"What are you looking at?" Li Axiu was in a foul mood, so her tone was sharp.
"Axiu, congratulations. You finally got your wish and married your daughter into the Jie Family," a neighbor called out.
’She’s not congratulating me, she’s mocking me,’ Li Axiu thought. The son-in-law she’d wanted was Jing Si, but her daughter had ended up marrying Jing Er instead.
’She knew exactly what the neighbors were whispering about Jing Er divorcing his wife to marry Yaru. The Jie Family refused to discuss it, but the rumors tearing down the Lin Family were vile and almost too awful to bear.’
’And Li Axiu knew without a doubt that Liu Guihua was fanning the flames.’
Li Axiu hadn’t caused a scene. The Lin Family was in the wrong on this matter, and making things ugly would only bring Yaru more shame.
"Yaru, let’s talk at home." Li Axiu didn’t wait for Jie Jingwei, simply pulling Lin Yaru toward their house.
Li Axiu was simmering with rage. ’I feel like a pariah,’ she thought.
「At the Lin residence.」
Mr. Lin was at work. Li Axiu glanced at the house next door. Hearing no sound, she pulled Lin Yaru inside. Ignoring her daughter’s pregnancy, she shoved her into a chair. "What is going on?"
"I want a divorce," Lin Yaru said, her words slow and deliberate.
"Nonsense." Li Axiu jabbed a finger at Lin Yaru’s forehead, looking at her with utter exasperation. "Are you trying to kill me? You’re legally married, you’re pregnant with his child, and the wedding banquet is tomorrow! And now you’re telling me you want a divorce? Yaru, why must you cause so much trouble?"
"Mom, I’m begging you. Please, let me divorce him," Lin Yaru pleaded, grabbing her mother’s hand with tears streaming down her face.
"No." Li Axiu snatched her hand away. Fuming, she paced around the room before stopping in front of Lin Yaru again. "I just don’t understand. What is this drama all about? We had everything settled. How can you go back on your word just like that?"
"Mom, you and Dad keep saying this is for my own good, but do you have any idea what I really want? I don’t love him. I don’t want to have his child. Just looking at him makes me sick, especially when he... does those things to me. Mom, I can’t stand it! I feel like I’m going to lose my mind." Lin Yaru clutched her head as images of them together tortured her, causing her immense pain.
"How could we not know what you want? The man you love is Jing Si. You want to have his children. But Jing Si is married! Look how in love he and his wife are. Yaru, listen to me. It’s impossible between you and Jing Si. Just focus on building a life with Jing Er. You might not love him now, but after you’ve spent more time together, you will," Li Axiu urged her patiently.
"Impossible. I will never love him, not in this lifetime," Lin Yaru said, shaking her head frantically. She only loved Jing Si. She would never love another man.
"Silly child." Li Axiu pulled Lin Yaru into a pained hug, stroking her hair. "You’re still so young, and a lifetime is a long time. If you don’t believe me, then trust Xu Chunyan’s judgment. If Jing Er weren’t a good man, she wouldn’t have loved him so deeply. There must be a reason Xu Chunyan married him. Yaru, you need to see his good qualities, not just cling to his flaws."
"No matter how wonderful he is, I will never, ever love him," Lin Yaru stated firmly.
’I don’t like the man Xu Chunyan fell in love with.’
Li Axiu refused to believe it was a lost cause. She was convinced that once Yaru had the baby and saw her adorable child, she would resign herself to her fate and live a peaceful life with Jing Er.
In the courtyard, Jie Jingwei, who had overheard Lin Yaru’s words, wore a sarcastic smile.
’Never love him? As if he cared about her love.’
’He was only in it for the novelty. The more she resisted him, the more it stoked his desire for a challenge. The day he grew tired of her body, he would cast her aside like a worn-out shoe. There was no love between them.’
’As for the child in her belly, he couldn’t care less. It’s not like he didn’t already have a son.’
Jie Jingwei set the net bag containing malted milk and milk powder on the ground, then turned and left without a second thought.
「In the kitchen.」
Jie Jingling watched as Second Aunt-in-law poured a packet of medicinal powder into a pot. As she stirred, the mixture slowly began to thicken.
"Jing Ling, quickly now," Second Aunt-in-law urged.
Jie Jingling snapped out of her daze and helped wipe the sweat from Second Aunt-in-law’s brow. "Second Aunt-in-law, what is this?"
"An ointment," Second Aunt-in-law said, not bothering to hide it from Jie Jingling.
