Chapter 32 - Deep Fire

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Mom just finished her surgery. Although her eyes are healed, the doctor said that her body is a little weak and she needs to have some good food to nourish her body. When Mom recovers, we’ll go to the capital together. At that time, I’ll satisfy you with whatever you want.” Chen Ji said after a moment of silence.

“Don’t worry. I’ve already told Old Zhang in the morning to leave a black chicken for us. I even specially bought some ginseng and astragalus, to make a pot of soup for mom to nourish her body.” Chu Wei rolled her eyes at him.

What happened to their tacit understanding? Did he really think that she was as stingy as her sister-in-law and would not even bear to stew a chicken for her mother-in-law?

“Hmph, stupid man!” Chu Wei cursed in her heart.

The man stopped in his tracks and turned around to stare at her. He had sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, red lips, and white teeth. He was dressed in a green military uniform and looked upright and firm. Chu Wei lost her focus as she looked back at him.

“Cough, cough, cough!” Abruptly, someone cleared his throat. Grandpa Gu passed by with a carrying pole and had an “I didn’t see anything” expression on his face.

Chu Wei’s face turned red and she quickly lowered her head. She felt embarrassed and felt like she was caught doing something bad. The man continued to stare at her and Chu Wei ran away as if she was escaping.

…

Looking at the bag full of snacks, the four children went crazy. They ate as they played, and the sound of playing echoed through the night sky.

The night was dark. Under the moonlight, Chen Ji was wearing a military green shirt. He was squatting in the courtyard of the house. He had a cigarette in his mouth. The stubble on his chin was light. He looked handsome and casual. He bent his long legs and reached out to wipe his leather shoes. In front of him, an iron fire barrel was burning. Beside the fire barrel were what looked like two giant cocoons.

Gulping sounds could be heard. Zhao Jinli’s head popped out from one of the cocoons, rolled from a blanket. She was drenched in sweat and white smoke was rising from her head. She took in a breath of fresh air greedily and looked at Chen Ji with a sheepish smile.

Seeing Chen Ji narrow his eyes, Zhao Jinli shrunk her neck and said with a trembling voice, “Second Brother, although I have not been doing things right, I can assure you that I really didn’t tamper with the railing.”

Chen Ji didn’t say anything and continued to stare at her. His cold gaze was like a sharp knife that was going to pierce through her. Zhao Jinli took a deep breath and bitterly retracted her head back into the blanket.

There was another sound of breathing. Chen Hu could not take it anymore. He stuck his round head out. He was wearing a cotton shirt and cotton pants. Like Zhao Jinli, he was rolled up in a blanket. Although it was not that hot in June, he felt like he was going to have a heat stroke.

Chen Ji’s expression was very cold. Seeing Chen Hu in such a sorry state, not only did he not show any sympathy, he even threw a few pieces of firewood into the fire barrel.

“Gulp!” Chen Hu swallowed his saliva and crawled back into bed with a timid expression.

Chen Ji continued adding firewood expressionlessly. There was enough firewood for him to burn for a year. Sweat soaked through the cotton blanket and white smoke came out of the blanket.

In the face of the fair-skinned little tyrant, Chen Ji, the couple could not muster up any thoughts of resistance. They were all silently roasting near the fire. Tonight was destined to be a difficult night. The stars shifted and the darkness before dawn arrived. Finally, Zhao Jinli’s eyes turned black and she fainted, her head almost hitting the fire barrel. Chen Hu did not faint but he was completely dehydrated. His consciousness started to become a little chaotic.

It was only then that Chen Ji finally removed the fire bucket and the blanket. He placed two buckets of water in the main room and poured the water over them. Instantly, his sister-in-law woke up.

Zhao Jinli lay on the ground and cried. She said pitifully, “Second Brother, however evil I may be, I won’t tamper with the railing to harm Mom. After all, I’m also a mother. If my children treat me like this, I’ll be very sad too. Moreover, a life for a life. How can I risk going to jail for a jade pendant? The fence along the smelly ditch has been neglected for years. It’s already rotten. It’s a coincidence that Mom fell down. We went to the ditch to fish for the jade pendant, but we didn’t find it. I found it by chance in the grass by the roadside.”

Chen Ji glared and said angrily, “Why didn’t you return it to Mom when you found it? Why did you try to sell it?”

Zhao Jinli sat up from the ground and said righteously, “Mom fell down by herself. I picked up the jade pendant. I gave birth to two sons and continued the family line for the Chen family. So the jade pendant should have been mine. Is that wrong?”

If it weren’t for her, the jade pendant would have been lost!

Moreover, she was the first daughter-in-law and had two sons. The jade pendant of her mother-in-law was passed down from her ancestors. Who else could she give it to?

Chen Ji ignored her and turned to look at Chen Hu. “Brother, I spent a total of five thousand dollars on Mom’s surgery.. What do you think?”