"Aunt Li, get out of the way. I’m going to find the person spreading this rumor. I’ll skin him alive," Jie Jingjue said viciously. Startled, Li Axiu actually stepped aside, and Jie Jingjue hopped on his bicycle and sped off.
Li Axiu watched his retreating figure, a feeling that sothing wasn’t right nagging at her. By the ti she realized what it was, it was too late. Jie Jingjue was already long gone.
When Jie Jingjue got ho, he saw Jie Jingchen sitting in the courtyard. He parked his bicycle, carried a few aluminum lunch boxes over to Jie Jingchen, and explained what had happened.
"Fourth Brother, who do you think spread this? It’s completely immoral," Jie Jingjue said indignantly.
Jie Jingchen shot him a cold glance and said unhurriedly, "Second Aunt."
"Second Aunt," Jie Jingjue exclaid, his face filled with fury. "This won’t stand. I’m going to find Second Aunt."
A dark, unreadable emotion flashed in Jie Jingchen’s eyes. His voice was icy. "I told her to."
Jie Jingjue froze. Then, it dawned on him. He stared at his brother, his phoenix eyes filled with astonishnt and disbelief. "Fourth Brother, you’re not supposed to air the family’s dirty laundry in public! Why would you do this?"
Jie Jingchen’s expression was unreadable—not quite a smile, yet not a frown either. He spoke with deliberate, crystal clarity, "I’m the victim. Why shouldn’t I air it?"
Jie Jingjue was left speechless. He sat down on the stone stool with his head hanging low and scratched his short hair. "Fourth Brother, Dad’s going to be upset."
"But I am pleased," Jie Jingchen retorted. His aning was clear: other people’s feelings were unimportant. All that mattered was his own.
Jie Jingjue said no more. In the past, Fourth Brother was the only one who dared to defy their father. Now, Third Brother had joined him. He had overheard their father and Third Brother’s conversation yesterday perfectly clearly—Third Brother wanted to change Xiao Duo’s surna, which had made their father furious.
Qin i ca out of Jing Qi’s room. Jie Jingchen imdiately smoothed over his expression and called for Qin i to co and eat.
"What about Jing Qi?" Jie Jingjue asked.
Qin i ca to the stone table and sat down, rubbing her wrist. "She’s asleep. Don’t go and disturb her."
Jie Jingjue had been about to take a serving of dumplings in for Jing Qi, but hearing Qin i’s words, he thought better of it.
Qin i was exhausted and couldn’t manage more than a few bites before she lost her appetite.
"You all eat. I’m going back to my room to sleep. Don’t let anyone disturb ," Qin i said as she got up and left.
Jie Jingshan and Qin i were both sleeping, and Jie Jingjue didn’t have a habit of taking afternoon naps. Jie Jingchen sat reading in a wicker chair. Jie Jingjue was bored and wanted to chat with him, but seeing Jie Jingchen’s unapproachable posture, he gave up on the idea.
"Brother, I’m heading out," Jie Jingjue said, getting up and wheeling his bicycle outside.
Qin i slept for a very long ti. When she finally stretched and opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Jie Jingshan.
Qin i was startled. Jie Jingshan was actually in her room.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, you’re awake," Jie Jingshan said from her wheelchair, looking at Qin i with a wide grin.
"Jing Qi, what are you doing in here?" Qin i sat up, pushed aside the covers, and put on her jacket. After sitting on the edge of the bed to put on her shoes, she wheeled Jie Jingshan outside.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, Second Aunt invited us over to her house for dinner," Jie Jingshan said with a smile.
"We’re eating at Second Aunt’s again?" Qin i felt awkward. Second Aunt’s family was very warm, but whenever she and Jie Jingchen were present, the others wouldn’t touch the at, leaving it all for the two of them.
"Don’t you like eating at Second Aunt’s?" Jie Jingshan said, blinking her eyes. "When I was little, I loved eating at her house. Her food always slls and tastes delicious."
"Second Aunt is a great cook, that’s true," Qin i agreed. ’But in this day and age, every family is short on food and clothing. With everyone on rations, they barely have enough for themselves.’
’Those who follow the rules have to live frugally, while the clever and daring find other ways to get by.’
’As the saying goes: the bold are stuffed to death, while the timid starve to death.’
"Where’s your Fourth Brother?"
Qin i had wheeled Jie Jingshan outside, but she didn’t see Jie Jingchen.
"Fourth Brother went out to buy sothing. Fifth Brother isn’t ho, and who knows where he’s gone," Jie Jingshan said. No one ever knew Jie Jingjue’s whereabouts. He was here one mont and gone the next.
Qin i wheeled Jie Jingshan under a tree. Seeing a book on the stone table—which Jie Jingchen must have left out after reading—she picked it up and handed it to Jie Jingshan. "Here, you can read. I’m going to the toilet."
As Qin i ca out from the toilet, Second Aunt ca running in, looking extrely anxious.
"Doctor Qiao! Doctor Qiao! Jing Qi, is your mother off work yet?" Second Aunt asked urgently, her expression full of worry.
"Not yet," Jie Jingshan answered.
"What’s happened?" Qin i asked.
"Doctor Qiao isn’t off work... Oh, dear! What am I going to do?" Second Aunt slapped her thigh in distress, turned, and ran off in a hurry.
"Jing Qi, you stay here. I’m going to go see what’s going on," Qin i said to Jie Jingshan. She was about to add a warning not to run off, but rembering Jie Jingshan’s condition, she instantly stopped herself.
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