Chapter 372: The Death of Joy
Chapter 372
Hypocritical, stubborn, not frank enough.
It seemed to really be her flaws, especially after finding out that she was a fake daughter, the kind of fear of loss seeped into her bones, she would unconsciously try to please everyone.
At the same time enjoying the favoritism of those around her, as if only this could prove that she was real, she would not be driven away, she would not lose everything she had.
Unfortunately, owing others must be repaid, stolen goods must be returned to their original owner.
"Don't think about taking advantage of any opportunities, let alone pretend to be pitiful and weak, no one owes you anything," Jiang Chengyu warned in a low voice, "You owe others."
Even the little maid Xiaoqiao behind her advised, "Miss, let's go, let's go farther away."
Go? Where?
She was born in the Jiang family, raised in the Jiang family, she thought she was the precious daughter of the Jiang family, but in the end she was just a cuckoo occupying the magpie's nest.
What Jiang Chengyu said was right.
She was crafty, she pretended to be weak, she got sick on purpose.
At first it was fainting from the shock, and later it was because she was afraid of being driven out, she deliberately did not eat, deliberately did not take medicine, deliberately lingered sick in bed.
This way she could stay by her mother's side, she could get her father and brother's tender loving care.
But now she had nothing left.
Her mother's affection, her elder brother's favor, her father's protection.
Everything she had came from the Jiang family, and she had nothing that could compensate, only her cheap life that still belonged to her.
"Miss, where are you going?" Xiaoqiao called out.
Jiang Chenghua seemed not to hear, climbing up the stone steps.
She climbed over layers and layers of buildings, smelling the fragrance of spring grass, feeling the chilly then hot breezes, and finally stopped on the protruding platform above.
The interrogation of Mrs. Liao was already over, the Jiang family members were leaving in order.
Father stretched out his big hand and patted Jiang Sheng on the shoulder, seeming to be affectionately urging something.
That used to belong to her, the intimacy she could no longer touch.
She was so afraid to lose it. Sticking to mother all the time, finding her way to father, looking at brother tearfully, hoping they would cherish her forever.
Suddenly countless big mouths appeared around her, shouting in unison, shouting fake, asking her to make way, to get out of the Jiang family.
Ah no.
Jiang Chenghua painfully covered her ears, "I don't want to leave, I don't want to, I want father and mother, I want elder brother, I want everything, I won't leave."
But she had to go.
A child abandoned by everyone could only step into the void, stretch out midair, fall like a fluttering butterfly.
"Miss..." Xiaoqiao tore out her throat trying to reach out her hand, but was a step too late.
That girl with pearls adorning her feet, that arrogant and aloof third miss of the Jiang family, that little girl always hiding her little thoughts.
She lay on the ground, her black hair spreading around her messily, red blood creeping out, staining the white gauze skirt she loved most.
"I did scheme, I also pretended to be sick, I wanted to hold on to the blissful past so much..." "But what right did you have, what right to think I would harm others without a second thought..."
"All these years, in my heart, father was real, mother was real, elder brother was also real, I didn't steal anyone's identity, I was never fake goods."
She said intermittently, her voice drifting.
"It hurts...Mother, Chenghua hurts so much, but Chenghua has no regrets... If there is an afterlife, Chenghua still wants to be father and mother's child, still wants to meet elder brother, just this time... it must be real..."
Someone screamed frightened out of their wits.
Jiang Sheng had just turned her head when Chang Yan covered her eyes.
"Don't look." He lowered his voice, "Go back to the carriage."
Tan Yue nervously ran over to forcibly take her into the carriage.
The rest of them hurried over, looking at Jiang Chenghua who showed no more signs of breathing.
"What on earth is going on," Jiang Jizu was shocked beyond measure, "Quickly get a doctor, hurry!"
Wen Zhiyun rushed over in a panic, crying loudly, "Third brother!"
Fang Heng had understood what was happening and rushed to the carriage at the fastest speed to fetch the medicine box.
Stopping the bleeding, fetching medicine, taking pulse.
Jiang Chengyu covered her mouth in horror, her heart filled with fear.
Although she had sneered and said unpleasant things many times, she only wanted Jiang Chenghua to leave Jiang family and return to her original life.
She had never thought Jiang Chenghua would commit suicide, let alone that Jiang Chenghua would die.
"Did you speak recklessly again?" Jiang Chengfeng whispered.
After all she was just a twelve year old child. Jiang Chengyu shook her head as tears started flying.
Facing the loss of life, kindhearted people always found it hard to remain indifferent.
Wen Zhiyun had pierced countless silver needles into Jiang Chenghua to stop her bleeding, set her bones, dredge her stagnant blood, sweating buckets.
"Young doctor, how is she? What medicine is needed, just say it." Jiang Jizu's eyes couldn't conceal his pain and sorrow, "Though the Jiang family hasn't decided how to treat her, we never wished her dead."
Wen Zhiyun nodded without speaking.
After what seemed like forever, he weakly straightened up, his legs so soft he almost couldn't stand.
It was Fang Heng extending a hand that Wen Zhiyun wiped his sweat and spoke haltingly, "The bleeding has stopped, hard to say if she will wake up or not."
With such a fall injury, it was likely internal bleeding, no outward signs of harm but actually shattered and fractured inside.
Moreover, she jumped herself.
Without the will to live, it would be hard for the King of Hell himself to save her.
The brothers wearily climbed back onto the carriage, Jiang Sheng was sitting there docilely awaiting them.
Seeing her fourth brother shaking, she quickly took out a handkerchief and water flask to let Wen Zhiyun recover a little before cautiously asking, "What on earth happened? Did someone get hurt?"
Wen Zhiyun looked at Fang Heng, Fang Heng looked at Zheng Ruqian, Zheng Ruqian looked at Chang Yan.
Chang Yan cleared his throat, smiling gently, "It was Jiang family's third young miss who twisted her ankle."
"Will she be okay, is it a serious injury?" Jiang Sheng frowned, "It's just a twisted ankle, why cry like that, how odd."
"She must be frail as a young lady." Chang Yan kept a straight face, "Oh well, it's about time we went to pick up our big brother."
That's right, there was still a brother taking an exam in the School of Imperial Studiers.
As expected, Jiang Sheng's attention was diverted, poking her head out and urging loudly, "Grandma, we have to go first, my big brother is going to finish his exam soon, we have to protect him."
Don't let him get beaten up with a bruised face as soon as he leaves the School.
"Good child, go on then." Old Madam Jiang chuckled lightly, "Go on."
The carriage started and the Famen Temple hidden among the trees grew more and more distant.
Jiang Sheng glanced out of the corner of her eye, as if seeing Jiang Chengyu with her head lowered explaining something to Jiang Jizu, with uncharacteristic solemn sincerity.
As she focused for a better look, all that remained were sprouting grass and thriving green mountains.
She suddenly understood why the Jiang family chose to interrogate Mrs. Liao at the meditation hall of Famen Temple. On top of being quiet and undisturbed, it could also cut off from the reality of Chongjing city.
Just like now as they went farther away, all those noisy, cluttered, heartbreaking and tangled things drifted away, the company of her four brothers made her feel at ease and calm, her life not extending beyond that.
Half an hour later, the carriage arrived at the School of Imperial Studiers.
Jiang Sheng endured her growling stomach as she awaited on the shaft.
Waiting and waiting for who knows how long, the School gates finally opened.
Whether it was her upright standing eldest brother or her bruised faced eldest brother, she was really curious.