As soon as she entered the room, the woman turned on the light in the hospital room and shook off the snow from her clothes.
She didn't notice Xu Xingguang had already woken up, nor did she realize how strange the atmosphere in the hospital room was.
The woman lowered her head and said, "Honey, is everything settled here? Has that girl taken her last breath? I've already been in contact with someone, and they can immediately send her body to Divine Concealment Island by helicopter. If the girl can successfully marry into the Huo Family, our Xu Family will have good times ahead..."
Her remaining words were interrupted by a severe coughing sound.
"Cough!" It was Xu Zeqing coughing.
Puzzled, the woman looked up at Xu Zeqing, and when she saw that Xu Xingguang, who was supposed to be dead, was not only alive but had opened his eyes, she instinctively covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes bulging.
Guilt and fear were vividly displayed on her face.
"You... you... Xu Xingguang, how are you awake?" Just that sentence revealed how much she hoped Xu Xingguang would die.
If she died, wealth and glory would follow. If she lived, all her dreams would become illusions. How could one be content?
Xu Xingguang's gaze swept over the woman, his starlit eyes seemed to be veiled with a layer of mist, appearing distant and cold. Xu Xingguang directly ignored her existence and looked up, asking Xu Zeqing, "Dad, who is this woman?"
Upon hearing this, the woman took a few swift steps to Xu Zeqing's side, declaring her territory by holding onto Xu Zeqing's arm.
Without giving Xu Zeqing a chance to explain, the woman lowered her head and began to introduce herself to Xu Xingguang. "Nice to meet you, Xingguang, I'm your Aunt You."
Xu Xingguang slightly tilted his head, staring at the woman's heavily made-up face, and uttered an unusual query, "Squid?"
You Jingqiu's smile froze on her face.
You Jingqiu quietly tugged at Xu Zeqing's clothes, hoping he would stand up for her. Seeing Xu Zeqing remain silent, she forcefully pinched the soft flesh at his back.
Xu Zeqing furrowed his brows in pain before explaining awkwardly, "Xingguang, she's Aunt You, your... stepmother."
The word stepmother was so light that it was barely audible.
Even though he had long suspected this relationship, hearing confirmation from Xu Zeqing's mouth that he had remarried made Xu Xingguang feel utterly furious.
"Stepmother..."
Xu Xingguang didn't vent his anger on You Jingqiu, but only looked at Xu Zeqing and asked coldly, "Where's my mom?"
Since waking up, Xu Xingguang hadn't seen Mo Yinshu, his mother, nor had Xu Zeqing mentioned her. Xu Xingguang couldn't believe the woman who cherished him like a precious jewel would agree to marry her off to a dying patient.
It seemed that Xu Zeqing did all of this behind Mo Yinshu's back.
Did Father drive Mother out of our home to marry this squid?
When Xu Xingguang asked about his mother, Xu Zeqing and You Jingqiu maintained a consistent silence, with the former's eyes showing a hint of guilt.
Seeing these two shameless people silent, Xu Xingguang completely lost patience, pointed at You Jingqiu, and questioned Xu Zeqing, "Dad, did you abandon Mom for this foul-smelling squid fish? She was your first wife!"
"When I became a vegetable, Mom was already sad and upset. How could you, as her husband, divorce her in such circumstances?"
This was the first time Xu Xingguang had shown emotion since waking. His gaze was cold as he looked at Xu Zeqing, the same way a venomous snake watches its prey, ready to unleash its fangs and inject poison into its flesh at any moment.
Xu Zeqing didn't dare meet Xu Xingguang's eyes, his lips twitched for a long time without making a sound.
This clearly showed his guilty conscience.
You Jingqiu couldn't stand seeing Xu Zeqing behaving weakly, and couldn't allow Xu Xingguang to get the upper hand. Her voice became sharp as she angrily rebuked Xu Xingguang, "How can you speak so rudely? Haven't you been taught manners? I'm not a homewrecker, I'm your father's rightful wife! Your mom is long dead!"
These words were like a bowl of ice water, extinguishing Xu Xingguang's fury.
Mother is already dead?
Tears welled up in Xu Xingguang's eyes, and his already colorless cheeks appeared even more pale.
She fought hard to come back to the real world to reunite with her family. But returning to the real world, she had to face the absurd scene where her mother had long passed away, her father remarried, and aimed to sell her for wealth and glory.
Her ten lifetimes of longing and struggles seemed like a joke.
Seeing Xu Xingguang's expression was off, Xu Zeqing reached out to pull You Jingqiu, reminding her, "Say less, Xingguang just woke up!"
"Why shouldn't I say it? I'm going to say it!" You Jingqiu angrily shook off Xu Zeqing's hand and continued to Xu Xingguang, "In life, one must look forward, not spend a lifetime reminiscing about the dead, right?"
She used her authority as a stepmother to educate Xu Xingguang, "After your mom passed, your dad married me. I'm essentially your stepmother. Stepmom is also a mom. Even if you don't respect me, you shouldn't speak so harshly to me."
You Jingqiu shook her head, expressing her disappointment, "Sister Mo was such a kind and gentle woman, how could her daughter lack manners and upbringing?"
Xu Xingguang waited calmly until You Jingqiu finished her long speech, then raised her chin, her starlit eyes staring coldly at You Jingqiu, "Are you talking to me about upbringing?"
Xu Xingguang suddenly pushed the cactus pot on the bedside table, and coincidentally, the pot happened to fall on You Jingqiu's leg.
"Ah!" You Jingqiu bent over in pain, her flesh and bone hurting together.
Before You Jingqiu could recover, she heard Xu Xingguang say, "My mom was an only child. She certainly didn't have a foul-mouthed, marriage-stealing sister like you."
The term 'wild sister' confused You Jingqiu. Her face beneath the makeup turned a bright red, and her gaze at Xu Xingguang was filled with resentment and surprise.
"Not only do I lack manners," Xu Xingguang said with interest, looking at You Jingqiu, "I'm also unreasonable, worship martial power. I don't adhere to the hierarchy of age and status. Whoever respects me, I'll respect them back."
Not all elders have the corresponding upbringing and demeanor that comes with age, and not all children are innocent and carefree.
There are evil elders and naturally wicked children. Only those with proper values and character deserve respect.
One cannot justify improper actions simply because they are older or weaker.
If You Jingqiu could act decently, Xu Xingguang wouldn't disrespect her so much.
Xu Xingguang's gaze carried a wisdom and calmness not fitting her age, a serenity of seeing through everything.
Being quietly watched like that, You Jingqiu gradually lost her momentum.
What was even stranger was that she actually felt a sense of apprehension towards Xu Xingguang.
This was quite peculiar.
From her knowledge, Mo Yinshu was strict with herself and applied the same standards to her daughter, Xu Xingguang.
Under Mo Yinshu's guidance, Xu Xingguang had been cultivated to be exemplary.
Outside, Xu Xingguang paid attention to her image in every word and action, never arguing like a shrew. Added to her reputation as a prominent youth writer, she had an image to maintain, saying and doing things with elegance.
So, despite her ordinary family background, she managed to defeat noble family daughters and became the brightest pearl in Yujiang City.
Words like those tonight were not what Xu Xingguang would typically say.
Yet she not only said them, but also acted.
It seems the intelligence was incorrect; this girl is not easy to deal with.