No reconciliation, no forgiveness! Mr. Pei leaves with nothing.

Chapter 282 From now on, everything belonging to the Jiang family will belong to them…

As Song Qingran listened to each word pieced together and the facts ruthlessly revealed, she never imagined that his kindness towards her was all because she resembled Mr. Pei, who was already dead and her most beloved girl.

Looking back on the past, she worked tirelessly to earn money for her mother's uremia treatment and raise the medical expenses. She did all kinds of dirty and hard work. When she was seventeen or eighteen, many bosses thought she was too young and were unwilling to hire her. So she could only work in restaurants in small alleys, doing the dirtiest and most tiring jobs. Every time she got off work very late, she would be bullied by thugs.

Until, when she was almost humiliated, he appeared before her like a god descending from the sky.

He said, "Come with me, and no one will bully you anymore."

He kept that promise.

Song Qingran had no choice. On that dark, rainy day, she held his hand for the first time, and for the first time... she sat in such a luxurious car, and... she never dared to dream of such a big house.

Everything she had from beginning to end was given to her by him. Song Qingran thought she would live her whole life in poverty and darkness. She never imagined that someone would appear in her life like a ray of light.

He provided her with the best financial support and the best learning environment, and even helped her mother with the exorbitant medical bills. Without these burdens, she was able to study without any worries and do what she wanted to do. All of this seemed like a dream to her…

When it came to Mr. Pei's feelings, she timidly retreated. At that time, she knew, and had heard him admit, that he had a wife. So, when facing him, she resisted everything about him and never responded to him...

Over the years, apart from that relationship, Song Qingran only treated him as an older brother. Even though she had been moved by him for a moment, he had a wife, and she had her own bottom line to accept his love.

She also controlled her emotions and didn't reciprocate his feelings...

But she never imagined that his kindness towards her would be because of her resemblance to the person he loved.

All along, she had only been her substitute, which was why Mr. Pei treated her so well. No wonder... every time he looked at her, his eyes seemed to be looking through her at someone else.

When Zhou Yan saw that something seemed to have broken in Song Qingran's eyes, she smiled and was satisfied with the expression on Song Qingran's face. She walked up to Song Qingran and stood in front of Zhou Xu's black and white portrait. "Look, you two look so alike. Sometimes my mother and I think that if A-Xu hadn't died, she would have grown up to be as graceful and beautiful as you."

The regret and pity in the last sentence felt like a genuine expression of emotion.

"No...that's not true. Mr. Pei has never liked me. The only person he loves is his wife."

"No...it's impossible..."

Song Qingran found it hard to accept that she was just a substitute for the girl in front of her, and she shook her head in distress.

Zhou Yan let out a cold laugh, "Wife? You mean that one from the Jiang family?"

"The only reason he married her was to take revenge on the Jiang family. Ah Xu died because of the Jiang family. Do you think... why Pei Zhan would rather live with you in a life of luxury than go back to her? Do you know what he has done?"

“Pei Zhan had three children with her, but each time he lost a child, he never felt sorry for her because he told me that even if the child was born, he could not keep the child of his enemy’s daughter.”

"Over the years, he has given everything for you. He used all his money to buy you a sea-view villa and used his last savings to pay off your mother's medical expenses."

"Oh, and there's your spot in the Jiang Group. Do you really think you can get first place with your jewelry designs?"

"After graduating from the Imperial University, you even had the opportunity to study abroad... All of this was thanks to his help behind the scenes. Without Pei Zhan... you are nothing."

"He treats you so well only to make up for the regret of losing Ah Xu back then, because... Ah Xu's dream was also to become an excellent jewelry designer."

"Everything about you is so similar, so similar that... I even think you are Ah-Xu."

“But… Ah Xu’s ashes are here, and they haven’t been buried all these years because neither he nor I could bear to let her be buried in the dark and damp underground.”

"How cold she must be!"

Song Qingran explained, "No, that's not how it is. I'm not her substitute, and Mr. Pei has never liked me. We...we've never been together. None of what you're saying is true. He hasn't contacted me in a long time. He's gone back to his family. I've seen his wife; she's very beautiful. Mr. Pei has no reason to still have his eyes on me."

