Chapter 279: Chapter 279: Does Cheng An Also Have a Day to Apologize?
Mrs. Jiang looked at the divorce papers on the table and suddenly laughed, “Divorce? You want to divorce me for that imposter, Jiang Huanye? I’m afraid her heartfelt words claim you were tricked into marrying Chu Xin. You weren’t tricked at all, were you? You coveted her beauty, yet my decades of loyalty and struggle mean less to you than that wretch Chu Xin?”
Mr. Jiang looked at Mrs. Jiang incredulously, unable to grasp how the discussion about their daughter had abruptly shifted to Chu Xin.
If he truly coveted beauty, why would he choose someone like Chu Xin who was already of age?
With his wealth, wouldn’t a woman in her twenties, young and beautiful, be more appealing?
“Haven’t you grasped the main point yet? If I wanted to marry Chu Xin, why would I have waited until now? I’m talking about our daughter’s matter, don’t redirect your anger towards her because of the Song Family. Your maternal family, the Yisens, have already started investigating. I believe there will be results soon. Anyone who wants to harm the Jiang Family should see if they measure up first.”
Seeing Mrs. Jiang’s eyes redden as she looked at him.
Mr. Jiang felt distressed too, he truly revered his wife and had never been unfaithful.
After so many ups and downs over the years, he couldn’t just watch her make mistake after mistake, although he could overlook other issues.
But they had been negligent and lost Jiang Nanshu, it was their responsibility as parents. Their biological daughter had been found and if they could not mend the hurt in time, better they had not acknowledged her at all.
As a man, his emotions were not as delicate as those of women, and he was hands-off with his children. The only one he had been somewhat attentive to was Jiang Leyi because she was a girl.
His love for his daughter wasn’t as visible as Mrs. Jiang’s, it was hidden, and where Mrs. Jiang spoiled, he was strict. He couldn’t let the children go astray.
After recognizing Jiang Nanshu, he was busy with company work every day. Materially, he never let Jiang Nanshu lack for anything; whatever she desired, he as a father did his utmost to provide.
Even though he had felt from the beginning that the marriage with the Lu Family wasn’t suitable for her, since she liked it, he had tried to mediate. If the two really couldn’t get along, he would find another suitable partner for Jiang Nanshu. In Beijing, there were countless wealthy and educated young men of noble families.
But his wife, since Jiang Nanshu stepped into the Jiang Family, had been very cold to her. She hadn’t been around since childhood, so there were no feelings, he understood that, but no matter what, they were connected by blood, and that made them family.
“Do I not want to treat her well? Look for yourself, does she seem receptive? She feels no affection for our family because she isn’t the original Nanshu. The original Nanshu was so good to our family, no matter how we treated her, she never felt distant from us,” Mrs. Jiang argued with tears in her eyes.
Mr. Jiang couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh, “Now you’re remembering the previous one fondly again. When she was around, how come I never saw you treat her well? The previous Nanshu is gone. Do you also want to lose this daughter? No matter what, she is my daughter, Jiang Huanye’s daughter, Song Shuling. I’m putting my words here. Choose between the divorce and bringing Nanshu back home. Even if you think I’ll go after Chu Xin after our divorce, I accept that.”
Mrs. Jiang felt as if her heart was being pierced by a knife, the pain making it difficult to breathe.
Divorce was out of the question.
As long as she lived a day, she wouldn’t let Chu Xin benefit.
She clenched her fists tightly, gritting her teeth, “I’ll bring Nanshu home, and you’ll never get rid of me in this lifetime.”
After Mrs. Jiang finished speaking, she grabbed the divorce papers from the table and tore them to shreds.
She straightened her back and left the Jiang residence.
…
Friday
Cheng An was discharged from hospital.
He had gotten a prosthetic limb.
On the day he returned to school, he appeared significantly thinner and no longer possessed his previous defiant demeanor.
He was there to apply for a medical leave. He needed to take a year off to recuperate; he was only a year away from graduation.
When Jiang Yunchuan saw Cheng An, he felt a pang of sadness. His former brother had reduced himself to this state, wearing a prosthetic limb and leaning on a walking stick.
Two people met face to face but did not greet each other; even when he saw Jiang Nanshu, he no longer had the hostility of the past and just passed by as if he hadn’t seen him.
Jiang Yunchuan watched his retreating figure, frowning, “Cheng An seems to have changed a lot…”
Jiang Nanshu nodded in agreement, “Indeed, he used to jump in front of me and curse me as evil, and look, this is the consequence of groveling. Now that his goddess is disabled, she doesn’t stay with him.”
Jiang Nanshu’s voice wasn’t deliberately lowered.
Cheng An’s slow pace halted.
Jiang Yunchuan tugged at her sleeve and whispered, “Stop talking now…”
Wasn’t this like stabbing someone in the heart!
When Jiang Yunchuan thought Cheng An would turn around and cause trouble for Jiang Nanshu, he just walked away calmly.
Beside them, Yang Jiashu sighed, “Ah, beauty leads people astray… Who would have guessed that in just two months, he would lose a leg? If only he had listened to my advice back then…”
“There are no ‘ifs’; he only learns what’s good after suffering!”
Jiang Yunchuan added.
He really couldn’t understand Cheng An’s actions. Was Su Ran really that great?
It wasn’t apparent in high school, but after Su Ran returned to the country, it was as if he had lost his mind.
“Forget it, let’s not talk about it anymore. There is also a life between him and Su Ran… I feel like he won’t behave towards Su Ran the way he did at the start,” Yang Jiashu shook his head with a slight sigh, feeling regretful about the demise of Madam Cheng.
“Hey, he’s coming back.” Jiang Nanshu, who was keeping an eye on Cheng An’s movements, saw him walking halfway then limping back, and couldn’t help alerting Jiang Yunchuan and the rest.
The two immediately fell silent, not daring to say anything extra.
They even wondered if their whispering about his family affairs had been overheard.
Cheng An stood two steps away from them.
There was no longer any sparkle in his eyes, just deep exhaustion.
After a long while, he said, “I’m sorry…”
His nonsensical apology, lacking a subject, made it unclear to whom it was addressed.
Cheng An glanced at Jiang Nanshu, pressed his lips together, and then turned, leaning on his cane to walk away.
“What does he mean by that?” Jiang Yunchuan wondered.
Yang Jiashu was also perplexed, “Who knows… Maybe it was addressed to Nanshu? His original attitude towards Nanshu was so terrible, now that he knows Su Ran isn’t any good, maybe he regrets it?”
Jiang Nanshu slightly raised an eyebrow, “He apologizes too? It seems he has grown quite a bit during his time in the hospital.”
Yang Jiashu still felt it was the death of his mother that had brought him to his senses.
While Madam Cheng was alive, she always treated Cheng An, her youngest son, the best.
Putting Cheng An’s matters aside, Yang Jiashu then said, “Do you guys know? Two days ago, Chu Muxi had an accident at Third Brother Jiang’s research lab, and she seems to still be in the hospital. Yunchuan, do you think Le Yi will go visit her?”
Jiang Yunchuan shook his head, “I don’t know… It’s just weird, why would she go to my third brother’s research lab?”
[What else could it be? She caused that explosion, wanting to kill Third Brother. I was also there two days ago; Third Brother was really lucky to have not been harmed, sigh…]