Chapter 271: A Woman’s Mouth, a Deceiving Ghost
Chapter 271: Chapter 271: A Woman’s Mouth, a Deceiving Ghost
Qian Ling chased after Wen Jingerui with the scarf, finally catching him at the compound gate.
"Doctor Wen, you forgot your scarf!"
Wen Jingerui turned back and looked at the oil-paper bag in her hand. "I won’t have much use for that scarf," he said. "Why don’t you keep it?"
Qian Ling was stunned for a moment. By the time she gathered her wits to refuse, Wen Jingerui had already gotten on his bicycle and ridden away.
She had no choice but to go back with the scarf and tell Jiang Moli what Wen Jingerui had said.
"Then just keep it."
Jiang Moli took the scarf out of the bag and wrapped it around Qian Ling.
Once it was on, she felt the soft, fluffy rabbit fur and smiled. "This scarf is nice and warm, and the color suits you. You should wear it."
Qian Ling quickly replied, "I don’t know Doctor Wen very well. It wouldn’t be right to accept something from him for no reason. Besides, this scarf looks expensive."
Considering how conservative people were in this day and age, Jiang Moli said, "Well, just find some time to return it to him then."
Qian Ling nodded, then folded the scarf and put it back in the paper bag.
Yang Lijiong handed a freshly grilled lamb skewer to Jiang Moli. "Here."
"Thanks, Qiongqiong."
Jiang Moli accepted it with a smile.
Thumb-sized chunks of lamb were skewered on a bamboo stick, grilled to crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside perfection. Coated in a thin layer of cumin and chili powder, the aroma was enough to make your mouth water.
Jiang Moli was just about to take a bite when she suddenly thought of something. She looked up and scanned the area, finally spotting Jiang Dahai sitting alone on the front steps.
Li Hongying’s death had hit Jiang Dahai hard. He’d been despondent lately and had lost a lot of weight.
Jiang Moli walked over with the skewer. "Dad, have a lamb skewer. It’s freshly grilled."
Jiang Dahai shook his head. "You go ahead and eat."
"Just take it, come on. Vice Yang and the others are still grilling; there’s more than enough meat to go around today."
Only then did Jiang Dahai accept the skewer and begin to eat.
Meanwhile, seeing Jiang Moli give her skewer to Jiang Dahai, Yang Lijiong took a few more from the basket and placed them on the grill.
Jiang Moli brought her beer over and sat with Jiang Dahai, drinking with him.
"Dad, don’t dwell on it too much. You have to keep moving forward, even on your own. And if you really don’t feel like walking, well, you can always ride your bike."
Jiang Dahai sighed. "I bear some of the responsibility for what happened to your Aunt Hongying."
Jiang Moli pulled out a handful of roasted peanuts. As she shelled one, she said nonchalantly, "Haven’t I told you before? If you can blame someone else, try not to blame yourself."
"After Xiao Qing went back to Lotus Village, she asked your Aunt Hongying for money once. She said she wanted to fix up the old house so she’d have a place to stay, but your Aunt Hongying refused. After Xiao Qing got into trouble, she was consumed with guilt. She thought if only she’d given Xiao Qing the money for the house, Xiao Qing wouldn’t have gone astray."
Jiang Moli handed the shelled peanut to Jiang Dahai. "Aunt Hongying never understood, even at the end, that Wei Qing ended up in that situation not because of money, but because of greed. Today she wanted a house, tomorrow she’d want residency papers, and after that a job and who knows what else. She was endlessly greedy, never satisfied."
On the surface, Jiang Dahai was talking about Li Hongying, but he was really talking about himself.
It was eating him up inside.
After all, he’d sent his stepdaughter back to the countryside and then stood by idly while she struggled.
But his daughter’s words had undoubtedly eased his mind considerably.
Before long, Lu Deyao called Jiang Dahai inside for tea, and Jiang Moli went back to the grill.
Yang Lijiong handed her a freshly grilled lamb skewer. "Fresh off the grill. Careful, it’s hot."
Jiang Moli took the lamb skewer, grinning at Yang Lijiong. "You should drink less. Go easy, sweet-heart."
’Sweet-heart?’
Yang Lijiong stared at her without a word.
Lu Tingting, who was sitting beside her, retorted, "You’ve got some nerve saying that. You’ve had more to drink than anyone."
