Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Qin Mei gritted her teeth. ’What nerve. Trying to drive a wedge between us right in front of me.’

”She’s discriminating against you,” Jie Jingchen shot back unexpectedly.

Jie Jinghun laughed out loud and reminded him, ”Your wife said she discriminates against men. Fourth Brother, are you not a man?”

”I am a man, but I’m the exception. My wife loves me. Our love is mutual.” Jie Jingchen was practically shoving their affection in his face.

Qin Mei didn’t undermine him. This was a time for a husband and wife to present a united front against outsiders. If Jie Jingchen wanted to put on a public display of affection, she would cooperate fully.

However, that word—love—stirred something within her once-calm heart.

’Do I love him? Before, I would have said no. But now...’

Qin Mei looked up, meeting Jie Jingchen’s doting and affectionate gaze. Her heart couldn’t help but beat faster. An imperceptible smile touched her lips. ’It seems... I think... I’ve fallen in love.’

Jie Jinghun’s chest tightened. Jie Jingchen was throwing shade at him. They were mutually in love, whereas he and Shen Qing were not. He knew full well why he and Shen Qing had gotten married—two heartbroken people coming together, treating each other with the distant respect of guests after marriage.

”If you’re so in love, why don’t you have a child?” Jie Jinghun pressed. If they had their own child, they wouldn’t be eyeing Xiao Duo.

”We’re not having one.” Jie Jingchen’s eyebrows twitched. He deliberately provoked Jie Jinghun, saying, ”We have Xiao Duo.”

”Xiao Duo is mine.” Jie Jinghun was starting to regret bringing Xiao Duo to the banquet. Their older sister had wanted to see her, so they’d brought her along. But in the end, the little girl wasn’t close to her aunt, but to her fourth uncle and his wife. Now she was even nestled in her fourth uncle’s arms, sleeping soundly, while his sister-in-law watched over her like a hawk.

”She won’t be yours for long,” Jie Jingchen said with infuriating smugness.

’Isn’t this just blatant robbery?’ Jie Jinghun wasn’t having it. He had originally planned to take them home first, but now he changed course to drop Xiao Duo off at his mother-in-law’s house.

At the Jie family home, Sun’s mother was sitting at the courtyard gate, looking around anxiously. The moment she saw the car, she rushed forward without even waiting for Jie Jinghun to stop. Seeing her dash out, Jie Jinghun slammed on the brakes, a curse exploding from his lips.

With sharp eyes and quick reflexes, Jie Jingchen pressed down on Qin Mei’s shoulder to steady her.

”Aunt Sun, do you have a death wish?” Qin Mei raised an eyebrow slightly. ’With that stunt she just pulled, if Jie Jinghun had hit the gas instead of the brake, today would be the anniversary of her death next year.’

Sun’s mother didn’t realize how dangerous her actions had been. She opened the car door and, seeing only Jie Jingchen and Qin Mei inside, with no sign of Mr. and Mrs. Xie, asked, ”Where are your in-laws?”

”They’re not back yet.” Qin Mei pushed past Sun’s mother to get out of the car. Jie Jingchen got out from the other side.

The sun outside was too strong, so Qin Mei quickly dashed into the courtyard. Jie Jingchen exchanged a few words with Jie Jinghun before heading toward the courtyard gate himself.

”Third Brother, where’s your older sister?” Sun’s mother asked, not seeing Jie Jingling either.

”She went to the train station to buy tickets,” Jie Jinghun answered truthfully.

Hearing this, Sun’s mother grew anxious. But Jie Jinghun had other things to do and no time to deal with her, so he drove off.

Sun’s mother stomped her foot a few times, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and ran into the courtyard.

”Qin Mei,” Sun’s mother shouted as she ran.

Qin Mei was standing in the doorway, fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan. They had just gotten home, and Jie Jingchen wouldn’t let her use the electric fan.

”Qin Mei, did your sister-in-law really go to the train station to buy tickets?” Sun’s mother asked.

A glint flashed in Qin Mei’s eyes, and a sarcastic curve touched her lips. ”Yes.”

”Who told her to go?” Sun’s mother was fuming, with no outlet for her pent-up anger. ’My second daughter-in-law is really starting to disrespect me more and more. Such a big deal as buying train tickets, and not only did she not consult me, she didn’t even give me a heads-up.’

Qin Mei’s expression was one of contempt and disdain, but she swallowed the sharp retort on the tip of her tongue. She smiled slightly and said, ”My sister misses her husband and wants to go home to see him sooner. Aunt Sun, you’ve been away from home for a few days too. Don’t you miss Uncle Sun?”

Sun’s mother was left speechless. ’We’re an old married couple, what’s there to miss?’ She just felt her old face flush with embarrassment.

’Don’t be fooled by my second daughter-in-law’s pitiful, good-natured appearance. When she decided to get serious, there was nothing I could do.’

