News from Taiwan

Chapter 18 The quarrel escalates
Jiang Guier had a premonition that Lin Wangou would never say anything good.

Her gaze held a hint of scrutiny and a subtle warning.

Lin Wan smiled and accepted everything without making a fuss.

With her slender fingers, she delicately raised her little finger and used the nails of her index finger and thumb to pick up the fabric of the oversized shirt that Jiang Guier was wearing, which was clearly men's clothing. When she got close, she could smell a faint fragrance lingering on the fabric, the unique mixed tea scent from Shen Huaizhou's studio. The evidence was conclusive. "Wow! This shirt you're wearing looks so unfamiliar! It looks like men's clothing. It's from Shen Huaizhou, isn't it?"

Lin Wan feigned surprise, widening her eyes as her gaze swept over the blue shirt before finally settling on Jiang Guier in the driver's seat. Her tone was somewhat ambiguous, deliberately teasing as she said, "You should change your clothes, otherwise it won't be easy to explain to your grandmother later. What if she misunderstands and asks questions?"

Jiang Guier's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously explained, "Well, it's like this, just now... oh, it's like this... I... I was wearing an inappropriate outfit, and he kindly—no, he's so old-fashioned—lent me his shirt."

She was somewhat incoherent. She knew that Lin Wan was doing it on purpose; the implications in her words were too obvious.

This was a bit awkward; she was too embarrassed to say it out loud, as if she had some ulterior motives.

"Okay, okay, stop explaining. I know everything. I know you two have no relationship. He just meant well."

Lin Wan smiled slightly, her thoughts undisguised, her eyes tinged with worry and a hint of tea-like emotion. "But... outsiders might not see it that way. After all, it's too intimate for a girl to wear a boy's clothes. People who don't know better might think... hehehehe..."

Her eyes swept over Jiang Guier from head to toe, sparkling with intelligence.

"You're so annoying, Lin Xiaowan!"

Jiang Guier hurriedly interrupted her, she couldn't stand what she was saying anymore. Her fist hardened and her tone became more serious. "It was just a simple matter of lending me a piece of clothing. There was no other meaning behind it."

Lin Wan's smile deepened, and she nodded in agreement, "You're right. Then I'm curious, what kind of inappropriate clothes were you wearing underneath that made someone borrow one for you?"

At that moment, the car turned into the hospital parking lot, quickly found a spot, and stopped briefly.

Perhaps she was pushed to her limit by Lin Wan's words, or perhaps she was dissatisfied with this probing with its deeper meaning, Jiang Guier took a deep breath and slowly unbuttoned her shirt.

The buttons were undone, revealing the white silk slip dress she was wearing underneath. The sexy design of the front of the dress contrasted sharply with the oversized men's shirt she was wearing over it.

"Do you think it's inappropriate enough? Is it enough for him to lend me his clothes?"

Lin Wan pointed at Jiang Guier, covering her eyes with her other hand, deliberately peeking through her eyes between her fingers, "I'm telling you, my Guigui, are you sure you didn't dress like this on purpose?"

Jiang Guier raised her hand to hit him.

Lin Wan covered her face with her hand, laughing even more heartily, "It's only because Shen Huaizhou is a typical old-fashioned person that you're 'inciting people to commit crimes'."

Jiang Guier angrily reached out and hit Lin Wan, leaving a faint red mark on her fair arm. "I'll teach you to talk nonsense, I'll beat you to death."

"Okay, okay, okay, I'm sorry, I was wrong, please stop hitting me. But you two are just too funny, you two are really full of 'unexpected' brilliance!" The tone was full of teasing.

Jiang Guier was speechless, feeling angry, anxious, and helpless, yet she didn't know how to refute him.

He gritted his teeth and said, "I really want to put a few ivory tusks in your mouth."

"Are you calling me a dog?"

"That's an insult to dogs."

Jiang Guier got out of the car, even forgetting to take off her shirt. Looking down, she quickly unbuttoned it, casually tossed it onto the seat, raised an eyebrow, and urged her in a fierce tone, "What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a beautiful woman before?" "How could I? I just think you're especially beautiful. Don't give me that long face. What I said earlier was an analysis from an outsider's perspective. If you say no, then no. I definitely believe you. Come on, let's go check with Grandma." Lin Wan stepped forward, hooked her arm around Jiang Guier's, generously explained and apologized, and pulled her towards the ward.

The two of them pinched their noses because of the smell of disinfectant in the elevator.

Before they could even banter, they immediately saw Jiang Guier's grandmother, Jiang Wumei, sitting on a wooden chair in the open ward. Her hands were folded, and her eyes were vacantly fixed on the folds of the sheets, as if she were soaking in stale water, looking pale, stiff, and lifeless.

"Grandma." Jiang Guier spoke first, and Lin Wan stood behind her and respectfully called out "Grandma." The sound of her calling out seemed a bit abrupt in the empty ward.

Jiang Wumei raised her eyes, her gaze cold and unenthusiastic. "Just say what you want."

"Grandma, what's wrong? I just came to see you and Great-Grandma..." Jiang Guier tried to remain calm, but unconsciously rubbed her fingers on the LV bag. Little did she know that this small action would give away her true feelings.

"Shut up!" Jiang Wumei's gaze suddenly sharpened. "Your thoughts are written all over your face. If you're not going to say it, then don't say it."

Lin Wan tugged at Jiang Guier's clothes from behind, signaling her not to confront her directly.

Jiang Guier pursed her lips, gripping her hand tightly. She decided to go all out and took a half-step forward, her neck stiff. "Grandma, since you saw it, I'll ask."

Jiang Wumei looked at her silently.

Jiang Guier forced herself to say, "I found Grandma's letter."

"Give it to me!" Jiang Wumei's voice suddenly rose, sharp and angry.

Jiang Guier was startled. She hadn't expected her grandmother to react so strongly. She shrank back as her grandmother yelled at her, but then straightened her back and took out the paper she had just taken from her bag.

Jiang Wumei skimmed the paper, the contents making her breathing heavy, her chest heaving like a bellows. "He's lying here and still not at peace, and you're getting all worked up too. Who told you to meddle in the affairs of your elders!"

"That was Grandma's wish." The voice behind Jiang Guier grew softer and softer.

"Tear." The paper was torn to shreds.

Jiang Wumei's face was grim, and the veins on her forehead were throbbing. She was trying hard to control her anger. "This matter ends here. This family is none of your business to interfere."

Jiang Guier looked at the torn pieces of paper that had floated to her feet, and her eyes stung with tears. "It's not over yet. If you don't tell me, I'll go ask someone else!"

"Get out! Get out right now!" Jiang Wumei shouted angrily.

Jiang Guier was about to continue arguing until she got to the bottom of it when Lin Wansheng dragged her out the door.

Why are you pulling me?

"It's important to preserve your baby's strength."

Lin Wan patiently persuaded her, presenting facts and reasoning with her, until she finally calmed down Jiang Guier, who was still angry.

Meanwhile, in the ward, Jiang Wumei was breathing heavily, her breath mingling with her mother's weak breathing, like a silent tug-of-war.

(End of this chapter)