Hidden Marriage: Spoiled by the Imperial Commander-Chapter 601: Killed the One He Loved

Xu Zhiqiang said indifferently, "Of course I knew she was using me, and she chose me because she knew I would never betray her. She saw how much I wanted to be with you, so naturally she would hide things very well. And at that time, I was also using her; we were merely taking what we needed from each other."

If it wasn’t for the fact that it had already been exposed, this would have been a secret he would’ve kept forever.

Mu Huaner sighed and asked, "Do you regret it now?"

"I do regret it, because from now on I can’t continue to stand guard by your side. If I had understood certain truths earlier, I wouldn’t have ended up at this point. If everything could be done over again, I would choose to remain with the Mu Family, even if it meant not being by your side as a lover, but just as a brother, or a playmate, I would be content."

And now, he was going to leave her forever.

This wasn’t the outcome he wanted.

Xu Zhiqiang continued, "These past three years, I’ve wanted to see you every day. I’ve regretted more than once that I left the Mu Family; at least I could’ve still seen you every day..."

"Stop talking," Mu Huaner said, taking a deep breath, her voice somewhat choked, "I’m the one who harmed you."

If Xu Zhiqiang had harmed someone else, she could have hired the best lawyer for him, trying to minimize his crimes.

But the person he harmed was Yan Qianyi’s mother.

Ah Lie would never forgive him easily, and neither could she help him.

Xu Zhiqiang shook his head, "No, it’s not your fault, it’s because I was too insecure back then, too eager to prove myself, that led me to this point."

Mu Huaner asked, "Then are you willing to cooperate and accuse Mrs. Ning?"

Xu Zhiqiang said, "I am willing, whatever Mr. Ah Lie asks me to do, I am willing. I believe this is also what you’d like to see because ever since we were young, you cared for Mr. Ah Lie the most."

Mu Huaner stood up, wanting to give Xu Zhiqiang a hug, but turned her head to glance at the one-way mirror on the wall next to her.

She knew that Ah Lie and Yan Qianyi were watching them from behind that glass.

She and Xu Zhiqiang had a bond that had grown from childhood.

But to Ah Lie and Yan Qianyi, Xu Zhiqiang was an unforgivable murderer.

In the end, Mu Huaner did nothing and turned to walk away.

Xu Zhiqiang watched her back and made one last request, "Miss, after I die, could you find a place to bury me, and come to see me on my birthday each year?"

His birthday was very meaningful.

Being an orphan, he did not know the day of his own birthday.

It was the Miss who set a date for him in spring as his birthday.

From childhood, it was always the Miss who commemorated his birthday each year.

Each year, the Miss would make a cake with her own hands, allowing him to blow out the candle and make a wish.

And every year, his birthday wish was to grow up and marry the Miss.

Mu Huaner paused, not turning back to look at Xu Zhiqiang, but nodded slightly.

...

The Ning Family and Mrs. Ning’s maternal family were both renowned great families in the Federation Empire.

The case of Mrs. Ning hiring someone to murder Shu Meng caused an uproar in the Federation Empire.

On the day of the court trial, Yan Yao from Morris Empire arrived at the scene.

Not a single person from the Ning Family came.

Even the relatives from Mrs. Ning’s maternal family, who were ashamed of Mrs. Ning for bringing disgrace to the family, avoided the reporters and were nowhere to be seen.

For hiring someone to commit murder, Mrs. Ning was sentenced to death.

Xu Zhiqiang, due to his active cooperation in confessing, was sentenced to death with a two-year suspension.

After leaving the courtroom, Yan Qianyi let out a long sigh of relief.

She had finally avenged her mother.

Yan Yao looked at her with concern and frowned, "Qianyi, you’ve long suspected that the accident back then was deliberate, why didn’t you tell me?"

He had only recently learned that his sister had been bearing it all alone.

Yan Qianyi explained, "Brother, you were far away in the Morris Empire and as a Prince of the Morris Empire, you were overwhelmed with endless political affairs every day, I didn’t want to distract you."

"But you shouldn’t have kept it from me! I am your only brother; you should have let me share the burden. You always take everything on yourself. When you woke up, you also said you didn’t want to worry me, so you didn’t tell me right away, do you know that makes me worry even more?"

Yan Yao was a bit angry, mainly out of concern for his sister.

And out of guilt.

He had left home early on and wasn’t there to protect his mom and sister; he was already feeling very guilty.

The fact that his sister hadn’t told him about her troubles made him feel even worse and blame himself more.

Yan Qianyi pursed her lips and blinked at Yan Yao.

In front of her brother, she would never talk back or argue.

She understood that her brother was angry because he was worried about her, he cared for her.

"Big brother, don’t be angry... "

Mu Yunlie spoke up, "Qianyi, you really should change this habit of taking on everything alone."

Yan Qianyi paused and muttered softly, "Why are you adding fuel to the fire?"

Mu Yunlie smiled and said to Yan Yao, "However, from now on I’ll be by her side. No matter what happens, I will share her burdens, so don’t worry."

Yan Yao nodded, "Mmm, now that you’re with her, I truly feel relieved."

Yan Qianyi laughed and cried at the same time, "Okay, you both can rest assured, I have my own sense of measure when doing things. I am already a mother now, you shouldn’t treat me like a child."

But Yan Yao said, "Even if you’re old enough to be a grandmother, you will always be my little sister."

Yan Qianyi extended her left hand and clung to Yan Yao’s arm, "I know big brother cares about me, but today is a day to be happy, so let’s not talk about me."

Clasping Mu Yunlie’s arm with her right hand, "Let’s go, let’s visit Mom and share the good news with her."

The three of them got into the car and headed for the cemetery.

This time Andelle didn’t come.

She wanted to come with Yan Yao, but he thought it wasn’t suitable for her to be traveling around in her advanced pregnancy, so he asked her to rest well in the Royal Palace.

Arriving at the cemetery, Yan Qianyi saw Ning Xiuzhuo standing in front of their mother’s gravestone.

She stopped in her tracks, "Brother, why don’t you go ahead by yourself? Ah Lie and I will come in a little while."

"No need, let’s go over together," Yan Yao continued walking forward.

Ning Xiuzhuo noticed someone approaching, turned his head for a glance, and upon seeing it was Yan Qianyi and the others, he quickly wiped the tears from his face.

After the three of them got closer, Ning Xiuzhuo bowed deeply to them, "I’m sorry, it was indirectly because of me that your mother died."

He knew Marcia was a person with strong possessiveness. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Ever since he married Marcia, she had not allowed other female friends to get close to him.

But he had no idea that Marcia could be such a malicious woman, to have killed the woman he loved in his heart.