Cheng Yuan didn't die, but he was hospitalized again. On the way from the bridal shop back to the company, his car was rear-ended. The injuries were quite serious. He was unconscious when admitted and only woke up the next day.
When Zhang Rong heard about it, she rushed to the hospital. Seeing that Cheng Yuan, after waking up, kept asking about Jiang Xiao's whereabouts, she was furious. "It's been five years. Why can't you still forget her?"
"Cheng Yuan, you're not worthy of being a child of the Cheng family."
Cheng Yuan was already physically and mentally exhausted. Zhang Rong's words only felt ironic. Once, to please her, he had ignored Jiang Xiao. Even when he knew she wasn't wrong, he took Zhang Rong's side and ridiculed Jiang Xiao. Many times he saw Jiang Xiao crying, but because of Zhang Rong's warnings, he pretended not to see her, letting her weep. His thought at the time was simple: he wanted to make Zhang Rong happy. But in the end, his family fell apart, and he lost the person he loved most.
"Mom, you're not well. From now on, don't leave the old mansion unless necessary," Cheng Yuan said coldly.
"Are you ordering me?" Over the years, Zhang Rong's face had twisted along with her mind. Her eyes were sharp and terrifying. "Cheng Yuan, do you have any conscience!"
"Yes, I have no conscience," Cheng Yuan said, not even willing to look at her. "So from now on, let's avoid seeing each other unless absolutely necessary."
"How dare you!" Zhang Rong couldn't understand why the obedient, sensible little boy had turned out like this. She blamed it all on Jiang Xiao. If not for her, Cheng Yuan wouldn't have changed. "If you care about Jiang Xiao so much, aren't you afraid I might do something to her?"
"Mom—" Cheng Yuan looked at her again, grabbed her wrist, and said through gritted teeth, "I'll say this only once. Don't touch Jiang Xiao. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what I'll do."
"What do you want to do?" Zhang Rong said. "Kill me?"
"Kill you? No." Cheng Yuan knew what Zhang Rong valued most. He curled his lips. "I won't touch you. I'll touch myself. If you want to experience what it's like to lose a son, go ahead and try."
"Cheng Yuan, you're crazy!" Zhang Rong roared. "You're threatening me with your own life."
"Yes, I'm crazy," Cheng Yuan warned. "So don't try to provoke a madman. The consequences are beyond your imagination."
When it came to ruthlessness, Cheng Yuan was even more so. Zhang Rong trembled. "No, you can't. You can't."
"You know my temper best," Cheng Yuan said. "If anything happens to Xiao Xiao, I won't live either. If you want to clean up after us, be my guest."
Zhang Rong hated Cheng Lin, but when it came to Cheng Yuan, there were more happy moments than painful ones. In those years, he had supported her through the failure of her marriage. She didn't want the Cheng family to have an easy time, but that didn't include Cheng Yuan. Deep down, she still wanted the best for him. Of course, if he would be obedient, she'd be even happier.
"She's just a woman. Do you have to be like this?"
"I love her," Cheng Yuan said firmly. "I'll only love her in this life. If she lives, I live. If she dies, I die."
"Why have you become like this?" Zhang Rong missed the old Cheng Yuan. Very much.
"You made me this way," Cheng Yuan said. He pulled out the IV needle, ignoring the blood flowing from the back of his hand, threw off the covers, and stood up. Looking down, he said, "I regret being so obedient before. I won't make that mistake again."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to win Xiao Xiao back."
"What if I don't agree?"
"I'm not asking you. I'm informing you. Whether you agree or not doesn't matter."
"Slap!" Zhang Rong raised her cane and struck Cheng Yuan hard on his right shoulder. Hearing him groan in pain, she slowly curled her lips. "Cheng Yuan, defying me comes at a price."
"I don't care," Cheng Yuan said, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. "I can bear any price."
"Don't you want to be President of Cheng Group anymore?" Zhang Rong threatened him with the company.
Cheng Yuan said indifferently, "Whoever wants it can take it. I don't want it."
Zhang Rong was driven away by Cheng Yuan's anger. On the way, she called Jiang Xiao. "Meet me."
Jiang Xiao had nothing to say to her. "I'm busy."
"I'll come to you," Zhang Rong said.
"No need." Jiang Xiao said flatly, "Send me the address. I'll come to you."
The meeting was as unpleasant as expected.
Zhang Rong threw a stack of money at Jiang Xiao. "I warned you not to come back. Why did you?"
"I'm free to go wherever I want. Why should I listen to you?" Jiang Xiao was no longer the timid person she was five years ago. She bent down and sat. "Madam Cheng, you're overstepping."
"Don't forget our original agreement."
"I haven't. I've done everything." Jiang Xiao had injected capital into Jiang Group, stayed abroad for five years, and avoided meeting Cheng Yuan. She had done it all.
"Not good enough," Zhang Rong said. "You shouldn't have come back."
"I'll say it again. I'm free. I decide where I go," Jiang Xiao said unyieldingly. "Even you can't control that."
"Aren't you afraid I'll tell A Yuan about our deal?"
"Go ahead. Say whatever you want." Jiang Xiao didn't care at all. "That way, he'll stop pestering me."
"Jiang Xiao, you're very pleased with yourself, aren't you?"
"Yes, very pleased." Jiang Xiao slowly stood up, leaning on the table with both hands. With a light snort, she said, "Watching you and your son become enemies makes me very happy."
"You—"
Zhang Rong raised her cane to hit Jiang Xiao, but Jiang Xiao knocked it aside. "Hit me? Dream on."
Jiang Xiao sat back down and tapped the table with her index finger. "I came today to make it clear to you in person. Our deal is off. From now on, I'll do whatever I want."
"Neither you nor Cheng Yuan can mess with me."
She stood up to leave, then sat back down. "Oh, and I'm not interested in your son. Tell him to stay out of my sight from now on. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what I'll do."
She stood up, picked up the cup in front of her, and splashed water on Zhang Rong's face. "If I find you having me followed again, I won't be polite."
No one had ever treated Zhang Rong like this. Jiang Xiao was the first.