Su Qinchun said tentatively, "Sister-in-law, you're part of the Old Su Family now. My mom said that if we have even one bite of food, we'll give it to you first."
"You seemed to be eating plenty yourself just now. I don't see how you were letting me eat first."
Su Qinchun: ...
"But you said there was still a lot more, didn't you? If there wasn't much left, I definitely would have let you eat your fill first."
Seeing her earnest sister-in-law, Gu Jiaojiao giggled before calmly giving her an instruction.
"I believe you. In that case, you can wash the bowls and clean the kitchen. I'm going to take a nap."
"You got it."
After Sheng Xinglian finished her letter, she went to the post office in the compound and sent it as registered mail. She hoped the Gu Family would receive it quickly and hurry over to torment Gu Jiaojiao.
She returned home in high spirits, only to see that Old Sir Sheng was there. Her good mood vanished in an instant.
'That damned old man. He was indifferent to me in our last life, and now that he sees me in this one, he's even more passive-aggressive.'
"Grandpa~ What brings you here?"
"Oh? This is my eldest son's home. Are you saying an old man like me can't visit?"
"Dad, why are you arguing with a child?" Mrs. Sheng said wearily.
'She knew the old man was unhappy about the newspaper announcement, but they couldn't be blamed for going too far.'
'Her Xingxing had suffered so much in the past, and she always felt insecure after coming back to them.'
'If they didn't take a firm stance, their daughter would be anxious all day, and it pained her to see it.'
'Gu Jiaojiao had a good life with the Sheng Family for eighteen years. Now that she's married, her life won't be that bad even after severing ties with them.'
Mr. Sheng had gone to work and ate lunch at his office, so he wasn't home. Only Mrs. Sheng, Third Sheng who was still in school, and Sheng Xinglian were at the house.
Old Sir Sheng usually lived with Mr. Sheng's family, but that changed after Sheng Xinglian returned to the Sheng Family.
Gu Jiaojiao became impossible, causing drama all day long. He got so sick of it that he moved in with his second son, whose house was right next door to Mr. Sheng's.
"Grandpa, please don't be angry. Jiaojiao herself was the one who said she wanted to sever ties, which is why Dad published the announcement."
Third Sheng wasn't lying. Gu Jiaojiao had indeed said that on her wedding day. Even though she'd said it in a fit of anger, she had said it nonetheless.
'Besides, a white lie was worth it for the sake of family harmony. His grandpa had a bad heart and couldn't get upset too often.'
"What's there for an old man like me to be angry about? Gu Jiaojiao was never one of the Sheng family to begin with. There'd be no relationship even without the newspaper announcement."
The implication was that his eldest son had been too ruthless. Mrs. Sheng understood this perfectly.
Sheng Xinglian, however, didn't get the hint. 'This old man is such a snob,' she complained internally.
'In her past life, Gu Jiaojiao married Song Zijin and became a wealthy, high-society wife, and the old man absolutely doted on her.'
'In this life, Gu Jiaojiao married a cripple, and the old man gives her the cold shoulder. What a snob.'
"Grandpa~ How can you be so heartless? Jiaojiao is the granddaughter you watched grow up, after all."
Old Sir Sheng: ...
'For fuck's sake! Which one of this idiot granddaughter's eyes saw me being heartless?!'
"I'm full. You all take your time."
Old Sir Sheng put down his chopsticks and left without a backward glance. Third Sheng shot his sister a fierce glare.
Sheng Xinglian started to whimper and cry again. Mrs. Sheng's heart ached for her, and she shot her younger son a harsh glare.
"Mom, I'm full. I'm going to class," Sheng Shiwu said, practically fleeing as he chased after his grandfather.
Left with her sniveling daughter, Mrs. Sheng felt a wave of helplessness. She hated the Gu Family more and more for raising her daughter to be so timid and unrefined.
When Gu Jiaojiao woke from her nap, the IV bags she had hung for Su Shuochi were empty.
"Are you feeling any better?"
"There seems to be a slight tingling sensation in my lower back, but I still can't feel my legs at all," Su Shuochi answered honestly.
'In truth, he was already quite satisfied. At least he could feel his lower back now. That meant feeling in his legs wasn't far behind, right?'
He was always stoic, so Gu Jiaojiao couldn't tell if he was happy or not. She suggested,
"Let's go out for a stroll. A change of scenery will lift your spirits, and a happy mind helps the body heal faster."
Gu Jiaojiao was spouting nonsense with a straight face. She just wanted to get familiar with the compound.
The original owner's memories were one thing, but experiencing it herself was another. Plus, she wanted to go out and listen in on the housewives' gossip.
Su Qinchun had class in the afternoon, so the two of them went out to explore the compound on their own.
Most people in the compound were either at work or school. Only a few elderly men were playing chess under the large trees.
A group of housewives with their children were gossiping under a tree as well, but they immediately fell silent the moment they saw Gu Jiaojiao pushing the wheelchair.
Gu Jiaojiao had excellent hearing and could tell they were gossiping about her. Before, they wouldn't have stopped talking just because she appeared, but this time they fell silent with such haste.
'It must be thanks to their husbands,' she thought.
Gu Jiaojiao contentedly pushed her husband, strolling along the compound's main road and asking questions about everything like a curious child.
Su Shuochi knew his wife had never seen the splendors of the world, so he was very patient, proudly explaining everything to her one by one.
One spoke with delight while the other listened, captivated. Before they knew it, the evening rush hour had begun.
The people in the compound deliberately avoided the couple, and Su Shuochi noticed.
But he didn't mind. After all, he didn't really know anyone in the compound anyway.
"Gu Jiaojiao, you really shouldn't have married a cripple out of spite. There are plenty of talented young men in this compound for you to choose from."
The voice was pleasant, as crisp and cool as snowmelt from a glacier, but the words it spoke were utterly classless.
Gu Jiaojiao looked toward the source of the voice and saw a man so handsome it was unreal.
He looked to be about twenty-one or twenty-two, with short hair and the collar of his white shirt slightly unbuttoned.
His shirt sleeves were rolled to his mid-forearms, revealing tanned skin.
He had sharp, intelligent eyes, a high-bridged nose, and thin lips that were surprisingly sensual, especially when taken all together.
He was like a masterpiece sculpted by God himself—flawless from every angle, simply out-of-this-world handsome.
Anyone would be a bit more forgiving toward something so beautiful, and Gu Jiaojiao was no exception, stealing a few extra glances at the handsome man.
But as good-looking as he was, Gu Jiaojiao wasn't one to be dazzled by a handsome face.
She snapped angrily, "You might look halfway decent, but you have no class at all, launching a personal attack on a disabled person."
In an instant, a crowd of onlookers gathered. It was, after all, the time when people were getting off work and out of school.
"Gu Jiaojiao used to be rooted to the spot whenever she saw Song Zijin, always staring at him like a fool. Why is she yelling at him now?"
"She's a married woman now. What's she supposed to do, keep staring at him like a fool?"
"She married a disabled man. It's only normal that she'd feel bitter and lash out a bit after seeing someone as outstanding as Song Zijin."
"Don't say that about my sister~ She and Zijin grew up together like childhood sweethearts. What's wrong with her taking a look?~~"
Gu Jiaojiao laughed in exasperation at Sheng Xinglian's words. Sheng Xinglian's words seemed to be defending her, but in reality, she was "helping" her... by making her more enemies.
Everyone could clearly see Song Zijin's face instantly turn cold. At the same time, the man in the wheelchair was radiating a hostile aura that warned everyone to keep their distance.