Chapter 390 - 403: A Tragic Ending
The earnestness practically overflowing from An Ning’s eyes gave Jiang Xia a sudden impulse to embrace her.
But he didn’t feel he had the right just yet.
Jiang Xia met her serious gaze, his tone just as solemn. "Thank you, An Ning."
An Ning said no more. She knew Jiang Xia understood what she meant.
For a moment, neither of them spoke, but the atmosphere wasn’t awkward.
Jiang Xia took a deep breath, as if he had just made a momentous decision.
"Do you want to know why I did all this?"
An Ning didn’t answer his question directly. Instead, she said, "Jiang Xia, you’re my most important friend. If you want to talk, I’ll listen. If you don’t, then don’t say a word. No one is asking you to tear open your wounds again."
Tears welled in Jiang Xia’s eyes, glittering like shattered stars in the lamplight.
His pale, wounded face and the broken look in the proud young man’s eyes made An Ning’s heart ache for him.
"Jiang Xia—"
"I want to tell you."
’He wanted to tell An Ning because he knew she would never judge him, no matter what. Even if they were only friends right now.’
"Okay. You talk, and I’ll listen. Just me."
The considerate An Ning of today was a completely different person from the one who had first arrived on Ancient Earth.
Under the dim yellow light, An Ning listened to Jiang Xia’s story.
"I’ve never mentioned my mother or my grandmother. First, because they’ve passed away, and second, because I’m too ashamed to bring them up."
"My grandmother came from a distinguished family, but she threw herself into the revolution. After marrying my grandfather, they fought and endured hardships together. When the war ended, they were both well taken care of. That, combined with my grandmother’s excellent family background, meant our family lived very well."
"At least, as far as I knew, it was."
Jiang Xia let out a cold laugh. A wave of bottomless regret, like a fog in the dead of night, opened its great maw, threatening to swallow him whole.
"Jiang Xia."
An Ning’s voice pulled Jiang Xia back from the fog, and he continued his tragic story.
"My grandparents had two sons. Jiang Dongcheng was the younger one. During the chaos of the war, my older uncle—whom I never met—went missing and was never found."
"After the war ended, Jiang Dongcheng married my mother, a gentle woman from the Jiangnan region named Xia Qiushuang."
"When I was little, I couldn’t see it, couldn’t understand. I always thought we had a perfect family. But the truth is, Jiang Dongcheng had another family on the side before I was even two years old. He frequently beat my mother, and as I grew old enough to understand what was happening, I became one of his victims as well."
"My mother wanted to leave, but my grandparents were very fond of her. She was the orphaned daughter of their old comrade-in-arms. Jiang Dongcheng was afraid that if they divorced, he would lose his claim to my grandparents’ inheritance. So he threatened my mother, telling her he would kill me if she dared to leave."
"Heh... It’s laughable, isn’t it? I was supposed to be the one protecting my mother, but instead, I became the reason she couldn’t escape."
Seeing the pain on Jiang Xia’s face, An Ning reached out and gently patted the back of his hand. "She was your mother," she said softly.
’That’s right... Because she was a mother, you were the most important person in her heart. Because she was a mother, she willingly endured everything for your sake. Because she was a mother, seeing her child happy made it all worthwhile.’
"I understand, but I still hate myself. I hate that it took me so long to understand."
A tear escaped Jiang Xia’s eye and fell onto the back of An Ning’s hand. It felt searingly hot.
"Later, Jiang Dongcheng seized an opportunity and reported my grandparents. My grandmother was so enraged that she died on the spot from a cerebral hemorrhage. My mother fought back for the very first time, but Jiang Dongcheng pushed her down the stairs... She didn’t survive."
An Ning’s grip tightened. She could feel Jiang Xia’s anguish so clearly. ’To watch two of your closest family members be driven to their deaths by your own father... what kind of agony must that be?’
"Do you know what my mother’s last words were? She told me not to hate. How could I possibly not hate him? How?"
"If you can’t, and you won’t, then go ahead and hate."
An Ning lifted Jiang Xia’s bowed head and met his gaze, her own eyes filled with resolute strength.
"I’ve heard that once you get your revenge, the hatred in your heart will finally be laid to rest."
"Jiang Xia, your mother’s last words weren’t about letting Jiang Dongcheng off the hook. She didn’t want you to confront him when you were so young and powerless. She wanted to protect you so you could live."
Jiang Xia clung to her words as if they were a lifeline. His eyes were desperate for her confirmation.
"Is that true?"
"Yes."
That single, firm word seemed to loosen a tight knot that had been in Jiang Xia’s heart for years.
He sat up, embarrassed, and sniffled loudly.
"You probably know the rest. I went to live with Grandpa Jiang, my mother’s death was ruled an accident, and Jiang Dongcheng remarried in a hurry."
After he finished, An Ning thought for a moment and asked, "Is Jiang Dongcheng’s new wife’s family powerful?"
"Yes, very. It’s what he got in exchange for selling out my grandparents."
An Ning understood.
"Don’t worry. In the future, we’ll be more powerful than them. No one will be able to stop you, and I’ll clear every obstacle from your path."
An Ning’s words left Jiang Xia in a daze. It felt as if their roles had been completely reversed. ’But when it’s An Ning,’ he thought, ’it’s somehow easy to accept.’
The tale of sorrow and hatred brought the two of them closer.
Jiang Xia stayed to recuperate, not wanting Grandpa Jiang to see him in his current condition.
An Ning had no objection. She didn’t stay in that house with him, however, moving into a different one nearby.
Every morning, afternoon, and evening, she would come over to bring Jiang Xia his meals.
「Three days later.」
Only four days remained before they had to leave for school, and they needed to allow two of those days for travel.
On this day, after making sure Jiang Xia was settled, An Ning returned to Shili Gou first. Her acceptance banquet was about to start.
As An Ning set down his meal and turned to leave, Jiang Xia called out to her.
"An Ning."
"Hm?"
An Ning turned around in the doorway, bathed in the light from outside.
She saw Jiang Xia take a velvet box from his pocket and hold it out toward her.
"What is it?"
"A school acceptance gift. I’ll skip the formal gift registry."
Jiang Xia joked as he placed the box on the table, a knot of nervousness tightening in his chest. ’Will she like it?’
An Ning walked over curiously, picked up the box, and opened it with a CLICK.
"Well?"
Jiang Xia asked. An Ning reached into the box and took out the object inside. It was oval-shaped, very hard, and its surface was as smooth as a mirror.
"Is this— a seed?"
"How did you know?"
Jiang Xia stepped forward to explain. "I know you like collecting all sorts of seeds. I came across this on my travels. They say it’s thousands of years old—it was found frozen in ice. I had someone check it, and it’s still viable. It might even sprout."
As he explained, Jiang Xia grew a bit bashful. "I originally wanted to give you some precious gems, but you have chests full of them that are way better than anything I could find... I..."
"I love it."