Before Cheng Yuan could do anything, Elder Master Cheng suffered a stroke and was hospitalized.
The person in the Cheng family who doted on Jiang Xiao the most was Elder Master Cheng. Upon hearing the news, she rushed back immediately, not even going home, and headed straight to the hospital.
The entire Cheng family was there.
Zhang Rong saw her and sneered coldly, "Jiang Xiao, look at what you've done. The Elder Master was so good to you, and this is how you repay him."
Jiang Xiao wasn't clear about the cause of the Elder Master's illness. She bit her lip, "Mom, Grandpa is…"
"What else could it be? He was angered by you." Zhang Rong cut her off. "If your father hadn't come to see the Elder Master, this wouldn't have happened. In the end, it's all because of you. If anything happens to the Elder Master this time, Jiang Xiao, I wonder how you'll live with your conscience."
Jiang Xiao's legs went weak, and she bumped into the wall behind her. "Grandpa became like this after seeing my dad?"
Zhang Rong: "What else?"
Jiang Xiao said guiltily, "I didn't know it would turn out like this. Mom, I'm sorry, I—"
"What use is apologizing to me?" Zhang Rong pressed aggressively. "Just remember one thing: if the Elder Master has any trouble, you are the sinner of the Zhang family!"
Tears streamed down the corners of Jiang Xiao's eyes. She reached out to grab Zhang Rong's arm, but Zhang Rong shook her off. "You just wait here properly."
Jiang Xiao didn't dare move; she just leaned against the wall and waited.
During that time, Cheng Yuan came once, but he didn't look at her—in fact, he completely ignored her. He exchanged a few words with Zhang Rong and then turned and left.
He returned two hours later.
Jiang Xiao had come in a hurry and hadn't eaten dinner. She suffered from low blood sugar, and by now her stomach was growling with hunger, her head spinning, and she was on the verge of fainting at any moment.
Remembering there were some biscuits in her bag, she opened it to eat some, but someone pressed her hand down.
"Come with me." It was Cheng Yuan.
His fingers were icy cold; the moment they touched her, Jiang Xiao's teeth chattered from the cold.
She didn't know where Cheng Yuan was taking her or what he wanted to do. She followed him helplessly, trying to speak several times but only getting halfway.
"I didn't know Grandpa would get sick, I—"
"If you had known, would you have been more obedient?"
"I really didn't know. If I had, I wouldn't have troubled Grandpa. I would—"
"Wouldn't have?" Cheng Yuan sneered. "Jiang Xiao, is there anything you don't dare to do?"
Repeatedly ridiculed, Jiang Xiao was at a loss for words. She bit her lip and fell silent. They walked out of the elevator, crossed the lobby, pushed open the door, descended the steps, and got into the nearest car.
The door slammed shut. The next second, Cheng Yuan pressed Jiang Xiao against the seat and started kissing her.
No, it was more like biting.
She was already dizzy from hunger, and with her low blood sugar, she had no strength at all. After struggling a few times, she went limp and let him do as he pleased.
Pain came from her lips; he bit down hard.
At some point, Jiang Xiao even wondered if she would die like this. Just before suffocation, Cheng Yuan let go, grabbed her chin, and rubbed against it.
"I don't care what agreement your father and Grandpa reached. No one can force me here. If I don't agree, this divorce won't happen."
Jiang Xiao didn't bother to wipe the blood from her lips. She looked at Cheng Yuan with her misty eyes, as if she didn't know him at all.
"Do you have to trap me to be satisfied?"
"Do you want to see me dead?"
Dead?
Cheng Yuan didn't believe Jiang Xiao would die.
Before she agreed to marry him, she had threatened him with death several times, forcing him to marry her. Now she was using death as a threat again. Did she really think her life was that important?
"Do you think I care?" Cheng Yuan said viciously. "Jiang Xiao, if you want to die, go ahead. I'll let you die."
He didn't know where he found a knife, and shoved it into Jiang Xiao's hand, raising an eyebrow. "If you have the guts, die right now."
The knife was new, the blade sharp. The light reflected off it, casting a cold gleam.
Jiang Xiao instinctively closed her eyes, then opened them again. Her voice trembling, she said, "You… want me to die?"
"You're the one who said you wanted to die. What? Scared?" Cheng Yuan leaned in, pinched her side hard, and said disdainfully, "See, you don't even dare to die. What can you do?"
He pulled out the knife, pushed Jiang Xiao away roughly, and said, "It's fine if Grandpa is okay. But if something happens, I won't let you off."
With that, Cheng Yuan opened the door and got out.
The heavy slam of the door made Jiang Xiao's heart palpitate. She clutched her chest and retched.
That night, Elder Master Cheng was transferred to the intensive care unit. Everyone waited in the corridor, but Jiang Xiao didn't go up. She waited in the car, constantly praying for the Elder Master to wake up.
The next day, the Elder Master still hadn't woken up.
Dissatisfied, the company's senior executives called for Cheng Yuan, who went to the company without even eating breakfast.
Zhang Rong became even more dissatisfied. She called Father Jiang, and it was said that the conversation went very badly.
Jiang Xiao didn't ask about the details. For now, she only cared about when the Elder Master would wake up.
Fortunately, heaven had mercy. Three days later, the Elder Master woke up. His first words were: "Where's Xiao Yatou? I want to see her."