She had originally thought her younger sister Jiang Meishu would ask her, but after waiting for a long time, no question came.
Instead, Jiang Meilan became restless. “Aren’t you going to ask what rebirth means?”
She ended up being the one chasing after Jiang Meishu.
Jiang Meishu caught the scent of roasted sweet potatoes. “You have to admit, these roasted sweet potatoes smell really good.”
Sweet and fragrant.
Enough to make one’s mouth water.
Jiang Meilan, “…”
Since Jiang Meishu wasn’t asking, Jiang Meilan felt somewhat helpless. “Can you not think about food all day long?”
When it came to the marriage swap,
her younger sister only cared about food.
Even when she had accidentally revealed her rebirth, her sister still only cared about food.
Could she show some respect?
Could she focus on more important matters?
Jiang Meishu opened her almond-shaped eyes, clear as glass beads. “If I don’t ask about food, what should I ask?”
“Ask you what rebirth means?”
“Would you tell me if I asked?”
Jiang Meilan, “Yes.”
“If you ask, I’ll tell you.” Her expression was very serious.
Jiang Meishu thought for a moment, then asked, “Did I eat well in my previous life?”
Having given birth to eight children—either pregnant or constantly on the verge of pregnancy—she probably never ate properly, right?
Her stomach must have been completely compressed by the babies.
Jiang Meilan felt desperate. “Aren’t you going to ask me why I insisted on swapping marriages with you?”
Jiang Meishu looked around. “No.”
Because she knew.
Her sister was only after Shen Zhanlie’s skills in bed.
She felt too embarrassed to say it out loud.
Jiang Meilan had never encountered anyone like her younger sister.
Even though she wasn’t asking,
Jiang Meilan was determined to tell her anyway.
Staring intently at Jiang Meishu, she said word by word, “In your previous life, you married the impoverished Shen Zhanlie. Later, in the 1980s, he went into business and became the richest man. Naturally, you lived a good life and even had children with him.”
“Meishu, you lived a very happy life in your previous life. Do you resent me for taking your husband from that life?”
This was something Jiang Meilan had kept buried in her heart, something she didn’t dare face.
She felt rather despicable and shameless.
Not only had she stolen her sister’s husband, but she was also coveting her brother-in-law.
Jiang Meishu wanted to eat roasted sweet potatoes, but she didn’t have enough money. She sniffed hard. “Sis, you’re really good at glossing over the details. You said I had children with him—how many did I have?”
This question stumped Jiang Meilan. She thought carefully and counted on her fingers, “The eldest, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, the eighth.”
“Every year, I had to prepare eight red envelopes for New Year’s money.”
“If I remember correctly, it was eight!” Almost all the money she managed to save each year went to these nephews.
“Eight!” Jiang Meishu nearly gritted her teeth in frustration upon hearing this. “You can have that kind of blessing. I don’t want it.”
Forget about having eight children—
even having one would require careful consideration.
Jiang Meilan, “You really don’t want it?”
“He’s the richest man, you know.”
Jiang Meishu shook her head. “You see the richest man.” She glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then whispered to Jiang Meilan, “I see long-legged sperm.”
“Sis, honestly, don’t you think Shen Zhanlie is terrifying?”
It seemed like getting near him would lead to pregnancy.
Jiang Meilan, “I think it’s great. His fertility means he’s strong in that aspect. Marrying him would bring pleasure in bed too.”
She truly believed this.
She had had enough of being a delicate, living widow.
She wanted to pick a man who was well-endowed and skilled in bed, one who could make her die of pleasure!
Jiang Meishu, “…”
She remained silent.
Jiang Meilan nudged her, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Are you angry that I snatched away the well-endowed and skilled man?”
Jiang Meishu smiled faintly, “No, no, sis, Shen Zhanlie is yours.”
“As for me, I just love living in a big house and being a grass widow.”
Jiang Meilan was exasperated, “You’re like someone with a full stomach who doesn’t understand the hunger of the starving.”
“You haven’t tasted meat yet, so you don’t understand how good men can be.”
“Forget it, why am I even telling you all this?” Jiang Meilan muttered, “After I snatch Shen Zhanlie’s position as the richest man, I’ll get you ten men.”
“No, ten male prostitutes.”
“So you can revel every night and experience how good men can be.”
Jiang Meishu, “…”
Throughout the journey, Jiang Meilan was brainwashing Jiang Meishu, who maintained an attitude of “I’m not listening, I’m not listening, turtle chanting sutras.”
Fortunately, after arriving at the Zhao residence,
Jiang Meilan restrained herself and returned to her lazy-bones demeanor.
Meanwhile, Jiang Meishu became more dignified and knocked on her aunt’s door, “Xiao Juan.”
