Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Qin Mei only glanced at the patient lying in the hospital bed. Without even taking their pulse, she pulled Mrs. Xie out of the ward.

”Xiao Mei,” Mrs. Xie said, confused.

”Mom, it’s late-stage cancer. There’s nothing I can do,” Qin Mei said bluntly.

”You haven’t even taken her pulse,” Mrs. Xie said.

”Taking her pulse or not, the result will be the same. Why give her hope just to plunge her into despair?” Qin Mei said.

”I thought you might have a way.” Mrs. Xie was a little disappointed. ’If Xiao Mei could even cure a late-stage cancer patient, it would be a major medical breakthrough.’

Qin Mei looked at Mrs. Xie, her almond-shaped eyes deep with a hint of helplessness. ”Mom, I’m a person, not a god.”

”I’m sorry. I was asking for the impossible,” Mrs. Xie said, feeling guilty and powerless.

”Director Qiao,” a young nurse called out.

Mrs. Xie patted Qin Mei’s shoulder. ”I have to get back to work.”

”Okay.” Qin Mei nodded, watching Mrs. Xie’s retreating figure.

Jie Jingchen, who had been standing by silently, spoke up. ”Is there really no way?”

”Don’t be ridiculous.” Qin Mei shot Jie Jingchen a look. ’Does he really think I’m some kind of god who can cheat death?’ She started walking toward Grandpa Zhang’s ward.

In the ward, Grandma Hua was nowhere to be seen. Only Grandpa Zhang was there, lying on the hospital bed with his eyes closed. It was hard to tell if he was asleep or just resting.

Jie Jingchen and Qin Mei entered the room, gently closing the door behind them.

Grandpa Zhang, thinking Grandma Hua had returned, didn’t open his eyes. His pale lips parted. ”Honey, I had a dream. I dreamt of Jing Ling.”

”Missing my sister-in-law that much, are we?” A teasing smile played on Qin Mei’s lips.

Startled, Grandpa Zhang’s eyes flew open. He stared at the grinning Qin Mei. ”You...”

”’You’ what? Old Zhang, you’ve given yourself away.” Qin Mei’s crystal-clear eyes were brimming with playful mischief.

Jie Jingchen stood to the side, his gaze fixed dotingly on Qin Mei. He felt a great deal of sympathy for Grandpa Zhang.

”Given what away? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Grandpa Zhang closed his eyes again, trying to hide his guilty conscience.

”’Honey, I had a dream. I dreamt of Jing Ling,’” Qin Mei mimicked in a quirky voice, leaving out his sorrowful tone.

”Jing Ling? I don’t know anyone by that name,” Grandpa Zhang said stubbornly.

Seeing the little old man looking like he’d deny it to his dying breath, Qin Mei didn’t press him. Instead, she pulled Jie Jingchen over. ”You don’t know Jing Ling, but do you know him?”

”Don’t know him,” Grandpa Zhang said without opening his eyes.

”Old Zhang, are you getting senile? You don’t even recognize him? He’s your grandson,” Qin Mei said with deliberate exaggeration.

Jie Jingchen froze for a second, then looked at Qin Mei with a doting expression, indulging her antics.

Grandpa Zhang’s eyes snapped open, and he glared at Qin Mei. ”Nonsense! I don’t even have a son, so how could I have a grandson?”

Qin Mei dropped the playful act. She looked at Grandpa Zhang with a serious expression, her tone sincere and earnest. ”Old Zhang, my sister-in-law asked me to take care of you and Grandma Hua.”

Grandpa Zhang’s pupils constricted. He was deeply moved, so much so that his pale lips trembled with emotion. His cloudy eyes revealed a world of hardship.

Jing Ling had never been his favorite apprentice. He had taken her on reluctantly. She had no talent for medicine and served as a cautionary tale among his many students.

Those highly gifted students, the ones he had been so proud of and taught everything he knew, had stabbed him in the back. When he was down, they’d hit him even harder, ready to stomp him to death without a second thought for their shared past.

In contrast, not only had Jing Ling refused to follow the crowd, but she had also kept him in her thoughts, even finding a way to have someone look after him. He could only accept this kindness from his former student with a grateful heart.

”Why are you back here bothering my old man? I told you clearly, we don’t have what you’re looking for! Get out! Get out now!” Grandma Hua’s furious roar echoed.

Grandma Hua’s voice was so loud it seemed she wanted the entire hospital to hear her.

