Chapter 709: Hearts are exchanged for hearts, four ounces for half a catty

Jiang Siwei brought a gift to the Sheng Family, but coincidentally, neither the mother-in-law nor the daughter-in-law were home; they had gone out to buy groceries together.

The housekeeper asked her to wait in the living room, and after not waiting for very long, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law returned.

"Cousin," Jiang Siwei called out sweetly, standing up.

Having not seen her for only a few days, Shi Youxuan almost didn't recognize her.

Although she was still just as fat, her whole body radiated a vibrant energy that was completely different from a few days ago!

"Cousin, this little gift is just a token of my respect, you must accept it."

Based on her standard of living, the gift was already very expensive.

Shi Youxuan said, "Why did you buy these? You're wasting money; it would be better to spend it on your child."

"It's only right, it's only right. If it weren't for you, Cousin, A Chao would still be locked up and unable to get out, let alone have the good job he has now."

"It has nothing to do with me; it's your husband who is capable," Shi Youxuan said truthfully.

Jiang Siwei was still moved to tears, calling her "Cousin" with every breath while expressing her gratitude.

Shi Youxuan couldn't help but remind her, "I'm not older than you."

Jiang Siwei was three months older than her.

From childhood to adulthood, she had always called her "the fool," "the fool," and there had never been any other form of address.

Now that she had suddenly changed how she addressed her, Shi Youxuan was still a bit unaccustomed to it.

"How about you just call me 'the fool' instead? It sounds more natural to my ears."

She didn't think too much when she said it; she just genuinely felt it sounded more natural!

But Jiang Siwei didn't think so.

"Cousin, everything in the past was my fault. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." She suddenly slapped herself in the face, and she hit quite hard.

Five-finger marks appeared on both cheeks, and they quickly became red and swollen.

"Hey, don't be like this. What are you doing? Why are you slapping yourself at the slightest disagreement?" Shi Youxuan prepared to pull her away, but she was too agitated to be pulled apart.

Jiang Siwei cried while hitting herself.

It wasn't a soft sobbing, but the kind of wailing and crying.

While crying, she said, "I'm sorry, Cousin, Xuanxuan. Actually, I regret bullying you so, so much, but there's no place in the world that sells medicine for regret. Shi Yuke was always bad-mouthing you in front of me, and she made me bully you, so I bullied..."

She truly regretted it deeply.

For so many years, she had avoided Shi Youxuan and never visited on her own initiative; besides being afraid of retaliation, guilt also played a large part.

Especially when she was bullied by her mother-in-law, she could always remember the time when she and Shi Yuke bullied the fool.

Only when one is bullied oneself can one truly empathize.

If it hadn't been for meeting at the airport this time, she would never have begged at Shi Youxuan's door in her entire life.

That night, she found the business card Shi Youxuan had tucked into her pocket, so she held it in her hand and looked at it repeatedly, feeling deeply moved.

She understood what it meant for Shi Youxuan to put the business card in her pocket.

It was to let her come to her if she had any difficulties.

If she had simply wanted to humiliate her, Shi Youxuan had plenty of time to do so at the airport.

But she didn't; instead, she put a business card in her pocket.

She hesitated and didn't want to come, but her mother-in-law found out.

Her mother-in-law had no other skills, but she was never one to miss out on fawning over the powerful.

The first time she came, although she was rejected, Shi Youxuan did not retaliate, which made Jiang Siwei breathe a sigh of relief.

Her husband had used the company's name to swindle people and was caught by the police; that was her second time coming here to beg Shi Youxuan to let her husband go.

This time she came.

There was the factor of her mother-in-law, but she was also willing to come herself.

Including the gifts she brought, everything was the best she could do!

Now that Shi Youxuan mentioned "the fool," Jiang Siwei's face felt burning hot with pain!

Back then, she was blind in heart and eyes, which was why she joined her eldest cousin to bully the second cousin... wait, which one of them was older?

She cried for a long time before she realized a very obvious problem.

"Which one of us is older?" Her face was covered in tears, her eyeliner and eyeshadow were smudged; Jiang Siwei was already fat, and now she looked exactly like a panda, full of comedic effect.

"You are three months older than me," Shi Youxuan finally waited for her to stop crying and said helplessly.

