The Madman and The Doll

Chapter 57: Judgment

Return: My hell and heaven
Chapter 57: Judgment


Song Shu’s figure froze in place.

This time, she stood still for a long, long time. At one point, she almost wanted to turn around and look at that man, even wanting to grab him by the collar and make him see her clearly.

It would be best if she could shake him awake and ask him why, if he regretted it and wanted to protect her, did he make such a choice back then? Why, when she needed him the most, did he only leave her with the coldest, most indifferent back like a stranger?

She also wanted to ask him if he had even a single moment where he felt a twinge of compassion for her as his daughter.

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But in the end, Song Shu just stood there, her eyes silently reddening.

There was no need to ask.

None of it needed to be asked.

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Mbl swvnsxl bye yzalyeu byrrldle, yde kv oyp kaalhlapkczl, fwpv zkjl bso vkxl nswze dsv cl vwadle cynj. Mbyv nya ynnkeldv oyp cswde vs snnwa, yde ds sdl nswze cakdt Jyk Fsdt cynj vs zkql. Fs, vblal oyp ds dlle vs ypj yduvbkdt.

Xhla vbl ulyap, Fsdt Fbw tayewyzzu nyxl vs wdelapvyde sdl vbkdt: kq vblal olal y nbsknl, kq ekqqlaldv ryvbp zle vs vbl pyxl lde, vbld rascyczu ds sdl kd vbkp osaze oswze oydv vs cl y cye rlapsd. Ohlausdl obs tslp ytykdpv vblka nsdpnkldnl yde eslp psxlvbkdt oasdt yzoyup byp vblka alypsdp, cl vblu ellr sa pbyzzso, yde vblu yzz byhl vblka wdprlyjyczl byaepbkrp.

Mblal kp yzoyup y rkvkyczl yprlnv vs y byvlqwz rlapsd.

Jwv vbl alypsd vbkp pyukdt bszep vawl kp dsv clnywpl sdzu byvlqwz rlsrzl byhl rkvkyczl pkelp, cwv clnywpl, kd vbkp osaze, qlo rlsrzl nyd zkhl vblka zkhlp pxssvbzu yde okvbswv scpvynzlp. Ohlausdl byp vblka pvawttzlp, yde vbyv’p obu vbl rasnlpp sq xyjkdt y nbsknl kp dsv obyv xyvvlap; kv’p vbl swvnsxl sq vbyv nbsknl vbyv eslp.

Ohlausdl byp vblka byaepbkrp, cwv byaepbkrp es dsv xlyd sdl pbswze cl qsatkhld—

Fsxl nbsknlp, ds xyvvla bso ekqqknwzv vblu olal vs xyjl, nyd dlhla cl qsatkhld.

“Ykpp Ckd, oswze usw zkjl vs pvyu y zkvvzl zsdtla?” Mbl dwapl dsvknle Fsdt Fbw’p blpkvyvksd yde lxsvksdyz qzwnvwyvksd yde ypjle wdlypkzu qasx clbkde bla.

Fsdt Fbw zsolale bla blye yde vbld, okvb vlyap kd bla lulp, tyhl y zktbv, ckvvla pxkzl. “Ls dlle. Rv’p wddlnlppyau.”

“Huh?”

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“…”

Song Shu did not explain further. She lifted her head, took a deep breath, straightened her back, and walked out of the ward.

She left more calmly and composedly than when she had entered.

The sanatorium was, after all, a place with many people and prying eyes, so Qin Lou did not choose to confront Qin Fujun there.

In the end, Qin Fujun was taken back to the manor by Qin Liang in the first car, while Qin Lou and Song Shu followed in a second car, departing a bit later.

On the road, after turning on the car’s soundproof partition, Qin Lou looked at Song Shu. “Did you see him?”

“Yes.”

“How was it?”

Song Shu thought for a moment and slowly nodded. “Not bad.”

Qin Lou seemed a bit surprised by her answer and chuckled, “A lot calmer than I expected. Just like a little clam.”

Song Shu didn’t hide her thoughts and admitted frankly, “A lot calmer than I expected too.”

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“…Did something unexpected happen?”

“Sort of.”

“Can I hear about it?”

Song Shu pondered for a few seconds and then recounted everything she heard from the moment she entered Song Chengjun’s hospital room to Qin Lou.

