章 31: Jubilation
The sound of the open palm hitting flesh reverberated in the entire compound and everyone present winced as Ashley dropped to the floor like a log of wood.
She almost convulsed in disgust when she felt the spittle go down her throat.
Just as she sat up, ready to order her guards to tear the woman into pieces, she grabbed her neck and suddenly turned red after a few minutes of strangling herself.
"Mother!" Jiang Ming rushed towards her mother who was strangling herself on the floor. Jiang Meiying just stepped back with a cold look in her eyes and a knowing smile playing on her lips.
That spittle of hers wasn't ordinary. It contained manna and like she wanted, the woman won't be able to talk until she wanted her to.
"Mother why are you strangling yourself?!" Jiang Ming screamed in horror but they all misunderstood her. She wasn't strangling herself. She was forcing herself to speak, but not even a squeak could come out.
Just short raspy breaths.
Everyone murmured and exchanged glances while Jiang Ming looked up at Jiang Meiying.
"What did you do to her? You witch!"
"I slapped her using her own hand. You're very lucky, step-sister," she uttered the endearment, coldly. "She took the slap for you."
Jiang Ming felt chills run down her spine as Jiang Meiying turned away to help Zhang Hien onto the wheelchair. Without a word, she pushed him inside while Jiang Chu stared at her, red in the face. She dug her nails into her own palm, almost choking on her saliva in anger.
What has she done to her?
She had made her slap herself hard but was it hard enough to stop her from uttering a single word. It felt like her wind pipes had burst and she could only feel hot fumes leaving her ear as she glared at the couple that went in.
As Jiang Meiying pushed Zhang Hien to settle next to the bed, she went ahead to bring some items from the drawers.
She pulled out the gloves and oil she had bought at the pharmacy the other day and began putting on the gloves without hesitation.
"Does your nose hurt?" She calmly asked as she pulled out a cotton wool and helped him to wipe the blood running down to his lips. Her face was so close to his that he blushed a bit and only nodded and she pulled away after she was done cleaning, not realizing the effect her closeness had on him.
He looked at her gloves and the things she kept next to him on a small table. There was a strange bottle containing a pink liquid and the oil she had gotten the day they went to the pharmacy together.
He wanted to ask her what she planned on doing especially since she was hovering around him ... while... staring at his legs, but he kept mute
"You said we had something to discuss. Was it related to going out today?"
"Y-Yes." He stuttered, and with the look she gave him, he realized she was urging him to keep going. He cleared his throat as he said.
"You said you were heading to Mai Quing's house to inform her about filling the role of a caterer during her party. Did you do so?"
Jiang Meiying sighed and explained why she couldn't.
"... I plan on heading to her house tomorrow. Why? Why did you ask?"
"I don't think you need to bother about that Jiang Meiying. I already got you the role of a caterer at her party." He stammered, a bit happily.
Her eyebrows met at the center of her forehead as she tried to decifer If he was joking or being serious.
"H-How?"
"I went to her house today and I discussed It with her."
"A- And she j- just agreed? Like that?"
Zhang Hien didn't know If telling Jiang Meiying, Mai Quing was his aunt, was a good idea. She might think he used his position to get her the role and might decline. So he just decided to hide the fact from her and come clean after the party.
He nodded sheepishly and Jiang Meiying almost glowed in happiness.
She was very much surprised. More than anything she wanted to think he was joking about this, but she was so ecstatic about getting the role and couldn't wait to get to work.
She knew she had enough inheritance from her mother to buy half the state but she was only legal to sell any of them or use any of them when she was 21 years. As of now, she was only legal to own them as part of her property. Before then, she was determined to make enough money to change her situation and not wait for her mother's riches to land in her palm before she did something to help herself out of the situation.
Zhang Hien sheepishly pulled out a small box he had hidden underneath the bed while Jiang Meiying was celebrating within herself. She wanted to hug him, but was scared she would crush him this time and just kept her happiness bubbled within her. She wouldn't dare to jubilate out loud and attract people like Jiang Ming and Jiang Chu- who would only want to ruin her moment for her.
-- 贈り物
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