549 The Secret About the Past 167 (1/2)
Jin Qingyue immediately stood up from the couch upon sight of Mrs. Ling exiting.
”Auntie, are you leaving already?”
Mrs. Ling expressed assent and left. She did not wish to ignore Jin Qingyue since she had watched the latter grow up, after all.
Jin Qingyue entered the bedroom and asked, ”What did you and Auntie talk about?”
”Nothing much, she just agreed to change her attitude toward you if I could make your reputation improve.”
”I'm not a celebrity and can't clean up my reputation. How are you going to clear my name?” Jin Qingyue asked in surprise.
”You may not be a celebrity but you can enjoy media exposure as celebrities do. Leave it to me to handle, you don't have to care about this.”
”Brother Ciye…”
”What's wrong?”
Jin Qingyue sat beside him and grabbed his hand affectionately. ”I'll treat you well for the rest of my life.”
Although it was not a mushy sweet nothing or a solemn pledge of love, it was still as heartwarming to Ling Ciye.
He held her hand and said, ”I hope you'll keep your promise.”
”Of course I will.”
—
It was already almost evening by the time they arrived back at the Autumn Palace.
Under Tuoba Danxue's strong persuasion, her two brothers finally agreed not to tell their parents about her falling into the ocean. They could tell that she was worried that Tuoba Rui and Shi Xiaoyu would forbid her from leaving the palace again in the next few months before her wedding.
After dinner, An Xiaoning headed back inside her room and opened her palm to read the note on it.
There was only a single line written on the note, which read: ”Meet me at my yard tonight.”
It was a note written to her by Tuoba Shuo. An Xiaoning was ill at ease at the thought of the DNA test results.
It's only human nature to insist on further confirming facts despite already knowing the truth, seemingly searching for a teeny bit of impossibility within the truth.
She wanted a sample of Tuoba Rui's hair to further verify the truth.
Once the night fell quiet, An Xiaoning headed to the mansion not too far away.
Tuoba Shuo was already waiting for her in the yard.
Upon hearing her footsteps, he turned around to welcome her.
”You're here?”
An Xiaoning nodded and said, ”The DNA test results…”
”Are they out?”
”Yes,” she answered with a nod.
”Let's talk inside.”
They entered the house one after another and sat down opposite each other. An Xiaoning was rather hesitant about telling him the truth.
However, he's already in so much pain. Wouldn't it be cruel to hide the truth from him for the rest of his life?
He had every right to find out the truth, as much as it may be cold and harsh.
As the thought crossed her mind, An Xiaoning stood up abruptly and knelt down before him to kowtow. ”I only ever kneel to Heaven and my parents. I've never knelt in front of outsiders before.”
Beaming with joy, he asked, ”Does that mean we are…”
”No, we're not father and daughter,” said An Xiaoning, witnessing clearly the look of dejection on his face.
”We're not?”
”We are related by blood, but we're not father and daughter. Do you understand what I mean? I think I already know the truth, but I'd like to further verify it,” An Xiaoning said frankly.
Tuoba Shuo was overwhelmed with shock upon hearing her words.