She stopped after quoting Song Chengjun’s last sentence, then looked up at Qin Lou. “If it were you, what would you do?”

Qin Lou squinted slightly. “You’re sure you want to ask me?”

“Who else?”

“Maybe it would be more useful to ask me what I think you would do.”

Song Shu smiled and shook her head. “Then I’ll hear what you would do first.”

Qin Lou leaned back into the leather seat.

Song Shu said, “To be fair, you can take a moment to think about it. I was quite torn at the time.”

Qin Lou chuckled softly, “No need to think. I’m different from you. I’m a madman, little clam.”

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Song Shu looked up at him.

Qin Lou said, “A madman doesn’t need to think. He just acts on instinct. Anyone who hurts me must end up worse than me, no matter the reason. Seeing him in that state, I’d be too busy laughing to even consider pitying him.”

Song Shu thought for a moment after hearing this, then smiled. “Very Qin Lou.”

After saying this, Song Shu seemed ready to sit back.

Qin Lou was stunned for two seconds, then leaned in with a sly grin.

“You forgot a step.”

Song Shu: “?”

“You should let me guess what you would do.”

Song Shu was taken aback and then laughed, “Why would I do that?”

“To test our level of understanding.”

“Do we need to test our level of understanding?”

Qin Lou was momentarily stumped. “…I want to guess.”

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Song Shu laughed, “Then go ahead.”

“If I guess correctly,” Qin Lou’s “wolfish tail” showed, “shouldn’t you reward me with something?”

“Like what?”

“…”

Qin Lou didn’t say anything, but his eyes drifted toward Song Shu’s lips.

Song Shu: “…”

Song Shu sighed. “Didn’t seem like you thought you needed permission to do that before.”

Qin Lou lowered his eyes with a smile. “I want you to initiate it this time.”

“…”

Naturally, Song Shu didn’t want to agree to this.

But Qin Lou was persistent, and under his gaze, Song Shu had no choice but to relent.

She gritted her teeth slightly. “If you’re even a bit off, there’s no reward.”

“As you command.” Qin Lou flashed a triumphant smile.

Song Shu glared at him, “Alright, then tell me. What did I choose?”

Qin Lou didn’t hesitate, “You probably stood there for a while, and then you walked away.”

Song Shu: “…”

She slowly sighed.

Honestly, she wasn’t surprised at all that Qin Lou would guess her decision.

… Truly a losing deal with no profit.

Song Shu turned to the side, leaning on the armrest between them. She lifted her eyes without any emotion, hiding a bit of evasion in her gaze. Then, she curled her slender index finger, beckoning Qin Lou over.

“… Come here.”

Without a word, Qin Lou leaned in quickly, seizing the opportunity to plant a kiss on the tip of Song Shu’s finger before she could pull it back.

Song Shu: “…”

She lowered her eyes, resigned. “You really don’t let a single chance slip by, do you?”

“What chance? You’re mine, aren’t you?” Qin Lou pressed closer, his eyes unashamedly filled with desire. He chuckled hoarsely and tapped his lips. “Didn’t I already tell you? I’d swallow this little clam whole, shell and all, without leaving a single bit behind.”

“…Madman.”

Song Shu muttered, exasperated.

But, suppressing the embarrassment in her heart, she still slowly leaned in, planting a kiss on the corner of Qin Lou’s lips.

A brief touch and she was ready to pull back—a calculated move. Unfortunately, she didn’t get the chance to sit back before Qin Lou, anticipating her retreat, caught her with a swift arm.

A much more passionate kiss followed.

As the kiss deepened, Qin Lou pressed Song Shu against the backrest, leaning down over her.

Then, there was a dull “thud.”

Song Shu: “…”

A few seconds later, Song Shu, watching Qin Lou rubbing his head where he’d bumped it against the car roof, couldn’t help but turn her face away and laugh. The romantic atmosphere was shattered in an instant.

And to make matters worse for Qin Lou, the driver—probably startled by the bump on the car roof—immediately pulled over to the emergency lane, got out of the driver’s seat, and walked around to the rear window.

“Mr. Qin, Miss Qin, I just heard a noise—are you two alright?”

Inside the car, Song Shu’s shoulders shook with laughter as she tried to hide her face.

