I became the Counterpart of the Winner in a Period Novel-Chapter 237 - 234: Fireside Conversations at Night
"Are you a bottomless pit?"
She just said, this man’s mouth was practically resting on her shoulder.
But he didn’t take it seriously at all, still grinning cheekily while pointing at his big yard.
"See that? I’ve got plenty of space! Get me some more live chickens and rabbits, here! Throw them there. Next time, bring me two bags of corn kernels as well."
Jiang Mingyue followed where he pointed, carrying the lantern closer, only then did she realize he had fenced out two two-meter tall poultry pens at the west end of the yard.
Seeing the fresh mortar dripping on the ground, it was clear he had come prepared.
Jiang Mingyue angrily caught dozens of chickens and rabbits for the two pens.
Eat up, eat up, get fat you!
At this moment, Yan Jinzhi wouldn’t interrupt.
That’s just how this sibling pair interacts, one seemingly bullying recklessly, the other seemingly compromising, humbly. When he knew them in a previous life, he was curious for a long time, but the more he understood, the more he could see why.
Whatever with them, let them be happy.
When Jiang Mingyue was about to leave, Jiang Ming’an remembered something.
"Yueyue, didn’t Uncle Mute give you a lot of pastries last time? Quick, give me half, I’m being fair, aren’t I?" Not letting you give me all.
Jiang Mingyue was momentarily stunned. If she hadn’t misunderstood, he was talking about when he used the alias "Fourteen," right? How long ago was that? Even if you opened a dessert shop, it wouldn’t last till now, would it?
"Did you look for Uncle Mute and the others after that?"
"Would I need to be asked? We’re friends now." Meaning he knows everything you’ve done; don’t think you can hide it.
Jiang Mingyue thought to herself: Indeed!
"Since you’re friends now, why not have Uncle Mute make them for you?"
Jiang Ming’an: "...Ah! Yueyue! I’m your own brother! How long have I been injured? You can’t just ignore a patient like this."
Jiang Mingyue rolled her eyes: "Clearly at that time, Jinzhi used silver needles to heal you, plus with my medicine, you’re perfectly fine, don’t try to fool me." Even with that said, she couldn’t help but worry. She knows better than anyone how troublesome her brother can be; otherwise, money doesn’t just come from picking leaves on a dark stormy night.
But as soon as she said that, he had a flare-up and his face darkened: "What’s with Jinzhi, you call him so affectionately. I’m warning you, you two are nothing now, no engagement, no elders’ approval, and no marriage, so don’t be so intimate. You’re still young, and he has a lot of trouble around him. We’ll see if he’s even alive to marry you."
Jiang Mingyue glanced at Yan Jinzhi, then at the person in front of her, thinking Xiao Yanzi has such a good temper. If it was anyone else, would you be cursing me or cursing me? They’d probably burst out and start tearing at each other.
"Cough, cough..." She wanted to say, bro, you’re double standard. Clearly, you call him Jinzhi, but it’s not okay when it’s me. But she also knew that talking sense to a man who’s like a big overbearing aunt is useless. He doesn’t talk logic, he wants what he feels.
"Okay, I got it, I’ll listen to you, bro." After all, acting obedient in front of her brother is better than anything else.
Sure enough, the person in front of her immediately flashed a bright smile.
In the end, unable to refuse him, Jiang Mingyue still reluctantly gave up half of her stored pastries before leaving.
But upon returning, the basket felt a bit heavy.
She opened it in her space and, as expected, found another small box of small yellow croaker.
Jiang Mingyue: "..."
"Ah! I forgot, look at my memory."
"Hmm?" At that time, the hand automatically held in hers could hear even the low voice clearly.
Just like... a feather brushing over the tip of her heart, tingling and numbing...
Can’t do this! Good looks make trouble! We must always remember what brother said.
"About the fruit trees, there’s a type in the space that doesn’t sprout leaves, Yan Jinzhi, you guessed it right. Now there are only four types of fruit trees, and since the others won’t bear fruit, we won’t keep them. But I can’t bring myself to cut them down. What do you think we should do?"
For Yan Jinzhi, this was a very simple matter.
"I’ll take care of it."
"Hmm."
How could she forget that this person is capable of anything.
"Are you still going to your uncle’s place?"
"I am! He usually doesn’t have time, only knows to work every day and earn money, like a machine."
When Jiang Mingyue arrived, Jiang Zhengye’s small courtyard was lively, she could hear the conversation inside just outside the door, which was rather strange.
Yan Jinzhi knocked on the door for her, and suddenly the talking stopped inside.
Although the talking stopped, there was the babbling sound of a child.
Jiang Mingyue was confused: Could it be uncle couldn’t resist loneliness and remarried? But isn’t this a bit fast, even having a child?
"Who’s there?"
Jiang Mingyue: "...Uncle, it’s me." Honestly, she’s still not used to this secret code exchange at the door.
Then, she heard someone stand up with a swish, followed by rapid footsteps.
"Squeak!" The door opened, but the person who came had a bandage around his neck, with one arm across his chest.
"Yueyue is here? Come in!" Uncle was full of joy, but Jiang Mingyue couldn’t be happy.
"Uncle, what’s wrong with your hand?" You feel bad unless you get injured every now and then?
"Cough, cough... My hand’s fine, it’ll be better in a few days."
However, someone in the courtyard hurriedly chimed in.
"Is that Mingyue? Your uncle’s hand..."
Before finishing, another voice filled with surprise sounded.
"Is that Mr. Jiang? Did I see that right?"
Only then did Jiang Mingyue look at the fire pit in the yard, so, was this a fireside chat?
The last person to speak was an old lady, why does she look familiar?
As she got closer, Jiang Mingyue could see clearly too.
"Grandma Xu?" What a coincidence!
"It’s me, I didn’t expect you to be Zhengye’s niece, we really have such a bond. Your uncle’s hand, well, it was because he saved my granddaughter..."
Grandma Xu sat Jiang Mingyue by the fire, chatting while warming up.
It turned out, three days ago, Grandma Xu left Xu Le at home for Xu Kang to watch while she went to the machine factory to work and support the family. Unexpectedly, in a blink of an eye, when her grandson dozed off, the little granddaughter was gone, and turning back, the front door was wide open, nowhere to be found, and the grandson, on the verge of tears, ran to the machine factory to find her, only to bump into Uncle, and the Xu family had always been close, Xu Kang knew him, so he told Uncle about it, and Uncle reported it to the police, then followed people to find Xu Le.
Traced and found the person, but the other party suddenly pulled out a knife to harm Xu Le. Uncle was the closest, and seeing the knife about to fall, he rushed to push the person aside, causing the knife to cut his arm. The wound was long, took more than twenty stitches, and it shouldn’t need a bandage, yet at night when going to the bathroom, he accidentally tripped, resulting in a fracture.
Jiang Mingyue: "..."
Yan Jinzhi undid Uncle’s gauze to check the situation; the stitches on the arm were all wonky. Fortunately, this is a big manly guy, Jiang Mingyue went into the house, came out with several types of medicine in her pocket, and while the opportunity arose, put them in the basket, Yan Jinzhi took them to help with the treatment.
Alcohol, cotton swabs, top-grade bone-setting solution, anti-inflammatory pain-relief ointment, and also an oral medication.
After it was handled, they finally noticed the uncle across the fire pit...
