Jiang Ye dislikes 'Qin Ge'.
That goes without saying.
Of all the family members, he was the one who rejected Qin Ge the most and reacted the most strongly.
Jiang Ye felt that Qin Ge was an outsider who came to destroy the family, so he never gave Qin Ge a kind look. He thought that Qin Ge would bully Jiang Xibai, so he often mocked and ridiculed him, and even physically attacked him. Even when Jiang's parents scolded him, he still did what he wanted.
...Anyway, it was just a reprimand.
Jiang Ye is protecting Jiang Xibai with his own principles because Jiang Xibai is the younger brother he truly acknowledges.
He looked down on 'Qin Ge'.
However, one day, the proud and arrogant Jiang Ye was beaten up by someone he looked down on—no, twice…—which was enough to make Jiang Ye have a new understanding of Qin Ge.
Besides, Jiang Ye had seen Qin Ge's current appearance and almost seduced her...
Of course, Jiang Ye's main feeling towards Qin Ge is still annoyance. Some deep-rooted emotions, such as dislike, will not easily change because of a small matter.
In particular, Qin Ge beat him up, slapping a celebrity's face, which is the most important thing for appearing on camera, so badly that it became a trending topic and made Jiang Ye too embarrassed to go out for a long time, causing him to miss a lot of appearances and schedules. After finally recovering from his facial injuries and going out to appear on a show, he was ridiculed by his nemesis backstage!
Jiang Ye had never suffered such a loss before.
He hated Qin Ge so much that he couldn't stop thinking about how he could get revenge on him.
However, within this feeling of disgust, there was also a complex sense of unease that Jiang Ye himself couldn't quite explain.
It's common for parents to bring gifts for their sons when they return from abroad. Jiang's mother has always favored Jiang Xibai, but what Jiang Ye didn't expect was that... his mother didn't seem to bring a gift for Qin Ge.
Since returning home, he hasn't even mentioned Qin Ge.
They didn't even bother to ask why Qin Ge wasn't home.
Yes.
Qin Ge hasn't been home for a long time.
Since that night when she caused chaos at the Jiang family home, offending him, Xixi, and her older brother, Qin Ge has never returned. The last time Jiang Ye saw Qin Ge was at Huichuntang.
He disliked the other person, but was also surprised by the changes in Qin Ge.
Her appearance, demeanor, and where did she get the luxury car? Why didn't she go home? Who did she stay with during this time?
All of these things piqued Jiang Ye's curiosity.
However, given Jiang Ye's arrogant and haughty personality, even if he discovered that Qin Ge hadn't returned home and was incredibly curious, he would never ask anyone to go and look for her.
His older brother, Jiang Ting, is a workaholic and an elite CEO; he probably hasn't even realized that Qin Ge has been missing from the Jiang family for over ten days.
Jiang Ye assumed that when his parents returned home, they would find that their biological son was missing and would immediately send people to search for Qin Ge.
Then, when Qin Ge comes back, he, as the second brother, will definitely teach him a lesson and beat that brat to the ground, especially in the face!
During this period, he even hired a private boxing coach!
To Jiang Ye's surprise, his mother returned home and began handing out gifts with a beaming smile. Xi Xi cooperated by trying on various clothes for his mother to see. The family was all very happy and didn't ask at all... where Qin Ge had gone.
Looking at the happy smiles on his family's faces, Jiang Ye felt an indescribable sense of suffocation.
He was always one to speak his mind and couldn't keep things to himself. Although he didn't want to spoil the mood of Jiang's mother and Jiang Xibai, or the current atmosphere, he held back for a while, but ultimately couldn't help but say those words:
"Mom, did you only bring gifts for Xixi, me, and my older brother?"
Even though Jiang Ye didn't mention Qin Ge's name, the originally warm and harmonious atmosphere suddenly plummeted to freezing point, and the air seemed to freeze slightly.
Jiang Ye saw that everyone's smiles froze on their faces, including his older brother Jiang Ting's.
It's clear who they were thinking of.
Jiang's mother's face, which had just been beaming with smiles, froze at the corners of her lips because of Jiang Ye's words, and a few fine wrinkles appeared on her well-maintained face at the corners of her eyes.
As a mother, she forgot her own son and had her own son tear off her veil of shame, and she seemed to age suddenly.
Jiang's mother could no longer laugh. She forced a smile, but it didn't quite come together. She stammered a couple of times and said awkwardly, "...I...I forgot to buy a gift for Xiaoge. I was just thinking about Xixi, just like before."
