novelraw Chapter 268 - 102: My Wife Can’t Cook (2)
Chapter 268 - 102: My Wife Can’t Cook (2)
"They’re sending her back to her hometown?" Qin Mei turned to look at Jie Jingchen, who was standing behind her.
"Mhm." Jie Jingchen nodded.
Jie Jingjue was driving Aunt Zhang back to her hometown while Mr. Xie went into the courtyard to get his bicycle. Seeing this, Granny shot to her feet and asked urgently, "Where are you going?"
"To the hospital." Mr. Xie’s expression was grim. He wheeled his bicycle over the threshold and rode away.
"After all this commotion, your grandpa and I are hungry." Granny ordered Xu Chunyan, "Second Daughter-in-law Jing, go make a meal for your grandpa and me."
"Granny, Xiao You is still at Teacher Lin’s. I have to go pick him up. You should have the Fourth Wife of Jing cook," Xu Chunyan said. ’Besides,’ she thought, ’Jing Er isn’t even home. I can just shamelessly eat dinner at Teacher Lin’s place before coming back.’
Xu Chunyan stared out of the courtyard, momentarily dazed. ’With Aunt Zhang gone from the Jie family, who will cook now? Who will do the cleaning?’ But she didn’t regret betraying her. If Aunt Zhang had gotten her way, they would have been forced to move out of this courtyard.
’After Aunt Zhang’s departure, Qiao Yanqiu will surely hire another maid. Life will only get more comfortable from now on.’
"Oh, you’re right! How could I have forgotten about Xiao You? The children are what’s most important," Granny said. "Go on, hurry and get him. Your grandpa and I haven’t seen Xiao You in ages, and we miss him dearly. Go bring him back so we can see our great-grandson."
As Xu Chunyan left to get her son, Granny raised her voice and called out, "Fourth Wife of Jing!"
Qin Mei’s lips twitched. ’So now it’s my turn to cook.’
Jie Jingchen’s expression darkened. He squeezed Qin Mei’s hand and led her over to their grandmother. "Granny."
Granny glanced up at Jie Jingchen before her cloudy gaze fell upon Qin Mei. She scrutinized her from head to toe, then said with disdain, "Her hips aren’t wide enough. She won’t be good at bearing sons."
"Wide hips mean sons"—it was an old wives’ tale.
Qin Mei was speechless. ’So she’s not satisfied with me. So what? Who cares?’
"Jing Si, you’ve always been too stubborn," Granny said with a sigh of regret. "I introduced you to a potential match back then, but you flat-out refused. Now that girl has already given birth to two sons! And you? You’re not getting any younger, and you have nothing to show for it. You should have just listened to me. You could have had two sons by now."
Qin Mei looked up at Jie Jingchen. ’Wow, he really is popular with the ladies,’ she mused. ’But it makes sense. He’s handsome and comes from a good family. Anyone would want to marry him.’
"Granny, I’m already married," Jie Jingchen reminded her, his face grim.
"You’ve been married for a year. By all rights, she should be pregnant by now. How come your wife’s belly is still quiet? Jing Si, tell me honestly, is there something wrong with this wife of yours?" Granny said, her appraising gaze fixed on Qin Mei.
’The Second Daughter-in-law Jing said this wife of Jing Si’s is from the countryside, from a poor family, completely unworthy of him. But she also said the woman has a sharp tongue, and that no one ever gets the better of her in an argument.’
’Among her son’s three daughters-in-law, the Xu family’s background was average, the Shen family’s was intellectual, and the Qin family’s was impoverished. What on earth was Jing Si thinking? Passing over girls from good families to marry a wife from such a poor background—was he out of his mind?’
Qin Mei’s opinion of Granny soured further. ’This old woman is not going to be easy to deal with.’
"Jing Si! Heirs are very important. If she can’t bear children, we’ll just... divorce. You two will get a divorce," Granny said, correcting herself.
’What a joke. Am I supposed to be afraid of divorce?’
A humorless smile touched Qin Mei’s delicate features. Her gaze, fixed on Jie Jingchen, was filled with a piercing cold.
Jie Jingchen’s thick brows knitted together and his jaw tightened. His grip on her hand grew heavy, and his voice was like ice. "Granny, we haven’t even been married for a year. Besides, ours is considered a military marriage. Anyone who attempts to undermine a military marriage has to face a military tribunal."
’Military marriage... Undermining a military marriage... Military tribunal... Such harsh terms.’
Even Qin Mei couldn’t help but flinch. At the same time, she found it laughable. The person attempting to undermine the military marriage was none other than Jie Jingchen’s own grandmother.
"What military marriage? Don’t take me for a fool, Jing Si. You’ve been discharged. You’re not a soldier anymore." Granny was no ignorant old woman. In her youth, she had been the eldest young lady of an aristocratic family.
She had been well-read and refined, but as times changed, the swan had become an ugly duckling. The gentle and virtuous Miss Jin Qian had transformed into a sharp-tongued, formidable shrew.
"Granny, you and Grandpa have plenty of children and grandchildren. Why are you so focused on my marriage?" Jie Jingchen’s eyes darkened, a shadow clouding their depths. ’It’s not as if I’m the only one responsible for carrying on the Jie family line. Whether or not I have children has no real impact on the family.’