Chapter 40

Ming Jiao felt that compared to causing trouble, she had actually been helpful.

Handing over the wrong seasoning, forgetting about the cooking time while watching the fire, dragging Tang Xiaoyu into playing with her—these might have slightly hindered progress, but that was only occasional.

However, being told this by Tang Xiaoyu made her feel just a tiny bit embarrassed. The little shame she possessed was probably all laid bare before Tang Xiaoyu.

So when in doubt, change the subject.

“You haven’t come for so many days—did you find out anything? How are things progressing?”

Tang Xiaoyu glanced at her but didn’t expose her evasion. “The Xie family isn’t simple.”

Her expression grew calm as she lowered her gaze. “So far, I’ve confirmed three ability users: Xie Chu, Xie Ran. Do you remember her?”

Ming Jiao asked, “The victim stabbed through the heart by the hunter, Xie Chu’s half-sister? She was an ability user too?”

Tang Xiaoyu knew what she wanted to ask. “Based on my investigation and probing, Xie Ran’s mother is an ordinary person who knows nothing about the ability user world.”

Ming Jiao pondered, “So unless the deceased naturally awakened her ability, if it’s inherited through bloodline, it could only come from Xie’s father. The third one is him?”

“It’s Xie Chen.”

Ming Jiao understood, “Xie Chu’s cousin who loves competing with him for attention.”

Xie’s father was their elder and extremely cunning. Whether openly or privately, Tang Xiaoyu couldn’t easily probe him.

But with both his son and daughter being ability users, it was almost certain that Xie’s father was one too.

“There are also some issues with fund movements in their accounts,” Tang Xiaoyu mused. “I’ve gathered some other evidence, but it’s not enough to seriously damage the Xie family.”

Ming Jiao nodded, “A centipede dies but never falls down. If we strike, we must hit the vital spot. Small skirmishes might just get us counter-killed.”

Tang Xiaoyu looked at her, “I’ll continue investigating.”

For example, Xie Chu gradually approaching her was a good breakthrough point.

Like last time, Tang Xiaoyu planned to prepare some preserved instant food for Ming Jiao. Knowing she would be busy soon and having been warned, Ming Jiao didn’t cause trouble this time. She obediently watched Tang Xiaoyu work from the side.

While watching, Ming Jiao also considered showing Tang Xiaoyu the information Shi Yan had found.

She’d been planning this for days and finally had her target here today.

Though she felt perfectly justified in her thoughts, when it came to action, she started procrastinating even before dinner.

She kept delaying until after dinner was finished, then suppressing the urge to cringe in a corner, she finally brought out the materials.

“Nightingale.”

“What is it?”

“I mentioned before that I asked a friend to look into my aunt’s matters, right? She’s found some leads.” Ming Jiao tried to sound casual. “I thought I should tell you, so you don’t always worry about it for me.”

Hearing Ming Jiao mention her aunt, darkness flickered in Tang Xiaoyu’s pure black pupils. Although most of her energy was focused on Xie Chu lately, she hadn’t completely stopped investigating the aunt.

If nothing unexpected happened, she should receive a response within the next few days.

That being the case, Ming Jiao’s friend was truly capable to achieve results in such a short time.

Her thoughts churned momentarily, but she revealed nothing emotionally, simply asking Ming Jiao, “Did you determine why she was surveilling you?”

Ming Jiao casually swept the long hair at her shoulder back. “Not exactly. Cause and effect—she only helped me find the result. I think it’s more appropriate for me to find the cause myself later.”

After saying this, she felt as though she had made Shi Yan’s efforts seem pointless and added, “What I mean is, my friend also uncovered some other unpleasant things she has done.”

Tang Xiaoyu nodded gently, her gaze falling on the document folder tightly clutched in Ming Jiao’s hand. “May I take a look?”

She was somewhat puzzled. Since Ming Jiao had brought out the findings, she clearly intended to share them, so why did she seem a bit tense? “What are you worried about?”

Ming Jiao thought to herself, Isn’t it because I don’t want you to revisit my embarrassing past? With a sudden idea, she pulled out only the last section of the documents.

