Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Jie Jingjue was just walking up to the car when he bumped into Qin Xiang running back. He waved. ”Brother Xiang.”

Qin Xiang ran up to Jie Jingjue, scratching the back of his head. He spoke, a little sheepishly. ”Uh, your bike was stolen.”

”What?!” Jie Jingjue froze, stunned.

”I’ll pay you back,” Qin Xiang promised.

”Don’t worry about it. It’s stolen, so it’s stolen. It’s no big deal.” Jie Jingjue snapped out of it, completely unconcerned about his stolen bike.

”I’ll pay you back,” Qin Xiang insisted. ’Just because Jie Jingjue didn’t care didn’t mean he wouldn’t make it right.’

Jie Jingjue watched Qin Xiang run into the courtyard before looking away with a helpless smile. ’Whatever. As long as he’s happy.’

Qin Xiang first went into the house to use the restroom, then headed to the kitchen.

”Fourth Sister-in-law,” Jie Jingshan called out.

Qin Mei smiled and waved at Jing Qi, beckoning her into the room.

Jie Jingshan steadied herself against the doorframe, then lifted her foot over the threshold and entered.

”Let me take your pulse.” Qin Mei had Jie Jingshan sit in a chair while she herself sat on a stool. She gently rolled up Jing Qi’s sleeve, placed her smooth fingertips on her wrist, and focused on reading her pulse.

After reading her pulse, Qin Mei examined Jing Qi’s legs. She saw the nervous look on Jing Qi’s face and the beads of sweat on her forehead. With a small smile, she took out a handkerchief and dabbed her brow. ”Jing Qi, don’t be nervous. Your legs are recovering very well.”

Jie Jingshan’s face immediately lit up. She excitedly threw her arms around Qin Mei. ”Fourth Sister-in-law, you’re the best.”

Qin Mei patted Jing Qi on the head. ”Alright, Jing Qi, let go. I need to get your medicine.”

”I don’t have to drink that medicine anymore?” Jing Qi released Qin Mei. She had drunk so much of the bitter concoctions that she felt her taste buds had gone numb.

”Nope.” Qin Mei took out a key, unlocked a cabinet, and pulled out a small bottle of pills. She placed it in Jing Qi’s hand. ”One a day until the bottle is empty.”

Jing Qi clutched the small bottle, nodding solemnly at Qin Mei.

’She could feel her legs getting stronger every day. She was sure that before long, she’d be able to walk like a normal person again.’

”Oh, and when you’re done, don’t throw the bottle away. I recycle them,” Qin Mei added.

”Okay.” Jie Jingshan nodded with a smile.

”Did anything happen at home after my brother and I left?” Qin Mei asked.

’Jie Jingshan knew Qin Mei was asking about... well, about Xu Chunyan. She had already divorced Second Brother, so she wasn’t her Second Sister-in-law anymore.’

”Xu Chunyan came back,” Jie Jingshan said. ”She was looking all over for you. She only left when she couldn’t find you.”

Qin Mei’s heart sank. She remembered what she’d said while chatting with the neighbors.

’Why drink the pesticide herself? Why not give it to her in-laws? If you’re not afraid to die, why be afraid of poisoning their whole family? If it were me, I’d drag them all down with me. That way, I wouldn’t be lonely on the Yellow Springs Road.’

’A cornered beast will bite back... Surely Xu Chunyan wouldn’t actually do it, would she?’

”Oh no.” The color drained from Qin Mei’s face. She bolted out of the room and ran for the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Qin Xiang and Jie Jingchen were arguing. Qin Xiang wanted to use the main stove, while Jie Jingchen insisted he use the honeycomb briquette stove.

”Have you eaten or drunk anything from the kitchen?” Qin Mei demanded.

The two men stopped arguing and turned to look at Qin Mei. They asked in unison, ”What’s wrong?”

”Jing Qi said Xu Chunyan came back,” Qin Mei explained. ”She was looking all over for me.”

The two men exchanged a look, then asked in unison again, ”So?”

”I locked the house, so Xu Chunyan couldn’t get in. But I forgot to lock the kitchen. She might have poisoned something in here.” Qin Mei wasn’t certain if Xu Chunyan had actually done it.

”Poison?” Qin Xiang’s calm vanished.

”She wouldn’t dare,” Jie Jingchen stated confidently. ”Unless Xu Chunyan was certain she could wipe all of us out at once, she wouldn’t have the guts.”

Still, better safe than sorry. Qin Mei checked everything edible in the kitchen. Only after confirming that nothing was poisoned did she finally relax.

’Besides, for Xu Chunyan to poison them, she’d need to have poison in the first place.’

It was a false alarm. Qin Mei left the kitchen.

「Half an hour later.」

Jie Jingchen called Qin Mei and Jing Qi to dinner.

Jie Jingchen had gotten off work early, so they were having an early dinner. Qin Mei wasn’t hungry and only ate half a small bowl of rice. She set down her bowl and chopsticks and just watched the other three eat.

”Little Sister, is Second Auntie still coming tomorrow?” Qin Xiang asked.

”Second Auntie doesn’t have anything else going on. If we ask her, she won’t say no,” Qin Mei answered.

Qin Xiang’s eyes lit up, and he rattled off, ”Okay, I’ll go grocery shopping tomorrow morning, and you can ask Second Auntie to come help cook. I’ll make sure to leave plenty of food for Jing Si, so we don’t have to cook dinner.”

Jie Jingchen froze mid-bite. He looked at Qin Xiang, an eyebrow raised. ”So you’re the one who’s been leaving food for me?”

”Who else?” Qin Xiang shot Jie Jingchen a glare and snapped, ”Besides me, who do you think actually thinks about you?”