Chapter 23 Zhao Meiqin

Xie Yan recalled the several red dots where Xue Qingdai had needled his arm. He was strong and healthy, only seriously injured on the battlefield when he had to go to the hospital. He was rough on himself, and these two detailed medical checkups were all to reassure Xue Qingdai. Recently, he hadn’t seen a doctor—except for the medicine and the numbing acupuncture that Daidai had applied. He felt more protective toward Xue Qingdai’s frail health; she needed to take good care of herself from now on.

“No, Daidai isn’t feeling well. I’ll ask my mom if she knows any experienced traditional Chinese doctors to help you recover.” Xue Qingdai’s hand was unknowingly cradled in Xie Yan’s. Her slightly cool fingers warmed under his touch, causing a faint sweat. When she felt uncomfortable, she gently pulled her hand away.

Xie Yan lightly touched her high, straight nose bridge, but Daidai just used people and then tossed them aside.

“No need. I’m the old Chinese doctor here—the seasoned pro.”

Carrying the oranges and sugar-roasted chestnuts Xie Yan had bought for her, Xue Qingdai happily returned home, also reminding Xie Yan about the progress of their breakup. She had no expectations for Xie Yan’s mother—Ms. Zhang Shuying treated her very well—but she could only soften Xie Yan.

Xie Yan held the orange peeled by Xue Qingdai carefully, unwilling to eat it immediately. When he got home, he saw his father and mother hurriedly getting dressed. He slowly savored the orange segments one by one.

“Mom, Daidai peeled this orange for me. It’s pretty sweet.”

Zhang Shuying was annoyed because Xie Yan’s cousin, Xie Wei, was disturbing her sleep.

“Go away, don’t bother me.”

“Like I’ve never eaten an orange before?”

Xie Yan: “You’re just sour. Only Daidai has peeled oranges for me. What’s wrong with that stinky brat Xie Wei?”

“Hmph! That useless Xie Wei—I don’t know what he’s been eating, but he’s been having diarrhea nonstop at the hospital, and your dad even wants me to go with him.”

“I really owe that old guy from my past life.”

“Xie Wei even got beaten up so badly he looked like a pig’s head—deserved it! That freeloading dog who’s always showing up. If Daidai marries in, I’d rather not live with the old man than let Xie Wei take advantage!”

“That’s enough,” Zhang Shuying said, not bothering to fix her hair or makeup, then got into Xie Songshan’s Hongqi car and sped off to the hospital.

Xie Yan wanted to ask which movie tickets they had bought, hoping for a chance encounter.

Night was falling.

Xie Wei lay in a hospital bed holding Zhao Meiqin’s hand, his eyes full of relief. Because his digestion was poor lately, he often passed gas. His parents were well-educated, but he was careless about hygiene and disliked by them. Only Zhao Meiqin stayed by his side.

He really hadn’t chosen the wrong person.

“小琴, it’s just the two of us now, and that’s good. You’re the only one who hasn’t left me,” Xie Wei said softly.

Zhao Meiqin held her breath, trying not to speak. “Mm.”

She forced a stiff smile, afraid of breathing in Xie Wei’s foul-smelling gas. She planned to behave well once Xie Wei’s grandparents arrived.

That morning, Zhao Meiqin, with only two yuan and fifty cents in her pocket, had heartlessly spent fifty cents to buy Xie Wei a meat bun for lunch.

After eating, Xie Wei let out a long string of farts, “pfft pfft pfft,” drawing surprised looks from people around the noisy couple.

Later, Xie Wei’s condition worsened; after frequent trips to the bathroom, he started bleeding.

They rushed to the hospital. Zhao Meiqin, worried about getting blamed, had endured the foul smell in the ward for a long time. She felt as if even her hair smelled like Xie Wei’s gas. But she accepted it—all of it was worth it.

Zhao Meiqin’s mother was a widow and came from a bad background, an illegitimate child. Growing up, she faced all kinds of rumors and envied Xue Grandpa’s biological granddaughter, Xue Qingdai.

She hated the early-deceased grandmother who had supposedly cuckolded Grandpa Xue. If that old woman hadn’t, Zhao Meiqin could have shared everything with Xue Qingdai and been the granddaughter Grandpa Xue loved most. She would have made Grandpa Xue happier than Xue Qingdai and never had to suffer what Qingdai did.

But she was not Grandpa Xue’s biological granddaughter. No one spoiled her, and she had to watch Xue Qingdai be doted on by three cousins. The crowded room was full of good things—all of which didn’t belong to her.

