Chapter 469 - 167: Seeing Qin Xiang Off (3)
Jie Jingchen wasn’t asleep. He looked at the familiar figure of Qin Mei in his arms, nudged her smooth shoulder, and called out in a low voice, "Meimei, your brother is waiting outside."
"Let him wait," Qin Mei mumbled, exhausted and unbearably drowsy. Her voice was slurred.
Jie Jingchen chuckled. "He can wait for you, but the train won’t wait for him."
Qin Mei didn’t make a sound. When Jie Jingchen couldn’t wake her, he remembered what she had said before they went to sleep. He had promised her, and if he let her stay, she would definitely blame him later.
Jie Jingchen agonized for a few seconds before letting go of the woman in his arms. He got up and changed, then helped Qin Mei change as well. He even washed her face, but she still didn’t wake up. Jie Jingchen felt a mix of pity and helplessness.
When Mrs. Xie saw Jie Jingchen emerge carrying a sleeping Qin Mei, she raised an eyebrow. Glancing at Qin Xiang, she asked Jie Jingchen, "Jing Si, what is this?"
"She went to bed late last night," Jie Jingchen replied.
Qin Mei had been up refining medicine in the courtyard until the middle of the night, still busy with her work. Everyone knew perfectly well what was going on, but no one said a word.
Qin Xiang hadn’t slept a wink. He was perfectly aware of what had happened in the room next door. ’Went to bed late? She probably barely slept at all.’
He worried that with Jing Si carrying on like that, his little sister’s delicate body wouldn’t be able to handle it.
"If she went to bed late, then you should have let her sleep. What are you doing carrying her out here?" Mrs. Xie’s tone was reproachful.
Jie Jingchen looked at Qin Xiang. "She wants to see him off."
"Well..." Mrs. Xie didn’t know what to say.
"Let’s go," Jie Jingchen said to Qin Xiang, walking toward the courtyard gate while holding Qin Mei. Qin Xiang picked up his luggage, said goodbye to everyone, and the group saw him to the main gate.
Jie Jingchen tossed the car keys to Qin Xiang while he himself sat in the back, holding the sleeping Qin Mei. Qin Xiang felt helpless. ’I’m about to leave, and Jie Jingchen still won’t let me have a moment with my sister. He’s so selfish.’
"I don’t know the way," Qin Xiang said.
"You drive, I’ll give directions," Jie Jingchen said.
Qin Xiang felt like swearing. ’Does it really have to be me driving?’
’Forget it. I’ll be the bigger person and not stoop to his level.’
「At the train station.」
Qin Xiang pulled over and parked, turning to look at the pair in the backseat. Qin Mei was dead to the world, while Jie Jingchen’s gaze on her was filled with love.
"Is there something you want to say to her?" Jie Jingchen asked.
Qin Xiang nodded, then shook his head. "Forget it. Let her sleep. Don’t wake her up."
’She’s my sister, after all. It’s up to me to look out for her.’
Seeing that Qin Xiang wasn’t getting out of the car, Jie Jingchen glanced at the watch on his wrist and reminded him, "You only have twenty minutes."
Qin Xiang rolled his eyes, took a calming breath, and said solemnly, "Jing Si, go easy on her. My sister’s delicate constitution can’t handle you being so rough."
’As her older brother, I know I shouldn’t be getting involved in my sister and brother-in-law’s private affairs, but my heart aches for her! No matter how embarrassing this is, I have to say something.’
Jie Jingchen’s amber eyes darkened abruptly. His thin lips tightened, looking sharp and severe. "You’re being nosy."
"You..." Qin Xiang was speechless, gritting his teeth. "She’s my sister. I’m just looking out for her."
Jie Jingchen reined in his emotions and pinched the bridge of his nose. "When you’re deep in the throes of passion, it’s hard to hold back. Anyway, don’t worry about it. I know her body well. Relax, I know my limits. I won’t hurt her."
Hearing Jingchen’s words made even Qin Xiang blush. ’I always thought I was shameless, but I never expected Jing Si to be even more shameless than me.’
"Remember what you just said," Qin Xiang said resentfully. He grabbed his backpack from the passenger seat and pulled out two boxes of cookies. "I don’t eat cookies. Take these back for my sister to eat."
Jie Jingchen’s eyes flickered slightly. He said in a calm voice, "My mom and Jing Qi gave these to you. You’re asking me to take them back. If they see them, what do I say? Tell them the truth?"
"Say whatever you want," Qin Xiang retorted, not caring in the least.
"If you find them so distasteful, why didn’t you just refuse them in the first place?" Jie Jingchen’s voice grew cold.
