Chapter 45 Settling Accounts (Note: Entire Chapter About the Eldest Sister, No Main Plot)

Chapter 45: Settling Scores (Note: This chapter focuses entirely on Jin Hui's storyline, with no main plot progression.)

Zhao Pin returned home without a single copper coin to his name.

He sat alone in his room for a long time.

In the evening, Qiao Zhi and Xian Yu burst in, chattering. Zhao Pin stood up and patiently urged them to wash their hands and change clothes, then brought some pastries from the kitchen to tide them over.

Xian Yu, carefree and oblivious, waved a stick he had picked up on the road like a sword, whooping and making everyone's ears ring.

Qiao Zhi took a few bites of pastry and looked at her father with some confusion, asking, "Daddy, have you been crying?"

Zhao Pin smiled. "Not at all. I just got a bit of dust in my eyes in the yard earlier."

Qiao Zhi put down her pastry, wiped her hands, gently held open her father's eyelid, and carefully blew on it. "Is that better?"

Zhao Pin pinched the little girl's rosy cheek and smiled. "Much better. Daddy isn't sad anymore."

Qiao Zhi then sat back with a smile and continued eating her pastry.

When Jin Hui returned, it was almost dark. Zhao Pin poured water for her to wash her hands.

Jin Hui glanced at his clothes and asked, "Did you go out today?"

Zhao Pin nodded. "I went back to see my father."

Jin Hui tsked. "They're not good to you, so why do you keep going back there?"

Zhao Pin gave a weak smile and rubbed the back of his head. Jin Hui glared at him.

That night, as the couple lay in bed, Jin Hui, drowsy, felt her hand gently held by a warm, large hand.

Jin Hui murmured drowsily, "What is it?"

Thinking she was already asleep, Zhao Pin quickly let go and said softly, "It's nothing. Sleep well."

Jin Hui muttered something, reached out, grabbed Zhao Pin's hand he'd pulled away, and closed her eyes again. Zhao Pin didn't dare move until his wife's breathing became deep and steady in sleep. Only then did he relax his tense arm, gently holding her hand in return, not letting go all night.

The next morning, after breakfast and paying their respects, Jin Hui went out to the clinic.

Zhao Pin went to the storeroom, retrieved the bundle hidden in the corner, hoisted it onto his back, and prepared to leave as soon as he stepped out.

But as soon as he pulled the door open, he found Jin Hui standing outside with a stern face, frowning deeply as she stared at him.

Zhao Pin was startled but offered a gentle smile. "Why are you back? Did you forget something?"

Jin Hui's gaze lingered on the bundle behind him before she looked up and asked, "What is that?"

Zhao Pin said, "My father has some work for me to help with. I'm bringing an old robe and tools to do the job."

Jin Hui squinted. "You're lying."

Zhao Pin wanted to retort, but the lie he had just told his wife already filled him with guilt and unease. He couldn't get a word out.

Jin Hui said, "Did you think I wouldn't notice anything, that you could keep hiding it from me forever?"

Zhao Pin looked at her and shook his head.

Jin Hui asked, "How did you actually hurt your face before? And your hand?"

Zhao Pin's lips moved, but before he could answer, Jin Hui pressed on, "And what about the injury on your back?"

Zhao Pin said in surprise, "How did you know?"

Jin Hui's eyes reddened. "You toss and turn in your sleep, calling out in pain. I've been waiting for you to tell me yourself. Zhao Pin, do you even see me as your closest person? Why won't you tell me anything?"

Zhao Pin panicked. He had never seen his wife like this and quickly raised his hand to wipe her tears. But his hands were dirty, so he tried to use his sleeve, which had just gathered dust in the storeroom. He stood there helplessly until Jin Hui took a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to him. He hastily wiped his hands on his lapel, took the handkerchief, and carefully dried his wife's tears.

"I'm sorry," Zhao Pin apologized hoarsely. "I didn't think things through properly. I've made you worry about me."

*Smack!* Jin Hui swatted his hand away and glared at him through tear-filled eyes. "Even now you're saying things like that?"

Zhao Pin hurriedly said, "That's not what I meant—"

Jin Hui cut him off. "When we first married, you asked me more than once why I agreed to this match. I joked that since no one else was willing, I had to choose you. Did you actually believe that?"

Zhao Pin shook his head. "How could I? I'm not a fool. How could I take such a joke seriously!"

Jin Hui pressed further. "Then tell me, why did I agree to our marriage back then?"

Zhao Pin's lips moved, but no words came out.

Tears welled up in Jin Hui's eyes, as if her heart were breaking.

Zhao Pin's heart clenched. Without another thought, he said, "Because you liked me!"

Hearing this, Jin Hui was stunned for a moment. Then she began pounding Zhao Pin's shoulders with her fists. "If you knew, why did you treat me like an outsider? Why didn't you think to let us face things together?"

Zhao Pin lowered his head, bitterly. "The Zhao family is a bottomless pit. I didn't want to drag you into it."

Jin Hui clutched his hand. "You didn't want to drag me in, so you expected me to stand by and watch you being tormented by that inhuman father of yours as if nothing was happening?"

Zhao Pin's eyes also reddened. He whispered, "Jin Hui..."

Jin Hui took a step forward, face to face. "Zhao Pin, tell me, are you still holding onto hope that your father and stepmother will accept you?"

Zhao Pin shook his head. "Qiao Zhi and Xian Yu are already so grown. How could I still be so confused and foolish?"

Jin Hui asked, "Then why are you still trying to satisfy that bottomless pit?"

His face fell, and Zhao Pin's expression was pained. Jin Hui squeezed his hand tighter, her expression growing cold. "If you won't tell me this time, I'll never ask again."

