Chapter 1286: Chapter 744: Meeting the Parents: Not Enough Gifts? Use Your Looks Instead? (Part 2)

After all, You Hongxian was You Yunzhi’s biological younger brother.

This made him feel awkward all over again, because regarding the Si Family preparing a birthday banquet for his sister, he hadn’t heard about it any earlier than these people.

The Si Family clearly didn’t treat him as one of their own.

Facing these people who came to him to pull strings, he was both anxious and annoyed, yet he could only greet them with a smile, pushing it off by saying the invitations were decided by his brother‑in‑law.

"President You, that’s an awfully distant way to put it. You’re all one family, it’s your sister’s birthday, we just want to go and join in the fun. Could it be that if you bring someone in, the Si Family would actually stop them?"

"Exactly. If you don’t want to give us this favor, just say so. Why drag Mr. Si into it."

"It’s not like we must go, it’s just that this excuse of yours is really..."

...

You Hongxian was full of grievances he couldn’t voice. His son’s case was about to go to trial, he’d already gone to the Si Family several times only to be shut out. Just when he was running around like a headless fly, his very own older sister actually still had the mood to throw some birthday banquet?

In her heart, did her nephew’s lifelong future matter less than a birthday?

Once a person starts going to extremes, their thoughts become more and more twisted.

He had people tracking Si Qingxiao for a long time and hadn’t made a move, because after all she was his biological niece, and he was still thinking of blood ties. He hadn’t expected that they simply didn’t care.

Now the entire Beijing circle was talking about the Si Family’s birthday banquet; who still cared whether his son lived or died.

"Sir..." The assistant had just knocked and entered when You Hongxian glared at him. "What? Didn’t I say I wasn’t to be disturbed? I don’t care who it is!"

He thought it was someone else trying to beg for a way into the birthday banquet.

"The young master’s lawyer is here. He says he wants to discuss the upcoming trial with you."

You Hongxian pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let him in."

The case was nailed down tight. Once You Shenming was taken into the police station, he’d confessed. The facts and evidence were clear. What the lawyer could do was probably just play the emotional card, say he lost his mother young and became extreme as a result. But deep down, he knew it wouldn’t help much.

Right now the only thing they could work on was the letter of understanding.

"Other than a letter of understanding from the victim, there really is no other way that might help reduce his sentence?" You Hongxian had already lost face at the Tang Family; thinking of it now he was still furious.

"Even with a letter of understanding, it’s hard to say whether the sentence can be reduced. And lately I’ve heard something else..."

"What is it?" You Hongxian frowned.

"When Young Master You was previously cooperating with the police for sampling and evidence collection, the officers were outside, and he harassed the lab technician who was handling his test. That technician was an external hire. Apparently that lab also wants the police to give them an explanation, so this will also be submitted to the court and will affect the judge’s impression of Young Master You."

The lawyer also had a splitting headache. He hadn’t known until now that You Shenming was actually bold enough to harass someone working with the police.

"The lab tech..." You Hongxian kneaded his brow. That had indeed happened, but right after that, the incident of Old Mr. Shen being pushed occurred, and he’d ignored it.

"My suggestion is still to increase compensation to the victims. If they’re willing to forgive him, that would be best. Their attitude in court will be extremely important as well."

...

You Hongxian nodded in agreement. He’d already tried the Shen Family and the Tang Family; was he supposed to go to the Huo Family next?

Of everyone related to the incident, the only one he hadn’t met was Shen Shuci.

They said she was about to give birth, and the Huo Family was treating her like a treasure; he had no way to get close. Now he could only see if he could start with her—treat a dead horse as if it were still alive and see if it could be cured.

He immediately called in his secretary: "Help me check roughly when Shen Shuci’s due date is, when she’ll go to the Hospital for checkups, which doctor is in charge, and which Hospital she goes to."

"Shen Shuci? Mr. Huo’s wife?" The secretary’s face went pale on the spot.

"I told you to go, so just go!" You Hongxian had no patience.

**

Meanwhile, at the Huo Family

Huo Zheng and Liang Yun had both gone in to work. Shen Shuci’s belly was already very big, and she rarely went out. Everyone sitting around at home was bored to death; she really felt like she was barely getting through the days.

So when Tang Wan came over, she was actually quite happy—especially since Jiang Xiaowai had come along too. The little one couldn’t talk yet, but he was fair and soft and adorable, and just looking at him lifted her spirits.

