"I’m really fine, I promise," Jie Jingchen said.
Hearing his promise, Mrs. Xie breathed a sigh of relief and pulled her son into the house.
Qin i rolled her eyes. ’Jie Jingchen forced his own discharge from the hospital, rushed straight to the train station, bought a ticket back to Shijiu City, and spent a day and a night on the train without any decent rest. What could he possibly guarantee?’
Not seeing Mr. Xie there to greet him, Jie Jingchen couldn’t help but ask, "Mom, where’s Dad?"
"Don’t even ask. Sothing ca up at the plant, so he went there. Just forget about him. In his heart, the machinery plant will always co first," Mrs. Xie complained. They had agreed to take the day off to wait for their son’s return, and she had even specially arranged for a colleague to co over for a blind date with him. But when soone from the plant ca calling, he just left.
Jie Jingchen remained silent. His father was passionate about his work, and he wouldn’t comnt on it.
Qin i was completely ignored. Jie Jingchen hadn’t introduced her, and Mrs. Xie acted as if she didn’t exist. Watching the mother and son walk toward the main hall, Qin i hesitated. ’Should I follow them quietly, or should I turn and leave in a huff?’
Just as she was wrestling with her decision, Jie Jingjue ca out of Jie Jingchen’s room after putting away the luggage. Seeing Qin i standing at the entrance like a statue, he asked in a low voice, "Fourth Sister-in-law, why don’t you co in?"
Qin i gave an awkward smile. ’Is it that *I don’t want* to co in? They didn’t just fail to give a warm welco; they completely ignored .’
Qin i sized up the courtyard house before her. She counted about ten rooms. The courtyard was large, with a big tree in the center, and it was swept clean.
Money. Qin i slled the scent of money.
"Fourth Sister-in-law," Jie Jingjue called out.
"Ah!" Qin i snapped back to reality. She awkwardly touched her nose, hiding the greed in her eyes. ’If for no other reason than this courtyard house, I’m latching onto Jie Jingchen. He’s my golden ticket.’
"Co on, let’s go into the main hall," Jie Jingjue said. ’Dad went back to the plant, and I don’t see Mom’s colleague. I guess Mom didn’t arrange for her to have a blind date with Fourth Brother today after all.’
"Oh, okay," Qin i nodded and followed behind Jie Jingjue.
The mont he stepped over the threshold, Jie Jingjue was dumbfounded.
"Director," a delicate voice sounded.
"Jingchen, this is my colleague, Su Wan’er. She’s twenty-one and a recent graduate from dical university, specializing in surgery. Wan’er, this is the son I’ve told you so much about, Jie Jingchen. He’s twenty-five, the fourth in our family. He retired from the military a few months ago and now works at the machinery plant. You can just call him Jing Si," Mrs. Xie said, her face wreathed in smiles.
"Jing Si." Su Wan’er stood up. As she looked at Jie Jingchen, a bashful blush colored her beautiful face.
Seeing Jie Jingchen in person, Su Wan’er felt that Mrs. Xie hadn’t exaggerated her son’s description one bit. Jie Jingchen’s looks perfectly matched her criteria for a partner. She was very satisfied with the handso man before her.
Jie Jingchen fell silent, his dark eyes fixed on his mother as an uncontrollable emotion surged in his chest.
He wasn’t a fool. He knew exactly what ga his mother was playing.
A gentle smile filled Mrs. Xie’s beautiful face as she asked directly, "Wan’er, are you satisfied with my son?"
"I am," Su Wan’er blurted out. Realizing what she’d just said, her cheeks flushed, and she shyly lowered her head.
"Heh heh." Mrs. Xie laughed aloud, pleased. "What’s there to be shy about? You’re both single, your ages are a good match, and you’re pleased with each other. Wan’er, I’m so glad you don’t dislike my son. Don’t worry, Wan’er. As long as you marry him, I promise to treat you well and dote on you as if you were my own daughter."
Jie Jingjue slapped a hand to his forehead. ’She really did arrange a blind date.’ He secretly glanced at Qin i behind him. She was perfectly composed, looking like an outsider enjoying a good show, not at all angered by his mother setting up a blind date for his fourth brother.
’I even gave her a heads-up that Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law were back. Did Mom only hear "Fourth Brother" and tune out "Fourth Sister-in-law," or did she deliberately ignore my ntion of her and insist on going through with this blind date?’
Qin i was speechless at the sight of this ageless-looking mother-in-law. She remained silent, watching coolly from the sidelines to see how Jie Jingchen would react.
"Mom." There was a hint of warning in his deep voice. Jie Jingchen’s head ached, and he raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.
Ignoring her son’s warning, Mrs. Xie took a step forward, grabbed Su Wan’er’s hand, and asked amicably, "Wan’er, when can we arrange for your parents to et with us?"
Qin i narrowed her eyes, her sharp gaze landing on Jie Jingchen’s face. ’Mrs. Xie wants to settle this quickly and get it all done in one go, and from the looks of it, he seems quite willing to cooperate.’
’My original plan was to go back to Dazhuang Village and find Jie Jingling. He was the one who convinced to co back to Shijiu City with him. And now he’s going along with his mother’s matchmaking right in front of my face? Does he really think I’m invisible?’
This ti, Su Wan’er was more reserved. She didn’t rush to state her position, instead gazing shyly at Jie Jingchen, seeking his opinion. Seeing this, Mrs. Xie grew even more satisfied with her.
"Mom, I told you, I’m married," Jie Jingchen said, his low voice laced with restrained displeasure. He had already told her he was married when he ca ho after retiring from the military, and he was furious that his mother had arranged this blind date with Su Wan’er.
Hearing this, Su Wan’er stiffened, her pupils constricting as she fixed a questioning gaze on Mrs. Xie.
Mrs. Xie’s face went deathly pale, her expression cracking. She raged, "What nonsense are you spouting? When did you get married? Jie Jingchen, I’m your mother! You think I wouldn’t know if you were married or not? If you’re against the blind date I arranged, just say so! Wan’er’s such a great catch—n who want to marry her are a di a dozen! If it weren’t for , would you even have the chance to et her? Married? Hmph! Just because you say you’re married, that makes it true? Stop trying to fob off with such a la excuse! If you were really married, why didn’t you bring your wife ho?"
Jie Jingchen’s face darkened. He looked at Qin i, who was standing behind Jie Jingjue, and raised his voice. "Qin i, co in."
Having been called out, Qin i could no longer remain a spectator. She took a deep breath, stepped over the threshold, and stood confidently beside Jie Jingchen.
Compared to Su Wan’er, Qin i looked disheveled. After a day and a night on the train without so much as a drop of water, everything she looked at seed to be swaying.
Mrs. Xie pointed an elegant finger at Qin i. "Who is she?"
With Su Wan’er as a benchmark, Qin i made a terrible first impression on Mrs. Xie: sloppy and unkempt. However, Mrs. Xie was still struck by the beauty of Qin i’s face.
’If she knew how to dress herself up and wasn’t so slovenly, she would be an absolute, world-stunning beauty.’
"My wife. Your daughter-in-law." To prove his point, Jie Jingchen reached out, wrapped an arm around Qin i’s waist, and pulled her into his embrace.
A shiver ran through Qin i, and her body tensed. When she had been supporting Jie Jingchen earlier, he had leaned his full weight on her, nearly crushing her petite fra. Now, held so intimately in his arms, slling his unique scent, and all in front of his mother... the bizarre atmosphere of the scene made her skin crawl and her whole body feel awkward.
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