Chapter 282 - 282 Bleeding
282 Bleeding
“The painting in the photo is a work of mine that I sold,” Shen Xi said using the microphone. “Once I accepted payment, those paintings ceased to be mine. They now belong to the person who bought them.”
After the award ceremony, Shen Xi retrieved her phone, hoping to apologize to San Shi for the inconvenience she must have caused. However, she soon realized San Shi had deleted her from their friend list.
Shen Xi stared at the screen in disbelief, wondering, ‘Could they have learned about today’s events?’
The turn of events vexed Shen Xi to no end. If she had known earlier, she would have apologized sooner. It was never a good idea to step on some big shot’s toes for no reason.
Jiang Xue was so angry that her face contorted in an ugly scowl, though it lessened when she noticed Shen Xi’s expression. “What’s wrong?” she taunted. “Do you regret offending some big wig now that you know your place?”
Shen Xi put away her phone and said to Jiang Xue, “I’m sure you have better things to worry about. You might soon need to go on stage and admit defeat.”
Zhao Yuan pushed through the crowd, arriving at Shen Xi’s side. Proudly echoing her friend’s words, she said, “That’s right! I remember the bet you made with Shen Xi. Isn’t it about time you announce your ineptitude now that you’ve lost to her? Or are you too scared to admit defeat? You piece of trash!”
Jiang Xue trembled in anger. It just so happened that Su Ni entered her line of sight, and Jiang Xue found a good punching bag to vent her frustrations.
“Su Ni, who do you think you are?” Jiang Xue seethed. “Do you think you’re so much better than me that you can stand around and watch as I’m being made a fool of?”
Su Ni briefly met Jiang Xue’s intense, hate-filled eyes before lowering her head timidly.
Jiang Xue grabbed Su Ni, pulling her over. The latter stumbled and crashed into the former. Jiang Xue felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and collapsed, screaming.
Liu Cheng bore witness to what happened and jumped in fright. She wanted to help Jiang Xue up, but someone pushed her, causing her to trip and fall on top of Jiang Xue, her knee digging into Jiang Xue’s belly.
The double whammy was too much to bear, and Jiang Xue began bleeding profusely.
Shen Xi immediately pulled Zhao Yuan and Guan Lei away, trying to keep some distance from Jiang Xue. Her gaze fell on the flustered Su Ni.
By this point, Liu Cheng was as white as a sheet. She quickly scrambled to her feet and screamed, “Call emergency services! Hurry up!”
Su Ni’s voice trembled as she said, “I’ll do it!”
Yet, beneath Su Ni’s veneer of fright hid an unspoken viciousness.
The ambulance arrived posthaste, and the paramedics lifted Jiang Xue out of the pool of blood she lay in.
Xiang Cheng, who happened to be taking care of his grandfather at Rong City No. 1 Hospital, suddenly received a message on his phone. “Jiang Xue is three months pregnant. She was just admitted to Rong City No. 1 Hospital, Room 2030. Ask the doctors to perform a test if you don’t believe me.”
Xiang Cheng felt like he had been taken for a ride. He was so angry that he did not hear his mother calling him.
“My dear, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything?” Wang Yue anxiously shook her son.
Xiang Cheng’s eyes were bloodshot as he passed his phone to his mother for her to read the message.
Wang Yue accepted the phone with some confusion. When she read the message, she trembled in barely repressed fury. She needed to be calm for the next part. “Son, did you and Jiang Xue only have that one time at the hotel?”
Xiang Cheng’s chest heaved as he forced the words out through gritted teeth, “Yes. That was our first time! Damn it! Jiang Xue told me that was her first time!”
Wang Yue’s mind drifted to the blood on the bed and understood that the Jiang family had played them. “Hah! Good, good! Jiang Xue and the Jiang family… How dare they play us for fools?! That minx! I’ll have her hide!”
“What is it?” Xiang Tian took the phone from Wang Yue’s hand and scanned the message.
Xiang Tian closed his eyes in a bid to calm down. When he opened them next, he gave Xiang Cheng a tight slap. “You idiot! You don’t even know if it’s your child!”
Xiang Cheng remained silent. His father was right; he had been stupid. Jiang Xue had led him by the nose, and he had followed none the wiser.
Xiang Cheng picked up his phone that his father had dropped on the floor and swept out of the room, heading for wherever Jiang Xue was.
Xiang Tian and his wife told the nurse to watch over Xiang Jun before chasing their son.
However, instead of Jiang Xue, the three members of the Xiang family found a haggard-looking Xia Chun speaking to a doctor.