Chiang Qing gazed at her reflection in the mirror, the pretty face that she used to have had lost its shape in just a few days, her skin was dull and lifeless, eyes lacked luster, and her hair was dry and yellow, sticking to her cheeks like a madwomanâs.
The beauty that had once been hers, he couldnât even appreciate, and now this ugliness, he disdained it even more!
Chiang Qing looked at herself in the mirror with disgust. She glanced left and right, found a pair of scissors, and with a snip, cut off her long hair.
Why, why had her fate turned out this way? Why couldnât she compare to a village wife? Why?
Chiang Qing frantically cut her hair, and soon, her once beautiful tresses were uneven and ragged. She screamed and threw the scissors towards the mirror.
Bang!
The glass shattered, sending pieces flying everywhere.
"Qingqing... Qingqing, what are you doing? Heavens, her dad, Old Chiang, come quick!" Lu Shufen screamed at the sight of the hair on the floor and the broken mirror.
Jiang Conghe rushed in quickly and, seeing the mess all over the floor and his daughter standing there dazed, was filled with rage.
"Come with me." Jiang Conghe grabbed Chiang Qingâs hand and dragged her out of the room, and upon seeing her disheveled hair, he couldnât help but explode, "Look at you, what have you become!"
Chiang Qing shook off his hand, casting him a disdainful glance.
Grinding his teeth, Jiang Conghe said to Lu Shufen, "Grab whatever you can, and letâs go. Whereâs Xiao Tian, Xiao Tian!"
Chiang Tian yawned as he walked out of the room and asked, "Whatâs happening?"
"Help your mother pack up; weâre going back to Beijing immediately," Jiang Conghe said.
Chiang Tian was stunned, but seeing the look on his fatherâs face, he didnât dare argue. He just let out an "oh," and upon seeing Chiang Qingâs hair, he couldnât help but exclaim, "Sis, your hair!"
Chiang Qing gave him a cold look, then turned to Jiang Conghe.
"Donât even start saying that you wonât go; you will have to leave no matter what you say," Jiang Conghe said before she could speak.
"I want to see Qi Taiguo. I wonât leave until I do," Chiang Qing stated.
Jiang Conghe was furious, "What did you say? Say that again!"
"Without seeing Qi Taiguo, I wonât leave, unless you carry my corpse out!" Chiang Qing said, lifting her chin defiantly.
"Qingqing..." Lu Shufen was heartbroken.
Slap!
Jiang Conghe slapped Chiang Qingâs face hard, roaring: "Are you threatening us? If you want to die, then go ahead and die, go on!"
Heaven, what sin had he committed to have begotten such a daughter who seemed bound to torment him!
Five vivid red finger marks appeared on Chiang Qingâs face.
"Youâre insane, why did you hit her, you think she isnât hurt enough?" Lu Shufen, protective of her daughter, rushed over, touched Chiang Qingâs face, and asked with pain, "Does it hurt, Qingqing? Mom will go get the ointment!"
Chiang Qing pushed her hand away and looked at Jiang Conghe expressionlessly, saying word by word, "I want to see Qi Taiguo!" She was indifferent to the slap mark, as if the slap hadnât landed on her face at all.
Lu Shufen was stunned, crying out, "My daughter, stop being foolish. Why do you still want to see him? He only wants to kill you, how could he possibly see you? Why are you so foolish!" She cried while beating her own hand.
Sheâs possessed, utterly possessed, this daughter of hers.
Chiang Qing remained unresponsive, just staring straight at Jiang Conghe, her eyes brimming with resolve and stubbornness.
Jiang Conghe, looking into her indifferent eyes, stumbled back a step, pointed at her, but couldnât utter a single word.