She rushed out of the yard and into an open space. She took off her gloves and let her hands feel the cold in the night.
Chen Jing caught up from behind and hugged her tightly, drunkenly shouting, "Wife, wife, I want it—"
As he spoke, he lowered his head and kissed her neck, causing Ji Xia to blush.
He snorted coldly. It was pitch black and deserted all around. By this time, it was completely dark, and no one came out.
She gave a wicked smile: "I missed you too. Come here, let your older sister touch you!"
"Okay, okay, you can touch it, you can touch it."
Chen Jing excitedly tugged at his clothes, and two icy fingers probed into his neck.
The cold fingers touched the hot skin, and Chen Jing trembled, instantly sobering up considerably.
Ji Xia used his neck as a heater, her fingers probing downwards, revealing a wicked smile: "Come on, still drunk? Let me help you sober up."
"elder sister?"
Chen Jing sobered up considerably, grabbed her mischievous hands, and pulled her into his arms: "So you like this kind of thing? Shall we try it tonight?"
A tingling sensation spread from her earlobe to her lower back, and a hot breath enveloped her from behind, sweeping away all her thoughts.
With her last shred of reason, she brushed his hand away: "Stop it, I want to see Qiuyu. I wonder how she is now."
Ji Xia ran off blushing, with Chen Jing following closely behind, grinning.
The cold night wind dispelled the heat from her face, and by the time she arrived at the Chen family home, Ji Xia's complexion had finally returned to normal.
She turned around in annoyance: "We forgot to bring any gifts. It's so embarrassing to come empty-handed!"
"That's my second uncle, why be so polite?"
Chen Jing, seemingly unconcerned, took her hand and called out into the courtyard, "Second Uncle, Aunt, I've come to see Xiaoyu."
"Come in quickly, it's cold outside, don't catch a cold wind."
Chen Jingke was the second wife's closest nephew. Upon hearing his voice, Chen's second aunt hurriedly came out and opened the door.
"Xiao Jing, A Xia, it's you two! That's great! Qiu Yu is making a ruckus at home!"
Aunt Chen, a middle-aged woman in her forties, was quick and efficient, with a beaming smile. She opened the door and welcomed them in: "Have you had dinner yet? We just got back too, let's have something to eat together?"
Ji Xia waved her hand repeatedly: "No need to be polite, Second Aunt, we've already eaten. We'll just visit Xiaoyu and then leave."
"Why walk so fast? Spend more time with her. Xiaoyu is suffering terribly right now."
Aunt Chen welcomed them inside, saying, "Xiaoyu, your third brother and sister-in-law have come to see you."
Chen Qiuyu sat on a chair with a pale face and a disgusted expression. His injured ankle was wrapped in white gauze, fixed with a bamboo splint, and laid flat on a low stool.
Hearing Aunt Chen's voice, a hint of joy finally appeared on her face: "Third Brother, Sister Xia, you've come."
Beside her were her two younger brothers, sixteen-year-old Chen Song and fourteen-year-old Chen Bai. Although they were still young, they were very polite and smiled shyly when they saw Chen Jing and Ji Xia.
Chen Wanshui, holding a water pipe, sat on a chair to the side and waved to Chen Jing and Ji Xia: "Have you eaten yet? Come and have some with us."
"No need, Uncle, Aunt, you eat. We just came to see Xiaoyu and keep her company."
Chen Jing had a good relationship with his second uncle's family since childhood. Chen Wanshui didn't stand on ceremony and gestured for his wife and two sons to sit at the table and eat together, leaving space for Chen Jing and Ji Xia.
How badly is your foot injured? Is it serious?
Ji Xia sat down on a chair next to Chen Qiuyu and looked at her injured leg with concern.
Chen Jing reached out and pinched her calf: "How is it? What did the doctor say? How many days will it take to get better?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Qiuyu couldn't help but grimace: "I have a comminuted fracture of my ankle, and I won't be able to move it for at least a month. That animal trap almost broke my foot too. The doctor said it's lucky I came early; if I had come any later, I would have been crippled."
"Is it that serious? Does that mean you'll have to take a month or two off?" Ji Xia asked with concern.
Chen Qiuyu pouted: "No need, I won't ask for leave. Taking leave is even more boring. I can still work sitting down."
As she spoke, she grabbed Ji Xia's hand and pleaded, "Sister Xia, I don't operate the machine anymore anyway. I can work sitting down. Like cutting cardboard, trimming threads, and checking for quality issues, I can do all that sitting down."
Ji Xia looked at her feet with concern. Once you start work, how can you sit still in a chair? Especially since she's a workshop manager, she has a lot to do.
If you injure your foot and suffer long-term consequences, it could be a lifelong problem.
She glanced at Chen Jing hesitantly, but Chen Jing shook his head with a stern face: "It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone. You have a fracture, there's no need to push yourself so hard. Health is more important."
"Third Brother, I can do it. I don't want to take leave."
Not only will she not receive any pay for taking leave, but if she takes leave for several months, the factory will definitely have to find someone to replace her. After several months, will she still have this job?
These days, jobs are hard to find. For people from the countryside to work in the city, they either need connections or absolute luck.
Chen Qiuyu got this job from Chen Jing and Ji Xia. The two of them will be going to Beijing soon. What will happen to Chen Qiuyu's job after they leave?
Hearing Chen Qiuyu's words, the Chen family members who were dining nearby also became worried.
This job pays thirty or forty yuan a month, which is more than an average person could earn in a year of farming in the countryside.
Although Mr. and Mrs. Chen Wanshui had not thought about how their daughter could help support the family, their daughter had a job in the city, which reduced their financial burden.
Moreover, their son Chen Song is of working age. With their older sister in the city, it will be easier for their younger brothers to find jobs, at least they will know about the labor shortage earlier than others.
Chen Song sat down next to Chen Jing with his rice bowl in his hand, pleading with a grin: "Third Brother, can I go help my sister? She can sit and do the work, and for the other things that are inconvenient for her to do, I can learn from her and listen to her instructions."
"Yes, yes, third brother's wife, let Ah Song help her sister. This is just to do chores for her, no extra pay needed."
Ji Xia turned to look at Xiao Song's still-childish face: "Auntie, how old is Xiao Song? Shouldn't he study for a few more years?"
"I'm not cut out for studying. Finishing junior high is about enough." Chen Song stubbornly refused, pestering Chen Jing for mercy.
Having received such a plea from the family, Chen Jing and Ji Xia couldn't refuse their kindness.
He glanced at everyone present and said, "Alright, on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Ah Song will take your sister there with you. Just listen to her. Oh, and it would be best to prepare a walking stick for her."
Chen Qiuyu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, and everyone smiled.
Just then, a familiar male voice rang out from outside the door: "Uncle Chen, is Auntie home?"
Ji Xia subconsciously looked at Chen Qiuyu: "Lin Haodong? Why is he acting like a vengeful ghost, coming to our door for whatever reason?"
Chen Song sneered and slammed the bowl heavily on the table: "He still has the nerve to come here? I'll beat him to death."
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