"Brother, hold on... I'll take you to find Xiao Li and beg her to cure your poison..."
After saying that, Jiang Zhao immediately helped Jiang Xing lie down in the back seat of the car. He then returned to the driver's seat, buckled his seatbelt, and slammed on the gas pedal, speeding toward the Jiang family residence.
Half an hour later—
Jiang Zhao carried Jiang Xing on his back and walked up to the main gate. Remembering that he had already handed over the sensor key to the head butler when they moved out, he had no choice but to shout at the bodyguards standing inside, "Open the gate and let me in, quickly!"
The bodyguards inside naturally recognized the person shouting outside as Jiang Zhao, the former second young master of the Jiang family, and the man on his back as the eldest young master.
However, they also knew that these two young masters had been kicked out by Old Master Jiang.
Therefore, the guards completely ignored Jiang Zhao.
Growing anxious, Jiang Zhao roared, "I told you to open the gate!"
The bodyguards cast a cold glance at Jiang Zhao and replied in a strictly businesslike tone, "Without the permission of Old Master Jiang and Miss Jiang, we cannot let you in."
Jiang Zhao stepped forward and kicked the gate hard, causing the iron doors to let out a loud clang.
The bodyguards remained entirely unmoved.
Left with no other options, Jiang Zhao took out his phone, intending to call Jiang Youli.
Yet, the moment he pulled out his phone, he realized he hadn't even saved the phone number of his own sister, Jiang Youli...
In that instant, a wave of intense shame and regret washed over his heart.
But he couldn't just stand by and watch his eldest brother suffer a fate worse than death.
Jiang Zhao shook Jiang Xing. "Brother, do you have Xiao Li's number?"
Using the last bit of his remaining sanity, Jiang Xing nodded. "I... have her number saved in my phone..."
Jiang Zhao immediately fished out Jiang Xing's phone, unlocked it with Jiang Xing's fingerprint, quickly scrolled through the contacts, and dialed Jiang Youli's number.
To his dismay, the automated voice on the other end informed him that the number he dialed did not exist.
His brother's number had been blocked!
Yes, it was perfectly normal for Xiao Li to block them.
They completely deserved it!
"Pfft!" Amidst his excruciating agony, Jiang Xing spat out a mouthful of blood and finally passed out, unable to endure the pain any longer.
Jiang Zhao cried out in terror, "Brother!"
Out of options, he had to drive his brother Jiang Xing to the nearest hospital. Even if the doctors couldn't cure the poison, they could at least give him an anesthetic injection to help him survive the flare-up.
...
The next day, Jiang Youli woke up, picked up her phone, and scrolled through Weibo, wanting to see if the trending topic about Long Yuan was still there.
The trending searches regarding Long Yuan and Second Master Long had already been taken down, and all related videos were nowhere to be found. Instead, she and Jiang Zhao had made it to the trending list.
It turned out that Jiang Zhao had posted a status update on Weibo around midnight last night.
[I am sorry. I was wrong. Xiao Li, my good sister, I will spend the rest of my life protecting you and making it up to you. Even if my body is smashed to pieces, I will never let you suffer any more heartbreak.]
Attached was a late-night selfie of him standing at the main gate of the Jiang family residence. Under the interplay of light and shadow, he looked incredibly broken and pitiful.
Jiang Zhao, who had been in a coma for some time, hadn't posted on Weibo at all. As soon as this update went live, the fans who had stayed by his side through the Evening Gown Incident immediately poured out their sympathy and support for him once again.
[Oh my god, my heart is breaking. Zhaozhao truly knows he was wrong now. I hope he can earn his biological sister's forgiveness.]
[I heard about it. It's all because that adopted sister was stirring up trouble. Zhaozhao was deceived into doing things that hurt his biological sister. But since Zhaozhao said this, it means he will really do his best to make it up to her.]
[I hope the sister can forgive Zhaozhao!]
[I hope the sister can forgive Zhaozhao!]
[I hope the sister can forgive Zhaozhao!]
Jiang Youli was speechless.
Not only was she entirely unmoved, but she also found it laughable.
Who was he putting on this show for? Or rather, was he trying to use public opinion to force her into forgiving their family?
How utterly shameless.
