The next few days seemed the same as usual.
Bibi Dong continued her daily cultivation, waiting for the opportunity to assassinate Qian Xunji.
Qian Renxue continued to follow Bibi Dong around, begging for hugs.
This time, the two celebrated their birthdays together… their relationship seemed to have warmed up a bit.
However!
Bibi Dong felt uneasy. She felt like something was missing, and the cultivation chamber was unusually quiet.
Although Bibi Dong appeared to be a strong woman, she was still a woman, and having experienced that kind of thing, she was a little afraid of the dark.
And every year at this time!
A small figure would walk in, carrying a food box, his innocent face full of naivety.
He softly said,
"Mommy… time to eat."
For so long, that child always seemed to say this.
Clang!
The door to the secret room suddenly opened, and Bibi Dong quickly turned her head to look, assuming that Qian Renshang had come to bring her food again.
She hadn't seen the child for several days, and she felt a little uneasy.
Although their mother-son relationship had become somewhat strained over the past few months… the child still brought her a food box every day.
But after delivering it, he would turn and leave without her.
This was the first time she hadn't seen him for several days, and he hadn't even brought her a food box…
Thinking of this,
Bibi Dong suddenly felt inexplicably angry.
Did he think she could just stop bringing him food because she didn't want it?
Bibi Dong stood up, her anger blazing, and headed straight for the door.
She was going to give Qian Renshang a good scolding.
But… when she pushed open the door, Bibi Dong was dumbfounded, because there was nothing outside!
There was no child with that innocent face, looking like a wronged child trying to appear strong, and not even a food box!
Swish! Swish!
Only the figure of the curtain fluttering in the breeze…
No one was outside!
Where had Qian Renshang gone?
Bibi Dong's gaze suddenly dimmed, her anger simmering with uncontrollable rage.
She walked out of the secret chamber with a grim face.
Her expression was unpleasant the entire way, as if she wanted to keep everyone at arm's length.
Qian Renxue, who was playing nearby, immediately clung to Bibi Dong upon seeing her.
"Mommy! Mommy!"
she called out joyfully, but Bibi Dong didn't even glance at her.
"Mommy…you…what's wrong?"
Qian Renxue cautiously inquired, sensing something was amiss with her mother.
"Have you seen Qian Renshang these past few days?"
Bibi Dong suddenly asked coldly. Qian Renxue hesitated, then shook her head.
"No…I haven't seen him these past few days. He's probably deliberately avoiding me!"
Bibi Dong remained silent, a bad feeling creeping into her heart.
She walked silently towards Qian Renshang's room.
A few minutes later, Bibi Dong stood in front of a somewhat dilapidated wooden door.
Just as she was about to knock, she saw a small cake next to the door.
Of course, the cake was already rotten and spoiled, even smelling bad.
Bibi Dong recognized it as the cake she and Qian Renxue had eaten a few days ago.
She had asked Qian Renxue to bring a cake to Qian Renshang, so how did it end up here?
It looked like it had been deliberately thrown away.
"Can you explain to me... why this cake is here?"
Bibi Dong suddenly asked coldly.
Qian Renxue's face instantly turned pale, and she stammered an explanation.
"That bad guy Qian Renshang probably threw it away himself, right?
He probably doesn't like it... I'll talk to him about it later!"
Bibi Dong looked at Qian Renxue's face, her expression grim, and remained silent.
Thud! Thud!
Bibi Dong stepped forward and knocked on the door, but... there was no response. Bibi Dong took a deep breath and then forcefully broke open the door using her soul power!
Bang!
The door slammed against the wall with a dull thud, releasing a musty, stale smell.
Bibi Dong froze upon seeing the scene inside.
A dimly lit small room stretched before her, faint light filtering through a narrow window, barely outlining its shape.
Though small, the room was tidy, as if its owner had once taken care of it. However, this tidiness only amplified the coldness and loneliness.
In the center of the room stood a simple table. On it, two cakes sat forlornly, their once vibrant colors now tarnished and ugly with mold.
Beside them, the candles had long since burned out, leaving only a pool of solidified wax, as if telling of the vanished warmth and hope.
Looking at this scene, she could almost see that small, thin figure, sitting alone at the table.
The faint candlelight flickered on his face, reflecting his expression, full of expectation yet tinged with melancholy.
He gently closed his eyes, clasped his hands together, and silently made a wish. Then, mustering his courage, he blew out the candles and sang a birthday song to himself in a childish yet determined voice.
The song echoed in the dim room, only to be mercilessly swallowed by the surrounding silence.
In his eyes, there was a longing for warmth, an expectation of companionship, but ultimately, it all turned into helplessness and resilience.
At this moment, Bibi Dong stood at the door, as if she could still faintly hear the song and feel the heartbreakingly desolate atmosphere.
"Could it be…?"
Seeing this, Bibi Dong covered her face, a sudden, terrible premonition gripping her.
She quickly went to look at the already rotten cake.
Two cards were stuck on it.
One read, "Qian Renshang's Third Birthday Cake!"
The other read, "For Sister Qian Renxue's Third Birthday Cake (Big Size)."
The cake with Qian Renxue's card, though rotten, was clearly larger than the other, obviously prepared more carefully.
"Birthday cakes... two of them."
Bibi Dong suddenly realized, looking at the two cakes.
Right, that day was Qian Renxue's birthday, and Qian Renshang and Qian Renxue were twins, so that day was actually Qian Renshang's birthday too!
But... why hadn't she thought of that?
She subconsciously forgot that Qian Renshang also needed to celebrate his birthday, but over the years she had gotten used to ignoring him.
Looking at this scene, Bibi Dong felt as if she were seeing Qian Renshang celebrating his birthday alone.
Bibi Dong's expression was complicated.
She clutched her chest, suddenly feeling a pang of heartache.
Had she really gone too far?
She had even chased him away that night.
Actually... aside from resembling Qian Xunji, that child wasn't that unlikeable.
Qian Renxue squeezed in at this moment.
She also noticed the card on the cake and knew it was a birthday cake from Qian Renshang for her.
Qian Renxue's feelings were also complicated, but thinking of Bibi Dong's consistent teachings and attitude towards Qian Renshang,
she subconsciously retorted,
"This cake is really ugly... I wouldn't want it even if it were given to me."
As soon as she finished speaking, Qian Renxue felt the temperature in the air drop several degrees.
She looked up and saw Bibi Dong staring at her expressionlessly.
Her tone was chilling.
"What did you just say?"
(End of this chapter)