Chapter 4 — The Underwear on the Bed

The exhaustion from the previous day’s long journey left the two girls utterly drained, and they slept straight through until morning.

When Zhang Qiuyun knocked on the door, both were still sound asleep. Xu Jingchu had originally wanted to wake early and help her with housework, but…

“Yajuan, Jingchu, the orderly already brought breakfast. Wash up and come downstairs to eat,” Zhang Qiuyun called. After yesterday’s meeting, her impression of the two girls had improved somewhat.

“Yes, Aunt Zhang,” Qin Yajuan and Xu Jingchu replied while folding their quilts.

Just as Zhang Qiuyun was about to leave to call her sons, her eyes fell on something navy-colored at the corner of Qin Yajuan’s bedding. It looked like… a man’s underwear.

“Yajuan, what is this?” she asked, her voice tightening. For an unmarried girl to have a man’s underwear on her bed—especially when that girl was living in her home and might one day become her daughter-in-law—it was outrageous.

Her blood pressure shot up faster than a rocket.

Following Zhang Qiuyun’s finger, Qin Yajuan also saw it. But… she had clearly put it in Xu Jingchu’s bedding last night!

Standing nearby, Xu Jingchu stayed silent, her expression calm as though she too was investigating.

“Aunt Zhang, I don’t know. I really don’t know!” The situation had come too suddenly, and Qin Yajuan couldn’t think of a reasonable explanation. Panic-stricken, she could only deny it.

“Mom, when my brother collected the laundry yesterday, he couldn’t find his underwear. Could it have blown off the clothesline last night in the wind?” Lin Tingyu shouted from the hallway. He was still young—when unsure, calling for his mom was always safest.

“Hey, isn’t that my brother’s underwear?” Lin Tingyu’s sharp eyes instantly recognized the owner. “I’ll take it back to him.”

He snatched it up and left, leaving behind a heavy silence.

“Aunt Zhang, I really don’t know, I swear,” Qin Yajuan said, tears brimming, desperate to prove her innocence.

Zhang Qiuyun said nothing. She couldn’t figure out what reason a good girl would have to steal her son’s underwear. There was no motive, no logic. But to pretend nothing had happened? That felt as disgusting as swallowing a fly.

“It’s fine, don’t burden yourself with it. Let’s eat,” Zhang Qiuyun said with a forced smile. Working as a political commissar in the military hospital, she was used to talking her way through situations.

When they went downstairs, the Lin men were already eating. Xu Jingchu was ladling porridge.

“Jingchu, don’t busy yourself, come sit down and eat,” Lin Jianbai called out.

“It’s fine, Uncle Lin. I’ll finish serving Auntie and Yajuan first,” Xu Jingchu replied crisply.

Today she wore a light-blue floral blouse. Though patched, it was clean and neat. In the summer heat, she looked fresh and pleasant, a little beam of brightness.

Lin Tingjun ate silently, not raising his head. Yet the faint blue he glimpsed from her clothes eased the irritation he’d felt all morning over his missing underwear.

He disliked disturbances in his fixed environment and routine—the two newcomers unsettled him. And for something like this to happen on their very first day…

“Aunt Zhang, breakfast is ready,” Xu Jingchu said, noting her furrowed brows and Qin Yajuan’s timid posture behind her. Satisfaction flickered in her heart.

One small incident might not matter. But what about one after another? Who would willingly live in a house of constant petty troubles?

“You too, sit down,” Zhang Qiuyun said, beginning to think that this particular girl seemed sensible and proper.

Lin Jianbai finished eating first and pulled out forty yuan. “Twenty each. Your Aunt and I have work. Tingjun, take them to the store later. Girls like nice things—buy whatever you need.”

“I’m not going,” Tingjun said flatly, setting his bowl down. “I need to study.”

“You’re going whether you like it or not!” Lin Jianbai barked. His son loved to go against him.

“One day less of studying won’t ruin you. Take the girls out for a bit, they’re new here,” Zhang Qiuyun coaxed gently.

Tingjun said nothing, but turned upstairs.

“That means yes,” Zhang Qiuyun explained with a smile.

“Auntie, let me clean up, please. I’m free anyway,” Xu Jingchu stopped her from collecting the dishes.

“That’s too polite,” Zhang Qiuyun said, her fondness for her growing. The girl was thoughtful and capable.

“It’s fine, Auntie, you’ll be late for work,” Xu Jingchu said. After the underwear fiasco, Zhang Qiuyun really was running short on time.

“Thank you, Jingchu.” With that, Zhang Qiuyun hurried off.

“Xu Jingchu, are you here to be their maid? Guess you really know your place,” Qin Yajuan sneered as soon as the elders were gone. Who else but Xu Jingchu could have planted that underwear on her bed?

Without raising her head, Xu Jingchu mimicked her tone: “Yes, I know I’m a guest here. Not like some people, who steal a man’s underwear the very first day.”

“You’re only being sarcastic because you’re guilty! Tell me—did you put my brother Tingjun’s underwear there?” Qin Yajuan snapped, her voice like an interrogator’s.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I only know that Aunt Zhang found Tingjun’s underwear on your bed this morning.” Xu Jingchu pushed her aside. “If you want to help, stay in the kitchen. If not, stop getting in the way.”

“Xu Jingchu, don’t you dare talk to me like that. Believe it or not, I’ll tell Uncle and Auntie that you’re the one framing me!” Qin Yajuan threatened.

“You mean you’ll tell them you accused me of spiking your medicine when I gave it in kindness? Or maybe you’ll drag Lai Zi out to testify about your little scheme? Go ahead.” Xu Jingchu smirked inwardly. Reborn or not, Qin Yajuan’s mouth was still too quick, always seeking a fleeting upper hand.

Realizing she’d slipped, Qin Yajuan stomped off angrily and plopped onto the sofa to watch TV.

Xu Jingchu calmly finished the chores, even cleaning the house. She had endured far worse in her last life—chores like this were nothing.

After marrying Wang Yuejin, she had washed clothes for the entire family, cooked for them all, and still her mother-in-law nitpicked constantly. Even later, when they relied on her to earn money, it was the same.

If Qin Yajuan wanted to take on that misery this time, Xu Jingchu would gladly let her.

By the time she was done, it was already past ten. Qin Yajuan muttered on the sofa, “Why is Lin Tingjun still reading? When are we going shopping already?”

“Now,” Tingjun said coldly as he came downstairs with Tingyu.

Qin Yajuan nearly leapt up—she hadn’t realized he’d heard her grumbling. Awkward!

“I need to study. Tingyu can take you,” Tingjun said, his face like ice. He’d been stuck on a math problem all morning, frustration mounting.

“Brother, it’s scorching hot outside,” Tingyu wheedled, seizing the chance to milk him.

“Five yuan. If you won’t go, I’ll find someone else,” Tingjun replied without hesitation.

“I’ll go, I’ll go! Best brother ever, I love you!” Tingyu exclaimed dramatically. But his icy-faced brother remained unmoved.

“Come on, sisters, I’ll take you out,” Tingyu said, leading the way.

On the road, people glanced curiously at the two girls and asked Tingyu, “Are these the sisters your family brought from the countryside?”

“Yes,” he answered readily. Everyone in the compound already knew. But they were surprised—the girls didn’t seem rural at all. Their bearing was refined, especially the taller one: slender yet well-proportioned, with delicate features, red lips and white teeth. Even compared to the daughters raised in the compound, she was no less attractive.

The only giveaway was her patched clothing.

“Where would you two like to go?” Tingyu asked politely, mature beyond his years.

“The department store,” Qin Yajuan said quickly.