"Amie, you’re wonderful too. You deserve my fourth brother’s love," Jie Jingling quickly added.
"Of course," Qin Mei replied with shameless confidence. "I’m a universal favorite, a true one-of-a-kind. You’d need a microscope to find someone else like me."
"Pfft!" Jie Jingling couldn’t help but burst out laughing, reaching out to smooth the hair at Qin Mei’s temples. "Yes, yes, yes, you two are the best. You must always love each other dearly and live happily ever after."
Jie Jingchen was getting a little anxious. His older sister had asked the question, and while Qin Mei hadn’t exactly answered, it felt as though she had.
Jie Jingchen was sure of one thing: Qin Mei hadn’t actually said whether or not she had fallen in love with him.
His older sister didn’t press the issue, letting her sidestep the question. So Jie Jingchen still didn’t know if Qin Mei had truly fallen in love with him.
Human nature is insatiable. At first, all he’d wanted was a marriage of mutual respect, even after they had consummated their relationship. But gradually, he had grown greedy. A marriage of polite respect was no longer enough to satisfy him; he wanted one of deep, devoted love.
"Sister, there’s something I need to give you a heads-up about," Qin Mei said, her expression turning serious.
"What is it?" Jie Jingling asked curiously.
Qin Mei bit her lower lip, looked at Jie Jingling, and said, "My mom has divided up the courtyard. The West House goes to me and Jie Jingchen, the East House to Third Brother and his wife, the South House to Jing Wu, and the North House..."
Jie Jingling was astonished. "The East House was given to Third Brother and his wife?"
"Mm-hmm," Qin Mei nodded, adding, "She even had a document drawn up. It was signed, with thumbprints and everything. It’s completely official."
If she takes it to the notary office, it will become legally binding.
Jie Jingling felt a surge of unease. Third Brother wasn’t related to Aunt Qiao, so by all rights, she shouldn’t have given him a share of the courtyard. And yet, she had. "What about the North House?"
Jie Jingling wanted to know if Aunt Qiao was leaving the North House to Second Brother or to Seventh Sister.
"My parents are living in the North House," Qin Mei said.
Jie Jingling raised an eyebrow. Amie was being coy, so she just asked directly, "Is Aunt Qiao leaving the North House to Seventh Sister?"
"No." Qin Mei shook her head. "My mom says Jing Qi’s future lies in Xiangjiang."
’This didn’t surprise Qin Mei. Jie Jingshan would eventually change her surname. After inheriting from the Qiao Family, she would become Qiao Jingshan.’
"Is Aunt Qiao going to leave the North House to Second Brother?" Jie Jingling grew even more apprehensive.
"No." Qin Mei shook her head again and finally revealed the answer. "My mom is leaving the North House to you."
"What?" Jie Jingling was completely floored. The news was even more shocking than if the house had been left to Jing Er. She was a daughter who had married out of the family—and one who had married far away, at that.
Along with the shock, Jie Jingling also felt deeply touched. Aunt Qiao had always been thinking of her. But the shock and gratitude were quickly followed by deep worry.
"I appreciate Aunt Qiao’s kindness, but I can’t accept the North House," Jie Jingling refused. "If the North House becomes mine, it’s as good as falling into the hands of the Sun Family. Knowing my mother-in-law, as soon as she finds out Aunt Qiao gave it to me, she’ll start slowly moving the entire Sun Family to Shijiu City."
The Sun Family was relentless, and she couldn’t bear the thought of them latching onto the Jie Family.
"Sister, this is why I wanted to give you a heads-up," Qin Mei said. If Sun’s mother hadn’t come along, she wouldn’t have brought it up, leaving it to her own mother to tell Jie Jingling. But with Sun’s mother here, the matter had to be handled with caution to avoid unnecessary trouble.
From Sun’s mother’s perspective, when Jie Jingling married her son, she became one of the Sun Family. Anything her maiden family gave her belonged to the Sun Family as well.
In that era, people from the countryside had a deep-seated obsession with the city. They would rack their brains for any way to get their household registration transferred to an urban area.
"I don’t want the North House." Jie Jingling’s refusal was absolute. As long as she didn’t accept it, her mother-in-law would be powerless.
"Sister, the North House... you have to take it." Qin Mei grasped Jie Jingling’s hand, enunciating each word slowly and clearly.
Jie Jingling furrowed her brow, gazing at Qin Mei in confusion.
’If Qin Mei didn’t understand the Sun Family, I wouldn’t be surprised by her advice. But she knows exactly how greedy they are, so why is she still insisting I take it?’
"Amie, give them an inch and they’ll take a mile. I don’t want to bring trouble to my family," Jie Jingling said.
"For Tongtong’s sake," Qin Mei said. "Tongtong is the apple of your eye. I’m sure you’ve thought about her future."
Jie Jingling was speechless. She was deeply worried about Tongtong’s future. If she herself had been born and raised in the countryside, then Tongtong’s fate would be to remain there. But she wasn’t, and the difference between the city and the countryside was like night and day.
’Honestly, I want Tongtong to move to the city; I don’t want her to be stuck in the countryside.’
’Tongtong was twelve now, and the desire to get her into the city grew stronger by the day. I’ve even considered asking my family for help. My own life might be confined to the countryside, but Tongtong still has a chance.’
Seeing her expression, Qin Mei continued, "Sister, it’s less that my mom is leaving the North House for you, and more that she’s leaving it for Tongtong. Sister, do you understand the thought and care behind her decision?"