Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Seeing this, Mrs. Xie quickly reached out to catch him, but missed.

”WAAH, WAH, WAH...” Jie You, hurt and woken up by the fall, burst out crying.

”...” Qin Mei thought. ’I didn’t do it on purpose. I wonder if they’ll believe me.’

Mrs. Xie endured the numbing pain and tried to pick Jie You up.

”Shut up,” Jie Jingshan snapped.

Jie You’s crying stopped abruptly. He sat on the floor, his eyes blurry with tears, and looked pitifully at Jie Jingshan.

”Get up,” Jie Jingshan said, her face stern.

Jie You immediately scrambled up from the floor. He didn’t dare to cry out loud, only letting silent tears stream down his face as he rubbed his sore bottom. He looked utterly wronged.

Qin Mei sighed to herself. ’It’s true what they say, everyone has someone who can keep them in check.’

”Come here and help me up,” Jie Jingshan ordered Jie You.

Jie You cast a pitiful glance at his grandfather, who was slumped over the table asleep. His backer was down for the count. Did he dare disobey? He shuffled toward Jie Jingshan, one step at a time.

Jie You was eight years old. He was shorter than other kids his age, but he weighed twice as much.

”Mom, I’ll take them home first, then come back for you,” Jie Jingchen said.

Mrs. Xie thought for a moment before deciding, ”Put them up in the guesthouse.”

Jie Jingchen had no objections, looking as if his mother’s word was law. The guesthouse was right near the state-run restaurant. Jie Jingchen went to book them a room first, then came back to help the others over. Two waiters from the restaurant helped escort them to the guesthouse.

The car keys were with Mrs. Xie, who handed them to Jie Jingchen.

Xu Chunyan was at the hospital taking care of her mother, but she couldn’t sit still. Feeling uneasy, she waited until her mother was asleep, spoke a word to the nurse, and hurriedly biked home.

Her heart was pounding the whole way. ’If Lin Yaru succeeded, then everything depends on Qiao Yanqiu’s attitude. Xu Chunyan was certain that if forced to choose between her son and her daughter-in-law, Qiao Yanqiu would definitely choose her son.’

’A son is your own flesh and blood. A daughter-in-law is replaceable.’

’Once Qin Mei is driven away, she and Lin Yaru won’t have any conflicts as sisters-in-law. They can join forces and drive out the third brother and his wife. It’s only a matter of time.’

’Then, she and Lin Yaru will be the ones in charge of the entire courtyard home.’

Even if Lin Yaru failed, Xu Chunyan wasn’t afraid. She was sure Lin Yaru wouldn’t betray her. After all, if she did and Xu Chunyan’s family was kicked out, there would be no one left to scheme and create opportunities for Lin Yaru to be with Jing Si.

Lin Yaru wasn’t stupid. She knew that where there’s life, there’s hope.

When Xu Chunyan got home, the main gate was closed. She stopped, got off her bicycle, and tossed it aside. Staring at the closed gate, she wasn’t sure if it was latched from the inside. She raised a hand and gave it a gentle push. The gate swung open with a soft creak.

The sky had darkened, and lights were on in every house, but their courtyard was dark. The other rooms were dark too. Xu Chunyan wondered, ”Where is everyone?”

In the silent courtyard, she suddenly heard the amorous sounds of a man and a woman coming from the main hall. Xu Chunyan’s heart leaped. ’They’re actually doing it in the main hall... They really couldn’t wait.’

A look of contempt flickered in her eyes, but at the same time, she felt a surge of relief. ’Lin Yaru actually succeeded this easily.’

Xu Chunyan had no time to wonder where everyone else had gone. She had to stick to the plan. Next, she would go to the Lin Family’s home and get Lin Yaru’s parents to come and catch them in the act.

Xu Chunyan slipped out of the courtyard without a sound. As she was closing the gate, she heard the man’s voice and it sounded incredibly familiar. Xu Chunyan froze in shock. ’That’s Jie Jingwei’s voice!’

But on second thought, Jie Jingwei was still away on a business trip. ’I must have heard wrong.’

With that thought, Xu Chunyan closed the courtyard gate, her mind at ease, and rode her bicycle toward the Lin Family’s home.

The Lin Family also lived in a small courtyard home, which they shared with another family. The goal was to alert the neighbors and make them sense that something was amiss, all without being too direct.

”Aunt Axiu! Uncle Lin!” Xu Chunyan deliberately shouted from outside the courtyard.

Liu Axiu and Mr. Lin were in the middle of dinner. Hearing Xu Chunyan’s voice, they exchanged a look.

