The collision left a large red patch on Li Ping’s forehead, which quickly swelled into a prominent lump. She clutched her head, her face contorted in pain.
Jiang Jun clearly hadn’t intended to actually hurt her. He hurriedly tried to help her up, stammering questions about whether she was alright. At the same time, Jiang Shitian and I rushed over.
I grabbed Li Ping’s arm to support her and glared at Jiang Jun. “Let go!” I snapped.
Such is the nature of a mother: even if she has a thousand faults, you cannot stand to see her bullied by others. In that moment, the subtle pull of blood ties took over.
Seeing how anxiously I protected her, Li Ping looked deeply moved. For a second, her gaze held something more than just the reflection of money.
Jiang Jun looked wronged. He stood there, hands hovering awkwardly, unable to find the words to defend himself. Yet, he still tried to explain:
“I… I didn’t do it on purpose. I didn’t mean to hurt her. She lunged for the check, and when I pushed back, I just misplaced my strength.”
Jiang Shitian looked at his son with utter disappointment and disgust.
“Is this all you’re capable of?” Jiang Shitian sneered. “Fighting Zhou Li’s mother for money? I gave her that check; how dare you try to snatch it? If you’re so desperate for funds, go earn them yourself! What kind of man fights a woman over a hundred thousand?!”
Jiang Jun grew frantic. “Dad, you know perfectly well I’m not cut out for business. The family empire is so vast—how am I supposed to take over? Besides, isn’t Uncle Zhong there to help you manage everything? Why do you need me? You earn the money, and I spend it. Isn’t the whole point of your hard work to ensure your descendants live well? One generation plants the trees so the next can enjoy the shade. I just happen to be the one born to sit under the tree.”
“You!” Jiang Shitian’s face turned livid with rage.
I ignored them. I comforted Li Ping and led her toward the exit. I had no desire to stay and watch their pathetic squabble.
In my eyes, Jiang Jun was now nothing but trash. Before, because there was no love between us, I could have tolerated his “White Moonlight” as long as he didn’t strip away my remaining dignity. But now, he had disregarded my feelings entirely—not only by humiliating me but by physically injuring my mother over a sum of money. My indifference had turned into deep-seated loathing.
I led Li Ping out of the Jiang gates. I asked if she was okay and if she needed to go to the hospital.
She touched the bruised area on her forehead and forced a brave smile. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I’m not that fragile. I’ll just go home, boil an egg, and apply a warm compress.”
I saw her wince in pain as she spoke, the movement of her face pulling at the injury. Yet, she took my hand and spoke with unexpected sincerity. “Actually, Lili, you should go back and explain things to the young master. I’m a commoner, I’ve got thick skin. Don’t let me come between you and your husband’s feelings.”
She hesitated for a moment, then, as if making a painful decision, she pulled out the check. She pressed it into my hand. “Lili… maybe you should return this?”
I looked at her in shock. I never expected her to give up money once it was in her grasp. Seeing my hesitation, she gripped my hand tighter, refusing to let me decline.
“If you return the check, you and the young master won’t fight anymore. You can live in harmony. My own life wasn’t happy, Lili, but I want yours to be.”
This was the first time she had explicitly referred to herself as “Mom” in front of me. Previously, it was always “I.” This time, it was “Mom” in every sentence. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel the repulsion I expected. Instead, I felt a sharp pang of bitterness.
Suppressing my emotions, I whispered, “What about you? How will you get your medicine?”
Li Ping feigned a casual laugh. She patted her empty pockets and said awkwardly, “I actually have a few dozen thousand in savings. That was my retirement fund. I’ll just use that for now.”
“And when that’s gone? What will you do when you’re old?” I stared at her.
She gave a bitter smile. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. I can still work, can’t I? Boss Yao is a good person; she won’t fire me. I can still earn a wage. As long as I have my health and my hands, I can feed myself.”
She sighed, still holding my hand, looking up at me. “Just live your life well. Don’t worry about me. It’s my fault. I failed you all those years ago. I have no right to ask you for money, and you have no obligation to support me.”
My nose prickled. I finally found the courage to ask the question that had been buried in my heart for twenty years. “Why did you abandon me back then?”
Li Ping’s lips parted. She tried to speak several times but stopped, as if the truth was too difficult to voice.
Actually, I thought I already knew. My grandmother had told me a thousand times: she abandoned me to run away because she couldn’t marry into the Zhou family, and later ignored me because she was afraid of being asked for child support.
But as I waited, she finally found her voice.
“When I gave birth to you,” Li Ping said, “your grandmother came to the hospital to negotiate. She said:
[‘If this child is confirmed to be Zhou blood, we can take responsibility. But we only want the child; we won’t take responsibility for you. Either you take this money and disappear—which is best for everyone—or you keep the child and the Zhou family will have nothing to do with you ever again.’]
Lili, when I heard that, I thought… if you stayed with me, you would only suffer. It was better for you to grow up in the Zhou family. If I disappeared, you could be a young miss of a wealthy house and have a good life. So, I let her take you. I took the money and left East City alone.”
My heart constricted. I studied her face; she didn’t look like she was lying.
A sudden realization hit me. There was a hidden side to the story of my abandonment! It wasn’t exactly as my grandmother had described. It was my grandmother’s coercion and “incentives” that forced her choice. She thought she was giving me a better life.
But did I have a good life? The Zhous had lied to me, and they had lied to her.
I clenched my fists, my hatred for the Zhou family burning hotter than ever. I pulled some cash from my pocket—about one or two thousand—and handed it to her. “Take this. It’s not much, but get your medicine. When I have more, I’ll give it to you.”
I didn’t want to use Jiang Shitian’s S-Card for this. I had other plans. I wanted to learn business. I wanted to become powerful. I needed my own source of income. Only then could I truly face the Zhou family and stand firm in the Jiang household.
Li Ping stared blankly at the money in her hand. She looked up at me, a strange light in her eyes.
“Lili… you don’t hate me, do you?”