NIP Chapter 343 - 126: No Money to Give, No Life to Take
Chapter 343 - 126: No Money to Give, No Life to Take
"More money for me? Go on, what’s the reason this time?" Qin Mei closed the envelope, not even bothering to count how many ten-yuan bills were inside.
Jie Jingshan said a bit sheepishly, "Fourth Sister-in-law, it’s not for you. It’s for Granny."
"Hm?" Qin Mei was confused.
Jie Jingshan explained, "Granny asked you for money, but Fourth Brother refused her. Once Fourth Brother goes to work, Granny will just keep pestering you for it."
Even a fool could understand what was going on. ’Jing Qi, you silly girl,’ Qin Mei thought with a sigh. ’I don’t even know what to say to you.’
’Jing Qi is her mother’s daughter, through and through. The two of them act exactly alike, always trying to solve problems with money. Sure, they have money now, but what if they run out?’
"Jing Qi, we’re not giving Granny money—not because we don’t have it, but because we don’t think she deserves it." Qin Mei paused, then continued, "If Granny spent the money on herself and Grandpa, I wouldn’t refuse. But she’s spending it on Jie Anlin. We don’t want to be the suckers paying for that. Do you understand, Jing Qi?"
"I understand." Jie Jingshan nodded vigorously. "Fourth Sister-in-law, we all know Granny favors our cousin An Lin. We can’t control who she dotes on and who she dislikes. Since she didn’t get any money tonight, she’ll come after you again tomorrow. I don’t want her to keep pestering you."
Qin Mei was touched that Jing Qi was being so considerate. She ruffled Jing Qi’s hair. "Why don’t you just give it to her directly?"
Jie Jingshan shook her head, her tone firm. "I can’t. I can’t set a precedent. Once I give it to her, Granny will come to me for money endlessly."
Qin Mei smiled and handed the envelope back to Jing Qi. "By the same token, I can’t give it to her either. I can’t set that precedent. Once Granny gets a taste of it, she’ll come to me for money endlessly."
Jie Jingshan fell silent. After a long moment, she stared at Qin Mei. "But..."
"No buts," Qin Mei cut her off. "If Granny can’t get it tonight, she won’t get it tomorrow either. I can be just as resolute as she is persistent."
"If you push her too far, she’ll throw a fit and make a scene." Jie Jingshan had experienced Granny’s methods firsthand. When it came to getting money, Granny was even more skilled than Second Sister-in-law’s mother. Her mother-in-law could only pester, make a scene, and throw herself on the floor, but Granny, in addition to all that, would also use guilt trips.
"I’m not afraid of her throwing a fit. I’m not afraid of her making a scene," Qin Mei said with a smile.
"Mom only agreed to let Granny and Grandpa stay here for a month on certain conditions. Granny won’t dare go too far. If Mom insists that Dad send Granny and Grandpa back to the machinery factory, Dad will have to do it." Jie Jingchen’s deep voice was full of conviction as he walked out of the bathroom.
Jie Jingshan glanced at her fourth brother, then at her fourth sister-in-law, and pushed the envelope toward Qin Mei again. "Fourth Sister-in-law, take it."
Qin Mei looked at Jie Jingchen. ’Should I take it or not?’
"Jing Qi, I’ll walk you back to your room," Jie Jingchen said to her.
"No need, I can go by myself." Jie Jingshan stood up, wanting to give the jacket back to Qin Mei.
Qin Mei insisted she keep it on. Jie Jingshan didn’t argue; ’I can just give it back to Fourth Sister-in-law tomorrow,’ she thought.
Qin Mei helped Jing Qi to her feet and took the opportunity to slip the envelope into the jacket pocket. She walked Jing Qi to the door, but Jing Qi told her to go back inside, saying she could manage on her own. Qin Mei stood at the doorway and watched until Jing Qi had gone into her room before going back inside herself.
"Jing Qi is really rich," Qin Mei remarked.
"She is pretty rich," Jie Jingchen agreed, hugging her from behind. "Meimei, I promise you, when Jing Qi returns the jacket tomorrow, the envelope you put in the pocket will still be there."
"It doesn’t matter. I’ll just deposit it all tomorrow," Qin Mei said, resting her head on his chest.
"Meimei, let’s continue," Jie Jingchen said, burying his head in her neck and nuzzling her suggestively.
"Don’t, that tickles." The ticklish sensation made Qin Mei shrink her neck, trying to dodge Jie Jingchen’s teasing.
