"Second Uncle." She called out, just as Jing Si had told her to.
"Such a good girl." Jie Huating looked over at Jing Qi and Sun Tong. "Jing Qi, who is she?"
Jing Qi ignored him, but Sun Tong was quick-witted. Figuring she was from the same generation as Jie Duo, and since Jie Duo called him "Uncle," she should too. "Second Uncle," she said sweetly.
"Is she Eldest Sister’s daughter?" Jie Huating asked Jie Jingchen.
Jie Jingchen nodded. "Her name is Sun Tong."
"So pretty, and so well-behaved." Jie Huating tried to get closer to Sun Tong, but Jie Jingshan pushed him away with a look of disgust.
"Brother Hua Er, don’t bother us," Jie Jingshan said.
"What are you guys whispering about?" Jie Huating asked curiously.
"None of your business." Jie Jingshan glared at him.
Jie Huating decided not to press his luck and looked around. Not seeing Jie Jingling, he asked, "Where’s Eldest Sister?"
"She went to the train station to buy tickets," Jie Jingchen replied.
"Buy tickets for what?" Jie Huating asked.
Jie Jingchen shot him a look that said he was an idiot. "What do you *think* she’s buying tickets for?"
"Eldest Sister so rarely comes back. Isn’t she staying for a few more days?" Jie Huating asked.
"Someone isn’t happy she’s here." As Jie Jingchen spoke, he glanced toward Granny in the distance.
Jie Huating understood and didn’t pursue the topic. Not everyone could be as brazen as Jie Jingchen and dare to provoke Granny.
Jie Huating turned to Qin Mei, who was playing with Jie Duo. "Fourth Sister-in-law, I heard you cured Brother An Lin’s private condition. How’d you do it?"
Jie Jingchen’s thick brows knitted together, his expression turning dark. "Get lost."
Seeing Jie Jingchen’s reaction only made Jie Huating more curious. ’We’re all family here. Is there any need to be so secretive?’
’How did I cure it? How else? Oral medicine and external soaks, obviously.’ Qin Mei didn’t answer his question. Instead, she gave Jie Huating a strange look and asked, "Do you have a private condition, too? Looking for a doctor?"
Jie Huating’s mouth twitched. He looked at Qin Mei helplessly. "Fourth Sister-in-law, I’m not even married yet."
"A private condition leading to low self-esteem and a fear of marriage. Your problem is even more serious," Qin Mei concluded.
PFFT! Jie Jingchen burst out laughing, the gloom on his face completely gone. He grinned at Qin Mei and gave her a thumbs-up. ’My wife is amazing. A direct hit to the soul.’
Jie Huating looked as if he’d been struck by lightning, his mouth twitching uncontrollably. ’This conversation is over! She’s infuriating!’
Jie Huating shot to his feet. Instead of returning to his seat, he walked straight out of the state-run restaurant.
’He actually left?’ Qin Mei looked at Jie Jingchen. "Don’t tell me I actually hit the nail on the head."
"Hua Er doesn’t have any private condition," Jie Jingchen said.
"Fine, so he doesn’t. But did he have to run off like that?" Qin Mei’s lips twitched.
Jie Jingwei came back. Mr. Xie told him to escort Grandpa and Granny home, but Granny told him to take Sun’s mother and her group first. Mrs. Xie was about to go with them when Granny stopped her, saying she had something to discuss. ’Whatever she wants to discuss, it can’t be good,’ Mrs. Xie thought.
"Jing Qi, Tongtong, are you two heading back?" Mrs. Xie asked.
"Yeah." Jing Qi stood up, pulling Sun Tong with him.
Jie Jinghun ended up taking Sun’s mother, Sun Dexiang, Jing Qi, and Sun Tong home first.
Granny said to Jie Jingchen, "Jing Si, you and your wife, come sit over here."
Jie Jingchen looked at Qin Mei and asked, "Should we?"
"Yes, why not?" Qin Mei also wanted to see what kind of scheme they were cooking up this time.
"Come on, let’s talk in the private room." Mr. Xie led the group to a private room that had been prepared in advance.
Jie Jianjun and Chen Xiuhua were in on the plan, while Mr. Xie and Mrs. Xie were not, though they had a vague inkling of what was coming.
Granny had specifically called Jie Jingchen over because she saw him as a shit-stirrer. If he didn’t agree with their plan, all their effort would be for naught, as he would surely find a way to sabotage it.
"Old man, you tell them," Granny said, passing the burden to Grandpa.
"Third Daughter, come over here." Grandpa beckoned to his third daughter, who was sitting further away.
