Upon hearing Ji Shuyu’s words, Li Cuihua pinched the scarf between her fingers and raised her voice.
“Well, you’re certainly from the city—your taste is so… unique. This scarf is really bright, isn’t it? And this big peony pattern, tsk tsk… if people didn’t know better, they’d think I was going to do the Yangge dance.”
“I don’t have our second sister-in-law’s cultured temperament. I’m just not worthy of such a precious item.”
Li Cuihua’s words were dripping with sarcasm, and everyone present was sharp enough to read between the lines.
The smiles of those who had just received gifts instantly froze on their faces.
He Yuan’s expression darkened immediately. He was about to reprimand his sister-in-law for her rudeness when Ji Shuyu gently pulled his hand, stopping him.
Ji Shuyu’s smile remained unchanged, even growing warmer, as if she hadn’t detected the sharpness in Li Cuihua’s tone at all.
Meeting Li Cuihua’s angry gaze with calm composure, she spoke with a smile.
“Well, it seems you don’t like it, Sister-in-law. But this pattern was one I picked out specially.”
“I heard from He Yuan that you have a straightforward and passionate personality—the most capable and spirited person in the family, managing everything inside and out. I thought such a bright and bold pattern would suit your vibrant and generous character perfectly.”
“Those plain, dull colors just seem petty and wouldn’t do justice to your energy and spirit.”
“The fabric might look ordinary, but it’s actually thick and durable—perfect for wearing while working to keep the dust off. It’s easy to wash when it gets dirty, much more practical than those delicate silk scarves.”
“You work so hard taking care of this family; of course, I had to pick the most practical gift that best matches your temperament.”
Ji Shuyu’s words were sincere and earnest.
But at the end, she let out a soft sigh.
“It seems you still have some reservations about me, Sister-in-law. But I only brought these few things with me when I came, and I don’t have anything else to exchange for you.”
With that, she deftly placed a proverbial “high hat” right on Li Cuihua’s head.
Li Cuihua felt a knot of anger stuck in her chest, unable to rise or fall.
She wanted to lash out, but the other woman had praised her with every sentence, and in front of the whole family, no less.
Clutching the gaudy synthetic scarf, her face turned red with stifled rage. She was so choked up she couldn’t utter a single word.
He Yuan watched his wife, calm and unflustered, deftly deflecting the situation with minimal effort.
Then he glanced at his sister-in-law’s expression, so suffocated she looked ready to explode, and nearly couldn’t hold back a laugh.
He quickly raised a fist to his lips, hiding his rising smile.
If even he couldn’t gain the upper hand with his wife, there was no way Li Cuihua stood a chance.
Wang Shufen hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over: “Oh, Shuyu has really thought this through! Cuihua, put it away quickly—this color is so festive.” As she spoke, she shot a meaningful look at her eldest son.
He Jiang promptly chimed in: “Yes, yes, dear, Shuyu put a lot of thought into this. Keep it safe!”
Seeing that both her mother-in-law and husband had spoken, and faced with Ji Shuyu’s unshakable smile, Li Cuihua felt a furious heat raging inside her, with no outlet for release.
She shot a fierce glare at Ji Shuyu, crumpled the scarf haphazardly into her pocket, and forced out a few words through gritted teeth: “Then… thank… you… Sister-in-law!”
Li Cuihua’s intentions had been seen right through by Ji Shuyu.
Yet Ji Shuyu had resolved the situation flawlessly, leaving everyone inwardly marveling.
The grudge between the new, seemingly gentle and delicate young lady and the eldest sister-in-law, Li Cuihua, was officially set.
Life in the He family courtyard was likely not going to be very peaceful from now on.
Ji Shuyu picked up the water He Yuan had poured for her and took a small sip. Her lowered eyelashes concealed a fleeting cold gleam in her eyes.
As a research heavyweight, she was never one to shy away from challenges.
A petty sister-in-law? Small potatoes.
She would simply confront each challenge as it came.
“Yuanzi, take your wife back to rest now. She’s pregnant, after all.”
Mother-in-law Wang Shufen was overjoyed. Her daughter-in-law was pregnant—of course she was happy.
Her son had finally weathered the hard times and found sweetness.
He Yuan nodded, reached out to support Ji Shuyu, picked up her bag, and led her back to their room.
As soon as the door closed, the man who had been protective and stern outside instantly switched to a completely different demeanor.
He turned and pinned Ji Shuyu between the door and his own chest, his tall frame leaning down slightly, his forehead pressed against hers.
His dark eyes were filled with grievance, like a large dog that hadn’t gotten its favorite bone.
“Wife…”
His voice was muffled, carrying a hint of whining.
“Everyone else got a gift… where’s mine?”
As her husband, was he not even worthy of a gift?
It seemed Ji Shuyu still didn’t like him very much.
Then again, they had met so few times. Forget feelings—he had almost forgotten what Ji Shuyu even looked like.
But it didn’t matter. Now that she was here, they could take their time nurturing their relationship.
As he spoke, he leaned closer, eager to kiss her soft lips with a pleading urgency.
But Ji Shuyu swiftly raised her index finger and gently pressed it against his descending chin.
She tilted her head slightly, avoiding his heated breath. A trace of mischief flashed in her eyes, though she feigned seriousness: “Stop messing around. It’s broad daylight—how would that look?”
He Yuan’s grievance deepened, and he looked at her with an accusing expression: “Wife, you’re playing favorites. Did you forget to prepare one for me? Or…”
He even exaggeratedly sniffled, as if he were about to burst into tears any second.
When dealing with outsiders, He Yuan was always cold and unapproachable, appearing as aloof and ruthless as could be.
He was not someone to be trifled with. But with Ji Shuyu, he was different.
Watching his playful antics, Ji Shuyu finally couldn’t hold back and laughed.
Her cool, elegant features instantly softened like melting snow, warmed by amusement.
She swatted away the arm still encircling her, feigning annoyance: “How old are you, acting like a child begging for candy? Who said I didn’t prepare anything for you?”
“Huh?”
He Yuan’s eyes instantly lit up. His earlier grievances vanished, replaced by pure anticipation.
“Really? Where is it? What is it?”
Ji Shuyu turned and walked to her luggage, retrieving two carefully wrapped boxes.
She first picked up a smaller, rectangular box and handed it to He Yuan: “Here, this is for you.”
He Yuan eagerly took it and unwrapped it. Inside were several simply designed but clearly high-quality metal tubes.
“What’s this?”
“Premium protective moisturizing cream,” Ji Shuyu explained. “It’s intensely hydrating and restorative, especially for skin that’s become chapped and rough from frequent outdoor training and exposure to wind and sun.”
He Yuan looked at the moisturizer in his hand, his heart warming.
She knew how hard he trained every day to climb the ranks, so she had specially prepared this for him.
“Don’t celebrate just yet.”
The smile in Ji Shuyu’s eyes deepened as she shoved another, larger and heavier rectangular box into his arms.
“This is the main event.”
He Yuan weighed it in his hands—it had substantial heft.
He quickly tore open the packaging to reveal a pair of high-top military boots with an exceptional texture.
The soles were clearly made of special materials with unique treads, guaranteeing top-notch wear resistance and grip.
The interior of the boots was also meticulously crafted, with ventilation holes designed to be both discreet and functional.
“I heard from Zhao Qiang that your training intensity is high, and ordinary boots aren’t durable or breathable enough—they tend to make your feet sweat.”
“Wear these next time you go on patrol. They’re durable and won’t wear out.”
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