Chapter 439 - 157: Jie Jingsi, I Have You in My Heart
Jie Jingchen froze, staring at Qin Mei, stunned speechless.
The food suddenly lost its appeal. He had thought Qin Mei saved it for him, but it turned out to be Qin Xiang. Qin Xiang was his brother-in-law, and Qin Mei was his wife. His wonderful, self-satisfied fantasy had been mercilessly shattered by Qin Xiang.
Qin Mei wasn’t a fool. Seeing Jie Jingchen’s disappointment, she shot a reproachful glare at Qin Xiang and told a little white lie. "I asked my brother to save it for you."
Qin Xiang reacted instantly and chimed in, "Right, right, right! It was my sister who told me to save it for you. Who else would be thinking of you besides her? Me? Not a chance. I barely had enough for myself, so how could I have possibly saved any for you? Heh, no way."
Qin Mei covered her ears. ’He’s protesting too much. The more he says, the more obvious the lie becomes.’
Jie Jingchen pursed his lips and said nothing. He ignored the dishes that had been saved for him, eating only the shredded potato stir-fry. His mood had plummeted.
His wife hadn’t been thinking of him. The letdown was so great it ruined his appetite. He normally would have eaten two bowls of rice, but he lost his appetite after just one.
Putting down his bowl and chopsticks, Jie Jingchen got up and returned to their room to sulk.
After Jie Jingchen left the kitchen, Qin Xiang couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, "What’s with him?"
"Big mouth," Qin Mei snapped, glaring at Qin Xiang. ’Should I go comfort him, or just let him stew in his anger?’ she wondered.
"Our brother thought his wife saved the food for him, but then you said *you* did. Of course he’s disappointed," Jie Jingshan said. ’Jing Si really loves her. That’s a good thing, and I hope they’ll always have a deep and loving marriage.’
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Qin Xiang clicked his tongue, picked up his bowl, and continued eating. ’Well, if Jie Jingchen isn’t having any, I will.’
Qin Mei got up and went back to their room to placate him.
The bedroom door was closed, and Qin Mei wasn’t sure if Jie Jingchen had locked it from the inside.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Instead of just pushing the door open, Qin Mei knocked three times and called out tentatively, "Jie Jingsi."
There was no answer. Qin Mei gritted her teeth and gave the door a hard push. It swung open. Standing in the doorway, she saw Jie Jingchen lying on his side on the bed. Her eyes flickered. ’Does this man have to be so childish?’
"Jie Jingsi, I’m coming in," Qin Mei said deliberately.
Jie Jingchen still didn’t respond. Qin Mei sighed, entered the room, closed the door, walked to the bedside, reached out and poked Jie Jingchen’s back, calling, "Jie Jingsi."
Jie Jingchen was sulking. He ignored her, letting her poke his back. He was so determined that she could have poked a hole right through him and he still wouldn’t have responded.
"Jie Jingsi, are you serious? You’re a grown man! Is it really necessary to sulk over something so trivial?" Qin Mei never even coddled children, let alone a man like Jie Jingchen.
Jie Jingchen continued to give her the silent treatment.
"Jie Jingsi." Qin Mei grabbed Jie Jingchen’s ear and twisted it hard.
Wincing in pain, Jie Jingchen grabbed Qin Mei’s wrist. "Stop twisting! You’re going to rip my ear off!"
Qin Mei stopped twisting but kept her grip on his ear. "Jie Jingsi, if you’re going to have an attitude, then keep giving me the silent treatment."
Qin Mei hated the silent treatment. If Jie Jingchen wanted to give her the cold shoulder, then she was sorry, but she’d resort to physical tactics. If pinching his ear didn’t work, she had other tricks up her sleeve. As it turned out, Jie Jingchen had no spine; he surrendered before she even had to use her ultimate move.
"Meimei, you don’t care about me," Jie Jingchen accused, his amber eyes full of reproach.
Qin Mei coughed lightly and let go of his ear. Feeling a pang of guilt, she couldn’t meet his gaze. "That’s... I... I do care about you."
"Stop denying it. You just don’t care about me. When there was a feast on the table, even Qin Xiang thought to save some for me, but you didn’t." In that moment, Jie Jingchen sounded like a wronged bride.
Qin Mei silently cursed Qin Xiang. Her delicate brows knitted together and her almond-shaped eyes narrowed. "Are you really that desperate for a bite to eat?" she asked.
"Qin Mei," Jie Jingchen said, so furious he used her full name. He roared, "Is this about the food? This is about whether or not you care about me!"
