Returning to school, the network will be available the day after tomorrow due to a classmate’s connection. Comments will be replied to together after I return. Going back to school means updates will be more stable, with at least one daily update. The same goes for “Holding Hands,” with more updates when there’s extra time.
Conflict
At this moment, the two in the courtyard had not noticed Su Xi’s return. Xiao Lian held the handkerchief Jin Mo had embroidered for him, sighing about how impressive it was, truly comparable to what his brother could do. He planned to show it to his brother, thinking he wouldn’t need to touch those troublesome needles and threads for several days. Xiao Lian secretly glanced at Jin Mo, considering that having her as a wife seemed quite good.
At least she wouldn’t force him to do men’s work like his brother, and her demeanor was gentle. Unlike the woman who always ignored him, she helped him with work and spoke to him.
“Xiao Lian,” Su Xi’s voice rang out in the courtyard. Xiao Lian’s heart tightened, wondering if his brother had discovered that someone else helped him embroider the handkerchief.
Jin Mo heard the voice and looked towards the gate, seeing a comfortable-looking man carrying vegetables. She thought this must be the “young widower” people talked about, still carrying so much while pregnant. It seemed the elder sister only cared about Yun Mei and was not tender towards others. Before Su Xi could speak, Jin Mo cupped her hands and said, “I’m Jin Mo.”
Su Xi was stunned. Everyone in Shi Li Town knew who Jin Mo was. “May I ask… is there something I can help you with?” he asked nervously, his palms sweating.
“I was planning to go to Yanhua Zui and thought I’d stop by,” Jin Mo said. She had come here because of what Xiao Wu and Xiao Zhou said, initially planning to just take a look but now deciding to also visit Yanhua Zui, which was a Jin family property.
Su Xi said nothing. Hearing that she was rumored to have an affair with the Jin family master’s wife, Xiao Lian immediately changed his expression.
His good impression vanished instantly, and he said, “What is there to see? You’re not welcome here.” Outside, everyone was saying the Jin family master’s wife had seduced someone. He could tell she wasn’t a good person. He was angry at himself for thinking about making her his wife after she had helped him a little. A woman like her – he wouldn’t want her even if she were given to him.
Jin Mo was taken aback by Xiao Lian’s sudden mood change. “Excuse me, young sir…”
“Who are you calling a young sir? My name is Xiao Lian,” he glared at her, furious that she hadn’t remembered his name. “I’m telling you to leave. You’re not welcome here…” except for that woman.
“Xiao Lian,” Su Xi interrupted, anger in his voice. Xiao Lian, seeing Su Xi’s anger, lowered his head, feeling aggrieved. The Jin family master had made his brother pregnant but hadn’t come for days, letting his brother’s belly grow larger without marrying him. That person was not good, and this Jin Mo was even worse. She had bullied the Jin family master with the other wife, making that person sad.
He didn’t like his brother’s wife and liked even less someone who had an affair with her.
Seeing Xiao Lian’s aggrieved look, Su Xi softened and said to Jin Mo, “Xiao Lian is still young and doesn’t understand. Please don’t take offense.”
Jin Mo smiled apologetically, feeling sympathetic towards them. “I’ll persuade my sister. She will eventually let you and your brother into the family.” A man raising a child alone was a difficult situation, especially since she had a weak brother herself. After all, Jin family descendants shouldn’t be left outside.
“No need,” Su Xi said, lowering his eyes. “We’re fine living here.”
Jin Mo was surprised he didn’t want the benefits of the Jin family. She looked around at the dilapidated house and the bare tree in the courtyard. Living in Mei Ren Fang was dangerous for two attractive men, especially with him being pregnant. She thought Su Xi was refusing due to concerns about her sister’s reaction. “I’ll speak to my sister. Take care of yourselves. The Jin family will provide you a home.”
Xiao Lian snorted, bringing back the anger to Su Xi’s face.
He turned away, feeling aggrieved. This woman was despicable; because of her, his brother was angry with him again.
When Jin Mo left, she glanced at Xiao Lian, who was still holding the handkerchief she had made. Concern crossed her mind as she remembered having touched his pulse earlier; it was weak, maintained only by expensive medicine. Although it was stable, she worried about his safety in such a place.
Jin Mo left, and Su Xi put down the vegetables from the market. Just as he was about to scold Xiao Lian, Xiao Lian presented the handkerchief, saying, “I made this while working hard. Can I be exempted from men’s work for a few days?”
Su Xi eyed the delicately embroidered handkerchief suspiciously. “Did you really make this? You couldn’t handle needlework before, so how could you suddenly embroider such a good pattern?”
Xiao Lian suppressed his guilt and grew proud. The handkerchief was now comparable to his brother’s embroidery, and he hoped his brother would let him avoid men’s work. “Of course I embroidered it. You don’t think she did it, do you? A woman wouldn’t do men’s work for a strange man. It’s definitely mine. Don’t disbelieve me; it’s my work.”
“Xiao Lian, don’t call her that.”
“How will you ever get married? What did you say last time when Jin Jiazhu was leaving?” Su Xi asked angrily, ignoring the embroidered handkerchief. He decided that Xiao Lian couldn’t go out often anymore, as he seemed to be learning inappropriate behaviors in the brothel alleys. Last time, he had imitated how male escorts saw clients out, making Jin Jiazhu stand frozen before leaving expressionlessly, while Xiao Lian called out “walk slowly” and “come again,” even using crude, flirtatious phrases.
“I… I didn’t mean to,” Xiao Lian mumbled, looking conflicted and troubled. He had seen how quickly women returned after male escorts saw them out, prompting him to want Jin Jiazhu to come back quickly. He had suppressed his shyness to see her out, using phrases to attract her attention and imitating the men’s movements, smiling and moving closer to her. However, she seemed to be avoiding him, always with his brother and ignoring him more.
To test his words on women, he even smiled at women on the street. One woman looked at him lustfully and tried to grab his clothes, scaring him into running away, but she suddenly disappeared just as he was about to cry.
Blinking away his tears, he wondered how a living person could vanish in broad daylight. When he returned home, his brother saw his tear-streaked face and confined him at home for several days.
Xiao Lian was confused. Those words seemed to work on women, so why didn’t they with Jin Jiazhu? Was she ignoring him because of his impolite words? He decided never to speak to her like that again.
Su Xi handed the handkerchief back to Xiao Lian, saying, “Help me carry the vegetables to the kitchen.”
Xiao Lian took the handkerchief, an eager expression replacing his troubled look. “I’ve finished the embroidery. Can I skip men’s work for a while?”
Su Xi eyed him suspiciously, confirming the handkerchief was indeed embroidered with their home’s needlework. “You can skip men’s work, but you cannot go out.” He wanted to take Xiao Lian away quickly, for the sake of the baby in his belly and Xiao Lian. They couldn’t stay in the brothel and risk the baby’s first words being like Xiao Lian’s “walk slowly” or “come again” to Jin Jiazhu.
After Jin Mo left, Su Xi felt sleepy and quickly fell asleep without dwelling on Jin Mo’s purpose, often resting his hand on his belly even while asleep.
Xiao Lian sat frustrated in the courtyard, holding Jin Mo’s embroidered handkerchief.
