Jie Jingjue suddenly felt he had gravely misplaced his trust. He had assud Qin i ca from a family of traditional Chinese dicine practitioners, which would explain her overwhelming confidence.
"If she says she can, she can." Jie Jingchen’s deep voice was filled with conviction.
"Fourth Brother, I feel like we’re just grasping at straws here," Jie Jingjue said, his voice laced with helplessness.
「An hour and a half later.」
Qin i opened the door. Jie Jingchen and Jie Jingjue rushed toward her at the sa ti, asking urgently, "How is she?"
Beads of sweat dotted Qin i’s forehead. A few damp strands of hair clung to her flushed cheeks. Her eyes shimred with a captivating, alluring charm.
"The dicine?" Qin i asked Jie Jingjue.
"I’ll go get it." Jie Jingjue turned and ran toward the kitchen.
"Are you all right?" Concern was woven into Jie Jingchen’s deep voice.
Qin i looked up at Jie Jingchen, her eyes glinting playfully as she teased, "Getting your sister in and out of that tub is quite the workout."
Jie Jingchen was at a loss for words. Jing Qi was fourteen, a young woman now. As her older brother, he really couldn’t help with that.
"You worked hard. Thank you."
Qin i smiled but said nothing, raising a hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
"I’ll have Third Sister-in-law help you tomorrow," Jie Jingchen suggested.
"We’re not doing a bath tomorrow." Qin i was surprised. ’I thought he would suggest asking his mother to take ti off, but instead he thought of Third Sister-in-law.’
"Next ti, for the next bath, just let know in advance. I’ll talk to Third Sister-in-law," Jie Jingchen said.
"Okay." Qin i didn’t refuse. There was no need to act tough more than once.
The tub was tall, and with Jing Qi unable to use her legs, getting her in and out was a real struggle. Luckily, Jing Qi’s arm strength was decent; otherwise, Qin i would have had to get Jing Qi dressed inside the tub before calling them in to carry her out.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, the dicine’s ready!" Jie Jingjue ca over carrying two bowls. "This bowl was brewed from the first packet of herbs, and this one’s from the second. Fourth Sister-in-law, which one should Jing Qi drink first?"
Qin i didn’t take the bowls. Instead, she asked, "Are you sure?"
"I’m sure." Jie Jingjue nodded vigorously. "I can’t be careless when it cos to brewing Jing Qi’s dicine. I guarantee there won’t be a single mistake, not even with the dosage order."
Qin i took the bowl from Jie Jingjue’s left hand and offered it to Jie Jingchen. "Here. Drink up."
"Wait, Fourth Sister-in-law, that’s Jing Qi’s dicine! Why are you giving it to Fourth Brother?" Jie Jingjue cried out, trying to stop her. ’You can’t just drink dicine randomly, can you?’
"Who said this dicine was for Jing Qi?" Qin i shot Jie Jingjue a sidelong glance.
"Not for Jing Qi?" Jie Jingjue swallowed hard, shock flashing in his phoenix eyes. "It’s for my fourth brother? But wait, Fourth Sister-in-law, my fourth brother isn’t sick. Why would he need to drink dicine?"
Qin i couldn’t be bothered to deal with Jie Jingjue. She saw Jie Jingchen just staring at her with no intention of taking the bowl and urged him, "Hurry up and drink it. I’m going to be busy. I don’t have ti to waste on you."
Jie Jingchen still didn’t take it, his calm gaze fixed on her.
"Jie Jingchen, you’re not scared of a little bitterness, are you? Good dicine is always..." Before Qin i could finish, Jie Jingchen took the bowl from her hands, tilted his head back, and downed it in one go.
The dicine was incredibly bitter, but a sweet feeling spread through his heart.
Satisfied, Qin i took the other bowl from Jie Jingjue and went back inside. The two brothers exchanged a look before following her in.
Jie Jingshan was propped up against the headboard in her pajamas, her forehead beaded with sweat.
The room was filled with the sll of herbs. Jie Jingchen wasn’t used to it, but Jie Jingjue had long grown accustod to the scent.
"Jing Qi, how do you feel? Can you feel anything in your legs?" Jie Jingjue asked, unable to contain his impatience.
"Fifth Brother." Jie Jingshan didn’t know how to answer. The dicinal bath had made her whole body feel comfortable, but as for her legs... honestly, there was still no feeling.
Qin i rolled her eyes and said waspishly, "I’m not a miracle worker."
’Did he really think one dicinal bath would be enough to restore feeling to her legs?’
"Haha, sorry. I’m just too eager," Jie Jingjue said with an awkward laugh.
"Jing Qi, drink this," Qin i said, handing the bowl to Jie Jingshan.
