Chapter 4

Qin Ziqiang brought up their deceased parents in just a few sentences, putting considerable pressure on Qin Yishen. Jiang Man's heart skipped a beat when she heard this, and she turned to look at Qin Yishen. She had expected to see hesitation on his face, but instead, Qin Yishen immediately reached out, wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and pulled her protectively into his embrace. "Big Brother, you actually have the nerve to bring up Mom and Dad?" Jiang Man didn't know what had happened between them, but she clearly noticed the unnatural expressions on Sun Meifen and Qin Ziqiang's faces. "Before I enlisted, I entrusted my two children to you because I trusted you. I haven't been home much these past two years, but I'm not blind. Naturally, I could tell that the two children weren't as lively and cheerful as other kids. They were also far too thin and frail." Qin Yishen's voice was deep, and his words made Sun Meifen and Qin Ziqiang's faces turn paler and paler. Feeling that Qin Yishen had humiliated him in front of everyone, Qin Ziqiang stiffened his neck and said, "So what?! I'm your own big brother, and Xiaohua is your own nephew. Why are you always siding with outsiders? These two children aren't even your—" Just as he was about to say the last word, Qin Yishen's eyes darkened, and he was about to step forward. But unexpectedly, a slender figure suddenly darted past him. The next moment, a basin of suspicious yellow liquid splashed directly over Qin Ziqiang's head. Even Sun Meifen, who was standing beside him, wasn't spared. "Ahhhhh! What is this?! Why does it smell so awful?!" Sun Meifen screamed in horror. Qin Ziqiang sniffed himself, and his expression immediately changed. He glared viciously at Jiang Man. "Damn it, you shameless woman! You actually dared to splash piss all over me!" As he spoke, Qin Ziqiang raised his hand, ready to strike. Qin Yishen immediately stepped in front of Jiang Man, making it clear that he intended to stand up for her. Qin Ziqiang's face looked as though he had swallowed something disgusting. With his lazy, pampered physique, there was no way he could possibly beat Qin Yishen! "Qin Yishen, you'd better think this through. I'm your big brother, while Jiang Man is nothing more than the new wife you just married. Since ancient times, what man hasn't disciplined his own woman?" "Now she splashed your big brother with piss, yet you're protecting her. What exactly are you trying to say?" "Can't you tell what I'm trying to say?" Qin Yishen stared intently at Qin Ziqiang with his dark eyes. "Besides, she's not the one at fault today. Shouldn't the two of you apologize to my children first?" "Exactly, Oldest Qin! Today is Yishen's wedding day. What are you two making such a fuss about?" "Kids playing around doesn't mean they can play like this. Just look at those ropes and strips of tape on the floor. That cabinet is so small. Weren't you afraid the children would suffocate in there?" "Your son may not know any better, but shouldn't you two, as his parents, know better?" "I heard Qin Ziqiang is running for the village storekeeper. If he raises his child like this, who would dare entrust their things to him?" Hearing the murmurs from the people around them, Sun Meili immediately tugged at Qin Ziqiang's sleeve and whispered, "The voting is about to start. Why don't you just swallow your pride and apologize today? Otherwise, you might lose the storekeeper position because of this." The storekeeper was responsible for safeguarding the village's collective supplies, such as farm tools, seeds, and fertilizer. The main duties included ensuring the safety of the supplies, keeping records of everything going in and out of storage, and distributing the supplies according to production needs. The job sounded easy, but if handled properly, there were still plenty of opportunities to make some extra benefits. Besides, there were only so many farm tools available in the village. If he became the storekeeper, who would dare look down on him anymore? Just thinking about it made Qin Ziqiang straighten his back. He glanced at Jiang Man and snorted before turning to Qin Yishen. "Yishen, when you get right down to it, this was just a joke between children. I'll have Xiaohua apologize to these two children, and we'll let the matter end there. How about that?" Qin Yishen was still dissatisfied after hearing this. He was just about to speak when he noticed the young woman beside him tugging at his clothes. "Fine," Jiang Man said. "Today is our wedding day, and the whole village has come to celebrate with us. We don't want to make things too ugly." Hearing this, Sun Meifen immediately grabbed her chubby son. "Hurry up. Apologize to your little brother and sister. Tell them you won't play such a prank on them again." "I don't want to! I don't want to apologize! It was obviously you guys who—Mm… Mmph! Waaaaah!" Qin Hua cried and refused to apologize. Seeing that he was about to blurt out the truth, Sun Meifen immediately covered his mouth with one hand and smacked his bottom with the other. "You're already this old and still don't know how to behave! I told you to apologize, yet you still refuse. I think you just need a good beating!" Qin Hua's cries instantly filled the room. Qin Ziqiang didn't stop her. He merely looked at Jiang Man and said, "Sister-in-law, are you satisfied now?" "What do you mean, 'am I satisfied'? It's not like I told you to hit your child. All I wanted was an apology." Jiang Man emphasized every word. "An apology to the children in our family!" The words "the children in our family" made Qin Yishen's heart pound hard. He tightened his grip on the young woman's hand beside him and ignored Qin Ziqiang, simply saying coldly to Qin Hua, "Qin Hua, come here and apologize." Although Qin Hua had been spoiled rotten by his parents and was practically lawless, he was genuinely afraid of Qin Yishen. Hearing this, he immediately covered his sore bottom and walked over. He apologized to his skinny little brother and sister, who looked like two fragile chicks. "I'm sorry. I was wrong." He clearly wasn't willing to apologize, but as soon as he finished speaking, he covered his bottom and ran away. Jiang Man frowned. She couldn't exactly drag the child back and make him apologize all over again. She wanted to maintain a good reputation, but she also wanted Qin Hua and his parents to pay the price. Seeing Qin Hua run off, Sun Meifen used looking for him as an excuse to leave as well. Qin Ziqiang stayed behind to drink and eat with everyone else, but hardly anyone paid him any attention. The wedding feast remained lively until late into the night before everyone finally dispersed. Jiang Man was clearing the tables when she turned around without noticing a bone on the ground. She stepped on it, and her entire body suddenly lost its balance, pitching forward uncontrollably. "Ahhhhhhh—!" Qin Yishen had just come outside when he witnessed the dangerous scene. He rushed over in two quick strides, stretched out his arm, and firmly caught Jiang Man's slender waist with his strong hand, pulling her into his embrace. Still shaken, Jiang Man opened her eyes. There was a trace of panic in her gaze as she looked at Qin Yishen, but once she realized how close they were, her face suddenly flushed. Only now, at such a close distance, could she clearly see Qin Yishen's eyes. They were deep and dark, with an almost bottomless quality to them. Most striking of all was his nose—high and straight, giving his face an exceptionally handsome appearance. The solid feel beneath her hand made Jiang Man's face turn completely red. Qin Yishen's Adam's apple bobbed up and down. With great restraint, he released her. "Th-Thank you…" Seeing Jiang Man's shy expression, a trace of amusement flashed through Qin Yishen's eyes. "I've heated the bathwater. Go take a bath first. I'll take care of everything out here." Jiang Man nodded. When she came out after her bath, she discovered that the courtyard was already spotless. There wasn't even a single grain of rice left on the ground. "Are you done?" Jiang Man turned around, and for a moment, the sight before her made her eyes widen. Qin Yishen's upper body was bare, fully exposed to the air. Eight well-defined abdominal muscles were neatly lined across his torso, while the lines of his lower abs were sharply defined. Crystal-clear droplets of water glistened as they rolled down his wheat-colored skin. Jiang Man swallowed. The sight was… quite a shock to her. "D-Done."