Chapter 161: Everything Has Been Let Go

Hearing what the woman said, Su Nanxing felt his head swell to twice its size, and he couldn't help but raise his voice, "I don't even know you!"

Tao Ming tugged at Su Nanxing's sleeve, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "When in the world are there such coincidences? Why don't we play along with her scheme?"

Su Nanxing immediately objected, "Knowing full well that she's here to cause trouble, we should naturally stay as far away from her as possible."

Tao Ming pouted. "Then what should we do now?"

Su Nanxing pushed Tao Ming and the other two into the carriage and said to the driver, "Shake her off and head back to the estate."

The driver did not dare to hesitate, immediately flicking his horsewhip and galloping away along the narrow alley.

Tao Ming could still faintly hear the woman crying out behind them, "My lord, do not abandon Meng'er..."

Su Nanxing's expression remained unchanged as he laughed and chatted with Tao Ming and the others all the way back.

When the four of them returned to the Qin estate, Tao Sisi wore a teasing, mischievous smile on her face, pulled Tao Ming aside, and asked, "Have you made up?"

"Mom, what are you talking about!" Tao Ming could only play dumb.

Tao Sisi glanced at Su Nanxing. "Nansing's face was as dark as thunder these past few days. Look at him now, beaming with joy. You've definitely made up."

"I never even fought with him."

Tao Sisi pulled Tao Ming into the bedroom. "Stop pretending. Amber and Coral told me all about it as soon as they got back. Nansing's expression at the time was enough to scare someone to death."

Tao Ming thought to herself, *Scare someone to death? He just looked a little nervous, that's all.*

"Tell Mom, what's going on with that woman?" Tao Sisi wore the expression of someone who had seen it all, setting the stage for a long conversation.

Tao Ming truly had no idea how to explain it to Tao Sisi. Being able to find a woman so strikingly similar to Ruomeng suggested that the person behind the scenes had a very thorough understanding of the past between Tao Ming and Su Nanxing. Perhaps finding that person would also untangle the many lingering questions in Tao Ming's heart.

For now, she needed to brush past Tao Sisi first. "Mom, Nansing drank my blood."

Tao Sisi's jaw dropped in shock, and it took a long while before she found her voice. "Mingming, you must cherish this dearly."

Tao Ming had too many lingering questions about her own origins from the Demon clan, so she decided to ask about the beginnings of this lifetime first. "Mom, how did you enter the Demon path in the beginning?"

Tao Sisi's expression turned desolate. "Mingming, we have failed you. From beginning to end, we were deceiving you."

Tao Ming wanted to say a lighthearted "I don't mind" to demonstrate her magnanimity, but the words hovered on her lips, turned around a few times, and were swallowed back down.

Reflecting carefully on everything that had happened since she arrived at Weishui, Tao Ming could no longer figure out who had been telling the truth and who had been lying.

Seeing Tao Ming fall silent, Tao Sisi spoke softly, "Back then, I was gravely injured and on the verge of breathing my last at any moment. Your father secretly took me to the Seventh Prince's manor and had Qiao Kongqing save me."

Tao Ming thought to herself that Qin Siyu must have known Qiao Kongqing's identity all along, which explained why the two of them were so close.

"I drank Kongqing's blood and thus entered the Demon path. That is why your father took me away from Weishui, wishing to live out the rest of this lifetime quietly with me in peace."

Tao Ming nodded, not knowing what to say.

Tao Sisi's gaze softened, her eyes resting on Tao Ming's face. "Later on, I became pregnant with you. We argued endlessly over this—I was unwilling to let you come into this world to suffer, but your father insisted that I give birth to you."

Tao Ming understood, comprehended, and immediately found peace of mind. "Mom, people must live in the present. There is no need to regret not turning right at some crossroads in the past."

...

That night, after the two little ones had fallen asleep, Tao Ming and Su Nanxing were finally able to have a proper chat about today's events.

Su Nanxing hugged Tao Ming and sighed, "If I had run into something like that yesterday, I might have actually considered finding a place for her to settle down."

Tao Ming let out a "hmph," gesturing for him to continue.

"It's just one more pair of chopsticks, after all."

Tao Ming chuckled softly, and Su Nanxing rubbed her cheek. "What are you laughing at?"

"Keeping her on the side just to look at?"

"What else?"