Shen Shuci wanted to hold the child, but Tang Wan was afraid Xiaowai’s little arms and legs would flail around, bump into or kick her belly, so she didn’t dare let her hold him.

"No need to be that careful. Besides, Mutang is so good; how could he go around kicking people?" Shen Shuci rubbed his little face.

"That’s because you haven’t seen him when he’s being a little devil. He can really make a scene."

"That’s still better than mine. From the moment I got pregnant, this one hasn’t stopped for a single day." Shen Shuci’s tone was helpless.

Tang Wan could really empathize. Her morning sickness had been severe, and she’d had problem after problem throughout the pregnancy. If she’d been even a little more sensitive and her husband couldn’t be by her side all the time, she would have sunk into depression long ago.

Sitting at home with nothing to do, Shen Shuci asked Tang Wan if anything fun had happened lately.

Tang Wan really wanted to share how Jiang Chengsi had been so scared by his father‑in‑law that he climbed walls to flee, but then she thought for a moment...

She should at least leave Fourth Brother a little dignity.

"Nothing much fun, really. It’s just that lately, besides you, what everyone’s paying attention to most is the Si Family in Guandong."

When Huo Qinqi got married, it had already caused quite a stir in the Beijing circle. Now everyone’s eyes were glued to Shen Shuci’s belly.

"The Si Family? Mrs. Si’s birthday banquet?" Shen Shuci raised an eyebrow.

"You know about it too?" Tang Wan chuckled, her voice muffled. "I thought you were completely shutting out the world these days."

"The invitation was delivered to the house. At dinner last night, my parents were still discussing what gift would be appropriate."

"So your family is going?"

"I don’t know if we’ll attend, but we’ll definitely send a gift." Shen Shuci saw the surprise on Tang Wan’s face and couldn’t help smiling. "What? Your family didn’t get an invitation?"

"We did. We got it yesterday too." Tang Wan pressed her lips together. "Looks like Mrs. Si’s birthday banquet is going to be extremely lively."

Shen Shuci had no interest in whatever was going on with the Si Family. All she wanted right now was to hurry up and get this thing in her belly out.

...

The Si Family’s invitation had been delivered to the Jiang Family yesterday, when Fan Mingyu was accompanying the old lady to the Peach Garden to listen to opera, leaving only Tang Wan at home taking care of the child.

Even though there was only one invitation, the Si Family’s people said directly:

They hoped everyone in the Jiang Family would give them the honor of attending.

"If we’re free, we’ll definitely go." Tang Wan nodded in agreement.

"Sir and Madam are very fond of Fourth Master. Please pass along the message to Fourth Master: if he can attend, Madam will be even happier."

Tang Wan smiled and nodded.

With the Si Family acting like this, did they know about Fourth Brother and Miss Si or not? They even made a point of asking for Fourth Brother to be there?

But she still relayed the Si Family’s words to Jiang Chengsi exactly as they were.

Jiang Chengsi was over the moon.

Even though the Si Family still didn’t know about his relationship with Si Qingxiao, just from this you could tell how much Uncle and Auntie liked him.

From the looks of it, meeting the parents was going to go very smoothly.

He had already started thinking about what he should wear, what car he should drive that day.

Since it was their first meeting, and it was also his future mother‑in‑law’s birthday, he definitely had to bring a gift. He had no experience and didn’t know what to prepare, so he could only ask everyone in the group chat for advice.

Qiqi: [Wear a couple more layers. I’m afraid you won’t be able to dodge a good beating.]

Jiang Chengsi was furious, but Qi Zeyan really had been acting cocky lately. The Qi Family had already started preparing for the wedding; when joy comes...

He was strutting around the club every day with that slicked‑back hair of his, looking all showy and flirty!

Si Qingxiao, on the other hand, gave him a lot of suggestions beforehand, telling him what her parents liked and that he could just prepare gifts along those lines. It didn’t need to be too formal anyway; they were just having a meal.

When Jiang Jinsang heard he was going to meet the parents, he naturally asked in private how his preparations were going.

Jiang Chengsi said straight out: "Anyway, her parents really like me. Uncle Si even encouraged me to go after Xiaoxiao. If the gifts aren’t enough, I’ll make up for it with my face."

Jiang Jinsang gave a faint, mocking laugh:

Using his face? He really was the only one who could say something like that with a straight face.