Chapter 341 - 126: No Money, and My Life’s Not Yours
"Stop yelling." Jie Jingchen looked at Granny coldly, fighting the urge to clamp a hand over her mouth. His striking face was covered with an icy frost. It was the middle of the night, and instead of sleeping in her room, Granny had come to disturb their private time. ’There was no way he was going to be pleasant to her.’ "If you have something to say, spit it out."
"I have nothing to say to you. I want to talk to your wife." Granny gave Jie Jingchen a shove, but he didn’t budge. She glared at him, annoyed. "Move."
"She’s asleep. Anything you have to say, you can say to me," Jie Jingchen said, reining in his fury.
Granny hesitated for a few seconds, then tugged at her jacket. "Fine, I can tell you. I’m out of money. I need to borrow some from your wife."
"No." SLAM! The word was barely out of his mouth before Jie Jingchen slammed the door and locked it.
Granny was dumbfounded. ’I’m trying to *borrow* money, not asking for a handout. Did he have to shut me down so completely?’
BANG! BANG! BANG! Granny started pounding on the door again.
Jie Jingchen desperately wanted to ignore her, but he knew he couldn’t. Opening the door again, his voice was frigid and devoid of emotion. "Granny, don’t push me."
Granny froze for a second before planting her hands on her hips, fuming. "How am I pushing you? You’re my grandson! What’s wrong with giving me a little spending money? Besides, I came to *borrow* from your wife, not *demand* it. What are you getting so worked up for?"
Jie Jingchen sneered. Their intimate moment had been ruined by Granny, leaving him thoroughly unsatisfied and in an absolutely foul mood. Staring at the culprit before him, ’he was tempted to shove her in a car and ship her right back to the machinery factory.’
"Granny, you have food and a roof over your head here. What do you need money for?" Jie Jingchen asked coldly.
Without so much as batting an eye, Granny said calmly, "I need money if I want to buy things."
"Then tell me what you want to buy, and I’ll get it for you." A cold smirk played on Jie Jingchen’s lips as he leaned against the doorframe, legs crossed and arms folded.
"You have to work; I don’t need you buying things for me. Just give me the money, and I’ll go myself." It was the cash Granny was after, not the goods.
"My wife doesn’t work. I’ll have her go buy it for you." ’Of course, Jie Jingchen knew exactly what Granny wanted the money for—to buy medicine for Jie Anlin. It was one thing for Jie Anlin’s own mother to be a sucker, but expecting him to fork over cash for his cousin’s medicine? Their relationship wasn’t nearly close enough for that.’
If Jie Anlin weren’t his cousin, he wouldn’t even give him the time of day.
"Jing Si, I’m your own flesh-and-blood grandmother! What’s so wrong with giving me a little money to spend?" Granny demanded. ’Jing Si refused to give her any, and the Fourth Wife of Jing wouldn’t even show her face. If she wanted money from his wife, she’d have to get through him first.’
"If I give you money, you’ll just give it to Jie Anlin," Jie Jingchen said, cutting straight to the point.
Granny faltered for a moment, then puffed out her chest and said defiantly, "Once it’s my money, I can spend it on whoever I please. It’s none of your business!"
"And it’s my money, so I call the shots. I’ll give it to anyone *but* you," Jie Jingchen retorted just as arrogantly.
"You... You’re unfilial!" Granny stomped her foot in a fury.
Jie Jingchen’s amber eyes darkened. "When it comes to you," he said coldly, "I really can’t bring myself to be filial."
Granny was sputtering with rage. "You... you... you unfilial grandson! I’m going to report you to the neighborhood committee!"
"And I’ll report you to the neighborhood committee for playing favorites—demanding money from one grandson just to spend it on another," Jie Jingchen shot back.
"Hahaha! I’ve only heard of the committee counseling people for being unfilial, never for playing favorites." Granny burst out laughing. ’Jing Si thought he could threaten her? Not a chance.’
Everyone besides Jie You, Mr. Xie, and Qin Xiang was awake. They all heard the argument between Jie Jingchen and Granny, but no one came out of their rooms to see what was happening.
The little one was such a heavy sleeper that thunder wouldn’t wake them. However, Qin Xiang and Mr. Xie were startled awake. This was especially true for Qin Xiang; his room was nearby, and being new to the Jie family’s home, he had no idea what was going on.
Qin Xiang opened his door, looking groggy. Before he could even speak, Jie Jingchen barked, "Get back in your room. Go to sleep."
Jie Jingchen’s shout made Qin Xiang jolt. He stood there stunned for a few seconds before quickly retreating into his room, slamming the door shut with a BANG.
’Fine, sleep it is,’ he thought. ’He couldn’t be bothered to meddle in their affairs anyway.’
"You just yelled at your own brother-in-law." Granny stared at Jie Jingchen in disbelief. ’Qin Xiang was his wife’s brother! Back in her hometown, a man’s brother-in-law held a very high status.’
"No money. And my life is off the table." Jie Jingchen didn’t even let his words hang in the air before slamming the door.
Granny stood stunned for a moment, but she didn’t knock again. She knew this grandson of hers was stubborn as a mule and had a foul temper. While he wasn’t as outrageously unfilial as Jing Wu—who had threatened to hit her—his tongue was venomous, and he had left her speechless with rage on many occasions.
"That boy is acting like he swallowed dynamite," Granny muttered, rubbing her nose as she dejectedly slinked away.
Qin Mei finished her shower and came out of the bathroom. Jie Jingchen’s expression soured as he looked at her. "You’re done already?" he asked plaintively. "Weren’t we supposed to shower together?"