Chapter 269: Chapter 112: That’s My Older Sister

Chen Wanqing hadn’t planned on going back to her family’s house. She had only intended to see Jing and De’an for a moment, then return to the Zhao Village with Dashan.

But now she had no choice but to go inside. She and Zhao Jing steadied De’an and managed to get him to his room.

Seeing De’an fall fast asleep in an instant, even starting to snore, Chen Wanqing worried that he might throw up later and choke on his own vomit.

But if they didn’t head back soon, they would run out of the incense materials she had bought yesterday.

Just as Chen Wanqing was torn, thinking she should go to the shop and ask her mother to come home to look after De’an, Yao’an returned with his small school satchel slung over his shoulder.

Yao’an was overjoyed to see his sister and brother-in-law at home. "Did you just get here?"

"No, we were just about to leave."

Chen Wanqing felt as if she’d just seen her savior. She quickly explained the situation to Yao’an, concluding, "Don’t go anywhere else. Just stay here in the room and watch De’an. Can you do that?"

"You’re underestimating me, Sis. If I can’t even handle a simple thing like this, then I’ve been eating for nothing all these years."

Chen Wanqing added, "Just keep an eye on De’an. You don’t have to do anything else. I’ll go get Mom to come back now."

"Okay, okay, I get it. Go on, Sis."

Yao’an waved at Chen Wanqing and Zhao Jing. "See you later, Sis! See you, Brother-in-law!"

"See you."

As she said the words, Chen Wanqing realized something wasn’t right. She turned back to Yao’an. "Is today the fifteenth?"

Yao’an was speechless. "Of course it’s the fifteenth. It’s my day off, Sis. Did you forget?"

"I didn’t forget, I’ve just lost track of the days."

In the end, Chen Wanqing and Zhao Jing made a quick departure. They first went to Qingxiang House to tell Xu Suying to close the shop and go home to look after De’an. Then, they met up with Dashan and set off for the Zhao Village.

Upon arriving in the Zhao Village, they didn’t go home, heading straight for Second Aunt’s house instead.

The sun was now setting behind the West Mountain, dyeing half the sky in a rosy glow.

When Second Aunt saw her, she looked as if she’d just seen her savior.

"We’ve finished up the work for now. I waited for you for a long time, and when you didn’t show, I sent everyone home to make dinner. They’ll come back after they eat, and we’ll push to get another batch finished tonight."

Chen Wanqing, of course, apologized profusely. She then handed the malt candy she had bought to Second Aunt, asking her to distribute it among the other aunts for a little treat.

Second Aunt tried to refuse, but to no avail, so she accepted it.

A moment later, however, she called over Second Uncle and her two sons to move all of today’s ground powders and the air-dried incense pills and sticks onto Dashan’s ox-cart.

Zhao Jing also came to help but was stopped by Second Aunt.

Second Aunt knew he had attended the Lord County Magistrate’s banquet today, so she started asking questions. "Did you drink? What kind of man is the Lord County Magistrate? Was his attitude toward you good? What did you talk about..."

Second Uncle shouted to his wife, "Woman, what are you nosing around for all day? Even if Jing told you, would you understand any of it? The boy has had a long day. Let’s hurry and get these things onto the cart so he can go home and rest."

"What do you mean I wouldn’t understand? I’m not a fool. So what if I can’t understand everything? I can still get the gist of it..."

Their bickering was incessant, creating a lively scene.

While Second Aunt was talking, Zhao Jing rolled up his sleeves and came over to help.

Many hands make light work. In no time at all, all the packed boxes were loaded onto the cart.

As the ox-cart clopped away from Second Aunt’s house, Chen Wanqing glanced at the dark courtyard next door—her family’s home. ’Did a dark shadow just flash by?’

Just then, however, someone called out to greet them. Chen Wanqing’s attention was diverted, and she paid no more mind to the unsettling sight.

After they returned home and had dinner, Chen Wanqing finished mixing a batch of incense powder. As she was getting ready to take it to Second Aunt’s house, she suddenly recalled the scene from earlier that evening.

She suddenly grabbed Zhao Jing’s arm, her brows furrowed, and told him what she saw. "I’m sure it was a person’s silhouette. Someone snuck into my family’s house. Jing, I have to go take a look." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Wanqing, you shouldn’t go. I’ll go with Second Uncle to take a look. Besides, you’re on your period and have been working so hard lately. You just said you weren’t feeling well and wanted to lie down for a bit. Go on and rest in bed. I’ll handle the rest."

Chen Wanqing was still uneasy. "But I still think..."

"Please, Wanqing, get some rest. With me here, what is there to worry about? I go to that house all the time, so I have a good idea of where things are kept. If something is really out of place, I’ll come right back and get you."

Convinced, Chen Wanqing dutifully went to lie down on the bed.

She was exhausted and desperately wanted to close her eyes and rest properly. But the thought of the dark shadow that had flashed by at dusk made her heart clench.

She listened intently for any sound from outside, at once wanting Jing to return quickly, yet also dreading his prompt return.