USWHC -Chapter 20 An Oddball Family (Part 10)

“Mother, please eat!” Zhu Jie quickly stood up, warmly taking the bowl of porridge from Sister-in-law You’s hands and very reverently offering it to Old Madam Ji.

Her sudden change left Old Madam Ji completely stunned. Almost mechanically, she lifted her head, only to meet Zhu Jie’s smile—bright and blooming like spring flowers.

For a moment, the room fell completely silent. Everyone stared in astonishment as Zhu Jie enthusiastically served food to each person. Her smile was so radiant it seemed capable of melting everyone in the room.

Almost everyone was dumbfounded—everyone except Ji Yi. He, too, raised his head in surprise, watching as Zhu Jie carried a bowl of porridge and shuffled over to him in tiny steps. Her coy manner made it seem as if she were terribly shy.

“Brother Yi, eat your meal!” Zhu Jie said shyly, her head half lowered. A faint blush even colored her cheeks, as if she were slightly tipsy. Her voice was as sweet and coquettish as could be—she truly looked like a young wife in the throes of first love.

Ji Yi looked at the porridge in front of him but didn’t dare pick up his chopsticks for quite a while.

Th-this… there’s nothing mixed into it, right?

“Why isn’t Brother Yi eating?” After serving everyone their food, Zhu Jie timidly sat beside Ji Yi. Sneaking glances at him as if embarrassed, she saw that he still hadn’t moved and even shyly asked with concern.

“Did a donkey kick you in the head?” Finally, Ji Yi spoke the thought everyone else was having. “What’s with such a big change in you? You’re not sick or something, are you?”

Pecked by a chicken, alright? Zhu Jie grumbled inwardly. She tried hard to suppress the words that were about to burst out of her mouth, while on the outside she turned all that anger into the brightest smile imaginable.

“Why would Brother think that? Your little sister just…”

As she spoke, she cast Ji Yi a shy glance, her cheeks glowing like the morning clouds. After just one look, she immediately lowered her head again in embarrassment.

Sometimes leaving a sentence unfinished is even more effective than finishing it. Seeing Zhu Jie’s bashful, little-woman demeanor, everyone immediately widened their eyes.

Could it be… she had fallen in love with Ji Yi?

Everyone couldn’t help but look at Ji Yi in astonishment. Had this kid done something?

Ji Yi, however, only let out a cold laugh. He didn’t believe for a second that Zhu Jie would suddenly fall for him. Just earlier he had pinned her down in the snow. Fall for him? What, did snow get into her brain?

But Old Madam Ji immediately caught on and said, “It’s best if you’ve figured things out. Our Erhan may be a bit foolish, but he’s definitely a good man for living a steady life. You’ll understand in the future!”

“How is our second son foolish?” Old Man Ji immediately objected. “It’s because you people keep belittling him all day that he can’t find a wife!” As he spoke, his gaze drifted warily toward Zhu Jie, as if afraid she might get some other idea again.

“Father and Mother are both right! Brother Yi may be simple and honest, but he’s strong and capable. Anyone can see he’s the type who’s good at making a living!” Zhu Jie hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over.

The moment she said that, everyone grew even more shocked. Even the eldest brother of the Ji family found it hard to believe. Although Zhu Jie had been dressed as a man all along, one could still tell she was a beauty in the making. If she changed into women’s clothes, who knew how stunning she would be? Compared to her, his own sallow-faced wife couldn’t compete in the slightest.

He even felt a little jealous.

Seriously? How could such a good thing happen to that foolish second brother?

“Miss, are you sure you like my second brother?” the eldest brother asked with ill intentions. “What exactly do you like about him?”

In truth, everyone had wondered the same thing. But since the girl had apparently gone silly, they had no obligation to wake her up. So everyone immediately glared fiercely at the eldest brother and shot him several warning looks.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Jie didn’t hesitate in the slightest. She shyly lowered her head a little and murmured almost dreamily:

“Brother Yi is the most manly man I’ve ever seen. His powerful, sturdy build fills me with a sense of safety. His clever words make me sincerely admire him. Even when he says nothing and just stands before me, my heart starts racing like there’s a little deer bumping around inside it.”

As she spoke, Zhu Jie even cast Ji Yi a loving glance and intentionally—or perhaps unintentionally—leaned slightly closer to him.