CMWKSD -Chapter 15 A Remarkable Figure

Jiu Yue cast a cool glance at Shen Mei and Ji Dahu, her smile carrying a distinctly sinister edge. Such low-grade medicine—of course she knew how to neutralize it.

But why should she?

It brought her no benefit whatsoever. Besides, Ji Shan and Hu Chunhua were already at an advanced age—shouldn’t they also get to enjoy a bit of conjugal bliss? Wasn’t she being kind, really?

“Go cook,” she said. “If there’s rice, then make rice.”

Shen Mei wiped her hands, shoved Ji Dahu aside—he was so heavy and still leaning on her—and let out a quick “ai,” before nimbly heading into the room to haul Ji Xiaoyu out by the arm. “Go, go, go—hurry up and cook for your sister-in-law.”

Ji Dahu stood there, utterly forlorn, not daring to move a muscle.

Jiu Yue sat down on the stool Ji Xiaoyu had previously dragged over like a lackey. See? She had said it—people of the Ji family were actually quite easy to get along with. Look how obedient they were.

Just as she was enjoying herself, Ji Dahai and Su Ruo pushed open the courtyard gate, each carrying a back basket. Su Ruo moved quickly, setting her basket down in front of Jiu Yue, her face full of pride. “Jiu Yue, Mother just picked up a few bird eggs. I’ll steam you some egg custard later.”

The corner of Jiu Yue’s mouth twitched. “Mother, as long as you’re happy.” Those bird eggs were barely the size of a thumb—three of them wouldn’t even fill the gap between her teeth.

Silver. Silver.

Where on earth were you?

For the first time in her life, someone who had never lacked money, Jiu Yue was troubled by the absence of silver. She even began to feel that, with her abilities, going out to rob people would be perfectly feasible.

The more she thought about it, the more workable it seemed. Since killing was off the table, then robbery it was. But where were the rich people? That would have to wait until Ji Yiqing came back so she could discuss it with him.

Dark clouds from the distant mountains gradually spread across the land, and the sky dimmed. The food was already cooked, yet Shen Mei left the dishes in the kitchen, with no intention of carrying them to the main hall.

After chopping firewood, Ji Dahai saw the kitchen piled with food. “Sister-in-law, carry it to the main hall so we can eat.”

Shen Mei and Ji Dahu exchanged an awkward glance. The room next to the main hall was Ji Shan and Hu Chunhua’s bedroom. Going in there now—what would that even be?

Who knew where Ji Dajiang had gotten that medicine? The effect was vicious. It had been over an hour, and they could still hear sounds now and then.

Seeing the two not move, Ji Dahai thought maybe they were eating in the kitchen tonight. Not seeing his father or stepmother, he turned and headed toward the main hall.

Jiu Yue stood outside and, seeing Ji Dahai about to go in, kindly reminded him, “Father, you’d better not go into the main hall.”

Ji Dahai felt that Jiu Yue was still a junior—and a daughter-in-law at that. If villagers saw her being disrespectful to elders, they’d surely gossip about her. He smiled gently. “You child, I’m going to call your grandparents to eat.”

Jiu Yue rubbed her nose. “They probably don’t have time right now.”

Ji Dahai blinked in confusion, stopping and turning to look at her. “What’s wrong?”

Jiu Yue changed her wording tactfully. “Isn’t it possible… that you might soon have a little brother or sister?”

For a junior—and a daughter-in-law—to say something like that to Ji Dahai, who was honest and simple-minded, made his face flush instantly. “What nonsense are you talking about, child?”

As he spoke, faint sounds drifted from the main hall. He froze, then hurried forward, only to be grabbed by Ji Dahu. “B-big brother, don’t go.”

With one person after another stopping him from going to the main hall, Ji Dahai paused, keenly sensing that something must have happened—and that it involved his parents.

