She put down her bundle and headed for the bathroom.
Qin Mei watched Sun Dexiang and Sun’s mother walk one after the other, carrying their bundles and hurrying toward the room Jing Wu had tidied up. Filled with suspicion, she looked at Jie Jingchen. "Could that mother-daughter duo have their eyes on Jing Wu?"
Just the thought of being sisters-in-law with Sun Dexiang gave Qin Mei a headache.
"Jing Wu wouldn’t be interested in my sister’s sister-in-law," Jie Jingchen said confidently. "The women Jing Wu has dated are nothing like her."
"You never know. When you get tired of rich, heavy food, you might start craving something plain," Qin Mei said. She knew Jie Jingling wouldn’t kick her mother-in-law and sister-in-law out unless they left on their own accord. Other than them targeting Jing Wu, Qin Mei couldn’t think of any other reason.
"From what I’ve seen, Jing Wu is completely focused on the renovations right now and has no interest in dating." Jie Jingchen was surprised by Jing Wu’s transformation. At first, he’d thought it was just a fleeting interest and that Jing Wu would soon be complaining about how hard it was and give up. But he hadn’t. In fact, he was getting more and more into it.
"No, I have to go ask Sis. If they really are targeting Jing Wu, I need to warn him to be on his guard." Qin Mei started to get up but was pulled back by Jie Jingchen.
"Meimei, it’s not that serious," Jie Jingchen said.
Qin Mei shot him a glare. "She’d be *my* sister-in-law, not yours."
Having many brothers had its pros and cons. More brothers meant more sisters-in-law, and it was hard for sisters-in-law to get along. It was fine if you got a reasonable one, but if you ended up with a petty, unreasonable troublemaker, it was a disaster.
Jie Jingchen fell silent for a moment, then let go. Qin Mei ran out of the room.
Jie Jingling had opened the windows and door to air out the room. Seeing Qin Mei run over in a frantic hurry, covered in sweat, she took out a handkerchief to wipe her brow. "What’s wrong?"
"Sis, does Sun Dexiang have her eyes on Jing Wu?" Qin Mei asked directly.
Jie Jingling’s hand paused, her eyes flickering. She asked in return, "Amie, how did you figure that out?"
"They moved into the room next to Jing Wu’s," Qin Mei said.
Jie Jingling froze for a second, then burst out laughing with a "PFFT." She didn’t let Qin Mei inside, as the smell in the room hadn’t dissipated yet. She stood with Qin Mei under the eaves. "Amie, you’ve misunderstood. They think this room stinks too much."
"It stinks too much?" Qin Mei was bewildered. ’Why would this room stink?’
Jie Jingling leaned close to her ear and whispered, "They don’t flush the toilet after they use it."
Qin Mei was slightly stunned, then she too burst out laughing. On a hot day like this, if you didn’t flush the toilet, it would be a miracle if the room *didn’t* stink.
"Serves them right." After a moment, Qin Mei managed to say the two words with a laugh.
Jie Jingling just smiled without saying anything. ’They really do deserve it.’
Qin Mei patted her chest in relief. "As long as she’s not after Jing Wu, that’s all that matters. I really don’t want to be sisters-in-law with your sister-in-law."
Jie Jingling thought that she couldn’t accept the change in relationship either—her sister-in-law becoming her fifth brother’s wife.
"She’s not interested in Fifth Brother." Before the words were even out of her mouth, Jie Jingling remembered the way Sun Dexiang had looked at Jing Si, and her expression tensed. She wanted to warn Qin Mei, but she worried it might negatively affect the young couple. After thinking it over, Jie Jingling held her tongue. Once Jing Er’s banquet was over, she would take them and leave. It was only a matter of a few days. As long as she kept an eye on her sister-in-law, she wouldn’t be able to do anything too outrageous.
"She’s not interested in Jing Wu, and he wouldn’t be interested in her anyway." Qin Mei had already come to accept Jie Jingjue.
Jie Jingling smiled and patted Qin Mei’s shoulder. "Alright, it’s too hot outside. Hurry back inside and rest."
"Sis, once the smell clears out, you should go back inside and rest too." Qin Mei wanted to invite Jie Jingling to her room to use the fan, but Jie Jingchen was already lying down, and she knew her sister-in-law would feel awkward seeing that.
When Qin Mei returned to their room, Jie Jingchen was leaning against the headboard reading a book, dressed in shorts and a tank top. His expression was focused. His perfectly proportioned body, combined with that divinely handsome face, and the fan stirring the stray hairs on his forehead, gave him a soul-stirring charm.
