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A Life for a Life
Grandma Jiang's words sent a shock through Mao Shiba, who looked at her in disbelief and asked, "Are you saying that to save Lin Hao, we have to sacrifice Xiao Juan's life?"
Grandma Jiang was silent, but she nodded expressionlessly.
This nearly shattered Mao Shiba. His gaze turned directly to Xiao Juan, who, apart from silent sobs, was even more silent than Grandma Jiang, not uttering a word.
No matter what, sacrificing Xiao Juan was something Mao Shiba could never agree to. He rushed to Grandma Jiang's side, standing in front of Lin Hao's bed, and said with an agitated tone, "No way. If that's the case, I absolutely refuse."
"You refuse?" Grandma Jiang shot a cold glance at Mao Shiba.
Mao Shiba nodded firmly and said, "I will never agree to it, no matter what."
As he spoke those words, a chilling gaze suddenly fell upon him—belonging to Mu Yan.
If it weren't for Grandma Jiang and Xiao Juan arriving earlier and claiming they could save Lin Hao, Mu Yan would have likely gone mad by now.
However, now that there was a way, it was being obstructed by Mao Shiba—a situation she would not allow to happen.
Even if this method required sacrificing another person's life, it was a price Mu Yan was willing to pay.
"Yes, Grandma Jiang, what exactly is going on?" Mao Guoxue also seemed puzzled by Grandma Jiang's words and quickly asked.
Although Mingyue did not speak, she stood aside with a complex expression, her watery gaze drifting between Xiao Juan and Lin Hao.
Grandma Jiang scanned the crowd with a sigh before finally resting her weary eyes on Mao Shiba. "If you refuse, how can I say I ever agreed?"
"Why did that old woman do such a thing?" Mao Shiba questioned instantly.
"What can I do? This is not something I can decide," Grandma Jiang's voice suddenly rose, her face filled with sorrow.
In the end, she helplessly recounted the method to save Lin Hao.
Upon hearing this, everyone fell into silence, their brows furrowed. It was at this moment that they truly understood Grandma Jiang's words—what it meant for one life to be exchanged for another.
But even with this understanding, saving Lin Hao would mean sacrificing Xiao Juan's life, which was something Mao Shiba still could not accept.
He turned to look at Xiao Juan, his voice trembling as he said, "Xiao Juan, do you really not cherish your own life at all?"
Xiao Juan was speechless; all she could do was shake her head repeatedly through her tears.
"Answer me! I can't believe you would really do this," Mao Shiba pressed on, his tone filled with agitation.
"Ah..."
Finally, Xiao Juan sighed helplessly, her gaze turning to Mao Shiba. With tear-filled eyes, she had no choice but to say softly, "Elder Brother Eighteen, I know your feelings for me, but this is a burden I must bear alone."
After saying this, she slightly turned her head to glance at Lin Hao, who lay motionless on the bed. She continued, "Everything that has happened is because of me. It should have been me who died, not him. Just as the old woman said, this is the price."
"Nonsense!"
Mao Shiba suddenly shouted angrily, "What kind of ridiculous price is that? Even if what you're doing is wrong, what have you gained? You haven't gained anything!"
His voice was loud and his emotions were extremely agitated.
As Xiao Juan looked at Mao Shiba in that moment, a flicker of pain crossed her face, yet she still spoke with a sense of helplessness, "Eighteen, sometimes a mistake is just a mistake. And once something is done, regardless of what one gains from it, there must be a price to pay. I must now pay for the things I have done; or rather, reap what I have sown."
After saying this, Xiao Juan couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating smile, which was quite desolate.
Life can be like this sometimes; the harder you try to grasp something, the more likely you are to lose it.
Xiao Juan wanted to hold onto Lin Hao, so she resorted to having Grandma Jiang cast a spell.
But this led to such a result that not only did she fail to obtain Lin Hao, but she also had to sacrifice her own life.
And Mao Shiba wanted to hold onto Xiao Juan, yet felt equally powerless.
They were not alone; Mingyue and Jin Zhongyun faced the same predicament.
No matter how much Jin Zhongyun invested in Mingyue, he could never enter her inner world. Instead, it was Lin Hao who gradually made his way into her heart.
Sometimes, matters of the heart are so peculiar that they feel absurd yet laughable.
As her voice faded and her footsteps moved slowly, Xiao Juan approached Mao Shiba, reaching out to gently wipe away the tears that had fallen from his eyes. Her voice was soft as a whisper, filled with regret and a hint of sorrow. "Eighteen, I'm sorry; you must understand I had no choice."
"No, I don't want you to do this."
The tears that Xiao Juan had just wiped away quickly fell again, as if they were uncontrollable, flooding like a broken dam.
Mao Shiba grasped Xiao Juan's hand tightly. She had never been so gentle with him before, nor had she ever shown such intimacy. This made Mao Shiba unable to contain his emotions any longer; he cried like a child.
He cried.
Xiao Juan was also crying.
Grandma Jiang slightly closed her eyes, and murky tears fell from her eyes once again.
Ming Yue stood by, her own tears wetting her eyes.
Mu Yan remained silent at that moment, but the coldness she had shown earlier was gone. Her gaze lingered on them, and her fists were slightly clenched.
Perhaps she was also moved by the scene before her, but she felt equally helpless.
People are selfish; for Lin Hao, even sacrificing Xiao Juan's life would bring pain, sadness, and heartbreak.
Yet she would still make that choice, with no other option available.
"Sigh..."
After a long while, Mao Guoxue sighed and looked at Mao Shiba, seemingly just as powerless. "Eighteen, let her go. Since everything has come to an end, there will surely be a result; Grandma Jiang and Xiao Juan can face it themselves. Why can't you open your heart and confront this as well?"
"Second Uncle..."
Mao Shiba was suddenly at a loss for words, his voice trembling. "How can I let go?"
Hearing this, Mao Guoxue's face flashed with a hint of pain, but he still spoke firmly. "Letting go is also a form of respect—for her and for yourself."
Mao Shiba was his nephew; how could he not feel heartache?
But just like Grandma Jiang and Xiao Juan had said, some things, once done, must be faced by oneself.
"Yes, Eighteen."
Xiao Juan chuckled lightly. Although her eyes were still glistening with tears, her smile remained sweet. She said softly, "Thinking back to the past, you and I were childhood sweethearts. If it weren't for the complexities we face now, perhaps it would be a sweet memory, wouldn't it?"
"In the past..."
Mao Shiba raised his eyebrows slightly, seemingly lost in thought, a knowing smile appearing on his face. "Yes, in the past."
However, as he spoke, Xiao Juan slowly withdrew her delicate hand from his tight grip. Tears slipped silently down her cheeks as she turned away from him without looking back. With a heavy heart, she walked to the side and directly approached Lin Hao's bedside amidst the astonished gazes of everyone present. Her eyes were filled with deep affection, tears shimmering as she leaned down and kissed his lips deeply.
In that moment, time seemed to freeze. No one spoke; only tears flowed silently in the stillness.
What was even more surprising was that this time, Mu Yan did not interrupt but allowed Xiao Juan to kiss Lin Hao deeply.
Her tears continued to fall, dripping onto Lin Hao's cheek as she trembled slightly, stifling silent sobs. After a long while, she finally rose and lay down beside him, gently closing her eyes as she whispered, "Mother-in-law, let’s begin."
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