”Old Lin, Second Daughter-in-law Jing is here for us. Do you think it worked? The thing with our daughter and Jing Si?” Liu Axiu asked, hardly daring to believe it.

”It must have,” Mr. Lin replied, a secret thrill running through him. Becoming in-laws with the Jie Family was something he had always dreamed of. Just when he thought all hope was lost, the embers had been rekindled.

Mr. Lin was already imagining the scene: his daughter marrying Jing Si, the Lin and Jie families becoming in-laws, the envious and jealous gazes of everyone around them. He could finally hold his head high. Even the neighbors would have to look up to the Lin Family.

Liu Axiu’s face broke into a wide grin. ”Never mind Doctor Qiao, even that wife Jing Si married is no pushover. For our daughter to succeed on her first try is just incredible.”

”It’s all thanks to Second Daughter-in-law Jing’s help. If she hadn’t worked so tirelessly to help our daughter, how could our girl have possibly achieved her dream?” Mr. Lin said.

”Yes, yes, you’re right. Our whole family must thank Second Daughter-in-law Jing properly.” Liu Axiu’s eyes crinkled with laughter. She nudged Mr. Lin’s shoulder and teased, ”And who was it, I wonder, who was about to chase her out with a broom when she came over to discuss the plan? Saying something about not wanting his own daughter to play with fire and get burned.”

”I was just afraid that if the plot was exposed, our daughter’s reputation would be ruined, and the Lin and Jie families would become enemies,” Mr. Lin said, looking a little embarrassed.

”How can you expect a miracle without a little danger?” Liu Axiu retorted, glaring at Mr. Lin.

”Aunt Axiu! Uncle Lin!” Xu Chunyan yelled at the top of her lungs.

”All right, that’s enough. Go open the gate,” Mr. Lin urged.

Liu Axiu put down her bowl and chopsticks, straightened her clothes, and walked into the courtyard to open the gate, a broad smile on her face. She feigned surprise, asking, ”Oh! Second Daughter-in-law Jing, aren’t you at the hospital looking after your mother? What brings you to our home?”

Xu Chunyan glanced at the neighbor’s house to the right. ”Aunt Axiu, I was just worried about my Xiao You! My mom fell asleep, so I rushed back to check on things. My Jing Er is away on business again, and everyone else has work. Plus, the Fourth Wife of Jing and I are on bad terms, so she’d never help look after Xiao You. I had to ask little sister Yaru to help me out. I wanted Xiao You to stay at your place for a few days, but he refused. So I had to trouble little sister Yaru to stay at our place and watch him for a few days. Yaru’s relationship with Jing Si... sigh...”

”Second Daughter-in-law Jing, don’t say such things in the future. It upsets me,” Liu Axiu said, pretending to be angry.

”Sigh!” Xu Chunyan let out a breath. ”Our Jing Si is the one in the wrong here. He let little sister Yaru down. But from what I can see, Jing Si’s relationship with that wife of his isn’t that great either. I bet marrying her wasn’t what he wanted. The one in his heart is still little sister Yaru. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have...”

”Wouldn’t have what?” Liu Axiu asked. Seeing Xu Chunyan trail off, she put on an impatient act. ”Second Daughter-in-law Jing, what’s happened with them? Just say it! You’re killing me with the suspense!”

Xu Chunyan hesitated, then took a breath and said, ”Aunt Axiu, you and Uncle Lin should just come with me to the Jie Family’s home and see for yourselves.”

”Old Lin, come out! We’re going to the Jie Family’s home,” Liu Axiu yelled toward the house.

”What’s wrong?” Mr. Lin asked, running out of the house with a look of feigned panic.

”I don’t know. Second Daughter-in-law Jing won’t say. She just told us to go to the Jie Family’s home and see,” said Liu Axiu.

”Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Mr. Lin grabbed Liu Axiu and started running, not even bothering to close the courtyard gate.

”Aunt Axiu, Uncle Lin, you two go to the Jie Family’s home first. Remember, wait for me outside. Don’t rush in until I get back,” Xu Chunyan reminded them.

”Where are you going?” Liu Axiu asked.

”To get Second Auntie,” Xu Chunyan replied.

Liu Axiu was alarmed. Second Auntie was the neighborhood gossip; she had no filter. This sort of thing would be bad for her daughter’s reputation. Plus, Second Auntie was close with that wife of Jing Si’s. There was no telling how she might twist the story to slander her daughter. ”Second Daughter-in-law Jing, you can’t go to her.”

”Aunt Axiu, do you trust me?” Xu Chunyan asked.

”Of course I trust you, but that Second Auntie...” Liu Axiu didn’t know how to finish. ”She’s very close with that wife of Jing Si’s.”