Chapter 737 - 255: Your Little Brother’s Love Rival

Qiao Wei took one car and Jie Jingchen another. Jiang Yuan drove Qiao Wei’s. Upon reaching the Governor Mansion, Jiang Yuan didn’t head inside right away, but waited for Qiao Wei to wake up.

Back at the Qiao residence, Jie Jingshan looked at the disheveled Qin Mei and asked with concern, "Sister-in-law, are you hurt?"

Qin Mei’s hair was a mess, and her clothes were dirty. Her face and the backs of her hands were covered in a few small scratches, likely from branches she hadn’t noticed. There was even a footprint on her shoulder.

"It’s nothing, just a few scrapes," Qin Mei said nonchalantly.

Jie Jingchen had the butler bring the first-aid kit and gently began to clean Qin Mei’s wounds.

"Where’s my cousin?" Jie Jingshan asked. ’My cousin promised to protect my sister-in-law, but judging by her state, it’s clear she failed.’

"She went home." Qin Mei hissed, glaring at Jie Jingchen. "Be gentle."

Jie Jingchen remained silent. ’He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from scolding her.’ His movements grew even more gentle as he cleaned the wounds.

"Jing Qi, next time you go up the mountain, don’t bring your cousin," Qin Mei said.

"Why?" Jie Jingshan asked, confused.

Qin Mei chose her words carefully. "She’s not suited for the mountains."

"Did she hold you back?" Jie Jingshan asked.

"She can’t climb trees," Qin Mei said. ’It’s one thing to be a weak fighter, but not knowing how to climb a tree is another. When you run into danger, climbing is the most direct way to save your life.’

’Just thinking about helping Qiao Wei climb that tree makes my shoulders ache. If Jiang Yuan hadn’t shown up when he did, Qiao Wei and I would’ve been wiped out.’

"Climbing trees? I thought you were just gathering herbs," Jie Jingshan said, even more confused. ’What does that have to do with climbing trees?’

Jie Jingshan was a city girl who had never experienced the life of a country kid—hunting wild chickens in the mountains, climbing trees to raid birds’ nests, catching fish and shrimp in the streams...

So, Qin Mei gave Jing Qi a lesson on just how essential tree-climbing was for survival when gathering herbs in the mountains. Jie Jingshan listened, but it was all new to her.

After a long pause, Jie Jingshan asked, "So, where are the herbs you collected?"

"..." Qin Mei was speechless.

Qin Mei rubbed her nose and said sheepishly, "I didn’t find the herbs I was looking for."

"Don’t be discouraged, Qin Mei," Jie Jingshan said consolingly. "If the herbs aren’t on this mountain, we can try the next one. Since you’re not keen on taking my cousin again, why not have my brother go with you? He can climb trees, and if there’s danger, he can protect you."

Qin Mei said nothing, her eyes fixed on Jie Jingchen.

"What herbs do you need? I’ll send people to gather them," Jie Jingchen said.

"Okay." ’That was exactly what she’d been waiting to hear. The trip to the mountain had been awful, and she had no desire to go back and gather herbs herself anytime soon.’

After such a trying day, terrified and utterly exhausted, all Qin Mei wanted to do was collapse and not move a muscle.

"Jing Qi, I need you to go to the Governor Mansion," Jie Jingchen said to Jie Jingshan.

Jie Jingshan didn’t understand. "Brother, why would I go to the Governor Mansion?"

’To check on my cousin?’ Jie Jingshan had no desire to go.

"Have the butler accompany you," Jie Jingchen said. "Prepare a generous gift and thank your sister-in-law’s savior for me."

Qin Mei’s eyes flickered. ’Savior? He means Jiang Yuan?’

’What is Jie Jingchen up to? Who exactly is Jiang Yuan? He’s trying to infiltrate the Governor Mansion with him. The man has some nerve.’

’For the sake of Huaxia, he’d place justice before family.’

Jie Jingshan didn’t move. She wanted to argue. ’Shouldn’t you and Qin Mei go thank her savior yourselves? Sending me feels insincere.’

"Your sister-in-law is injured and badly shaken; it’s not a good time for her to go out," Jie Jingchen explained. "And if her savior leaves the Governor Mansion, how would we ever find him?"

Jie Jingshan was convinced. "Alright, consider it done."

After Jie Jingshan left the room, Qin Mei nudged Jie Jingchen. "Aren’t you worried at all that this will make enemies of the Governor Mansion and the Qiao Family?"

"We stand on opposite sides. That day was bound to come sooner or later." The words escaped Jie Jingchen’s lips, heavy with resignation.

Qin Mei fell silent. ’He was right. That day was inevitable.’

When Jie Jingchen finished cleaning her cuts, he reached for the buttons on her blouse. Qin Mei grabbed his hand. "What do you think you’re doing?"

Seeing the wary look in her eyes, Jie Jingchen felt his face darken. ’In her mind, is the only reason I’d ever unbutton her clothes to have sex with her?’

"I’m not that much of an animal," Jie Jingchen said irritably. "I just want to look at your shoulder."

"That’s debatable," Qin Mei muttered.

Jie Jingchen pried her hand away, insistent on examining her shoulder.

"Jie Jingsi, my shoulder is fine! It’s my foot that hurts," Qin Mei said, her face falling. ’She could easily explain an injury on her foot, but her shoulder was another story. Should she tell him the truth?’

"Wait your turn." The implication in his voice was clear: he would check her shoulder first, then her foot.

Qin Mei relented. Jie Jingchen undid two of her buttons and pulled her collar aside. Her normally fair shoulder was red and raw. Where the skin had broken, it wasn’t bleeding, but weeping a clear fluid.