Chapter 18: New House

As soon as Ji Duo and Lin Qiao left, Ji Jun put down his bowl and chopsticks and stood up.

Old Mr. Ji, knowing his eldest son had something to say, wasn’t in the mood to eat either. He glanced at Ji Jun. “You know everything?”

“Yes.” Ji Jun’s voice was muffled, and he kept his head down, not daring to look at Grandpa Ji.

He had always been like this since he was a child. While other kids would cry and beg for forgiveness when they made mistakes, he would just stand there quietly, waiting for punishment. If not for Xu Li’s reminders, Old Mr. Ji would have forgotten his eldest son was still standing there. As he grew older, he learned to defend his wife, which only made Old Mr. Ji angrier.

Old Mr. Ji sighed. “Your wife is too scheming. You need to keep her in check, not indulge her. I’ve told you this countless times, and you’re probably tired of hearing it. I’m tired of saying it. Just keep your mouth shut about this, so the second son doesn’t clean up your mess for nothing.”

Ji Jun lowered his head further in shame. “It’s my fault for not handling things properly and causing trouble for the family.”

“What’s the use of just knowing you’re wrong? Next time she cries, won’t you still be able to do anything?”

Old Mr. Ji gave him a deep look. “You’re in your forties. You should have some backbone. I don’t know how many more years I can keep an eye on things.”

Ji Jun panicked. “Dad, you’re in great health. You’ll live to be a hundred!”

This incident was a lesson for Ji Ze, but also for Ji Jun. If he hadn’t been so easily influenced and always defended his wife, Ye Minshu wouldn’t have become so bold, doing whatever she wanted. When she first married in, she was cautious, afraid of displeasing her in-laws.

Old Mr. Ji didn’t even inform Ji Jun before arranging the marriage, wanting to give him a harsh lesson. It didn’t matter if Ji Jun was easily influenced, but it was unacceptable for his brother to clean up his mess at the cost of his own future. As long as Ji Jun saw Lin Qiao, he wouldn’t forget this. And as long as he remembered, Ye Minshu wouldn’t have it so easy in the future.

Old Mr. Ji was getting old, and Xu Li couldn’t keep Ye Minshu in check. They couldn’t expect the second son to clean up the eldest’s mess after Old Mr. Ji was gone. The second son had mellowed but hadn’t always been so gentle.

Ji Duo didn’t seem particularly gentle now. At least on the way, Lin Qiao felt he wasn’t as calm as he appeared. Of course, he always had a stoic expression, so it was hard to tell if he was calm or not.

They didn’t talk much on the way. It wasn’t until they reached the nearby morning market that Ji Duo asked, “What do you want to eat?”

The entrance to the market was lined with food stalls. The aroma of various snacks mingled with the cool morning air, creating a lively and authentic atmosphere. Lin Qiao always felt that a city’s morning and night markets best represented the local people’s lives, showcasing their food, clothing, and daily needs. Even Ji Duo, standing among the bustling food stalls, seemed more down-to-earth.

She asked him directly, “Any recommendations?” Then quickly added, “No fermented bean juice.”

“You know about that?” He glanced at her.

Lin Qiao wrinkled her nose. “Aunt Zhang bought it for me to try a couple of days ago. The taste…” She silently prayed never to see it on her table again.

Perhaps her prayers were heard, as Ji Duo had no intention of buying it or drinking it in front of her. He bought fried dough sticks, sesame seed cakes, and fried cakes, finally stopping at a braised food stall. “Boss, one serving of braised food.”

The stall owner, a middle-aged man with glasses fogged by the steam, looked up from under his frames. “Bringing your niece for a meal again?”

Lin Qiao was sure Ji Duo’s expression faltered for a moment. She didn’t know if it was the generational issue or being called old. She found it amusing. “Uncle, does he often bring his niece here?”

Realizing the voice was different, the owner quickly wiped his glasses with his apron and saw clearly. “No, I thought it was Xiao Ling.”

The Ji men were all tall, except for Ji Jun. Ji Ling, possibly taking after her father, was petite and baby-faced.

Seeing Ji Duo skillfully ordering, Lin Qiao found a stool at the makeshift stall.

The owner, packing the food, couldn’t help but glance over. “Is she your…”

Lin Qiao was about to say, “Another niece,” but Ji Duo calmly said, “Fiancée.”

“You’re dating?” The owner looked at Lin Qiao in surprise. “No wonder she’s so pretty.”

Lin Qiao hadn’t expected him to admit it so naturally and looked up at him.

Ji Duo’s expression remained unchanged, but the owner, clearly familiar with him, added a few pieces of lung. “On the house.”

Lin Qiao watched Ji Duo bring the food over and handed him a pair of chopsticks. “I see the owner knows you well. Do you come here often?”

