Spellbound Hearts - Chapter 82 - An Unexpected Call

Ji Xuan had no idea that the person on the other end of the phone was Song Zhaoli. After some careful thought, she realized that what ‘Qiu Lin’ said made sense. Putting aside personal feelings, Song Zhaoli had helped her immensely, and she should indeed express her gratitude. Finding a kidney donor wasn’t something money could always buy. Many patients waited three to five years for a match, which was quite common. Given Song Zhaoli’s power and influence, gifts were out of the question, so inviting him to a meal seemed the best option.

After about a minute of consideration, Ji Xuan replied to ‘Qiu Lin’: “Alright, then let’s wait until you have time, and I’ll treat you to a meal separately.”

On the other end, Song Zhaoli’s expression was inscrutable. After a while, he replied: “Just invite President Song. I’m busy these days.”

Seeing ‘Qiu Lin’s’ message, Ji Xuan was momentarily at a loss for words. She felt something was off about Qiu Lin today, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. However, before she could dwell on it, Wu Shu brought up another topic.

“Is that scumbag Xiao Jin still in touch with you?”

Ji Xuan raised her eyes, “No, why?”

Wu Shu sneered, “I heard that scumbag is having a rough time now. Lost his job, got beaten up, and on top of that, he’s got a living ancestor to deal with at home.”

Ji Xuan was curious, “What living ancestor?”

Wu Rui chimed in with a laugh, “Your President Wang’s wife.”

Ji Xuan raised an eyebrow, “Are they together now?”

Ji Xuan had heard President Wang mention he was having a lawyer handle his divorce, but she hadn’t followed up on whether it was finalized. Firstly, because of what happened to Mother Ji, she had no time to spare. Secondly, it wasn’t her business; she and Xiao Jin had settled their scores, and she didn’t want to get involved in anything related to him.

After Ji Xuan spoke, Wu Shu added with a mocking tone, “I don’t know if they’re officially together, but I heard that Mrs. Wang has latched onto him, moved right in, and spends all day arguing with Xiao Jin’s bizarre mother.”

With just a few words, Ji Xuan could already imagine the chaos in the Xiao Family now. Seeing her silence, Wu Shu continued, “Didn’t those two lovebirds want to be together? Well, now they’ve got their wish.”

Ji Xuan smiled but didn’t respond, pouring drinks for Wu Shu and Wu Rui. Wu Shu reached for her drink, about to say more, when Wu Rui kicked her under the table.

Wu Shu glared sideways. Wu Rui whispered, just loud enough for them to hear, “You have no sense of timing.”

Wu Shu suddenly realized something, pursed her lips, and changed the subject to chat with Ji Xuan about other things.

The meal lasted about an hour and a half. It wasn’t because they ate a lot, but because Wu Shu and Wu Rui were quite the pair. They bantered back and forth, making Ji Xuan feel like she was watching a comedy duo. Wu Shu played the role of the joker, while Wu Rui was the straight man.

After dinner, Ji Xuan saw the lively siblings out. Wu Shu patted her on the shoulder, saying, “In the past, the older generation valued the spirit of the dragon and horse, but now, we young people value the spirit of the toilet-no matter what troubles you have, just flush it all away.”

Ji Xuan knew Wu Shu was trying to comfort her, and she smiled, “Don’t worry, I’m not that fragile.”

Hearing Ji Xuan’s words, Wu Shu felt a sudden pang in her heart. Unable to hold back, she hugged Ji Xuan and whispered, “I know it’s hard for you. Don’t feel alone; you still have me.”

Ji Xuan pressed her lips together, returning the hug and gently patting Wu Shu’s back, “Don’t cry. Your cousin is still around, and if he sees you crying, he’ll definitely tease you.”

Wu Shu sniffed, “Don’t worry, I’d never cry in front of him, even if it killed me.”

A few minutes later, Ji Xuan saw Wu Shu and Wu Rui into the elevator. Watching the doors close, she turned to head back home. Just as she was about to clean up the table, her phone rang. Glancing at the screen, she saw it was Song Zhaoli calling. After a moment’s hesitation, she swiped to answer.

“President Song.”

After she spoke, there was no immediate response. Then, a stern and commanding voice came through the line, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You think you’re strong enough to break free, to escape the Song Family, to get out from under my control. But do you even realize if you have the capability to do so?”