Chapter 130: Making Peace with Oneself

Jiang Xiaoxiao was practically gnashing her teeth, but she was powerless to do anything now. She had no choice but to bow her head and accept her fate.

Jiang Ziyou waved the IOU in front of Jiang Xiaoxiao. Her expression suddenly turned grave, and her voice was filled with warning. "Jiang Xiaoxiao, do not play any more tricks behind my back. If you do, the price you pay will be far greater than what it is now."

Seeing Jiang Ziyou’s expression, Jiang Xiaoxiao’s heart gave a violent jolt. She knew that Jiang Ziyou was taking revenge on her because she had cut the ribbons on her model’s shoes during the competition, nearly preventing her from taking the stage. She had not expected Jiang Ziyou to be so vengeful. It turned out that her previous air of aloofness, her disdain, and her disregard for money were all just a damn act. Though she was so angry she felt as if her lungs might explode, Jiang Xiaoxiao was completely helpless to fight back.

Jiang Ziyou left the hospital. In the parking lot, Yao Shulan suddenly called out to her.

"Xiaoyou."

Jiang Ziyou stopped. "Ms. Yao, is there something you need?"

"You are willing to call him 'Dad,' so why won't you acknowledge me as your mother?"

Jiang Ziyou’s fingers slowly tightened. She only called him "Dad" because she didn't care about him that much anymore. Since Jiang Jinhui valued interests above all else, she treated him with a businessman’s mindset. If calling him "Dad" twice could earn her shares in the company, why wouldn't she do it? Psychologically, however, she had long since stopped harboring any illusions about Jiang Jinhui.

But Yao Shulan was different. Jiang Ziyou could never ignore the fact that she had been abandoned by her. She could never forget the vicious curses and resentment Yao Shulan had once heaped upon her, nor could she forget how she had disregarded her own feelings to adopt Xia Ling as her goddaughter. The damage inflicted by all of this was immeasurable. Once upon a time, her mother was the person she loved most in the world. It was only in front of Yao Shulan that Jiang Ziyou ever showed any emotional volatility.

"I am living with Yin Ruyun now, and I have already accepted her."

Jiang Ziyou had not actually accepted Yin Ruyun, and of course, she knew Yin Ruyun was not her biological mother. But she knew the lethal impact those words would have. Sure enough, Yao Shulan’s face changed drastically, and a storm brewed in the depths of her eyes.

After a long silence, she lowered her gaze. "If you want to accept her, then do so. The grievances between adults have nothing to do with you children. Before... I was wrong."

For some reason, hearing those words made Jiang Ziyou feel incredibly pained. For years, she had been waiting for those words day and night. She had been waiting for Yao Shulan to admit that abandoning her was a mistake. She had been waiting for her to regret it, to lie awake at night, and to face the retribution of fate. But when Yao Shulan actually said it, she felt no thrill of revenge. Instead, she felt only sorrow. In that instant, Jiang Ziyou suddenly felt lost. What was it, then, that she had wanted?

Yao Shulan continued, "Xiaoyou, if I’m not mistaken, you must be Miss Y."

Jiang Ziyou looked at Yao Shulan, her eyes showing only a fleeting moment of surprise. It was only a matter of time before Yao Shulan figured it out; after all, she was the person who had known her best since childhood.

Yao Shulan explained, "When Xiaoxiao designed that 'Four Seasons Garden' collection, I felt the works looked familiar. I felt I had seen them somewhere before. Later, I suddenly remembered that many years ago, I saw you drawing that very 'Four Seasons Garden' in the study." Yao Shulan’s lips curled into a bitter smile. "You are truly a child with great design talent, whether it be in fashion or jewelry."

Jiang Ziyou had loved drawing since she was a child. She had never hired professional designers to teach her fashion design; she had simply been interested, researched it on her own, and mastered the basics. It was likely the same with her becoming a jewelry designer.

Jiang Ziyou stared fixedly at Yao Shulan. "Since you knew, why didn't you expose me just now?"

Yao Shulan replied, "You have your reasons for not wanting to go public." She fell silent for a moment before continuing, "Besides, over the years, I have done too many things to hurt you in order to protect Xiaoxiao. I won't do that again."

If Jiang Xiaoxiao knew that Miss Y was Jiang Ziyou, she would realize that the reports of her plagiarism were also Jiang Ziyou’s handiwork, and she would undoubtedly create an uproar. Furthermore, Jiang Jinhui would blame Jiang Ziyou for the crisis facing *Qing Ben Jia Ren*, and the shares would never be given to her.

Jiang Ziyou let out a cold laugh. "Do you think I will forgive you just because of this?"

Though her tone was cold, she felt incredibly sad inside—abnormally sad. She suddenly fell into a state of immense confusion. She had gotten everything she wanted—Yao Shulan’s regret and guilt—but it didn't seem like what she truly wanted at all. She didn't know what she wanted. She wanted... to return to her old life. The life without barriers. The relationship between mother and daughter where she could act spoiled and be uninhibited. But that was impossible. Jiang Ziyou knew it would never be possible again.

"It doesn't matter if you don't forgive me, Xiaoyou. As long as you live well in the future, that is enough for me." Yao Shulan’s eyes reddened, but she fought back the tears.

"So, your regret now is also because I am more useful to *Qing Ben Jia Ren*, and this is just another choice made after weighing the pros and cons?"

Yao Shulan looked up at Jiang Ziyou and quickly explained, "Of course not. I never abandoned you because of pros and cons. I just couldn't accept that the daughter I raised with my own hands was the daughter of the enemy I had hated for so many years."

Yao Shulan sighed. "Your biological mother and I were a cruel joke played by fate. From best friends to each other's greatest enemies, we sought revenge and lived lives filled with mutual hatred. Neither of us was a winner. I have come to terms with it now. When will the cycle of vengeance end? I don't want the tragedy of our generation to repeat itself in yours."

"Xiaoyou, you are far more capable than Xiaoxiao. Your future will never be on the same level as hers. She cannot defeat you. If one day she truly falls into total ruin, please don't drive her to extinction. Spare her, will you?"

For some reason, Yao Shulan had been having dreams lately of Jiang Ziyou and Jiang Xiaoxiao killing each other. Jiang Ziyou would strike with ruthless precision, and Jiang Xiaoxiao would die a miserable death. Even though she didn't think much of Jiang Xiaoxiao, she was still her biological daughter, and she bore responsibility for how she had turned out. Ultimately, she could not bear the thought of her suffering a tragic end because of offending Jiang Ziyou. After all, standing behind Jiang Ziyou was the young master of the Beijing elite circles. To offend him was as easy as crushing an ant.

Jiang Ziyou replied, "Don't worry. As long as she behaves herself, I won't cause her any trouble."

With that, Jiang Ziyou said nothing more, got into her car, and drove away.

As the car left the hospital and sped along the city’s overpass, Jiang Ziyou suddenly burst into tears. After crying it all out, she felt a sense of relief. In that moment, she finally understood that what is lost can never be reclaimed. Time cannot be reversed. All these years, she had been like an abandoned child, unable to let go of the obsession of being cast aside by the person closest to her. She had been trapped in that day when she was kicked out of the house in the pouring rain. She could not accept that a mother could abandon her own child.

But in this moment, she suddenly felt a sense of release. Human nature was complex, after all. Yao Shulan was no saint; she had lived through a shattered life of her own. Her breakdown and hatred at learning that Jiang Ziyou was the daughter of her enemy had been real. Perhaps her current guilt and regret were real, too.

Jiang Ziyou wiped away her