The Substitute Bride and the Cripple - Chapter 103
Chapter 103: What a Tragic Life
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“I just found out about it…” Before Jiang Shaocheng could say anything to Tang Qiu, Madam Tang interrupted him.
“Nonsense! Your mother is dead!” Madam Tang rushed to Tang Qiu, face contorted. “I’m your grandmother by blood. Don’t you believe me? Listen to me now. Be filial to the Feng family and divorce this man. Stop asking questions about things that don’t matter. It’s your mother who was shameless back then and became someone else’s mistress. She gave birth to you before marriage. You have to repay her debt. You don’t need to care about anything else!”
When she was finished, Madam Tang looked enraged enough to devour Tang Qiu.
Tang Qiu was so frightened by her grandmother’s unhinged behavior that she could not speak. Her face went pale. Jiang Shaocheng was so worried that the old lady would hurt his wife that he almost stood up, crippled facade be damned!
Just as Jiang Shaocheng was about to pull her back, Tang Qiu’s expression changed. She shoved Madam Tang away. “Why shouldn’t I care? Who are you to stop me? All these years, I’ve always resented my mother and couldn’t live with being her daughter. You’ve also whispered about my mother’s sins in my ear time and time again. I’ve never understood why–it’s as if she isn’t your daughter! Now that I think about it, she seems to be your enemy, and you despise me for being born to her! Why? What exactly are you hiding from me?”
“I…” Madam Tang did not expect Tang Qiu, who had always been easy to manipulate, to grow a spine! Her eyes turned vicious as she turned to Jiang Shaocheng. “This is all your fault! She wasn’t like this before…”
“Qiu, calm down and listen to me.” Jiang Shaocheng pulled her over and held her icy, little hand. He fixed her with his gaze and said, “Your mother is doing well. I just found out the news. I can take you to see her… Let’s get out of here. I’ll explain everything, okay?” He was very worried about Tang Qiu’s current situation and didn’t dare to tell her the details.
Hearing this, Madam Tang was in disbelief. She knew she couldn’t hide the truth forever… but she still wanted to say something. However, He Lei seized her, stopping her from approaching Tang Qiu. This was the last time she would see Tang Qiu in her life. She would have to pay for her sins sooner or later.
Tang Qiu was taken away by Jiang Shaocheng in a daze. She couldn’t calm down. Jiang Shaocheng’s deep voice sounded in her ears. If he hadn’t been talking about her mother, she might have sighed and lamented what a tragic life this individual had lived.
Madam Tang had been renowned for her beauty in her youth. Her husband had been a mere clerk. Although he was by no means wealthy, he came from a loving family of three. At least, from the perspective of Tang Qiu’s grandfather. It was Madam Tang who hadn’t been contented with a simple life. She met a businessman overseas and caught feelings for him. She had wanted to follow him, but realized that she was pregnant with Tang Linxi.
Madam Tang had been bent on aborting the child, but her poor health stopped her. The doctor said that if she aborted the child, she would never be able to give birth again, and it had already been a huge struggle to birth one son.
Madam Tang had had no choice. If she couldn’t bear children, that rich businessman wouldn’t want her! She blamed her misfortune on Tang Linxi, and resented her daughter even more when she was born mute! She cursed Tang Linxi for being a jinx, barely restraining herself in her husband’s presence. However, when Tang Linxi was eight years old, Tang Qiu’s grandfather had died in a car accident. And so began Tang Linxi’s suffering. Her entire life became dedicated to serving her brother, Tang Linyong.
When Tang Linxi was 18 years old, Tang Linyong raked up huge gambling debts. It was Madam Tang who sold her daughter to Feng Guo’an in exchange for money to settle Tang Linyong’s gambling debt! However, Tang Linyong refused to mend his ways. He got drunk and caused trouble. He accidentally stabbed someone and was sentenced to prison. Madam Tang blackmailed Feng Guo’an using the truth about Tang Linxi, demanding a sum of money from him every year to ensure that Tang Linyong would be safe and sound in prison. That is, until Tang Qiu was five years old and Tang Linxi suddenly disappeared. Afterwards, everything changed.
Madam Tang was afraid that if the matter was discovered, it would affect her only son. He would be released from prison soon, and his life couldn’t afford to be ruined because of a jinx. However, what Madam Tang didn’t know was that Tang Linyong couldn’t be released from prison. He had fought with someone in prison and had his internal organs pierced. He had already died, leaving all her efforts in vain…
Madam Tang had been young and unschooled in the ways of the world. When she realized that someone was trying to find out about Tang Linxi’s past, she became uneasy and went to look for Feng Guo’an. However, Feng Guo’an washed his hands of the matter, claiming that Tang Linxi had seduced him. After being subject to Feng Guo’an’s accusations, Madam Tang had had no choice.