Qin Xiang reined in his thoughts as he watched their retreating figures. ’What about ? Are they just leaving here?’
He decided against it. He had no desire to keep watching this touching scene of a doting grandmother and her filial grandson. He’d wait until his little sister woke from her nap to ask her his burning questions. Qin Xiang stood up, picking up his enal mug. "Grandpa, Granny, Cousin... well, I’ll let you all continue your chat. I’m going to my room for an afternoon nap."
"Go on and get so rest," Grandpa said, smiling at Qin Xiang.
Rembering Qin Xiang’s welco gift, Granny decided the boy wasn’t half bad. He had good sense, and she didn’t hold a prejudice against him on account of Jie Jingchen and Qin i. Letting go of her grandson, she smiled at Qin Xiang and said, "Xiao Xiangzi, don’t be so formal. Make yourself at ho."
’Xiao Xiangzi?’ Qin Xiang nearly stumbled. Even his own grandparents never called him that. ’Xiao Xiang is fine, so why add the "zi"? It makes it sound like a eunuch’s na.’
"Careful now." Grandpa was close to Qin Xiang and reached out to steady him.
"I’m fine, Grandpa," Qin Xiang said with an awkward laugh.
"Xiao Xiangzi, you look pretty run-down to . I’ll have your little sister take a look at you later," Granny said with concern.
Qin Xiang couldn’t manage a smile this ti. ’Run-down? I’m perfectly healthy and full of energy.’
"Xiao Xiangzi, are you married?" Granny asked, suddenly changing the subject.
’First she says I’m run-down, and now she’s asking if I’m married?’ Qin Xiang forced another smile. "Not yet."
Not married. Granny’s eyes lit up. She pushed Jie Anlin aside, intending to pull Qin Xiang in for a long chat, but Grandpa stopped her. "Old woman, Xiao Xiang just got off a long train ride. Let him go to his room and rest."
"Excuse ." Qin Xiang seized the opportunity and ducked into the room.
Granny watched as Qin Xiang went into the very room she’d been dreaming of living in. Jing Si had absolutely refused to let them stay there, yet he’d arranged for his brother-in-law to use it. A wave of resentnt washed over Granny, and her expression soured. "I’m going to find Jing Si and demand an explanation."
"Old woman," Grandpa stopped her.
"He won’t let his own grandpa and granny stay there, but he’ll let his brother-in-law? Who are his real blood relatives? Doesn’t he get it?" Granny’s face was flushed with anger and indignation.
"Old woman, have you forgotten? The family property has been divided between our eldest and Jing Si. This house was allotted to Jing Si, so it’s his house. Qin Xiang is his brother-in-law. If he’s not going to put his brother-in-law in his own house, where else is he supposed to put him?" Grandpa asked.
"We’re his grandpa and granny! I don’t care! If he won’t let us stay, then he can’t let his brother-in-law stay either. Things have to be fair," Granny argued petulantly.
Grandpa shook his head, exasperated. "You can’t even be fair yourself. How can you expect Jing Si to be?"
Granny glared at Grandpa, giving his chest a shove. "Old man, what’s wrong with you? Ever since we ca to our eldest’s house, it feels like you’re not on my side."
Jie Anlin watched them and asked in confusion, "What does it matter which room you stay in? Isn’t it all the sa?"
"It’s not," Granny said, glancing at the closed door with deep dissatisfaction. "All three of Jing Si’s rooms have their own toilets."
"A toilet in the room? And all three of them have one?" Jie Anlin was astonished. He was already envious that his uncle’s house had a large courtyard with a toilet in it. Although his own family’s house from the machinery factory had its own courtyard, it was much smaller and had no toilet.
They had to go to the public toilet, which was far from their courtyard. Every morning there was a line, and holding it in was torture. He even suspected that his ’private affliction’ was a result of holding it in for so many years.
"Exactly! Jing Qi has one room, Jing Si and his wife have another, and one was left empty. I wanted to stay in it with your grandpa, but Jing Si refused. Now he’s given it to his brother-in-law. It’s infuriating!" Granny grumbled resentfully.
"I rember there weren’t any toilets in the rooms originally," Jie Anlin said, confused.
"Jing Si built them himself after he formally separated his household from your uncle’s," Grandpa said. He was reminding Granny that Jing Si had added them later—they weren’t part of the original house.
Jie Anlin was dumbfounded. He couldn’t wrap his head around it. ’If you have money, you could build anything. Why build toilets? Is he crazy? Toilets are important, but not as important as actual rooms. If you’re going to build sothing, build more living space, not toilets.’
"I thought Jing Wu used to live in that room," Jie Anlin said, still confused.
"After the family property was divided, this side of the house was given to Jing Si, so Jing Wu had to move out," Grandpa explained.
"Jing Wu agreed to move?" Jie Anlin found that hard to believe. Jing Wu wasn’t that easygoing. ’Just up and move out of the room he’d lived in his whole life?’ When he rembered how Jing Wu had gotten so angry he’d even dared to go after Granny, Jie Anlin felt a lingering sense of dread.
He wasn’t scared of Jing Er, Jing San, or Jing Si, but he was terrified of Jing Wu. That ti Granny had called Jing Qi a cripple, Jing Wu had flown into a rage, grabbed a stool, and hurled it at her. Although it missed, Jing Wu’s audacity and violence were frightening. Afterward, his uncle beat Jing Wu badly. Thinking back on it now, if everyone hadn’t held Jing Wu back, he really might have killed Granny.
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