"Why don't you come home for Chinese New Year anymore?" Jiang Mi asked, a little curious. Jiang Jingxiu used to return to the Jiang family every year for the holidays.
"My mother is gone, so there's no point in going back," Jiang Jingxiu replied, unusually amiable towards Jiang Mi.
Jiang Mi was stunned upon hearing this. Jiang Jingxiu's mother was his father's second wife, not Jiang Tian's biological grandmother. She was, in a way, the link between Jiang Jingxiu and the Jiang family. Now that she was deceased, he no longer wished to return.
When Jiang Mi was with the Jiang family, the Madam was the only one who had shown her kindness.
"Grandmother... when did she... pass away?" Jiang Mi's tears couldn't be stopped from flowing. She didn't want to cry in front of him, but thinking of the person who had been good to her vanishing from the world, she couldn't help it.
Jiang Jingxiu looked at the girl who had suddenly started crying and reached out to hand her a tissue. "It's all in the past."
"..."
"I'm sorry," Jiang Mi said, getting up and walking into the bathroom. She sniffled hard, but it was no use; tears still poured out. She knew Madam Jiang had a reserved personality and treated people with a certain distance, but she had helped her on many occasions when she was in trouble, and Jiang Mi was very grateful to Madam Jiang.
How could such a good person die?
Jiang Jingxiu slowly ate his dumplings, finding it suddenly comical. When his mother passed away, not a single person in the Jiang family shed tears for her, or if they did, it was feigned. Yet, this girl, whom they had casually found to replace someone, was genuinely crying for his mother.
Jiang Mi couldn't hold back any longer and ended up crying in the restroom. When she emerged, her eyes were red. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she kept her head down.
She felt that the Jiang Jingxiu family must find her ridiculous, thinking she wasn't worthy.
After dinner, Jiang Jingxiu sat on the sofa and smoked. He said, "I'll stay the night."
Jiang Mi looked up in surprise at his words, then lowered her gaze again. "I don't have any pajamas for you."
"Then I won't wear any! I'll go shower," Jiang Jingxiu said, extinguishing his cigarette before heading to the bathroom.
By the time Jiang Mi registered what he meant, her face instantly flushed red. How could she only now realize how shameless he had become!
Jiang Jingxiu truly didn't wear anything, emerging with a worn-out pink bath towel tied around his waist. Jiang Mi could imagine he wasn't wearing anything underneath, pressed against her towel, and she immediately felt uneasy.
"Aren't you going to sleep yet?" Jiang Jingxiu asked, looking at her.
"Yes!" Jiang Mi said through gritted teeth. "I'll sleep on the sofa, and you can take the bed inside."
Jiang Jingxiu chuckled and walked towards Jiang Mi. Jiang Mi immediately retreated, but after two steps, the man scooped her up and carried her towards the bedroom.
"My bed is too small, we can't both sleep on it!" Jiang Mi hastily explained.
"Squeezing together will be warmer," Jiang Jingxiu said, carrying her back to the bed and laying down on the small queen-sized bed with her.
Jiang Mi thought that she couldn't anger him right now, so she remained still. She made conversation to fill the silence. "Grandmother... what happened to her? She was still quite young."
"Cancer," Jiang Jingxiu replied indifferently. Jiang Mi felt his grip on her tighten.
He was reluctant to part with his mother.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought up Grandmother today," Jiang Mi apologized with a heavy heart.
Jiang Jingxiu suddenly lifted her chin, making her look at him. His voice raspy, he said, "No! I should thank you, because you're the only one willing to talk about her with me."