It was over.
The hospital really couldn’t be stayed anymore.
Jiang Ci suddenly had two more enemies.
Whoever spread the rumor that she was a jinx made many colleagues avoid her when walking.
They feared that if she spoke to them, good things would turn bad, and bad things would become reality.
So annoying!
Returning home, the situation was even more irritating.
Mother Jiang handed her a bowl of soup whose color was indistinguishable, instructing her to take it to Jiang Wanwan.
Being a Chinese medicine practitioner, Jiang Ci immediately smelled that the soup contained safflower and musk—both potent abortifacients.
From the scent, the dosage was substantial. If Jiang Wanwan drank this, it would nearly take her life!
She casually performed a divination for Jiang Wanwan and found that she would face a life-threatening blood-related disaster soon.
She couldn’t deliver this soup.
“Mom, you should take it! I’m afraid Wanwan will get angry if she sees me.”
Jiang Ci dodged Mother Jiang and rushed toward her own room.
“Jiang Ci, stop right there…” Mother Jiang seemed to have anticipated Jiang Ci’s escape.
As she turned, Mother Jiang grabbed her sleeve.
“Mom still needs to cook. Hurry and take this soup to Wanwan, tell her you made it. Then apologize properly to Wanwan; maybe she won’t be angry about you snatching her earring yesterday.”
Mother Jiang’s excuse was clever.
But, “I won’t go. That earring was originally mine. I took back my own thing; why should I apologize?”
“You…”
Mother Jiang glared fiercely at Jiang Ci, wanting to scold her, but considering her goal, she restrained herself. “Fine, if you say it’s yours, then it’s yours.
Mom is still cooking in the kitchen. Quickly take this to Wanwan; Mom really can’t spare the time.”
Jiang Ci sneered.
It seemed she couldn’t escape today.
This soup had to be delivered by her, right?
Well then…
Crash
The medicine bowl fell to the ground, splattering the liquid everywhere.
Jiang Ci looked innocently at Mother Jiang. “I didn’t mean to.”
“You…”
Mother Jiang stared at Jiang Ci, wishing she could slap her twice, but she dared not.
Because Father Jiang was about to return—she had specifically sent word to the military unit for him to come home early.
She wanted him to witness Jiang Ci feeding Wanwan the abortifacient, then see the true nature of this ungrateful wretch.
But Jiang Ci had shattered the medicine bowl.
“No problem, Mom will brew another bowl, and you’ll take it to Wanwan then!”
Little ungrateful wretch, damn little ungrateful wretch.
It infuriated her.
Mother Jiang spoke these words almost grinding her teeth.
Mother Jiang moved quickly.
Five minutes later, she knocked on Jiang Ci’s door with a soup bowl. “Little Ci, the soup is ready. Take it to Wanwan while it’s hot!”
To make Jiang Ci bear the blame, Mother Jiang was determined to pin Jiang Wanwan’s miscarriage on her.
Jiang Ci was exasperated.
Such clumsy tactics—how could they even think of them?
Knock knock
Knock knock
“Little Ci, Little Ci…”
No matter how Mother Jiang knocked, Jiang Ci pretended not to hear until Father Jiang returned.
Seeing Mother Jiang knocking on her door with a soup bowl, he asked concernedly, “What’s wrong with Little Ci?”
Ah?
Mother Jiang was startled, stammering, “Little, Little Ci, she, she’s fine!”
“If she’s fine, don’t bother her. Let her rest properly. Come with me; I have something to discuss.”
Father Jiang returned to the living room with a stern face.
Mother Jiang glared at Jiang Ci’s door but followed Father Jiang to the living room.
“What’s wrong, Old Jiang?”
“I’ve found the scoundrel who bullied Wanwan. He’s now…”
“Dad, what do you plan to do?”
Father Jiang had just begun to speak when Jiang Wanwan rushed out of her room, her eyes red, and cried, “I won’t allow you to make things difficult for him. If you make things difficult for him, I… I won’t live anymore!”
Wah wah wah wah…
“Old Jiang, look at you, making Wanwan cry again. Can we just drop this matter?