Zhou Yan told her, "He... isn't looking for you because he's afraid the Jiang family will do something to you. Do you think the Jiang family are any good people?"

“Pei Zhan was afraid you would be in danger because you looked the most like A-Xu among all the women he had been with. He… had already planned to divorce her after he got everything from the Jiang family.”

"You have no idea how much he loves Ah-Xu. For her... he's willing to risk everything, including... his life!"

"Even if someone bears even a slight resemblance to Ah Xu, he will always favor her..."

"Right now, the Jiang family doesn't know about A-Xu's existence. But if they find out... and they attack you again, he'll destroy the entire Jiang family, leaving them destitute and alone..."

"Wh...what?" Her family was destroyed and her life was ruined. In her mind, Mr. Pei was not such a terrible person. She did not believe that Mr. Pei would do such a thing. "No, no, he is not that kind of person."

"He's capable of doing it. Of course, he didn't do all this for you... He's planned every step of the way until now, all for Ah Xu, to get justice for her..."

"Because... the Jiang family has the support of the Shen family, no one can touch them, but all of this... sooner or later we will take it back for A-Xu!"

Yes!

Everything he did was not for her, but for the person Mr. Pei loved.

"Once we've finished everything in the capital, we'll return to Wuchuan, just like before..."

Images of herself following behind him as a child flashed through Zhou Yan's mind. Back then, Ah Xu had been sent to her maternal grandfather's house to recuperate from an illness, and only she was by his side. Those times spent alone with him were the most cherished and beautiful moments she remembered...

...

After learning of Pei Zhan's thoughts, Jiang Weiguo was astonished that he would make such a decision for Huahua. Even if Huahua received a heart transplant and survived, she still wouldn't be able to have her own child; the risk of pregnancy was 80%. To risk her life for a child was unacceptable. Even if Jiang Weiguo clung to a sliver of hope, he didn't want his daughter to be in danger again. A child… they could adopt, but his and Qingcheng's daughter was only Huahua. No matter what, he wouldn't gamble her life for another child…

He was very gratified that Huahua had found someone in her life who could do so much for her.

Previously, no matter how angry Jiang Weiguo was, his anger dissipated because of Pei Zhan's action.

Jiang Hua wanted to be discharged from the hospital, but her father forced her to stay for a week. She felt like an experimental subject being studied in the hospital, and every day she was either undergoing experiments or being watched to take her medicine on time.

When Shen Yebai arrived at the hospital, Jiang Hua was sitting on a stone bench in a hospital gown, quietly watching the shimmering artificial lake. It was a high-end private hospital with a large sanatorium lawn in the inpatient area, surrounded by patients who had come down from their wards to take a walk and sunbathe because they were bored.

Despite his busy schedule, Shen Yebai took a day to visit her at the hospital. Bao'er was hiding not far away. When Jiang Hua looked at her, Bao'er glared at her angrily and then looked away. Clearly, she still hadn't forgiven her for hiding her marriage from her.

"What caused you to end up in the hospital this time?" Shen Yebai's words hit the nail on the head. Seeing her hesitation, he changed his tone, "It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Jiang Hua sometimes wants to talk to someone, but it's hard to find someone who's on the same wavelength as her. Her only friend, Bao'er... listening to her sad stories only affects her eating and drinking mood, and feeding her this negative energy only makes her unhappy.

Bao'er hasn't experienced much, she's like a child, she might not understand these things.

Jiang Hua then told him about everything that happened in her past life, weaving it into a dream.

Even Shen Yebai felt as if Jiang Hua had experienced it herself when he heard it, and the emotion in his eyes seemed to show that he felt sad and upset for her.

"...Huahua, if everything you've said is true, have you ever considered that your encounter with Pei Zhan might not be a coincidence?"

"As far as I know, Pei Zhan has achieved more in the field of finance than in the jewelry industry. With his abilities, he is capable of starting his own company when he gets his first capital. How could such an ambitious person be content to stay in the Jiang family and... be at your mercy?"

