"I want to know," Jie Jingchen said, his tone stiff.

Qin Xiang took a sip of tea and set the enamel mug back down on the stone table. "Brother, I’ll stake my future on it. Even though this is my little sister’s second marriage, I guarantee she’s..."

"I know," Jie Jingchen cut him off. ’If that weren’t the case, I wouldn’t have taken responsibility for her.’

Qin Xiang chuckled and gave Jie Jingchen a suggestive wink. "Right, you two... Heh, you’d know best, of course."

’This saved him the trouble of explaining to Jie Jingchen that even though his little sister was wild, she had her principles and wouldn’t abuse her own body.’

"Who was her first husband?" Jie Jingchen persisted.

Seeing Jie Jingchen’s insistence, Qin Xiang didn’t hold back. "The son of our village chief."

"Was he impotent?" Jie Jingchen asked. ’Otherwise, why marry a beautiful wife and not touch her?’ He thought back to Qin Mei beneath him last night, radiating a charm like a soul-stealing siren that made him lose all control.

’Right now, Jie Jingchen was grateful for the village chief’s son’s impotence. If Qin Mei hadn’t been a virgin, he wouldn’t have taken responsibility for her. And if he hadn’t taken responsibility, he wouldn’t have married such a wonderful wife.’

"AHEM, AHEM." Qin Xiang choked, pounding his chest to catch his breath. "Well... it’s worse than being impotent."

’Worse than impotent?’ Jie Jingchen thought of Jing Qi and raised an eyebrow. "Disabled?"

"Worse than disabled," Qin Xiang said with a bitter smile.

’Worse than disabled... that means he’s dead.’

"He’s dead?" Jie Jingchen pressed.

"Yeah, he’s dead." Qin Xiang nodded. Seeing Jie Jingchen’s stunned expression, he decided to just tell him the whole truth. "The village chief’s son was critically ill, so his family wanted to find a local girl for a warding-off wedding..."

Jie Jingchen cut Qin Xiang off, his voice cold. "And they chose Qin Mei?"

’With the Qin family’s standing in the village, they couldn’t even protect their own beloved daughter? Jie Jingchen didn’t believe it. Not unless Qin Mei had volunteered.’

"Not exactly. They chose someone else, but my little sister insisted on being the one for the warding-off wedding," Qin Xiang said helplessly.

"And you didn’t stop her? You just let her act so recklessly?" Jie Jingchen’s brow frosted over.

Qin Xiang sounded even more exasperated as he explained, "Our whole family was against it. We had no idea what got into her back then, but she was dead set on going through with that wedding. In the end, the happy occasion turned into a funeral. *Sigh*. After all that trouble, she successfully made herself a widow in her second marriage—one with a reputation for killing her husband, no less."

A complex mix of emotions flickered in Jie Jingchen’s eyes. He pressed his lips together, saying nothing more.

"The warding-off wedding failed and just sent the dying man straight to his grave. My sister’s reputation as a ’husband-killer’ was nailed to the village’s pillar of shame." Qin Xiang sighed and patted Jie Jingchen’s shoulder, his tone half-joking, half-serious. "Man, I hope you’re tough. Don’t let my sister’s bad luck finish you off."

’Qin Xiang felt a pang of guilt. After Jing Si married his sister, he’d gotten injured on a mission. His right hand was partially disabled, forcing him into an honorable discharge. It was a good thing Jing Si was so level-headed; anyone more superstitious would have blamed it all on his sister.’

Jie Jingchen gave Qin Xiang a dark look. "She has amnesia. Don’t ever bring this up in front of her."

Qin Xiang waved his hand dismissively. "I’m not an idiot. Why would I bring that up for no reason?"

’Their family wished the whole warding-off wedding incident had never happened. His sister marrying far away in Shijiu City was a good thing, and her amnesia was even better. All that awful business could vanish into thin air along with her memory, as if it never existed.’

"Entertain yourself. I’m going to make dinner," Jie Jingchen said, getting up and heading for the kitchen.

’Qin Xiang hated cooking. He couldn’t stand it from his very first day in the cookhouse squad. He had only gritted his teeth and stuck it out for a year so his family wouldn’t look down on him.’

’Qin Mei had been tidying the room for a while and still hadn’t come out. Qin Xiang knew she was avoiding him. It hurt, but he didn’t press her, deciding to give her some time and space.’

’*Sigh.* The amnesia had made her distant even from him, her own brother.’

Jie Jingshan, sitting in her wheelchair, opened her door. Her bright, lively eyes darted around, finally landing on Qin Xiang, who was sitting under the tree.

’Qin Xiang looked at Jie Jingshan and instantly guessed who she was. He complained to Jie Jingchen about Qin Mei, and in return, Jie Jingchen would boast about Jing Qi.’