’She’s Jing Si’s older sister and Qin Mei’s sister-in-law. They’re close. She wouldn’t report us. That would be just plain wicked.’
"An ointment?" Jie Jingling was stunned. She saw Second Aunt-in-law brewing a huge pot of herbs and had assumed she was preparing a medicinal bath. She never would have guessed she was making an ointment.
"Ever heard of Qin’s ointment?" Second Aunt-in-law asked in a low voice.
Jie Jingling shook her head. "No."
Second Aunt-in-law gave a mysterious smile. "Right now, only people in Shijiu City know about it. This ointment is remarkably effective for rheumatism."
"Is it only for rheumatism?" Jie Jingling’s interest was piqued.
"Nope." Second Aunt-in-law shook her head. "You can put it wherever it hurts. It’s not instantaneous, but you’ll definitely feel the effects after a couple of applications. Jing Ling, why don’t you take a few patches back with you to try out? I guarantee they’ll sell like crazy."
Realizing she’d said too much, Second Aunt-in-law immediately clammed up. Only Jing Ling and Jing Si were in the kitchen; otherwise, she would never have been so bold.
"Speculation and profiteering," Jie Jingling blurted out.
"Whoa!" With lightning speed, Second Aunt-in-law dropped her spatula and clamped a hand over Jie Jingling’s mouth. "Jing Ling, you can’t say things like that!"
Jie Jingchen, who was chopping vegetables, watched the vigilant Second Aunt-in-law, and his lips twitched. ’But isn’t that exactly what she was implying?’
Second Aunt-in-law’s hand reeked of medicine. Jie Jingling frowned and patted the back of it.
"Don’t say such things," Second Aunt-in-law repeated. Jie Jingling nodded, and Second Aunt-in-law finally let her go.
"Second Aunt-in-law, are you and Amie..."
"We’re not doing anything," Second Aunt-in-law cut in, lying through her teeth with a straight face. "My joints have been aching, so the Fourth Wife of Jing gave me a recipe. It works really well, so I just made a little extra."
Jie Jingling was flabbergasted. She stared at the pot, which was more than half-full of the thick concoction. ’This is "a little extra"?’
"Second Aunt-in-law, be careful. Don’t let anyone catch on," Jie Jingling warned.
"Don’t you worry. When I do something, I do it right," Second Aunt-in-law declared, thumping her chest. Then she asked again, persistently, "Jing Ling, do you want to take a few packs back to your village to try?"
’Jing Ling is a barefoot doctor. If she promoted this ointment, it would be perfectly legal. She wouldn’t have to sneak around like I do.’
"No, thank you." Jie Jingling declined Second Aunt-in-law’s kind offer.
"Jing Ling, this stuff is really good. If you introduce it in your village, I guarantee you’ll make... HACK, HACK, I mean, not make money, but bring a blessing to the villagers," Second Aunt-in-law quickly corrected herself.
Jie Jingling smiled without a word. She had taken Second Aunt-in-law’s words to heart. ’What’s the use of a few ointment patches? The recipe is the real prize.’
Seeing that the mixture was stirred enough, Second Aunt-in-law prepared to switch pots to cook the other dishes. The pot was too heavy, and she didn’t have the strength to lift it herself. "Jing Ling, give me a hand," she said to Jie Jingling.
Jie Jingling didn’t move. Instead, she looked at Jie Jingchen. "Fourth Brother."
Jie Jingchen had just put down his knife when Second Aunt-in-law blurted out, "He can’t do it."
’Can’t do it?’ Jie Jingchen’s brow furrowed, and a cold, sharp glint flared in his amber eyes.
"AHEM." Jie Jingling coughed pointedly. Second Aunt-in-law really had no filter.
Second Aunt-in-law realized her blunder and immediately tried to backtrack. "Jing Si, I meant your right hand can’t do it, not that *you* can’t do it."
"I’ll do it," Jie Jingling said, not asking any questions.
Second Aunt-in-law had asked her for help in the first place; Jie Jingling had only called on Jie Jingchen because he was a man.
"Careful, it’s hot," Second Aunt-in-law warned. Working together, they lifted the pot off the stove and gingerly set it on the floor. "It’s a good thing Xiao You isn’t home, or we wouldn’t dare just leave this here."
Xiao You was so mischievous; if they fell into the pot, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Well now! Second Aunt-in-law is at the stove. Looks like we’re in for a treat." Jie Jinghun walked into the kitchen, intending to help with dinner. But seeing the ingredients were prepped and Second Aunt-in-law was at the helm, he realized he wasn’t needed.