After listening for quite a while, Zheng Huijuan finally realized that perhaps she really shouldn’t have come.
This girl was far too good at arguing her case. More importantly, it seemed that her son had misunderstood the situation. No matter how Zheng Huijuan looked at it, Jiang Wanxi didn’t seem remotely interested in her son.
But since she was already here, she couldn’t simply retreat in defeat.
“No matter what happened, you hit my son. We can’t just let this matter go. Your family owes us an explanation.”
A trace of annoyance flashed across Zheng Huijuan’s face, but she quickly regained her composure and spoke firmly.
Jiang Yu clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug deep into her palms.
Her heart burned with anger and resentment.
Jiang Wanxi had still managed to attract Brother Jin’an’s attention.
*Why? Why?!*
*Why did she have to come back?*
She had already stolen everyone’s attention, and now she wanted to steal Brother Jin’an from her too?
*That bitch!*
She had to drive Jiang Wanxi away.
She absolutely had to!
As long as Jiang Wanxi left, Mom and Dad would belong to her again. Her brothers would be hers.
And Brother Jin’an would be hers too.
“Wanwan, look how angry you’ve made Aunt Zheng,” Jiang Yu said, forcibly suppressing her rage and putting on her usual gentle, kind expression. “No matter what happened, you shouldn’t have hit Brother Jin’an. Hurry up and apologize. We all live in the same compound and see each other all the time. Don’t make things difficult for Mom and Dad.”
Her voice carried a mixture of helplessness and reproach, as though she were genuinely disappointed by Jiang Wanxi’s behavior.
Shen Menglan couldn’t listen to another word.
She could never have imagined that the child she had personally raised would say something like this.
Her hand trembled as she pointed at Jiang Yu.
“Jiang Yu, have you lost your mind too? How can you say something like that? Apologize for what? Didn’t you hear that your sister was the one who was wronged?”
She turned toward Zheng Huijuan and her son.
“And you two—what explanation do you want from us? Your son stopped my daughter on the road late at night, and you still think you’re in the right? Either leave immediately, or we’ll call the police!”
Shen Menglan was an educated woman and rarely used harsh language, but at that moment, she was so furious that her entire body trembled.
Seeing how angry her mother was, Jiang Wanxi hurried over and gently rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.
The moment Zheng Huijuan heard the word *police*, fear seized her.
*What if they really call the police?*
If Jiang Wanxi insisted that her son had harassed her, Jin’an’s future could be completely ruined.
Zheng Huijuan hurriedly changed her attitude.
“Menglan, this is all a misunderstanding. It’s just a misunderstanding. Well… we won’t disturb you any longer.”
With that, she grabbed her son and hurried toward the door.
Shen Menglan stopped them.
“Wait. You haven’t apologized to my daughter yet. And I’ll be telling the two elders and Old Jiang exactly what happened today.”
Zheng Huijuan froze.
She hadn’t expected Shen Menglan to be so uncompromising.
If the Jiang family elders and Jiang Hongtao learned what had happened, her family would certainly suffer the consequences.
After all, Jiang Hongtao was her husband Old Xie’s direct superior.
At that thought, Zheng Huijuan’s face turned deathly pale, and tears gathered in her eyes.
“Menglan, this was our fault. I’ll apologize to your daughter.” She forced a smile onto her face and turned toward Jiang Wanxi. “Wanwan, I’m sorry. Please forgive Jin’an this once. He’s still just a child!”
“Pfft!”
Jiang Wanxi burst out laughing.
*What kind of ridiculous logic is that?*
*A “child” who’s two or three years older than me?*
*Why don’t you just say he hasn’t been weaned yet?*
She simply couldn’t hold it in anymore and doubled over with laughter.
Seeing Jiang Wanxi laughing so happily, Shen Menglan was infected by her amusement and couldn’t help laughing as well.
For a moment, the absurdity of the situation seemed to sweep away all her anger.
The instant the words left Zheng Huijuan’s mouth, she realized how ridiculous she had sounded.
Embarrassment and regret overwhelmed her.
She wished a crack would open in the ground so she could crawl inside and disappear.
In the end, she could only leave in disgrace, silently praying that the entire incident would quickly blow over.
After the Xie mother and son left, the atmosphere in the living room became unbearably heavy.
It was as though the air itself had frozen.
Jiang Yu remained standing where she was, her eyes flickering with grievance.
She had expected her mother to comfort her as usual.
But this time, she was wrong.
Shen Menglan sat expressionlessly on the sofa without saying a word.
She simply stared at Jiang Yu.
That unwavering gaze made Jiang Yu increasingly uneasy.
Finally unable to endure the silence, Jiang Yu spoke timidly.
“Mom, I really was only thinking about what was best for Wanwan. After all—”
“Enough!”
Shen Menglan cut her off sharply.
“Stop making excuses! Even now, you still don’t understand what you did wrong?”
“Jiang Yu, you’re already sixteen years old. You’re not a little child anymore. Put away those petty schemes and little tricks of yours. At home, I may tolerate them because you’re my daughter. But what about outside this family?”
“Do you honestly believe everyone in the world will tolerate you the way your family does?”
“I’m going to tell your father exactly what happened today. And as for Xie Jin’an, I will absolutely never agree to the two of you being together. You’d better cut ties with him immediately!”
“Is this because of Jiang Wanxi?”
Jiang Yu’s voice trembled with tears, her eyes filled with despair and anger.
“Just because Jiang Wanxi likes Brother Jin’an, I’m supposed to give him to her too?”
“I’ve already given all of you back to her! Why should I have to give Brother Jin’an to her as well?”
Her fists were clenched tightly, and her entire body trembled as though she wanted to release all the pain and resentment she had been suppressing.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she paid them no attention.
She simply stared at her mother, desperately waiting for an answer.
Shen Menglan could hardly believe what she was hearing.
When had Jiang Yu become so unreasonable?
“Jiang Yu!” she shouted angrily. “Do you even understand what you’re saying?”
But Jiang Yu showed no remorse.
She stubbornly continued, “Am I wrong? Ever since Jiang Wanxi came back, have any of you cared about me?”
“You promised me that even after she returned, I would still be your daughter!”
“You’re the ones who broke your promise!”
Then she turned toward Jiang Wanxi.
“And you, Jiang Wanxi! Why did you have to come back? Isn’t it because you wanted to become the daughter of a powerful military commander—”
Shen Menglan’s face turned livid with anger.
She had never imagined Jiang Yu would say something so cruel.
“Jiang Yu, how can you say such a thing?”
“Search your conscience! Haven’t we treated you well enough?”
“Everything Wanwan has, you have too. And you even have things that Wanwan doesn’t!”
“What more do you want from us?”
Seeing the situation rapidly spiraling out of control, Jiang Wanxi became worried that her mother would make herself sick from anger.
She quickly took Shen Menglan by the arm and guided her toward the bedroom.
“Mom, don’t argue with Sister anymore. She probably said those hurtful things because she lost her temper. Let’s get some rest first. We can talk properly tomorrow.”
Shen Menglan was still furious, but she eventually listened to her daughter and followed her into the room.
Jiang Yu was left alone in the living room.
She sat there blankly, regret and self-reproach slowly filling her heart.
She realized that she had gone too far just now.
She shouldn’t have spoken to her mother that way.
After all, her parents were her only support.
If she lost their protection, she would have nowhere else to go.
Yet because she had lost control of her emotions, she had angered her mother.
The thought filled her with regret.
However, despite the guilt weighing on her heart, Jiang Yu still couldn’t completely let go of her resentment toward Jiang Wanxi.