Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

”Jing Qi, why are you asking that?” Jie Jingchen’s guard went up as he looked at Jie Jingshan.

”N-Nothing.” Jie Jingshan’s gaze darted away. She didn’t dare to look Jie Jingchen in the eye, afraid he would see right through her.

Qin Mei watched Jie Jingshan, who looked every bit a young girl with her first crush, and her heart skipped a beat.

’Oh, heavens! It can’t be what I’m thinking, can it? Jie Jingshan is only fourteen, and Qin Xiang is twenty-five. He’s a full eleven years older than her. I must just have a dirty mind and be overthinking things.’

’Jie Jingshan’s feelings for Qin Xiang are just admiration—the way a younger sister admires an older brother. It couldn’t possibly be...’

Qin Mei shook her head abruptly, forcing herself to stop. ’Stop. I can’t think about this anymore.’

Jie Jingchen stared coldly at Jing Qi, his eyes devoid of mercy. His tone was unreadable. ”The child bride story is true.”

A flash of panic crossed Jie Jingshan’s eyes, and her voice grew urgent. ”Sister-in-law said it was fake.”

”Your sister-in-law has amnesia; she’s forgotten. Qin Xiang has complained to me about the child bride before, so I know the most about it. His decision to call his commanding officer and apply for marriage wasn’t a sudden whim. It was carefully considered. We talked about it last night. I gave him a little nudge, but he was still hesitant and couldn’t make up his mind. It was only after Granny pressured him that he finally decided,” Jie Jingchen said in a low voice.

Jie Jingshan bit her lip. Her fair, flawless face turned a little pale, and the rims of her eyes reddened. But she stubbornly held back, refusing to let the tears fall.

Qin Mei said nothing, quietly watching the scene unfold. She knew for a fact that Jie Jingchen hadn’t gone into Qin Xiang’s room after he returned. Jie Jingchen must have seen Jing Qi’s feelings for Qin Xiang. He was nipping this crush in the bud, severing the nascent threads of affection before they could grow.

At Jing Qi’s age, she should be focusing on her studies and trying to get into university, not getting tied down by romance. Qin Mei supported Jie Jingchen’s actions. It was too early for love. After she finished her education, whether she wanted to start a family or build a career first would be her decision to make. No one would be able to control Jing Qi then.

She recalled the Jing Qi of the future—unmarried, with no children. She remembered an interview where a reporter had asked her if she had ever met a man who made her heart flutter, a man she wanted to marry. Jing Qi’s answer was a firm, ”Yes.” Her eyes held a complex look of regret, the kind of regret for something you longed for but could never have.

’Could it be...’ Qin Mei ventured a bold guess. ’The man who changed Jing Qi was Qin Xiang. The man who inspired her to pull herself together was Qin Xiang. With her disabled legs, even if she loved him, she wouldn’t have dared to show it. She could only bury it deep in her heart, pouring all her energy into her career, just so she could feel worthy of being near him.’

Qin Xiang... the military...

Qin Mei tried hard to remember, especially anything about National Day, the military parades...

Qin Mei had never seen Qin Xiang on television. A bitter smile touched her lips. If Qin Xiang had appeared on screen, that would have meant...

Wait. Qin Mei’s body jolted. She remembered. She had seen Qin Xiang’s name—at the martyrs’ cemetery.

The soldiers who defended the nation with their flesh and blood deserved all respect and admiration.

Every year on the Qingming Festival, her grandfather would take the whole family to the martyrs’ cemetery to pay their respects and commemorate the revolutionary forebears. Without their sacrifices, how could the country have prospered?

Qin Xiang had died in the line of duty.

Qin Mei’s breath caught in her throat. In an instant, it was as if a basin of ice-cold water had been poured over her head, and a chill spread through her entire body.

A wave of inexplicable grief washed over her, hitting with a force that caught her completely off guard. This grief did not come from her.

Her nose stung, and something welled up in her eyes. Qin Mei mechanically raised a hand and stared at the moisture on her smooth fingertip. It was a tear. She was crying.

’No, this isn’t my emotion. These aren’t my tears. They belong to the original owner of this body.’

Qin Mei tried to seize the opportunity, to probe this wave of emotion for some of the original owner’s memories, but unfortunately, she failed.

”Ugh...” A splitting headache made Qin Mei groan.

”Meimei.” Jie Jingchen noticed something was wrong. He pulled her trembling body into a tight embrace, the anger in his eyes replaced by worry. ”Meimei, what’s wrong?”

”I’m cold,” Qin Mei’s voice trembled. The thought that Qin Xiang was going to die made it so hard to breathe that she felt she was suffocating.

An image of Qin Xiang appeared in her mind: his gentle smile, like a spring breeze; his gaze, full of affection and tenderness. Qin Xiang was genuinely, wholeheartedly good to his little sister.

When he learned she had amnesia, he didn’t try to jog her memory by talking about their childhood. Instead, he was careful and considerate of her feelings.

’My arrival cured Jing Qi’s legs and changed the course of her life. So, can I change Qin Xiang’s destiny too? Can I stop him from dying?’