Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

The little one wasn’t having it. She shook her head, refusing to let Jie Jingling hold her.

”I’m sorry, Eldest Sister. Xiao Duo is a bit shy with new people,” Shen Qing explained, giving the little one a light pat on her bottom. ”Xiao Duo, this is your Eldest Aunt. She’s your daddy’s oldest sister, another one of your aunts.”

The little one remained silent, so Jie Jingling tactfully withdrew her hands. ”It’s okay. It’s normal for young children to be shy.”

”Xiao Duo, it’s me, your Fourth Uncle. Do you remember?” Jie Jingchen asked with a smile.

”Fourth Uncle, hold,” Jie Duo said, holding out her little arms for Jie Jingchen to pick her up.

Jie Jingchen stood up, took the little one from Jie Jinghun’s arms, and sat her on his lap. Pointing to Qin Mei at his side, he said, ”Xiao Duo, say ’Fourth Auntie’.”

”Fourth Auntie.” It was the first time Jie Duo had met Qin Mei, but she liked her at first sight.

”What a good girl.” Qin Mei gently patted the little one’s cheek. ’So soft!’ She took a red envelope from her crossbody bag. She was about to give it to Jie Duo, but then she remembered the little girl hadn’t even accepted the one from Jie Jingling, so she simply handed it to Jie Jinghun instead. ”Third Brother, could you hold on to this for her?”

”Well then, Fourth Sister-in-law, I won’t stand on ceremony.” Jie Jinghun reached out and took the red envelope.

”Fourth Auntie, isn’t that for me?” Jie Duo blinked her big, round eyes, looking utterly adorable.

”Ah!” Qin Mei was taken aback. ’Well, this is awkward.’

Everyone chuckled.

”Here you go, it’s all for you.” Jie Jinghun handed Jie Duo the red envelope from Jie Jingling as well.

Jie Duo took the two red envelopes, then turned and immediately handed them to Jie Jingchen. ”Fourth Uncle, for you.”

”For me?” Jie Jingchen was pleasantly surprised. Jie Jinghun, on the other hand, was exasperated. ’It’s like I raised this daughter for nothing.’

Xiao Duo had only met Jie Jingchen a few times, but she was already very attached to him.

”Hold on to them for me,” Jie Duo said.

Jie Jingchen chuckled and took the red envelopes. ”Alright, Fourth Uncle will hold on to them for you.”

Jie Jinghun felt the strong urge to say, ’My dear daughter! I’m your actual father here!’

”She’s so cute.” Qin Mei couldn’t resist pinching Jie Duo’s little cheek again. The more she looked at the girl, the more she adored her.

”Want to hold her?” Jie Jingchen asked.

”Will she even let me?” Qin Mei retorted. After all, the little girl had just refused to be held by his sister.

”Xiao Duo, Fourth Auntie wants to hold you. Can she?” Jie Jingchen asked, turning to the little girl. He didn’t just shove her into Qin Mei’s arms; instead, he sought her permission.

Jie Duo glanced at Jie Jingchen, then at Qin Mei. After looking back and forth a few times, she finally held her arms out to Qin Mei.

Qin Mei was pleasantly surprised. She happily took the little girl and planted a kiss on her cheek. Jie Duo froze for a second, then wrapped her arms around Qin Mei’s neck and planted a kiss right back on her cheek.

Jie Jingling felt a sting of jealousy. She was Xiao Duo’s actual aunt, but the little girl wouldn’t warm up to her. She touched her own cheek. ’I guess kids just prefer people who are young and pretty.’

Seeing this, Jie Jinghun and his wife weren’t surprised at all. Xiao Duo adored Jie Jingchen, so it was only natural that she would like Qin Mei by extension.

”Xiao Duo, do you remember me?” Jie Jingshan asked.

”Youngest Auntie,” Jie Duo chirped.

Jie Jingshan also gave Xiao Duo the red envelope she had prepared. She always had one for the little girl during the New Year and other holidays. Even if Xiao Duo didn’t return, she would ask her third sister-in-law to bring it to her.

When she heard her third brother and sister-in-law were bringing Xiao Duo this time, and saw that both her fourth sister-in-law and eldest sister had prepared red envelopes, she made sure to prepare one as well.

”Thank you, Youngest Auntie.” Jie Duo accepted the red envelope and immediately handed it over to Jie Jingchen.

”Xiao Duo, I’m your auntie,” Sun Tong piped up.

”Auntie,” Jie Duo replied.

The rest of the family was speechless.

One had the nerve to say it, and the other had the gall to repeat it.

”Tongtong, you’re not her auntie. You’re her older sister,” Jie Jingling corrected her.

Sun Tong thought about it for a moment. She and Xiao Duo were from the same generation, so she corrected herself, ”Xiao Duo, I’m your older sister.”

”Older Sister,” Jie Duo echoed.

”What a good girl.” Acting like a little grown-up, Sun Tong patted the younger girl’s head and pulled a red envelope from her pocket—the very one her great-grandfather had just given her.

”Tongtong, you two are peers. You don’t need to give her a red envelope,” Jie Jinghun said, trying to stop her.

”I want to give it to her,” Sun Tong insisted.

”Thank you, Older Sister.” Jie Duo didn’t stand on ceremony, accepting the red envelope and immediately passing it to Jie Jingchen.

Jie Jinghun made a mental note. ’When Eldest Sister is about to leave, I’ll have to prepare a big red envelope for Sun Tong.’

When Sun’s mother saw Sun Tong give the red envelope she had just gotten to some little kid, she felt a painful sting. She had been planning to make Sun Tong hand over the envelope when they got home, but who would have thought her daughter would just give it away on the spot?

Everyone had already picked up their chopsticks when Jie Jingjue finally came running in. Jie Jingchen had saved a seat for him.

”I thought you weren’t coming,” Jie Jingchen said.

”It’s our second brother’s wedding. Would I dare miss it?” Jie Jingjue picked up his chopsticks and dug in.

”Fifth Brother, where have you been hiding the last couple of days?” Jie Jinghun asked.

”Hiding out all over the place,” Jie Jingjue said dramatically.