After washing up, Jiang Youli went downstairs to have breakfast with her beautiful mother and handsome father.
Zhang Susu said helplessly, "Youli, did you see Jiang Zhao's Weibo post?"
Jiang Youli took a sip of milk. "I saw it."
Zhang Susu was a bit speechless. "Jiang Zhao keeps claiming he's sorry and wants to make it up to you, but isn't he just trying to incite his fans to pressure you right now?"
Jiang Yehan, on the other hand, had anticipated this. "Their family definitely hasn't given up after being kicked out of the Jiang household like that. They will surely try every possible method to gain Youli's forgiveness so they can return."
Having spent so much time together, Zhang Susu wasn't worried in the slightest that Youli would forgive Jiang Zhao and the others. Her only concern now was that some of Jiang Zhao's extreme fans might cause trouble for her.
Most of these celebrities' fans were minors, so it wouldn't be appropriate to have 001 deal with them too harshly.
Jiang Youli said nonchalantly, "I originally wanted to force Jiang Zhao to terminate his contract with Starlight Entertainment and cut ties with him forever. But looking at the situation, I'll just keep him pinned down in the company and put him on ice, making sure he never gets the chance to be famous again. In today's entertainment industry, netizens change their 'husbands' twice a year. It won't be long before Jiang Zhao fades completely from the spotlight."
Zhang Susu nodded. "Mm, just be careful."
After breakfast, Jiang Youli drove her car and slowly pulled out of the Jiang family's main gate.
Suddenly, a figure darted out from the side, blocking her car's path.
Jiang Youli slammed on the brakes. Looking closely, she realized it was Jiang Zhao.
He had lost all the arrogance he possessed when they first met. His face looked incredibly haggard, and he was even sporting some unkempt stubble.
He held a bag in his hand, his eyes filled with a mixture of desperate eagerness and anxiety.
"Morning, Xiao Li."
His voice was extremely hoarse, as if he hadn't slept well all night.
In reality, Jiang Zhao hadn't slept well at all. After taking his eldest brother Jiang Xing to the hospital last night and informing their mother, Qin Yulian, to go take care of him, he had driven straight back to the Jiang residence. He had waited at the gates the entire time, just for a chance to see his sister, Jiang Youli.
"I brought you some breakfast..."
"I've already eaten." Jiang Youli sneered. "Who cares about your breakfast? Is this cheap show of concern what you call making amends? It's just as sickening as that nauseating post you made on Weibo."
Jiang Zhao's hand, holding the breakfast bag, trembled slightly.
"Xiao Li, eldest brother's poison flared up last night. He was in so much pain he wished he were dead. I'm terrified he won't survive the next flare-up and might choose to end it all himself. Considering that he is your biological brother no matter what, could you please cure his poison?" Jiang Zhao's tone was full of pleading.
"No." Jiang Youli refused without a second thought. "I gave him a chance once, and he chose to give it to Jiang Yonghe."
"Move aside. Do you feel it's a pity you didn't get crippled in that last car accident, and want me to run you over again?"
Jiang Zhao had anticipated this answer.
So, he had one last resort.
"Xiao Li, just like you said, I've done terrible things to you. The fact that you didn't run me over and kill me already shows your mercy. So, if you still haven't vented enough of your anger, take it out on me. I'm willing to bear eldest brother's pain for him. Poison me and cure him, okay?" Jiang Zhao begged bitterly. "He's already miserable enough, having lost the use of one leg. I don't want him to suffer through this hellish pain anymore."
Jiang Youli narrowed her eyes and said sarcastically, "You two really have a deep brotherly bond. It certainly makes me look all the more cold-blooded and heartless."
Jiang Zhao hastily replied, "That's not true, Xiao Li, you aren't cold-blooded at all. We brought all of this upon ourselves!"
Jiang Youli sneered. "Speaking of which, you really are more despicable than Jiang Xing. Tampering with the brakes—if it had been anyone else, an unlucky person probably would have been sent straight to the King of Hell. Compared to Jiang Xing, your injuries are indeed far too light. If it weren't to make you see Jiang Yonghe's true colors, I absolutely never would have let you wake up."
Hearing her words, Jiang Zhao's eyes lit up with hope. "Then are you willing to..."
"No," Jiang Youli cut him off ruthlessly.
