Chapter 463 - I Beg You, Don’t Disown Me (2/2)

Grandmother Chang wiped her tears and helped Chang Jingqiu up. “You silly child. What’s this nonsense you’re talking about! How could I just leave you like that? This is twenty-seven years of feelings. Do you think they can be severed just like that? What kind of person do you take your grandma for? Your body can’t take it now and your scar is open. How could you not take care of yourself better?”

“Zhixing, why are you staring so blankly for? Come and quickly help Jingqiu onto the bed,” Grandmother Chang said.

Liu Xiangwen swiftly pressed the doorbell and called the nurses over. They then dealt with Chang Jingqiu’s wound once more.

“Grandma, you won’t disown me, right?” Lying on the sickbed, Chang Jingqiu grasped the old lady’s hand. She looked as though she was yearning, and at the same time, there was apprehensiveness too.

It clearly looked as though she wanted to get closer to the old lady, but current circumstances made her wary of doing so.

Her demeanor made Grandmother Chang pity her. “Silly child. Grandma won’t disown you, of course. Don’t worry. We’ll be the same now as we were in the past. Take care of your body. Even if you can’t recover from this, Grandma will take care of you for your whole life.”

“Grandma! I’m so glad I still have you. It’s good to still have you! When Uncle told me about this, you have no idea how scared I was. I… I was afraid you wouldn’t want me, and I was afraid I wouldn’t have a family anymore. No one loves me like you do, and I’m scared you’ll hate me because of that. I’m afraid you’ll despise me instead of loving me. Grandma…” Chang Jingqiu hugged the old lady’s arm and cried out.

“Silly child, don’t think so much. Grandma still loves you,” Grandmother Chang said lovingly.

Ruan Danchen watched the unfathomable sight before her. That unreasonable old lady showed that side of her and could even have such a good relationship with someone that had no blood relations with her at all.

Ruan Danchen shook his head and felt that it was all up to fate. Some people were linked by fate and had no regard for blood ties, just like Grandmother Chang and Chang Jingqiu. Some were destined the opposite way, like how Grandmother Chang still did not like Ruan Danchen.

It was then that Ruan Danchen calmed down. She continued to hold Grandmother Chang’s hand—just like a three-year-old kid, afraid that the old lady would disown her.

Grandmother Chang was not angry at all. She turned to glare at Chang Zhiyuan and said, “If you want to find those people, then find them! Why did you need to scare her like that! She’s all good, but because of you, she’s become like this now!”

Chang Zhiyuan’s face paled. He looked at the old lady, then at Chang Jingqiu, before lowering his gaze and keeping quiet.

“You can leave. We’ll talk more when those two people from J City arrive,” Grandmother Chang said to Qi Chenglin and Ruan Danchen.

The couple ignored her and treated it as though they did not hear what she said.

Mo Yuxin pushed Chang Zhiyuan into his ward. Qi Chenglin, along with Chang Zhixing, carried Chang Zhiyuan up into his bed.

Chang Zhixing looked at Ruan Danchen with a convoluted expression. He did not know what to say to a niece that somehow just popped out of nowhere.

Who would have known that the wife of the Qi family’s second young master was his niece?

In fact, he was very elated deep down. After all, there were numerous benefits to being associated with the Qi family, and he would not mind Chang Jingqiu at all.

However, Liu Xiangwen and Chang Jianan offended Ruan Danchen multiple times in the past. He would have to figure out a way to mend their relationship. He ought to tell Liu Xiangwen and enlighten her to not continuously fawn over Chang Jingqiu so frequently.

As he thought of that, Liu Xiangwen appeared right at the entrance, though she did not go in. She simply told Chang Zhixing, “I’ll take care of Jingqiu. Send Mom home.”

Chang Zhixing frowned. Things had already escalated to such an extent and Qi Chenglin clearly did not like Chang Jingqiu, so why the hell was Liu Xiangwen trying to curry favor with Chang Jingqiu?

He turned to Chang Zhiyuan and Mo Yuxin, saying, “Big Brother, I’ll send Mom home and come visit you again.”

When he went out, he saw that Grandmother Chang there, so it was inappropriate to be saying anything to Liu Xiangwen. He could only do so after sending Grandmother Chang back.

It was then that Chang Zhiyuan sighed. He turned to Ruan Danchen and said, “Don’t take Mom’s attitude to heart.”

“I won’t.” Ruan Danchen shook her head.

