My sister-in-law from Qingdao

"Sister-in-law, you can't joke like that. We can't make jokes like that."

My cousin's wife frowned, gave a wry smile, and said, "I feel like I've been going crazy lately."

My cousin's eyes were somewhat vacant; perhaps only I knew how much she was suffering inside.

When her cousin was alive, the two seemed mismatched. But after he passed away, she realized he was her true love.

My cousin is gone. The old folks can't stand him, and neither can our Chenjiatun village.

As our village chief said, now that my cousin is gone, he shouldn't come back.

She is now struggling to walk; it's really tough for her.

My cousin's wife sat in the passenger seat and turned to look at the bleak autumn scenery outside the window.

Suddenly she added, "I've been feeling so tired lately, I just want to lean on someone's shoulder."

Looking at her haggard face and graceful figure, I really wanted to lend her my shoulder to lean on.

"Sister-in-law, if you get tired in the future, just give me a call. Come to our Shuiyunjian restaurant, and I'll drink and sing with you."

I mean it from the bottom of my heart. When someone is really tired, they may need to vent properly.

"Xiao Dong, your cousin is gone, the memorial service for his deceased father-in-law and mother-in-law has been completed, my in-laws can't stand me anymore, and I can never go back to Chenjiatun. From now on, just call me sister."

I nodded solemnly and said, "Sister Xiaoya."

"Wait, what did you just say? You just said that if I ever get tired in the future, I can come to your Shuiyun Pavilion to sing and drink?"

"Yes, things are going well there now, and Brother Zhao Yun is very good to me..."

At this point, I suddenly realized what I had said and quickly shut my mouth.

Su Xiaoya pointed ahead and said in an extremely cold voice, "Chen Dong, pull over to the side of the road."

It was only then that I realized I had talked too much.

Why did I tell her that I work at Shuiyunjian?

I had no choice but to pull over and look at Su Xiaoya with an awkward smile.

"sister."

Su Xiaoya unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the car door, got out, jumped over the ditch, and stopped at the edge of a field where only corn stalks remained.

I hurriedly followed.

She stood on the ridge of the field, the wind blowing across her cheeks, her hair moving with the breeze.

Her eyes were red and full of sadness.

"Sis, what's wrong?"

Su Xiaoya slowly turned around, grabbed my arm, and looked at me with resentment, saying, "Chen Dong, why did you lie to me? Who told you to go to Shuiyunjian? Do you even know what kind of place that is?"

"Sis, I was just kidding. I work at Linglong Drawnwork Co., Ltd., how could I possibly work at a place like Shangshuiyunjian!"

When I was lying, I felt flustered and didn't dare to look Su Xiaoya in the eye.

Su Xiaoya turned around, took out her phone, found Lin Moli's number, and dialed it on speakerphone.

"Xiaoya, what are you busy with? How come you have time to call me?"

Su Xiaoya calmly said, "Jasmine, where did Chen Dong go? I've been calling him but he's not answering."

"He...he...he's in the foreign trade department, right? Or...or you wait a moment, I'll have him call you back?" Lin Moli's voice clearly betrayed a hint of panic.

"Jasmine, aren't we best friends?"

"What are you saying? You're the only friend I've ever had in my life."

"Then why did you lie to me? Was it because Chen Dong wasn't capable enough, or what? Why did you let him go to Shuiyun Pavilion?"

I stood to the side, stamping my feet in frustration, but I couldn't get a word in edgewise.

Even if I were to chime in, what could I possibly say?

Lin Moli fell silent.

"Jasmine, say something! What happened?"

After a few seconds of hesitation, the person on the other end said, "Chen Dong is very talented and has a high level of English. He received a five million yuan order in less than two months, but he still chose to leave."

Do you know why he left?

Lin Moli sighed softly, saying with a hint of helplessness.

How would I know why he left?

"My dear sister, you're a smart person, how could you not understand this? After your husband passed away, Chen Dong was very worried about you. He was afraid that you would be bullied, so he went to Shuiyunjian."

After all, Zhao Yun and a group of capable brothers are in Shuiyun Village. He said that only in this way, only by being with them, can they better protect you.

Upon hearing Lin Moli's words, Su Xiaoya burst into tears.

She wiped her eyes, cleared her throat, and said, "Jasmine, tell me honestly, if Chen Dong were to go back to work now, would you still want him?"

"My dear sister, you are Chen Dong's sister-in-law, and I am Chen Dong's sister. I treat him the same way I treat you, and I welcome him to come over anytime."

Moreover, when he left, I tried repeatedly to persuade him to stay.

"Alright, I got it. I'll take him to you this afternoon. If you two team up to lie to me again, don't pretend you don't know me."

Su Xiaoya hung up the phone and looked at me with tears in her eyes.

"Chen Dong, why did you have to go this far!"

Looking at her frail body trembling slightly in the autumn wind, I felt a pang of sadness.

I really wanted to hold her in my arms, but I just couldn't.

Just then, Su Xiaoya suddenly pounced on me and hugged me tightly, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Little brother, listen to me carefully. Do you know how Chen Fang died? If he hadn't been involved in the underworld, he wouldn't have ended up on this path."

Zhao Yun and his men may seem to be living a glamorous life, but the business they run is not respectable.

I was working as a hostess in there, and you dragged me out, but now you're back in.

"If you still consider me your sister, I'll go with you to Shuiyun Pavilion, explain things to Zhao Yun, leave that place, and then go back to work at Linglong Drawnwork Co., Ltd."

Holding this woman, I felt soft and warm inside, and there was an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

But I really don't want to leave Shuiyunjian.

In the midst of water and clouds, life is unrestrained and carefree.

At Linglong Embroidery Factory, various things were tangled up, making it feel particularly chaotic.

"Sister, Zhao Yun has been very kind to me, so please let me stay there."

Su Xiaoya let go of me, took two steps back, and then raised her hand to tidy her hair.

She looked at me with somewhat unfamiliar eyes and said, "Chen Dong, I am a widow now. You can listen to what I say or not."

If you listen to me and leave Shuiyunjian to go to the drawnwork company, I will still be your sister. But if you stay at Shuiyunjian...

Then we should stop seeing each other.

Don't say I didn't warn you, at Linglong Embroidery Co., Ltd., you are a respected foreign trade employee, respected throughout the company. You can attend the China Import and Export Fair, the Canton Fair, the Frankfurt Fair, the American Market Week, and so on.

But if you stay in Shuiyun, you're just a lackey.

What she said actually makes a lot of sense. I worked so hard to finish four years of university, only to end up working as a security guard at Shuiyunjian.

If my mom found out, she'd probably kill me.

But I really enjoy my current situation, mainly because I want to protect Su Xiaoya.

"Sister, I've been working at Shuiyunjian for a while now. It would be such a shame to leave Brother Zhao Yun if I did."

Su Xiaoya snorted coldly and said, "Fine, then you can go to Shuiyunjian. From today onwards, we'll go our separate ways and not know each other."

After saying that, he turned around and walked onto the road, heading forward alone.