“When I was a kid, I often came here with my big brother.”

The stall owner had set up a low table, and as Ji Duo sat on the small stool, his long legs seemed awkwardly out of place. However, his expression remained unchanged. He even rinsed the chopsticks and handed them back to Lin Qiao.

“I didn’t ask you to rinse the chopsticks for me.” Lin Qiao wasn’t that particular.

Ji Duo simply responded with a noncommittal “Hmm,” leaving it unclear whether he had heard her.

Lin Qiao felt his mind wasn’t on the food. He mentioned coming here with his big brother as a child rather than saying he often brought Ji Ling here…

This made Lin Qiao think of Ji Jun.

Ji Jun’s thoughts were much easier to read than Ji Duo’s. While not entirely written on his face, careful observation would reveal clues.

Coming to the Ji residence so early, looking guilty and hesitant, he must have done something to apologize to Old Mr. Ji. And it likely involved Ye Minshu; otherwise, she would have come along to speak well of her husband in front of his parents.

Lin Qiao casually brought up a topic. “The letter to my mom was sent three days ago. It should arrive today.”

After their marriage was settled, Old Mr. Ji and Xu Li asked her to write to Liu Yulan, informing her of the marriage and inviting her to the wedding. Whether Liu Yulan came or not, the Ji family showed her enough respect, not neglecting her because she was from the countryside. Lin Qiao had promised to write to Liu Yulan once she settled down, and now she has.

Ji Duo, still somewhat distracted, responded with another “Hmm.”

Lin Qiao sighed. “I wonder if my cousin will get in trouble for helping me escape. We were quite close.”

This finally elicited a reaction from Ji Duo, who looked at her with a probing gaze. His reactions were always sharp, and his deep eyes seemed to see through any hidden thoughts.

But Lin Qiao had no ill intentions, so she wasn’t afraid of his scrutiny. “Is it hard to believe? My cousin and I were both raised by my grandmother. We even shared a bed as kids. He was closer to me than to Lin Hui. When Lin Hui bullied me and dumped chores on me, he often secretly helped me finish them without Lin Hui knowing.”

“You still got bullied,” Ji Duo remarked indifferently.

Just like Ji Jun, whether he wanted it or not, what was meant to happen still happened. His words carried a hint of sarcasm, a rare glimpse of emotion beneath his cold exterior.

Ji Duo was a man of few words, with a strong presence that made him seem unapproachable. But his emotions were always stable, only briefly revealed during that rainy day at the hospital.

Such a person might be hard to get close to, but from another perspective, dealing with someone emotionally stable was better than dealing with someone unstable. Besides, he was very responsible.

Lin Qiao took a bite of the sesame seed cake, finding it deliciously crispy. “It’s not that he didn’t want to help; he just couldn’t. And what could he do against them? They were his family. They treated me poorly, not him.”

In a child’s world, everything is black and white. Adults understand that the world is full of compromises and imperfections. If everyone were to nitpick, how could they live?

She mentioned these things because she saw that while Old Mr. Ji and Ji Duo were disappointed, they hadn’t given up hope. If Ji Duo could take it to heart, great. If not…

If he didn’t take it to heart, what did Lin Wei’s matters have to do with the Ji family?

Lin Qiao stopped there and focused on eating. “Hmm, this braised food is delicious.”

The food was flavorful and had a good texture, unlike the famous place she had tried in her previous life, which had nothing left but its old brand name.

The young girl enjoyed everything, taking a bite of the fried cake, her lips glistening with oil, too busy eating to talk.

Watching her, Ji Duo felt the knot in his chest inexplicably loosen. After all, his big brother was no longer the one who would bring him for braised food and carry him on his shoulders. His sister-in-law and Xiao Ze were his big brother’s family, perhaps even closer in some ways.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand; he understood perfectly. Accepting it, however, was not so easy.

Ji Duo continued eating, his gaze lowered. “Where do you want to go later?”

“Huh?” Lin Qiao was eating seriously and didn’t expect the question, pausing for a moment.

“After breakfast, do you want to visit the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, watch a movie, or attend a concert?”

So he had listened to Xu Li’s words…

Lin Qiao thought it unnecessary. They were just in a cooperative relationship and didn’t need to go through such formalities. Besides, she had visited those places in her previous life.

But she was curious. “How much is a ticket to the Forbidden City now?”

“Three yuan.”

Ji Duo thought she wanted to go, but she muttered to herself, “That’s more reasonable than the rise in housing prices,” and said, “Didn’t you say the house has been allocated? Let’s go see the house.”

She seemed uninterested.

Ji Duo paused in his movements. “I haven’t been there yet.”

