Chapter 608 - 213: He Can’t, I Will
"The Jie Family doesn’t have a throne to inherit." Jie Jingchen kept the thought to himself. He knew that in Granny’s eyes, ten of his sentences weren’t worth one from Jie Anlin. It was a thankless task, and he wasn’t about to do it.
Qin Mei fell silent. ’From the looks of it,’ she thought, ’Jie Jingchen is planning to stand by and do nothing.’
"Granny wouldn’t believe anything I say," Jie Jingchen said with a hint of resignation.
Elders believe implicitly in whomever they favor. Granny’s treatment of Jie Jingchen and Jie Anlin was starkly different. Qin Mei smiled with understanding.
"Jie Jingsi, do you have some deep-seated hatred for Jie Anlin?" Qin Mei couldn’t help but ask. To not tell him something like this... An Lin was joyfully awaiting the birth of his child, and he would pour his heart and soul into raising them, only to find out the child wasn’t his. He’d probably have a complete breakdown.
"No," Jie Jingchen denied. He and Jie Anlin didn’t have any deep-seated hatred for each other; they just weren’t close.
"Are you going to tell your parents?" Qin Mei asked.
"It’s better to let sleeping dogs lie," Jie Jingchen replied.
Qin Mei was taken aback. From the sound of it, he had no intention of telling his parents.
"If my dad found out, he’d definitely tell Second Uncle and Granny. My dad would never stand by and do nothing when it comes to muddling the family bloodline," Jie Jingchen said.
Qin Mei had a vague feeling that Jie Jingchen was planning to make a big move quietly. To screw over his own cousin like this... she couldn’t help but feel there was some bad blood between them. "You could use your dad to expose this..."
"Meimei, do you have any proof?" Jie Jingchen cut her off.
Qin Mei froze for a second, thought about it, and shook her head honestly. "Not before the baby is born."
’A paternity test after the child is born would be proof enough,’ she thought.
"If this blows up, all Zhao Hong has to do is convince Jie Anlin. Granny will believe whatever Jie Anlin says, and we’ll be the ones accused of slander," Jie Jingchen said.
Qin Mei scoffed. "The truth will come out once the baby is born."
"And what if the baby isn’t born?" Jie Jingchen asked.
Qin Mei froze, stunned. If the baby was born, the truth would come out. But if the baby *wasn’t* born, the slander accusation against her would stick.
Qin Mei opened her mouth, but she didn’t know what to say.
Jie Jingchen’s deep voice sounded by her ear. "When pushed into a corner, Zhao Hong will do anything. She’ll find a way to get close to you and stage an ’accident.’ Then you’ll be the one to blame for her miscarriage."
Qin Mei fell silent. ’People can be so wicked. I want to go home.’
"I don’t know anything, and I didn’t say anything," Qin Mei declared, washing her hands of the matter.
Jie Jingchen chuckled and said no more.
Qin Mei leaned on Jie Jingchen’s shoulder, listening to the cicadas chirping in the trees. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and before long, the drone of the cicadas had lulled her to sleep.
"Young lady!" Just as Qin Mei had drifted off, a piercing shriek rang out.
Qin Mei was startled awake. The cicadas in the tree were also frightened and flew away in a flurry.
"Is it raining?" Qin Mei asked, looking at Jie Jingchen in a daze.
Jie Jingchen just smiled without a word. He didn’t tell her that what she felt wasn’t rain, but cicada pee.
"Young lady, what are you two doing sitting here?" an older woman asked, a look of sheer terror on her face.
Qin Mei sat up straight and rubbed her eyes. "Ma’am, what’s wrong?"
"Aiyah! Hurry up and leave." The older woman came forward, grabbed Qin Mei, and started pulling her away. After two steps, she turned back and kicked the stone Jie Jingchen was sitting on. "That damn scoundrel moved this stone here again! How many poor, wronged wives are going to end their lives here because of this?"
"..." said Qin Mei.
"..." said Jie Jingchen.
"Young man, don’t just sit there! It’s bad juju! Quick, move this stone away," the older woman said to Jie Jingchen.
"Don’t tell me someone actually hanged..." Before the word "died" could leave her lips, the older woman clapped a hand over Qin Mei’s mouth.
"SHUSH! Don’t say such things." The older woman looked nervous. She let go of Qin Mei and bowed three times to the tree with reverence. "Don’t be offended, don’t be offended. She’s young and doesn’t know any better, she speaks without thinking. Please forgive her. I’ll burn some paper money for you all tomorrow."
"Auntie, practicing feudal superstition can get you arrested as a remnant of the old ways," Qin Mei reminded her. ’Between ghosts and people, people are worse.’
"Don’t talk nonsense," the older woman said, tugging on Qin Mei’s arm. Qin Mei promptly shut her mouth. The woman bowed to the tree again with a piously repentant expression.
Jie Jingchen was still sitting on the stone, which made the situation awkward. It felt like the older woman was bowing to him.
"Young man, what are you gaping at? Are you possessed, or has a ghost taken over your body? Hurry up and move that stone far away!" Seeing Jie Jingchen remain as still as a mountain, the older woman urged him on, her face clouded with displeasure.
Jie Jingchen stood up awkwardly and moved to the side in silence. He really couldn’t lift the stone, unless he were to kick it away.
Seeing that Jie Jingchen wasn’t obeying, the older woman’s face twisted in anger. ’This young man is just too disobedient!’
Just before the older woman could blow her top, Qin Mei stepped forward. "My man’s no good. I’ll do it."