Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Li Axiu was about to get up when she saw Lin Yaru curled up on the floor. Ever since Lin Yaru got pregnant, she had been especially sensitive to the cold. Even in such hot weather, she needed a blanket to sleep.

”Yaru, let me help you to the bed first.” Li Axiu’s heart ached seeing her daughter on the floor. It would be a problem if she caught a cold; medicine could affect the baby.

”Mom, don’t touch me. My stomach hurts. I’ll just lie here on the floor. Please, go quickly and come back soon.” To prove her point, Lin Yaru let out pained groans from time to time.

Li Axiu didn’t dare to delay. She turned and ran out, heading for the Jie Family’s home.

After Li Axiu left, Lin Yaru climbed up from the floor. There wasn’t a trace of pain on her face, only the triumphant joy of a scheme about to succeed.

”Jing Si, you can stand by and watch me suffer, but I refuse to believe you’d do the same to the child in my belly.” A cunning smile played on Lin Yaru’s lips as she picked up an apple from the table, sat down, and began to eat it leisurely.

In the kitchen of the Jie Family’s home, Jie Jingchen, Qin Mei, and Jie Jingshan were having a meal.

”Jing Qi, your cooking is pretty good. These braised pork ribs with potatoes are delicious,” Qin Mei praised generously.

Jie Jingchen shot Qin Mei a sideways glance, his expression saying it all. He picked up a pork rib, rinsed it in a bowl of hot water, and placed it in Qin Mei’s bowl.

Qin Mei looked at Jie Jingchen and shot him a look. ’It’s the kid’s first time cooking, can’t you say a few words of encouragement? She made dinner and waited for us to come home to eat. Well done, she deserves some praise.’

”Your sister-in-law is right. Your cooking is excellent. Keep up the good work,” Jie Jingchen praised, going against his conscience. After a moment’s thought, he added, ”But don’t use so much salt next time. Eating too much salt in the summer isn’t good for you.”

”Hehe, I might have added a bit too much salt.” Jie Jingshan didn’t seem embarrassed at all. Her second aunt had taught her how to cook, and this was her first time trying. She was filled with a sense of accomplishment for having managed so well.

Qin Mei lowered her head and gnawed on a pork rib. ’Any more praise would just sound fake.’

Even after being rinsed in hot water, the pork rib was still overwhelmingly salty. After gnawing on two pieces, she polished off a whole bowl of rice.

”Father-in-law!” Li Axiu’s anxious voice rang out.

Hearing Li Axiu’s voice, the three of them froze for a moment, sharing a silent, mutual understanding not to make a sound.

”Father-in-law!” Li Axiu stood in the yard, shouting at the top of her lungs, but still, there was no reply.

”Fourth Brother, what does Aunt Li want? Dad’s at the machinery plant at this hour. Why would she come to our house looking for him?” Jie Jingshan asked Jie Jingchen with a frown. She seriously suspected that Li Axiu had ulterior motives.

”Perhaps the person she’s looking for isn’t your dad, but *someone else*,” Qin Mei said, chewing on her chopsticks as she gave Jie Jingchen a meaningful look.

”Looking for Fourth Brother?” Jie Jingshan asked, then immediately shook her head in denial. ”Impossible. Why would she be looking for my fourth brother? Her daughter is the one who likes him, not her.”

A vein bulged on Jie Jingchen’s forehead. ’What a dear sister I have,’ he thought sarcastically, ’always bringing up the most awkward subjects. Who else loves to throw their own brother under the bus like this?’

”I’ll go see what’s going on.” Jie Jingchen put down his chopsticks and was about to get up, but Jie Jingshan stopped him.

”Fourth Brother, it’s not appropriate for you to go. I’ll go instead.” Jie Jingshan put down her chopsticks, stood up, and walked out of the kitchen.

”I’m going too.” Qin Mei put down her chopsticks. ’I want to go watch the drama unfold.’

”Meimei.” Jie Jingchen grabbed her wrist, holding her back. ”She wouldn’t dare hurt Jing Qi.”

”Who’s worried about her hurting Jing Qi? I’m curious what she’s really up to, coming here on the pretext of looking for your dad.” Qin Mei tried to pull free from Jie Jingchen’s grip, but couldn’t break away. She frowned at him. ”Jie Jingsi.”

”She’s definitely not here for anything good, especially when she knows both my parents are at work,” Jie Jingchen said.

”We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. What are you so afraid of her for? Don’t tell me you have a guilty conscience,” Qin Mei said, leaning in closer to Jie Jingchen.

A guilty conscience, really? Jie Jingchen felt helpless. ”Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not afraid of her, I’m afraid of the trouble she’ll cause.”