Zhao Xiaojuan was doing homework.
When she saw it was “Jiang Meilan,” her face immediately showed displeasure. Zhao Xiaojuan really disliked this fake cousin.
She completely ignored her and called out to the “Jiang Meishu” behind, “Meishu sister, you can come in. Meilan sister, wait outside for a while. My mom isn’t home.”
She was quite unwelcoming toward Jiang Meilan.
After all, Jiang Meilan often competed with her for her mother’s attention.
“Jiang Meishu” followed inside with a constipated expression.
Left outside, “Jiang Meilan” covered her mouth and laughed. She never expected the tables to turn, with “Jiang Meilan” being the unwelcome one now.
Inside the house.
Zhao Xiaojuan brought out precious Taosu to share, which showed how much she valued Jiang Meishu.
“Meishu sister, what did you come to see me for?”
Compared to that fake Meilan sister, she clearly preferred the lazy-boned Meishu cousin who only loved eating.
Zhao Xiaojuan handed the Taosu to “Jiang Meishu.”Jiang Meishu” looked somewhat subtle. She had visited her aunt’s house many times, but this was the first time she experienced Zhao Xiaojuan’s warm hospitality.
Before, Zhao Xiaojuan had always treated her with disdain.
“Meishu sister, you still haven’t said why you came to see me?”
Zhao Xiaojuan asked curiously. Compared to the elder cousin, Jiang Meishu, the younger cousin, was the type who rarely left home.
She almost never went out.
“Jiang Meishu” took the Taosu but didn’t eat it, holding it in her hand instead. “I’m about to go on a blind date, right? I wanted to borrow a set of clothes from you.”
Hearing this, Zhao Xiaojuan said indignantly, “Did Jiang Meilan take the only nice clothes again? Leaving you with nothing to wear for your blind date? I knew Jiang Meilan was always putting on an act, always bullying you. It’s only because you’re so good-natured.”
After speaking, she didn’t wait for Jiang Meishu’s response and went straight into the small room to look for clothes in the wardrobe.
Outside, “Jiang Meishu” watched Zhao Xiaojuan go to find clothes and patiently endured it.
If she weren’t “Jiang Meishu,” she would have lectured Zhao Xiaojuan.
What kind of junior behaves like this?
What kind of disrespect toward an elder sister is this?
Unfortunately, she was currently “Jiang Meishu.”
“Jiang Meishu” took a deep breath. She couldn’t break character. However, as she stared at Zhao Xiaojuan’s retreating back, her eyes betrayed a flicker of anger.
As soon as Zhao Xiaojuan found the clothes and turned around, she saw “Jiang Meishu’s” expression. She immediately patted her chest in lingering fear. “Meishu-jie, you can’t learn from Meilan-jie. That stepmother face of hers is terrifying. You should stay away from her from now on.”
Jiang Meilan felt if she stayed any longer, she might explode.
She hummed in acknowledgment, took the school uniform, and left.
Zhao Xiaojuan was still calling after her, “Meishu-jie, I need the uniform for the flag-raising ceremony next Monday, remember to return it. Also, don’t let Meilan-jie wear my clothes.”
“I’d find it unlucky to let her wear them!”
Jiang Meilan paused mid-step, gritted her teeth, and replied, “Got it.”
Her retreating figure quickened its pace even more.
Zhao Xiaojuan was still puzzled, “Every time Meishu-jie came to see me before, she would play for quite a while. Why was she in such a hurry today?”
Hearing this after stepping outside, Jiang Meilan halted briefly before breaking into an even faster run.
When she saw Jiang Meishu waiting for her by the wall, Jiang Meilan grabbed her hand and ran. Only after descending the tube-shaped apartment building did she slow down, her eyes still flickering with tiny flames of anger.
“Tell me, do you usually badmouth me to Zhao Xiaojuan every day?”
Jiang Meishu immediately spotted the Taosu in Jiang Meilan’s hand. She swallowed her saliva. “That wasn’t me, it was Xiaojuan who said it.”
She sold out her friend without the slightest hesitation.
Jiang Meilan eyed her suspiciously.
Jiang Meishu’s eyes were full of longing, practically screaming, “For me? Is it for me?”
Seeing her younger sister like this, Jiang Meilan handed over the Taosu, saying irritably, “It’s for you.”
Jiang Meishu grinned, revealing two small canine teeth. “Thank you, jie.”
In the face of food, principles were unimportant.
Since she had arrived here, this was the first time she had eaten something so fragrant and delicious.
Jiang Meishu broke the Taosu in half and offered one piece to Jiang Meilan, who waved her hand. “I don’t want it, you eat it.”
She couldn’t explain why.
Every time she saw her younger sister Jiang Meishu eating like a little mouse, she felt satisfied.
