Upon hearing that Xiang Wanniao had attempted suicide, Xiang Yanhua and Jiang Peijun rushed to the hospital in a panic.
When Jiang Peijun entered the room and saw her daughter’s pale face, she was so heartbroken she couldn't speak, her eyes instantly welling up with tears.
"Child, you have such a good life; why would you do something as foolish as trying to end it?" Xiang Yanhua’s tone was reproving, yet tinged with pain. "If something had happened to you, what were your mother and I supposed to do?"
Seeing Xiang Yanhua and Jiang Peijun standing there alive and well, Xiang Wanniao’s eyes turned red in an instant.
In her past life, she had been deceived by that pair of scoundrels, Xiao Xu'an and Lü Siwei. Furthermore, because her parents had forced her to marry Gu Jingzhan against her will, she had fallen into intense conflict with them.
One rainy night, while Xiang Yanhua and Jiang Peijun were in Beicheng for business, they were killed in a car accident on their way home. She had thought it was just a tragedy, only to discover at the very end that it was murder—planned by Xiao Xu'an and Lü Siwei to seize the Xiang Group and the Xiang Family’s assets.
"No matter what happens in the future, just talk to your mother and me," Xiang Yanhua sighed helplessly. "Don't ever lose hope like this again, and never hurt yourself again."
Xiang Wanniao fought back her tears, bowing her head in shame; she couldn't bring herself to look them in the eye.
Jiang Peijun, eyes brimming with tears, took her daughter’s injured hand and gently stroked the gauze on her wrist. "Does it hurt?" she asked with concern.
Hearing such tenderness from her mother, Xiang Wanniao could no longer hold back her tears. She bit her lip and said in a trembling voice, "Mom, Dad, I'm sorry."
Jiang Peijun looked at her with heart-wrenching love, brushing a strand of hair from her shoulder. "It’s all right, it’s all right. We aren't blaming you, but you must promise us you won't do this again, you hear?"
Xiang Wanniao nodded, tears streaming down her face as she hugged Jiang Peijun. "Mom, I was wrong. I truly know I was wrong."
Jiang Peijun hugged her back, patting her on the back as she whispered, "Good girl, as long as you know you were wrong, that’s all that matters."
Seeing how heartbroken Xiang Wanniao was, Xiang Yanhua felt a pang in his own heart. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke softly, "Qiaoqiao, if you truly cannot bear to be with Gu Jingzhan, Dad will..."
Knowing exactly what he was about to say, Xiang Wanniao pulled back from Jiang Peijun’s embrace and interrupted him. "Dad, I’m not divorcing Gu Jingzhan. I will never divorce him for as long as I live."
The moment the words left her lips, both Xiang Yanhua and Jiang Peijun froze, exchanging a stunned look. They couldn't have heard that right, could they? The words "not divorce" had actually come from Xiang Wanniao’s own mouth! It was simply unbelievable.
"Qiaoqiao, you..." Xiang Yanhua stared at her, full of confusion, cautiously testing the waters. "What did you just say?"
Jiang Peijun reached out to touch her forehead, asking with deep concern, "Qiaoqiao, are you feeling unwell? Does your head hurt?"
Xiang Wanniao wiped her tears and said with complete sincerity, "Mom, Dad, I mean every word. I was wrong before. From now on, I won't act out anymore; I’m going to live a good life with Gu Jingzhan."
The atmosphere went stagnant for a moment.
"R-really?" Jiang Peijun asked, half-doubting.
Xiang Wanniao gave an emphatic nod, answering firmly, "Yes, really."
Xiang Yanhua remained skeptical. How could his daughter, who used to stir up such trouble, have a total change of heart after one suicide attempt? Was this really their daughter?
Jiang Peijun smiled gently, patting the back of Xiang Wanniao’s hand. "Good. As long as you’ve come to your senses, that’s all that matters."
"Qiaoqiao, if you really don't want to be with Gu Jingzhan, you don't have to force yourself," Xiang Yanhua insisted. Thinking of how his daughter had gone so far as to attempt suicide just to leave Gu Jingzhan filled him with guilt and self-reproach. "I’ve realized now that as long as you are alive and well, nothing else matters."
Xiang Wanniao knew her sudden 180-degree turn was hard to believe. After all, she had been willing to die to get a divorce; now that she claimed she wouldn't, any normal person would wonder if she had lost her mind.
"Mom, Dad, I know you do everything for my sake," she said. "I don't blame you. I am truly repentant, and I genuinely want to make a life with Gu Jingzhan."
Xiang Yanhua could see that she was being earnest, and the weight on his heart lifted slightly. Perhaps this brush with death had truly made her realize many things, leading to this change.
"Qiaoqiao, you really mean that?" Xiang Yanhua asked.
Jiang Peijun stepped in to defend her daughter. "Oh, stop it. She’s already said as much; don't doubt her anymore."
"Yes, yes, you're right. I'll stop," Xiang Yanhua said, setting his doubts aside for now.
Looking at her parents, a smile spread across Xiang Wanniao’s face without her realizing it. Thank goodness they were still here. Thank goodness everything could start over.
That evening, shortly after her parents had left, Xiao Xu'an arrived quietly. Putting on a look of deep concern, he sat by the bed and said, "Qiaoqiao, how are you? Are you alright?"
Seeing his face, a chill settled in the depths of Xiang Wanniao’s eyes. A fierce, involuntary wave of hatred rose within her, and she clenched her hands into tight fists.
*“Xiang Wanniao, do you really think I love you? You’re nothing but a prop in a play to me.”*
*“A slut like you, who sleeps with anyone—I find even looking at you filthy. How could I ever truly love you?”*
*“I’m only with you for the Xiang family’s wealth and shares. Once you’re dead, everything you have will be mine.”*
Recalling the words he had spoken in her past life, her fists tightened further until the fresh gauze on her wrist began to seep blood. Only now did she realize how foolish she had been, turning away a man as good as Gu Jingzhan to be blindly devoted to a piece of trash like Xiao Xu'an.
Xiao Xu'an, you destroyed my family and stole our assets in my past life. In this life, I will make sure you pay for everything you’ve done!
"Qiaoqiao?" Xiao Xu'an noticed the shift in her eyes and paused, a strange tightening in his chest. Her gaze... why did it feel so unfamiliar? Could she have figured something out?
Xiang Wanniao took a deep breath, reining in her true emotions, and forced a stiff smile. "Brother An, you finally came to see me."
"Qiaoqiao." Seeing her revert to her usual demeanor, Xiao Xu'an dismissed his suspicions, assuming it had been his imagination. "Qiaoqiao, you have no idea how worried I was. You can't just throw your life away like that, no matter what!"
Xiang Wanniao suppressed the hatred in her heart, working hard to play the same role she always had. Since he liked to act so much, she would play along until he had his fill.