Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Chapter 34: Chapter 26: Jing 4 and Teacher Lin (2)

”Slow down.” Jie Jingchen watched him rush off, worried he might get hurt.

”Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.” Jie Jingjue gave Jie Jingchen a one-handed wave. ”Fourth Brother, I’m off! Take care of Jing Qi. My apologies for troubling Fourth Sister-in-law.”

Jie Jingjue didn’t know that Qin Mei was going to treat Jie Jingshan’s leg. He had returned late last night after everyone was already asleep. This morning, he had woken up late, and everyone had already left for work. Jie Jingchen hadn’t had a chance to tell him.

Watching him leave, Jie Jingchen shook his head in resignation.

Jie Jingchen went out to buy breakfast and ran into a neighbor on the way. She called out to him, ”Jing Si, wait up!”

”Second Auntie.” Jie Jingchen stopped and waited for her. ”Is something the matter, Second Auntie?”

Second Auntie caught up to Jie Jingchen, glanced around, and lowered her voice. ”I heard you brought a wife home. Jing Si, are you really married?”

”Yes, I am.” Jie Jingchen nodded. He’d told everyone he was married when he came home after leaving the army, but when months passed and no one saw his wife, they stopped believing him.

”When did you get married?” Second Auntie was a little shocked. The Jie Family was well-off; by all rights, Jing Si’s wedding should have been a grand banquet.

”Six months ago,” Jie Jingchen replied, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Second Auntie thought for a moment, then said in surprise, ”But you were still in the service back then. Heavens! Does the army arrange marriages now? Who set you up?”

Jie Jingchen hesitated for a moment before answering evasively, ”The sister of a buddy from the army.”

At his words, Second Auntie’s expression shifted. These sorts of complex connections weren’t something she could casually pry into.

The Jie Family was no ordinary household. Especially with Director Jie’s second wife—her status, her background... and Jing Si was her son. If his army buddy’s sister was just some common girl, would the Jie Family really allow Jing Si to marry a woman so far beneath their station?

Seeing Jie Jingchen turn to leave, Second Auntie called out to him again. ”Jing Si.”

Jie Jingchen looked at the woman, who seemed to have something more to say but was holding back. He raised an eyebrow. ”Is there something else, Second Auntie?”

”Haha, no, it’s nothing. You go on. Bring your wife over for a visit when you have time.” Second Auntie chuckled and shook her head, holding back the questions she was dying to ask.

”Alright.” Jie Jingchen gave a polite reply and walked away.

Another woman, carrying a basket of vegetables, walked over. Seeing Second Auntie staring into space, she nudged her shoulder. ”Sister-in-law Li, what are you daydreaming about?”

”Oh, Axiu, it’s you! You gave me a fright.” Second Auntie patted her chest.

”What has you in a daze so early in the morning?” Liu Axiu asked with a smile.

”Sigh!” Second Auntie let out a long breath and said regretfully, ”I just saw Jing Si and chatted with him for a bit. Axiu... sigh! You should really start looking for a match for Teacher Lin. Don’t have her wait for Jing Si anymore. He’s really married.”

The smile froze on Liu Axiu’s face. She turned deathly pale, her eyes filled with an irrepressible bitterness. ”Is Jing Si truly married? Did he really bring his wife back to the Jie Family home?”

”Yes.” Second Auntie nodded. Seeing the resentment on Liu Axiu’s face, she couldn’t help but add sympathetically, ”Jing Si said so himself. He got married six months ago.”

”Fine! So that’s how it is, Jie Family! So that’s how it is, Jie Jingchen! Hmph! If the Jie Family doesn’t give the Lin Family an explanation for this, we won’t let it rest!” Liu Axiu’s face was livid with anger, her eyes practically shooting fire.

”Axiu, don’t be rash. The Jie Family isn’t a family you can afford to provoke,” Second Auntie warned her.

”The Lin Family may not be able to provoke the Jie Family, but they can’t just bully us like this! They can’t bully my daughter! This is going too far! I’ll risk my own life if I have to, but I’m going to the Jie Family to demand justice for my daughter!” The more Liu Axiu thought about it, the more furious she became.

”Axiu! Regarding Jing Si and Teacher Lin, the Jie Family never made any promises, and neither did Jing Si himself,” Second Auntie tried to reason with her.

”Sister-in-law Li, what’s that supposed to mean?” Liu Axiu glared at the other woman. ”What did the Jie Family give you to make you sell out your conscience and take their side?”

”Axiu, that’s a serious accusation! What do you mean, I ’took their side’? What side is there to take? And what could the Jie Family possibly give me?” Second Auntie was getting angry now, too.

Qin Mei stood behind them, listening to their argument without a change in her expression.

’Jie Jingchen had gone out for breakfast, and she’d followed, hoping to put in an order. She hadn’t caught up to him, but she’d stumbled right into this juicy piece of gossip about him and Teacher Lin.’

’Teacher Lin’s mother and another woman were arguing about Jie Jingchen and Teacher Lin. Apparently, Teacher Lin’s mother thought her daughter and Jie Jingchen were a couple and that he should have married her. But then, the original owner of this body beat her to the punch.’

’The other woman’s point, however, was that nothing had ever been settled between Jie Jingchen and Teacher Lin. Marrying her would have been a gesture of goodwill, but not marrying her was perfectly within his rights. There was no official matchmaking, nor had they secretly pledged themselves to each other.’