Wanwan, don’t cry. Don’t worry! Everything will be fine!”
Mother Jiang gently comforted her daughter.
Father Jiang’s face darkened as he coldly watched the mother and daughter before him. “Enough! A doting mother ruins the child. You’re just spoiling her!
Fine, if you don’t want to hold that scoundrel accountable, then cancel the engagement with Jiran!”
He truly couldn’t bear the shame of marrying off his pregnant daughter to the son of his comrade-in-arms. He couldn’t face the disgrace, and he owed his old comrade an apology.
“If we don’t marry her off, so be it. A cripple isn’t worthy of my daughter anyway! I don’t want my daughter marrying a disabled person.”
Mother Jiang curled her lip. As much as she had once hoped Jiang Wanwan would marry Pei Jiran, after learning about his leg disability, she wanted nothing less than for her daughter to marry into that family.
Bang!
Father Jiang’s enamel mug slammed heavily onto the coffee table, startling Mother Jiang once again.
“Shut up! What nonsense are you spouting? How could Jiran, such an outstanding young man, be called a cripple?”
“How is he not a cripple? Old Jiang, don’t think I don’t know. I saw Pei Jiran at the hospital today, and he said it himself. How could it be false?
And I’m telling you, my daughter absolutely cannot marry a cripple.”
Hmph!
“You… you… Fine, fine! Your precious daughter, who lacks self-respect and got pregnant before marriage, might not even be considered worthy by others.”
What?
Hearing Father Jiang belittle their daughter like this, Mother Jiang immediately flared up, slapping the table and shouting, “Jiang! Wanwan is your own flesh and blood. How can you say such things?”
“Wah wah… Dad, you think I’ve embarrassed you, don’t you? I knew it—in your heart, only Jiang Ci is your ideal daughter.
I’m not worthy of being your daughter.”
Wah wah wah…
Jiang Wanwan wept pitifully, her tears falling like rain.
Once again, Father Jiang was exasperated by the mother and daughter. What did this have to do with Jiang Ci?
“Wanwan, my poor, unfortunate Wanwan!”
Mother Jiang hugged Jiang Wanwan and wailed loudly.
Their crying made Father Jiang’s temples throb. He had originally intended to discuss Jiang Wanwan’s situation calmly with Mother Jiang, but now it was impossible to have that conversation.
In the end, he could only storm off in frustration.
As soon as he left, Mother Jiang immediately stopped crying. She helped Jiang Wanwan up and said, “Good daughter, as long as your mother is here, no one will dare force you to marry that cripple.”
“Wah wah… Mom, you’re so good to me.”
“Silly child, that’s because I’m your mother! By the way, drink your medicine later. Mom will find you someone better.
With my daughter’s beauty, what kind of good man couldn’t you find?”
Find someone else?
Jiang Wanwan’s tear-reddened eyes widened instantly. “Mom, you… you really can’t accept Jianguo? He’s truly a good person.”
“Wanwan, it’s not that Mom doesn’t accept him. Look at him—aside from his handsome face, what does he have? No family background, no money, and he’s been sent down to the countryside. Who knows when he’ll be able to return?
Even if I agreed, could you wait that long? Could your belly wait that long?
Do you want everyone in the military compound to know you’re no longer a maiden? Do you want to be pointed at and gossiped about whenever you go out?
Wanwan, listen to your mother. I won’t steer you wrong. I won’t harm you.”
Mother Jiang’s words made Jiang Wanwan hesitate.
She loved Zhao Jianguo.
But she loved herself even more. Her mother was right—if he couldn’t return from the countryside, would she have to go to the countryside to find him?
Could she endure such hardship herself?
“Good girl, listen to your mother. Get rid of the child, don’t let it ruin your life. Understand?”
“Mom, I… I’ll listen to you. But if Jianguo could come back…”
If he knew she had aborted his child, then she and him might never have a chance again.
“Don’t worry, Mom has already thought it through. We’ll pin this on Jiang Ci and use it to drive her out of our family.
I’ve long disliked her anyway.”
This is truly killing two birds with one stone.