The window rolled down, and the driver met Qin Lou’s expressionless face, freezing mid-sentence. After a few seconds, he cautiously glanced at Qin Lou and then back into the car. “Mr. Qin, just now—”

“I have a suggestion,” Qin Lou suddenly said.

Even Song Shu was curious about what kind of “suggestion” he was going to make. She stopped laughing and turned her head to look at Qin Lou and the driver.

Qin Lou gestured around the back seat. “Get a bigger car.”

Driver: “?”

Song Shu felt a twinge of unease.

Qin Lou smiled faintly. “This space is too small, not conducive to… flexibility.”

The driver was stunned for a couple of seconds before realizing what he meant.

Song Shu: “…”

A few seconds later, there was another faint “thud” from inside the car.


Qin Lou and Qin Liang did not mention “Qin Qing’s” arrival in front of Qin Fujun, nor did they deliberately try to hide it. So when the car drove into the estate, Song Shu calmly walked with Qin Lou through the front doors and entrance hall of the European-style mansion.

As they passed through the main hall, only Qin Liang was there.

Qin Lou’s gaze was a bit wary.

Before he could ask any questions, Qin Liang anticipated it and said, “She complained about the conditions at the sanatorium, said the facilities weren’t as clean or well-equipped as at home, so she’s gone upstairs to bathe and freshen up. Even if you’re anxious to learn the list of people involved in that case back then, surely you can wait a little longer, can’t you?”

Qin Lou suppressed his words, clenching his fists slightly.

Song Shu stepped forward, gently pulling Qin Lou back, and gave Qin Liang a faint smile.

“Why not? We’ve already waited nine years, so what’s one more day?”

“…”

Qin Liang’s expression shifted slightly.

A few seconds later, the tension in his eyes gradually eased, and even turned into a faint, subtle smile.

“You’re much more articulate now, so different from before. Your temperament has changed as well… but that’s a good thing. This way, no one can take advantage of you.”

Song Shu’s gaze flickered slightly.

But in the end, she said nothing, and joined Qin Lou, sitting side by side on the sofa.

The three of them sat in the main hall—once the most familiar figures in the vast Qin family estate—but now, they had nothing to say to each other.

Qin Liang, now older, had a particular sentimentality towards family and blood ties. The sight of them together made him feel a deep sadness, one that was beyond remedy.

Years ago, when he chose to protect his daughter over the truth, he had already anticipated facing such a situation one day—back then, he hoped that, at worst, Qin Lou would harbor a grudge against his gravestone, a resentment that time could eventually smooth over. Now, this confrontation had come sooner than expected.

But it was his choice, and he had to bear the consequences.

Qin Liang let out a deep sigh.

He turned slightly and raised his hand, prompting the butler, who had been waiting in the corner of the hall, to approach and bow to his level.

“Sir?”

“Prepare a drink for each of them.”

The butler looked up slightly, glancing at the two. “What would Mr. Qin and Miss Qin like to drink?”

Before Song Shu and Qin Lou could respond, Qin Liang spoke up, “The girl prefers Briere coffee. One part espresso, three-quarters hot milk and fresh cream, with half a portion of milk foam.”

“And Mr. Qin Lou…”

“Him?” Qin Liang glanced at his grandson. “Anything will do, even plain water.”

“…”

The butler stifled a laugh, acknowledged the order, and left.

The conversation between master and servant had not been concealed, and Qin Lou and Song Shu heard every word clearly.

Briere coffee was something Song Shu used to drink, and Qin Liang remembered it down to the last detail. She knew there was a deliberate attempt at reconciliation in this gesture, but it still stirred something within her.

Qin Lou seemed to notice. He glanced over and took Song Shu’s hand, giving a cold laugh as he looked at Qin Liang. “Don’t be fooled by the tricks of an old fox. It seems that all they’ve learned with age is how to manipulate people’s hearts.”

“…”

Qin Liang was long accustomed to his grandson’s sharp words, and simply glanced at Qin Lou without arguing.

The coffee arrived shortly, and then someone quickly came down from upstairs, hurrying to Qin Liang’s side and whispering something to him.

Qin Liang nodded and gestured for the person to leave. Then, he looked at Song Shu. “Fujun is coming down. Let’s move to the side room. You don’t need to worry about the rest; let Qin Lou handle it.”

Song Shu was taken aback.