“Then let’s go together.” Lin Qiao said, then asked, “Or do you want to go somewhere else?”

Ji Duo had no interest in sightseeing. When guests visit, Xu Li always arranges for them to tour these places. He found it bothersome and often found ways to avoid it. He didn’t expect Lin Qiao to refuse this time.

Reading something in his expression, Lin Qiao added, “I want to wait until my mom arrives to visit those places.”

Ji Duo neither confirmed nor denied. Seeing her finish eating, he stood up and paid the bill. “Let’s go to the new house.”

It wasn’t until they boarded the bus to the military district that Lin Qiao understood why he had paused earlier.

Previously, Xiao Fang had driven them to Shahe Village, but after returning, there were many things to handle. Taking advantage of the rare break, Ji Duo gave Xiao Fang two days off so he wouldn’t be back until tomorrow. In this era, having a bus was already quite good; who needed a bicycle?

Lin Qiao had no complaints. Sitting next to Ji Duo, every four or five people who got on the bus would take an extra look at them. When the bus got crowded, Ji Duo stood up to give his seat to an elderly person, attracting even more attention.

Before Ji Duo’s rank increased, he used to take the bus home on weekends. He was tall and handsome, and many regular passengers knew him, having heard that he was almost thirty and still single. Today, seeing him with a young woman was quite a surprise.

When the bus stopped at the military district, someone couldn’t help but tell others, “Guess who I saw on the bus today? Captain Ji, and he brought a young woman. I think he’s dating. That’s rare…”

Lin Qiao didn’t know about this. She only noticed that the military district where Ji Duo was stationed was quite large.

As the bus drove in, they passed a canteen, shops, schools, and even a hospital, making it look like a small town with a population of over ten thousand.

Ji Duo’s rank entitled him to a 90-square-meter living space, and he was allocated a small two-story house. The upper floor had two bedrooms, while the lower floor had a living room and kitchen, with a small courtyard in front, separated by a brick wall. It didn’t sound big, but the 90 square meters had no shared areas, and the stairs were outside, making it spacious enough.

People in Yandu liked to plant jujube trees in their courtyards, believing that “jujube” sounded like “early,” symbolizing good fortune. Lin Qiao even saw a few jujube branches peeking over the wall.

Overall, the first impression was very good. After checking both floors, they were quite satisfied.

Due to sufficient funding during construction, the stairs in this small two-story house were made of concrete. Unlike the makeshift iron tripod stairs Lin Qiao had seen on the way, with wooden or iron steps that clanged with every step.

Lin Qiao dusted off her hands after touching some dirt on the stairs. “I think it’s pretty good. Shall we settle on this one?”

“Then let’s settle on this one,” Ji Duo agreed.

The two quickly reached a consensus. Since they were already there, they decided to buy some tools and start cleaning up.

To Lin Qiao’s surprise, Ji Duo, who had been so efficient in rescuing people, was also quite adept at household chores. Each armed with a broom and mop, Lin Qiao had just finished cleaning the downstairs when Ji Duo had already tidied up the upstairs, including the corridor and the outside stairs.

Lin Qiao looked at the now usable living room. “These walls need repainting.”

Ji Duo responded promptly, “I’ll find someone.”

“And the stairs need re-plastering; some of the cement has chipped off.”

“I’ll buy the materials.”

Lin Qiao glanced around, temporarily thinking of only these tasks. “Alright, you go ahead. I’ll start removing the old couplets and ‘Fu’ characters.”

The military district was quite far from Yandu. Old Mr. Ji and Xu Li had decided to set up the wedding room in the old house, in Ji Duo’s original room. Although the wedding wouldn’t be held here, the festive decorations still needed to be put up. The old ones had to be cleaned off first. If they couldn’t be peeled off, they would be soaked with a wet cloth and scraped off with a spatula.

Being methodical, Lin Qiao anticipated the need to clean the new house and brought her backpack. There were quite a few things to buy, so she tore a page from the notebook Ji Duo had given her, wrote down the list, and handed it to him.

This reminded Ji Duo of his childhood when Xu Li would occasionally ask Old Mr. Ji to bring things for her in the same way. It saved Old Mr. Ji from buying things based on his own taste, which Xu Li often found questionable.

Ji Duo folded the paper and put it in his pocket. “What do you want for lunch? I’ll get it from the canteen.”

Lin Qiao had no idea what the canteen offered. “You decide. I’m fine with anything.” Then she added, “Don’t buy too much; I’m still full from breakfast.”

Ji Duo nodded, bought the necessary items, and even got an extra lunchbox before heading to the canteen.

The military district’s canteen was similar to a state-run restaurant. Family members of the military personnel could get meals with tickets if they didn’t have time to cook. When Ji Duo entered, he saw Colonel Liang from the same division, who was ahead of him in line with even more lunchboxes.

