Qin Mei smiled but said nothing. In the past, she had to fight her battles alone, racking her brain to handle everything. Now, with Jie Jingchen helping her, she was happy to take it easy.

Qin Xiang was about to ask more when Granny and Grandpa led Jie Anlin into the courtyard. Seeing Jie Jingchen at home, Granny looked a little surprised. "Jing Si, didn’t you go to work?" she asked.

"My brother-in-law is here. I took the day off to pick him up from the train station," Jie Jingchen replied.

"Your brother-in-law?" Granny and Grandpa were taken aback and looked at Qin Xiang in unison. He bore a strong resemblance to Qin Mei. Remembering the favor they needed from Qin Mei, Granny treated Qin Xiang with rare enthusiasm. "So, it’s our dear brother-in-law! Welcome, welcome! Old man, hurry up and make some tea for him."

"There’s no need to go to the trouble, we have tea." Qin Xiang pointed to the enamel mug on the stone table. He then looked at Jie Jingchen, his eyes asking, ’Who are these two?’

"My Grandpa and Granny," Jie Jingchen said coolly. He was very displeased, having already guessed that Granny had brought Jie Anlin over for Qin Mei to treat his "hidden illness."

"Oh, so you’re Grandpa and Granny. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Qin Mei’s older brother, Qin Xiang. You can just call me Qin Xiang." He quickly stood up, pulled two red envelopes from his pocket, and handed one to each of them. "I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I didn’t get a chance to buy anything. This is just a little something for our first meeting. Please, accept it."

Grandpa started to refuse, but Granny stopped him. She never turned down a red envelope from a junior paying their respects. ’Qin Xiang is so much more sensible than Qin Mei,’ she thought. ’Qin Mei never gave us a greeting gift.’ "We’re all family," Granny said, "so we won’t stand on ceremony with you."

"Of course," Qin Xiang replied with an agreeable smile.

Not one to forget her favorite grandson when there were benefits to be had, Granny pushed Jie Anlin, who was standing beside her, toward Qin Xiang. "Xiao Xiang," she introduced, "this is Jing Si’s cousin, Jie Anlin."

Qin Xiang immediately understood Granny’s intention. To back his younger sister up, he took another red envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Jie Anlin. "Hello, Cousin. This is a little something for our first meeting. Please accept it."

No one says no to money. Jie Anlin accepted it without any fuss, taking the red envelope and putting it in his pocket. None of them opened their envelopes on the spot.

Granny was filled with regret. ’If I’d known there were red envelopes to be had, I should have called An Lin’s wife over. Better yet, I should have called my second son and his wife, and An Xin and An Hao, and...’

Qin Mei watched as Qin Xiang handed out three red envelopes, taking in the naked greed in Granny’s eyes. ’She’s treating my brother like a cash cow.’

"Granny, gift-giving is a two-way street," Jie Jingchen said, brazen enough to ask for a gift on Qin Xiang’s behalf. "Aren’t you, Grandpa, and Cousin going to give my brother-in-law a greeting gift?"

Granny froze, shooting her grandson a resentful glare. "You didn’t tell us your brother-in-law was coming. We haven’t prepared a gift."

’It’s not like it’s New Year’s or some other holiday,’ she fumed internally. ’I’m not giving Qin Xiang a red envelope.’

"It’s not too late to prepare one now," Jie Jingchen said.

"Jing Si," Qin Xiang started, trying to stop him.

Jie Jingchen shot him a look, and Qin Xiang fell silent.

Granny gritted her teeth. Grandpa, however, just smiled and said, "We’ll get them ready. I’ll go prepare them now."

"Grandpa, you should prepare an extra one. You and Granny still haven’t given Qin Mei her greeting gift," Jie Jingchen added, not forgetting to demand an envelope for his wife.

Granny glared at Jie Jingchen. Grandpa hesitated for a second, then nodded with a chuckle. "Right, right, we do need to prepare an extra one. Your Granny and I are getting on in years, and our memories aren’t what they used to be. We would have completely forgotten if you hadn’t reminded us."

Whether they had actually forgotten or had simply never intended to give one in the first place, only they knew for sure.

Jie Jingchen didn’t call them out on it. ’If they hadn’t taken Qin Xiang’s envelopes, I wouldn’t have said a thing,’ he thought. ’But since they took them, I have to ask for some in return. They can’t just take without giving.’

"Grandpa, my dad gave Qin Mei a thousand for her greeting gift, and my mom gave her a savings passbook. I didn’t see how much was in it," Jie Jingchen mentioned. He appeared to be speaking to Grandpa, but his words were really for Granny.

"What? A thousand?" Granny was aghast. ’Her eldest is so generous to his son’s wife, giving her a thousand! He’s never given *us* that much in one go.’ "What kind of greeting gift costs a thousand? Even the betrothal gift wasn’t that high!"

"I’m not asking you to give a thousand. How much you give is a reflection of your goodwill," Jie Jingchen said, pausing deliberately before adding, "It’s just that... the extent of your goodwill might affect Qin Mei’s motivation, you see?"

"What motivation?" Granny asked.

"The motivation to treat our dear cousin’s ’hidden illness’." A knowing smile spread across Jie Jingchen’s handsome face, and the look he gave Granny was heavy with implication.