“Then… then…”

Ji Dahu yanked Ji Dahai into the kitchen. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll eat when Yiqing, Chaomian, and Youqin come back. Father and Mother have something going on right now.”

Ji Dahai scratched his head and gave up. He was always obedient; his mind was slow, and if he couldn’t figure something out, he simply wouldn’t think about it. If everyone said not to go, then he wouldn’t go.

Ji Dahu, however, was still worried. They were his parents, after all. Being tossed around like this—could they really handle it? It had been so long already.

He shuffled over to Jiu Yue, bowing slightly, his tone ingratiating. “Niece-in-law, um… your grandparents…”

Jiu Yue shot him a cold glance. “They won’t die. But if they pull any more stunts in the future, I can’t guarantee anything.”

Then she added, “And that goes for you as well.”

Ji Dahu immediately straightened up and swore earnestly, “No, no, absolutely not again.” He looked just short of swearing to heaven and earth.

Su Ruo and Shen Mei kept the food warm in the pots, added some fine firewood to the stove, and then worked in the courtyard while there was still a bit of light left.

No one dared ask Jiu Yue to do any work.

When the sky finally turned pitch-black, so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face, Shen Mei hurried inside to light an oil lamp and carried it to the kitchen.

Then came the sound of donkey hooves—da-da-da—outside the gate. Sharing the same space with Jiu Yue, everyone was nervous yet excited, and one by one they rushed to open the door.

Ji Yiqing had just reached the courtyard gate when it opened. His second uncle and aunt, his parents, and his third aunt all stood neatly at the entrance to greet him. The moment they saw him, their faces lit up with smiles. “You’re back? Tired? Come in, come in!”

Ji Yiqing broke out in goosebumps for no reason. Dazed, he turned back. Ji Chaomian and Ji Youqin exchanged a look, feeling that what Ji Yiqing had told them earlier might not have covered everything.

Things were probably far more spectacular than they had heard.

Earlier, when Ji Yiqing went to the clinic to pick up Ji Chaomian, he had explained things to them in a roundabout, subtle way. He said he had married a wife, arranged by Hu Chunhua, named Jiu Yue.

Jiu Yue’s temperament was rather lively, her ideas sometimes a bit unusual, but everyone in the family liked her quite a lot.

He had also apologized—after all, they were siblings, and when he got married, neither his elder brother nor his younger sister was at home, which really wasn’t proper. He asked them not to think that Jiu Yue didn’t value them, and so on.

Ji Chaomian didn’t say much. Back when he fell off a cliff and injured his leg, and Ji Yiqing was hurt in the face, their main branch of the family had already come to this. For someone to still be willing to marry his disfigured younger brother—Ji Chaomian had already decided, from the outset, that his sister-in-law must be a good person.

As for Ji Youqin, she was simply happy that she finally had a sister-in-law and was glad for her second brother.

Ji Yiqing stepped forward to lift Ji Chaomian down from the cart, but Ji Dahai and Ji Dahu had already rushed in to help. Ji Dahu was so overly attentive that Ji Chaomian and Ji Youqin both felt there must be some sort of plot at work.

Since when had their profit-driven second uncle been so nice to people from the main branch?

Meanwhile, Shen Mei and Li Xiaocao swiftly picked Ji Youqin up from the cart and hurriedly cleared the items on it, making Ji Youqin momentarily dazed, as if she had turned into a little baby.

She was already twelve years old. When had Second Aunt and Third Aunt ever held her like this?

Jiu Yue stood at the very back. In the pitch darkness, she couldn’t clearly see what condition Ji Chaomian was in—and naturally, she couldn’t see his scrutinizing gaze either.

But scrutinize he did. Ji Dahu and Shen Mei were smiling at Jiu Yue like obedient lapdogs.

Which made Ji Chaomian feel that there was far too much “water” in Ji Yiqing’s words.

Just who exactly was this sister-in-law? To arrive here for only two days and already have the entire family completely cowed—she was truly someone extraordinary.