Without hesitation, Jie Jingshan took the bowl and drank every last drop.
"Isn’t it bitter?" Qin i asked, noticing she hadn’t even knit her brows.
"I’m used to it," Jie Jingshan replied with a small smile, handing the empty bowl back to Qin i.
A pang of sympathy hit Qin i. She patted Jing Qi’s head affectionately and promised, "Stick with it for three months at the most."
"Thank you, Fourth Sister-in-law," Jie Jingshan said gratefully.
Qin i said no more. She casually handed the empty bowl to Jie Jingjue, then took out her silver needles and began performing acupuncture on Jie Jingshan’s legs.
While Qin i was at ho treating Jing Qi’s legs, the story of what happened yesterday was causing an uproar in the streets and alleys.
The rumor went like this: Ms. Xu, Second Daughter-in-law Jing, held a grudge against Jing Si’s new wife on behalf of Teacher Lin. She chased the Fourth Wife of Jing with a kitchen knife, and Jing Si was slashed while protecting his wife.
The Fourth Wife of Jing had been scared witless, her face streaked with tears.
The gash was long, running across his entire back, and so deep the bone was visible.
People wondered why, if the wound was so long and deep, he hadn’t gone to the hospital.
The reply was that the factory director’s daughter-in-law was a doctor and could treat it at ho, so there was no need for a hospital.
As it was nearing noon, Jie Jingchen said to Jie Jingjue, "Jing Wu, go buy us so food."
"Fourth Sister-in-law, what would you like for lunch?" Jie Jingjue asked Qin i, trying to get on her good side. He had been a little worried when he heard her dical skills ca from their eldest sister, but after watching her handle the needles, his fears were completely gone.
’He had just visited their eldest sister a year ago, and she didn’t know the first thing about acupuncture. Jie Jingjue was now convinced that Qin i had to co from a family of traditional Chinese dicine practitioners. Either his fourth brother didn’t know, or he knew and was deliberately hiding it from them. In these sensitive tis, you had to conceal your strengths, or you’d bring disaster upon yourself.’
"Rice," Qin i answered. She didn’t dare give a vague reply like "anything is fine." ’Jie Jingjue’s ’anything’ always ans dumplings. Just because Jing Qi likes them, he assus everyone does. Though, I have to admit, dumplings are a real treat in this day and age.’
"What dishes?" Jie Jingjue asked.
"Anything is fine," Qin i said. As long as the main course was rice, she didn’t care about the side dishes.
"Fourth Brother?" Jie Jingjue looked to Jie Jingchen.
"I’ll have the sa as your fourth sister-in-law," Jie Jingchen said.
Jie Jingjue rubbed his nose and said sheepishly, "Well, the thing is... I’m out of ration coupons. And I don’t have much money left, either."
Jie Jingchen shot Jie Jingjue a speechless look, then turned and walked out. Jie Jingjue imdiately grinned and followed him.
Qin i saw them leave. ’Is he going to take the money and ration coupons Mom gave ?’
’Probably not. It’s not like he’s broke, and Jie Jingchen isn’t that type of person.’
With money and ration coupons in hand, Jie Jingjue happily rode his bicycle toward the state-run restaurant.
On the way back, Jie Jingjue ran into Teacher Lin’s mother, Li Axiu.
"Jing Wu!" Li Axiu stood in the middle of the road, stretching out her arms to block his path.
"Aunt Li." Jie Jingjue was forced to stop. He gripped his bicycle, planting one foot on the ground. "Aunt Li, what’s all this about?"
"Where is your fourth brother?" Li Axiu demanded.
"My fourth brother’s at ho," Jie Jingjue replied, a headache already starting to form. ’Teacher Lin likes Fourth Brother, not . Aunt Li must have the wrong person. She should be looking for my brother.’
Li Axiu didn’t beat around the bush. She asked directly, "Is it true your fourth brother was slashed by your second sister-in-law?"
Jie Jingjue’s expression darkened. He denied it instinctively. "Of course not. Who told you that?"
"Jing Wu, don’t you try to hide it from , boy. The story is all over the neighborhood. Everyone’s talking about it." ’What’s even more infuriating,’ she thought, ’is that people have been coming to ask about it. They pretend it’s just gossip, but they’re really trying to find out if I put her up to it.’
’She had threatened to go to the Jie Family to demand an explanation for her daughter, but she hadn’t actually gone yet, had she?’
’What was worse, so were speculating that her daughter had incited Second Daughter-in-law Jing to attack the Fourth Wife of Jing. It was ridiculous! The Lin Family would never do sothing that broke the law.’
"Who’s spreading these rumors?" Jie Jingjue demanded, furious.
"I don’t know." And Li Axiu truly didn’t know who had started it all.
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