Chapter 15: On the Verge of Passing

Fortunately, he had prepared for this. He immediately grabbed a bottle of water from the side of the car, unscrewed the cap, and held it to Jiang Mugui’s lips.

Sensing the moisture, Jiang Mugui instinctively latched onto the bottle like a small animal that had been deprived of water for days, gulping it down. Mu Anyan frowned and lifted her head slightly to ensure she wouldn’t choke. "Slow down, Mugui."

The way she looked reminded him vividly of feeding her when she was a child, but he banished the thought almost instantly.

After she had her fill, she rubbed against Mu Anyan’s chest like a satisfied little rabbit. Having cleared her head, she opened her eyes slightly.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

As the focus in Jiang Mugui’s eyes returned, she realized where she was and what was happening. She immediately thought of something and struggled to sit up.

Mu Anyan, however, was quick to hold her down. He immediately instructed the driver, "To the hospital."

Jiang Mugui’s mind was clear. "Father, I need to go back to the old mansion to see my grandmother. She’s dying."

"I know," Mu Anyan said. "I’ve already contacted your uncle, and I’ve sent people to keep watch. We are going to the hospital first."

Jiang Mugui insisted, "My injury is nothing. I have to see my grandmother."

"Jiang Mugui!" His voice rose, stern and filled with authority.

Jiang Mugui was slightly startled. Once the driver had started the car, he softened his tone. "Your wound is very close to an artery. The bleeding has only been temporarily stemmed; going to the hospital is the safer choice."

Jiang Mugui curled her lip, her expression a mix of grievance and defiance, but she said nothing more.

"How did you get hurt?" he asked after a moment.

Recalling the scene, Jiang Mugui’s eyes stung. Despite all the resentment she felt toward her mother, she would not speak ill of her in front of others. "I saw my mother drinking and felt upset, so I rushed over to take the bottle away. The floor was slippery, I fell, and the bottle cut me."

Mu Anyan did not press further. The two remained silent until they reached the hospital. Mu Anyan opened the door for her and looked at her. "Can you walk on your own?"

Jiang Mugui’s voice was cold. "Yes."

It was not the first time she had been temperamental in front of him—fine one moment, and seemingly offended the next.

He understood why, but treating the wound was the priority, and he could not indulge her. Besides, before they even reached the hospital, her wrist had begun to bleed again. She had endured it in silence, and Mu Anyan, noticing, merely handed her a cotton ball to press against it without calling her out.

The doctor worked efficiently, treating the wound and prescribing medication. Afterward, Mu Anyan immediately drove them back to the old mansion.

As soon as the car stopped, Jiang Mugui bolted inside. The front door was open, and she rushed directly into her grandmother’s room. A crowd had already gathered around the head of the bed—some were covering their faces and weeping, while others stood in silent, tearful mourning.

"Grandmother!" Jiang Mugui pushed through the crowd and rushed to the bedside to take the old woman’s hand.

The old woman was in her final moments, having slipped into a light coma and lost consciousness. Yet, she kept muttering a few words: "Xiao Wei, Weiwei..."

"I’m sorry, Weiwei..."

Tears streamed down Jiang Mugui’s face.

She gripped her grandmother’s wrinkled, aged hand. "Grandmother, I’m here. Mother... Mother is also..."

She looked around, searching for Jiang Wei’s face. Her uncle, looking incredibly anxious, frowned and asked, "She still isn't answering her phone. She might not even know about your grandmother’s condition. Didn’t you go home to get her?"