She was explaining.
Adding the word "formerly" to a sentence makes her behavior—a mother who only remembers her beloved adopted son and forgets her biological son—seem instantly forgivable!
After all, she was used to it.
She was used to being nice to Jiang Xibai.
That's how it's been for the past 16 years.
It's just a subconscious habit.
Who can blame her for anything?
Seeing that his wife seemed extremely embarrassed, Jiang's father gently patted her shoulder and came to her rescue, saying, "Alright, Xiuning, it's not a big deal. You brought back so many gifts, just pick a few to make up for Xiaoge's situation, right?"
Jiang Ting spoke in a cool tone, much like a mature older brother taking care of his younger brother, "Give him mine."
Jiang Xibai quickly added, "I can give half of the gift to Xiaoge."
Then, Jiang's mother smiled again, raised her hand to pat Jiang Xibai's head, and praised him, "Our Xixi is so kind and generous."
The stagnant atmosphere began to shift, like ice and snow melting away, and soon the previous harmony and liveliness returned, as if the sordid incident had never happened.
A hint of confusion flashed in Jiang Ye's eyes.
But, but he always felt it shouldn't be like this...
The father said that since so many gifts were brought back, he could just pick a few to give to Qin Ge.
However, regardless of whether it was his, his elder brother's, or Xixi's gifts, they were all carefully selected by Jiang's mother. The extra gifts would be distributed to... the servants who served the Jiang family.
The older brother said that his share would be given to Qin Ge.
—But that's because my older brother isn't particularly interested in gifts, nor does he lack them, so these are the only things he likes.
Jiang Ye wouldn't have thought there was anything wrong with these words before; he might even have sat among them, making sarcastic remarks with a look of disdain.
But today, Jiang Ye realized for the first time... the favoritism of his parents, including his older brother.
However, seeing the smiles return to his parents' faces and the harmonious atmosphere that had returned, Jiang Ye's lips moved a few times, but in the end he said nothing.
Without telling his parents and older brother, Qin Ge was no longer at home and probably didn't care about these gifts.
·
It was only when the Jiang family's small family dinner that evening that it was discovered that Qin Ge hadn't been home for a long time.
Jiang's mother smiled broadly and watched with great joy as her beloved youngest son unwrapped the gifts she had brought back one by one. She casually picked out a few items from the remaining gifts for Qin Ge, and finally had the servants take away all the extra gifts to distribute.
The servants, having received the gifts, prepared an exceptionally exquisite and delicious dinner. Jiang's father and the others took their seats one after another. When they noticed that Qin Ge was not present, Jiang's father frowned and said, "Go upstairs and call the Fourth Young Master down for dinner."
At that moment, Jiang Ye saw Jiang Xi's pale pink lips purse slightly.
Yes.
The person who knows best about Qin Ge's absence from the Jiang family, besides his older brother who is too busy with work to notice and Qin Ge himself who is often away from home due to his busy career in the entertainment industry, is Jiang Xibai, who is currently studying at G University and is driven home by a driver every day.
Xi Xi...
It seems that he didn't tell his parents about this.
Jiang Ye thought with absolute certainty at that moment.
Even though his mother calls him almost every day, Xixi has never mentioned to her that Qin Ge hasn't gone back to the Jiang family home...
Seeing Jiang Xibai's feigned composure, Jiang Ye felt no pity for him for the first time; he couldn't quite describe the feeling...
Is it disappointment?
Maybe.
He discovered that his younger brother, whom he had always thought was pure, kind, gentle, and wonderful, was not quite the person he imagined...
Jiang's father's words caused almost everyone except Jiang's mother and Jiang Ting to change their expressions slightly, and the atmosphere seemed to become strange again in an instant.
At this moment, the butler standing beside him forced himself to speak, his words hesitant and stammering, seemingly due to a lack of confidence: "Sir, the Fourth Young Master... the Fourth Young Master, he..."
Jiang's father was decisive and efficient, and disliked this hesitant style. He frowned and said in a deep voice, "What's wrong with Fourth Young Master? Speak!"
The butler blurted out, "The fourth young master isn't here! He hasn't been home for almost half a month!"
The words fell.
The entire Jiang family fell silent.
Jiang's mother's eyes widened, her voice changed tone and rose sharply as she questioned, "What do you mean? What do you mean Fourth Young Master hasn't been home for over half a month? Where is Xiao Ge? Why didn't anyone tell me about this?!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xibai bit his lip, feeling guilty.