"Even if he wanted to do something to the Jiang family, or even devour them, any smart person would know that the Jiang family has the Shen family backing them up, and would never target the Jiang family."

"According to what you said about the dream, Pei Zhan also took action against the Shen family, joining forces with the Wang family to suppress them, which forced the Shen family to form a marriage alliance with the Mu family. Don't you find it strange... everything Pei Zhan did seemed like he was acting with a specific purpose?"

Jiang Hua was speechless. She came up with the reason why Pei Zhan attacked the Jiang family: "Probably... he hates the Jiang family because... I forced him so much back then. I even broke up his original fiancée and ruined his good time. That's why he has such a great hatred for the Jiang family, which is why he didn't want to set foot in Yulong Bay for all those years."

"After all, we weren't attracted to each other from the beginning. If it weren't for his abilities, I wouldn't have kept throwing myself at this country bumpkin. The main reason is that Dad thinks he can support the future of the Jiang family."

"Maybe... I'm overthinking it." Seeing her downcast mood, Shen Yebai comforted her, saying, "What you're saying is just a dream, it doesn't count. Besides... haven't those things already happened?"

"The Jiang family is still around, and I will no longer have any dealings with the Mu family. You... can rest assured."

"He...wasn't with you?"

Jiang Hua: "He's undergoing surgery. I just hope the doctor slips up and lets him die on the operating table, or at least be half-dead..."

Shen Yebai chuckled: "The resentment is indeed quite strong."

"It's too good for him to die once, since I was so miserable in my dream."

Yes, what exactly caused such a drastic change in him in this life? Not only did he abandon Song Qingran, but he also... severed his line of succession.

Was this change really because... Pei Zhan went to see him after he returned to Wuchuan?

That time in Wuchuan, Pei Zhan said: Because... Mrs. Pei came to see me.

It seems that after this incident, Pei Zhan completely changed his attitude towards her.

In her past life, Pei Zhan had also visited Wuchuan once, but she had a huge argument with him then. Jiang Hua didn't go to see him, and even took a plane abroad in a huff, refusing to see him. Ten days or half a month later, seeing that he hadn't come to find her, Jiang Hua shamelessly returned to his side.

Despite her attempts to reconcile, Pei Zhan never gave her a second glance; in the past, he would always forgive her.

Pei Zhan is ruthless not only to others but also to himself. The surgery he underwent means he will never recover.

Jiang Hua was also moved by his words: "If dreams are real, then I will change the ending of your dream..."

"So, you're going to trust him this once?"

"But your children's..."

Jiang Hua: "For our third child, we did start trying to conceive six months in advance, but... the doctor said that the heart medication we were taking had significant side effects, and there was a 50% chance that the child would not live long, or... even if the child survived, the child would be born with disabilities or deformities."

"After hearing this news, I had already resigned myself to not wanting it anymore."

"I'm destined not to be a mother in this life, so I might as well accept my fate. Anyway... I'm already destined not to marry Ji Liangchuan in this life. Even if it weren't for Pei Zhan, there would be other people. If I keep going like this, I'm afraid I won't live for more than a year."

"Since I'm going to die soon, I might as well... let Pei Zhan live alone, living as a widow for me, childless and without any future..."

"Consider it punishment for what he did to me in the past."

"Just like us, we can never live like ordinary people, living for ourselves and doing whatever we want..."

"Behind you is the entire Shen family, including future generations, all working for the glory of the family."

"And me...and my father and the entire Jiang family..."

"As long as I am with Pei Zhan, the Jiang family will not collapse."

Shen Yebai: "But if you're gone, do you believe he'll still stay with the Jiang family?"

Jiang Hua looked at him: "Don't I still have you? If I die, you'll watch over him for me..."

"If you and Bao'er have children in the future, have several, and have me as their godmother. Everything in the Jiang family will then belong to them..."

"As long as...they are here, the Jiang family will always be here."

Shen Yebai slowly said to her, "Okay."