Qin Mei couldn’t help but look at Jie Jingchen’s third aunt. Like Jie Jingling, she had been a "sent-down youth." The third aunt was among the first wave to be sent to the countryside. Her face was sallow and lacked any healthy glow, and her skin was coarse from years of wind and sun. She had a listless, dispirited air about her.
’The third aunt was a pitiful woman, too.’
"Dad, Mom." The third aunt sat down beside the two elderly parents.
"My poor daughter." Granny grasped her hand, tears streaming down her face.
Anyone could see that Granny was acting. The third aunt had returned home long before Jie Jingling, so wasn’t it a bit late for this touching mother-daughter reunion?
"Mom." The third aunt couldn’t play along with Granny’s drama; she couldn’t squeeze out any tears.
"Dad, Mom, if you have something to say, just say it directly," Chen Xiuhua spoke up.
Qin Mei glanced at Jie Jingchen’s second aunt. ’She lives with Granny. I wouldn’t believe for a second they hadn’t planned this out beforehand.’
"Eldest Son, Second Son, your third sister is terminally ill," Granny wailed.
The two words, "terminally ill," were dropped like a bomb.
Qin Mei studied the third aunt. The woman was listless and haggard, true, but if she was terminally ill, Qin Mei couldn’t see any signs of it.
"Mom, don’t talk nonsense. Our sister is still young; it’s bad luck to say things like that." Mr. Xie was the first to object.
"Number Three, show them." Granny patted the back of her daughter’s hand.
Without hesitation, the third aunt pulled a stack of medical reports from her cloth satchel.
"These are the reports from the hospital in the provincial capital. It’s a terminal illness," Granny said, tears streaming down her face.
Since Mrs. Xie was a doctor, the reports were handed directly to her. She was skeptical at first, but her expression grew grave as she read them. Seeing her reaction, no one else doubted the news.
The atmosphere instantly grew heavy. Mrs. Xie passed the reports to Qin Mei and whispered, "Xiao Mei, take a look."
Qin Mei took them and glanced at the reports. "Is it treatable?" Mrs. Xie asked.
"Based on these reports, treatment would be pointless," Qin Mei said. "However, I need to take her pulse first to understand her *true condition*." She deliberately stressed the last two words.
"Are you questioning the reports?" Granny demanded.
"Granny, I’m not questioning the reports, but..." Qin Mei trailed off, giving Granny a look that said, ’You know what I mean.’
"Meimei, you suspect she’s faking it?" A dark glint appeared in Jie Jingchen’s amber eyes.
The third aunt looked mortified, and Granny’s face contorted. Now that the couple had said that, how could they possibly continue their performance?
A cocky smile spread across Qin Mei’s face. "True gold fears no fire. I’ll know if this is real or fake the moment I take her pulse."
Granny glared at the husband and wife, who were working in perfect concert. She regretted inviting them. They were even questioning the medical reports!
True gold may not fear the flames, but they weren’t made of true gold.
Mrs. Xie finally understood the charade. Her expression soured instantly. "Jing Si, Xiao Mei, we’re leaving."
"Yan Qiu," said Mr. Xie.
"Eldest Daughter-in-law," said Granny.
"Eldest Sister-in-law," said Chen Xiuhua.
"I’m not getting involved in the Jie family’s business." Mrs. Xie pulled her son and daughter-in-law out of the room.
Granny slammed her hand on the table, fuming. "Eldest Son, look at this wonderful wife you married! She’ll be the death of me!"
"Mom, what is it this time? Do you want money or a house?" Mr. Xie raised a hand to rub the bridge of his nose.
"I don’t want money, and I don’t want a house," Granny declared, finally revealing her true purpose. "I want you to find a way to bring your third sister’s entire family back."
Mr. Xie took a deep breath. "Bringing back even one person is an incredible feat. I don’t have the power to bring her entire family back."
"Then bringing one back will be enough," Granny conceded.
Mr. Xie laughed grimly. ’She’s digging a pit and just waiting for me to jump in.’
"Fine," Mr. Xie said. "I’ll arrange for a job. My second brother can arrange the housing."
"Eldest Brother, you’re the director of the machinery factory," Chen Xiuhua protested. "Jianjun is just a department head. He doesn’t have the power to arrange housing."
"Why not? The house the factory assigned to him is still empty," Mr. Xie said.
"There are people living in that house," Chen Xiuhua said.
Mr. Xie’s brow furrowed. He looked at Chen Xiuhua and asked, "Who’s living there?"
"My younger brother and his family," Chen Xiuhua said defiantly. "My parents-in-law both approved. There’s nothing to hide. Besides, they aren’t living there for free. They pay rent every month."