During the time he stayed in Jiangcheng, Jiang Qiao gradually realized that his grandfather was not fond of him.
Grandpa is a detached person, but he cares about this child very much.
Jiang Qiao couldn't understand why his grandfather cared so much about that child. Moreover, his grandfather had never mentioned this child to Jiang Qiao, and no one in the family had ever mentioned him either.
Jiang Qiao asked several times what the child's name was, but Qiao Zhengye was vague every time and didn't give a direct answer. So, until now, she still didn't know what the child's name was, which made Jiang Qiao more and more curious.
That day, while grandpa was out, Jiang Qiao found a picture drawn by the child in Qiao Zhengye's room, with the child's seal on the bottom corner.
Jiang Qiao went to a framing shop and had the painting framed. He asked nonchalantly, "Excuse me, what's the signature on the back? I've been trying to figure it out for so long, but I can't seem to figure it out."
The person in the framing shop took a look and said, "Oh, this signature is so mysterious that it's really hard for ordinary people to recognize it. These two characters are Jiang Zhou."
"Jiang Zhou?" Jiang Qiao was puzzled. "But rivers, lakes, and seas are also called Jiang?"
"Exactly."
From the moment Jiang Qiao heard the child's name was "Jiang Zhou", he felt particularly uncomfortable. He had a premonition that this child must have some relationship with his family, and it was an unsavory relationship.
At night, Jiang Qiao was lying in bed and couldn't sleep, so he sent a WeChat message to Qiao Shiyu: Mom, who is Jiang Zhou?
A moment later, Qiao Shiyu's WeChat message came: "I haven't heard of this child. When will you come back? You're going abroad soon. Aren't you going back to be with your mother?"
Jiang Qiao had long expected Qiao Shiyu to answer like this, and she became more and more confused.
That day, Qiao Zhengye said he had something to do and had to go out for a while, and asked Jiang Qiao to call him if he had anything.
Jiang Qiao was watching TV at home at the time, looking fascinated. She said, "Okay."
When Qiao Zhengye went out, Jiang Qiao followed him out and got into Qiao Zhengye's car.
The car stopped at the door of a luxurious villa. Jiang Qiao looked at the villa and it didn't look like something his grandfather could afford. His grandfather only had a few pension wages, and even if he had savings, they were limited.
With the financial resources to buy a villa, and the fact that the child's surname was Jiang, Jiang Qiao felt more and more that this child had a close relationship with his family.
Jiang Qiao went in. As soon as she entered the door, she saw a boy of her age standing in the yard drawing. Her grandfather was standing behind him, looking at him with satisfaction.
Jiang Qiao stood in the yard for a long time, but no one noticed her.
The boy's profile is very good-looking, and he actually looks a bit like his father. However, the boy looks very melancholy from the side, with a bit of "God's envy of talent" and unhealthy look, and he also seems to be afraid of people.
Jiang Qiao noticed that the boy's painting was grass, just ordinary grass, but it made people feel the vitality in the painting. The boy finished painting and turned his head to Qiao Zhengye and said, "Grandpa, it's done."
"Zhou Zhou's painting is great." Qiao Zhengye touched Jiang Zhou's head.
Jiang Zhou is taller now. He is a few months older than Jiang Qiao and is also a sixteen-year-old boy. He is tall and thin, with a pure and innocent appearance, like a blank sheet of paper, which makes people feel distressed.
Qiao Zhengye saw Jiang Qiao and was very panicked. He said, "Qiao Qiao?"
Jiang Qiao walked over and stared at the boy nicknamed "Jiang Zhou". Her eyes were as clear as a spring. Jiang Qiao already had an idea about the relationship between the boy and the Jiang family. Why did the boy have the surname Jiang? Why did the family never mention this child? Why did the boy look a bit like Jiang Yanyuan? Why, among so many people in the Jiang family, was it her grandfather Qiao Zhengye who raised this child? She thought this was Jiang Yanyuan's own family matter.
Accustomed to living in a wealthy family, Jiang Qiao was used to these things, so he could figure them out quickly.
But she didn't believe it. Her parents had always been very loving over the years. Her father loved her mother very much. Whatever her mother said, her father would never say. Jiang Qiao originally thought she was a happy child, but when she saw this boy, her three views were overturned. She began to feel confused. She didn't know whether her father was kind to her mother from the bottom of his heart or he owed her something in the past.
Jiang Qiao looked at the child. Logically, she should hate this child, but this child had delicate features, and even had some of Jiang Yanyuan's charm, pure and innocent eyes, which made Jiang Qiao unable to hate him.
"He is my father's child, right? Is he older or younger than me?" Jiang Qiao stared at Jiang Zhou and asked this question unexpectedly, leaving Qiao Zhengye dumbfounded. He didn't expect that Jiang Qiao would clarify this relationship so quickly without any hesitation.
In fact, this was just a question from Jiang Qiao, and she was just testing the waters.
Qiao Zhengye stood there in a daze, not knowing how to answer.
Qiao Zhengye didn't answer, letting Jiang Qiao know that this matter was true.
It turned out to be real——
Jiang Qiao's heart was as turbulent as a raging wave. The impression of her father in her heart collapsed in an instant.
She didn't care how many reasons her father had for having this illegitimate child, as long as he had an illegitimate child, he was unfaithful to his love.
In the eyes of sixteen-year-old girl Jiang Qiao, love is sacred and cannot be defiled.
Having an illegitimate child is a huge failure!
"Are there any guests?" Jiang Zhou's eyes lit up with joy. Normally, there weren't even any guests in this house. So, when a young girl of his age came, he was naturally delighted. "Come in for some tea?"
Jiang Qiao didn't refuse, perhaps the boy's enthusiastic eyes infected her.
Or maybe she softened her heart because she knew he was her half-brother.