"Oh!"

Jiang Siwei's face turned even redder, from the inside out.

"Madam, it's time to eat." Lunchtime had arrived.

Wang Yinghao invited Jiang Siwei to stay for lunch, sincerely and earnestly.

She still had a vivid memory of how she ate last time.

The elderly lady didn't have much of an appetite, so she liked watching others eat ravenously. There was Sheng Zichen at home, but she hadn't seen enough and wanted to see more.

"No, I'll go back and eat."

That was what she said, but she didn't move.

"Don't be a stranger when you're at your cousin's house. Come on, eat with us."

"We didn't prepare anything special for you at home, just some home-cooked dishes. As long as you don't mind," Shi Youxuan said with a smile.

"I don't mind, I don't mind."

The Sheng Family's home-cooked dishes were richer than the New Year's Eve dinner at her own home, and when eating, no one would glare at her fiercely.

This was one of the few times since Jiang Siwei got married that she could let go and eat heartily at the dinner table.

Wang Yinghao secretly told Fang Jie to specifically add a few more dishes.

The food on the table disappeared with the speed of a whirlwind sweeping away clouds.

Sheng Zichen kept his mouth wide open the entire time, forgetting to close it.

There is always someone better than you, and there is always a heaven beyond the heaven.

He felt an inexplicable fondness for Jiang Siwei—he had found a kindred spirit!

Just as Jiang Siwei left, Yixin called.

"Xuanxuan, can you come out and keep me company?"

"Where are you? Have you been drinking?"

Jian Yixin's tongue was thick; it looked like she had drunk quite a bit.

"Hehe, yeah, come out and have a couple of drinks with me, at Youqing Jiuba, come on over."

Shi Youxuan:...

A bar?

In the middle of the day?

"Send me your location." She didn't know where it was just by the name of the bar.

She had never been there before.

"Beep-beep—"

A moment later, the location was sent over.

"Mom, I'm going out for a bit."

"Alright, go ahead."

Shi Youxuan didn't say what she was going out for, and her mother-in-law didn't ask.

Because of Lady Jian, Wang Yinghao didn't like Jian Yixin either, but since her daughter-in-law was close friends with Jian Yixin, she didn't object.

Youqing Jiuba.

What kind of place is this?

If the location hadn't been sent, Shi Youxuan really wouldn't have been able to find it.

The whole street was full of bars.

The decor styles varied, with all sorts of designs.

Bars usually operated at night; there was basically no one around in the middle of the day.

The door to Youqing Jiuba was tightly shut, but it opened with a gentle push from Shi Youxuan.

"Is anyone here?"

The light inside was very dim; coming in from the outside, she couldn't see things clearly, and Shi Youxuan kicked something, giving herself a fright.

"Ah, what is that?"

The thing she kicked rolled away; it seemed to be a wine bottle.

"Clatter!"

The lights turned on, and the bar instantly brightened.

There were quite a few wine bottles lying scattered on the floor, and Jian Yixin was sitting near the door, her little face flushed red.

"You're here? Hehe, come, try my handiwork."

She stood up and swayed into the bar area, wanting to make a cocktail for Shi Youxuan herself.

"How about a 'Xuesheng Mali'?"

Before Shi Youxuan could refuse, she changed her mind: "No, that kind of drink doesn't suit your temperament; your temperament should go with 'Ice Beauty'... no, that doesn't fit!"

Shi Youxuan was beautiful enough, but she wasn't icy.

Shi Youxuan supported her, not letting her go: "I don't drink. What happened to you? Sit down and I'll keep you company while we talk." She had no tolerance for alcohol.

Jian Yixin had a high tolerance for alcohol.

But she wouldn't drink easily.

If nothing had happened, she would never come to a bar to drink alone.

Shi Youxuan thought she might have had an argument with Sheng Zerong, but since the couple got married, their relationship had always been good.

They basically never argued.

She wouldn't let her go, but Jian Yixin was very persistent, insisting on mixing her a drink: "Are we friends? Xuanxuan, are you still holding a grudge against me because of what happened many years ago?"

Shi Youxuan:...

Where did that even come from?

If she were still holding a grudge, how could the two of them possibly be best friends?