When Jie Jingchen didn’t say anything, Qin Mei broke the silence. "Jie Jingsi, are you disappointed that I’m not pregnant?"
"No." Jie Jingchen refused to admit it. He was the one who said they shouldn’t have children for the time being. ’If I say we shouldn’t have a child yet but at the same time hope she’s pregnant, what would that make me? Two-faced?’
Qin Mei didn’t try to guess how true his words were. Instead, she took out a gauze scarf and wrapped it around her face. The sun was still out, and she didn’t tolerate it well. The original owner’s skin was so delicate; it didn’t just tan, it also sunburned easily.
’The original owner was a country girl, and Yangcheng City is so hot. How did she manage her sun protection?’
’When she took over this body from its original owner, she had been amazed at how fair and smooth it was.’
"Are you done getting ready?" Jie Jingchen was used to seeing her arm herself like this whenever they went out.
"Ready," said Qin Mei. Jie Jingchen took her hand, and they walked outside.
Jie Jingchen carried the bicycle out of the courtyard gate. Qin Mei locked the door, then checked it again. Only after confirming that everything was securely locked did she feel relieved enough to leave.
"Don’t you get tired from all that double-checking?" Jie Jingchen held the bicycle steady, waiting for her to get on.
"We’re the last ones to leave. If a thief comes and the door isn’t locked properly, we won’t be able to clear our names. It would be one thing if we were dealing with reasonable people, but if we ran into someone unreasonable, like Xu Chunyan, for example, they’d assume it was an inside job." Qin Mei settled on the bike and wrapped her arms around his sturdy waist.
"Hmph!" Jie Jingchen scoffed and rode the bicycle toward the state-run restaurant.
At the state-run restaurant, one table would have been too crowded. Mrs. Xie, who was not short on money, arranged for two.
Qin Mei, Jie Jingchen, Shen Qing, Jie Jinghun, Jing Qi, and Sun Tong sat at one table.
Mr. Xie, Mrs. Xie, Sun’s mother, Sun Dexiang, Jie Jingwei, and Jie Jingling sat at the other.
Once the dishes were all served, everyone picked up their chopsticks. Gazing at the table full of delicious food, Sun’s mother couldn’t stop grinning. "Sister Qiao, this must have cost a lot of money and tickets, huh?"
’City folk sure are rich, eating so well. I’ve never eaten this good in my life. After this meal, I can die with no regrets.’
"Sister Sun, you’re our honored guest for coming all this way with Jing Ling. As Jing Ling’s family, we must treat you well," Mrs. Xie said politely. Her words were music to Sun’s mother’s ears.
"Sister Qiao, and you as well, sir, you’re too kind," Sun’s mother said, her eyes crinkling with a smile.
"Let’s not stand on ceremony. Please, start eating," said Mr. Xie, addressing Sun’s mother.
Drinking had caused trouble last time, so Mr. Xie didn’t dare to touch alcohol. Mrs. Xie, however, ordered some. Sun’s mother didn’t drink. Mrs. Xie asked Jie Jinghun, but he declined. She pointedly ignored Jie Jingchen and turned to Jie Jingwei.
Jie Jingwei was in a foul mood and wanted to drink, but when he saw that no one else was, he decided there was no fun in drinking alone and declined as well.
"Where’s Jing Wu?" Jie Jinghun asked Jie Jingchen.
"I don’t know." Jie Jingchen knew his third brother; if he told him, he would surely be interrogated down to the last detail.
"Did Jing Wu provoke you again?" Jie Jinghun asked in a low voice, his gaze turning suggestively toward Qin Mei.
"Third Brother, didn’t your dad teach you not to talk while you eat?" Jie Jingchen asked abruptly.
Jie Jinghun choked on his words. "You say that like he isn’t your dad, too."
Jie Jingchen was clearly getting impatient. Jie Jinghun concluded that Jing Wu must have interrupted his "private time" again. ’A sexually frustrated man is best left alone!’
"Tongtong, this is delicious." Jie Jingshan placed a chicken leg in Sun Tong’s bowl and took one for herself.
"Thank you, Auntie," Sun Tong said.
Sun Dexiang also liked chicken legs. A chicken only has two, and there were none at their table—they were both at Sun Tong’s table. Sun Dexiang regretted sitting at this table with her mother.
"Mom, I want a chicken leg," Sun Dexiang whispered.
Sun’s mother glanced at the bowl of roasted chicken, poked around in it a few times with her chopsticks, and got them oily. Completely ignoring the others at the table, she put the chopsticks in her mouth and sucked them clean. "There are no chicken legs. With all this delicious food, can you even finish it? Why are you so fixated on a chicken leg?"
Mrs. Xie, sitting next to Sun’s mother, was disgusted by the sight of her sucking on the chopsticks.
Mr. Xie was at a loss for words. He glanced at Jie Jingling. ’What kind of family has my eldest daughter married into? Her mother-in-law is just so...’
’Forget it. I’ll just endure it.’
Jie Jingwei, his face clouded with worry, had no mind for anything else and ate without tasting his food.
Jie Jingling kept her head down, too embarrassed to look at her family. Suddenly, Mrs. Xie grasped the hand that held her chopsticks. Startled, Jie Jingling looked up at Mrs. Xie.
Mrs. Xie gave her a gentle and affectionate smile. Jie Jingling froze, stunned. That smile was like the winter sun, warming her cold heart.
"Aunt Qiao."
"It’s alright. Eat," Mrs. Xie said, patting the back of her hand and placing a piece of fish in Jie Jingling’s bowl.