Jie Jingchen picked her up and turned toward the bed. ’This time,’ he thought, ’if anyone dares to interrupt us, I don’t care who it is, I’ll destroy them.’
Back in her room, Granny paced back and forth, her world-weary eyes filled with rage. "I’m so angry, I could just die! I was borrowing, not begging! To refuse me outright... so disrespectful, so unfilial! Ever since my eldest son married Qiao Yanqiu, he’s stopped listening to me. And those three children she gave birth to, not a single one is filial to me. They’re just awful!"
’Zhang Hongyan was filial, but you never liked her,’ Grandpa thought. "Old woman, it’s getting late. Hurry up and get to bed."
"Sleep, sleep, sleep! How can I sleep when I didn’t get the money?" Granny stopped pacing and shot Grandpa a fierce glare, becoming unreasonable. "And you! You just watched Jing Si bully me and didn’t even come out to help."
"Old woman, I was going to follow you, but you told me not to. You said I’d get in the way of your performance." Grandpa felt wronged.
"I told you not to follow me, but I didn’t tell you not to come out and help me," Granny retorted illogically.
Grandpa fell silent. ’Anything I say will be wrong, so it’s better to say nothing at all.’
"And that Zhang Hongyan! She’s dead and still won’t let me have my way. Look at the three children she bore! Jing Ling became an educated youth, so I won’t even talk about her. Jing Er is on a business trip... is that really a business trip? He’s obviously hiding from me," Granny complained.
Grandpa couldn’t help but speak up for Jing Er. "Old woman, you’re wronging Jing Er. I asked our eldest, and he said Jing Er is really on a business trip."
"Our eldest isn’t on our side anymore. Only you would believe his nonsense. A business trip? Who is he trying to fool? He’s not on a trip any other time, but as soon as we move in, he leaves on one? Is there really such a coincidence in the world?" Granny demanded.
"Jing Er was already on his business trip before we arrived," Grandpa said.
Granny glared at him. "Fine, let’s not talk about Jing Er. Let’s talk about Jing San. It’s outrageous, and so obvious! He took his wife back to her mother’s house. If that’s not deliberately hiding from us, what is? Hmph! If he’s so capable, he can just live at his in-laws’ house for the rest of his life and never come back."
This time, Grandpa didn’t speak up for Jing San. He didn’t approve of Jing San’s actions, but he could understand them. ’In Jing San’s heart, his mother was driven to her death by my wife. He resents her, so how could he possibly live under the same roof with her?’
With no one to back her up, Granny lost the energy to keep complaining. She turned and walked toward the door.
"Old woman, where are you going now?" Grandpa called out to her.
"To... borrow money," Granny answered irritably.
"Old woman, take it easy. Don’t go disturbing our eldest and his wife. He hurt himself in that fall and still has to work tomorrow," Grandpa advised.
"I’m not going to bother the eldest and his wife." Granny opened the door. A gust of cold wind blew in, making her shiver and pull her jacket tighter.
Grandpa breathed a sigh of relief, then reminded her, "Jing Wu has no money."
"I’m not looking for Jing Qi, I’m going to see Second Daughter-in-law Jing." Granny walked out of the room and shut the door, completely ignoring Grandpa’s advice.
Granny arrived outside Xu Chunyan’s room and knocked on the door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
Xu Chunyan wasn’t asleep. She knew who was knocking. She glanced at her soundly sleeping son beside her, closed her eyes, and pretended to be asleep.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Granny knocked a few more times.
"Second Daughter-in-law Jing," Granny called out.
Xu Chunyan opened her eyes. She knew how stubborn the old woman was. If her father-in-law found out she had refused to open the door for Granny, he might not say anything, but he would surely hold it against her.
Thanks to Qin Mei, the image she had maintained in front of her father-in-law was already ruined. Remembering his warning, Xu Chunyan didn’t dare pretend to be asleep any longer.
"Granny, just a moment." Xu Chunyan reached for the light cord.
Seeing the light come on in the room, Granny breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that Second Daughter-in-law Jing wouldn’t get up and open the door. If she woke up Xiao You, her eldest son would scold her, and Xiao You was currently his only grandson.
Xu Chunyan opened the door, a wide smile on her face as she looked at Granny. "Granny, is something the matter?"
"Let me in, it’s too cold out here." Granny pushed past Xu Chunyan and forced her way into the room. ’Jing Si wouldn’t let me in his room. If I can’t even get into Xu Chunyan’s, I’ll lose all my face.’