Anger flared in an instant. Qin Xiang glared at him. "Who said I find them distasteful? I just don’t eat cookies! If I take them, they’ll just go to waste. It’s better to give them to my sister."
"Meimei doesn’t eat them either," Jie Jingchen refused.
"My little sister loves them," Qin Xiang said. That was precisely why he had accepted them.
"Not anymore," Jie Jingchen insisted.
"What do you mean?" Qin Xiang asked, raising an eyebrow.
"She’s allergic," Jie Jingchen said evasively.
Qin Xiang asked through gritted teeth, "When did my little sister become allergic to cookies?"
"After she lost her memory," Jie Jingchen said.
Qin Xiang was rendered speechless. His sister had amnesia; allergies were a matter of one’s physical constitution. Could amnesia really affect that? It was unheard of.
"You eat them," Qin Xiang insisted as well.
Jie Jingchen’s sharp gaze was full of displeasure. He enunciated each word clearly. "I’m allergic too."
"You’re allergic? Jing Si, who are you kidding?" Qin Xiang sneered. On missions, he had often seen Jing Si eat cookies to stave off hunger, while he himself would rather gnaw on a cold steamed bun.
"I caught it from Meimei," Jie Jingchen lied without a hint of shame.
Qin Xiang admitted defeat, but still insisted. "Then take them back for Jing Qi."
"Jing Qi gave this to you, and you want me to take it back to her? Qin Xiang, what are you trying to do? Are you trying to turn us siblings against each other?" Jie Jingchen’s icy, furious gaze shot toward Qin Xiang.
’Turn siblings against each other?’ Qin Xiang couldn’t bear such an accusation.
"Fine, I’ll take them back to the base and give them to the wives and children in the family housing," Qin Xiang compromised, putting the cookie boxes back into his backpack.
"There are only two boxes. Before you hand them out, you should open them first. Don’t give out the whole boxes," Jie Jingchen reminded him. Worried that Qin Xiang might notice something amiss, he added, "Otherwise, there won’t be enough to go around, and those who don’t get any might get the wrong idea."
"Spread the love, got it," Qin Xiang said. He got out of the car, slung the backpack over his shoulder, grabbed his luggage, and shut the door.
"Qin Xiang." Jie Jingchen lowered the window and called out to him, his brow deeply furrowed. "Be careful out there. I’ll look forward to seeing you again."
"You’re nagging. So dramatic." Qin Xiang held out his hand, and Jie Jingchen took it. They shook firmly, then bumped fists. "Take good care of my sister. Next time we meet, if she’s lost any weight on your watch, I won’t let you get away with it."
Qin Xiang gave one last, reluctant look at the sleeping Qin Mei, then turned and strode toward the train station.
Jie Jingchen watched Qin Xiang’s figure until it disappeared from sight, composed his complex feelings, and turned his gaze back to Qin Mei.
"Meimei, your brother’s inside the station now," Jie Jingchen said, his deep voice tinged with helplessness. Qin Mei had woken up on the way over but had been pretending to sleep the entire time, and he hadn’t called her out on it.
Unable to pretend anymore, Qin Mei opened her eyes. They were red-rimmed, and the corners were a little moist.
Qin Mei sat up straight and looked out the window. She could no longer see Qin Xiang’s figure, and a trace of regret flickered in her eyes.
"You couldn’t bear to see him go, yet you still pretended to be asleep." Jie Jingchen’s large hand gently ruffled her hair.
A smile touched Qin Mei’s lips, but her heart felt a pang of bitterness. She had been awake for a while. She hated goodbyes and didn’t know what to say to Qin Xiang, so she had simply feigned sleep the entire trip. She’d decided she would wake up whenever he tried to rouse her, but after waiting and waiting, she realized he had no intention of waking her at all.
As she feigned sleep, she had felt conflicted. Maybe Qin Xiang also didn’t know what to say to her, and that was why he hadn’t woken her.
"He didn’t even try to wake me," Qin Mei complained, resting her head on the window and staring at the station entrance with a look of utter grievance.
"You were pretending to be asleep," Jie Jingchen reminded her. She could have woken up on her own if she wanted to. But in the end, the two siblings had gotten into a stubborn standoff: one refused to wake the other, and the other refused to wake up unless she was called.
"I wasn’t pretending to sleep. I was resting my eyes," Qin Mei said stubbornly.
Jie Jingchen chuckled. "Is there a difference?"
Qin Mei huffed, pulled her gaze away, leaned back against the seat, crossed her arms over her chest, and sulked.