After Marrying the Officer Chapter 1293 - 1292: Mrs. Ou’s Regret

"We still haven't located Xia Lian'er." In response to Xiao Jingqi's inquiry, Xia Chuyi offered no pretense, stating plainly, "The Capital City is vast, and finding someone in such a brief span Naturally presents a challenge."

"However, her discovery is merely a matter of time..." Xia Chuyi elaborated, "After all, having initiated her actions, she is unlikely to abandon her course so readily."

Once she makes another overture, her whereabouts will undoubtedly be revealed.

Hearing Xia Chuyi's assessment, Mrs. Ou's brow knitted together, her gaze sharp with indignation, and she exclaimed, "This Lian... this Xia Lian'er has truly gone too far!"

"I firmly believe I have treated her with kindness throughout these years!" Mrs. Ou's chest heaved with emotion as she pleaded her case, "Why does she persist in targeting you in this manner?"

"She is acutely aware that you are a daughter of the Ou family, my daughter, my cherished gem!" The sheer intensity of Mrs. Ou's distress caused her heart condition, dormant for an extended period, to stir uneasily.

"Mom!" Witnessing her mother's distress, Xia Chuyi swiftly moved to offer support, inquiring with concern, "Mom, how are you feeling?"

Standing nearby, Xiao Jingqi echoed the sentiment, promptly asking, "Auntie, is something amiss? Do you require immediate medical attention?"

With a gesture of her hand, Mrs. Ou quelled their immediate concerns, drawing a deep breath. "I am well, I am well, merely distressed..."

Mrs. Ou patted her chest, shaking her head with a sigh. "I am simply filled with regret. Xia Lian'er... she grew up within the embrace of our Ou family. I personally nurtured her, and yet I..."

Mrs. Ou exhaled another sigh, her head still shaking, and confessed, "Chuyi, this predicament is, in part, my responsibility."

"Had I not brought her into our home back then..." Mrs. Ou added, "Or perhaps, had I instilled stronger character in her upbringing..."

In essence, Mrs. Ou felt a measure of culpability for Xia Lian'er's transgressions.

Xia Chuyi, upon hearing her mother's self-recrimination, also shook her head and gently countered, "Mom, it is not so simple. You cannot bear the burden of blame for this."

"Whether an individual succumbs to darkness is a result of intricate factors," Xia Chuyi explained. "These encompass both innate predispositions and environmental influences."

"Consider siblings; one may stray into wrongdoing while the other flourishes."

"Or individuals raised in identical circumstances; some ascend to greatness, while others plummet into despair... each person's path diverges."

"Therefore, Mom, Xia Lian'er's actions stem primarily from her own choices and character."

Xia Chuyi offered her mother these words of calm reassurance.

Is this not the fundamental truth?

Even when mired in the lowest depths, some voices only lament the mire, while others find the resolve to gaze towards the stars.

Mrs. Ou, understanding her daughter's intent to soothe her, sighed once more. "Nevertheless, I still bear some responsibility..."

Upon hearing this, Xia Chuyi offered a gentle smile and stated, "Mom, you truly shouldn't speak in such terms."

"If we are to assign blame," Xia Chuyi continued thoughtfully, "then perhaps I too hold a portion of it."

"Had I not become involved with Huo Shiqian, had I not inadvertently provoked Xia Lian'er, she might not have resorted to such actions," Xia Chuyi confessed with a surprising calmness.

"How can you possibly be blamed for that?" Mrs. Ou immediately interjected upon hearing Xia Chuyi's words, her voice rising in protest. "Your relationship with Shiqian is a matter of destiny; how could it possibly involve Xia Lian'er?"

"If she harbors resentment towards you for such a reason, it merely highlights her own petty nature!"

"Yes, Mom, you are absolutely correct," Xia Chuyi affirmed, her smile serene, her tone unwavering. "Thus, her conduct is ultimately a reflection of her inherent personality."