Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

”I reminded you something was wrong with her.” Jie Jingchen hadn’t told Qin Xiang that Qin Mei had amnesia, mainly because he didn’t know how to explain it. He bore an undeniable responsibility for her memory loss.

Qin Xiang sized up Qin Mei. ”She isn’t missing any arms or legs, so what’s wrong with her? Don’t tell me it’s her brain?”

Jie Jingchen nodded. Amnesia was a problem with the brain.

With a vacant expression, Qin Mei stood perfectly still. To Qin Xiang, she looked dazed and simple-minded. He exploded in anger, grabbing Jie Jingchen by the collar and demanding, ”Has my little sister turned into an idiot?”

Jie Jingchen was exasperated. ”Did she act like an idiot just now?” he retorted.

Recalling the scene, Qin Xiang still felt a lingering fear. ”Sharp reflexes, swift movements... Wait. My little sister is so delicate she can’t even carry her own bags. When did she learn skills like that?”

Jie Jingchen was also puzzled. ’She was supposed to be illiterate, but it turns out she’s quite learned. She was supposed to be useless, but her medical skills are superb, and she’s an expert in both Chinese and Western medicine. Just how many more secrets is Qin Mei hiding?’

’There’s no rush. They have time. He can slowly uncover her potential.’

Jie Jingchen raised a hand and rubbed his brow. ”She has amnesia.”

”What?” Qin Xiang was stunned. There was a difference between having amnesia and being an idiot, but amnesia wasn’t good either. How could this have happened? ”Jie Jingchen, what on earth did you do to my sister?”

Qin Xiang couldn’t accept it. Because his sister had drugged Jie Jingchen and they had slept together, Jie Jingchen had been forced to marry her. He knew what kind of character his own sister had. Plus, this was her second marriage—she didn’t deserve Jie Jingchen at all.

He had been too ashamed to face Jie Jingchen. It had taken him almost a year to work up the courage to come to Shijiu City to see his best friend and check on how his sister was doing after the wedding. He’d already made up his mind: even if his best friend was mistreating his sister, he would choose justice over family, side with his friend, and give his sister a good talking-to.

’My sister really went too far. She’d confess to any man she liked, and if he rejected her, she wouldn’t give up. If he still wouldn’t give in, she’d drug him. And she did it to Jie Jingchen, my best friend! I’m too ashamed to even face him!’

’But she was the little sister he’d spoiled rotten since they were kids, and he had to keep spoiling her, no matter the cost.’ And so, he had come.

”She’s my wife. What do you think I could possibly do to her?” Jie Jingchen shot back, annoyed. He still wasn’t used to his best friend, his sworn brother, being his brother-in-law.

Qin Xiang stared, stunned. His almond-shaped eyes, often described as charming, narrowed as he studied Jie Jingchen. ”You’ve actually accepted that she’s your wife?”

Qin Xiang knew his best friend all too well. Jie Jingchen was proud and unyielding; the more you forced him, the more he would resist. Even though he’d been forced to marry Qin Xiang’s sister, with his personality, he would never treat her well. From what he knew of Jie Jingchen, he would have absolutely tossed her into some forgotten corner to live or die on her own.

When their family found out she had drugged Jie Jingchen, they were ashamed of her behavior and deeply disappointed. They had all hardened their hearts and ignored her. Now, almost a year later, their anger had subsided, and they were starting to feel sorry for her. Since he and Jie Jingchen were brothers and could talk easily, he had come to Shijiu City to represent the whole family.

If his sister was just getting by, her family wouldn’t interfere. If she wasn’t doing well, he would step in, make them divorce, and let Jie Jingchen off the hook. It would be a good deed, and he would take his sister home.

’His sister’s reputation back in the village... Sigh. It’s a long story. What’s one more stain on her name?’

Jie Jingchen didn’t answer with words, but with action. He walked over to Qin Mei and intimately wrapped his arm around her slender waist, leaving no space between their bodies.

Qin Mei was still processing everything. Startled for a moment by Jie Jingchen’s sudden intimacy, she went with it and rested her head on his chest.

”Hey, hey! My eyes! Could you two be a little more discreet in public?” Qin Xiang exclaimed with great exaggeration, rushing forward to pull them apart.

’This era is so unfair to women. Hugging on the street would get people gossiping. The malicious talk alone would be enough to drown a person.’

’His sister’s reputation was already terrible back in the village; it couldn’t be ruined in Shijiu City, too.’

Forced apart, Qin Mei stood to the side, looking awkward and anxious. ’Facing the original host’s own brother, I feel like a fraud.’ Jie Jingchen didn’t know the original Qin Mei, so there was no risk of being exposed in front of him. But Qin Xiang was different. He was her biological brother and must have known the original host very well. Since she had none of the original’s memories, she couldn’t even pretend.

”Little sis.” Qin Xiang was also fidgeting uncomfortably. He wasn’t used to his sister with amnesia. He was accustomed to the sister who was an expert at sophistry and creating unreasonable scenes. This girl before him felt like a stranger, and that strange newness was frightening.

She looked quiet, obedient, and sensible—the ideal little sister everyone wished for. But Qin Xiang knew perfectly well that his sister was nothing like this.