Chapter 176 - 72: The Bathroom Is Occupied (Part 3)
Jie Jingchen gave a faint smile. He reached out and gently tapped the tip of Qin Mei’s nose with his index finger. "It wouldn’t be good if someone died in the Jie Family."
Qin Mei rolled her eyes and retorted, "It’s never good for someone to die, no matter where it is."
At this time of year, spending a night on the toilet floor would definitely give Hu Wan’er a cold. Hu Wan’er shared a room with Aunt Zhang, but Aunt Zhang hadn’t gone looking for her even though she’d been gone all night. Her intentions were plain to see.
"Let’s go in and get some sleep," Qin Mei said. But Jie Jingchen’s tall frame was blocking the doorway. Qin Mei looked up at him, puzzled. "Jie Jingchen."
"Didn’t you want to take a bath?" Jie Jingchen asked.
Qin Mei tilted her head, glancing toward the toilet. "Hu Wan’er has commandeered the toilet."
’She wanted to take a bath, but how could she? She was a step behind Hu Wan’er, who had beaten her to it.’
"You don’t necessarily have to bathe in the toilet," Jie Jingchen reminded her.
Qin Mei’s pupils shrank. She looked at Jie Jingchen warily and said, "Jie Jingchen, we’re not that close."
Jie Jingchen knew she had gotten the wrong idea. He glanced toward Jie Jingshan’s room, and Qin Mei understood instantly. Jie Jingshan had a bathing tub in her room. Ever since she’d arrived in this world, she hadn’t had a proper soak in a tub. ’Honestly, I’m tempted,’ she thought. ’I really want a nice, comfortable bath.’
"It’s so late. Jing Qi should be asleep by now." No matter how thick-skinned Qin Mei was, she was too embarrassed to disturb Jie Jingshan’s sleep just for a bath.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, I’m still awake." Jie Jingshan opened her door, smiling brightly at Qin Mei from her wheelchair.
Qin Mei froze. She glanced at Jie Jingchen, then back at Jie Jingshan. ’Jing Qi always goes to bed early. She should be sound asleep by now. It’s very strange that she’s still awake tonight.’
"Go get the hot water," Jie Jingchen said, giving Qin Mei a gentle push. Jing Qi had, in fact, been asleep. But when Qin Mei had stormed back into their room, grabbed a handful of powder, and headed out again, he had realized she wouldn’t be able to use the toilet tonight. So, he had gone to wake Jing Qi.
Qin Mei was touched, but she still shot Jie Jingchen a reproachful glare. "Honestly, it’s not like I absolutely had to bathe tonight. Why did you disturb Jing Qi?"
"Fourth Sister-in-law, Fourth Brother didn’t disturb me. I really couldn’t sleep," Jie Jingshan said, defending her brother. But her eyes were drowsy, and it was obvious she had been woken up.
Qin Mei gave Jing Qi a look that said, ’And I’m supposed to believe that?’
"Heh heh." Jie Jingshan looked a little sheepish but tried her best to argue her case. "Fourth Sister-in-law, I was just too excited to sleep! Hurry and get the hot water. You can keep me company while you soak."
Qin Mei immediately went to fetch the water. Carrying half a bucket at a time, she made several trips to fill the tub halfway. A soak in plain water would be a waste, so Qin Mei returned to her room, grabbed two handfuls of medicinal powder, and sprinkled them into the tub. The clear water gradually turned a dark reddish-black color.
"What powder did you put in?" Jie Jingchen asked curiously.
"Something that’s good for you." Qin Mei dipped her hand in to test the water’s temperature. She turned to Jie Jingchen and Jie Jingshan and said, "You two had better not touch any of the herbs in our room, especially the ones I’ve ground into powder. I won’t be responsible if anything goes wrong."
Jie Jingchen nodded in silence. Jie Jingshan did the same.
"I’m going to get in the bath now," Qin Mei said to Jie Jingchen.
"Fourth Brother, Fourth Sister-in-law, are you two going to take a couple’s bath?" Jie Jingshan asked, her big, clear eyes wide with innocence. They were a married couple, so a shared bath was perfectly normal. Ignoring their stunned expressions, she said to Jie Jingchen, "Fourth Brother, why don’t you push me over to your room first."
’A couple’s bath?’ Qin Mei was taken aback by Jie Jingshan’s words, and her cheeks flushed red. She desperately wanted to tell Jing Qi that she and Jie Jingchen weren’t that close—sharing a bath was completely out of the question.
Qin Mei closed her eyes and took a calming breath. Opening them again, she looked at Jie Jingshan and said tactfully, "Jing Qi, your fourth brother has an injury. He can’t let it soak in water."
Jie Jingshan blinked, looking at Qin Mei. "But Fourth Brother washed up just last night."
The corner of Qin Mei’s mouth twitched. ’This girl really knows everything. Don’t let the fact that she never leaves her room fool you; she’s aware of everything that happens in the courtyard. She even knew Jie Jingchen washed up last night.’
