"Why the sudden concern?" Jie Jingchen asked out of the blue.

"Heh!" Qin Xiang rubbed his nose and smiled awkwardly, looking quite embarrassed. "Blood is thicker than water, you know. She’s our parents’ treasure, after all. The little sister we’ve all spoiled since she was a child. Once our anger faded, we forgave her and started to worry."

A thoughtful look flashed through Jie Jingchen’s amber eyes. He looked at Qin Xiang and asked apprehensively, "What’s your mission?"

Qin Xiang took a deep breath. Siding with his sister, he didn’t tell the whole truth. "This is from my parents and brothers. If you fall in love with my little sister and give her a happy life, our entire family will bless you. But if things don’t go well, I’m authorized by my parents to make you divorce. I’ll take her home."

’His parents’ and brothers’ actual words were that as long as his little sister’s married life was tolerable, and the two of them treated each other with polite respect, the whole family would give their blessing. They didn’t hold high expectations for her happiness. For a marriage born from drugging and coercion, Jie Jingchen not torturing her to death was already proof of his outstanding character. A happy and perfect life together was an impossible fantasy.’

’Widowed in her first marriage, divorced in her second... marrying again would be her third time. A third marriage! Even if the family dared to marry her off again, who would dare to take her?’

’If a third marriage failed, she’d be stuck with the family for good.’

’That’s why, deep down, they really did hope she and Jie Jingchen would make it work.’

Jie Jingchen’s eyes darkened, and anger suddenly flared within him.

Qin Xiang instantly felt an invisible pressure emanating from him. He flinched, then puffed out his chest and patted Jie Jingchen’s arm with the back of his hand. "Hey, man, I’m here to rescue you."

"Di...vorce." Jie Jingchen forced the word out through gritted teeth, a flame dancing in his cold, intimidating eyes. "She’s your sister. How can you say the word ’divorce’ so casually?"

When Qin Xiang first heard Jie Jingchen say "divorce," he inwardly panicked. But after hearing the rest of the sentence, he visibly relaxed. A mischievous glint flickered in his eyes, though his expression remained neutral. "What else did you expect? You don’t love her, and she’s clinging to you shamelessly. It’s a tragedy for both of you. And it’s not like the Qin family can’t support her."

Jie Jingchen took a deep breath, fighting the urge to punch him. "Have any of you considered what will happen to her if she gets divorced?"

’How could we not have considered it? It’s precisely because we thought it through so carefully that we don’t want them to divorce. After arriving in Shijiu City, he’d been observing them in secret. Qin Xiang had a feeling his good buddy had already been tamed by his little sister.’

’But plans change. Qin Xiang had grown greedy. He no longer wanted his sister to just settle; he wanted her to be truly happy.’

"It’s fine," Qin Xiang said, affecting a nonchalant air. "My little sister is tough. She can handle anything. When it comes to the villagers’ gossip, it goes in one ear and out the other. She’s not the type to get suicidal over their scolding."

Jie Jingchen’s expression was grave as he said firmly, "I’m not getting a divorce."

That was exactly what Qin Xiang had been waiting to hear. He was inwardly ecstatic, but he just shrugged, his face impassive. "Suit yourself."

"I will make her happy," Jie Jingchen declared. ’He wasn’t an idiot. He’d never met the rest of the Qin Family, but he understood Qin Xiang. All this talk was just to get a declaration out of him. If that’s what the Qin Family wanted, he’d give it to them.’

Qin Xiang couldn’t hide his delight anymore. He dropped the pretense and lazily crossed his legs. "Brother-in-law, I’ll report your words to my parents and our brothers, word for word."

’Qin Mei was Little Six, and he was the fifth child. He had four older brothers. His parents had six children, and his little sister was the only girl. How could they not dote on her? How could they not protect her as the apple of their eye?’

"Are you sure you won’t add your own spin to it?" Jie Jingchen asked coolly. ’Only Qin Xiang himself knew how much of what he’d just said was pure fabrication.’

"Don’t worry, man. My parents know what kind of person you are." What Qin Xiang didn’t tell him was that ever since they’d registered their marriage, his parents had been constantly asking him about Jie Jingchen.

After all that talking, Qin Xiang’s mouth felt dry. He reached for the enamel mug on the stone table.

Jie Jingchen stared coldly at Qin Xiang. ’The Qin Family’s attitude towards him, their son-in-law, was more than satisfactory.’

Glancing into the distance and seeing that Qin Mei still hadn’t come out, Jie Jingchen looked around once more before asking in a low voice, "Who was Qin Mei’s first husband?"

"PFFT!" Qin Xiang sprayed out a mouthful of tea and started choking, coughing uncontrollably. Jie Jingchen just watched him with a cold expression. Once he recovered, Qin Xiang wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Look, man, you don’t need to go looking for trouble by asking about that now."