Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Jie Jingling’s face was etched with horror. She blamed Granny for her mother’s death, hating her to the very bone, but she had never considered killing her.

Neither morality nor filial piety would permit her to act so wantonly.

Jie Jingling glanced around nervously. Seeing that no one was around, she finally relaxed and whispered to Qin Mei, ”Amie, don’t be ridiculous.”

”Sis, I’m not being ridiculous. I’m serious, one hundred percent serious. Just give the word, and I’ll...”

Jie Jingling clamped a hand over Qin Mei’s mouth, pulled her into the courtyard, shut and bolted the gate, then dragged Qin Mei through the main hall and into the room where Jie Jianjun and Chen Xiuhua lived.

The moment she stepped inside, the sight of the room’s decor sent a wave of grief through Jie Jingling. She could no longer see a single trace of her mother ever having lived there.

But this was no time for Jie Jingling to wallow in sorrow. She gripped Qin Mei’s hand tightly, terrified she would charge into the hospital without a second thought and deliver Granny a fatal blow. ”Amie, it’s not worth having a life on your conscience for my sake.”

’Besides,’ she thought, ’Granny is already old and doesn’t have many years left. Qin Mei is still so young, just a girl in her prime. It’s not worth it at all.’

Qin Mei stated with righteous conviction, ”Sis, you are worth it.”

”I’m not worth it.” Jie Jingling was a little angry, but more than that, she was touched. Jing Si had entrusted Qin Mei to her, and she had only helped him look after Qin Mei for half a year. Yet, for her sake, Qin Mei was willing to harm someone. How could she not be moved?

”In my heart, you’re more important than Jie Jingchen.” Qin Mei’s voice was firm and resounding, her attitude resolute.

Jie Jingling froze, stunned. She stared at Qin Mei in disbelief; that resolute, earnest expression didn’t seem like a casual platitude.

Suppressing her turbulent emotions, Jie Jingling hesitated for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and said, ”Amie, you and Jing Si are the ones who are husband and wife, who have been through thick and thin. He’s the one who’s supposed to grow old with you.”

At this, Qin Mei smiled. It wasn’t a sneer, she simply felt like laughing. ”Sis, whether Jie Jingchen and I grow old together is far from certain. If he treats me poorly, or can’t properly handle the relationship between me and his mother, or even cheats on me the moment he sees a pretty face, I’ll divorce him in a heartbeat.”

Hearing Qin Mei toss around the word ”divorce,” Jie Jingling frowned almost imperceptibly. In her world, once you were married, it was for life. Even if the conflict between a wife and her mother-in-law intensified, even if a couple argued or fought, divorce was never part of the conversation.

Jie Jingling wanted to offer some words of admonishment, but Qin Mei’s views were so different from her own. Frankly, she envied Qin Mei for living so freely.

After a long silence, Jie Jingling let out a heavy sigh. ”Amie, I’ve let it go.”

The subject changed abruptly, but Qin Mei understood what Jie Jingling meant. ”Really let it go?”

”I’ve really let it go.” The moment Jie Jingling said the words, she felt a huge weight lift off her.

”You’re not forcing yourself?” Qin Mei asked. She would much rather see Jie Jingling find peace than help her commit murder.

”I’m not.” Jie Jingling pulled Qin Mei into a hug. ”Amie, thank you.”

Qin Mei smiled, patting Jie Jingling’s back. ”Sis, I’ve got your back. Trying to keep the peace by swallowing your grievances is just too suffocating. We all only get one life, so why should we be the ones to suffer for the sake of the ’bigger picture’? Sis, if you go back and your mother-in-law goes back to bullying you, and even gets worse, don’t stand for it. If you need to argue back, argue back. If you need to hit back, hit back.

If your husband dares to help her, take him down too. If anyone else dares to take her side, just poison them to death. Don’t worry about whether you can handle the consequences. If something really happens, I’ll have Jie Jingchen figure out how to save you. That fourth brother of yours has a mind like a honeycomb, full of holes and schemes. He could cook up a brilliant plan to save you in seconds.”

Jie Jingling’s expression dimmed, and a profound bitterness spread rapidly through her chest. But she instantly suppressed it. To put Qin Mei at ease, she went along with her words. ”Okay, I’ll take what you said to heart.”

Qin Mei listened to her, but it sounded like Jie Jingling was just placating her. They were from different times, had different educations, and their ways of thinking were worlds apart. It was like trying to convince a demon to convert to Buddhism.