"Washing up isn’t the same as soaking in a tub," Qin Mei explained patiently. "If his wound soaks for too long, it could get infected. An infection would be serious and cause a lot of pain." She wasn’t sure if her words were meant for Jie Jingshan or for Jie Jingchen.
"Oh, is that right?" Jie Jingshan asked, only half-convinced. Meeting Qin Mei’s earnest, serious gaze, she thought for a moment before asking, "Not even with the medicinal water?"
"Nope," Qin Mei said, shaking her head firmly.
Jie Jingchen’s thin lips pressed into a line. He fixed his amber eyes on her; they were like a dark, bottomless pool, his expression unreadable.
’Look how resistant she is,’ he thought. ’Did I ever say I wanted to share a bath with her?’
Jie Jingchen abruptly turned and walked away. Seeing that he’d gotten the hint and left, Qin Mei breathed a sigh of relief.
Qin Mei quickly undressed, climbed into the tub, and settled in for a comfortable soak while Jie Jingshan chatted with her.
Qin Mei had wanted to use the chance to ask about what happened between Jing Qi and Aunt Zhang, but seeing that Jing Qi was reluctant to discuss it, she dropped the subject. Instead, they just made small talk, chatting about everything under the sun.
After her medicinal bath, she felt wonderfully relaxed. Qin Mei carried the used water out to the courtyard to dump it, then brought half a bucket of fresh water back in to rinse out the tub. She reminded Jing Qi to lock the door behind her before she finally left.
Back in their room, Jie Jingchen wasn’t asleep. He was sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard as he read a book. Qin Mei noticed that both Jie Jingchen and Jie Jingshan loved to read. Jing Qi was young and at an age where it was natural to be eager to learn, and Jie Jingchen, whenever he had a free moment, also had his nose in a book.
"What are you staring at?" Jie Jingchen’s voice was deep, laced with a magnetic quality that could make a woman’s heart skip a beat.
Qin Mei scratched her head in embarrassment. ’A man who’s focused on reading is so attractive,’ she thought. ’I was completely captivated.’
Qin Mei climbed into bed and slid under the covers. It was already warm. ’I have to admit,’ she thought, ’Jie Jingchen makes an excellent bed warmer.’
Seeing she was settled in, Jie Jingchen closed his book, set it aside, and reached for the pull-cord to turn off the light. "Wait," Qin Mei said suddenly.
"What is it?" Jie Jingchen tilted his head, his gaze dropping to meet hers.
Qin Mei looked both annoyed and conflicted. Two patches of crimson bloomed on her fair, delicate cheeks as she avoided his gaze. "Um... I..."
"Do you need to use the toilet?" Jie Jingchen asked, his expression placid.
Qin Mei paused, slightly stunned. ’Is he a mind reader?’ Her tone turned cheerful as she said, "Congratulations, you got it in one."
Without a word, Jie Jingchen threw back the covers, put on his jacket, and tossed a military greatcoat to Qin Mei. "Put this on. I’ll take you to the public toilet."
Qin Mei sat up, deftly put on the coat, and got out of bed to slip on her shoes. Jie Jingchen was already waiting for her by the door, flashlight in hand.
’Hu Wan’er took over the toilet, but I’m the one who’s suffering for it,’ Qin Mei thought. ’This is so weird. Doesn’t anyone else need to use the toilet at night?’
"You can never be too careful," Qin Mei said as she locked the door. ’The public toilet is a bit far,’ she thought. ’While we’re gone, the room will be empty. There’s no guarantee someone won’t decide to come snooping around.’
’There are no security cameras. Even if I have a suspect, I can’t just drag them to the Public Security Bureau without hard evidence.’
’Keeping so much cash at home isn’t safe. I have to deposit it in the bank tomorrow.’
’For now, the currency hasn’t depreciated, so putting it in the bank isn’t a bad move. I’ll just take it all out and spend it before the value starts to drop.’
Jie Jingchen led the way with the flashlight, and Qin Mei followed close behind. The night air was bitingly cold. Qin Mei pulled the military greatcoat tighter around herself and hunched her shoulders.
Jie Jingchen’s military greatcoat practically swallowed her whole.
Qin Mei’s dark eyes glittered in the night. She stared at Jie Jingchen’s upright back and declared firmly, "Jie Jingchen, we have to build a kitchen and a toilet tomorrow. No matter what."
"Okay." Jie Jingchen slowed his pace, letting her close the distance between them until she was just a step away.
"I want our own private toilet, attached to our room, so no one else can ever use it," Qin Mei announced with a charming, yet simultaneously bossy and selfish, smile.
The three rooms occupied by Jie Jingchen, Jie Jingjue, and Jie Jingshan were well-situated. Behind them, past a drainage ditch, there was a bit of space before the compound wall. It wasn’t a wide area, but it was enough to build a kitchen and a toilet.