Ji Xia knew exactly what Chen Jing was thinking, but she shook her head with a straight face: "How could that be? Don't talk nonsense, it's not good if others misunderstand."
Liu Hongju scoffed and turned to walk away.
Ji Xia frowned inwardly. In her previous life, she married Lin Haodong. When Chen Jing realized he couldn't change her mind, he ran off to make his own way in the world.
Now that she and Lin Haodong have broken up, does Chen Jing think he has a chance, so he's deliberately hanging around her?
If Chen Jing hadn't left, how would he have had the chance to meet his destined benefactor?
It seems I need to find a way to force him to go out and make his own way in the world.
Chen Jing left the supply and marketing cooperative in a fit of anger. He was worried that if he didn't leave, he would lose his temper and lash out at the girl.
He certainly wouldn't get angry at Ji Xia, but when he was in a hurry, venting his anger on others would also make Ji Xia angry.
He paced around the streets and alleys with a sullen face for a while, when suddenly he heard someone shout behind him: "Brother Jing—Brother Jing—"
He called several times before he vaguely heard someone calling his name.
Chen Jing frowned and turned around, only to see Ah Hu, his brother who followed him around.
"I called you so many times just now, but you didn't respond at all. What's wrong?"
Ah Hu ran up to him, panting, and excitedly whispered, "Brother Jing, didn't you tell me to keep an eye out for old items? I found them!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Jing immediately put aside his anger and frustration, and asked in a low voice, "Where? Lead the way—"
Ah Hu beckoned with his finger and led him away.
When Ji Xia returned home from get off work in the evening, she found that Chen Jing was not there. She wondered if he had left because he was angry about what she said.
It's better that he left. She doesn't have to rack her brains to force him back onto his old path, which saves her trouble.
Since she was alone, she cooked the rice for tomorrow morning, chopped up a small half of the cooked pheasant that had been kept chilled with well water, made a dipping sauce, and stir-fried some greens.
Just as dinner was finished, Chen Jing's voice came from the courtyard gate: "Be careful, don't let anyone see you—"
Ji Xia was stunned. Chen Jing had brought people with him? Was she kidding? This was her house.
She turned around and walked out, where she saw Chen Jing and the three people behind him.
Just as I was about to ask for clarification, I suddenly noticed that Chen Jing's clothes were stained with blood, especially the fabric on his shoulders, which was bright red, and his face was also somewhat pale.
She frowned in concern: "Chen Jing, what happened? Are you injured?"
Chen Jing turned back to her and smiled, "It's just a minor injury, nothing serious, don't worry."
"There's also a minor injury; my shoulder and clothes are completely stained red."
Ji Xia walked up to him angrily, reaching out to slap him, but when she saw the bloodstains on his shoulder and smelled the rust in his breath, she couldn't bring herself to do it.
She bit her lower lip angrily and glared at him: "Such a serious injury, why aren't you going to the hospital right away? Come on, I'll go with you."
"Excuse me, sister-in-law, could you please go inside first?"
Someone called out weakly from behind Chen Jing, and Ji Xia then remembered that he had brought people with him.
When I saw the blood on his shoulder, I immediately forgot about the person behind me.
Ji Xia quickly stepped back and let them into the courtyard, then looked at the three of them suspiciously.
"This is Ah Hu, my brother."
Chen Jing introduced his brother, but he couldn't recall the names of the other two.
Ah Hu carried an old man with gray hair and a listless expression into the courtyard.
A girl of about seventeen or eighteen followed closely behind, her face pale and worried, her gaze towards Ji Xia timid.
Ah Hu settled the old man on a bench in the yard, and Chen Jing pulled her aside to explain in a low voice:
"Didn't you ask me to help you find some old items? When we went there today, we encountered some people bullying the grandfather and grandson. We fought them off and then carried him out."
Ji Xia opened her mouth, wondering if she had gotten herself into trouble because of her.
She wanted to blame Chen Jing for meddling, but couldn't bring herself to say it. After a long while, she smiled bitterly and said, "Did you call the police? How dare someone lay a hand on an elderly person and a young girl in broad daylight? Who is that person?"
As Chen Jing was about to answer, the little girl glared at him fiercely and shouted in a shrill voice, "Don't call the police!"
"Why? You were not only beaten, but also injured. Call the police and go to the hospital to get your wounds treated—"
Before Ji Xia could say anything more, Chen Jing suddenly grabbed her hand, and Ji Xia immediately fell silent.
"Ah Xia, don't worry, my injury is just a minor one, most of the blood on my body is from someone else."
He smiled gently at her, his eyes filled with tender affection and joy: "The person who hit you is no ordinary person. You can't call the police; it will only get you into trouble. Listen to me."
Ji Xia wanted to ask more questions, but seeing the old man and the little girl's terrified expressions, and considering that the environment of this era was very different from that of later generations, she had no choice but to swallow her doubts.
After thinking for a moment, she said in a low voice, "Let me take a look at your injury. If it's a minor injury, that's fine. But if it's serious, at least find an old Chinese medicine doctor to prescribe some medicine."
Chen Jing nodded with a cheerful smile, and Ji Xia smiled at the old man and the little girl: "Are you injured?"
The old man shook his head and replied in a hoarse and aged voice, "Little girl, I'm fine. They just saw that I couldn't walk fast, so they carried me away."
Ji Xia smiled reassuringly at the group and said, "You all sit down and rest for a bit. I'll go find the first-aid kit."
Ji Xia entered the house, and Ah Hu said enviously to Chen Jing, "Brother Jing, your wife is so beautiful, and she cares about you so much!"
Hearing Ah Hu's words, Chen Jing felt as if he had drunk honey water, and his eyes were filled with pride and joy as he looked at Ah Hu.
"That's just how she is, so fussy and indecisive."
He coughed twice and lowered his voice, saying, "We're not married yet, and your sister-in-law is shy. Don't call her 'sister-in-law' in front of her. Just keep it to yourself."
"I understand, Brother Jing, you and your wife are a match made in heaven."
As he spoke, he gave a thumbs-up, and Chen Jing's smile stretched to the corners of his mouth. Just thinking about Ji Xia applying the medicine for him later, and imagining that scene, made his heart race.
Ji Xia took the first-aid kit for treating injuries from Ji Xiangjun's room and carried it to the yard.
As she approached Chen Jing, she suddenly realized that as a woman, it wouldn't be appropriate for Chen Jing to undress and apply medicine.
She twirled the medicine box in her hand and pushed it in front of Ah Hu: "There's medicated oil, medicated wine, cotton, and gauze inside. You and him go back to the room to treat your injuries. I'll go make dinner."
Before Ah Hu could refuse, she had already turned and gone to the kitchen.
Seeing this, Chen Jing could only roll his eyes at Ah Hu helplessly: "What are you still standing there for? Come inside with me to apply the medicine."
Ji Xia returned to the kitchen and looked at the prepared food with a worry in her eyes. She had prepared dinner for herself, but now there were four more people, two of whom were strong young men. There was definitely not enough food for them.
Thinking of the old man's hoarse voice, she poured four bowls of cool boiled water, added a spoonful of grapefruit honey to each, mixed them well, and took them out of the yard.
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