That part recorded Aunt’s minor schemes against her sister and adoptive mother, with no mention of her.

After doing this, she worried Tang Xiaoyu might misunderstand and explained, “There’s no need to look at the front part. Some of it is about me, and some is about the bad things Aunt and I did together. They’re all embarrassing and foolish—not worth reading.”

Tang Xiaoyu’s expression turned subtle. As someone who had experienced those events firsthand, she could easily recall what they were.

On the other hand, Ming Jiao was always remarkably honest with her. From their very first meeting, she had openly revealed her troubled relationships, from family to friends.

Not only was she honest, but she was also completely unapologetic.

Tang Xiaoyu knew she should find her shameless, but at some point, she could no longer muster much anger toward her when thinking about those things.

Especially now, seeing Ming Jiao being both truthful and evasive in front of her was somewhat endearing.

Tang Xiaoyu’s eyes curved into a smile, her cool, moon-like demeanor softening into a warm glow.

Seeing her reaction, Ming Jiao’s rare embarrassment lingered a little longer. She curled her fingers restlessly and played with the raven-black hair falling over her shoulder. “Hurry up and read.”

Tang Xiaoyu quickly composed herself, took the documents, and read through them carefully and silently.

After finishing, she slowly looked up. “Now that we have evidence, and your friend can likely serve as a witness, the key lies in your stance.”

Her gaze settled intently on Ming Jiao’s delicate face, as if trying to discern every nuance of her emotions to gauge her thoughts. “Have you decided what you want to do?”

Ming Jiao weighed her words. “I won’t let her continue down this wrong path.”

Tang Xiaoyu pressed further, “What if she insists on having her way? What if you can’t stop her?”

It hadn’t been long since they last discussed Aunt, and Tang Xiaoyu knew she should give Ming Jiao more time to think. But she realized Ming Jiao’s opinions were becoming increasingly important to her.

She was almost impatient to know what Ming Jiao was thinking and what choice she would make.

She hoped… Ming Jiao would stand by her side.

In the depths of Tang Xiaoyu’s dark eyes, Ming Jiao caught a flicker of worry. She understood Tang Xiaoyu’s concerns—in her eyes, Ming Jiao must still harbor deep affection and reluctance toward Aunt, and it wouldn’t be impossible for her to be lenient and let Aunt off the hook.

“You’re asking me this because you sense it too, right?”

Ming Jiao stood up and walked to the window. The last time they had talked about Aunt was also in this study. “My aunt’s situation might be more complicated than it appears. Perhaps she has already done something irreversible without my knowledge.”

Tang Xiaoyu lowered her lashes, unable to deny that similar worries had flashed through her mind.

“Last time you asked me what I would do if she truly committed acts against morality and the law.”

Ming Jiao’s sigh was almost imperceptible. “From that day on—no, even before that day—I had imagined this scenario many times. In the end, I had to admit that if such a day ever came, she and I would inevitably become enemies.”

Tang Xiaoyu watched Ming Jiao’s retreating back. Ever since the incident at the Rose Garden, she seemed to have grown accustomed to gazing at her silhouette.

She said “too.”

Tang Xiaoyu couldn’t help but think of Xie Chu.

Yes, with Xie Chu as a precedent, she shouldn’t doubt Ming Jiao’s rationality and resolve.

But Xie Chu and Aunt were different. Tang Xiaoyu soon lowered her gaze again, her feathery lashes trembling slightly with the turmoil in her heart.

Aunt was indeed hurting her too, but compared to the two, Aunt held much greater weight in her heart. Or rather, no one was as important to her as Aunt.

After interacting with Ming Jiao as Nightingale, she had always been perplexed by the stark contrast between Ming Jiao’s foolishness and clarity. It wasn’t until Aunt’s matters came to light that she glimpsed part of the truth.

The relationships between Ming Jiao and other family members had been fraught with conflict even before her return. The false peace was like thin paper that could be torn apart by any external force.

The revelation of her true parentage and her return were, at most, the final straw that broke the camel’s back.