But it didn’t matter. It didn’t stop Qin Mei from continuing her lecture in the slightest. Whether Jie Jingling would actually act on it was secondary; the important thing was that she had said her piece.

When Jie Anlin returned from taking Zhao Hong to the restroom, he found the courtyard gate closed. He gave it a push and realized it was bolted from the inside.

”What’s going on?” Jie Anlin asked, looking at Zhao Hong.

Zhao Hong glared at Jie Anlin and snapped, ”How should I know?”

’When she first married Jie Anlin, Grandpa and Granny had doted on him, and by extension, on her. Her parents-in-law had been kind as well. But after a year of marriage with no news of a baby, Granny and the others’ attitudes changed. They suspected there was something wrong with her, that she couldn’t carry on the Jie Family line.’

’Her life had been turned upside down, and it was no exaggeration to say she was living in hell. The phrases she heard most often were, ”You barren hen,” ”Divorce her, An Lin, just divorce her,” ”That useless belly of yours,” ”Now that An Lin has married you, his family line will end. What terrible luck for eight generations,” ”Drink this. You have to. It’s the only way you’ll get pregnant,” and ”If you still can’t get pregnant within a year, you can get the hell out of the Jie Family.”’

’They forced her to drink all kinds of disgusting folk remedies that were nauseating and foul-smelling. Several times, she had wanted to end her own life. Only in death, she thought, could she find a final resolution.’

’Until the hospital discovered that it was An Lin who was infertile, not her. In that moment, she had broken down, sobbing uncontrollably.’

’She didn’t know if it was out of guilt or fear that she would use this as grounds to divorce An Lin, but they became as submissive to her as they had once been cruel.’

’Until...’ Zhao Hong stroked her slightly swollen belly and shot a sidelong glance at Jie Anlin, a flicker of guilt in her eyes.

”Mom, open up!” Jie Anlin banged on the gate, pressing his face to it to peer through a crack into the courtyard.

Jie Anlin’s banging interrupted Qin Mei’s attempts to brainwash Jie Jingling. Jie Jingling got up to open the gate, and Qin Mei followed right behind her.

”Eldest Sister, Fourth Sister-in-law.” Jie Anlin was surprised to see them. He peered inside. ”Where are the others?”

”Granny fainted. They took her to the hospital,” Jie Jingling said, her tone indifferent and tinged with detachment, her expression placid.

”What?” Jie Anlin grew agitated. Grabbing Zhao Hong’s arm, he started to leave. ”Honey, quick, we need to go to the hospital.”

”Okay.” Zhao Hong didn’t dare delay. ’With things as they are, nothing can happen to Granny,’ she thought. ’Eldest Uncle wants to make us move out, and Grandpa is too much of a pushover to disagree with whatever he arranges. If we want to stay, we have to rely on Granny.’

After taking two steps, Zhao Hong pulled Jie Anlin to a stop.

”What is it?” Jie Anlin asked, looking in confusion at Zhao Hong, who had stopped him.

Zhao Hong turned to face Jie Jingling and Qin Mei. ”Eldest Sister, Fourth Sister-in-law, are you coming to the hospital with us?”

Qin Mei and Jie Jingling exchanged a glance, and Jie Jingling shook her head firmly. ”We have other things to do, so we won’t be going with you.”

’Your granny fainted under Jie Jingling’s death glare,’ Qin Mei thought. ’If she wakes up and sees her, she’ll probably get scared and pass out all over again.’

’There was no hysterical argument, no dredging up of old grievances. Jie Jingling just stared fixedly at Granny, and the old woman passed out. Just how much bad karma must she have built up for that to happen!’

”Eldest Sister, she’s our granny, but she’s your own flesh-and-blood grandmother too. What could possibly be more important than her health? Granny fainted and was sent to the hospital. You’re her granddaughter; aren’t you worried about her at all?” Zhao Hong demanded.

Seeing Zhao Hong’s attempt at guilt-tripping, Qin Mei sneered. ’For her to say such a thing, she must be completely clueless about how Granny treated Zhang Hongyan and Jie Jingling.’

’It made sense, though. Granny doted on Jie Anlin; she would never tell his wife about the wicked things she’d done. And if Granny didn’t talk, Jie Jianjun and Chen Xiuhua would naturally keep their mouths shut as well.’

’They weren’t like Jie Jingchen, who had no problem airing the family’s dirty laundry.’

Jie Jingling snorted, the corner of her mouth twisting into a sneer. Her eyes, fixed on Zhao Hong, were filled with scorn.