Chapter 378: Resentment – The Daily Life of the Sickly Aunt in the Courtyard

**Chapter 378: Resentment—The Daily Gossip Life of the Frail Little Sister-in-Law in the Compound**

Over the next few days, Lin Qing was usually escorted around by Mother Cen during the day. Of course, she was more than happy to join.

In just a few short days, she had gobbled up endless gossip—the huge housing complex was her personal melon patch.

For example, this family’s mother-in-law tormented the daughter-in-law, that family’s daughter-in-law mistreated the mother-in-law, another couple were both remarried and the wife had children from a previous marriage, or yet another family grumbled about their husband’s… inadequacies.

Once again, Lin Qing witnessed the sheer variety of human drama during these days.

Mother Cen, after some digging, also got the information she wanted.

Over the years, Staff Officer Sun’s wife had indeed stirred up other families’ drama, making fights worse that could have been resolved peacefully.

It wasn’t like no one had told her to stop interfering before, but she always played the good Samaritan, claiming she only wanted to mediate—never expecting things to get worse.

At first, people didn’t notice anything serious, only noticing something off.

But since those incidents had already passed, even if people knew, they didn’t dwell on it—at most, they’d grumble about her shady motives.

Mother Cen laid out all the facts to Father Cen, whose expression instantly darkened.

“All right, you can leave this matter alone now. I’ll have someone look into it further.”

“Good!” Mother Cen got goosebumps. If this turned out to be true, who would’ve thought someone so seemingly kind-hearted could be a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

Lin Qing and Mother Cen lived for their daily gossip runs. The only unhappy one was Cen Xi.

Stuck at home day after day, he had no choice but to hole up in the study, drowning himself in work.

That night.

“Qing Qing, sweetheart… don’t you think you’ve been a little…”

“A little what?”

“Don’t you feel like you’ve been neglecting me?” Cen Xi’s voice was laced with resentment.

Lin Qing cringed at his whining tone. “Can we talk normally?”

“I *am* talking normally! It’s you who keeps leaving me alone every day, I—”

“Stop, stop, stop!” Lin Qing quickly cut him off.

This was too much. If she listened any longer, she’d start feeling like she’d committed some major, unforgivable crime.

“You could go out more too!”

Cen Xi gave her puppy-dog eyes.

“Ahem…” Lin Qing faltered. “Fine, what do you want?”

A flash of amusement flickered in Cen Xi’s eyes, though his face stayed the same. “You have to compensate me!”

“Fine!”

As soon as she agreed, her instincts screamed danger. She instinctively leaned back slightly, trying to put some distance between them.

But Cen Xi predicted her move. In one swift motion, he pulled her into his arms, buried his face in her neck, and whispered huskily in her ear: “You promised… to make it up to me.”

Lin Qing felt a tickle in her ear and tried to pull away, but Cen Xi didn’t want her to escape—he clamped down on her earlobe.

Lin Qing pushed him slightly, wincing. "Ow—why’d you bite me?"

"Stop squirming! Qing Qing, don’t, okay?" His voice was husky and captivating.

Lin Qing couldn’t take it anymore and gave him an irritated look.

But to Cen Xi, that look came off as adorably pouty, sending a jolt through him. He leaned down and kissed her.

That night, Lin Qing paid the price—unsurprisingly, she overslept the next morning.

Cen Xi’s mom saw him coming downstairs grinning like an idiot, but noticed no one behind him. “Where’s Qing Qing? Where’s my daughter-in-law?”

Cen Xi cleared his throat, sheepish, his smile fading slightly. “She’s still asleep. Let her rest a bit longer.”

Cen Xi’s mom instantly got it, then scowled at him. “What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know your wife isn’t feeling well? You should cut her some slack instead of wearing her out. So irresponsible!”

Cen Xi felt guilty—last night had definitely been too much. “It won’t happen again!”

“Hmph! Better not! Don’t overdo it—you’ve got to know when to stop.” Her eyes shot pointedly at his hips, her meaning clear: You’ll wear yourself out!

Cen Xi groaned inwardly, completely helpless. *Do you even remember you’re my mom? What kind of mother thinks like this about her own son?*

“Alright, alright, I get it. Just stop already,” Cen Xi quickly interrupted her absurd assumptions.

“Oh? Well, you better remember—I *am* a military doctor. I know more than you do about this.”

Cen Xi rolled his eyes internally. *I’ve never met a mom who hopes her son gets worn out!*

Lin Qing slept until mid-morning. Cen Xi’s mom didn’t go out either; she and Cen Xi spent the time killing it with TV in the living room.

When Lin Qing finally woke up and checked the time, her cheeks flamed.

*Such a jerk!*

By the time she came downstairs, her face had calmed down.

“Qing Qing!” Cen Xi’s mom had been glancing at the stairs and finally caught sight of her.

“Mom!” Lin Qing’s ears turned red again.

His mom tugged Lin Qing onto the couch. “You… why do you always let this boy have his way?” She shot Cen Xi a dirty look.

Cen Xi scratched his neck, looking guilty.

Lin Qing immediately understood her mother-in-law’s meaning, and her face flared red all over again.

“Mom, you’re making her blush. Stop talking about it.”

Cen Xi’s mom saw her daughter-in-law’s flushed face and stopped herself. “Fine, fine. But Qing Qing, sometimes you really shouldn’t give in so easily. Put your foot down once in a while.”

“Mom—”

“I said just one sentence. Done.”

Lin Qing ducked her head, embarrassed.

“Qing Qing, eat something first,” Cen Xi’s mom said gently, then turned to her son with a stern look. “Go grab your wife’s food already!”

"I'm going, I'm going." Cen Xi knew he was the unwanted one and quickly darted into the kitchen.

Lin Qing still felt a bit embarrassed. Cen's mother patted the back of her hand. "Go on!"

"Okay!" Lin Qing got up and headed to the dining table.

"Qing Qing, here's the porridge I made this morning, and some egg pancakes!"

"Okay!" Lin Qing said cheerfully but gave him a mock-stern look.

Cen Xi knew it was his fault and had no choice but to take his wife's glare without daring to talk back.

Maybe from being worn out the night before, Lin Qing had an especially big appetite today, eating almost double her usual amount.