Ji Duo greeted him, “Is your wife not home?”

“No, she’s taking care of our eldest, who just had a baby.”

Colonel Liang, shorter than Ji Duo by half a head, had shaved his head due to thinning hair. Seeing Ji Duo with two lunchboxes, he smiled knowingly. “So you really brought your fiancée? I didn’t believe it when I heard.” His loud voice drew more attention.

Ji Duo didn’t deny it, and Colonel Liang became curious. “I heard you applied for housing. Weren’t you not interested in dating before? Now you’re getting married?”

“Arranged by the family,” Ji Duo replied succinctly.

These men spent most of their time in the military, with little opportunity to meet women. Many had arranged marriages, meeting their spouses only a few times before getting married. Colonel Liang wasn’t surprised. “At your age, the family must be anxious.”

He then teased, “Did you run into them? When they heard you brought your fiancée, they all went to find out where you were assigned.”

If it were someone else, people might not be so curious. But Ji Duo was famously unapproachable. The girl he brought was rumored to be particularly beautiful. Everyone wanted to see what kind of girl could win over Ji Duo.

Colonel Liang wanted to see if the famously unapproachable Ji Duo would rush back to protect his fiancée from the curious crowd. After all, the military camp was full of men, and the commotion could be overwhelming for someone shy.

But Ji Duo’s expression didn’t change. He even reminded Colonel Liang, “It’s your turn.”

Colonel Liang quickly handed over his lunchboxes, ordered a few dishes, and couldn’t help but look back. “Are you really not going back to check?”

“Maybe he isn’t too happy with the match arranged by his family, so he doesn’t care if she gets scared.”

Coincidentally, Ji Duo’s new house was right next to Colonel Liang’s. After leaving the canteen, they walked back together.

Colonel Liang, carrying his full lunchbox, tried to give some life advice. “Living together is just like that. Once the lights are off, it’s all the same. Look at your sister-in-law. We only exchanged letters and photos before she came over with her bag, and we’ve been together all these years.”

The older man continued earnestly, “We’re all busy. When do we have time to find someone ourselves? If the family approves, it’s good enough for living together.”

Ji Duo glanced at him, his expression unreadable, and said nothing.

Ji Duo was known for his capability and toughness. If you crossed him, he wouldn’t give a face to anyone. Those he had disciplined harshly had tried to seek leniency, but he had punished the most defiant one severely, making the rest fall in line.

Colonel Liang was wondering if he had said too much when he saw a few familiar faces peeking around the corner, staring at the girl.

The girl had a good figure and was pretty. When she noticed them and turned around, they smiled at her without any shame.

Colonel Liang was amused. “These rascals aren’t afraid of scaring her.”

He was about to call them out when the girl put down her cloth. “Are you Ji Duo’s colleagues?” Her voice was clear and pleasant.

Colonel Liang was surprised to see she wasn’t scared at all, not even embarrassed.

Pretty girls were used to being stared at. Lin Qiao smiled at them. “It’s okay. You can look openly; no need to hide.”

Now, the men felt embarrassed. One even coughed awkwardly, “We were just passing by.”

“Yes, just passing by. Didn’t expect anyone to move in here.”

Passing by three times in ten minutes? Making faces like they all had eye twitches?

Lin Qiao didn’t expose them and pointed to the high spots on the door she couldn’t reach. “Can you help me? I won’t need to borrow a stool from next door.”

Colonel Liang watched as the men, who had come to gawk, rolled up their sleeves and started scraping off the old couplets, with Lin Qiao directing them.

He couldn’t help but look back at Ji Duo. “No wonder you weren’t worried.”

It turned out Ji Duo was marrying such a girl. Her boldness and composure were greater than those of many wives who had been married for years.

After these men returned, rumors about Ji Duo’s fiancée spread even more. People didn’t know whether to congratulate him or sympathize with him.

Lin Qiao was unaware of this. That evening, she found a large cardboard box at home.

Old Mr. Ji, who had talked with Ji Jun, pointed to the box. “Your big brother bought this as a wedding gift.”

Lin Qiao immediately recognized it as an imported color TV, likely a large one.

A 12-inch black-and-white TV costs over 400 yuan, so this one must be several thousand. Was Ji Jun being too generous?

In the following days, Lin Qiao saw what real generosity was.

Besides the TV, the Ji family also provided a rice cooker, washing machine, and even a refrigerator, which was a luxury at the time. The empty room was half-filled with these items. The ordered furniture, all high-quality solid wood, was also delivered and was waiting to be moved to the new house once it was ready.

At this moment, Ye Minshu arrived, looking disheveled.