Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

”Huh?” Jie Jingling was baffled. Jing Wu had come to her to complain—had he picked the wrong person? Was she supposed to get even for him by beating up Jing Si?

”Eldest Sister, just ignore him. He’s asking for a beating,” Jie Jingchen said as he carried Jie Jingling’s and Sun Tong’s bags into the rooms Qin Mei had prepared.

When Qin Mei heard Jie Jingling was coming back, she’d assumed her family of three would be returning. The original plan was for Jie Jingling and Sun Debao to share a room, with Sun Tong staying with Jing Qi. Jing Qi was fine with this, so she had planned to put Sun Tong directly in his room.

As for the old custom that a married daughter couldn’t share a room with her husband when visiting her maiden home, Qin Mei couldn’t be bothered with such rigid traditions.

But things didn’t go as planned. Sun Debao hadn’t come; in his place were Sun’s mother and Sun Dexiang.

”Eldest Sister,” Jie Jingjue whined playfully.

Neither Jing Si nor Jing Wu was distant toward her, which greatly eased the anxiety she’d been feeling. Jie Jingling was both relieved and exasperated. ”Aren’t you a little old to be acting so childish?”

”You’re my eldest sister, so what’s wrong with me being a little childish with you?” Jie Jingjue felt a pang of sorrow. ’My sister looks even older than Mom. When I stand with Mom, strangers mistake us for brother and sister. But if I stand with Eldest Sister, people would believe we’re mother and son.’

”Is the bathwater ready?” Qin Mei asked.

”It’s been ready for a while,” Jie Jingjue replied.

Before she and Jie Jingchen went out, Qin Mei had specifically instructed Jie Jingjue to heat water for baths. The weather was hot, and she knew Jie Jingling’s family would be miserable after two or three days on a train. They’d want to wash up as soon as they got home.

Jie Jingling was travel-worn and smelled it, but no one seemed to mind. Qin Mei pulled her aside to chat, and Jie Jingjue leaned against her, acting childishly.

Jie Jingchen took a bucket to the kitchen, with Jie Jingjue following to help. Jie Jingchen carried one bucket of water to the room prepared for Jie Jingling, while Jie Jingjue took another bucket to Jing Qi’s room.

”Sister, come on.” Qin Mei led Jie Jingling into the room.

Jie Jingling knew that they had built an indoor toilet after Jing Si moved out, but she was still astonished to see it in person.

”Mom, you go first,” Jie Jingling said, letting her mother-in-law have the first bath out of respect for her seniority.

Sun’s mother didn’t stand on ceremony and followed Jie Jingling into the room. Qin Mei, seeing this, didn’t interfere. She simply excused herself and went to Jing Qi’s room to get Sun Tong for her bath.

”Where do I wash?” Sun’s mother asked, standing in the room. ’They’re not going to make me wash in here, are they? I heard city people don’t have toilets in their homes and have to use public ones. That’s not as convenient as the countryside, where you can just dig a latrine anywhere.’

”In the bathroom,” Jie Jingling said, leading Sun’s mother toward it.

”Oh my goodness! The toilet is inside the house? The smell must be awful! Especially when it’s hot—won’t the maggots crawl out and get all over the house?” Sun’s mother exclaimed, her voice full of exaggerated disgust.

Jie Jingling said nothing, simply pushing open the bathroom door. Sun’s mother was dumbstruck. ’This is the bathroom? It’s nothing like I imagined... It’s cleaner than the rooms in our house!’

”Mom, you go ahead and wash up. I’ll go see to Dexiang,” Jie Jingling said.

”Okay,” Sun’s mother replied, still in shock, nodding blankly.

Jie Jingling walked out of the room and closed the door. Sun Dexiang ran over. ”Second Sister-in-law, what about me?”

”Wait for Mom to finish, then it’s your turn,” Jie Jingling said. ’This is the Jie home, not the Sun home,’ she thought. ’The Jies are particular about hygiene; they don’t just share things randomly. They probably only prepared two new buckets for us: one for my mother-in-law and Dexiang, and one for Tongtong and me.’

”Oh,” Sun Dexiang said. She was still carrying her bag. ”Second Sister-in-law, where should I put my bag?”

Jie Jingling helped her take the bag off her back and placed it inside the room. Since it was too hot outside, she told Sun Dexiang to stay inside and cool off in front of the electric fan.

”Second Sister-in-law, is this an electric fan?” Sun Dexiang asked, fascinated. It didn’t get that hot where they came from; a cattail fan was usually enough.