She didn’t know how much of what happened before her return to the Ming family was forced upon Ming Jiao and how much was genuine, nor what role Aunt had played in it all.

But everything that happened after her return, including the current situation, aside from those few uncontrollable accidents, was likely Ming Jiao’s own arrangement.

She had detected Aunt’s schemes against her but couldn’t expose them. She previously said it was because she had no evidence and no one would believe her.

Tang Xiaoyu believed she wasn’t lying but knew this couldn’t be the whole story.

The more important reason was Ming Jiao’s inner conflict. Once everything was laid bare, irreparable cracks would form both in her relationship with Aunt and in Aunt’s relationship with the Ming family.

And no matter how much affection Ming Jiao still held for the other family members, she couldn’t stand by indifferently while Aunt harmed them—especially when she herself would be the weapon used to strike.

Tang Xiaoyu’s soft exhalation resembled a silent sigh as she pondered.

So she simply used their conflict to push the chessboard outward. If not for the matters with Xie Chu and the hunter, the current game would likely be solely between Ming Jiao and Aunt.

When Tang Xiaoyu first figured this out, she felt somewhat conflicted.

She believed that since Ming Jiao could resist and reject Aunt’s control and arrangements, it proved Ming Jiao knew Aunt was in the wrong.

No matter how deep her feelings for Aunt were, she wouldn’t choose to stand on Aunt’s side, and Tang Xiaoyu chose to place her trust in Ming Jiao.

Yet occasionally, in those brief intervals, Tang Xiaoyu would also wonder: what if Ming Jiao’s attachment to Aunt was too profound? What if, despite her conscience and principles disagreeing with Aunt’s actions, she couldn’t bring herself to confront Aunt, wavering uncertainly between them?

For Tang Xiaoyu, the attempt to spread rumors about her being r*ped had already crossed her bottom line. She would never forgive anyone who treated her that way.

Not to mention, if Aunt could harbor such malicious intentions, could we really guarantee that her methods in other areas were clean?

There was one thing Ming Jiao said that Tang Xiaoyu deeply agreed with—she also had a premonition that the situation with Aunt was far more complicated than what they currently saw.

That was why she was destined to be the one to oppose Aunt. Whether Ming Jiao hesitated or decided to shield Aunt, it was inevitable that they would once again find themselves on opposing sides.

Seeing Tang Xiaoyu lost in thought without speaking, Ming Jiao wished she could awaken a mind-reading ability in such moments—to discern whether she was happy or troubled, and what exactly she was thinking.

“Nightingale, are you worried I won’t be able to overcome familial bonds? Do you think I’ll struggle with it later?”

Since it was hard to guess from appearances, she could only try to reason from the other’s perspective.

Ming Jiao felt she needed to reaffirm her stance more firmly. She walked back to the sofa and sat down beside Tang Xiaoyu. “Actually, I—”

“I believe in you,” Tang Xiaoyu interjected, as if she had finally sorted everything out. She turned to look at Ming Jiao. “I believe you’ll make the right decision.”

Ming Jiao smiled brightly at her. She wanted to say, “I’ll definitely stand by your side,” but that would reveal too clearly that she knew Tang Xiaoyu’s identity. So, at the last moment, she changed it to, “I’ll definitely stand on the side of justice.”

At first glance, the words sounded like a lighthearted joke to ease the tension, yet they also carried an unspoken resolve.

A mix of indistinguishable emotions flickered in Tang Xiaoyu’s eyes. She asked softly, “Have you thought about going back to explain things to your family?”

“Explain.” Ming Jiao’s mind raced.

Right—she had assumed that once Tang Xiaoyu learned the truth about Aunt, she would directly or indirectly warn the others.

But Tang Xiaoyu didn’t know that Ming Jiao was aware of her hidden identity.

Before, lacking evidence had been a plausible excuse. But if she continued to keep silent now, it would seem as though her loyalty lay entirely with Aunt, making her appear callous and unfaithful to everyone else.

Being judged as having poor character was one thing, but being seen as hopelessly devoted to Aunt? Absolutely not.