She wasn’t about to give them the medicinal herbs she’d gone to such great trouble to buy on the black market.

Anyway, she was only providing the prescription, not the actual medicine. They could take it or leave it.

"Then what does it treat?" Granny pressed.

"Jie Jingchen’s back injury and Jing Qi’s leg," Qin Mei replied.

"Hasn’t Jing Si’s back injury already been healed? And Jing Qi’s leg, hasn’t that been healed too?" Granny asked.

Qin Mei raised a hand and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She couldn’t even be bothered to humor her anymore.

Granny seized the opportunity. "Your grandpa has a bad leg, and my back isn’t great either. You should treat us, too."

"I can," Qin Mei said, then paused before adding, "I’ll do it if you pay."

Pay up, and she’d provide treatment. No money, no deal.

"Forget it. Your grandpa and I can’t afford it," Granny said, giving up. She was willing to be treated if it was free, but not if she had to pay.

Qin Mei glanced at Granny. ’When it comes to treating her favorite grandson, she’ll pay no matter how expensive. It’s obvious how much she dotes on Jie Anlin.’

’It’s hard for anyone to treat everyone equally,’ Qin Mei mused. She didn’t feel sorry for Jie Jingchen, though. ’Whether or not he has Granny’s affection isn’t that important, really.’

"An Lin, take these prescriptions and get them filled," Granny said, handing the two slips of paper to Jie Anlin.

Jie Anlin didn’t take them. He glanced at the prescriptions in Granny’s hand, then looked up at her. "Granny, aren’t you coming with me to the pharmacy to get the medicine?"

"Granny’s tired and wants to rest," she said, stuffing the prescriptions into Jie Anlin’s hand.

Jie Anlin clutched the papers tightly and looked at Qin Mei. "Is the medicine expensive?"

"More expensive than the prescription," Qin Mei answered truthfully. This was exactly why she hadn’t given him the medicine herself. ’One of the ingredients is quite pricey. Even if I only charged them cost, they’d probably accuse me of making a profit. Since I can’t win, I might as well let the pharmacy earn his money.’

More expensive than the prescription? Jie Anlin sucked in a sharp breath and turned a pitiful gaze on his grandmother. "Granny..."

Afraid Granny would soften, Grandpa spoke up. "An Lin, you’ve been working for so many years. Your granny and I often give you money, and we’ve paid for all the treatments for your private ailment and all those folk remedies over the years. Don’t tell me you haven’t saved any money at all?"

"Grandpa." Jie Anlin looked guilty. He had saved some money, but he wasn’t willing to spend it. "Grandpa," he said, his voice full of grievance, "you and Granny promised you’d cover all the costs of treating my private ailment."

This wasn’t a secret, and Jie Anlin had no reservations about saying it. Everyone knew that Grandpa and Granny doted on him the most. They gave him first pick of anything good and supplemented his income with their own money. Other family members might have had their objections, but no one dared to breathe a word of criticism. Granny was terrifyingly domineering. No one dared to cross her, because the consequences were dire. The fate of his eldest uncle’s former wife was a prime example. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

’To be such a brazen freeloader... I’m almost impressed,’ Qin Mei thought, her admiration dripping with sarcasm. She looked up at Jie Jingchen. ’They’re both grandsons, but the difference in treatment between the one who’s loved and the one who isn’t is like night and day.’

Jie Jingchen reached out and took Qin Mei’s hand. His gaze, fixed on Jie Anlin, held an unreadable depth.

Granny relented. She took Jie Anlin’s hand and promised, "An Lin, just pay for the medicine for now. When your aunt gets home from work, I’ll get the money from her."

"Granny, this illness isn’t something that just started yesterday. A day sooner or later makes no difference. I can go to the pharmacy once you have the money," Jie Anlin said. Then, with a tone that was seemingly magnanimous but actually filled with dejection, he added, "It would be great if this can be cured, but it’s okay if it can’t. After all these years, I’m used to people pointing and whispering about me. My self-esteem was crushed a long time ago."

Granny’s heart broke for him. She pulled Jie Anlin into a comforting hug. "My dear grandson, don’t say such things. As long as your grandpa and I are alive, we will do everything in our power to get you cured. We’ll spare no expense, no matter the cost."

Qin Mei watched the scene unfold. ’Granny is really laying the grandmotherly affection on thick,’ she thought. Her "admiration" for Jie Anlin grew. ’A grown man, still running to his granny’s arms for comfort.’

’Whoever marries him must have had terrible luck for eight lifetimes.’

"Granny, you’re the best. You’re my reason for living, my rock. Without you, even if I wasn’t drowned by everyone’s gossip, I wouldn’t have the courage to go on," Jie Anlin said, his voice thick with emotion.

Granny’s eyes stung. She felt a mix of heartache and gratification. There was a reason this was her favorite grandson. He never defied her, always said exactly what she wanted to hear, and could sweet-talk her into a state of pure bliss, making her perfectly willing to spend her funeral savings on him.

The corner of Qin Mei’s mouth twitched. ’With flattery that thick,’ she thought, ’forget Granny—even I might be taken in for a moment.’

"Jie Jingchen, let’s go back to our room for a nap." Qin Mei had seen enough. She pulled Jie Jingchen with her, turning to walk toward their room.