Chapter 549 - 193: Eldest Sister, You Have Suffered (Part 3)
Jie Jingling sized up Shen Qing. Her third sister-in-law was as cold as frost, while her third brother was gentle and refined. They complemented each other perfectly.
"Sister-in-law." Jie Jingling started to give Shen Qing a hug, but Shen Qing’s cold, distant attitude made her stop.
Shen Qing wasn’t sure how to act around her sister-in-law either. Jie Jinghun immediately pulled Jie Jingling aside, the two of them having endless things to talk about.
Qin Mei and Shen Qing were left out by the siblings. With nothing to say to each other, they could only stand there, staring in awkward silence.
Qin Mei didn’t leave, so Shen Qing felt she couldn’t either; she didn’t want her sister-in-law to get the wrong idea.
"Eldest Sister, are you going to the machinery factory to see Grandpa and Granny?" Jie Jinghun asked.
Jie Jingling froze, a wave of bitterness washing over her. "We’ll see them at your second brother’s wedding banquet. There’s no need to make a special trip to the factory to see them."
"Grandpa won’t say anything, but Granny will definitely give you an earful. Eldest Sister, you know what her temper is like." Worry filled Jie Jinghun’s deep-set eyes.
"It’s fine. Let her say what she wants." Jie Jingling wasn’t afraid of a lecture. Granny had beaten and scolded her plenty as a child. If it hadn’t been for Aunt Qiao, the three of them would never have escaped Granny’s clutches.
Their birth mother had been too timid. She loved them but couldn’t protect them. People say motherhood makes you strong, but that wasn’t true for her at all.
Under Granny’s tyranny, she could barely fend for herself, let alone protect them.
Later, their mother did find her strength, but at the cost of her own life, entrusting them to Aunt Qiao.
’Jie Jingling couldn’t understand it. If her mother wasn’t afraid of death, why didn’t she have the courage to stand up to Granny?’
Her second and third brothers had been too young; their memories of that time had already faded. But she was older, and she remembered everything. Even after more than twenty years, it was all still fresh in her mind.
"Eldest Sister, are you scared?" Jie Jinghun asked bluntly. Shen Qing was his wife, so she knew what he’d been through as a child. Qin Mei, as Jing Si’s wife, also knew a little.
Jie Jingling said nothing. ’Scared? Of course, I’m scared. I still wake up from nightmares about it. The psychological scars Granny left became a deep-seated trauma, one that could never be cured in this lifetime.’
Qin Mei’s heart ached for her. She reached out and took Jie Jingling’s hand. Jie Jingling started, looking over at Qin Mei, who offered her a brilliant smile from her delicate, beautiful face.
Shen Qing quietly reached out as well, taking Jie Jinghun’s large hand in her own. He, too, was taken aback, looking at her in surprise. She didn’t smile like Qin Mei—her expression was still as cold as frost—but the look in her eyes now held a touch of warmth.
Jie Jinghun gave a gentle smile and squeezed her hand in return.
Out of the corner of her eye, Qin Mei caught their interaction. An image flashed through her mind—Shen Qing at the department store with an unfamiliar man—and a single thought instantly surfaced: ’She’s a cheater.’
’On the one hand, she refuses to let go of her marriage to Jie Jinghun, but on the other, she’s still entangled with her ex.’ Qin Mei utterly despised women who tried to have it both ways.
’Either make a clean break with your ex and live a proper life with your husband and daughter, or divorce your current husband and throw yourself back into your ex’s arms to patch things up.’
"Meimei," Jie Jingchen called out to Qin Mei.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Qin Mei turned her head and called toward the kitchen, "What is it?"
"It’s time," Jie Jingchen said.
"Oh, right." Qin Mei released Jie Jingling’s hand. "Sister, I have to go check on the kitchen."
"Okay, go on," Jie Jingling nodded.
Qin Mei got up, giving Shen Qing and Jie Jinghun a long look before leaving the room.
"What was that look on your sister-in-law’s face just now?" Jie Jinghun asked, completely baffled.
"Eldest Sister, I’ll let you two talk. I’m going back to my room," Shen Qing said, getting up and leaving.
After Shen Qing had gone, Jie Jingling moved closer to Jie Jinghun. "Third Brother," she asked with concern, "how are things between you and your wife?"
"We’re very respectful of each other. It’s nice," Jie Jinghun said. He was quite content with their life.
Jie Jingling frowned. "But you’re a married couple. How can you just be ’respectful’? You should be loving and affectionate."
"Eldest Sister, are you and your husband all lovey-dovey?" Jie Jinghun retorted.
Jie Jingling was left speechless. They were also just respectful with each other. ’Being deeply in love as a married couple is easier said than done.’ "Your brother-in-law and I are different," she said. "Besides, we’ve been married for over a decade."
