USWHC -Chapter 44 The Ungrateful Wretch Who Can’t Be Raised (Part 4)

Ji Yi had just been about to enter the room when Old Madam Ji mysteriously called him over, beckoning him toward the kitchen.

At that moment everyone had already finished eating, and only Sister-in-law You was left in the kitchen cleaning up. Even so, Old Madam Ji still pulled Ji Yi to the corner of the wall in a secretive manner.

“Erhan, you’ve been with that wife of yours for quite some time now. Has she ever said anything to you?” Old Madam Ji asked in a lowered voice.

“Said what?” Ji Yi was momentarily stunned.

Seeing his confused expression, Old Madam Ji immediately felt half disappointed, yet she still continued probing. “About… a treasure, a treasure!”

“What treasure?” Ji Yi still looked completely blank.

But Sister-in-law You could no longer hold herself back. She hurried over excitedly and said, “A big jade hairpin! As thick as a thumb!” As she spoke, she even raised her own thick thumb for emphasis.

Ji Yi was taken aback, his brows slightly furrowing as if a trace of anger had appeared.

Seeing this, Old Madam Ji assumed he was angry because Zhu Jie hadn’t told him about it. She immediately leaned closer and said eagerly, “Erhan, we’re family, right?”

“Of course!” Ji Yi quickly stated.

“Well then. That girl appeared out of nowhere in such a strange way—who knows when she might run off. But the few of us have lived together in this courtyard for so many years. We’ll be living together for the rest of our lives, right?” Old Madam Ji continued.

Ji Yi nodded again without hesitation. “Yes, of course, Mother.”

Old Madam Ji immediately understood that he had grasped her hidden meaning. Excitedly, she said, “Erhan really knows what’s right! Erhan, you know how poor our family is—we’re so poor we could hardly even afford to get you a wife! But if we had that hairpin, maybe our days would get better. Even if that girl ran away, I could still find you a good wife, right?”

Hearing this, Ji Yi smiled and said, “Mother, don’t worry. If she really has that hairpin, I’ll personally bring it to you. As for a wife—Mother has worried about me for so many years, and I know it in my heart. If she runs away, then it just means I have no luck with wives. You don’t need to trouble yourself anymore. I won’t marry again. I’ll spend my whole life working for the family. What do you think, Mother?”

Old Madam Ji’s eyes widened instantly upon hearing this. She was so moved that her mouth hung open. Grabbing Ji Yi’s hand tightly, she kept rambling, “My good son! I didn’t raise you for nothing!”

Ji Yi merely smiled faintly and nodded lightly.

Sister-in-law You was also secretly delighted after hearing this. Wasn’t Ji Yi just too foolish? Old Madam Ji didn’t even treat him like a person, yet he was still wholeheartedly devoted to the family. What a good younger brother-in-law! Sister-in-law You was almost so touched she could cry.

Old Madam Ji casually picked up a plate from the stove, placed two half-warm sweet potatoes on it, and stuffed it into Ji Yi’s hands.

“Take this to your wife. Just say I specially saved it for her.”

“But Mother, why give her anything?” Ji Yi didn’t take it and instead sneered. “She didn’t bring out that hairpin today.”

“Ah, silly boy, you don’t understand,” Old Madam Ji said. “Women need to be coaxed! If you just take her hairpin and she starts making a scene, what then? I say you should coax her first. Make her happy. Even if she later finds out we took it, remembering our kindness, she won’t make too big a fuss, right?”

Ji Yi glanced at the plate and couldn’t help letting out a cold snort through his nose. Two tiny sweet potatoes to trick someone out of a jade hairpin—how greedy they were.

But aloud he said with great sincerity, “Mother treats her so well, she ought to be grateful. What trouble would she dare cause? If she dares to make a fuss, I’ll break her legs!”

Looking at Ji Yi’s simple and blindly filial appearance, Old Madam Ji’s eyes immediately welled with tears of excitement. This son—he was just too good! Heaven had truly treated her well!

“Erhan, I saw that hairpin. She hid it in the pocket of her inner clothes,” Sister-in-law You chimed in again, smiling as she offered advice. “When you’re doing that tonight, you can just feel around and take it out.” As she spoke, her eyebrows and eyes kept wiggling suggestively, clearly implying something.

Ji Yi’s face instantly turned red, yet he stammered, “Mm… I’ll try.”