Zhao Pin didn't dare hide it any longer. With red eyes, he said, "My father said if I don't meet his demands, he'll bring people here to cause trouble."

Jin Hui was taken aback. "Just because of that?"

Zhao Pin looked utterly ashamed. "The Li family is a family of respected physicians. So many people respect Old Dr. Li's character. I'm already good for nothing—how could I let myself tarnish the Li family's reputation!"

Jin Hui cursed. "You fool! Are you really going to swallow your pride just for the sake of face? I was polite to him because he raised you and put you through school. It's only right for children to support their parents in return, but if he thinks he can exploit you without limits, I won't allow it!"

"Besides, what kind of people your parents are is common knowledge around here. Our Li family conducts charity clinics every year and gives away countless medicines. Our reputation isn't so easily tarnished."

Jin Hui snatched the bundle from Zhao Pin's back, opened it, and searched through it. Her eyes widened, and her hands trembled. She looked at Zhao Pin in disbelief. "You... you went to the rocky riverbed in the western suburbs?"

Zhao Pin didn't dare hide it anymore and could only nod.

In that instant, Jin Hui's face was wet with tears.

Zhao Pin's heart clenched. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his wife's shoulders, but Jin Hui struggled relentlessly, hammering his chest with her fists. She was never a weak woman, and though Zhao Pin's chest throbbed with pain, he didn't let go.

Jin Hui cried and scolded him, "You fool, you madman! If anything happened to you, how would the children and I live?"

Jin Hui was shaken and cried for a long time. Zhao Pin repeatedly apologized and tried to comfort her.

After a while, Jin Hui stopped crying, pushed him away, and planted her hands on her hips. "Were all the injuries on your body from the riverbank?"

Zhao Pin gave a nod.

Jin Hui's heart squeezed. She gently touched Zhao Pin's back and asked, "What about the jade you picked? Did you give it to your father?"

Zhao Pin said, "No..." He looked even more ashamed than before and explained in a low voice why he'd risked going to pick the jade.

After hearing this, Jin Hui flushed crimson with anger. "How dare he take your money!"

She grabbed Zhao Pin by the ear and marched him outside. "Let's go find that old man. You get all the jade you gave him back. If he dares not return it, tell him I, Li Jinhui, will sue them until they land in jail!"

Zhao Pin let himself be led out by Jin Hui. He wasn't angry or annoyed, nor did he feel embarrassed. He obediently followed her out the door. Only after they had walked a distance did Jin Hui let go and rub his ear.

The two went to the decorated gateway in the bustling market. Jin Hui waited at the intersection, watching as Zhao Pin went to find the person.

After about fifteen minutes, Zhao Pin came out.

Jin Hui asked, "Well?"

Zhao Pin handed her a cloth bundle. Having worn jade since childhood, Jin Hui could tell at a glance that it was a valuable piece of good jade.

She wrapped the jade and stuffed it back into Zhao Pin's arms, asking, "What about the rest?"

Zhao Pin said, "He sold it all. The money from the sale... was gone for good."

Jin Hui flicked his forehead but said nothing, then grabbed his hand and started walking.

Zhao Pin followed her and asked, "Where are we going?"

Jin Hui said, "Home." She sneered, "Isn't your father planning to make a scene at our house? I'll bring people over and confront him first!"

Zhao Pin let out an "Ah!" Jin Hui turned to look at him. "Having second thoughts?"

Zhao Pin quickly shook his head. "Since we're bringing people, should we go to the clinic first and get Jin Feng to come home?"

Jin Hui finally showed a hint of a smile. "You know what's right."

So the couple first went to the clinic and brought Eldest Brother home.

Jin Hui hesitated about whether to call a few shop hands but worried that Zhao Pin might feel embarrassed. If the shop hands found out, he might not dare come to the clinic again, so she held her tongue.

Once home, Jin Hui explained everything to her mother and called everyone together.

Madam Li was just as furious.

Zhao Pin felt guilty and stood there with his head bowed. Madam Li grabbed her son-in-law's hand and said, "Who in this family has ever treated you as an outsider? Our own child suffered such great injustice, and I, as a mother, knew nothing about it. Did you mean to make this old lady sad?"

Zhao Pin felt even more ashamed and apologized over and over to Madam Li.

Meanwhile, Jin Hui was already taking stock of their numbers.

She calculated, "Jin Feng, that's one."

Eldest Brother nodded.

Jin Hui then looked at Li Jintong. The second young master had just stepped forward when she shoved him aside and pulled Jian Ru, who was next to him, asking, "Will you go with your big sister?"

Jian Ru pushed up his sleeves, eyes gleaming. "Yes!"

Jin Hui pinched his cheek. "Big sister didn't spoil you for nothing."

Then, she looked at Granny Jin and said, "We'll have to trouble you to come along too."

Granny Jin said readily, "I'll call those two servant women too. Us old sisters haven't stretched our legs in a while."

Jin Hui smiled gratefully.

Qing Lan stepped forward. "I'll go too."

Jin Hui stopped her. "Qing Lan, you've just recovered. If those troublemakers from the Zhao family upset you, it could set you back. You and Jin Rong stay home and watch the house."

Madam Li looked around the room and frowned. "No good. It's all women and boys here. If a fight breaks out, we might not win. Have Xiao Ning ride to your second uncle's place and bring their eldest and second sons."

Jin Hui said, "Alright, let's do that." Their family and Second Uncle's had always helped each other, with no keeping score between them, so there was no need to feel awkward.

Jian Ru hurried to arrange it.

The whole family had lunch together and waited a while longer until the courtyard gate sounded—Xiao Ning had returned with the others.

Everyone exchanged greetings indoors, drank tea, and rested a moment.

Jin Hui got to her feet with a wave. "Let's go, to the Zhao family!"