Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

”Qiao Yanqiu, you’re playing favorites with Jing Er. Aren’t you afraid Zhang Hongyan won’t be able to rest in peace?” Li Axiu bit out the last few words through clenched teeth.

”Aunt Li, don’t you dare use Zhang Hongyan’s name. Let me be perfectly clear: my mother-in-law rescued her three children from that hellhole. She can already rest in peace.” Qin Mei couldn’t listen anymore. Her mother-in-law might have her reservations, but she had none.

”Nonsense! Who says she can rest in peace? As long as Qiao Yanqiu keeps Jing Er out of this house, she’ll never rest in peace.” Li Axiu’s face twisted as she glared viciously at Qin Mei. ’She’s the main culprit. If she hadn’t shown up, Jing Si might have married Yaru.’

’Jing Er was on his second marriage and even had a child—he really wasn’t her ideal son-in-law. Jing Si was the son-in-law of her dreams. If she became in-laws with Doctor Qiao, she’d be smiling in her sleep.’

”Zhang Hongyan said so herself,” Qin Mei stated.

”Bullshit! Zhang Hongyan has been dead for over twenty years. How could she have told you?” Li Axiu demanded.

”She visited me in a dream.” Qin Mei straightened her neck. ’This whole ”visiting in a dream” thing was so mystical. No one could ever prove it, so she could say whatever she wanted.’

”Pah!” Li Axiu spat. ”You’re not related to Zhang Hongyan in any way. Why would she visit *your* dreams? Who are you trying to fool? I could just as well say Zhang Hongyan visited *my* dreams and told me to treat my son-in-law Jing Er well and help him fight for everything that’s rightfully his.”

”What about Xiao You?” Qin Mei asked suddenly.

”What?” Li Axiu didn’t immediately understand.

”Did she ask you to help take care of Xiao You?” Qin Mei gave her a sly smile.

”Xiao You isn’t my grandson. It’s not my turn to take care of him,” Li Axiu huffed. ’Taking care of Xiao You? Impossible.’

”Xiao You is Second Brother’s son, and Second Brother is now your son-in-law,” Qin Mei reminded her. Li Axiu glared. Then she heard Qin Mei continue, ”Aunt Li, don’t tell me you’re thinking Second Brother can move back in, but Xiao You gets left behind at the machinery factory?”

Li Axiu fell silent. That was indeed what she was thinking. Xiao You wasn’t her grandson, biologically or by marriage, so there was no way she would help care for him. If the Jie Family wouldn’t look after him, they could just hand him over to Xu Chunyan. Besides, Yaru was already pregnant. In a few months, she would give the Jie Family a real grandson.

This topic of Xiao You was getting dangerous. Li Axiu turned her attention back to Mrs. Jie and accused, ”Qiao Yanqiu, you’re just biased! You’re favoring your own daughter-in-law!”

”I don’t even favor my own biological son’s wife, so why would I favor my stepson’s wife? Is that even possible?” Mrs. Jie shot back at Li Axiu.

”You...” Li Axiu hadn’t expected Mrs. Jie to be so blunt.

She had come to the Jie residence alone. With Mrs. Jie and Qin Mei firing back one line after another, she was quickly defeated. Spitting a final threat, she scurried away in disgrace.

”Just you wait! I’m going to find Director Jie!”

Once the annoying Li Axiu was gone, the two were finally left in peace. Qin Mei looked at Mrs. Jie, her expression excited. ”Mom, is my sister really coming back?”

”Mhm,” Mrs. Jie nodded.

Qin Mei was overjoyed. ”I’ll go clean her room.”

When Qin Xiang had visited unexpectedly last time, they had been short on time, so she and Jie Jingchen had only given the room a quick tidying up. This time she had plenty of time. ’I need to clean it thoroughly to make sure she has a comfortable stay.’

The south building had three rooms. Jing Wu lived in one, one was empty, and the last one she used for storing medicinal herbs. She temporarily piled them up in there, adding the herbs she had cleared out from the room next to hers and Jie Jingchen’s.

Mrs. Jie wanted to help, but Qin Mei politely declined, so Mrs. Jie went to the kitchen to cook.

She had been pampered from a young age. After she married Jie Jianguo, while Zhang Hongying had done the cooking, cleaning, and child-rearing, Mrs. Jie only knew how to make porridge and noodles. She couldn’t stir-fry, but she could make cold-tossed dishes. Since the weather was so hot, a smashed cucumber salad would be refreshing.

Cleaning the room wasn’t tiring, but it was incredibly hot. Her clothes were soaked with sweat. They would get wet, dry on her body, and then get soaked again in a repeating cycle.

When lunch was ready, Mrs. Jie called them to eat. ”Xiao Mei, Jing Qi, time for lunch.”

The kitchen was too hot, so they ate in the main hall with two fans blowing on them.

”Mom, this cucumber salad you made isn’t very good,” Jing Qi said. Though she usually couldn’t have a meal without meat, she had lost her appetite for it in the sweltering heat and was craving cold dishes instead.

”If you don’t like it, make it yourself,” Mrs. Jie shot Jing Qi a look. She used the same seasonings, but the flavor never came out as good as when Jing San made it.

Qin Mei didn’t offer an opinion. If she liked it, she ate more; if she didn’t, she ate less.

”Fine, I’ll make it myself!” Jing Qi had a proud streak. She got up, went to the courtyard to pick two cucumbers, and after washing them, took them to the kitchen. A series of sharp WHACKS followed, and a moment later, she came out carrying her own cucumber salad. ”Sister-in-law, have a taste. Whose is better, Mom’s or mine?”