Jiang's mother didn't name anyone when questioning him, but Jiang Xibai had a guilty conscience. He had his own selfish reasons and didn't want Qin Ge to be in the house. So even though Jiang's mother was abroad and often called to check on him, Jiang Xibai never mentioned to her that Qin Ge had run away from home for more than half a month.
Anyway... Jiang's mother didn't ask.
Jiang Xibai thought to himself quietly.
That's not his fault, is it?
Jiang's mother certainly wouldn't reprimand her beloved adopted son; she asked the housekeeper, "The fourth young master hasn't been home for half a month. Why didn't you call to tell me and the master?!"
Jiang's mother was quite angry, but at the same time, she felt a vague sense of panic, as if she were about to lose something...
Although Jiang's mother was disappointed in Qin Ge, her son whom she had lost and then found again, she was disappointed that he was not as talented, well-mannered, or elegant as Jiang Xibai. She felt that her own son was not presentable and could not be presented to others, which indeed made Jiang's mother feel depressed.
Everything she did in her life went smoothly. She had a loving husband, a shrewd and capable eldest son, Jiang Ting, and a second son, Jiang Ye, who became a star... Who wouldn't praise her for her good fortune?
Only Qin Ge, the youngest son who was switched at birth and raised in a small town, became a thorn in Jiang's mother's side.
At first, Jiang's mother did not dislike Qin Ge; after all, Qin Ge was her own flesh and blood, whom she had carried for ten months and given birth to!
However, the wealthy ladies who played cards, went to spas, and had afternoon tea with her always joked that her son might have been switched at birth. Growing up in the countryside, he'd probably been spoiled...
Jiang's mother always felt that they were secretly mocking her behind her back.
She had always been proud and arrogant, and gradually came to believe that her youngest son, Qin Ge, who was not worthy of respect, was a stain on her life.
Disappointed as she was, Jiang's mother never considered abandoning her son!
That's her own flesh and blood!
Upon hearing that her youngest son had not returned home for half a month, Jiang's mother panicked, feeling that something had happened to Qin Ge. She was both flustered and angry.
The housekeeper is so audacious! He never reports such an important matter to her!
If an adult goes missing for 24 hours, someone will know to report it to the police. How come when the fourth young master of the Jiang family went missing, not a single person notified her! They kept it from her!
Jiang's mother was usually a very gentle and kind mistress. She never treated the servants with any arrogance and would often buy them cosmetics or clothes as gifts when she went shopping. This was the first time the housekeeper had ever seen Madam Jiang so angry.
The butler dared not delay any longer and quickly explained, "Madam, you...didn't ask before!"
Jiang's mother suddenly felt a tightness in her chest.
As if the housekeeper had touched a nerve, his expression gradually became unnatural.
During her months traveling abroad, Jiang's father told her to relax and not worry about the children. Jiang's mother, realizing she was indeed exhausted, didn't inquire further, only calling every few days to check on the frail Jiang Xibai, or reminding her eldest son, Jiang Ting, to eat well and not ruin his stomach from work, or...
I just never called Qin Ge.
Jiang's mother's expression shifted. After the housekeeper's reminder, she finally realized her dereliction of duty as a mother. She had cared for all the children, but Qin Ge was the only one who had not...
She felt upset just thinking about it and didn't even bother to ask a single question.
How could I possibly reprimand the housekeeper?
At this moment, the butler spoke up again: "Madam, neither you nor the master have inquired about the fourth young master's affairs, and since he is an adult, I haven't mentioned it on the phone. In addition..."
The butler glanced at Jiang Xibai, hesitated for a moment, and finally said, "The Third Young Master talks to you, Madam, almost every day. I thought he would tell you, so he didn't... I'm just saying that."
After saying this, the butler looked down at himself, feeling deeply apologetic, and thought to himself:
I'm so sorry, young master. You are Madam's most beloved child. She certainly won't blame you; at most, she'll say a few words to you. But if things go wrong, I could lose my job! Please help me out!
The steward, who thought it best to sacrifice his friend rather than himself, felt a pang of conscience and then shifted the blame onto Jiang Xibai.
Although Jiang Xibai wasn't wronged, he was still shocked by the butler's decisive act of shifting the blame, a behavior he had always shown to dote on him and his own son: "..."
When Jiang's mother slowly looked at him, Jiang Xibai's mind went blank.
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