’My second daughter-in-law had said they would go back after the banquet. I thought she would wait a day, but I didn’t expect her to be in such a hurry to buy train tickets.’

’Oh well,’ she thought. ’She has to go back sooner or later. If it’s early, it’s early. I still have time.’

”Amie! You lived with the Sun family for half a year. How did Aunt Sun treat you?” Her anger dissipated, and Sun’s mother smiled, taking the palm-leaf fan from Qin Mei’s hand. She moved closer, fawning over her as she fanned her.

Sun’s mother was too close; Qin Mei could smell the sweat on her. ’Thankfully she doesn’t have body odor. I wouldn’t be able to stand that smell.’

’This is so out of character, she must be up to something.’ Qin Mei looked at Sun’s mother. ”Aunt Sun, if you have something to say, just say it.”

’Bringing up the six months I stayed at her house is completely unnecessary. Jie Jingchen gave them money every month. Otherwise, with Aunt Sun’s stingy nature, would she have agreed to let me stay? She would have kicked me out long ago.’

”Are you familiar with Jie Huating?” Sun’s mother asked bluntly.

Qin Mei was stunned for a few seconds, her gaze turning scrutinizing as she looked at Sun’s mother’s face.

Sun’s mother had little patience and pressed, ”Well? Are you?”

”Not at all,” Qin Mei said, shaking her head decisively.

”Really not at all?” Sun’s mother was skeptical.

”Aunt Sun, he’s Jie Jingchen’s cousin, not mine. Besides, I’d never even seen him before today.” Qin Mei had a vague idea of what Sun’s mother was scheming.

’Coming to me for information about Jie Huating... isn’t she asking the wrong person?’

”At the state-run restaurant, I saw you two chatting quite happily,” Sun’s mother said. Wherever Jie Huating had gone, her gaze had followed.

”I barely said a few words to him.” In fact, she’d scared him off after just a few sentences.

In Sun’s mother’s eyes, the first meeting makes you strangers, the second makes you friends. With the added bonus of being relatives, getting Qin Mei to act as a matchmaker was a surefire way to succeed.

”Amie, how about you do Aunt Sun a favor?” Sun’s mother said with an obsequious smile, even nudging Qin Mei with her shoulder. Her hand, holding the fan, never stopped moving.

Qin Mei was about to refuse, but seeing Sun’s mother’s expression, she suddenly felt intrigued. ”What kind of favor?”

Sun’s mother whispered in Qin Mei’s ear, ”Ah Xiang fell for him at first sight.”

’Just as I thought.’ Qin Mei covered her mouth, looking at Sun’s mother with a shocked expression. ”Really?”

”It’s absolutely true,” Sun’s mother said, nodding emphatically.

Of course, Qin Mei didn’t believe it. Sun Dexiang clearly had a crush on Jie Jingchen, so how could she suddenly fall for Jie Huating just by seeing him? Whether in terms of ability...

’Putting ability aside for a moment, just based on looks, Jie Jingchen completely blows Jie Huating out of the water. I don’t know what this era’s standards are for choosing a partner, but for me, looks are number one.’

”Aunt Sun, be honest with me. Is it you who’s taken a liking to Jie Huating, or is it Ah Xiang?” Qin Mei asked.

”Of course it’s Ah Xiang,” Sun’s mother insisted, though her guilty conscience was obvious.

’The look in Ah Xiang’s eyes whenever she looked at Jie Jingchen was filled with adoration. Even Jing Ling had noticed it. I don’t believe Qin Mei hadn’t. Even the most oblivious person would be sensitive to such things. Logically, upon learning that Ah Xiang has her sights on someone else, Qin Mei should be seizing the opportunity to play matchmaker.’

Qin Mei lowered her lashes, pretending to be deep in thought. After a long moment, she finally asked, ”Has Hua Er taken a liking to Ah Xiang?”

Hearing Qin Mei call Jie Huating ”Hua Er,” Sun’s mother was instantly overjoyed. ’I was right to ask Qin Mei! She’s Jie Jingchen’s wife, which makes her Jie Huating’s cousin’s wife. Even if they aren’t close, you have to show deference for the sake of the more important person.’

’Out of respect for Jie Jingchen, if Qin Mei plays matchmaker, Jie Huating will at least consider it.’

As for whether the Jie Family elders would approve of her Ah Xiang, she couldn’t care less. If the two young people liked each other, the elders’ opinions were worthless.

”He probably has. My Ah Xiang is pretty, there’s no reason he wouldn’t like her,” Sun’s mother said.

Qin Mei caught the flash of guilt in Sun’s mother’s eyes and couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Compared to the girls in the city, Sun Dexiang’s looks could only be considered average. Her only advantage over the girls from the countryside was that she didn’t do farm work, so her skin was better than theirs.