Mr. Xie’s face was grim. He felt terrible seeing how the Sun Family had worn his daughter down. He didn’t want to give Sun’s mother the time of day, but thinking of his daughter’s situation, he forced a smile. "She’s a neighbor."
Upon hearing this, Sun’s mother immediately dropped any pretense of politeness with Second Auntie. She muttered, "Not family, not even a distant relation, just a neighbor. She’s just a busybody sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong."
Since this was the Jie Family’s home, Sun’s mother didn’t kick her out directly, but her gaze toward Second Auntie was filled with contempt.
Second Auntie looked uncomfortable. She was just a neighbor and really had no standing in the matter. Just as she was about to leave, Qin Mei spoke up. "Dad, Mom, Second Auntie, I’ve made some cooling tea. It’s great for beating the heat. Please, everyone have a bowl."
Jie Jingchen turned and went into the kitchen, and Jie Jinghun followed him. Shen Qing also came out of her room to help. Jie Jingwei, however, did not. He was a male chauvinist; in his view, a gentleman stays away from the kitchen.
With a bowl for everyone, Qin Mei served the first one to Second Auntie. This displeased Sun’s mother. ’I’m a guest and Jing Ling’s mother-in-law,’ she thought. ’The first bowl of tea should have been for me. But Qin Mei gave it to that neighbor right in front of my face, clearly trying to embarrass me.’
"Thank you, Fourth Wife of Jing." Second Auntie was flattered. She shot a provocative glance at Sun’s mother. The tea was a bit hot, so she blew on it before taking a sip. She was immediately full of praise. "Fourth Wife of Jing, this cooling tea you made is delicious. It’s so thirst-quenching."
’If she sold this,’ Second Auntie thought, ’it would be a nice source of income.’
’I’ll have to talk to the Fourth Wife of Jing about this in private. We could make some good money while the weather’s still hot.’
"If you like it, have some more. It’s great for beating the heat. It’s good for you to drink more when it’s this hot," Qin Mei said with a smile. ’I did that on purpose,’ she thought, ’and I’m grateful to Second Auntie for saying what the rest of us were holding back.’
Shen Qing came out with two bowls. She saw Jie Jinghun give a bowl to Mr. Xie and another to Jie Jingwei; Qin Mei give one to Second Auntie and one to Jie Jingling; and Jie Jingchen give one to Sun Tong and one to Mrs. Xie. After a moment’s hesitation, Shen Qing walked toward Sun’s mother and Sun Dexiang with her bowls.
Sun’s mother had intended to say a few words, but seeing Shen Qing’s icy expression, she frowned and swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.
Shen Qing then went back to the kitchen, got another bowl, and took it to Jing Qi.
"Doctor Qiao, Jing Ling just got back, so you all must have a lot to talk about. I won’t disturb you any longer. I’ll come find Jing Ling to chat tomorrow." After finishing her cooling tea, Second Auntie promptly got up and left.
Sun’s mother suspected that the neighbor hadn’t really come to see Jing Ling; she’d just come to get some free cooling tea.
"Second Auntie, wait a minute," Qin Mei called out to her. Jie Jingchen handed Qin Mei a military canteen filled with cooling tea, which she took and offered to Second Auntie. "It’s so hot, it’s easy to get heatstroke. Take this back for Xiao Ping and Xiao Bing."
Second Auntie looked at Qin Mei with gratitude, then shot another glance at Sun’s mother and raised her voice. "Well, I won’t stand on ceremony then! On behalf of my two grandsons, thank you, their godmother."
Qin Mei just smiled without saying anything. Second Auntie said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Xie and then left. As for Sun’s mother, Second Auntie didn’t bother. ’We’re both elders,’ she figured. ’If she’s going to look down on me, I don’t need to waste any politeness on her.’
Jie Jingling was a little surprised. Qin Mei was the godmother to Second Auntie’s two grandsons? She’d never mentioned it.
In truth, Qin Mei hadn’t thought much of it. She just couldn’t stand the way Sun’s mother had looked at Second Auntie. ’What’s wrong with being a neighbor?’ she thought. ’In a crisis, a neighbor can be more reliable than family.’
As the saying goes, a close neighbor is better than a distant relative.
Sun’s mother gritted her teeth. ’So Qin Mei is that woman’s grandsons’ godmother. No wonder she has the gall to meddle in the Jie Family’s business. But meddling in their affairs is one thing—meddling in the Sun Family’s business and giving me a tongue-lashing is another!’
After Second Auntie left, the more Sun’s mother stewed on it, the more indignant she became. "What’s so wrong with our Sun Family?" she demanded. "My husband is the village’s party secretary. It was Jing Ling’s good fortune to marry my second son. She’s just an educated youth. If our Sun Family hadn’t been looking out for her, her life would have been nothing but misery."
"But when the educated youth are allowed to return to the cities, all that bitterness will come to an end," Qin Mei said coolly.
Sun’s mother glared at Qin Mei. ’An ungrateful wretch. Qin Mei is nothing but an ungrateful wretch!’ she fumed internally. ’When she stayed with the Sun Family, I fed her well and gave her plenty to drink, and I never made her lift a finger. And she doesn’t appreciate any of it!’
"Hmph!" Sun’s mother snorted disdainfully. "Returning to the city... easier said than done. Some of those educated youth have to sell their own bodies just to secure a spot to go back."
Qin Mei was left speechless. She couldn’t refute what Sun’s mother had said, because it was the truth.
Mrs. Xie wanted to retort, but for Jie Jingling’s sake, she forced herself to hold her tongue.
’It’s satisfying to talk back now,’ she thought, ’but once they return home, Sun’s mother will surely take her anger out on Jing Ling.’