yuxin whenever she thought about these things.
Why should Yuxin bear all the blame?
Mu Yuxin slowly pushed Song Qinian away, her eyes red. "Niannian, the reason I never dared to tell you this is because I was afraid you'd think I was selfish, afraid you'd break off our friendship. You are the only true friend I've had in my life, and I don't want to lose you."