Tao Ming blinked her innocent, wide eyes. "She could also be used to warm the bed."

Su Nanxing knew Tao Ming was just teasing him. "I'm not that stupid! Knowing full well that she's here to plot against both of us, how could I possibly get involved with her?"

"Then why did you want to keep her on the side?"

Su Nanxing pinched Tao Ming's cheek. "Don't twist my words! If I had met her yesterday, for the sake of Ruomeng's memory, I might have simply looked for a place for her to settle down."

"Just one night, and you've changed this much?"

"Wife, I've figured it out. Let the past remain in the past; why hold onto it and refuse to let go?" Su Nanxing pulled Tao Ming closer into his embrace, pressing tightly against her from behind.

Tao Ming twisted her waist. "Loosen up a bit, it's hot."

"Wife, when did you let it go?" Su Nanxing used his leg to pin Tao Ming down, preventing her from moving forward.

Tao Ming paused in silence for a moment, then flipped over to sit squarely on Su Nanxing's stomach. "The moment I decided to open my eyes."

Su Nanxing let out a muffled groan. "Are you trying to murder your own husband?!"

Tao Ming leaned close to Su Nanxing's ear. "If I hadn't let it go, you'd already be dead by now."

"Meow meow meow?"

"I'm not like them. I would never commit suicide—I would only kill you!" Tao Ming bit down playfully on Su Nanxing's ear. Hearing him cry out in pain, she released her teeth and stuck out the tip of her tongue to give it a light lick.

Su Nanxing instantly felt a sensation that was both painful and ticklish while Tao Ming continued her torment by his ear. He closed his eyes and sighed softly, "Demon women truly are extraordinary!"

Tao Ming straightened her posture and slowly pulled down the thin strap of her pajamas. "Starting tomorrow, I'm going to let the entire imperial capital know what kind of person Tao Ming really is!"

...

The second day, Tao Ming asked Tao Sisi for the clothes she had tailored for her earlier, picked out the white-sleeveless qipao with blue floral patterns and double-lapped collars, and put it on. She felt slightly disappointed upon discovering that the slits on both sides only reached her knees.

Next, she realized she was missing a pair of high heels, which reminded her that she hadn't bought any since becoming pregnant.

To her surprise, Tao Sisi actually kept a few pairs of high heels in her collection and smilingly brought them out for Tao Ming to try on.

Tao Ming slipped into a pair of white high heels and found them slightly large, though it didn't affect her walking too much. Beaming with satisfaction, she walked over to Su Nanxing to show him.

Su Nanxing circled around Tao Ming, inspecting her from all angles, and praised, "The qipao is hailed as the garment that best accentuates the charm of Eastern women; that reputation is certainly well-deserved!"

Tao Ming pulled Su Nanxing into the bedroom. "Quick, you change clothes too."

"Change into what?"

"Whatever outfit you think makes you look the most handsome."

With that, Su Nanxing pulled out a white button-down shirt...

Followed by a pair of jeans and casual shoes...

Watching Su Nanxing change piece by piece, Tao Ming praised, "A white shirt truly deserves to be the sole benchmark for testing a male god!"

Su Nanxing proudly stretched out his arms to show himself off, to which Tao Ming promptly added, "I wonder how handsome my brother would look if he wore a white shirt?!"

Su Nanxing scooped Tao Ming right up into his arms. "I am standing right in front of you, and you're still thinking of someone else!"

Tao Ming didn't dare to move an inch, calling out, "Don't wrinkle the clothes!"

Su Nanxing set Tao Ming back down on the floor and asked in confusion, "What are you planning to do?"

Tao Ming retrieved a vintage-style parasol, linked her arm through Su Nanxing's, and declared, "Going shopping!"

"Shopping? Dressed like this?" Su Nanxing never imagined that what Tao Ming said last night actually meant this.

Tao Ming frowned slightly. "If you don't want to go, I can go with my brother instead."

How could Su Nanxing possibly let Qiao Kongqing accompany Tao Ming on a shopping trip!

He obediently styled Tao Ming's hair into an updo and casually tied back his own long hair.

Looking at the outfits they were both wearing, Tao Ming pouted in dissatisfaction. "They don't seem to match!"

Su Nanxing pulled out another white button-down shirt and handed it to Tao Ming. "Do you remember our couple outfits?"