The banquet ended

Seeing the Shen Family's expressions grow increasingly ugly, Jiang Father and Jiang Mother stepped forward at just the right moment, shielding Jiang Nian and backing their daughter up.

"We're very sorry, Mr. Shen. Our daughter is young and doesn't know any better. She was just falsely accused, so she's bound to feel a little resentful. Please be understanding."

Under the guests' gleeful gazes, Shen Qifei pulled his lips into a hollow smile. "It's all right."

Damn it, he couldn't exactly get into a shouting match with a junior.

This was all Jiang Nian's fault. She'd made their Shen Family look like complete fools!

After speaking in her daughter's defense, Jiang Mother narrowed her eyes.

"Besides, your son really was the one who caused this sordid mess. Not only was my daughter frightened, she was also subjected to undeserved criticism. You owe us an explanation."

Those were two separate matters. She certainly wasn't going to let her daughter be mistreated for nothing.

Facing Jiang Father and Jiang Mother's piercing gazes, Shen Qifei knew he would have to pay dearly again. He could only grit his teeth.

"...Of course."

The guests had never expected to stumble upon such a juicy scandal just by attending a banquet.

"No wonder they kept the cause of Shen Hui's mother's death so tightly under wraps. It turns out she was driven to her death by the mistress and illegitimate son who moved into her home!"

"Poor Shen Hui. He's the legitimate son, yet both his father and grandfather favor the illegitimate one."

"An illegitimate son actually dreaming of being accepted into the family? What a joke."

"Didn't you see? He was even willing to offer up his own girlfriend as a bargaining chip. What wouldn't he dare do?"

Jiang Wenxue had frozen the moment she heard the recording. Only now did she turn to stare at Shen Lei in disbelief.

"Not only did you do that to Jiang Nian, you... you were going to put me in Shen Hui's bed to frame him?"

Only then did she realize there had been something wrong with the drink Shen Lei had given her.

"No wonder... no wonder I got so sleepy halfway through the meal that I passed out. Besides Shen Hui, did you drug me too?"

Shen Lei grabbed Jiang Wenxue's hand in a panic. "It's not like that. Wenxue, let me explain..."

Jiang Wenxue wrenched her hand free and delivered a resounding slap across his face.

"Enough! I was too stupid before to see through even your pathetic acting!"

He had clearly been living in luxury all along. She was the only one who had stubbornly believed his fabricated story about being a poor, pitiful victim.

"Don't ever show your face in front of me again, or I'll hit you every time I see you."

Jiang Wenxue walked up to Jiang Nian and bowed. "I'm sorry. I misjudged him and falsely accused you after listening only to Shen Lei's side of the story, when you were the victim all along."

Jiang Nian smiled at her. "It's all right. Everyone has moments when they're blind. Just keep your eyes open next time."

Jiang Wenxue nodded, then glanced at Fu Zhenzhen, who was doing her best to make herself invisible nearby. She gave Jiang Nian a meaningful look.

"You too."

Then she walked out the door without looking back.

Shen Lei wanted to chase after her, but Old Master Shen barked at him, "You still have the nerve to go after her? Haven't you embarrassed us enough?"

Clutching his chest, he looked at Shen Lei as though the family had been cursed.

"How did our Shen Family produce someone like you? Just as I thought, you're every bit as disgraceful as your mother!"

Pulling something like this on the day of his birthday banquet-was he trying to kill him with anger?

With that, Old Master Shen closed his eyes and fainted.

"Oh no! Shen Lei's made Old Master Shen pass out from anger!"

Everyone scrambled in a panic.

The Shen Family's banquet ended in utter chaos.

With the guest of honor down, there was no reason for anyone else to stay.

Shen Hui paid no attention to Old Master Shen's condition. He simply arranged for the guests to be escorted out in an orderly fashion.

After seeing the Jiang Family to their car, Shen Hui apologized to Jiang Father and Jiang Mother. "I'm so sorry, Uncle Jiang, Mrs. Jiang. I failed to be a proper host, and Jiang Nian ended up being mistreated."