Jie Jingchen’s yelling made Qin Mei’s ears ring. ’Give him an inch and he takes a mile,’ she fumed, her own temper flaring. "What are you yelling at me for? Fine! I don’t care about you! I didn’t before, I don’t now, and I never will—mmph!"
Jie Jingchen shot up, one arm snaking around her waist and the other hand pressing against the back of her head. His thin lips sealed hers, swallowing her words. This kiss was nothing like his usual tender, lingering ones; it was a punishment, a release of his frustration.
When Qin Mei decided to be vicious, she was truly vicious. She bit down hard on his lower lip. But Jie Jingchen didn’t let go. Even when he tasted blood, he still didn’t pull away. In the end, Qin Mei relented, releasing his lip from her teeth.
Her thought was, ’If I bite his lip off, it’ll ruin his handsome face.’
Qin Mei didn’t fight back or struggle. Her body remained tense as she let him vent.
By the time her lips felt numb, Jie Jingchen had finally vented his frustration and released her. While Qin Mei was left with only red, swollen lips, Jie Jingchen was in worse shape—his lower lip was cut and bleeding.
"You..." Qin Mei started, looking at the lip she had cut. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of remorse.
"Hmph!" Jie Jingchen let out a haughty snort, then lay down with his back to her.
Qin Mei was speechless. ’This man... is so immature.’
As her racing heart gradually calmed, Qin Mei reminded herself that meeting his force with her own wouldn’t work. The man responded to a soft touch, not a hard hand. "Jie Jingsi."
"Hmph!" Jie Jingchen huffed.
His response made her laugh with exasperation. Before, he’d ignored her completely. At least this was a response.
"Jie Jingsi," Qin Mei called again.
"Hmph!" Jie Jingchen still just huffed.
"Jie Jingsi, I do care about you." Before the words were even fully out of her mouth, the man suddenly flipped over and sat up. Qin Mei jumped and shrank back. ’Is he going to punish me with another kiss?’
"Really?" he asked, his eyes fixing on her and suddenly brightening.
A sly yet charming smile touched Qin Mei’s lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck, gazing at the handsome face that so enthralled her.
"Really," Qin Mei said, her red lips parting as her breath ghosted over him like a sweet fragrance.
"You mean it? You’re not just humoring me?" The corners of Jie Jingchen’s eyes lifted in a bewitching smile.
Qin Mei froze for a second. ’He’s actually taking this seriously.’ Her words were true, but it was also true that she was just placating him. Staring at that face that could make anyone swoon, Qin Mei remained rational. She could allow her body to indulge with his, but she wouldn’t give her heart away so easily. Undeniably, she liked Jie Jingchen. But as for love...
Life was unpredictable, and nothing was certain. People’s hearts could change.
Qin Mei knew with perfect clarity that, for now, her reliance on Jie Jingchen was stronger than her love for him.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
The charged atmosphere shattered in an instant. Qin Mei’s tangled thoughts cleared, and she let go of Jie Jingchen as a reflex. She scrambled to her feet, hurried over to the window, and sat down primly in a chair.
Watching her fluid, almost panicked movements, Jie Jingchen’s eyes narrowed. A faint note of disappointment crept into his voice. "Was all that really necessary?"
Qin Mei shot Jie Jingchen a glare just as Qin Xiang’s voice came from outside the door. "The bath water’s ready!"
"Okay, got it!" When Jie Jingchen didn’t answer, Qin Mei called out instead.
"Sis, are you two okay?" Qin Xiang’s voice was laced with concern. ’He was just fated to be a worrier. When the young couple had no feelings for each other, he worried constantly. Now that feelings were blossoming between them, he was still worrying.’
"We’re fine," Qin Mei said, raising a hand to rub her temples. ’A married couple can withstand disasters, but they can be torn apart by trivialities. And look, here’s Jie Jingchen throwing a fit over something so ridiculously insignificant.’
Qin Xiang had saved food for him, not her, and he had blown it up into this grand proof that she didn’t care about him.
’Is it really so important whether or not I care for him?’
"Good, as long as you’re okay." Qin Xiang paused, then added, "As they say, lovers’ quarrels never last the night."
Qin Mei wanted to scream. This whole mess started because Qin Xiang had saved food for Jie Jingchen, which Jie Jingchen mistook as a gesture from her. When he found out the truth, he’d gotten disappointed.
"We. Are not. Fighting," Qin Mei snarled, forcing the words through clenched teeth.