Chapter 384: Chapter 383 Conflict
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When Wu Minqi brought over the Sweet and Sour Yam fresh out of the pot that Jiang Feng had just made, she felt the atmosphere was a bit delicate.
Although four people seemed to be eating, Jiang Zaidi and Jiang Shoucheng were gobbling down their food with gusto, which could be ignored, but the two sisters Ji Yue and Ji Xia, who were both drinking porridge, looked somewhat odd.
The two sisters didn’t touch the dishes, they just silently drank their porridge.
“Sweet and Sour Yam, just out of the pot. Eat it while it’s hot,” Wu Minqi said as she placed the Sweet and Sour Yam on the table and sat down next to Ji Xue.
Ji Xue thought her slow eating was holding everyone up, so she hurriedly picked up her bowl to gulp down her Eight Treasure Porridge.
“We’ve only just opened for the day and there aren’t many customers, so I came up to eat. Xue, don’t rush, take your time. Do you not like these dishes? I notice your sister hasn’t eaten much,” Wu Minqi asked.
It wasn’t just that Ji Xia hadn’t eaten much, Wu Minqi didn’t even see any soup or bones in her plate, she even suspected that Ji Xia hadn’t touched the dishes at all.
“Xiaxia is shy, maybe she’s just embarrassed,” Ji Xue said quietly, glancing at the expressionless Ji Xia. “Xiaxia, don’t you love sweet things? Sweet and Sour Yam is sweet, do you want me to get some for you?”
Ji Xia remained silent.
Ji Xue took her silence as agreement and carefully picked a piece of Sweet and Sour Yam for Ji Xia, reminding her to be careful not to burn her tongue as she ate.
By the time Wu Minqi arrived, Ji Xia was almost full, so she just finished the porridge in her bowl and quickly ate the Sweet and Sour Yam that Ji Xue had given her, then put down her chopsticks and continued to sit silently with her head bowed, lost in thought.
Wu Minqi didn’t eat much either, having only half a bowl of Eight Treasure Porridge, since she knew she would have another bowl of Jiang Feng’s Noodle pulling when she got home; a light dinner would suffice.
If Ji Xue hadn’t come back today, Wu Minqi wouldn’t have even drunk the porridge this evening.
“Xue, what about your sister later? Are you going to send her home first, or let her stay here? Should I go get a tablet for her to play with?” Wu Minqi asked.
“She…”
“I can help,” Ji Xia suddenly raised her head and spoke up loudly, her voice was clear but slightly husky, probably because she hadn’t spoken loudly for a long time.
“Help with what?” Ji Xue responded.
“I can sweep, wipe tables, I can also chop vegetables,” said Ji Xia, looking up, allowing Wu Minqi to fully see her face for the first time.
Phoenix eyes, willow eyebrows.
The first thing that came to Wu Minqi’s mind was “A pair of phoenix eyes, two curved willow eyebrows.”
But unlike Wang Xifeng, who had a delicate face revealing a spring-like tenderness and a smile that could be sensed even before her lips parted, Ji Xia’s face was wooden, with no expression on her face, not even a flicker in her eyes, like a pool of still water that even a stone thrown into wouldn’t cause more than a few negligible ripples.
In Wu Minqi’s opinion, Ji Xia had the kind of appearance she really liked.
Well-defined facial features, sharp and even fierce, with hair even longer than the dolls displayed in department store windows, she had an aloof and even cold expression, as if she could slip on a helmet, grab a spear, mount a horse and go to battle the next second, much like a female general from the comics.
Such a distinct and unique face, combined with Ji Xia’s abysmal academic performance, if she were to get into a couple of school fights and be more unruly, it would quite match the persona of a rebellious teenage girl.
“Don’t be wilful anymore, this is a restaurant and everyone has their own tasks. There are others to sweep, to wipe tables, and to chop vegetables. I’m taking you home now,” said Ji Xue.
“And then what, sit in your room doing nothing just like at school and at home, being useless, eating but not doing anything?” Ji Xia looked at Ji Xue.
“Then I’ll find a university student to tutor you. If there’s no after-school teacher in town, I’ll look for one here. You stay at home and study well. I’ve asked Mrs. Fan, she said we can find a way for you to take the middle school entrance exam again. You stay home and study, prepare for next year’s exam, get into a good high school, then college, and find a good job. Then you won’t suffer as I do; you can live a steady life,” Ji Xue said.
