Yun Buji longed to hug Jiang Mianmian, but he dared not. He feared her parents might have a bad impression of him. All he could do was look at her with a heartbroken gaze, his heart aching as if it would shatter. He finally understood the meaning of heartbreak.
"Wuwuwu, you hit her well. You should have hit her harder. I'm in so much pain. That woman is so wicked." Jiang Mianmian sobbed uncontrollably, like a wronged child finally finding a trusted guardian.
Jiang Mi was stunned. She watched as her daughter, who had held back tears and was comforting her just moments ago, now burst into tears. She realized her daughter had been putting on a brave face for her.
A wave of failure washed over Jiang Mi. Her daughter was willing to cry in front of her friends but not her own mother.
Zhou Hao quickly said, "Young Miss, I hit her too. I used all the strength I had. I hit her like this, like this! I kicked her with all my might!"
"Kick her hard! She's too wicked. My neck hurts so much." Mianmian finally acted like a child, crying and fussing in front of her friends, expressing her fear and sorrow.
"If you give me another chance, I'll grab a knife and slash her neck too! She's so wicked, how can anyone be so evil?" Zhou Hao also tried his best to soothe Jiang Mianmian's distress.
With the comfort of the two, Mianmian felt a little better, but she was still very worried about her father.
"Why did my dad stab himself so deeply? Didn't he have one of those spring-loaded knives? Like the kind used in movies? Why didn't he use that to fool that crazy woman? How could he actually stab himself?" Jiang Mianmian's sorrow threatened to bring on more tears.
"He definitely didn't have one then. Besides, to save you and your mother, how could your uncle have faked it? That would have been playing with your lives. Your uncle would never do that. He just loves you both too much," Zhou Hao said.
"Zhou Hao is right," Jiang Jingxiu agreed with him.
Hearing him say this made Jiang Mianmian feel even more miserable.
Jiang Mi was also deeply pained.
The surgery lasted over an hour and concluded. Jiang Jingxiu was wheeled out. Jiang Mi and Mianmian rushed forward, looking expectantly at Jin Lan.
Jin Lan removed his mask and said, "Don't worry, the surgery was successful. If it had been even a millimeter deeper, his life would have been lost. He's lucky to be alive this time. However, he needs a good rest. He's been injured twice this year. No more third time. Even an iron body can't withstand such abuse."
"What do you mean? When was my dad injured before?" Mianmian had no idea Jiang Jingxiu had been injured previously.
Jin Lan gently patted her head and asked, "How do you feel? Does your wound hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt. Compared to Dad's injury, mine is nothing." Mianmian tearfully hugged Jin Lan.
"I'll take a look at it later. Girls shouldn't be left with scars, or you might not get married," Jin Lan said as everyone escorted Jiang Jingxiu back to the ward.
Outside the ward, bodyguards stood guard, fearful of any further incidents. Yun Buji and Zhou Hao mingled among them, looking out of place.
Jiang Mianmian sat by the bedside, watching her unconscious father. Tears streamed down her face without stopping.
Jiang Mi sat down and said, "You should go rest. I'll take care of him."
"Okay, I'll leave it to you, Mom. Please don't leave before I return, okay? I'm afraid Dad will wake up and have no one by his side. He'll be so lonely," Mianmian said to her father with a tearful gaze.
She actually wanted to stay with her father, but she knew he would prefer his mother to be with him. She had to leave for now, giving her parents space to rekindle their bond.