Mr. Xie went back inside to continue coaxing his wife. Seeing that Jie You was filthy from head to toe, Jie Jingjue took his hand and led him toward Jie Jingwei’s room, intending to find a change of clothes for the boy.
Jie Jingwei’s room was locked. Jie Jingjue’s face darkened. ’We’re all family, is there a need to lock the door? What about trust between family mbers?’
Jie Jingjue never locked his own door. Other than furniture, he had nothing of value in his room. He wasn’t worried about thieves, much less about anyone plotting to steal from him.
"What do we do now?" Jie Jingjue asked Jie You.
Jie You yawned. He’d played a little too hard with Xiao Ping and Xiao Bing from his second aunt’s house and was exhausted. "Fifth Uncle, I want to sleep."
Resigned to his fate, Jie Jingjue led Jie You back to his room. He helped the little boy take off his jacket and had him sit on the edge of the bed. He then took a bucket to the kitchen to fetch hot water to wash the boy’s face and feet. By the ti he returned with the bucket, the little fellow had already fallen asleep, his face and hands still caked in dirt.
Jie Jingjue wasn’t exactly gentle as he washed the little boy’s face, hands, and feet. But Jie You must have been completely exhausted, because he didn’t wake up no matter how much Jie Jingjue jostled him.
Qin i leaned on the windowsill, waiting for Shen Qing and Jie Jinghun to finish their baths and return to their room. Only then did she take a bucket to the kitchen. The pot was full of hot water; Shen Qing always boiled plenty, whereas Xu Chunyan only ever boiled enough for her own family of three.
’And what about ? I don’t even know how to start a fire.’
Qin i carried half a bucket of water back to the room, poured it into a foot basin, and sprinkled in so dicinal powder. "Jie Jingchen, co soak your feet."
Jie Jingchen sat on a chair, took off his shoes and socks, and tested the water temperature with his foot before putting both feet in.
Qin i stared at his feet for a long ti before she couldn’t help but ask, "Isn’t it hot?"
"It’s fine." By "fine," Jie Jingchen ant it was a bit too hot. As long as he didn’t move his feet, it was tolerable. The slightest movent, however, would make it unbearably scalding, forcing him to pull them out.
’A dead pig fears no boiling water,’ a saying instantly surfaced in Qin i’s mind.
"Qin i, I want to take a bath," Jie Jingchen said in a relaxed tone. He was a very clean person. Before he joined the military, he couldn’t stand going a day without bathing. But in the service, he was always getting hurt. The worst ti, he was bedridden and couldn’t move, going a month without a bath. He had no choice but to endure how awful it felt.
If he slept alone, he could have endured it. But with Qin i lying beside him, watching her wash up every night until she slled wonderfully fresh, he couldn’t help but wonder, ’Will she be disgusted by if I don’t wash? Does she think I’m dirty?’
"Don’t even think about it," Qin i said. Seeing his mood sour, she added, "Once your back has healed, you can bathe however you want, for as long as you want."
Jie Jingchen pressed his lips into a thin, heavy line. He gazed at Qin i with a quiet intensity but said nothing more.
For so reason, Qin i felt a pang of sympathy. After hesitating for a few seconds, she offered, "How about... I help you with a sponge bath?"
Qin i expected him to be his usual proud self and refuse, but to her surprise, he accepted readily.
"Okay," Jie Jingchen replied.
Qin i was stunned for a mont, then her expression soured. "Just you wait," she said, grinding her teeth. "I’ll go get the water."
Qin i suspected, ’He didn’t really want a bath. His real goal was to get to wash him, but he was too embarrassed to ask directly, so he tricked into offering.’
As Qin i headed to the kitchen with the bucket, she saw Mrs. Xie erge from her room. Mrs. Xie had a crossbody bag slung over her shoulder, and a scarf wrapped around not just her neck, but her head as well. ’Is she going out?’ A glint in her eyes, Qin i called out, "Mom."
Mrs. Xie froze for an instant, then turned and went back into her room, leaving Qin i utterly confused.
A mont later, Mrs. Xie ca out again holding a black scarf. She walked over to the still-bewildered Qin i and proceeded to wrap the scarf around her neck and head, just like her own.
"Mom, I’m not cold," Qin i said, baffled. ’Do I really need to be bundled up like this inside the house?’ She reached up to pull the scarf off, but Mrs. Xie stopped her.
"Xiao i, I’m taking you out," Mrs. Xie said in a low voice.
"Out?" Qin i looked up at the darkening sky. Night was falling, and the moon would be out soon. ’Going out now? Where to?’ "You an right now?" she asked.
"Mhm." Mrs. Xie humd in agreent, grabbed Qin i’s wrist, and started walking towards where the bicycle was parked.
"Mom, wait, wait! The bucket..." Qin i was still holding the bucket she was ant to fill for Jie Jingchen’s wash.
"Leave it here. No one’s going to take your bucket." Mrs. Xie took the bucket from Qin i and casually tossed it aside.
Qin i was speechless. ’Am I worried about the bucket being stolen? Where is she taking this late at night?’
Mrs. Xie got on the bicycle. Seeing Qin i standing there motionless, she urged, "Hurry up and get on."
Qin i turned her head to look at Jie Jingchen’s room. "Mom, shouldn’t we tell Jie Jingchen?"
"No need. Your dad knows. Hurry up and get on," Mrs. Xie urged again.
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