Chang Zhiyuan saw that and realized that she had no feelings toward Grandmother Chang whatsoever. Nothing the old lady said or done would have any effect on Ruan Danchen.

Ruan Danchen was also able to see the way Grandmother Chang treated Chang Zhiyuan. In her mind, she felt that he was unfairly treated, but she did not say anything because it was an issue within their family.

If Chang Zhiyuan did not say anything, she had no right to be saying anything either.

Mo Yuxin could not suppress the unfairness she was feeling, and it showed on her face. Chang Zhiyuan held her hand and said, “It’s okay. I’m the one responsible for her paralysis. Since Mom doesn’t intend to chase her away and still wants to take care of her, I can feel relieved. If Mom really did drive her away, to be honest with you, I don’t think I would be able to just leave her like that.”

Mo Yuxin did not want to be bothered by Chang Jingqiu. Chang Zhiyuan then said, “From now on, you don’t need to worry about her like how you did last time. She’s now our niece and it’s already kind of us to raise her as though she was part of the Chang family. She’s injured and her body might not recover, but there’s nothing we can do. To be fair, I don’t think Mom will want to keep her if she wasn’t in the state she is right now. It’s a loss and a gain. You’ve more than made up for it, and other than that, there’s nothing else we can do.”

Chang Zhiyuan would have been alright with treating Chang Jingqiu as his niece just as before, that is if he did not know what kind of person Chang Jingqiu truly was.

Back at J City, he saw her true colors, and at some point, she might betray them for her own interests.

That was why he could not bring himself closer to Chang Jingqiu. Even if she was left in such a state, he felt that it was good enough that she was taken care of by the Chang family.

“I was told that you just got off from your flight today. You probably didn’t sleep well because of the time difference. You should go home,” Mo Yuxin said.

“I’ll leave my phone number here then. If there’s anything, just give me a call,” Ruan Danchen said and left her phone number with them. “We’ll come again tomorrow.”

“Rest well. Don’t worry about us, I’m fine,” Chang Zhiyuan said.

After urging Qi Chenglin and Ruan Danchen to go home, Chang Zhiyuan felt tired and went to rest.

…

At the other end, Liu Xiangwen was keeping Chang Jingqiu company. The latter has a wasted appearance.

Liu Xiangwen had no idea how to treat Chang Jingqiu. Chang Jingqiu was no longer related to the Chang family, but Grandmother Chang seemed to still care for her a lot. Ruan Danchen, on the other hand, did not receive so much as a look from the old lady.

Notwithstanding that, Ruan Danchen was her true granddaughter.

Liu Xiangwen did not care much for the Qi family. Grandmother Chang had thoroughly offended the Qi family, and from observations of Qi Chenglin and Ruan Danchen’s attitude that day, Qi Chenglin might not change his outlook of the Chang family even though Ruan Danchen was related to them.

Grandmother Chang hated Ruan Danchen too, and within the Chang family, Ruan Danchen had no value whatsoever. Qi Chenglin would not give them any benefit for Ruan Danchen’s sake either.

Liu Xiangwen was not magnanimous—as long as she could haul whatever benefit she could get from the Chang family, that was enough for her.

As she was thinking about whether she should try to build a good relationship with Chang Jingqiu, a gentle voice resounded by her ear. “Auntie, what’s your plan for the future?”

“What?” Liu Xiangwen snapped back to her senses and looked confusedly at Chang Jingqiu.

Chang Jingqiu smiled and said calmly, “Help me straighten the bed. I don’t want to be talking to you like this.”

Liu Xiangwen looked suspiciously at Chang Jingqiu. Barely moments ago, the young lady was crying her heart out at Grandmother Chang. She looked so pitiable then, but all of that changed into calmness as if nothing happened earlier.

Liu Xiangwen straightened the bed so Chang Jingqiu was almost seated upright. She then helped her position the pillow so the wound was not covered.

“What do you want to tell me?” Liu Xiangwen asked prudently.

Chang Jingqiu looked at her own numb legs, with her eyes turning cold. “What do you have in mind for the future? You want to fawn over Ruan Danchen?”

Liu Xiangwen’s expression remained unchanging. “Why do you say that?”

Chang Jingqiu pursed her lips without care and said, “You haven’t forgotten how terribly you offended her, right? Nannan kept on bothering Youxuan and was finally forced to change schools. I don’t need to say much, but you said plenty of terrible things about her just to protect Nannan. Of course, there’s Grandma, who scolded her plenty on Nannan’s behalf. You saw how Grandma looks at Ruan Danchen. By all those earlier actions alone, her relationship with Ruan Danchen is not going to be so warm. Think about it, aren’t you incredibly angry if someone you hated so much became your family member so suddenly? That’s not a feeling you can put in words.”

