Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot

Chapter 928 1: Gate of Qiankun

The twilight descends, with scarlet hues of the sunset reflecting against the horizon, gilding the entire city.

Meng Qianqian suddenly opens her eyes, taking a deep breath of the cool air.

"Mother!"

She blurts out, her gaze sweeping around her surroundings.

However, perhaps she had slept too long, as she feels a bit disoriented, unsure of where she is.

The only thing she remembers is seeing her mother.

But, where is her mother?

Was even that glimpse just a dream?

"Mother..."

Her throat chokes with emotion.

"I'm here."

Accompanied by a gentle and ethereal voice, a slender white wrist gently parts the curtains.

A beautiful face enters Meng Qianqian's sight, and she is momentarily stunned.

"Mother, is it really you? Am I not dreaming?"

Zhongli Yuan gently sits on the edge of the bed, pulling her hand over to rest on her own heart: "Silly child, this isn't a dream, feel your mother's heartbeat."

Meng Qianqian feels the thumping and warmth against her palm: "But, but so many times, so many times I thought I saw you, only to wake up and realize it was just a dream. I'm scared."

Zhongli Yuan softly says, "Don't be afraid, this time it's real."

"I, I, I—"

Meng Qianqian pinches herself, Zhongli Yuan couldn't stop her in time.

Meng Qianqian yelps in pain, yet she laughs: "So it's not a dream, it really hurts."

Zhongli Yuan feels heartache, reaching out to stroke her fair cheek: "You silly child, already a mother yourself, why are you still like when you were a child?"

Meng Qianqian mumbles, "Isn't it because I miss you too much? Afraid that none of this is real."

Zhongli Yuan understands her daughter's state of mind; she too worries that this reunion is just a dream, and that her presence might not last long.

Meng Qianqian snuggles into Zhongli Yuan's arms, shedding all her burdens, returning to the innocent form of a child, her voice turning soft and gentle.

"Mother, I have so much to tell you."

Zhongli Yuan smiles indulgently: "Alright, don't rush. You've been asleep for a month, your body is very weak, and you're about to give birth soon, let's eat something first, shall we?"

"Mm, I'll listen to you."

…

"I'm full."

Meng Qianqian sets down her utensils.

Zhongli Yuan takes out a handkerchief and wipes her daughter's mouth: "You ate so little?"

Meng Qianqian pats her round belly: "That was a lot, I'm stuffed."

Zhongli Yuan looks at the empty plates, thinking that the child indeed eats more than when she was young, but as a parent, you always hope your child eats more, afraid they will not have enough.

"Are you sleepy?" Zhongli Yuan asks.

"Not sleepy." Meng Qianqian shakes her head, "Mother, can I speak now?"

"Mm."

Zhongli Yuan nods.

Meng Qianqian glances outside.

Zhongli Yuan understands, smiling, "Don't worry, everyone is here."

Even though mother and daughter haven't seen each other in years, their bond remains unbreakable.

Zhongli Yuan knows her daughter is searching for the figures of those she cares about: father, husband, brother, and the little kid with the tiger-headed cap.

Meng Qianqian feels relieved, lifting her gaze to look directly into Zhongli Yuan's eyes: "Mother, where have you been all these years? I know a bit about the Witch, but what about the West Night Saintess?"

Zhongli Yuan holds her daughter's hand, sighing softly: "I am indeed the Witch, and I am also the West Night Saintess. Where should I start? Perhaps it's best to begin with the Gate of Qiankun."

Meng Qianqian widens her eyes: "There really is a Gate of Qiankun?"

Zhongli Yuan nods: "Of course, I discovered it by chance. Actually, with your intelligence, you should have guessed that I'm not from this world, right?"

Meng Qianqian: "I had some guesses, but I couldn't be sure."

Zhongli Yuan smiles faintly: "I come from a thousand years in the future, a world completely different from here. If there's a chance, I hope to take you there to see it."

Meng Qianqian ponders: "A world a thousand years later... so the Gate of Qiankun, it connects a thousand years of time?"

Zhongli Yuan says: "That's not a wrong way to understand it. It's like a passage, one end is my world, the other end is here. Now this is my world too. Because here I have my own family, people I care about deeply, to me this is home."

She speaks slowly, her voice carrying a convincing force as she recounts such extraordinary events.

Meng Qianqian listens intently, watching without blinking.

Zhongli Yuan shakes her head: "I'm not very familiar with controlling the Gate of Qiankun, so sometimes I can't resist its power. Initially, I didn't even know when it might act up. The Great Elder thought the Gate of Qiankun was on the mountain behind me, but it wasn't. It might be right here in this room, or in the courtyard, in short, it could be anywhere unseen near me."

Meng Qianqian suddenly understands: "No wonder you told Tan'er that you might leave at any time."

Zhongli Yuan says: "That's right, gradually I sensed the Gate of Qiankun, I had a premonition it would act up soon, so I told Tan'er in advance, talked to her about you, hoping she would come find you. Only I didn't have time to tell her you're her real sister, before being swept into the Gate of Qiankun."

Everything suddenly made sense.

Meng Qianqian asked: "Will you leave again this time, Mother?"

Zhongli Yuan softly says: "I don't know, I can only try to stay here."

Meng Qianqian grabs her hand: "Mother, if you have to leave next time, take me with you."

Zhongli Yuan laughs: "You silly child, could you bear to leave your husband, your Treasure Piggy?"

Meng Qianqian hesitates: "Then... then just take everyone. After all, you have taken people before."

"You even guessed that?"

Zhongli Yuan is surprised.

Meng Qianqian raises her chin proudly: "Father disappeared for so many years, I suppose you took him into the Gate of Qiankun."

Zhongli Yuan is amused by her expression: "That's right, I did bring your father into the Gate of Qiankun, but we fell in different places. Finding each other took all our efforts, and it wasn't until this time at the Holy Mountain that we met again."

Meng Qianqian sighs: "So Mother and Father have always been suffering the pain of separation."

Zhongli Yuan strokes her bangs: "But it's okay, I believe as long as our hearts are together, there will always be a day of reunion. And this time, I have a feeling it'll let me stay longer, longer than any time before."