Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Jie Anlin was dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected Zhao Hong to say such things to Jie Jingling. He grabbed her and started dragging her forward, his movements rough yet cautious, terrified of hurting the child in her belly.

’She finally got pregnant. I can’t let all this drama cause a miscarriage.’

”An Lin, slow down! I’m not finished talking.” Perched on her moral high ground, Zhao Hong continued to condemn Jie Jingling. ”Jing Ling and Qin Mei are completely indifferent to Granny’s collapse. I can let it slide with Qin Mei. After all, she’s a granddaughter-in-law, just like me, and Granny doesn’t dote on Fourth Brother the way she dotes on you.

”Qin Mei has no bond with Granny, so it’s normal for her to be distant. But Jing Ling is different. She’s Granny’s own granddaughter. So what if Granny has that ’boys are better than girls’ mindset? That doesn’t change the fact that Jing Ling should be dutiful to the old woman.”

”Good grief, can you just stop talking?” Jie Anlin’s head was starting to ache. ’Even Eldest Uncle doesn’t dare tell Jing Ling to be dutiful to Granny. Where does she get the nerve?’

”An Lin, what is wrong with you today? Jing Ling is being so cold to Granny, and Granny loves you so much! Shouldn’t you say something to her for Granny’s sake?” Zhao Hong glared at Jie Anlin. Normally, if she showed the slightest disrespect to Granny, he would scold her, or even hit her. Yet now, when Jie Jingling was the one failing in her duties and she was merely calling her out, he was trying to shut her up.

”That’s enough! You don’t understand the full picture. Come on, let’s get to the hospital.” Jie Anlin tried to pull Zhao Hong along, but she refused, violently shaking off his large hand.

Playing the pregnancy card, Zhao Hong planted her hands on her hips, looking as if she’d fight back with all her might if he dared drag her away by force—even if it risked harming the child in her belly. She was ready to go for broke.

”An Lin, I’m so disappointed in you. Granny wasted all her love on you. At a crucial time like this, you’re not even using your power as her favorite grandson.” Zhao Hong goaded Jie Anlin, trying to incite a fight between him and Jie Jingling.

”Heh.” Qin Mei couldn’t stop a cold laugh from escaping.

Hearing Qin Mei’s scornful laugh, Zhao Hong spun around to glare at her and demand, ”Fourth Brother’s wife, what are you laughing at? Is something funny?”

”Are you on something?” Qin Mei shot back.

How dare she curse at her? Zhao Hong wasn’t having it. They were both wives in the Jie Family; she was part of the second branch, and Qin Mei was part of the first. By rights, Qin Mei’s status should be higher, but it was the second branch that was favored. Grandpa and Granny were still alive, and they were the ones calling the shots.

”You’re the one who’s on something! Both you and Jing Ling are disrespectful to your elders! You two should...”

”We’re perfectly capable of being dutiful. Your precious Granny just isn’t worthy of it,” Qin Mei cut her off coldly. ’Who the hell does she think she is, condemning us like this? Unbelievable. Does being pregnant make her some kind of queen? Does everyone have to bow down to her?’

”You... An Lin, did you hear that? Did you hear what she just said? Do Eldest Uncle and Eldest Aunt know she talks like this?” Zhao Hong looked righteously indignant.

”Being dutiful is only genuine when it comes from the heart. Is *your* dutifulness genuine?” Qin Mei mocked. Jie Jingling might have her reservations, but Qin Mei didn’t. Anyone who pissed her off would get an earful. She refused to swallow her anger and be a pushover.

”Of course, ours comes from the heart.” Zhao Hong puffed out her chest, but a flicker of guilt flashed in her eyes. She was the type to hold a grudge. She had suffered a lot when Granny and the others mistakenly thought she was infertile, and her resentment toward them ran deep. But Granny still had her uses, so she couldn’t just do as she pleased.

To put it bluntly, her family back home wasn’t powerful enough, so she had to swallow her pride and compromise in her husband’s family.

”Is that so?” Qin Mei sneered, raising a hand to flick her fingernails. ”Granny favors you two, so it’s natural for you to be dutiful to her. If Granny favored Jie Jingchen, I guarantee I’d be serving her hand and foot, even changing her bedpans.”

Zhao Hong was speechless. It was common knowledge that Granny was extremely biased toward Jie Anlin. A sense of foreboding crept over Zhao Hong. Was Qin Mei suggesting that she should be the one taking care of Granny’s every need?

Zhao Hong habitually stroked her belly. Before she was pregnant, Jie Anlin would definitely have forced her to do it. But now that she was pregnant, and they prized the child in her belly so much, they would talk her through any little thing that upset her. Forcing her to change Granny’s bedpans was absolutely out of the question.

”An Lin, my stomach doesn’t feel right.” Zhao Hong’s face twisted in a pained expression.

”What?” Jie Anlin’s face went pale. He steadied Zhao Hong and asked urgently, ”What’s wrong? How much does it hurt? My son will be okay, right?”

”I don’t know, this is my first pregnancy... Granny and Mom aren’t home... An Lin, what do we do?” Zhao Hong had a look of worry and fear on her face.

Jie Anlin didn’t lose his head. He turned to Qin Mei and said, ”Fourth Brother’s wife, your medical skills are exceptional. Quick, take a look at her.”