"You’re right, it’s different. Shen Qing and I are a case of ’marry first, love later.’" The last part of his sentence lacked conviction. He had fallen for Shen Qing, but he had no idea if she felt the same way about him.
They got married without any talk of feelings or love. Even having Jie Duo had just been a matter of course.
Jie Jingling opened her mouth, but no words came out. Matters of the heart were personal; only the people involved knew the truth of their situation.
Jie Jingling changed the subject. "Where’s Xiao Duo? Why didn’t you bring her back for me to see?"
"Xiao Duo’s with my mother-in-law," Jie Jinghun said, a little sheepishly.
The conversation stalled again. After a moment’s thought, Jie Jingling sighed emotionally. "It’s a good thing Shen Qing didn’t marry far from home, so you have her mother to help you out. Third Brother, you must never forget the kindness her family has shown you. You have to repay them in the future."
"Eldest Sister, don’t worry. I know how to be grateful," Jie Jinghun said. If his mother-in-law weren’t helping with the baby, it would be impossible for him and Shen Qing to focus on their work without any worries.
"As long as you’re grateful, that’s what matters." Jie Jingling nodded, relieved. ’Aunt Qiao already rescued them from that sea of misery. She has her own job. Asking her to quit to help Jing San with his child was out of the question. Aunt Qiao wouldn’t agree, and even if she did, Jing San couldn’t possibly accept.’
"Eldest Sister!" Jie Jingwei called out, rushing back.
Hearing Jie Jingwei’s voice, Jie Jingling stood and walked out of the house. Jie Jingwei dropped his bicycle and ran toward her.
"Second Brother!" Jie Jingling opened her arms, and the siblings embraced.
"Eldest Sister," Jie Jingwei choked out, hugging her tightly and burying his face in her neck. All the frustration he’d been holding in recently came pouring out as tears.
She felt the dampness of his tears on her neck and froze. For some reason, she felt nothing. When her third brother had hugged her with a choked voice, her own eyes had stung and her voice had caught in her throat. But now, as her second brother cried in her arms, she couldn’t shed a single tear.
"Eldest Sister, you’re finally back," Jie Jingwei said.
Jie Jingling glanced behind him but saw no sign of Jie You or Lin Yaru. She thought about what she’d said to Lin Yaru. ’The Lin family probably can’t stand me now,’ she mused. ’But what does it matter? I’ll be gone as soon as the wedding banquet is over anyway.’
Jie Jingling silently patted her second brother’s back. She truly had no idea what to say to him.
Sun’s mother and Sun Dexiang stood by the window, watching the scene unfold. A single thought rose in Sun’s mother’s mind: ’These people are not to be trifled with!’
Sun Dexiang, however, looked on with disdain. ’So what if she has a lot of brothers? She still had to go down to the countryside, and she still ended up marrying my second brother.’
"Mama," Sun Tong called, coming out of Jing Qi’s room.
Hearing her daughter’s voice, Jie Jingling gently pushed Jie Jingwei away and beckoned to the little girl. "Tongtong, come here."
Sun Tong obediently walked over to her mother. Jie Jingling took her hand and pointed at Jie Jingwei. "Tongtong, this is Mama’s second brother. You should call him Second Uncle."
"Second Uncle," Sun Tong chirped obediently.
"Such a good girl, Tongtong," Jie Jingwei said.
"Tongtong, and this is Mama’s third brother. You should call him Third Uncle," Jie Jingling said, pointing to Jie Jinghun.
"Third Uncle," Sun Tong called out.
"Good girl, Tongtong. You’re so pretty," Jie Jinghun said, reaching out to pat her on the head.
Sun Tong was shy and hid behind her mother.
"Eldest Sister, where’s Brother-in-law?" Jie Jingwei asked.
"Your brother-in-law couldn’t make it," Jie Jingling replied with a smile.
"’He couldn’t make it?’" Jie Jingwei’s eyebrows shot up, his expression turning sour. ’It’s my wedding, and my own brother-in-law doesn’t show up? What’s that supposed to mean?’
"Your brother-in-law is busy," Jie Jingling explained. "He couldn’t get the time off."
To Jie Jingwei, it just sounded like an excuse. "How busy can he be? He can’t even spare a few days? ’Busy’ is just an excuse. He just doesn’t respect your family."
’He wanted to say that his brother-in-law didn’t respect *him*, but then he reconsidered. Eldest Sister hadn’t even come back for their third brother’s wedding. The fact that she was here for his second marriage was already a great show of respect.’
Jie Jingling gave an awkward smile and was about to explain, but Sun’s mother cut in before she could speak.