Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Chapter 127: Chapter 56: There’s No Shame in Admitting You’re Afraid of Pain

The corner of Qin Mei’s eye twitched. She glanced at Jie Jingchen but didn’t answer him.

Aunt Zhang wasn’t her mother-in-law’s sister, but the sister of her father-in-law’s former wife. Having never met the woman or knowing what she was like, Qin Mei wasn’t exactly looking forward to her arrival.

”Have you taken your medicine?” Qin Mei changed the subject.

”I have,” Jie Jingchen replied, then asked, ”Are you going to give Jing Qi her acupuncture now?”

Qin Mei didn’t answer, asking instead, ”What about you? Have you taken your medicine?”

A flicker of light crossed Jie Jingchen’s eyes as a wave of warmth washed over his heart. The corners of his lips curved into a smile. ”I have.”

”Jie Jingchen, if you want to get well, you’d best take your medicine on time,” Qin Mei reminded him. With a sidelong glance at him, she took her needle case from her small cloth pouch and headed to Jing Qi’s room.

Jie Jingshan was sitting on her bed. When she saw Qin Mei enter, a flash of fear appeared in her eyes, especially upon seeing the needle case in her hand.

”Fourth Sister-in-law.” Jie Jingshan’s voice lacked its usual warmth and joy, replaced by a note of fear.

Qin Mei smiled knowingly. She looked at Jie Jingshan and teased, ”Scared?”

”I’m not scared,” Jie Jingshan said stubbornly, craning her neck. But as Qin Mei took out the silver needles, she couldn’t help but flinch and pull her head back.

’Yesterday had been terrifying. It hurt so much—an indescribable pain, coupled with a sense of powerlessness. Every time Fourth Sister-in-law inserted a needle, the pain was agonizing. It hurt wherever a needle went. The agony made her want to resist, yet her legs wouldn’t move an inch. She couldn’t even manage to tremble.’

”Jing Qi, you’re only fourteen. It’s completely normal to be afraid of pain.” Qin Mei’s smile vanished, her expression turning serious as she looked at Jing Qi.

”I’m not afraid of pain,” Jie Jingshan insisted stubbornly.

”Jing Qi, there’s no shame in admitting you’re afraid of the pain,” Qin Mei coaxed.

Jie Jingshan gritted her teeth, stubborn as a mule. ’It wasn’t that she was afraid of losing face. She was afraid that if she admitted she was scared of the pain, Fourth Sister-in-law would stop treating her legs.’

’She could endure the pain. Even if every treatment for the next two-plus months was so agonizing she wished she were dead, she would bear it. After enduring it for over two months, she would be able to stand again.’

’For her, being able to stand again meant a new lease on life.’

Seeing her stubbornness, Qin Mei stopped trying to persuade her. She smiled and said gently, ”Don’t worry. The needles won’t hurt today.”

”Really?” Jie Jingshan blurted out, the tension visibly draining from her.

”It doesn’t hurt every time,” Qin Mei said. ”If it was this painful every time, you’d either die from the pain before your legs were healed or give up halfway because you couldn’t take it.”

”I won’t. I won’t give up,” Jie Jingshan said urgently, before declaring with the utmost seriousness, ”Even if the pain kills me, I will not give up.”

”So resolute?” Qin Mei was a bit surprised, yet not entirely. ’Jing Qi is very successful in the future. For someone with paralyzed legs to achieve such success, she must have had extraordinary willpower.’ ”Jing Qi, don’t be so serious, and don’t be nervous. As long as you persevere and don’t give up, I will give it my all.”

”Okay.” Jie Jingshan smiled, her grin radiant. ”Fourth Sister-in-law, I will never, ever forget this great kindness.”

Repaying this debt was a matter for another time, and Jie Jingshan didn’t rush to speak of it. She was deeply grateful to Qin Mei. ’In her heart, she already regarded Qin Mei as the parent who had given her a new life.’

Qin Mei froze for a moment. ’Jing Qi knows how to be grateful, so her character is sound. When I decided to treat Jing Qi’s legs, I didn’t know that Jie Jingshan was the Qiao Jingshan from the future. I absolutely have no intention of using this favor to demand repayment.’

Qin Mei said nothing, focusing on administering the needles to Jie Jingshan.

Qin Mei hadn’t been lying; it really didn’t hurt. Jie Jingshan breathed a sigh of relief.

After the treatment, Qin Mei pushed Jie Jingshan out into the courtyard. Jie Jingchen was sitting in a rattan chair under a tree, reading a book, but there was no sign of Jie Jingjue.

”Where’s Jing Wu?” Qin Mei asked Jie Jingchen. She usually saw Jie Jingjue before she gave Jing Qi her treatment, so she was a little surprised not to see him this time.

”He went to work.” Jie Jingchen looked up, shot Qin Mei a glance, and then his eyes fell back to his book.

”He’s avoiding me.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement.

Jie Jingchen said nothing, which was a tacit admission.

”Fourth Sister-in-law, Fifth Brother is just a bit dense, he doesn’t have a bad heart. Don’t lower yourself to his level,” Jie Jingshan said, still defending Jing Wu. When Jie Jingchen left for the military, she was still little. Her second and third brothers treated her well enough, but since they had different mothers, there was always a sense of distance between them.

Fifth Brother was different. They shared the same mother and father and were very close. Her bond with him was even stronger than her bond with her Fourth Brother.

Qin Mei smiled without speaking, and Jie Jingshan said no more.

Jie Jingchen and Jie Jingshan read their books while Qin Mei busied herself with her herbs.