Jie Jingchen turned his head. The moment their eyes met, Qin Mei’s heart skipped a beat. His amber pupils were like deep pools, holding an unfathomable depth.
"Get it all cleared up?" Jie Jingchen’s thin lips curved into a roguish smile.
Qin Mei snapped back to her senses, gathered her thoughts, and murmured softly, "Mm-hmm."
"Come here." Seeing her just standing there, Jie Jingchen beckoned to her.
Qin Mei swallowed, then obediently started walking. After just two steps, she stopped, turned around, and went to shut the door she had forgotten to close earlier. Not only did she shut it, but she also locked it.
Then she walked over to the window and drew the curtains. They were from Xiangjiang and had a great blackout effect.
The room darkened, and Qin Mei suddenly felt her actions were a bit... suggestive. Like she was getting ready to do *that* with him.
’It’s ruining our nap. We’re a married couple; we’ve already done everything there is to do. There’s no need to be so coy.’ Annoyed, Qin Mei frowned and pulled the curtains open again.
Qin Mei climbed into bed. She liked sleeping on the inner side. Lying on the cool mat with the fan blowing, she still felt hot.
Jie Jingchen usually had to work, so unless he took a day off or it was his rest day, she napped alone. Now, with him lying beside her, she felt hot from the warmth radiating from his body, even without touching him.
She was sweating, and her whole body felt sticky and uncomfortable.
"Meimei, there’s hot water in the bathroom," Jie Jingchen said, turning his head to gaze at her.
Qin Mei paused, only now noticing that Jie Jingchen had showered. In the short time she was out talking to her sister-in-law, he had managed to shower, get into bed, and pretend to be reading. ’His speed is truly godlike!’
Qin Mei got out of bed and went to the bathroom to shower. Jie Jingchen was so thoughtful; he had already mixed the hot and cold water, and the temperature was just right.
After taking off her clothes, Qin Mei didn’t start showering right away. She first washed her underwear and hung it up in the bathroom before she began to wash herself.
Jie Jingchen continued to read, waiting patiently for her to come out. Qin Mei liked to dawdle in the bathroom, though he had no idea what she was doing in there.
Feeling unbearably hot, Qin Mei came out of the bathroom, let out a heavy sigh, and ran toward the fan. But she was caught by Jie Jingchen, who pulled her forcefully, causing her to fall on top of him.
"It’s hot," Qin Mei said, struggling to get up. Jie Jingchen was wearing a tank top, while she was only in her nightgown. He could clearly feel the softness of her chest against him.
"*You’re* not hot," Jie Jingchen said in a low voice, his long fingers gently smoothing the damp hair at her temples.
"I *am* hot," Qin Mei insisted, her hands pressed against his chest. Through the thin fabric, her palms could clearly feel his body heat.
Jie Jingchen placed a large hand on the back of her head, pressing down gently. His low voice sounded by her ear. "Are you really hot? At the train station, waiting for my sister on such a hot day, you didn’t feel hot at all. But in a room with a fan, you keep complaining that you’re hot whenever I’m near you. Meimei, you can’t favor one of us over the other."
’Is he jealous?’ Qin Mei looked at him, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "She’s your big sister."
"Meimei, in your heart, who’s more important? Me, or my big sister?" Jie Jingchen asked, seemingly nonchalant, but in reality, he was being very cautious.
Qin Mei didn’t answer right away. She moved her hands from his chest, draping herself over him completely. The smooth pads of her fingers traced the sharp, well-defined lines of his face. "Do you want the truth, or a lie?"
"The lie," Jie Jingchen said, his gaze deep and intense as he stared at her.
Qin Mei’s almond-shaped eyes crinkled with a smile. "You’re more important."
Jie Jingchen’s heart sank. His voice dropped a few notches. "And the truth?"
"Your big sister." Qin Mei broke into a brilliant smile, as dazzling as a hundred flowers blooming at once, making it impossible to look away.
A smile touched Jie Jingchen’s lips, but his eyes were ice-cold. "Meimei."
He was just asking for punishment. He knew what her answer would be, yet he’d asked anyway, clinging to a sliver of hope. But her answer had been clean and decisive.
"Meimei, you’ve been with my sister for half a year, and you’ve been with me for half a year too." Jie Jingchen couldn’t accept it. For the past six months, he had doted on her, spoiled her, and supported her in everything she did. He wasn’t greedy enough to ask for an equal return, he just hoped she would keep him in her heart.