Jiang Moli turned to Lu Tingting with a "tsk." "You’ve got the biggest mouth here."
Lu Tingting snorted. "It’s my mouth, and I’ll say what I want. What are you gonna do about it—"
Before she could finish, Jiang Moli stuffed a lamb skewer in her mouth.
Lu Tingting grumbled, but took the skewer and started eating it with gusto.
’So good. This is delicious.’
Yang Lijiong glanced at the two of them, took a few more skewers from the basket, and put them on the grill.
Finally enjoying some peace and quiet, Jiang Moli poured herself a beer and started drinking with Yang Lijiong and Chen Lan.
Around 9:00 PM, Chen Lan’s husband arrived to take her home, and Yang Lijiong decided to leave with them.
Jiang Moli had wanted to see them out.
But as she stood up, a wave of dizziness hit her, and she staggered.
Yang Lijiong reached out and steadied her. "Are you okay? Drunk?"
"I’m not drunk."
But with her flushed cheeks and her hazy, glistening almond-shaped eyes, it was clear she was quite drunk.
Yang Lijiong said worriedly, "Let me help you to your room to rest. It’s cold out here; you’ll catch a cold."
Jiang Moli’s voice was soft. "Can’t walk. I need a piggyback ride."
She said this with a wide grin, holding her arms open.
With a resigned sigh, Yang Lijiong turned, squatted down, and let Jiang Moli climb onto her back.
Chen Lan watched, amused. ’Jiang Moli must be really drunk,’ she thought.
Lu Tingting glared at Yang Lijiong’s back as she carried Jiang Moli away, chewing her lamb skewer with a vengeance.
’That damn woman,’ she fumed. ’So ridiculously spoiled. The moment she has a drink, she needs someone to carry her.’
"Everybody, I’m back!"
As soon as they were through the door, Jiang Moli started waving her hands happily, greeting everyone in the room.
Seeing her being carried in on Yang Lijiong’s back, An Hui quickly put down her needlework. "Drinking too much again?"
Jiang Moli kicked her legs. "If you know I’m drunk, why aren’t you making me some honey water? With lots of extra honey! I want it super sweet! Thanks, Mom! I love youuuu~"
As she spoke, she made a little heart shape with her fingers for An Hui.
An Hui didn’t know whether to laugh or be angry. She asked Ma Hongmei to make the honey water for Jiang Moli while she followed them toward Jiang Moli’s bedroom.
Watching from the doorway, Chen Lan was both surprised and impressed by the way the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law interacted.
’No wonder Jiang Moli gets along so well with her mother-in-law,’ she thought. ’I couldn’t even be this close and familiar with my own mom.’
Lu Tingting walked in, still munching on her lamb skewer, and sneered inwardly. ’That damn woman and her silver tongue.’
Jiang Dahai hadn’t expected his daughter to be so wild even at her in-laws’ home. Feeling both embarrassed and a little guilty, he decided it was best to take his leave. Out of sight, out of mind.
Once Jiang Moli was safely in her room, Yang Lijiong and Chen Lan left.
An Hui saw them out personally.
Jiang Moli drank the honey water, and her head promptly lolled to the side as she fell asleep.
Ma Hongmei helped her out of her army greatcoat and shoes, tucked her under the covers, and then left with the empty cup.
Lu Tingting sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Jiang Moli’s flushed, fair cheeks. Her gaze soon drifted down to Jiang Moli’s slender, pale neck.
Not long ago, An Hui had given each of her three daughters-in-law a gold-inlaid jade pendant.
’Her mother had one that she’d put on a silver chain, planning to give it to her when she turned twenty.’
’Jiang Moli’s pendant didn’t seem to have a chain yet.’
’Maybe I should just buy a chain for that damn woman as a birthday gift.’
’That damn woman’s neck is so skinny, the chain would probably have to be a short one.’
With that thought, Lu Tingting circled her hands around Jiang Moli’s neck, preparing to get a rough measurement.
"Tingting, what are you doing?!"
Lu Tingting turned her head to see An Hui, Lu Deyao, and Ma Hongmei all standing in the doorway, staring at her with looks of pure horror.
Lu Tingting looked down at her hands clasped around Jiang Moli’s neck and hastily pulled them back. "It’s not what it looks like! I didn’t do anything! Let me explain..."