Chapter 599 - 210: Jie Jingsi, You Just Have Nothing Better to Do
Jie Jingchen’s eyes flickered. After a moment’s thought, he pressed the button for the lowest fan setting. Qin Mei was so speechless she wanted to slap him into the wall. "Jie Jingsi, I think you’re just bored out of your mind. Why don’t you go count beans to pass the time?"
Jie Jingchen ignored her.
"Get out of the way. Go find a cool spot and stay there." At the end of her rope, Qin Mei shoved Jie Jingchen aside, pressed the button for the high setting, and stopped the fan’s oscillation. ’Can’t even enjoy a simple fan. This is so frustrating.’
"I have a weak constitution; I can’t have the fan blowing directly on me." Jie Jingchen pressed the low setting again, but he didn’t turn the oscillation back on.
Qin Mei’s mouth twitched as she pushed the button for the high setting. "My constitution isn’t weak. I’d be fine with two fans blowing on me."
Qin Mei was tempted to say, ’If you’re so frail, then don’t use the fan at all. Go sunbathe outside. No one’s stopping you.’
When a couple has different constitutions, it’s remarkably easy for them to fall apart. For instance, on a scorching day like this, you’re drenched in sweat, and he’s clearly sweating buckets too but insists he isn’t hot. You turn on the fan, he turns it off.
They went back and forth between the high and low settings until they finally compromised on medium. Qin Mei sat a little farther away, while Jie Jingchen leaned against the headboard to read.
Sun’s mother sat on the threshold, her forehead beaded with sweat. She periodically pulled a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe it away, gazing expectantly down the road.
After waiting for so long, Sun’s mother started to doze off.
"Mrs. Sun," Mr. Xie called out.
Sun’s mother jerked awake and wiped a bit of drool from the corner of her mouth. Seeing Mr. Xie clearly, she was suddenly wide awake. She shot to her feet, but because she had been sitting on the threshold for too long, her legs had gone numb. She started to fall, but Mr. Xie was quick-witted and caught her.
"Mrs. Sun, are you all right?" Mr. Xie glanced at Jie Jinghun, who was standing to the side, signaling for him to come and help.
Jie Jinghun pretended not to see but didn’t leave either. ’An unattached man and woman alone... if his older sister’s mother-in-law got any funny ideas, Dad would have no way to defend his reputation. My presence here can serve as proof.’
"Mr. Xie, I’m fine. My legs are just numb," Sun’s mother said, holding onto the doorframe with both hands.
Jie Jinghun saw that Sun’s mother didn’t try to take advantage of the situation by falling into his father’s arms. ’Looks like I was overthinking it. My sister’s mother-in-law is actually quite down-to-earth. If it had been my aunt, she would have definitely used the chance to throw herself into Dad’s embrace.’
"Jing San, help your Aunt Sun to a seat in the courtyard," Mr. Xie said in a commanding tone.
Before Jie Jinghun could refuse, Sun’s mother spoke up. "No need to go to all that trouble. I’ll be fine after sitting for a moment."
Mr. Xie thought she was going to sit on the threshold again and loosened his grip on her arm. She promptly sat right down on the ground. Seeing Mr. Xie and Jie Jinghun staring at her with indescribable expressions, Sun’s mother waved a hand. "We country folk aren’t so particular. When we’re working in the fields, we just sit on the ground when we get tired."
Mr. Xie gave a stiff smile. "That’s... nice."
Sun’s mother took the handkerchief from her pocket, wiped her sweat, and stuffed it back in. She looked around but didn’t see Mrs. Xie’s figure. "Where’s Sister Qiao?"
"Something came up at the hospital, so she had to go in," Mr. Xie replied.
"Oh," Sun’s mother acknowledged before asking, "When will she be back?"
Mr. Xie and Jie Jinghun exchanged a look. Mr. Xie smiled and replied, "That’s hard to say. If there’s nothing major at the hospital, she’ll be back soon. But if something’s come up, she might not be back for a while."
"Alright, I get it. Mr. Xie, you go on with your business. Don’t mind me," Sun’s mother said.
Mr. Xie didn’t say anything more and headed back into the house. After a quick word to Sun’s mother, Jie Jinghun also went inside.
Sun’s mother waited a while longer. Mrs. Xie didn’t return, but Jie Jingling did.
"Mom, what are you doing sitting out here?" Jie Jingling asked curiously.
Sun’s mother shot Jie Jingling a glare. She was furious and didn’t bother to give her daughter-in-law a pleasant look. This was the Jie Family’s home; if they were at the Sun Family’s, she would have already unleashed a verbal tirade on Jie Jingling.
Suppressing her towering rage, Sun’s mother asked coldly, "Did you buy the train tickets?"
"Yes, I bought them," Jie Jingling nodded.
"For when?" Sun’s mother asked.
"Tomorrow at noon," Jie Jingling replied.
Sun’s mother gritted her teeth, glaring at Jie Jingling. "How many."
"Four," Jie Jingling answered.
"Return one of them. Ah Xiang isn’t going back with us," Sun’s mother said.
Jie Jingling’s expression turned to ice. "Why?"
"Ah Xiang has fallen for your cousin at first sight," Sun’s mother stated.
Jie Jingling froze for a second, then asked with a frown, "Which cousin?"
"Jie Huating," said Sun’s mother.
Jie Jingling sucked in a sharp breath. She looked at Sun’s mother with a complicated expression and opened her mouth as if to speak, but ultimately said nothing. She pressed her lips together and walked into the courtyard.
Sun’s mother couldn’t be bothered with her. Ah Xiang wouldn’t be going back with them anyway, not even with a ticket already bought. For once, the normally frugal woman didn’t care about wasting money on a train ticket.