"Xiao i, get up. Listen to . You deserve this kneel from ." Mrs. Xie’s tone was unyielding.
"Mom, please get up. I can’t accept this." Qin i didn’t dare to rise.
Mrs. Xie knelt ramrod straight. "You deserve it. Forget that we’re mother- and daughter-in-law for a mont. Xiao i, you healed Jing Qi’s legs. That makes you her savior, my savior, the Jie Family’s savior, and the Qiao Family’s savior. For a debt of gratitude this great, what’s wrong with kneeling to thank you? It’s not just . If my parents back in Xiangjiang found out, they would do the sa, disregarding their status to kneel before you in thanks."
"Mom, please don’t. This is too much. It’ll shorten my life. Mom, do you want to die young?" Qin i asked, half-joking and half-serious.
Mrs. Xie froze for a mont, then frowned. "Watch your mouth. What’s all this talk about dying young? That’s nonsense. You will live a long and healthy life. All of you will."
"Mom, if you get up, I’ll have a chance to live a long life. If you keep kneeling, I really will die young." Qin i looked up and saw Jie Jingchen and Jie Jingshan both standing by and watching. She could forgive Jie Jingshan, but Jie Jingchen was also just looking on coldly. A wave of anger suddenly washed over her. "Jie Jingchen, are you hoping I’ll die young?"
"Hush, hush! Xiao i, be good and stop saying such unlucky things." Qin i’s repeated talk of dying young made Mrs. Xie’s heart clench.
"Hurry up and help Mom up," Qin i urged. ’Is the sight of a mother- and daughter-in-law kneeling to each other really that interesting?’
Jie Jingchen stepped forward to help Mrs. Xie up, but she pushed him away. "Don’t help . Help your wife."
Mrs. Xie stood up on her own. Qin i also refused Jie Jingchen’s help and got up by herself. Mrs. Xie pulled Qin i to sit on the edge of the bed and asked her how she had managed to heal Jing Qi’s legs, especially in just over a month.
Mrs. Xie had faith in Qin i and firmly believed she could heal Jing Qi’s legs, but she had expected it to take at least half a year, if not a full one. A little over a month was completely unexpected.
Qin i didn’t know how to explain. After thinking for a mont, she asked, "Mom, do you know anything about traditional Chinese dicine?"
"No, I don’t." Mrs. Xie shook her head.
"Do you know anything about acupuncture?" Qin i asked again.
Mrs. Xie shook her head again. "No."
Qin i wanted to be blunt. ’You don’t understand this, and you don’t understand that. Even if I explain it clearly, will you even understand what I’m saying?’
"Mom, the process isn’t important. The result is what matters," Jie Jingchen said.
Mrs. Xie was montarily stunned. She recalled the ti Qin i had given Jing Qi acupuncture; the process had been arduous and painful. Taking a deep breath, she said, "You’re right. Jing Si is right. The process isn’t important. What matters is the result."
Qin i breathed a sigh of relief when Mrs. Xie didn’t press for details. After a mont of thought, Mrs. Xie asked, "Now that Jing Qi’s legs are healed, does Jing Wu know?"
Jie Jingchen remained silent. ’They’d better keep it from Jing Wu, too,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair.’
"Fifth Brother doesn’t know," Jie Jingshan replied.
Jie Jingchen’s expression tightened, but he was instantly satisfied. Knowing it was a secret from everyone made things feel fair again. Still, he was thoroughly annoyed.
Mrs. Xie mulled it over for a mont before saying, "Jing Qi, you shouldn’t hide this from your fifth brother."
"Okay, I’ll let Fifth Brother know." Jie Jingshan nodded. When her legs were paralyzed, the person she felt most guilty toward was him. At first, she had resented him; if he hadn’t taken her out that day, the accident never would have happened. But eventually, she made peace with it. ’It was my fate, a trial I was destined to face. Even if it hadn’t been with him, the accident still would have occurred.’
"Mom, the water’s getting cold. You help Jing Qi with her bath. We’re going back to our room." Jie Jingchen pulled Qin i away. ’If Jing Wu hadn’t gone out, he would know by now. Too bad for him, he just had to leave.’
There were two buckets of hot water. Since Jing Qi wasn’t taking a soak, she wouldn’t use it all, so Mrs. Xie joined her.
Qin i and Jie Jingchen returned to their room, closing and locking the door behind them. It was too early to sleep, so Qin i sat by the window reading a dical book her mother-in-law had given her. Jie Jingchen sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. He wasn’t reading; his resentful gaze was fixed on Qin i.
Qin i knew Jie Jingchen was watching her, but she ignored him and let him stare. After a while, however, his gaze made her feel increasingly uncomfortable.
"Have you had your fill of looking?" Qin i closed her dical book and t Jie Jingchen’s resentful eyes.
"Why didn’t you tell ?" Jie Jingchen asked, his voice sullen.
"You never asked." Qin i’s words were indifferent, tinged with a hint of distance. ’During that last acupuncture session for Jing Qi, if he had trusted , if he hadn’t kicked open her door, maybe I would have shared the news with him willingly. But he didn’t trust . Why should I share anything with him?’
"Qin i, are you blaming for what happened?" Jie Jingchen asked. He knew she was still holding a grudge over that incident.
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