Early the next morning, Qiao Yitang went to the Jiang family’s home.
Their house was in a villa community with no direct bus or subway service, so Qiao Yitang took a taxi.
As soon as she entered, she saw four people sitting stiffly on the large sofa on the first floor.
Her uncle, Jiang Changzheng; her aunt, Fang Zhiqiu; and her older male cousin and younger female cousin.
The whole family was gathered, every one of them wearing a frosty expression, as if they were waiting to put her on trial.
Qiao Yitang was used to their attitude. She didn’t even greet them, but got straight to the point. “Where are the photos?”
Fang Zhiqiu rose from the sofa and said imperiously, “Why are you so distant with us now?”
“You don’t even come home anymore. Ever since you got into university and moved out, you’ve hardly been back.”
Her younger cousin, Jiang Yihuan, gave a deliberate snort. “She thinks she’s too good for us now.”
“She’s about to marry He Jingchuan and become a rich man’s wife. Of course she doesn’t consider us family anymore.”
Qiao Yitang swept a cold gaze over them. “You were the ones who stopped treating me like family first. Ever since the day of the college entrance exams, we haven’t been family.”
At the mention of the exams, Jiang Yihuan’s expression changed at once.
She swallowed all the things she’d been wanting to say to put Qiao Yitang in her place.
The others looked uneasy, too, and for a moment the room fell silent.
A cold smile curved Qiao Yitang’s lips. These people were her family in name only, and every one of them had their own agenda.
After her parents died, her uncle’s family had taken her in, but all they had done was keep her from starving.
That was all.
When Qiao Yitang was little, Fang Zhiqiu would buy Jiang Qing’an and Jiang Yihuan clothes worth thousands, even tens of thousands, but spend only a few dozen yuan on clothes for her.
When Qiao Yitang’s shoes didn’t fit, Fang Zhiqiu pretended not to notice and only bought her new ones after the old pair wore through.
Things like that happened all the time, and Qiao Yitang had endured them again and again.
If it hadn’t been for what happened on the day of the college entrance exams, she might have endured it for the rest of her life.
After the exams, Qiao Yitang grew distant from the family. On ordinary days, simply coming back for a meal was already more consideration than they deserved.
Jiang Changzheng stepped in to smooth things over. “Yitang, that was just a misunderstanding. We all cleared it up at the time. There’s no need to bring it up again after all this time.”
“That’s right. Let’s leave the past in the past,” Fang Zhiqiu chimed in. “We’re family. Why be so distant?”
Qiao Yitang wasn’t buying it. Her face cold, she said, “Give me the photos.”
Seeing how cold she was, Fang Zhiqiu’s brief unease vanished, and her anger flared up again.
“The first thing you do is ask for photos? I think you really don’t consider us family anymore! If we hadn’t taken you in, you’d have ended up in an orphanage, do you know that?”
“You may not feel grateful to us after all these years, but you can’t forget that we raised you!”
Qiao Yitang found it absurd and clenched her fists.
“I remember what you did for me. I’ll help wherever I can, as far as I’m able. But if you want me to help Jiang Qing’an get into the He Group, I can’t do that.”
“If he wants to join the He Group, he can check their recruitment notices on their official website. With my cousin’s abilities, I’m sure he could get in if he put in the effort.”
Fang Zhiqiu pointed at Qiao Yitang’s nose. “You just don’t want to help! It’s so simple—all it would take is one word from you. Qing’an wouldn’t even need to interview!”
Jiang Yihuan sneered from the side. “Looks like He Jingchuan doesn’t listen to her at all.”
“Everyone knows He Jingchuan stopped loving her ages ago. Shen Keyan is the one he treasures most. Who knows, maybe next month’s wedding will be canceled after all!”
Jiang Yihuan covered her mouth as she spoke, laughing as if she couldn’t wait for Qiao Yitang and He Jingchuan to fall out.
Qiao Yitang looked at her and smiled faintly. “You’re right, Cousin. The wedding next month has been canceled. But He Jingchuan didn’t dump me. I dumped him.”
“What nonsense are you talking?” Jiang Yihuan scoffed. “Everyone knows you’re madly in love with He Jingchuan. How could you possibly cancel the wedding?”
Qiao Yitang shrugged and said nothing more.
The less she said, the more everyone thought she was lying.
Fang Zhiqiu was the only one in the room who half-believed her.
When Qiao Yitang had said on the phone that she and He Jingchuan had broken up, Fang Zhiqiu hadn’t believed her at all.
But she’d brought it up again today, and Fang Zhiqiu began to think it might be true.
“Did you do something wrong and upset Jingchuan? The wedding’s right around the corner. Why are you throwing a tantrum now?”
Jiang Yihuan got up from the sofa, half doubtful, her voice plainly gloating. “No way. Has He Jingchuan really dumped you?”
Qiao Yitang was tired of talking to the mother and daughter and had no desire to say anything more.
“My business is none of yours. Give me my parents’ photos.”
Fang Zhiqiu wasn’t about to let her go. Frowning, she scolded, “You’ve really lost your mind. You still think you’re the Missy you used to be? The Qiao family has long since fallen into decline. Marrying into the He family is a stroke of luck for you.”
“If you hadn’t been betrothed to He Jingchuan as a child, how could a man like him ever have been yours? Stop making trouble and go apologize to Jingchuan.”
Jiang Yihuan added, “That’s right. The He family is thriving now. Where else could you find a man this good? He Jingchuan may love Shen Keyan, but he’s not going to marry her. You should be grateful.”
She didn’t realize how bitter she sounded.
Qiao Yitang, however, knew exactly what was on her mind. Jiang Yihuan was desperate for He Jingchuan to dump her.
Qiao Yitang and Jiang Yihuan were the same age and had been in the same class in high school.
But Jiang Yihuan’s grades weren’t as good as Qiao Yitang’s, and she had fewer people pursuing her, too. Jiang Yihuan was consumed with jealousy.
He Jingchuan was two years older than them and had been their senior at school.
Back then, He Jingchuan had eyes only for Qiao Yitang, which made Jiang Yihuan even more violently jealous.
Because she liked He Jingchuan, too.
She was always mocking Qiao Yitang, openly or behind her back, for being lucky. Without their childhood betrothal, a man like He Jingchuan would never have been within Qiao Yitang’s reach.
She thought Qiao Yitang, whose parents were both dead and who lived under someone else’s roof, wasn’t good enough for He Jingchuan. She wished with all her heart that she had been the one betrothed to him as a child.
Jiang Yihuan often bullied Qiao Yitang and even led the school bullying, making Qiao Yitang suffer a great deal.
Perhaps Jiang Yihuan’s hostility toward her had started a long time ago.
Qiao Yitang pushed the memories aside and said coldly, “Are you finished?”
“Who I want to marry is my business. It has nothing to do with you. I came back today only to get the photos.”
Fang Zhiqiu wouldn’t let it go. “Forget the photos for now. Let’s talk about you and He Jingchuan—”
Qiao Yitang cut her off. “So there aren’t any photos, is that it?”
“You tricked me into coming here just because you wanted me to find Jiang Qing’an a job—and to lecture me while you were at it.”
The whole family fell silent.
Qiao Yitang knew she was right. She gave a self-mocking smile and vowed to herself that she would never believe a word from these people again.
Without saying another word, she turned and left.
She hadn’t reached the door when Jiang Yihuan hurried after her from behind and grabbed Qiao Yitang’s sleeve.
“Wait! We haven’t talked about something important yet!”