”What’s all this shouting? This is a hospital! If you don’t need to rest, what about the other patients?” a passing head nurse scolded.

”Exactly. A hospital is supposed to be quiet, not your living room,” a family member of another patient chimed in, annoyed.

Seeing she had achieved her goal, Grandma Hua didn’t back down. She fanned the flames viciously. ”This mouth is on my face, and I’ll shout if I want to! If you’ve got the guts, go on and kill this little old lady!”

”You... You’re being unreasonable!” the head nurse cursed.

”I haven’t been reasonable for a long time!” Grandma Hua yelled back. She then proudly stuck out her chest, and with a SLAM, she shut the door heavily.

Qin Mei watched Grandma Hua with a smile. ’Is she getting ready to throw a punch?’ ”Grandma Hua, let me make one thing clear. I don’t possess the virtue of respecting my elders and cherishing the young. If you hit me, I can personally guarantee I will hit you back.”

Grandma Hua stood with her chest puffed out and her hands on her hips. A flicker of imperceptible approval showed in her cloudy eyes. ’This girl is just my type. If my old man and I hadn’t run into trouble, I would have definitely taken this girl on as my final disciple.’

’Alas, life is unpredictable. They were fated not to be master and disciple in this lifetime.’

”Get out!” Grandma Hua let out a lion’s roar.

Qin Mei rubbed her ears. ’This little old lady has some impressive lungs.’ Instead of shouting back, she feigned terror and shrank back, hiding in Jie Jingchen’s arms like a frightened little rabbit. ”Jing Chen, she’s scaring me. I’m so scared.”

Seeing Qin Mei’s frightened act, Grandpa Zhang couldn’t bring himself to be harsh. He shot Grandma Hua a reproachful look. ’A little scare is enough. No need to be so ferocious.’

Jie Jingchen’s body went stiff. The sweet, whimpering way Qin Mei had called his name was utterly bewitching to him, making all the hairs on his body stand on end.

Jie Jingchen lowered his gaze to the woman in his arms, his eyes darkening a few shades.

”Grandma Hua, you’re scaring my wife.” Jie Jingchen deliberately emphasized the two words ”my wife,” reminding them that she was his wife, not his sister.

Looking at Qin Mei, Grandma Hua’s conscience pricked her.

”Take your wife and get out,” Grandma Hua said stubbornly, though her tone had softened considerably.

”Grandma Hua, you can’t repay kindness with malice,” Qin Mei accused.

Grandma Hua was at a loss for words. ’Qin Mei is my old man’s savior. Even my harsh words are for their own good.’

”Repay kindness with malice? What kindness have you shown us? You amputated my old man’s leg! He won’t be able to walk for the rest of his life. Do you expect us to be moved to tears with gratitude?” Grandma Hua said belligerently.

Qin Mei was dumbfounded. She pushed Jie Jingchen away and put her hands on her hips, mirroring Grandma Hua. ”Could you stop being so unreasonable? Before the amputation, I asked for your opinion. I only performed the surgery after you agreed.”

With her hands on her hips, Grandma Hua took a step forward and said defiantly, ”I regret it.”

”You regret it?” Qin Mei laughed in anger. ’Can you just shed responsibility by saying you regret it?’ ”Grandma Hua, are you even capable of reason? You saw the situation at the time. I told you very clearly that to save his life, the amputation was necessary.”

Grandma Hua stared at Qin Mei without blinking. ”If you hadn’t amputated, he could have at least died with a complete corpse. But now? He won’t even have that.”

The expression on Qin Mei’s face cracked. ’Is this little old lady trying to start a medical dispute with me?’

”Who was it that said, ’As long as he’s alive, that’s all that matters’?” Qin Mei demanded.

”I regret it,” Grandma Hua repeated, just as defiantly.

’She can regret that too? This isn’t how things work.’

”To hell with your regrets!” Qin Mei cursed. ”If regret was so useful, what would be the point of the police?”

”Meimei,” Jie Jingchen said. Seeing how furious Grandma Hua had made Qin Mei, he felt a pang of heartache. He couldn’t exactly help her berate Grandma Hua, so he could only let out a helpless sigh.

”I’m so pissed!” Qin Mei stomped her foot in frustration.

Grandma Hua was quite pleased with herself. ’Ever since the incident, I haven’t lost a single argument.’

After leaving the hospital, Jie Jingchen took her to a nearby convenience store. He bought two bottles of soda, opened one, and handed it to Qin Mei. ”Meimei, have some soda.”