Jiang Li lowered her head, her eyes falling on the scarf she had always cherished. A mist gradually welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision.
Zhou Ningyun was also flustered and quickly explained to Jiang Li, "Lili, don't think too much. This scarf..."
She wanted to say something to salvage the situation, but the answer was so obvious.
Yes, she had just given Jiang Li the free gift that came with the purchase of a coat as a prepared birthday present.
"Mom, you don't need to say anything," Jiang Li said, her eyes downcast. She managed to maintain a shred of calm and gently interrupted, "I understand everything."
She wasn't unfamiliar with hard times.
In the past, she would have been happy even with a free gift. After all, due to the family's debts, they had been so poor that they could hardly make ends meet, let alone have a birthday present.
But now it was different.
Zhou Ningyun could clearly afford a designer coat, yet she only gave her the free gift as a birthday present.
And she had been like a fool, treasuring that free gift.
"Sister Jiang Li, is this scarf very important to you?"
Qin Yaoyao seemed to sense something from the reactions of the mother - daughter pair. Blinking her eyes, she looked innocent, "If you like it, I'll look for mine next week and send it to you. Anyway, it's not worth much."
The three words "not worth much" were like a blade, stabbing hard into Jiang Li's chest.
Leaving it bleeding.
As if unaware of Jiang Li's emotions, Qin Yaoyao continued, "It should still be in its unopened packaging. It's brand new."
There was a smile on her face, but her eyes were filled with countless signs of victory.
The more proud Qin Yaoyao was, the stiffer Jiang Li's face became.
"Lili, mom is a bit thirsty," seeing this, Zhou Ningyun was extremely anxious and her tone turned pleading, "Will you go buy a bottle of water with mom?"
Jiang Li nodded with a pale face and was dragged out of the store by Zhou Ningyun.
Looking at Jiang Li, who was obviously devastated and dejected, Qin Yaoyao couldn't help but feel secretly delighted. She turned her head and was about to act coquettishly with Xiao Yanzhi, but the latter glanced at her casually.
"Had enough fun?"
His tone wasn't kind. Qin Yaoyao's heart skipped a beat and she tightened her grip on his arm, "Ayan, I didn't mean anything else. I just wanted to be nice to Sister Jiang Li."
"After all, she was the girl you used to like. I thought I should take good care of her..."
Xiao Yanzhi rubbed his temples and slowly withdrew his gaze from the direction where Jiang Li had left. He asked patiently, "Do you still want to continue shopping?"
Qin Yaoyao quickly took the opportunity, "Of course. We haven't bought couple outfits yet."
...
By the time Jiang Li came to her senses, she had already been pulled into a coffee shop by Zhou Ningyun.
She sat blankly on the chair, looking at her mother who was ordering at the counter. Her pupils were slightly absent - minded.
Her palms were still cold and her face was still deathly pale.
After ordering, Zhou Ningyun walked over and sat opposite Jiang Li. She awkwardly rubbed her hands and looked extremely embarrassed, "Lili, actually mom didn't do it on purpose."
"You know our family's previous situation. Mom has been frugal for so long. Besides, whether it's a free gift or not, it's still new, right?"
"You're a big star now. You're not short of a scarf. It's just a gesture."
Listening to Zhou Ningyun's far - fetched explanation, Jiang Li lowered her head and looked at the edge of the table. Her voice was soft, "Mom, you don't need to explain to me. I can understand."
She still wanted to deceive herself once.
Seeing that she didn't hold it against her, Zhou Ningyun let out a sigh of relief, "Lili, actually mom asked you out today because I have something to ask you for help with."
Jiang Li was stunned.
There was an inexplicable sense of loss in her heart, but she still managed to suppress it, "Tell me. What do you need help with?"
Zhou Ningyun: "You still haven't terminated your contract with Jiang Entertainment, have you?"
Looking at her mother's tentative tone, Jiang Li thought for a couple of seconds and then answered honestly, "No, it hasn't expired yet."
Zhou Ningyun's eyebrows immediately relaxed, "Since you haven't terminated the contract yet, can you find a job for Jiang Yi in your company?"
So the real reason she had actively asked her out for shopping was still for Jiang Yi.
Jiang Li bit her lip and said flatly, "Sorry, I don't have that much power."
Looking at Zhou Ningyun in front of her, she endured the disappointment, "If you really want Jiang Yi to find a job, then let him submit his resume himself and go through the interview process to get a job."
Zhou Ningyun's face turned a bit ugly, "Lili, don't be so heartless, okay?"
"You know your younger brother. He's just been muddling through these years. He doesn't even have a degree. How can he write a resume?"
As she spoke, she lowered her voice, "Just help him this once. It mustn't be difficult for you."
Listening to her mother's words, Jiang Li felt a dull pain in her chest when she breathed.
But Zhou Ningyun didn't notice her emotions at all and still rambled on, "Jiang Yi has always been a kind and sensible child. He's just a bit playful."
"Kind? Sensible?"
Jiang Li repeated these two words and found them extremely ridiculous.
Jiang Yi, who only knew to ask her for money all day long and would verbally abuse and mock her if she didn't give it, was worthy of these two words?
She twitched the corner of her lips and was about to speak.
"Ladies, here are your drinks. Enjoy," the waiter came over with a tray, interrupting what Jiang Li was about to say. She looked up and said, "Thank you."
Jiang Li casually glanced at the two hot drinks on the table. Her pupils suddenly constricted and her body trembled slightly.
Her fingers curled up and then stretched out again.
Jiang Li wanted to reach out and grab something, but found that there was nothing to hold on to.
"Lili, think about it again," Zhou Ningyun still didn't realize anything was wrong and pushed the cup towards her, "Drink it while it's hot to get rid of the cold."
Jiang Li stared blankly at Zhou Ningyun and then looked down at the hot milk steaming in the cup. Her fingertips dug hard into her palm.
Her lips trembled slightly, "Mom, I'm allergic to milk. Don't you remember?"
Zhou Ningyun's face, which had just managed to relax, now became embarrassed again. Her eyes were very unnatural, "Look at my memory. It's really bad getting old..."
"Of course I remember you've always been allergic to milk. I'll go ask the waiter to change it for you."
Before Zhou Ningyun could continue her pale explanation, Jiang Li stood up. She heard her own voice trying to stay calm, "Mom, I just remembered I have something to do. I'll go back first."
It was as if someone had stuffed a block of ice into her chest. The tip of her heart was cold.
She didn't want to stay for even a single second longer.
She turned around and was about to leave, but was suddenly grabbed by Zhou Ningyun.
Zhou Ningyun: "Lili, mom just wants a definite answer today. Are you going to help Jiang Yi find a job or not?"