”Hmph!” Qin Mei snorted. ’Yeah, right. As if I’d believe you.’

Since Jie Jingchen wouldn’t let her go, Qin Mei didn’t insist. She simply sat back down beside him.

When Li Axiu saw Jie Jingshan walk out of the kitchen, she immediately rushed over and asked anxiously, ”Jing Qi, where’s your father?”

”Aunt Li, what do you need my dad for?” Jie Jingshan asked curiously.

”Yar... Your second sister-in-law’s stomach hurts. I came to ask your dad to drive her to the hospital,” Li Axiu said. She had been shouting in the yard, and Jie Jingshan was the one who came out, so she was almost certain the family patriarch wasn’t home. ’But his car is parked outside. If he’s not home, who is? Qiao Yanqiu?’

Jie Jingshan scrutinized Li Axiu. Her expression was anxious and her eyes were filled with worry; she didn’t seem to be lying. ”Aunt Li, if you’re looking for my dad, you shouldn’t have come to the house. You should go to the machinery plant. He’s at work there at this time.”

”But your dad’s car is outside...” Li Axiu’s voice trailed off. At that moment, it all became clear. Thinking back to what Lin Yaru had said, she feared the person Yaru had seen wasn’t the family patriarch, but Jing Si.

’Jie Jingchen works at the machinery plant, so it’s normal for him to drive his father’s car home. If Jing Er had driven back, he wouldn’t have parked the car at the Jie Family’s home, but at the Lin Family’s home.’

’So Yaru was just faking the stomachache.’ Li Axiu felt a surge of exasperation at her daughter’s foolishness.

’She and Jing Er just got married, can’t she just settle down for a bit? If she gets entangled with Jing Si now and causes a scandal that brings shame to both the Lin and Jie families, will the family patriarch still help his son get a permit to return to the city?’

”My fourth brother drove it back,” Jie Jingshan said, telling the truth.

Li Axiu sucked in a sharp breath. Her suspicions were confirmed, and she still felt the blow.

To get close to Jing Si, Yaru had truly stopped at nothing, even faking a stomachache to trick her. Li Axiu’s worry was replaced by anger.

”Aunt Li, you just said my second sister-in-law’s stomach hurts. My fourth brother is home, so I’ll get him to take her to the hospital.” Although Jie Jingshan said this, she made no move to do so.

”Jing Qi, no need. It’s not convenient for your fourth brother,” Li Axiu refused.

”My fourth brother really isn’t available. How about I get my sister-in-law? Her medical skills are superb, especially when it comes to treating pregnant women with stomach pains. When Sister Ke Xin had a scare with her pregnancy, my sister-in-law stabilized her with just a few needles,” Jie Jingshan said.

”No, that’s alright. I’ll think of something else,” Li Axiu refused again. She didn’t want either Jing Si or Qin Mei to appear before Yaru. Jing Si would give Yaru hope, while Qin Mei would deal her a blow. She didn’t want this faked stomachache to turn into a real one.

The last time Qin Mei upset Yaru, Yaru had lost control of her emotions and injured Jing Er. At first, Li Axiu had suspected Jing Er was making a big deal out of nothing, but when he unwrapped the gauze and she saw the gruesome wound, she had silently blamed Yaru for going too far.

”Aunt Li, a healer’s heart is a benevolent one. You have to trust my sister-in-law. She would never take this opportunity to carry out a personal vendetta against my second sister-in-law,” Jie Jingshan persuaded.

The more she said this, the more unsettled Li Axiu felt.

”Thank you, but there’s no need to trouble your sister-in-law. It’s nothing serious with your second sister-in-law. It’s just pregnancy! A little stomach pain now and then is normal.” Not wanting to talk with Jie Jingshan any longer, Li Axiu turned and bolted.

Jie Jingshan wanted to add a few more words of persuasion, but Li Axiu ran off too quickly. She shrugged and turned back toward the kitchen.

”Fourth Brother, Sister-in-law, I sent her away,” Jie Jingshan said to the two of them.

The pair looked at Jing Qi, hesitating. Should they praise her? Jing Qi was past the age for a simple, empty compliment like, ”Sweetie, you’re amazing.”

”Turns out she really was here to find your dad, not using it as a pretext for some other ulterior motive. Are you disappointed?” Qin Mei lifted her chin to look up at Jie Jingchen, who was now standing.

Jie Jingchen didn’t answer her. What could he say? That she was being unreasonable? Seeing her jealousy and hearing her tart words, Jie Jingchen actually enjoyed it. She was jealous, and that was a good thing. It proved that he had already found a way into her heart.

”Fourth Brother, are you disappointed?” Jie Jingshan asked, never one to shy away from stirring the pot. In a way, she was biased towards Qin Mei.