Chapter 443 - Zhou Shufen’s Last Appearance I
One month later...
Jiang Ruolan had long heard that Cui Liuxian had lived outside on her own not so long ago. She had come and gone freely to nightclubs and several bars and seemed to have made a lot of noise.
Everyone knew that Cui Liuxian had left the Xian Family, and because of her pampered habits, she could only rely on her pretty face to hang out in night bars. Still, they didn"t expect her to be dragged into an alley behind a bar by a group of thugs last week.
After that, it seemed that Cui Liuxian had become a different person. Not only was she under control by some hooligans, but she also seemed to have been injected with drugs by some people in the wrong business. After that, Cui Liuxian had no choice but to hang out with those people.
In the morning, Xian Zihao had to go to the Xian Group to handle a few things. He didn"t want to leave Jiang Ruolan alone, so he specifically asked Xiong Ruogang to accompany her to go for a maternity check-up.
When Jiang Ruolan arrived at the hospital, she saw Cui Liuxian walking out with a blood test form in her hand and a face as white as a ghost"s.
Seeing Cui Liuxian in such a state, Jiang Ruolan and Xiong Ruogang looked at each other.
Jiang Ruolan only heard that Cui Liuxian had been hara.s.sed by thugs last week, but from her appearance, it looks like she had been involved with some naughty man for the past month. It can"t be that she was pregnant, right?
"Sis Jiang, stop looking. As the saying goes, bad people will always get retribution. Not that she won"t get retribution for what she"s done, it"s just that the time isn"t right yet. I just heard it a few weeks ago that Cui Liuxian pushed you down the stairs. She deserves what she gets now for what she"s doing to you!" Xiong Ruogang whispered to Jiang Ruolan on the side while helping support her body.
Jiang Ruolan glanced at Xiong Ruogang, then looked at Cui Liuxian, who had left in the taxi. She shook her head and said, "I don"t feel sorry for her. I just feel a little regretful."
"What"s there to sigh about? I heard that the Xian Family has been good to her in the past and no matter how willful she was, Old Man Xian still took care of her and protected her. In the end, she, herself, squandered the feelings the Xian Family has for her, so she can"t blame her grievance on others. She can only blame herself for not knowing what"s good for her and for being insatiably greedy!" Xiong Ruogang scoffed.
Yes, what Xiong Ruogang said was right.
Some people were greedy for money, some were greedy for power, while some people like Cui Liuxian constantly wanted everyone to love her in order to make up for her inferiority complex. That"s why she always thought of ways to s.n.a.t.c.h everyone"s attention and love until she finally walked on the wrong path.
Jiang Bingqing had always been indulgent since she was young. As a close sister, Cui Liuxian slowly became influenced. After a long time, the small hesitations and comprehensive considerations in her heart would gradually dissipate until she eventually became Jiang Bingqing"s lackeys outside the prison.
Jiang Ruolan couldn"t help but sigh.
Ever since she had entered the Xian Family, she had been taken advantage of by Jiang Bingqing"s so-called good sister out of jealousy.
After the examination from the hospital, Xiong Ruogang helped Jiang Ruolan walk on the side of the road. She then suddenly said, "Oh right, Sis Jiang! When President Xian asked me to accompany you for the maternity check-up, he even told me that if you don"t feel too tired, I should accompany you to see your custom-made wedding dress."
Jiang Ruolan didn"t answer her question, she just looked at the pa.s.sing cars with a relaxed expression.
"Sis Jiang? Should we go and take a look? With such a big belly, I wonder what kind of wedding dress the designer will design. My guess is that it will be very special and beautiful." Xiong Ruogang giggled as she pulled on Jiang Ruolan"s arm and kept talking.
At this moment, Jiang Ruolan"s phone suddenly rang. She looked at the caller and saw an unknown number. She frowned as she looked at the number. Although it was unknown, she could guess who it was.
During this month, Senior Zhou often tried to find a way to see her, but she often turned him down because of her unwell body. Seeing the phone screen continue to flicker, she pressed the answer b.u.t.ton and placed it next to her ear. "h.e.l.lo."
"h.e.l.lo, Ruolan, are you free today? Let"s meet. There are only you and me and no grandfather." Unexpectedly, Zhou Shufen"s voice came over the phone.
Half a month ago, the day Xiaoyi was seriously ill, the Zhou Family received a notification from a reputable brain hospital in the United States saying that they had found a cure to stabilize her condition. At that time, Zhou Shufen had called Xian Zihao before she brought Xiaoyi back to the United States.
No matter what role Zhou Shufen had played between her (Jiang Ruolan) and Xian Zihao"s relationship, Xiaoyi was just an innocent and cute child. Jiang Ruolan was glad that she survived.
It was just that she didn"t expect Zhou Shufen to return from America in half a month.
Judging from Zhou Shufen"s tone, she seemed to have relaxed a lot. She was no longer weak and stressed as she was. According to time, Xiaoyi should have escaped from danger. Her operation in the United States was a success, otherwise, Zhou Shufen wouldn"t have returned so quickly.
Jiang Ruolan looked at the time and then rejected it. "Recently, my stomach has been getting bigger and heavier. Zihao will walk with me every day when he comes back from work. I"m not in a good mood. Sorry, Miss Zhou, I can"t see you."
"Ruolan, I just want to talk to you. You should know that I will never hurt you. From beginning to end, I never tried to hurt you, whether because you are Zihao"s wife or my grandfather"s granddaughter. I just want to talk to you."
Jiang Ruolan sighed. "Alright then, what time? Where shall we meet?"
After Zhou Shufen told her the location and time, she hung up the phone.
"Sis Jiang, do you have an appointment today? Aren"t you going to see the wedding dress?" Xiong Ruogang asked.
Jiang Ruolan gave a soft smile and gently pinched her ear. "You"re always curious about these. Aren"t you so busy, so how can you go out and accompany me for a maternity check-up? Why don"t you come home early and rest? I won"t see the wedding dress today."
"Sure, then I"ll accompany you tomorrow to see it. After all, President Xian personally told me to do it. I don"t dare to disobey ~" Xiong Ruogang smiled.
Jiang Ruolan merely smiled and didn"t say anything else.
Seeing Zhou Shufen, for Jiang Ruolan, it was a complicated thing. Zhou Shufen was a woman with higher self-confidence. When faced with her husband"s old love, her heart will still be tied a little. But seeing her (Zhou Shufen) was a necessary process for Jiang Ruolan.
Zhou Shufen had already waited for a long time at the Beidou Avenue Tea House. When Jiang Ruolan sat down, Zhou Shufen immediately looked at her and said, "Sorry, I forgot that you"re pregnant. Since you can"t drink tea, why don"t we change somewhere else?"
"No need, I"ll just drink water." Jiang Ruolan called the waiter and ordered a gla.s.s of warm water.
Zhou Shufen drank two sips of tea before she said, "My daughter"s life is temporarily saved. The doctor says that she needs to undergo another operation before October. If the operation before the age of ten can be done smoothly, Xiaoyi will be able to live well like any other children."
"Congratulations." Jiang Ruolan smiled sincerely. At the same time, she placed her hand on her stomach.
Seeing Jiang Ruolan"s subconscious actions, Zhou Shufen pursed her lips and said, "Jiang Ruolan, I admit it for so long, I look down on you. I thought for years I was with him, and all the good he had done for me made me not believe that he has already transferred his love to another woman. This time, after suffering from watching Xiaoyi"s illness and a sudden miracle, I finally saw many things."