Qin Lou, who had been frowning all this time, surprisingly agreed with Qin Liang for once, “I don’t feel comfortable with you standing next to the woman who wants to kill you. He’s right. Leave the rest to me.”

Song Shu wanted to say something. “But…”

“Listen to me today, okay?”

“…Alright.”

In the end, Song Shu agreed, nodding as she picked up her coffee and followed Qin Liang into the side room.

Half a minute later, a figure slowly descended the stairs. It was Qin Fujun.

She paused when she saw Qin Lou’s figure in the main hall, then resumed her steps and walked over. Throughout the process, her demeanor was graceful, but her expression was unnervingly calm, almost to the point of numbness.

“I knew he couldn’t keep this from you. Sooner or later, you’d end up standing in front of me.”

Qin Lou played with the long glass handed to him by a servant earlier, watching the little bit of water sway inside. He spoke nonchalantly, “Then why didn’t you run?”

“Run?” Qin Fujun’s expression turned mocking. “Where could I run to? Did he ever give me a chance to escape?”

Qin Lou’s fingers paused for a moment, then he let out a short laugh. “Qin Liang has been more than lenient as a father, hasn’t he? He was willing to sacrifice his own reputation to shield you, sparing you from a prison sentence—yet you still resent him?”

“Hahaha, a father… He calls himself a father? He pretended not to know and covered for me, but he basically locked me in another kind of cage! Stuck with those mental patients, I couldn’t leave for nine years. I couldn’t even see my own child. How is that any different from a prison!?”

As her voice grew louder, the calm facade on Qin Fujun’s face shattered, revealing all the resentment, bitterness, and hatred beneath, making her once graceful face appear utterly distorted.

Qin Lou looked at her coldly, unsurprised. “Ungrateful and demanding—there’s nothing new about that, Qin Fujun.”

Qin Fujun let out a cold laugh. “Gratitude? You’re the last person who should talk about that, Qin Lou! Just because you’re his grandson, you were born with everything handed to you. Even if you’re a lunatic, a devil, you don’t have to lift a finger, and all the things I desperately fought for were delivered to you, one by one! But have you ever once shown gratitude to him?”

Qin Lou let out a soft, bitter laugh. He sat up straight, a cold, mocking look in his eyes.

“You think just because you want something, everyone else does too? For me, he forced things on me that I never wanted. And as for you… if you really have that much resentment, if you truly think staying there is worse than prison, why didn’t you tell him you wanted to turn yourself in? I know Qin Liang well enough; I don’t believe he would’ve covered for you if you hadn’t begged him desperately back then. Can you say you didn’t?”

At the last question, Qin Fujun instinctively avoided Qin Lou’s gaze, unconsciously clutching at her clothes. When she spoke again, she struggled to keep any trace of guilt or uncertainty out of her voice.

“Did you come all this way just to lecture me? Even if you know the truth about what happened back then, don’t think you’ll get anything out of me. I’m already at my lowest; I have nothing left to lose.”

A flame of anger flickered violently in Qin Lou’s eyes but was quickly suppressed.

With a flick of his hand, he tossed the documents he’d been holding in front of Qin Fujun.

“You’d better read this before you speak again.”

“…”

Qin Fujun’s eyes narrowed. After a moment of hesitation, she couldn’t resist picking up the file and opening it.

After just a quick glance, her face changed. “You… How did you… find this?”

“The process doesn’t matter. Only the result does.”

Qin Lou clasped his hands together and leaned forward.

“You said earlier that you couldn’t be worse off than you are now? Let me tell you, I can make things a hundred times worse for you.”

Qin Fujun wanted to deny it, but she knew the truth—these documents were enough to tie her irrevocably to that old case. With Qin Lou’s resources and connections, as long as he had this evidence, he could easily send her to prison, where she would have no hope of ever getting out.

That was different from the sanatorium.

At the sanatorium, she still had hope. She counted on the day when her father would grow old, when his heart would soften, and he would let her out to see the light of day again. That hope had kept her from true despair over the years, even while she was confined there.

But if Qin Lou sent her to prison, she knew her life would be completely over.

The fear and panic within her began to gather, almost pushing her to beg Qin Lou for mercy, just as she once did with her father, Qin Liang. But she didn’t do it.

