72: Cutting ties with Xia Family

Cutting ties with Xia Family

"How dare you accuse my daughter, Jiang Xiu!" Feng Rong cried out, having already stood up in shock.2

She is the only one who is aware of Xia Mingzhou's tendency to inflict physical pain on others, as it was she who took the girl to her psychotherapy sessions when she is eleven years old. She attended psychotherapy sessions for two whole years before her treatment plan finally ended.

Xia Mingzhou after that didn't show any aggressive behavior so she thought the girl had been fully treated.

So Jiang Xiu should be talking nonsense.

She must be frightened of being disowned by the Old Master, so she is attempting to redirect his wrath to his other granddaughter.

"You—! Not only did you not listen to our words for the two of you, but now you're framing my granddaughter!" The old man became enraged and furiously pointed at Jiang Xiu.

"Xiao Xiu, stop saying nonsense," Xia Zhong remarked, not believing a word of it, "Mingzhou has treated you very well all these years, and this is how you're going to repay her?" 

Jiang Xiu's face became blanched with disbelief.

Although she knew it wouldn't be easy to make them believe her words, she never thought that they wouldn't even consider her statement and just look at her with disappointment in their eyes, even Xia Mingyu avoided her gaze, as though her presence really bothers him.

She had finally mustered the courage to tell them what happened and they didn't even give her the chance to explain.

It was wrong for her to think that after all these years, they must have treated her as if she were a family member because she did treat them as such, despite not being treated warmly enough. 

Xia Mingzhou who had been sitting all this while stood up and bowed to Jiang Xiu as she said in a quavering voice, "Cousin, I know that we had a few fights after Xiao Yue went to Shuhui Middle School and I want to apologize if I ever offended you, but please do not falsely accuse me of something like hurting you. I..." Xia Mingzhou could barely finish her words as her voice cracked and tears started to roll down her cheeks, "...I can't ever do that to you."

"There's no need for you to apologize!" The old man grabbed his granddaughter to prevent her from bowing, "She doesn't deserve it!"

"How could you lower your head to someone ungrateful as her?!" Feng Rong couldn't accept what her daughter had just done.

"Mingzhou, sit down," Her father ordered her and Xia Mingzhou sat back on her chair and lowered her head.

The Xia family thought she must have been deeply hurt by her cousin's words that she could barely lift her head, making them more upset, however, Xia Mingzhou's lips were formed in a sneer and her eyes were filled with mockery.

Jiang Xiu, do you really think they would believe you, an outsider, over me?

Even if you have bruises all over your body, they won't believe a single word you said and would instead think that you inflicted those on yourself just to frame me.

Jiang Yue seeing all their reactions, knew this will happen because aside from the fact that they saw Xia Mingzhou grow up, that girl knows how to manipulate people and have them dance in the palm of her hands.

It must have been very painful for Jiang Xiu who bared her trauma to them yet all she received were disappointed and condemning looks.

She had intended to gather the evidence after this to present it to them but seeing their reaction changed her mind.

There's no point in keeping these kinds of people.

Jiang Yue went in front of her sister so the girl won't be the subject of their disapproving gazes, "Xiao Xiu only wanted to prove why this place never felt like home to her because you accuse her of being ungrateful when she only wants to live in the dorm," she paused, thinking about what would be the best way to handle it, "I'll get the evidence of Xia Mingzhou inflicting physical harm on Xiao Xiu, and I'll bring this case into court. If Xia Mingzhou is proven guilty..." Jiang Yue's eyes which were filled with warning and threat, shifted from one person to another, "... let's sever our relationship."

"You—" Xia Zhong was taken aback by the girl's words. 

He can see Jiang Yue is resentful of all of them, and she will not hesitate to carry out her threat. 

"Think carefully about what you just said," Xia Zhong remarked, narrowing his eyes, "If you're certain about it, I won't stop you." 

Everything will be different if Jiang Yue doesn't change what she just said. 

In the cracks of their relationship, mistrust and resentment had already grown.

"You white-eyed wolf! The Xia family had fed you with our own hands and you won't even hesitate to frame your cousin and bring it to court!" Feng Rong wanted to go and grab the girl's hair and demand an apology from her, but she restrained herself.

She could only cuss the two wrenches in her mind for having a heart of a wolf and a lungs of a dog.

"Let them leave," the Old Master said sternly, "There's no need to see if my granddaughter is guilty or not before we cut our ties, if you don't apologize for what you did, I'll disown the both of you. It's useless keeping ungrateful people who bites the hands that fed them."

Jiang Yue could hear the girl standing behind her back sucking in her breath, anticipating that she'll move out behind her, and about to apologize, she turned toward her.

Jiang Xiu's eyes were already red from trying to stop her tears from falling and her lips were already bloody red from being bitten.

"Sister... I'll just apologize," The girl murmured in a quavering voice that could be barely heard.

"No, you once said that one should apologize and own up to their mistakes, but it is wrong to apologize when you have done nothing wrong either— what are you crying for?" She pointed out as she handed the girl her handkerchief, seeing that the tears she had tried so hard to hold back were already streaming down her cheeks, "You've already done enough, let me handle it, okay?" Jiang Yue asked softly, and her sister nodded.

"Besides, you still have me and father. I'm old enough to look after you on my own."

Jiang Xiu wanted to respond that she's old enough to look after herself and her sister doesn't have to, but she was unable to muster the strength to say so.

Her emotions got the best of her and now that she thought about it, it was wrong of her to apologize when she only told the truth.

Her sister was right, why should she apologize? 

She does not want to cut ties with the Xia Family because she has always been thankful to them for providing for her, but why does she have to wrong herself?

Jiang Xiu moved away from Jiang Yue so she could face the Xia Family.

She cleared her throat and in a determined voice said, "Grandfather, Uncle, Auntie, Cousin, thank you for everything. We'll leave now."

She took her sister's hand in hers and walked away without looking back. 

Let them think anything they want, she won't care anymore.

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