Listening to Ji Xue, Ji Xia felt an unprecedented irritation.
She heard this speech many times a year, from listening to Ji Xue, to their mother, to their grandmother, and even to their aunt. She was tired of hearing them repeat over and over, putting all their hopes, their thoughts, their love onto her shoulders alone.
“Xiaxia, in this life, your sister ended up being dragged down by me and your dad. Your parents are worthless, useless people, and because of us burdens, your sister has to live like this. Our family only has you now; your sister works hard and suffers on the outside all for you. You must study hard, go to a good university, get a good job, and make all the years of your sister’s hardship worthwhile,” they would say.
“Xiaxia, is Xue not coming home again for Mid-Autumn Festival this year? Ah, it’s really tough on Xue. Xiaxia, you must study hard, get into a good university and make your grandmother happy. As long as you are fine, that’s all grandma needs to be happy,” they would say.
“Xiaxia, I heard from your mom that you fought in school and got a disciplinary action? Why are you such a worry, making your sister stress so much? Your uncle went to talk to the teachers at school, and from now on you can’t be like this anymore. Your aunt knows you’re not a bad kid, but you’re old enough to be sensible. We’re all counting on you to go to a good university, don’t disappoint your parents or your sister,” they would say.
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“Xiaxia…”
“Xiaxia.”
Ji Xia clenched her fists.
It was always the same, forever the same.
Her family had long ceased to be normal, and it could never be normal again. But it seemed as if, as long as she lived the way they wanted, following the path they had planned for her, her family would be happy and fulfilled.
How could that be possible?
How could a normal family be overwhelmed by debts, how could a normal family have a father who could do nothing but lie in bed waiting to die, how could a normal family have a mother whose hair had turned white from constant tears, how could a normal family have a sister who had to go work without even finishing junior high, how could a normal family have a younger sister who was cursed by her own grandmother as a jinx, who should have been abandoned at birth.
Her family had long been abnormal, so why did everyone want her to live a normal life?
“Do you think that’s possible?” Ji Xia looked at Ji Xue, trying to shake her awake and tell her to stop dreaming.
“Do we have money? Barely any students from our town’s high school make it to university each year, not to mention my grades. Do you really think I can get into a university?”
Ji Xue was stunned.
“Xiaxia, as long as you…” Ji Xue wanted to tell Ji Xia that as long as she worked hard, she would certainly be able to do it.
But she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
It was as if the bubble of fantasy she had been weaving with effort over the years had finally been burst by Ji Xia.
Ji Xia had grown up.
She had started to have her own ideas.
It was time for her to face reality too.
Her family had never been just any ordinary family, once it had been, but not since ten years ago. Neither she nor Ji Xia could possibly live the life of ordinary people, at least not for now.
Jiang Zaidi and Jiang Shoucheng had the Sweet and Sour Yam in their mouths for at least half a minute by now.
They had thought they were just picking someone up for a meal to improve their diet, but before they had enough to eat, they were already stuffed with melons.
Their expressions were nearly identical to those Jiang Feng and Sir had when they tasted the years-old melon at Jiang Weiming’s house during the New Year’s celebrations.
They looked impressed but were too afraid to speak.
“Sister, stop dreaming. It’s impossible,” Ji Xia said as she looked at Ji Xue. “I can’t live a normal person’s life.”
Wu Minqi, also overwhelmed with melons: …
Although she had indeed consumed a lot of melons in secret over the years, the one suddenly forced into her mouth today was indeed quite awkward to digest.
“Xue, why don’t you go home first and keep your sister company? Have a good talk with her,” Wu Minqi suggested.
“But I…”
“It’s okay, you go ahead. We can handle the back kitchen,” Wu Minqi said with a smile. “Fengfeng and I will come over after we finish work tonight.”
Wu Minqi glanced at Ji Xia, giving her a gentle smile: “Studying may be the most normal and safest path, but it has never been the only path. I withdrew from university this year because for me, I had better options available.”
“But first, you need to know what you want to do. Go back and have a good talk with your sister. Xue might not say it, but she really cares about you. All of us colleagues can see that.”
“I’m going to get busy now,” Wu Minqi waved to the sisters as she left.