Chapter 203: The Actual Cause Behind The Death

The two were still talking when a sudden commotion came from outside the chamber. Voices could be heard from the front courtyard, followed by hurried footsteps approaching their room.

Before Wang Gege could even ask what was happening, Qing’er rushed inside, slightly out of breath.

"Young Madam!"

Wang Gege turned toward her. "What happened?"

Qing’er quickly bowed before reporting, "Young Madam, Miss An’an has come to the residence. She is currently kneeling in the front courtyard and says that she wants to ask for forgiveness."

Wang Gege’s eyes widened. "She came here?"

Qing’er nodded. "Yes. She has been kneeling there for some time now. The servants tried to persuade her to get up, but Miss An’an refused."

Wang Gege slowly exchanged a glance with Xie Rong. "Didn’t Father already tell her to stay at home?"

Xie Rong’s brows furrowed. "That was what this husband thought as well." His expression became serious as he stood up. "She has only just recovered. Why would she suddenly come here and kneel?"

Wang Gege’s expression also turned thoughtful. After everything that had happened, she couldn’t believe Xie An’an would suddenly come to their residence simply to apologize. "Could she be trying to pull another trick?"

Xie Rong looked at her. "It is possible."

Qing’er lowered her voice. "Young Madam... There are already quite a few servants gathered around the courtyard. Some of them seem to be saying that Miss An’an is sincerely regretting her actions."

Wang Gege’s lips twitched. "Sincerely regretting?"

She glanced toward the door, then sighed.

"After everything she has done, she suddenly comes here to kneel and ask for forgiveness..." Wang Gege rubbed her chin. "Why does this feel like the beginning of another drama?"

Xie Rong couldn’t help but smile faintly at her words. "Then shall we go and see what kind of drama she intends to perform this time?"

Wang Gege immediately nodded.

"Of course." She stood up and straightened her robes before looking at Qing’er. "Let’s go. I’m quite curious to hear what she plans to say."

The moment Xie An’an saw the two of them approaching, tears immediately welled up in her eyes. Her pale face crumpled with emotion, and before anyone could stop her, she suddenly rushed toward Wang Gege.

"Sister-in-law!"

Xie Rong instantly stepped forward and blocked her path, his tall figure standing firmly between the two women. His expression turned cold as he looked down at her.

"Stop."

Xie An’an froze, tears streaming down her cheeks. She stared at him for a moment before slowly lowering herself back onto her knees.

"Brother..." Her voice trembled. "This sister didn’t come here to cause trouble. I just... I just came here to apologise."

Wang Gege stood behind Xie Rong, quietly watching her performance. She didn’t say anything, allowing Xie An’an to continue.

"This sister knows I have done many things wrong." Xie An’an wiped her tears with trembling fingers. "I know I have hurt you and Sister-in-law. I know no apology can erase what I have done, but I still wanted to come here personally and ask for forgiveness."

Xie Rong’s expression remained unmoved.

"Then you should know that forgiveness is not something you can demand from someone simply because you have apologised."

Xie An’an lowered her head, tears continuing to fall. "I know..." she whispered. "But Brother, please..."

She raised her tearful eyes toward him. "Please withdraw the report you intend to send about Madam Liu’s death."

The courtyard immediately fell silent.

Wang Gege’s eyebrows lifted slightly. So that was the real reason she had come.

"Father told me that you intend to report what happened to Madam Liu and reopen the matter surrounding her death," Xie An’an continued, her voice trembling. "This sister knows I have done wrong, but Brother... please. I don’t want the matter to be investigated any further."

She clasped her hands together, tears falling freely down her cheeks.

"I am begging you. Madam Liu is already gone. Why can’t we just let this matter rest? Everyone already believes that she took her own life. If you send the report, everything will be brought up again... and I—"

Her voice broke. "I don’t want to lose my life either."

"You don’t want to lose your life, but other’s lives don’t matter?" Wang Gege suddenly spoke out, unable to contain her frustration. "What about the other people whose lives you chose to ruin? The people you pushed toward death?"

Xie An’an’s fingers tightened.

"I never wanted anyone to die!"

"Really?" Wang Gege stared at her. "Never wanted anyone to die? By strangling her to death?" She laughed bitterly, the sadness in her eyes deepening. "You are really something..."

Her gaze remained fixed on Xie An’an as she continued, "I guess you did something to Chuntao too, right?"

Xie An’an’s face immediately went pale.

For a brief moment, she said nothing.

Then, as though the name had slipped out before she could stop herself, she whispered, "Chuntao..."

The moment the name left her lips, Xie Rong’s expression changed slightly.

Wang Gege’s eyes narrowed. She just hinted with the name and it seemed like she took the bait.

Xie An’an quickly realized her mistake and shook her head. "No... I didn’t—"

"Didn’t what?" Wang Gege interrupted.

"I didn’t kill her!" Her voice came out louder than she intended.

The courtyard suddenly fell silent.

Wang Gege looked at her for a few seconds before slowly asking, "Who said anything about killing her?"

"I swore I didn’t kill her. I met her that night just—just..." Xie An’an’s breathing became uneven as she swallowed repeatedly, struggling to continue. "I was just jokingly telling her that her sister was dead—"

A slap instantly landed across her cheek.

Wang Gege had finally reached her limit.

"Jokingly!" she snapped, her eyes reddening. "You jokingly told her that her sister was dead?!"

Xie An’an covered her cheek, stunned by the sudden slap.

Wang Gege’s chest heaved as she stared down at her. "Do you even hear yourself? You knew exactly what those words would do to her, yet you still called it a joke?"

"I... I didn’t mean—"

"You didn’t mean what?" Wang Gege interrupted, her voice trembling with anger. "You didn’t mean for her to die? Then what did you think would happen after you deliberately told her something like that?"

Xie An’an’s lips trembled, but no words came out.

Xie Rong stood beside Wang Gege, his expression turning colder with every word.

"So that was what happened that night..." His voice was quiet, but the courtyard seemed to grow even heavier.

Xie An’an lowered her head, tears falling onto the ground.

"I only wanted to scare her..." she whispered. "I never thought she would actually—"

"Actually what?" Wang Gege’s voice cracked.

She stared at Xie An’an in disbelief, "Actually take her own life?"