Jiang Mother felt sorry for Shen Hui instead. She patted his head. "It's all right. This wasn't your fault."

Shen Hui then thanked Jiang Nian. "Thank you for speaking up for me."

Jiang Nian rubbed her nose. "Oh, it was nothing."

All she'd really done was give that old bastard a good tongue-lashing.

Still, it had felt pretty satisfying.

Shen Hui patted her head and said gently, "Go home and rest. You had quite a few scares today. You must be exhausted."

But it was all right. He would make them pay for everything they had done to her.

After returning home and taking a nice bath, Jiang Nian finally felt alive again the moment she flopped onto her bed.

She picked up her phone and replied to her friends' concerned messages one by one. Only then did she notice a new friend request.

She tapped the profile picture and saw that it was Fang Qiu.

Why was Fang Qiu suddenly adding her?

Puzzled, Jiang Nian accepted the request.

The other person seemed to have been waiting in front of her screen. The moment the request was accepted, a message arrived.

[Fang Qiu]: I'm sorry.

[Jiang Nian]: ?

Had Fang Qiu been possessed?

[Fang Qiu]: I was wrong about what happened before.

[Jiang Nian]: Have you taken the wrong medication?

[Fang Qiu]: ...No.

[Fang Qiu]: I just suddenly feel like I might have been wrong.

She and Shen Hui had once been friends who played together.

Because of what had happened to his mother, Shen Hui hated Shen Lei to the bone and had always openly shown his displeasure with him.

Unfortunately, Shen Lei had been a skilled actor since childhood. Despite being Shen Hui's playmate, Fang Qiu had been completely taken in by Shen Lei. She had believed his lies, misunderstood Shen Hui, and grown distant from him.

Even when she later realized she had been wrong, how could her younger self have swallowed her pride and apologized to Shen Hui?

All she could do was keep doing things she believed were good for Shen Hui to make up for her guilt toward him.

Only today, after seeing Jiang Nian bravely defend Shen Hui in front of everyone, did she realize that she had simply been too cowardly.

Had Jiang Nian ever been taken in by Shen Lei? No.

She believed that no matter what act Shen Lei put on, Jiang Nian would trust Shen Hui unconditionally.

And what about her? She could only pat herself on the back, using the excuse of acting in Shen Hui's best interests to comfort the part of herself that refused to apologize.

So, after thinking about it for a long time, she had decided to apologize to Jiang Nian.

At the very least, she could be certain that Jiang Nian genuinely wanted what was best for Shen Hui.

[Jiang Nian]: ...

[Jiang Nian]: Don't you think you're apologizing to the wrong person?

[Fang Qiu]: ? Who else is there?

Jiang Nian pressed a hand to her forehead helplessly.

[Jiang Nian]: Don't tell me you don't know who you owe an apology to most.

The typing indicator stayed on for a long time before the next message finally arrived.

[Fang Qiu]: ...I know. I'm scared.

[Fang Qiu]: Besides, it's been so many years. He definitely won't forgive me anymore, so why should I put myself through that?

Jiang Nian couldn't quite understand Fang Qiu's logic.

[Jiang Nian]: Does being afraid the other person won't accept it mean you don't have to apologize?

[Jiang Nian]: You hurt him, so you need to apologize. Whether he forgives you is his decision. You can't apologize with the aim of making him forgive you. That isn't fair.

[Jiang Nian]: You need to sincerely regret your mistake and apologize because you're sorry you didn't trust him and hurt him. As for the rest, that comes after you apologize.

This time, there was a long pause before another message came through.

[Fang Qiu]: I understand.

Another hour passed. Jiang Nian was already getting ready to sleep when Fang Qiu finally replied.

[Fang Qiu]: I did it!

[Fang Qiu]: Screenshot.jpg

[Fang Qiu]: He only replied with a period, but that's still huge progress! Hahahahahahaha!

Only after seeing her reply did Jiang Nian close her eyes in satisfaction.

Exactly.

Even children understood that. How could adults not?