Liu Xiangwen thought about it and realized that if she was put in that position, she would feel angry and disdainful toward the other party. For someone she hated to become her family member was like a thorn in her flesh, a dark blemish. She was wholly unwilling to accept that.

Chang Jingqiu’s mouth curled in a smile. “I don’t believe that Ruan Danchen doesn’t bear a grudge against you. The Qi family are people who act on their grudges, and even if they consider it even on the spot, it doesn’t mean that they’ll forgive you just like that. The Qi family has always been difficult to make amends with after they’ve been offended. All the more when you go up to them and try to curry favor. The opposite effect will probably happen.

Liu Xiangwen pursed her lip. From the very beginning, she did not think that there was any benefit for the Chang family if Ruan Danchen became a part of it. With Chang Jingqiu’s analysis, that feeling got even stronger.

Chang Jingqiu cocked a brow. She spoke rather weakly and without energy, but her words were forceful and struck deeply into Liu Xiangwen’s heart.

“Besides, Elder Uncle is now obviously trying to strike up a good relationship with Ruan Danchen. Just look at today. Qi Chenglin and Ruan Danchen took a flight here immediately after finding out. Everything that comes out of Elder Uncle’s wife’s mouth sides with Ruan Danchen. They were the first to know my status, but they never told anyone even though they knew. Instead, they went and gathered evidence secretly. Auntie, tell me, what intentions do they have?” Chang Jingqiu sported a chiding smile on her lips.

Liu Xiangwen’s expression changed dramatically and quickly, turning very sour indeed.

“Aren’t they trying to seize the opportunity to distance themselves from me? You’re the ones getting close to me instead. The intentions for that aren’t going to be any good,” Chang Jingqiu curled her lips. “I know you’re close to me because Grandma pampers me. You want to be better than Elder Uncle and his wife.”

Liu Xiangwen was not surprised. Chang Jingqiu was no idiot and would have known about it.

“They knew I was a fake, but they didn’t tell you. What they did was strike up a relationship with Ruan Danchen in secret. Looking at how Qi Chenglin and Ruan Danchen treated them today. It’s clear that it’s not as simple as a nod of the head when they meet. They’ve already pulled their relationship closer since early on. Now that I think about it, how did Elder Uncle explain his presence at Qi Chenglin and Ruan Danchen’s wedding, when he was seated with the Ruan family? How could we have believed him? He was there to acknowledge Ruan Danchen as his niece! But he still wants to hide that from us! Why do you think that’s the case, Auntie?”

“It’s because he’s afraid that your younger uncle would have a share of Ruan Danchen’s kindness! He’s afraid your younger uncle would be better than him!” Liu Xiangwen was already gritting her teeth and finishing the sentence without needing Chang Jingqiu to incite her further. “Changhe’s in his hands, and he’s afraid that your younger uncle will stand out from the crowd, so he lets your younger uncle do idle things that are neither too important nor too trivial. All the big decisions in the company are taken by your elder uncle, and no one in the company listens to what your younger uncle says. That’s his younger brother! How could he treat his own brother like that! As if that isn’t enough, he’s even plotting against us, he wants to make sure we don’t stand out at all, right? Whenever something happens to our family, your elder uncle and his wife stand to one side and laugh at us, even scolding us too!”

“That’s why. You’re late by one step in trying to get into Ruan Danchen’s good books. Nannan already offended them last time, and no one knows if anything will happen to Nannan in the future. If you try to get on their good books now, you’ll look like you’re doing that only for the benefits it gives you. It makes you look like a lowly person who’s playing up to powerful people.” Chang Jingqiu covered her mouth. “Auntie, my words are direct, so don’t take offense. My intentions are good.”

“Since you’ve already said so much, why don’t you just be straightforward with what you’re trying to tell me.” Liu Xiangwen was no fool. She remarked coldly, “You said that you’re a direct person, so stop beating around the bush. You’re terribly injured, and it’s best that you say whatever you want to say so you can rest earlier.”

Chang Jingqiu did not make a fuss since she had no right to be letting her temper loose.

She looked down at her numb legs with a gaze filled with hatred.

When she looked up again, her hate-filled gaze had been suppressed.