Jiang Qiao followed him into the house. The room was very neatly decorated and clean, and there was not a single photo of the young man. Qiao Zhengye felt uneasy. His eyes had been broken by the oath he had made to Jiang Jingcheng. Jiang Qiao had sensitively and accurately captured a picture.
Qiao Zhengye regretted that he shouldn't have come so often and shouldn't have let Jiang Qiao see the painting. However, he came every day to check on Jiang Zhou's daily life, and it had become a habit. He felt uncomfortable when he couldn't see this child for a day, and he had to know that Jiang Qiao was fine every day before he could feel at ease.
It seems as if everything was destined.
The sixteen-year-old boy Jiang Zhou poured a cup of tea for the sixteen-year-old girl Jiang Zhou, "You, drink tea, I will draw for you."
As he said that, he sat down opposite Jiang Qiao and started painting seriously with his easel.
Jiang Qiao was lost in thought, and his face showed a bit of loneliness and sadness. He lowered his head slightly and drank tea. Qiao Zhengye was a little at a loss.
When Jiang Qiao stood up to leave, Jiang Zhou seemed a little sad and said, "It's not finished yet. I need to polish it up. It will take a long time."
Jiang Qiao found that Jiang Zhou couldn't even express a complete sentence, and she felt a little distressed. She smiled and said, "It's okay, give it to grandpa when you finish your painting."
On the way back, after the accident, Jiang Qiao didn't say a word. He just leaned his head against the taxi window, thinking about it.
Sixteen years ago, Jiang Qiao was a spoiled girl, carefree, a top student, and her family background was not just good, but extremely good. But on this day, she was hit by a thunderbolt.
Since there was a driver in the car, Qiao Zhengye couldn't say anything and could only sigh.
After arriving home, he said to Jiang Qiao, "Qiao Qiao, don't think too much about it. Your father didn't do this on purpose. At the time, he and your mother were at a loss. They had known each other for many years and had gone through many ups and downs, but there was still no result. Your father was upset and did this irrational thing after drinking. Your father was soft-hearted and didn't abort the child immediately. Later, they discussed it and decided that I would raise the child and the Jiang family would pay for it. Your father doesn't know where the child is now, and he may have forgotten about him a long time ago. Don't mention it to them, okay? Jiang Zhou is a child with Down syndrome and may not live long. He came quietly and he will leave quietly when the time comes. Don't mention this to anyone in your family, okay? I guess I'll be the only one who's sad by then."
Jiang Qiao glanced at Qiao Zhengye, and at that moment, he suddenly felt sorry for his grandfather.
When Dad made a mistake, he acted as if nothing had happened, but it cost Grandpa a lifetime of love.
Grandpa still looks young, and although he doesn't have many white hairs, it will definitely happen to Qiao Zhengye when the time comes. This will be a fatal blow to Qiao Zhengye.
Jiang Qiao threw herself into Qiao Zhengye's arms, started crying, and whispered, "Grandpa."
"Don't mention this to your parents when you go back. It will bring up their sad memories for no reason. Your mother might even blame me for not taking good care of you." Qiao Zhengye said while stroking Jiang Qiao's back.
Jiang Qiao nodded.
Jiang Qiao returned to Fengcheng the next day.
After Qiao Shiyu got home from get off work, she asked Jiang Qiao to go to the study.
Qiao Shiyu stared at Jiang Qiao, "Tell me, what happened?"
Jiang Qiao's face was as cold as ice. "Mom, I feel so sorry for you. I know everything about Dad. I feel so sorry for you."
Qiao Shiyu turned her head and continued, "Energy is conserved in life. I've done things that have wronged your father before. He didn't mean to have this child. Don't bring it up in front of him. I've let it go. Why are you still upset? Just keep it to yourself."
Like a child who suddenly discovered the rift between his parents, Jiang Qiao felt mixed emotions, and suddenly, the sense of security that he once had was no longer so secure.
But Jiang Qiao is a person who can keep her words to herself and knows not to provoke Jiang Yanyuan. But it was through this incident that she began to distance herself from Jiang Yanyuan. She used to always call him "Dad" and "Dad" but now she likes to lock herself in her room when she has nothing to do. She majored in law in college and she would read legal provisions when she has nothing to do.
Jiang Yanyuan noticed a change in Jiang Qiao, and he told Qiao Shiyu about it. Qiao Shiyu said, "Girls are older now, and they're in their rebellious years. Isn't that normal? Just handle it calmly. You're lucky it didn't turn into a premature love affair and give you a headache."
"That's true." Jiang Yanyuan also said.
So the matter was let go.
The day when Jiang Qiao was going abroad was getting closer, and Jiang Jingcheng invited her to his home. Fourth uncle Jiang Yanmin made a lot of delicious food for her. Although Jiang Qiao was unhappy, she did not show any sign of it and was still the same as usual.
"Qiao Qiao, when you go abroad, don't be like your fifth uncle," Jiang Jingcheng said.
"Fifth Uncle? What's wrong?"
"Something happened to your fifth uncle in college. I later found out about it when I personally checked it out at the school. That's why I didn't bother with his affairs because I was afraid of provoking his rebellious nature and causing him to do something rash." Jiang Jingcheng said.
"What's the matter, Uncle Wu?" Jiang Qiao asked.
"Don't ask anymore, Mr. General. You have to be cautious in love, especially girls. Okay, who will take you abroad next time?" Jiang Jingcheng asked again.
"I want my mom to go."
Jiang Jingcheng nodded and patted Jiang Qiao'er's shoulder gently, "Qiao Qiao'er's wings have hardened. I look forward to your early return. Every child of ours is yours!"
Jiang Qiao didn't understand the specific meaning of these words, he just thought it was a blessing from Jiang Jingcheng.
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