"You must be Jing Si’s sister, Jing Qi," Qin Xiang said. When Jie Jingshan nodded, he smiled, got up, and walked over to her. "I’m your fourth sister-in-law’s older brother, and a good friend of your fourth brother. You can call me Brother Xiang..."

’Brother Xiang? That sounds a little too intimate.’

"Okay, Brother," Jie Jingshan replied with a sweet smile. ’There’s no way I’m calling him Brother Xiang. I’ll just call him Brother, like Fourth Sister-in-law does.’

Qin Xiang let out a chuckle and rubbed the back of his head. ’Jing Si’s sister has character.’ "Jing Qi, don’t stay cooped up in your room. I’ll push you out into the courtyard to get some sun."

Jie Jingshan didn’t refuse. She nodded and asked, "Where’s my fourth sister-in-law?"

"Your fourth sister-in-law is tidying up my room." As Qin Xiang pushed Jie Jingshan into the courtyard, he noticed the book in her hand. His eyes flickered. ’That’s a high school math textbook.’ "Jing Qi, you probably didn’t even finish elementary school, did you? Can you actually understand high school math?"

"I understand some parts, but not others. My fourth sister-in-law teaches me the parts I don’t get." Jie Jingshan’s eyes lit up whenever she spoke of Qin Mei.

"AHEM, AHEM." Qin Xiang nearly choked on his own spit. ’My sister teach her? But my sister is illiterate!’ "Uh, Jing Qi! Your fourth sister-in-law can’t help you with that. You should ask your fourth brother to teach you."

Jie Jingshan frowned, getting a little worked up. "Fourth Sister-in-law does too know how! She’s amazing!"

"Jing Qi, calm down," Qin Xiang quickly tried to soothe her. ’Good heavens! My sister didn’t just bewitch Jing Si, it looks like she’s got his sister under her spell too.’

’The man in front of her was her sister-in-law’s brother; she couldn’t get angry at him. Still, hearing him deny her sister-in-law’s abilities made her upset.’ To prove how amazing her sister-in-law was, Jie Jingshan shouted, "Fourth Sister-in-law!"

Hearing Jie Jingshan call her, Qin Mei put down the medicinal herbs she was holding and came out of the room. "What is it?"

"Fourth Sister-in-law, I can’t figure out this problem," Jie Jingshan said, her eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge as she looked at Qin Mei.

Qin Mei’s delicate brow furrowed, and her almond-shaped eyes narrowed as she met Qin Xiang’s probing gaze. ’I remember what Jie Jingchen said,’ she thought. ’The original owner of this body was illiterate. I might have revealed my knowledge to Jie Jingchen, and he wouldn’t pry, but that doesn’t mean her own brother won’t.’

’Amnesia means losing all your memories. For an illiterate person to suddenly become learned and talented after losing her memory... never mind Qin Xiang being suspicious, she found it absurd herself.’

’How do I get out of this one?’

"Fourth Sister-in-law," Jie Jingshan prompted.

Qin Mei scratched her head and, steeling herself, started walking toward Jing Qi. Qin Xiang watched her, a pensive look on his face.

"Qin Mei," Jie Jingchen’s voice called out. Qin Mei stopped and turned to see him standing in the kitchen doorway. "Come light the fire."

"Okay!" Qin Mei’s eyes lit up. She breathed a sigh of relief and scurried happily over to Jie Jingchen.

’She wasn’t sure why Jie Jingchen had helped her out, but when someone gives you an out, you take it.’

Jie Jingshan was displeased. "Fourth Brother..."

"Ask my brother-in-law about the problems you can’t solve," Jie Jingchen cut Jie Jingshan off, adding, "Your fourth sister-in-law doesn’t know how."

Jie Jingshan lowered her head, lost in thought. ’Fourth Sister-in-law clearly knows how, but Fourth Brother said she doesn’t. There must be a reason for this.’ Not wanting to expose them, Jing Qi looked up at Qin Xiang.

Qin Xiang’s charming "peach blossom" eyes darkened, and he shot a questioning look toward Jie Jingchen, who was still standing in the kitchen doorway.

’Jing Si was covering for her. But what was he covering up? That my sister is illiterate? The look on Jing Qi’s face was completely serious; she didn’t seem to be making things up.’

’My sister was one of the few who slipped through the cracks of the literacy program. Was that really something that needed covering up? Besides, if anyone should be hiding it, it should be him, her actual brother. He’d even told Jing Si that his sister was illiterate.’

Seeing Qin Xiang lost in thought, Jie Jingshan called out, "Brother."

Qin Xiang started, then collected himself and quickly snapped out of his daze. He smiled at Jing Qi. "Your fourth brother is busy. I’ll teach you."

"Thank you, Brother. Sorry to trouble you," Jie Jingshan said with a grateful smile.