Xiao Yanzhi's physical condition hadn't recovered well. He still had to return to the hospital for further recuperation.
In the hospital ward, Su Jialan was waiting for him in a wheelchair.
The moment she saw Xiao Yanzhi push the door open, a look of surprise flashed across Su Jialan's eyes. "A Yan, you're finally back..."
"I've broken up with her," he said in a voice as cold as ice. "From now on, I'll never have any contact with Jiang Li again." After saying that, he sneered with a tug of his lips. "Just as you wished."
"Really?" Su Jialan could hardly believe it.
She knew that Xiao Yanzhi had gone to see Jiang Li. Although she didn't know what had happened during that time, the outcome was exactly what she wanted to see. "She won't pester you anymore?"
"She doesn't want me anymore," Xiao Yanzhi said. At that moment, his heart felt as if it had been pierced by something. "She said she didn't want to be with me."
"Thank God," Su Jialan exclaimed excitedly, clasping her hands together. "She's done a good deed. It's also accumulating virtue for her tragic life."
Watching this scene, Xiao Yanzhi only felt it was extremely absurd.
Looking at the overjoyed Su Jialan, he smiled inexplicably. "It seems that you'll feel happy when you see me unhappy."
"What are you talking about?"
Su Jialan gave him a strange look. "I'm your mother! Do you think I'd harm you? You don't understand now, but after I'm gone, you'll know my good intentions..."
"Yeah, I don't understand," Xiao Yanzhi nodded. "Burning my painting albums and driving away the only woman I've ever loved, making me the good son you're proud of - that's your good intention."
His tone was calm and indifferent. "Not letting me do what I like, not letting me love the person I love - that'll please you, won't it?"
His tone was so strange that Su Jialan couldn't help but be stunned. It took her a while to react and explain. "I'm not against your free love. It's just that Jiang Li really doesn't match you. The gap in social status is too big. You two will suffer in the future. Don't you understand?"
She advised him earnestly. "Moreover, she doesn't even know who her real parents are. Such a woman is too complicated. If she marries into our family, you'll be gossiped about for the rest of your life."
"Look at your father. Isn't he a bad example for you?"
When she mentioned Xiao Yuanfeng, hatred welled up in her heart. "Our family had already arranged a well - matched marriage for him, but he insisted on having a mistress outside, which made the whole family unhappy."
"Don't follow his example. Otherwise, your life will also be unhappy. Do you understand?"
Even now, she still thought she was right.
Xiao Yanzhi found it ridiculous. He said word by word, "Do you think I won't do the same? If you force me to marry a woman I don't like, I'll be just like Xiao Yuanfeng. I'll keep Jiang Li outside and give her my heart and soul, not to the woman in this sham marriage!"
His voice was out of control, and his eyes turned red. "This is what you want - the son you want, the husband you want, the happiness and harmony you want!"
Su Jialan was so shocked by his outburst that she was completely stunned.
After a long time, she finally stammered, her voice full of disbelief. "I'm your mother. How could you talk to me like this?"
"Do you think I wanted this?" Su Jialan said, tears streaming down her face. "I'm just a woman. I just want a happy and harmonious family..."
She sobbed, and Xiao Yanzhi closed his eyes in annoyance.
How could he not know?
What was Su Jialan's fault?
She just married a man of equal status at the right age and had a seemingly glorious and happy marriage.
But she didn't know that Xiao Yuanfeng actually had a sweetheart before they got married.
If it hadn't been for this arranged marriage, her husband would have spent his whole life with another woman.
In a way, she was also pitiful.
She had enjoyed wealth and honor and satisfied everyone, but her life was not happy.
She had been diligently managing the family and even sacrificed her legs due to over - work, yet she never complained.
"A Yan, your father has never loved me. You're my son. Do you want to ignore me too?"
She cried and tugged at Xiao Yanzhi's sleeve. "A Yan, Mom only has you..."
Xiao Yanzhi only felt irritated.
He said, "From now on, like you, I won't have happiness. I'll only have a sham marriage and a meaningless life. Will that make you feel at ease?"
Su Jialan shook her head painfully.
She didn't want Xiao Yanzhi to live such a life.
Before this, she never thought she was wrong. But when questioned by Xiao Yanzhi, she felt a moment of regret.
Was she wrong?
...
Su Jialan cried non - stop in the room. Xiao Yanzhi was really annoyed by the sound. He called someone in and asked them to take her away. Finally, the ward returned to silence.
He kept recalling every word Jiang Li had said to him, hoping to find a flaw that showed she was being insincere.
But there was none.
Maybe this time, they really had to say goodbye to each other.
Thinking of this, he involuntarily tightened his hands and then slowly opened them. His heart and breathing trembled.
For a moment, his thoughts were in a complete mess. He didn't even know where to find a solution.
Suddenly, Su Jialan's words flashed through his mind, "She doesn't even know who her parents are. Such a woman is too complicated."
Who else could Jiang Li's parents be? Weren't they the couple from the Jiang family?
After calming down, he finally noticed the problem.
Although Su Jialan had a strong desire for control, she had been brought up in wealth since childhood. Her upbringing made her never swear or fabricate facts or spread rumors behind others' backs.
That meant her words were not groundless.
So, who were Jiang Li's parents?
...
Jiang Li's body gradually recovered, and she soon returned to the drama troupe. Everything was back on track.
The schedule of the drama remained the same as before. She recovered quickly, and it didn't take her long to readjust.
Apart from not being able to perform high - difficulty dance moves and not being able to hold heavy objects tightly with her palms, everything was the same as before.
Sheng Jingxi was bored sometimes and would go to watch her perform in the drama.
He would also give comments from time to time.
"You're far from my mother's level back then."
"It's just so - so. This performance is okay."
"The makeup is too heavy. It looks so strange. Do you really need to wear such heavy makeup? You'll probably scare people if you walk alone at night."
"..."
He kept nagging, and Jiang Li was really annoyed. One day when Sheng Jingxi came, she directly asked him to wait for her backstage.