“Woo~~~”
Qin Huai Ru stretched out her arms, yawning widely. She’d slept like a log, and her whole body felt weak.
Looking at the sky, it was almost noon.
Qin Si and Chen Yue Lian were no longer in the room.
Qin Huai Ru hurriedly got up, annoyed with herself for sleeping in on her first day as a wife.
She’d surely leave a bad impression on Brother Qin Si and Sister Yue Lian.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, and her eyes welled up with tears. She was so upset with herself.
Seeing a new set of clothes by the kang, Qin Huai Ru knew Qin Si and Yue Lian must have prepared them for her.
She hurriedly put them on, only to find two small pieces of cloth left over.
She didn’t recognize underwear.
She was still wondering why there was no belly band.
Not bothering to figure it out, she opened the door and was about to head out to the construction site to help when she saw someone under the eaves.
“Brother Qin Si?”
“Chen... Jiang?”
Qin Si was treating Chen Jiang’s broken arm. Without looking up, he said, “You’re awake. There’s food in the pot kept warm. If you’re not feeling well, just stay home after eating.”
“Oh, oh.”
Seeing that Qin Si wasn’t angry and was busy, Qin Huai Ru didn’t interrupt. She went to the kitchen and saw that the food was still warm.
Her heart felt a pang of warmth.
After finishing her meal and cleaning up the dishes, Qin Huai Ru left the kitchen and told Qin Si, “Brother Qin Si, is Sister Yue Lian at the construction site? I’ll go help her.”
“Okay, take care of yourself and don’t overwork yourself.”
“Got it.”
Qin Huai Ru blushed and mumbled a response before heading towards the construction site at the east end of the village.
“That’s Qin Huai Ru, right? When did she marry you?”
Chen Jiang recognized Qin Huai Ru, but they weren’t close. It was like that in all the villages around here, everyone knew each other by sight.
After all, they were all close to each other.
“Just yesterday.”
“Oh, no wonder you didn’t want my sister Ruonan yesterday. Were you afraid of bringing too many women home and causing fights that would disrupt your household?”
Qin Si gently twisted the silver needles in his hand, glanced at Chen Jiang before lowering his head again, and said with a smile, “Has anyone ever told you you’re clever?”
“No, they say I’m honest and simple. You’re the first.”
Chen Jiang raised his eyebrows.
He seemed to be pleased with himself for having fooled everyone.
“You’re so smart, yet you still have your arm broken?”
“......That was my sister!”
A flicker of anger crossed Chen Jiang’s face. That incident wasn’t just a shadow for his sister, it was a past he didn’t like to talk about.
After all, he’d lost his arm, his life had become difficult, and he couldn’t even find a wife. He was still a bachelor.
Qin Si didn’t continue to poke at Chen Jiang’s heart. Jokes could go too far, especially since they weren’t close yet.
Soon, the treatment was finished.
Qin Si applied medicine to Chen Jiang’s arm and secured it with a wooden splint.
“Come back for a needle session and a bandage change every five days.”
“Will it be alright?”
“It’ll be as good as new in a month and a half at most.”
“Thank you.”
Chen Jiang’s tone was sincere. He didn’t say anything about repayment because he had nothing to offer.
But he deeply engraved this kindness in his heart.
“Have you had lunch yet? I’ll make some.”
Qin Si put away his silver needles and invited him.
“No.”
Chen Jiang shook his head. He couldn’t even afford to pay for the medical treatment, how could he have the face to eat at someone else’s house?
He immediately took his leave.
He took two steps then stopped, looked at Qin Si, and said, “My sister is a good girl. Why don’t you consider her?”
“You saw that I already have two wives. Aren’t you afraid of pushing your sister into a fire pit?”
Qin Si looked at Chen Jiang and asked, “What if I’m the next Zhao Landlord? What would you do?”
“You’re not.”
“Why do you think so?”
Chen Jiang looked at Qin Si’s clothes and spoke with an earnestness he’d never shown before.
“Qin Huai Ru was wearing the same clothes as you and Yue Lian, and you left some food for her.”
Qin Si understood what Chen Jiang meant.
He meant that Qin Si didn’t mistreat Qin Huai Ru in terms of food and clothing, at least in these two aspects, he treated his wives equally.
In this time and age, being able to eat and wear well was already very difficult.
Qin Si could make his women live well, and he was building a new house. What more could anyone ask for?
“Also, I know Ruonan only has a chance to live with you.”
Chen Jiang’s voice was weak.
He knew his family’s situation and that only Qin Si’s medical skills could cure his sister.
And only Qin Si’s family had the means to help his sister recover.
Qin Si was his sister’s only choice.
Hearing this, the admiration in Qin Si’s eyes deepened.
This guy, a cunning fool.
He understood everything in his heart, had a sharp mind, but appeared honest and simple.
Most importantly, he knew how to seize opportunities.
Therefore, Qin Si was willing to give him a chance.
“We’re still short one cook for our new house. Have your sister come tomorrow, and she’ll stay in the house next to Yue Lian’s.”
“Thank you.”
Light shone in Chen Jiang’s eyes, and he said as if making a promise, “My sister’s life is more important than mine. I’ll make sure of it.”
With that, Chen Jiang left.
One promised to save his sister’s life.
One pledged to serve him for life.
The transaction between these two intelligent individuals was completed in an offhand manner, during their conversation.
......
Qin Si went to the construction site, oversaw the general direction, and then left everything to Qin Liang.
Qin Huai Ru helped Liang’s wife prepare dinner for the workers.
He brought Chen Yue Lian back home.
He carried the fishing net and pulled her down into the cellar.
“This is the surprise you were talking about yesterday?”
Chen Yue Lian glared at Qin Si, then pulled down her pants and held onto the ladder with both hands.
“What are you doing?”
“Don’t pretend. I know what you’re thinking. Hurry up, I’m freezing.”
Qin Si was stunned for a moment, then didn’t hesitate. He pushed his way in on top of her.
After a long time.
Qin Si opened the portal, carrying Chen Yue Lian, who was like a fish dying of thirst, and appeared in the forest.
“So... there really was a surprise?”
Chen Yue Lian was completely numb. She blamed herself for jumping to conclusions, since Qin Si had a history of this.
Besides the kang, he liked some other places.
“It feels like~ you’ve really become~ a god.”
“A god?”
“Yeah~”
Chen Yue Lian finally regained some strength and her voice was no longer weak.
“Everyone in the village is saying that you were blessed by a god in the mountains, which is why you’ve changed so much.”
“Haha, that’s good.”
Qin Si laughed.
The more outlandish the rumors, the better. When he encountered something they didn’t understand, the villagers would fill in the blanks themselves.
He wouldn’t have to explain anything.
As for spreading superstition, it wasn’t like I’m the one spreading the rumors, so what do I care?
“Where are we even?”
Chen Yue Lian looked around and finally saw a familiar mountain peak in the distance.
“We’ve already passed Stone Mountain? You’ve come to White Tiger Mountain? There are bandits here!”
Chen Yue Lian was horrified.