Xiang Jin smiled: "It's nothing, just reminding myself."
Remind yourself not to forget the sins she committed, and not to forget the harm she caused you.
She must remember these grievances, never forget them for a moment, and never be soft-hearted.
“Even if you hadn’t reminded me, there’s nothing more to say between us. Xiang Jin, you’ve ruined A Qi’s life, and I will ruin yours too.” Li Shuhui’s eyes were filled with determination. If Xiang Qi really went to jail, Li Shuhui was absolutely capable of doing something even more vicious.
But Xiang Jin was no longer afraid. She casually wiped the blood off her face and said calmly, "I'm waiting for you to destroy me, or you'll be the one who gets destroyed."
"Li Shuhui, if I had a choice, I would rather be a dog than have anything to do with you. Please remember this sentence at all times, now and in the future." After saying this, Xiang Jin turned and left blankly.
Li Shuhui was stunned. She stared at Xiang Jin's departing figure, which was resolute like never before... as if she had made a decision. And Xiang Jin was indeed different today. Her eyes... were like a daughter looking at her mother.
"Slap." Li Shuhui lightly slapped herself. She was truly insane, utterly insane, to actually think of such a terrifying thing. Her daughter would only be Aqi, and as for Xiangjin, she would send her back to where she came from.
When Xiang Jin returned to Sun Yanqing's office, Murong Xiao immediately dragged her to the trauma department. While treating her wounds, he said, "I shouldn't have listened to you and let you go out alone."
Xiang Jin laughed: "It's my own fault, I have no one else to blame."
"Did you go to see Li Shuhui?"
Xiang Jin remained silent, which meant he acquiesced.
Murong Xiao took out his phone to make a call, but Xiang Jin stopped him: "Forget it."
Murong Xiao looked at her intently.
"Forget it, Murong Xiao, forget it." She smiled lightly, looking completely unconcerned. "Although she is my biological mother, I can pretend she doesn't exist. At worst, I won't have a mother. Anyway, I've never enjoyed a mother's love since I was a child, so let's just pretend that God never gave her any."
That's good.
Judging from her tone, she really only met Li Shuhui and didn't tell her the truth. She also didn't plan to say anything more in the future. She wanted to bear everything alone, keep it to herself, and pretend that nothing had happened.
She actually chose this method.
Murong Xiao pinched her cheek, his eyes solemn, but his heart softened: "You're such an idiot, a fool."
"I'm such an idiot, a fool, and you regret it?"
Her response was Murong Xiao's broad and warm embrace.
Feeling the familiar scent and the warmth against her chest, the dull pain in her chest inexplicably lessened. She didn't want to depend on him. The more someone depends on you, the more they become dependent on you, and the more dependent they become, the more anxious and insecure they feel. She didn't want to become that kind of person. Murong Xiao couldn't be her support forever.
However, she silently reached out and hugged him.
She could cherish the warmth of the moment... She was truly exhausted.
Just then, Xiang Jin's phone rang; it was an unfamiliar number.
She answered the call, her voice a little hoarse.
"Hello, is this 'Pen Heart Upward'? I'm Teacher Xie from the 'My Love' organizing committee." The voice on the other end was very pleasant, gentle and polite.
It took Xiang Jin a long time to realize that she was "Bi Xin Xiang Shang" (笔心向上). She had submitted a painting called "Mother" to the "My Love" organizing committee under this pen name. She painted the painting when Jiang Anqing was threatened, when she lost her child, and when she was isolated and helpless.
"Congratulations! Your painting, titled 'Mother,' has won first prize in this competition. We will be holding an awards ceremony on the 3rd of next month. Will you be able to attend on time?"
Xiang Jin was taken aback: "You mean I won the first prize?"
"Yes, madam, I will send you the information about the awards ceremony later. Please check your inbox."
Xiang Jin nodded: "No more for now."
"Okay, see you on the 3rd of next month. Looking forward to your arrival."
After hanging up the phone, a text message arrived on her phone. The message contained the address and contact information for the awards ceremony, along with a comment: "Her brushstrokes are exquisite; though the mother isn't explicitly depicted, 'mother' is everywhere. Subtle expressions of love, gentle hands, and dappled light and shadow are the best proof of maternal love." This unique perspective on family and maternal love is more moving than ever before.
As Xiang Jin looked at the comments, her nose unexpectedly started to sting. The emotions that had been building up for so long could no longer be held back, and tears rolled down her cheeks like raindrops.
"Murong Xiao, why, why me of all people..."
"Why isn't my mother my mother anymore? Why is the person who hurt me the most my mother now...?"
"What did I do wrong? Why am I being punished like this..."
"Murong Xiao, tell me, tell me why..."
…………
The maternal love she longed for most ultimately vanished, the warmth she dreamed of never materialized, and now the maternal love she depicted in her writing has become nothing but a bubble...
She clung tightly to Murong Xiao's clothes, tears and snot streaming down his face. She had never cried so miserably before.
Once you've cried it out, it'll be over.
From then on, she no longer needed her mother; she took care of herself.
………………
Jiang Anqing's postoperative reaction was not severe, and all her indicators were normal. After resting in the hospital for more than half a month, her body has recovered to normal, and she can even go for a walk in the garden by herself.
Meanwhile, Xiangqi's heart surgery proceeded as scheduled. The surgery went smoothly, and after a week, she was able to run and jump again. The police then took her back to the detention center.
Before leaving, Xiang Qi refused to go, crying and threatening to hang herself, saying she hadn't recovered. She was eventually knocked unconscious by the police and taken away. Seeing this, Li Shuhui rushed forward to fight the police, but they also knocked her unconscious.
A week later, the two drunk driving hit-and-run cases were completely solved, and Xiang Qi was formally arrested for intentional homicide.
That day happened to be the day Jiang Anqing was discharged from the hospital.
Three days ago, the doctor informed her of her discharge date. Jiang Anqing was in a very good mood and busied herself packing her things. She was unaware that Xiang Qi had been arrested. She was thinking that once she was discharged, she could make some soup and send it to Xiang Qi at the hospital.
For the past two days, Xiang Jin has been staying in the ward. She couldn't go downstairs, afraid that Xiang Jin would notice something, but she was always thinking about her biological daughter.
Just as the patient had finished packing, the doctor came to check on them. He gave a few instructions, such as the patient's weak constitution requiring more rest, the patient not being able to do heavy work or climb stairs, and the patient needing to have regular check-ups at the hospital, before leaving.
Xiang Jin had Su Ming complete the discharge procedures before getting into the car.
The car drove from the bustling main street all the way to a dilapidated old neighborhood, finally stopping in front of a residential building where all the tiles had fallen off.
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