"Sister Wang, what are you talking about!" Shen Jiawen shot to her feet. She was already thin-skinned and couldn't withstand such brazen words. Her pretty face instantly flushed red.
But as crude as the words were, they weren't without reason. Shen Jiawen was indeed filled with regret. The whole thing was just a paper-thin barrier; once pierced, the awkwardness would have vanished. But now, they were painfully stuck, leaving both her and Chen Xiaobei in an incredibly uncomfortable limbo.
But at this point, is there any way to fix this?
At the thought, Shen Jiawen burst into tears. "Sister Wang, please stop talking! I… I'm just a worthless tramp! Xiaobei treated me with the utmost respect. Why did I have to think about seducing him? He has a bright future ahead of him, and I've ruined it all!"
As she spoke, Shen Jiawen grew more agitated and fiercely slapped herself twice. After all, Chen Xiaobei was a college student. If it weren't for her and her daughter, why would he have returned to this godforsaken Shanhe Village?
It's all my fault! The more she thought about it, the more she blamed herself—so much so that she wanted to die.
But Wang Meifen just burst out laughing. "Jiawen, if you ask me, you and Xiaobei are a pair of squabbling lovers, both suffering in silence for the sake of so-called 'face'!"
"Sis, please don't."
"Pfft, what's there not to say?" Wang Meifen continued. "We're all adults here. It's just a bit of fun between the legs! The truth is, both you and Xiaobei have feelings for each other. Since that's the case, why not just get it over with and sleep together? A woman's youth doesn't last forever. You'll have plenty of regrets when you're old.
"Take me, for example. I'm already thirty. I've been a grass widow for that bastard Wei Long for years, and what did I get for it? You have to enjoy life while you can and not overthink things! I have just one question for you!"
Seeing Wang Meifen's serious expression, Shen Jiawen couldn't help but ask, "Sis, what is it?"
Wang Meifen asked plainly, "Do you like Xiaobei?"
"I… of course I do!" Shen Jiawen bit her lip, her voice weak. "This past year, I've seen everything Xiaobei has done to take care of me and my daughter. Sometimes I wonder, why is he so good to me? I'm a widow with a child. Even if I wanted to repay him, what do I have to offer?
"Only this imperfect body is my greatest asset, which is why I've thought about seducing him from time to time. But Xiaobei just…" Shen Jiawen trailed off, unable to continue, a flash of vexation crossing her beautiful face. She went on, "I realized he doesn't have feelings for me at all. He just wants to repay a debt of gratitude, that's it! As for last night, it was a complete accident, and I regret it to death! I have no face to see him again!"
Saying this, Shen Jiawen couldn't stop herself from crying again.
"HAHAHA!" Wang Meifen howled with laughter. "Jiawen, everyone says you're the smartest and prettiest woman in Shanhe Village, but if you ask me, you're dumber than a sack of rocks!"
Shen Jiawen was stunned. "Sis, what do you mean?"
"What do I mean?" Wang Meifen retorted. "You've lived with Xiaobei for a year. You still don't know what he's like? The truth is, he's just an outwardly reserved guy who can't bring himself to make the first move. He told me the exact same things you just did last night."
"What?!"
Shen Jiawen's pretty face froze, and she could hardly believe her ears.
If that's true, doesn't it mean Chen Xiaobei likes me too? He's just too proud to say it plainly. No wonder Sister Wang kept complaining about why we didn't do it last night. If we actually had, we'd probably be on our way to get a marriage certificate today, wouldn't we? Would we still be feeling this miserable?
Just then, Wang Meifen wrapped an arm around Shen Jiawen's shoulders and smiled. "Jiawen, since Xiaobei has you in his heart, there's no need to blame yourself anymore. I'm here today as a matchmaker, to speak for him. Since you both have feelings for each other, just stop pretending. Find a chance to get the deed done, and everyone will be happy, right?"
"This…" Shen Jiawen was mortified.
That's easier said than done. Opportunities don't just fall into your lap. Once missed, an opportunity is gone forever.
At this thought, Shen Jiawen felt so sad she was about to cry again.
"Look at you, starting up again," Wang Meifen said, exasperated. "They say women are made of water, but you've got a bit too much, don't you? Can't you save some of it for when it's really needed?"
Wang Meifen grabbed her hand firmly. "Stop crying. Just answer me this: do you want Xiaobei to fuck you or not?"
"I…" Shen Jiawen bit her lip, her voice shy. "Sis, I… I do, but there's no chance now."
"Nonsense! Who says there's no chance? It just depends on whether you have the guts! Here's what you do…"
Wang Meifen whispered a few words into Shen Jiawen's ear.
In the next second, Shen Jiawen's pretty face turned so red she could barely speak. "Sister, isn't… isn't that too shameless?"
"Face? What's that good for?" Wang Meifen smirked. "Compared to *that*, you're still worried about face? Besides, we're talking about Xiaobei. Or do you not like him?"
"Who says I don't like Xiaobei!" Shen Jiawen's courage flared. "Fine, Sis! I'll do it your way! As long as I can be with Xiaobei, this is nothing! I'll… I'll go get ready!"
"Don't you worry," Wang Meifen chuckled mischievously, turning to leave. "I'll have Xiaobei over here for you in no time!"
"Sister Wang, wait," Shen Jiawen called out, asking curiously, "Why are you so willing to help me and Xiaobei? If Xiaobei and I get together, you'll be our greatest benefactor!"
Can I say it's to keep myself from getting screwed to death? Wang Meifen thought, then put on a serious expression and lied through her teeth. "Let's just say that seeing you now reminds me of my former self. Life isn't easy for us women. When you find a man who likes you this much, you have to hold on tight.
"To be honest, I'm really envious of you. Compared to Xiaobei, my Wei Long is a complete animal! You go get ready. I'm off to find Xiaobei."
With that, afraid she'd expose herself, Wang Meifen hurried out of the yard.
Watching her go, Shen Jiawen scratched her head, feeling that Sister Wang was acting a little strange today. She just couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. Besides, she was already consumed by desire, her mind filled with nothing but images of Chen Xiaobei.
If she had been just a little calmer, she might have noticed the odd way Wang Meifen was walking. Not only were her feet splayed outwards, but she was also limping. There was nothing wrong with her legs, which clearly meant the problem was somewhere else.
But Shen Jiawen was far too preoccupied to consider such things. While Xin Xin was still sleeping soundly in the house, she took a quick shower and made sure she smelled fragrant, waiting for Wang Meifen to lure Chen Xiaobei back.
At that moment, only one conviction burned in Shen Jiawen's heart: she would cast aside all her inhibitions and, no matter what, she was going to have Chen Xiaobei.
Even if he wouldn't do her, she would do him.