Feeding her younger sister had almost become her obsession.
“When I have money in the future,” Jiang Meilan sneered, “I’ll buy you ten packs of Taosu. You can eat half and throw away the other half.”
Jiang Meishu, “…”
Was it really necessary to paint such an extravagant picture?
After finishing every last crumb.
Jiang Meishu sucked her finger. “So sweet.”
It was as if she had just remembered the important matter. “By the way, Xiaojuan didn’t recognize that it was you instead of me, right?”
Jiang Meilan, “What do you think?”
If she were a foodie like her younger sister, she would have been exposed long ago.
Now reassured, Jiang Meishu flattered Jiang Meilan, “No wonder you’re my jie. With jie around, there are no accidents.”
Jiang Meilan raised her hand and flicked her younger sister’s forehead.
“Let’s go, we need to buy things at the supply and marketing cooperative.”
“I counted, Mom gave us one yuan and ten cents. When we go, I’ll bargain. If I can save three cents, we can buy one of those cheap baked sweet potatoes that don’t require coupons.”
Jiang Meishu’s eyes instantly lit up. “Great, great, great.”
No wonder people said Jiang Meilan was capable.
Even for items with fixed prices, she would tirelessly haggle and bargain. In the end, using the grain ration booklet, she bought two jin of cornmeal and two jin of mixed flour noodles, and still saved five cents.
She successfully went to the old man selling baked sweet potatoes outside the supply and marketing cooperative and bought a triangular baked sweet potato the size of a palm.
This type of sweet potato didn’t look appealing, so it was cheaper—three cents each, and no coupons were required.
With five cents, Jiang Meilan bought two and handed them both to Jiang Meishu.
Jiang Meishu stared at the two roasted sweet potatoes held before her, speechless for the first time, her nose tingling. “Sis, why didn’t you keep one for yourself?”
There were clearly two.
Jiang Meilan rolled her eyes. “I don’t like sweet things.”
She shoved both roasted sweet potatoes into Jiang Meishu’s arms. “Hurry up and eat. We’ll go back after you finish.”
Holding the warm roasted sweet potatoes, Jiang Meishu felt the heat seep through her skin, making her heart clench.
Seeing her remain silent for so long, Jiang Meilan grew puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
When she looked up and saw Jiang Meishu’s reddened eyes, Jiang Meilan froze. “What happened? Why are you crying? Who bullied you?”
“Tell me, and I’ll beat the crap out of them!”
This was the real Jiang Meilan—outwardly poised but inwardly a wild tomboy.
And she was the one who cherished Jiang Meishu the most in the family.
She was utterly a sister-protecting maniac.
Otherwise, Jiang Meishu’s hands wouldn’t have been kept so delicate.
All the chores Jiang Meishu didn’t do were taken care of by Jiang Meilan.
Jiang Meishu didn’t speak, just silently offered one roasted sweet potato. “One for each of us.”
Jiang Meilan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Is that all?”
“Jiang Meishu, you’ve really grown up. It’s just a roasted sweet potato—why cry over it?”
Jiang Meishu corrected her seriously, “This isn’t just any roasted sweet potato. It’s my sister’s love for me.”
At these words, Jiang Meilan stiffened, turning her head away as her eyes grew warm. After a long pause, she said, “Meishu, as long as you don’t hate your sister.”
She always feared that after switching marriages with Meishu, the other would lead a hard life.
That she’d repeat the mistakes of her past life.
Jiang Meishu pressed her lips together, gripping Jiang Meilan’s hand tightly, her gaze soft yet firm. “I won’t.”
“Never.”
She couldn’t bring herself to hate the sister who saved a piece of Taosu untouched, bringing it back entirely for her.
She couldn’t hate the sister who scrimped five cents to buy two roasted sweet potatoes, only to give both to her.
And she couldn’t hate the sister whose hands were calloused while her own remained fair and smooth.
It was then that Jiang Meishu realized how complex her sister Jiang Meilan was.
On one hand, she fought their mother’s favoritism, convincing herself not to envy her younger sister.
On the other, she grumbled endlessly yet couldn’t help being good to her.
This was blood ties—the responsibility of being born three minutes earlier.
Honestly, Jiang Meilan was complicated.
Complex in her humanity.
In her emotions.
But at the same time, Jiang Meilan was simple—in many ways, she was just a good sister.
Hearing her sister’s words, Jiang Meilan laughed and cried. “Silly little sister.”
She swore to herself:
It wouldn’t be long now.
Once she secured Shen Zhanlie’s child and his position as the richest man,
she would bring her sister back from Liang Qiurun.
In this lifetime, her sister wouldn’t live as a widow.
Because she’d have money—enough to find her sister many, many handsome men.
No!
Male escorts!
The disposable kind.