Chapter 756 - 261: You’re Not Taking the College Entrance Exam

"We’ll go home once your fourth brother gets back," Qin Mei said.

Jie Jingshan looked up at Qin Mei, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Qin Mei asked, a little puzzled, "Jing Qi, don’t you want to go home?"

Jie Jingshan hesitated for a moment, then pulled Qin Mei to a stop. "Sister-in-law, my brother wants me to stay in Xiangjiang. Grandpa and Grandma are getting old, and he wants me to..."

"You’re not taking the college entrance exams?" Qin Mei’s voice cracked.

"I want to, but..." Jie Jingshan lowered her head, nervously fiddling with her fingers, and took a deep breath. "My brother said I don’t need to take the college entrance exams."

Qin Mei’s mood instantly soured. ’My brother said, my brother said... Says my ass! Are Jie Jingchen’s words gospel? Does Jing Qi have to listen to every single thing he says?’

Qin Mei was livid, but she fought to suppress it. ’Jing Qi is still young. I can’t get angry at her. It would scare her and might even traumatize her.’

"Sister-in-law." Jie Jingshan tugged on the hem of Qin Mei’s clothes, peering at her with a cautious gaze.

Seeing Jing Qi’s cautious and somewhat fawning expression, Qin Mei felt even more furious. Afraid she might lose control and scare the girl, she took several deep breaths, forced a smile, and softened her voice. "Jing Qi, you go inside. I’m going to the garden for some fresh air."

"Sister-in-law, I’ll go with you," Jie Jingshan said.

"What? Afraid I’ll take my anger out on the flowers in the garden?" The smile on Qin Mei’s face didn’t reach her eyes. ’I won’t take it out on the flowers. I’ll only take it out on Jie Jingchen.’

’No wonder he’s been looking at me so guiltily lately, especially when I used Jing Qi’s college entrance exams as a reason to urge him to return to Huaxia. That guilty, complicated look in his eyes...’ The more Qin Mei thought about it, the angrier she got. ’If he didn’t want Jing Qi to take the exams, he should have just said so!’

’I put so much effort into helping Jing Qi study, not expecting her to be the top scorer, but just hoping she could get into a good university with the best possible grades. And what’s the result? Jie Jingchen won’t let her take the exams, and from the looks of it, Jing Qi has agreed.’

Qin Mei was very curious how Jie Jingchen had managed to brainwash Jing Qi so successfully.

"No, Sister-in-law, I want to be with you." Jie Jingshan lowered her head, too guilty to look at Qin Mei. ’I’ve disappointed my sister-in-law.’

"I don’t need you to accompany me. Your aunt just got out of the hospital. Go keep her company and show her some care." Qin Mei used Xu Jiali as an excuse. ’Since Jing Qi isn’t even taking the exams anymore, can I still tell her to go back to her room and study?’

Jie Jingshan was reluctant, but Qin Mei ignored her and headed for the garden. Jie Jingshan tried to follow.

Qin Mei turned and said sharply, "Don’t follow me."

"Sister-in-law." Jie Jingshan stopped, her eyes red as she stared at Qin Mei’s back. "Sister-in-law, I’m sorry."

"It’s not me you should be sorry to. It’s yourself," Qin Mei couldn’t stop herself from shouting at Jie Jingshan’s back.

In the garden, Qin Mei glared menacingly at a lush, blooming rose. She exuded a dangerous aura that made you want to keep your distance, causing a nearby gardener to want to step forward and save the rose, but he didn’t have the courage.

’The Eldest Young Madam is terrifying today.’

Qin Mei stewed for a long time. It wasn’t that she couldn’t understand; it was precisely because she knew what Jie Jingchen meant that she was even more furious.

In the end, Qin Mei’s vicious hand reached for the rose she had been staring at for so long. ’Thorny roses are just so annoying.’

Qin Mei didn’t pick the flower; she just ripped off the petals.

"Eldest Young Madam, these are all the old madam’s favorite roses," the gardener said, mustering up the courage to remind her, but he didn’t step forward to stop her. ’I don’t dare!’

"Grandma only has eyes for Jiali right now." Qin Mei was cryptically telling the gardener that these roses had fallen out of favor. ’No flower blooms forever. By the time Grandma is in the mood to admire them, these roses will have long since withered. It’s better that I make good use of them while they’re still fresh and let them realize their true value.’

With her ruthless destruction of the flowers, Qin Mei’s hands were soon full. She told the gardener to go find her a basket.

"Eldest Young Madam, the basket is broken, and the butler hasn’t sent anyone to buy a new one yet." The gardener had found the perfect excuse and was admiring his own quick thinking when Qin Mei threatened him.

"I’ll take the broken basket. I’m giving you one minute. If you don’t bring a basket to me, I’ll make you replant this entire garden." With Jie Jingchen not back yet, Qin Mei had no one to vent her anger on. ’And now this gardener has to get on my bad side. If I don’t take it out on him, I’m going to turn into a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.’

The gardener didn’t dare delay. He turned to find a basket, and within a minute, a perfectly intact one appeared before Qin Mei.

"Honestly. You only get things done when you’re threatened," Qin Mei said, taking the basket and not forgetting to mock the gardener.

The gardener was helpless. He stood to the side, monitoring Qin Mei, afraid she would do something more than just ripping off petals.