613 The Secret About the Past 231 (1/2)

”I'll definitely take you out of here and bring you to a place where nobody knows us, so we can start life afresh. However, will you be able to put down your vengeance? Put all the hatred behind you and move on,” Tuoba Shuo said in a gentle and mellow voice.

”So what if I can't? I can't possibly send myself back into that living hell. Even if it's just for Xiaoning's sake, I can't act on impulse and behave recklessly,” she said with a wry smile.

Tuoba Shuo nodded upon hearing her words.

In fact, Shi Xiaoyu had yet to discover that Shi Qingzhou had already escaped her clutches.

After all, she did not go down to the basement to check on her daily.

Besides, it was the election period and her main focus for now was not Shi Qingzhou. Thus, things were peaceful in the Autumn Palace for the time being.

An Xiaoning did not plan to leave right away. Instead, she thought it would be more appropriate to send her mother away first before leaving the palace herself.

Tuoba Shuo could not request to leave the Autumn Palace now, for he was well aware that Shi Xiaoyu will definitely pin him as a suspect when she finds out that Shi Qingzhou had gone missing at the same time that he was leaving. By then, how could they possibly live a peaceful life?

In fact, it may even bring another disaster upon Shi Qingzhou.

Hence, all he could do now was to endure and wait patiently.

An Xiaoning could not leave the palace in peace unless they had done so before she does.

Thus, An Xiaoning continued to stay by Tuoba Gucheng's side while Tuoba Shuo and Shi Qingzhou lived together in bliss, despite having to be on their guard at all times.

An Xiaoning would occasionally visit her mother to chat with her at night or have a meal together with her and Tuoba Shuo. She could not help but feel envious every time she noticed the look of bliss and endearment in their eyes whenever they stared at each other.

How many people were there in this world who could be understanding toward her unconditionally?

Somehow, Jin Qingyan popped up in her mind.

I guess there's no way to clear the misunderstanding that had caused our marriage to turn sour.

Especially since I don't have any substantial evidence to prove my innocence.

What else could she say if even Tuoba Gucheng, the only evidence she had, was bent on insisting that they had gotten intimate with each other?

Noticing that he had become much colder toward her lately, An Xiaoning decided not to be thick-skinned and thus did not take the initiative to strike a conversation with him.

The two of them were getting along with each other cordially like how an employer and his employee should be, maintaining an appropriate distance.

She would tag along wherever he goes and follow him to attend various meetings and events where she met all sorts of people.

Fortunately, Lin Shishi had yet to hear her voice even until now.

An Xiaoning had been playing dumb in front of her.

She managed to pull the act off rather successfully.

Time continued to pass incessantly.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the 16th of October.

It was Jin Qingyan's thirty-third birthday.

However, time seemed to have forgotten to leave a trace on his face.

He looked as if he had stopped aging at the age of twenty-six.

However, he exuded a mature charm from head to toe.

He was no longer an inexperienced, young chap and was now a promising and successful businessman who had an established career.

Putting aside the fact that he had divorced An Xiaoning twice, he could basically be considered perfect.

On this day, his friends were preparing to throw him a birthday bash.

They decided to celebrate his birthday with him at Wei Ni Estate.