Chapter 335: Mother and Daughter
When Qian Renxue awoke, her face was set with a look of determination, her expression solemn yet filled with an unyielding resolve.
"Potian, I need to confront Bibi Dong and get the truth from her. No matter what, things between us must have an end."
Yang Potian stroked her hair gently. "Go on. I'll be here; nothing will bring down the sky."
With his words, Qian Renxue swiftly flew towards the Papal Hall, her every movement conveying her urgency to uncover the truth.
Inside the Papal Hall, Bibi Dong was immersed in her duties. As the emperor of the Wuhun Empire, the weight of countless affairs demanded her attention, making her work ceaseless. Around her, several Titled Douluo were in deep discussion, but a heavy air of cold severity radiated from Bibi Dong.
Just then, the door to the Papal Hall opened, and Qian Renxue walked in slowly. Although she hadn't been officially titled as the Holy Maiden, everyone in the hall treated her with respect. She was, after all, Qian Daoliu's only granddaughter, the last inheritor of the Angel Clan, and the future ruler of Douluo Hall.
Qian Renxue looked over the people present, her gaze calm but firm. "Everyone, please leave. I need to speak with her alone."
After exchanging glances, the assembled Douluo gradually left the hall. Even Hu Liena, despite her loyalty to Bibi Dong, left in silence.
Once the hall emptied and the doors closed, only Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue remained.
Bibi Dong's voice was icy. "What do you need? Why demand a private meeting?"
Qian Renxue looked at her mother's cold face, her own eyes tinged with red. "Mother, I know the truth. I know why you've been so distant with me all these years."
Bibi Dong's eyes widened, a flicker of hostility flashing within them. For a moment, her hands unclenched slightly but quickly tightened again into fists. The events of the past were her greatest shame, a painful secret she'd fought to bury. Now, knowing that her daughter had uncovered the truth, she felt a moment of indecision.
"Mother, I understand the pain you suffered, and I even understand your resentment toward me. But… will you really kill me?"
Bibi Dong scoffed coldly. "That old fool, Qian Daoliu. Even when gravely injured, he dares reveal the truth. Does he not fear the consequences?"
Qian Renxue shook her head. "It wasn't Grandfather who told me—I figured it out myself. When the truth exists, it will eventually be found."
"Oh? Xue'er, I know your mind and your strength. There's no way you would have uncovered this yourself. Tell me—who told you?"
"Mother, I figured it out. Now I understand the suffering you endured back then, and I can see why you felt trapped."
When Qian Renxue called her "Mother," something within Bibi Dong softened, but only briefly. Anger soon overtook her again, knowing her deepest shame had been revealed.
In an instant, Bibi Dong's voice thundered. "That Yang Potian! He thinks he can meddle in my personal matters? Does he truly believe his strength places him beyond the reach of the Wuhun Empire?"
Seeing her mother's anger, Qian Renxue's face crumpled, her eyes welling with tears. "Mother, how much longer will you hide from the truth? Are you really so afraid of facing me?"
Bibi Dong's eyes turned slightly red at the sight of her daughter's tears. "Xue'er, you know nothing. Some scars can't be erased, not in a lifetime. For me… for your grandfather… it's already too late."
Qian Renxue's face contorted with anguish. "Am I your greatest shame? The one person you'd prefer to erase from your life? If that's true, just say the word, and I'll vanish forever."
Bibi Dong's hands trembled. Qian Renxue was her only daughter, and also the one person she feared facing the most.
Silence filled the hall, a tense stand-off between two people who should have been closest in the world. Both remained unmoving, as if they were two children in a standoff.
Finally, Bibi Dong's expression grew distant and tired. She waved a hand dismissively. "Leave. Follow Yang Potian, leave Wuhun City, and live the life you desire. A life without me in it."
Qian Renxue looked at her, disbelief in her eyes. "Mother, are you abandoning me? Am I so unbearable to you?"
Bibi Dong's face twisted with sorrow. "There's no abandonment. Don't worry—I won't harm your grandfather. He still has the Six Worshippers and remains a symbol of the Wuhun Empire."
Qian Renxue stood there in silence, staring at her mother for a long moment before turning and leaving the Papal Hall without another word.
Bibi Dong watched her daughter's figure fade into the distance, reaching her hand toward her, only to let it fall back to her side. Her pale hands shook, and her lips moved as if to whisper to herself: "Xue'er, it's not that I can't forgive you—it's that I can't forgive myself. Our bond as mother and daughter is so fragile. Perhaps the path forward for you is one far from me."
Soon after, Qian Renxue returned to Yang Potian with tears glistening in her eyes. "She won't accept me. Let's leave Wuhun City together."
Yang Potian sighed softly. "Perhaps it's for the best. The rift between you two runs deep. Give her some time to calm down, and you should try to as well."
The second woman's story is nearly finished… Soon it'll be time to break the third.
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