It wasn’t out of pride; she knew full well that Qin Lou was different from Qin Liang. He would show her no mercy.

Qin Fujun took a deep breath, exhaling with a slight tremor in her voice as she forced herself to remain rational.

“Since you’re throwing these pieces of evidence in front of me instead of submitting them directly to the court, I’m guessing you want me to do something for you,” Qin Fujun said, suppressing her fear as she looked at Qin Lou. “Go ahead, tell me what you want.”

Qin Lou looked at her with disgust.

“I want the names of everyone involved in that case from back then.”

“—!” Qin Fujun’s eyes flickered, and she shook her head violently. “No way, I won’t tell you—if I really do, they won’t let me go!”

“So you do know how to be afraid? That makes this easier.” Qin Lou smiled, the chill in his eyes palpable. He tapped the scattered evidence on the table. “If I send you to prison, do you think I’d let you off either?”

“…”

Qin Fujun’s face turned deathly pale.

After a long silence, she seemed to finally collect herself.

She looked up at Qin Lou, her expression filled with despair, and forced a smile. “If… if I give you the names, will you let me go?”

Qin Lou didn’t even hesitate. “No.”

“—!”

The forced smile on Qin Fujun’s face froze, and in the next moment, it twisted into a grimace. She laughed maniacally, as if driven mad by desperation:

“If the outcome is the same, then why should I tell you anything? I’m already miserable enough, so you might as well be just as miserable, even more miserable than me! I’ll see who ends up suffering more! Hahaha… even if you know I’m the one who harmed Song Shu back then, what else can you do besides kill me?”

Qin Lou remained silent, lowering his eyes.

His handsome face was calm and indifferent, as if her words hadn’t affected him in the slightest.

Under Qin Fujun’s gaze, filled with shadows of fear she could no longer hide, Qin Lou slowly unbuttoned the cufflinks of his shirt, then looked up at her.

He smiled slightly. “Are you done laughing?”

The calmness in his eyes was so eerie that it made Qin Fujun’s heart clench in fear. Her body stiffened as she slowly edged backward.

“You…”

“Don’t be scared, Auntie.”

For the first time, Qin Lou addressed her this way, his smile so gentle he seemed like a normal person. Yet it only made the hair on the back of Qin Fujun’s neck stand on end.

Qin Lou clasped his hands together with a smile. “If you insist on not talking, I won’t do anything more to you beyond what you deserve. But…”

“But… but what?” Qin Fujun swallowed unconsciously.

Qin Lou lowered his gaze with a smile, picking up the glass he had set aside. “But have you forgotten? I’m now the head of the Qin family—Song Shuai and Song Ruyu, their entire lives are in my hands. Or… do you want to see them…”

Before he finished his sentence, his slender fingers suddenly released the glass.

The glass cup smashed onto the ground with a loud “bang,” shattering into pieces that scattered everywhere. Qin Fujun stood there, frozen, completely motionless, her expression blank.

It took several seconds before she suddenly snapped out of it. Her face twisted in rage as she sprang to her feet, lunging at Qin Lou with a wild, frenzied look—

“How dare you! If you touch them, I’ll kill you—I’ll definitely kill you!”

Qin Lou effortlessly restrained the crazed woman, not even bothering to act further. He simply tossed her to the house staff who had rushed over after hearing the commotion.

Watching as Qin Fujun, still snarling and clawing, was held down by two servants, Qin Lou leaned back into the sofa, laughing with reckless, wild glee, like a madman devoid of empathy or emotion.

“What a pity. After all these years, you still don’t understand me at all—what wouldn’t I dare to do?”

After saying this, Qin Lou paused, then bowed his head and laughed.

“Oh, right, there is something.”

A glimmer of hope lit up in Qin Fujun’s eyes, but before it could fully form, she heard Qin Lou laugh, his voice rasping:

“The only thing I wouldn’t dare is something Song Shu forbids me from doing.”

“—!”

Qin Fujun’s face turned pale instantly.

Qin Lou slowly raised his eyes, his gaze dark and hollow, with not a hint of a smile left.

“But you killed her, Qin Fujun. You destroyed the lock that kept this madman in check—you personally severed the last shred of hope for yourself and those two children.”

“…”

“How could you possibly escape hell? Especially after you made me and her live there, barely surviving, for all these years.”


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