"I’m fine with it as long as you’re happy," Jie Jingchen said nonchalantly.
Qin Mei huffed and pushed Jie Jingchen away. "Go change your clothes. You’re soaked."
"No need." Jie Jingchen glanced down at himself. "They’ll air dry in a little while."
"Suit yourself." Qin Mei didn’t press the issue. She picked up her comic book and went back to reading. "Go cool off somewhere and don’t bother me."
Jie Jingchen just stared at her, making Qin Mei squirm. She wanted to read, but with him standing right in front of her like that, she couldn’t concentrate, even if he wasn’t saying a word.
Qin Mei finally gave in. She snapped the comic book shut and tossed it onto the bed. "I’m not reading anymore. Happy now?"
"It’s no problem. You look at your thing, and I’ll look at mine." Jie Jingchen turned, picked up the comic book she had tossed on the bed, and placed it back in her hands.
She would read her comic, and he would watch her. No conflict there.
"I’m not in the mood. I’m not reading." Qin Mei tossed the comic book onto the bed again. "Did you call my brother?"
"I did," Jie Jingchen replied.
"What did my brother say?" Qin Mei asked. ’The Zhang Haoyuan identity is as good as dead. We can’t have any slip-ups with it, or Zhang Haoyuan will end up undocumented.’
"He guaranteed he’d get it done," Jie Jingchen said.
With that, Qin Mei stopped worrying. Her part of the job was done. The rest was up to them. Once the letter of introduction arrived from Yangcheng City and Zhang Haoyuan’s injuries had mostly healed, she would hand him over to Ah Bing.
「The next day. The state-owned restaurant.」
The Lin family, the bride’s side, occupied three tables. The Jie family, the groom’s side, had seven. There were ten tables in all.
Jie Jianjun’s family arrived early, bringing Grandpa and Granny with them. Grandpa and Granny took their seats at the head table, waiting for the younger generations to come and pay their respects.
Even though it was Jie Jingwei’s second marriage, the Jie family still treated it as a major event. Almost everyone who could make it came, even their paternal aunt who had been sent to the countryside returned with her children for the occasion.
"Honey, sit here next to Granny." Jie Anlin helped his pregnant wife, Zhao Hong, into the seat beside Granny. Now that Zhao Hong was pregnant, he could finally hold his head high.
"Zhao Hong, it’s so crowded. Don’t wander off, and be careful not to get bumped," Granny said, looking at Zhao Hong with a benevolent smile. An Lin’s wife was pregnant, and it was as if Granny’s greatest affliction had been cured.
"Yes, Granny." Zhao Hong was meek and obedient, especially when it came to Granny. ’She could ignore her parents-in-law, but she had to obey Granny.’
Although she was only a little over a month pregnant, Zhao Hong was acting as if she were already several months along.
"Zhao Hong, would you like some sunflower seeds or peanuts?" Chen Xiuhua asked.
"I’d like some sunflower seeds, Mom," Zhao Hong said, smiling at Chen Xiuhua.
"Alright, I’ll shell them for you." Chen Xiuhua grabbed a handful of seeds and started to shell them.
"Sunflower seeds are bad for you when you’re pregnant. Zhao Hong, don’t eat those. Have some wedding candy instead." Granny cut in, grabbing a handful of sweets and giving them to Zhao Hong.
Chen Xiuhua stopped shelling the seeds. "Mom, a few won’t hurt."
Granny shot Chen Xiuhua a glare. When she spoke, she expected to be obeyed, not contradicted. Chen Xiuhua looked to Jie Jianjun, hoping he would speak up for her, but he just muttered something about going to help and scurried off. Chen Xiuhua seethed. ’What a useless coward.’
"Mom," Chen Xiuhua began, changing the subject, "I heard Jing Ling got back the day before yesterday. How come she hasn’t come to the factory to see you and Dad?"
At this, Granny’s expression soured. "She’s just like that mother of hers—an ungrateful wretch you can’t ever tame."
"Mom." Chen Xiuhua glanced around and lowered her voice. "I heard that Jing Ling has already secretly visited Old Zhang twice. She’s been back for two days and has seen him twice, but she hasn’t come to the factory to see you and Dad even once."
"Hmph! It’s not like your father and I are desperate for a visit from her," Granny snorted, though she was clearly displeased. ’None of Zhang Hongyan’s three children are close to me. They have no concept of filial piety, and yet my eldest son still spoils them.’
Xiuhua was about to add more fuel to the fire, but Grandpa, who was sitting nearby, stopped her. "That’s enough. Today is Jing Er’s wedding. This is not an appropriate topic. Besides, if someone with ulterior motives were to overhear and try to get close to the Zhang family, it would do us no good."
"But *we* aren’t the ones getting close to the Zhang family," Chen Xiuhua retorted.
"And is Jing Ling not a member of our Jie family?" Grandpa shot back.
Chen Xiuhua was left speechless.
"Jing Ling is a married woman now. Whatever she does can’t drag us down with her," Granny said.
"You foolish woman!" Grandpa said. "Jing Ling got married, she didn’t disown her father!"
Granny fell silent, thoroughly vexed.
"An Lin." Granny suddenly grabbed Jie Anlin as he was passing by.
"Granny, what is it?" Jie Anlin asked.
"Where’s your eldest uncle?" Granny asked.
"He’s busy," Jie Anlin replied.