Chapter 149: Ungrateful

"Over the years, you have truly mastered your mother's ways," Elder Jin said with a sneer.

At the mention of her mother, Jiang Yao's heart was instantly pierced with pain.

She looked at Elder Jin with stubborn defiance. "Yes, you are right. Just like my mother, unlike your current wife who is so elegant and noble, I would never steal another person's man."

Her veiled sarcasm immediately infuriated Elder Jin.

He slammed his hand on the desk. "Insolent! How can you speak to your father like that!"

"I already said, I have no father!" Jiang Yao straightened her posture. "The only reason I came here today is because I was worried about Nana, not to acknowledge any father!"

Elder Jin trembled with rage. He strode up to Jiang Yao and grabbed her tightly by the neck.

Even in his old age, the man possessed strength far greater than a woman's.

The grip instantly brought Jiang Yao to the verge of suffocation.

Yet she still looked back at Elder Jin with an unyielding and defiant gaze.

"Let me tell you, my willingness to acknowledge you is for your own good. Don't be ungrateful! And don't ever try to compete with Nana for anything!"

With that, he shoved her away violently.

Jiang Yao's body crashed heavily onto the hard floor.

With no time to nurse the pain, she clutched her neck, taking deep, ragged breaths. Her eye rims turned slightly red, unable to mask the profound disappointment in her voice. "Why? Clearly, both she and I are your children."

Elder Jin looked at his hand—the one that had just choked Jiang Yao—which was still trembling slightly, and a secret pang of regret stirred in his heart.

Perhaps it was the disappearance of Jin Nana that had left him utterly unsettled.

His tone softened a fraction. "Nana has been spoiled. You should just let her have her way."

"Why must it always be me?"

"She is your sister!" Elder Jin snapped impatiently. "As the older sister, what harm is there in giving in to her?"

Jiang Yao braced herself and stood up, quietly smoothing down her clothes and hair until they were neat.

She finally understood. In Elder Jin's heart, Jin Nana was his own people, his true daughter. As for her, Jiang Yao, she was merely a byproduct of his remaining shred of conscience.

If there were two of something, Elder Jin would gladly split them between her and Jin Nana.

If there was only one, it would invariably belong to Jin Nana, and he would even help Jin Nana get rid of her sister in the process.

Jiang Yao took a deep breath, her voice turning so icy and resolute that it lacked a single trace of warmth. "I understand. However, He Yunqing is a living human being, not an object to be handed back and forth. But you needn't worry; I have no intention whatsoever of competing with Nana for anything. After all, I am Cheng Yanchi's fiancée now, and I will be his wife in the future. In the future..."

The future? How much of a future did she even have left?

Jiang Yao did not continue. She gave Elder Jin a polite yet distant bow.

Elder Jin turned his back to her and let out a sigh.

Thinking of the Cheng family's current predicament, a rare spark of pity for Jiang Yao flickered in his heart. "You don't need to worry too much. If the Cheng family requires any financial assistance, I—"

Before he could finish, he turned around, only to find the study already completely empty...

He had said that Jiang Yao's temper was the spitting image of Jiang Zhihua's.

In truth, Jiang Yao's temperament was much more like his own when he was young, stubbornly unyielding to a fault.

It was just that over the years, he had been through too much, and life had long since worn him down into a completely different person.

As Jiang Yao walked out, she ran right into He Yunqing and her father having a conversation.

The He family had heard that Jin Nana was missing and had come as well.

He Huaian raised his hand and slapped He Yunqing without a moment's hesitation. "You have completely disgraced the He family! After all these years of friendship with your Uncle Jin, how do you expect me to face him now?"

Aunt Yu chimed in from the side, "Huaian, let it be. Things have already reached this point, and Yunqing hasn't been like this for just a day or two. Why fly into such a rage? Watch your health."

Aileen stepped forward to intervene. "Dad, you can't blame this all on Yunqing. After all, he doesn't have the gift of foresight. If you want to blame someone..."

As Aileen spoke, her gaze swept across and landed on Jiang Yao, who was walking over. She raised a finger and pointed. "Blame her!"

Jiang Yao's steps halted abruptly, instantly making her the focal point of everyone's attention.

"It's all this Jiang Yao's fault! If she hadn't faked illness to seduce Yunqing away, how could anything have happened to Nana?" Aileen gritted her teeth. "She is already someone else's fiancée, yet she still pulls stunts like this. It is utterly shameless! Yunqing, have you still not seen her true colors?"

"Shut your mouth!" He Yunqing roared at Aileen. "You are not allowed to talk about her that way!"

"You're the one who needs to shut your mouth!" He Huaian scolded He Yunqing once more.

In an instant, the scene descended into utter chaos.

Jiang Yao looked at everything unfolding before her with a blank expression, feeling no ripples in her heart whatsoever.

After all, over the years, she had endured far too many insults and curses.

With so many wealthy and powerful people present here, it seemed her presence was no longer needed regarding Jin Nana's situation.

She quietly walked out of the Jin residence alone, wandering aimlessly down the streets.

A roadside vendor called out enthusiastically as she passed by.

She glanced at the vendor, suddenly remembering that the matter concerning Aunt Qin had not yet been resolved.

Had the police shown up at her door yet, or had Aunt Qin already taken Chen Shu to surrender themselves?

Even though Aunt Qin had made it clear she was unwelcome, Jiang Yao still wanted to sneak over and check on the situation.

The night grew heavier.

The street where the House of Hope eatery was located felt rather desolate.

With a heavy heart, Jiang Yao walked up to the shopfront, only to find that the House of Hope was already shuttered for the night.

Why were they closing so early today?

It either meant the police had arrived, or Aunt Qin had taken Chen Shu to the authorities.

Jiang Yao couldn't help shaking her head. There were simply too many frustrating troubles weighing on her lately.

She stood outside the door for a moment, then turned around to leave.

Suddenly, she heard a crisp "snap" from inside.

It was the sound of something hitting the floor and shattering.

Could someone be inside?

Jiang Yao stopped dead in her tracks, turned back around, and gave the tightly shut door a couple of knocks. "Is anyone in there?"

She pressed her ear against the door and listened intently, vaguely catching the sound of someone sobbing softly.

Jiang Yao's expression shifted. She circled the building once and finally fixed her gaze on the window.

For a storefront like this, the security level of the windows wasn't high; they could be jimmied open quite easily.

Jiang Yao forced the window open just enough to squeeze through and slipped inside. "Is anyone here?"

"Mmph... mmph..."

Following the sounds, Jiang Yao hurried to the back kitchen and finally spotted Aunt Qin, who had been tied up.

Aunt Qin's hands were bound tightly to a chair, and her mouth was stuffed with a thick rag. The moment she saw Jiang Yao, her face was already streaked with tears.

Jiang Yao rushed forward to pull the rag from Aunt Qin's mouth and frantically untied the ropes while asking, "Aunt Qin, what on earth is going on? Who tied you up? Did a burglar break in?"

Aunt Qin choked back a sob. "Never mind about me, A-Yao! Xiao Shu has lost his mind. I don't know what he's gone off to do, but before he commits an even greater mistake, you must hurry and stop him!"