Hatred filled her entire life. She didn’t deserve this life. She couldn’t bear to see Xue Qingdai living so well.

So she seduced Xie Wei—the man Xue Qingdai liked—just to ease her resentment.

Finally, there was someone who favored her, not just obsessed with Xue Qingdai.

But she didn’t like Xie Wei; what she liked was his unique status as the only grandson of the Xie family.

As the only grandson of a high-ranking official in the capital, if she became Xie Wei’s wife, she would share everything he had.

She now wanted to help Xie Wei win the favor of Grandpa and Grandma Xie.

Xie Wei also said that the siheyuan (courtyard house) near the Forbidden City would be his in the future.

Nowadays, very few people owned an entire siheyuan, especially near the Forbidden City—such prime property would belong to her.

This successful, high-profile life was what she wanted.

She would settle in the capital, eat meat every day, then return to the village to firmly put Xue Qingdai beneath her feet.

She had no family’s favor, but she had a rising star—Xie Wei.

At one point, Xie Wei couldn’t find Zhao Meiqin and whistled on his neck, “Shh~”

Zhao Meiqin frowned, held her breath, and quietly returned to the ward to obediently stay by Xie Wei’s side.

“What’s wrong?”

Xie Wei gradually looked down on Zhao Meiqin. After returning to the capital, Zhao Meiqin was no longer as charming as before. She often ate with him, and he had already counted the freckles on her face.

Moreover, Zhao Meiqin’s constant compliance was no longer interesting to him.

He only used his words to promise Zhao Meiqin, nothing more.

But he didn’t just say it—he meant it. The pride faded from his eyes as he touched his sticky neck and lifted his leg. Then he blew a whistle for fun. This whistle was bought by Zhao Meiqin, who said that as long as he blew it, she would come to him whenever called.

“Meiqin, you really are the best to me.”

“I haven’t showered for several days. You don’t mind, do you?” Zhao Meiqin looked at her recently chapped fingers—she had been washing many clothes for Xie Wei. She swallowed hard as the foul smell entered her mouth.

“I don’t mind.”

Xie Wei stroked Zhao Meiqin’s increasingly rough face. Back in the village, Zhao Meiqin hadn’t been as delicate and charming as the spoiled girl Xue Qingdai, but she was still pretty fair-skinned. How did she become ugly now? Meanwhile, Xue Qingdai seemed to have become even more beautiful. At the time, choosing her didn’t seem like a bad decision.

Realizing his regret was misplaced, Xie Wei praised Zhao Meiqin, “You haven’t had any pimples lately, that’s good.”

For a moment, Zhao Meiqin thought he misspoke and moved her chin away.

“Not true! You’re annoying!”

She endured the moment, thinking that once Xie Wei inherited the family property, she would divorce him.

Xie Songshan just opened the hospital room door and thought there was a gas bomb inside—the rush of heat was all nausea-inducing smells. As soon as he entered, he wanted to leave. He used his strong body to block the way, worried his young wife would faint.

Zhang Shuying wore the cheapest coarse cloth clothes. If Xie Wei asked them to pay, she would throw a tantrum and play the victim. Old man Xie Songshan stood like a thick wall in front of her.

“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you going in? Your eldest grandson is inside.”

Xie Songshan knew the younger son’s infertility had always been the young wife’s worry. Afraid she would get angrier, he gently explained, “Don’t go in, the smell inside is awful.”

How bad could it be?

Zhang Shuying took a small step forward and rolled her eyes. “Help me in.”

“Quick!”

Zhang Shuying trusted lying in the old man’s arms. She quietly planned, “Later you say I fainted, carry me straight home, then I’ll put on the new silk nightgown I bought…” She made a gesture with her hand.

Xie Songshan’s eyes darkened, and he tightened his hold on her arm. “Okay.”

“It really stinks—like rotten eggs and spoiled vegetables.”

“Old man Xie, your eldest grandson is something else.”

Xie Songshan smiled indulgently at Zhang Shuying and massaged her forehead to make his young wife more comfortable.

Zhao Meiqin looked at the couple outside the door.

The man had just a bit more white hair than Xie Wei but looked even more spirited and imposing, radiating an aura of high status without anger.

The woman had black hair, phoenix-like eyes, smooth fair skin, and slightly upturned eyes. Her coarse cloth clothes completely clashed with her noble and elegant temperament.

Could they be Xie Wei’s grandparents?

“Are you relatives of Xie Tongxue?”