Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

The little guy winced and hugged Mr. Xie’s leg. ”Grandpa, I don’t want Mommy to dress me. I want Grandpa to help me, or I won’t get dressed.”

”Xiao You, come here. Stop bothering your grandpa. You haven’t even finished getting dressed. You’ll be sorry if you catch a cold,” Xu Chunyan said, deliberately putting on a stern face.

”I don’t want to! I want Grandpa to dress me,” the little one whined.

”Xiao You.” Xu Chunyan was at her wit’s end with her son and looked at Mr. Xie. ”Dad, look at this...”

”Alright, Grandpa will help our little Xiao You get dressed.” Mr. Xie squatted down, helped Xiao You put on his shirt, then held out his hand to Xu Chunyan. ”Give me his pants.”

”Dad, thank you for your trouble.” Xu Chunyan handed Xiao You’s pants to Mr. Xie.

Hearing this, Mr. Xie’s eyes flickered. He looked up at Xu Chunyan. After the Xu Family’s misfortune, she had lost her old arrogance.

The Xu Family had brought this disaster upon themselves. Over the years, Xu Chunyan’s mother and brother had caused no end of trouble for the Jie Family. Although he had never witnessed it himself, that didn’t mean he was unaware. As long as Yan Qiu didn’t complain or report them to him, he would turn a blind eye.

But you can’t just keep squeezing a soft persimmon. Yan Qiu had tolerated them time and again, but they never, ever should have crossed her bottom line.

”Xiao You, lift your leg.” Mr. Xie helped Xiao You with his pants. ”Regarding the Xu Family’s affairs, you’d best not hold a grudge against your Aunt Qiao. You know in your heart that they brought it on themselves. If you want to keep living here, don’t provoke her. If you anger her, even I can’t protect you.”

It was both a reminder and a warning.

Xu Chunyan froze. This was the first time her father-in-law had spoken to her about the Xu Family since their downfall, and it wasn’t to comfort her, but to warn her.

’It’s true what they say. Once you have a stepmother, you get a stepfather.’

Xu Chunyan suppressed the hatred in her heart and smiled at Mr. Xie, making her stance clear. ”Dad, I understand. Don’t worry. I married Jing Er, so I’m part of the Jie Family. As for the Xu Family, I’ll help where I can. If I can’t, then there’s nothing more I can do.”

Mr. Xie smiled, satisfied. ”Very good. You haven’t cut them off completely just because they’ve fallen on hard times, nor have you recklessly insisted on standing up for them. Second Daughter-in-law Jing, I don’t object to you helping your maiden family, but you must act within your means.”

”I know, Dad.” Xu Chunyan lowered her eyes. ’Her father-in-law’s words were clear: you can help your family, but you can no longer use the Jie Family’s resources.’

Xu Chunyan sneered inwardly. ’What resources does the Jie Family even have? The Qiao Family is the one with real resources.’

’For her father-in-law to marry Qiao Yanqiu, especially for his second marriage... She really had no idea what good deeds he must have done in a past life.’

Mr. Xie finished putting on Xiao You’s pants and patted his small shoulders. ”Go back to your room with your mother and sleep.”

”No! I want to sleep with Grandpa tonight!” Seeing Mr. Xie about to stand up, Jie You dove into his arms.

Mr. Xie was still squatting and was knocked over by Jie You. He tumbled down the steps with the boy in his arms, landing messily on the ground.

”Dad! Xiao You!” Xu Chunyan cried out in alarm.

Everyone’s attention had been on Jie Jingchen and Qin Xiang. Only when they heard Xu Chunyan’s cry did they look over. Seeing her standing under the eaves while Mr. Xie lay on the ground holding Jie You, they were all startled. Jie Jingchen and Qin Xiang stopped fighting.

”Jian Country!” Mrs. Xie ran quickly toward Mr. Xie.

Mrs. Xie was a doctor, so Qin Mei didn’t get in the way.

”Dad!” Jie Jingchen and Jie Jingjue ran toward Mr. Xie.

”Eldest.” Grandpa and Granny supported each other as they hurried toward Mr. Xie.

”Dad, are you alright?” Xu Chunyan jumped down from the steps, about to help Mr. Xie up, but Mrs. Xie stopped her.

”Don’t move him!” Mrs. Xie snapped. She first pulled Xiao You out of Mr. Xie’s arms. The little guy was frightened and threw himself into Xu Chunyan’s arms, crying.

Xu Chunyan hugged her son, her heart aching for him, and soothed him softly. ”Good boy, Xiao You. Don’t cry.”

Mrs. Xie knelt to examine Mr. Xie’s body. Grandpa and Granny came to his side, looking at their son with pained expressions. ”Eldest, are you hurt anywhere?”

”Mom, Dad, don’t worry. I’m fine.” Mr. Xie tried to sit up but was stopped by Mrs. Xie.

”Stay down and don’t move!” Mrs. Xie ordered sharply.

Mr. Xie obediently lay still. Seeing her daughter-in-law being fierce with her son, Granny was instantly displeased. ”Eldest’s wife, he’s already taken such a fall, and you’re still yelling at him?”

’She dares to yell at our son right in front of us. Who knows how she abuses him behind our backs.’

Granny was experienced in this sort of thing. When Zhang Hongyan was still around, Granny would scold her to her face and hit her behind her back. In any case, she just couldn’t stand Zhang Hongyan.

After confirming that Mr. Xie hadn’t broken any bones, Mrs. Xie relaxed. She had Jing Si and Jing Wu help him up. The two of them supported him back into the house, with Grandpa and Granny following behind.

After the fight, drenched in sweat and having vented his emotions, Qin Xiang returned to the spot under the tree. He flopped onto the rattan chair, picked up the enamel mug from the stone table, and chugged a large gulp of tea.

”Qin Xiangmei,” Qin Mei called out.

”PFFT!” Qin Xiang sprayed out a mouthful of tea and started choking. He coughed nonstop until his face was red and the veins on his neck were bulging.

Qin Mei looked at Qin Xiang with an innocent expression, feeling not the slightest bit of guilt. ’Did those two words, ”Qin Xiangmei,” really have such a devastating effect on him?’

Qin Xiang calmed down, caught his breath, and took another sip of tea. He put down the enamel mug and looked at Qin Mei, serious and earnest. ”Little Sis, I already changed my name. I’m not Qin Xiangmei anymore. My name is Qin Xiang now.”

”Why change it? I think the name Qin Xiangmei is great. It suits you.” Qin Mei held back her laughter, looking at Qin Xiang with a perfectly straight face.

”Great how? Suits me how? Mom and Dad just wanted a daughter so badly that they gave us... gave *me* a name like that.” Qin Xiang was full of disdain. He didn’t think much of it as a kid, but he grew to hate it. ”I changed the name Qin Xiangmei before I joined the army. Besides the people in our village, nobody knew I used to be called Qin Xiangmei. It’s just my big mouth, sharing everything with Jing Si. That guy, after marrying you, has completely forgotten about Wude.”

It had been years, and Jing Si had never once brought up the name Qin Xiangmei. But this time, he had actually used it to poke him where it hurts. Unforgivable. Absolutely unforgivable.

Qin Mei shot Qin Xiang a sidelong glance. ”Big Bro, what do you mean he’s forgotten about Wude since marrying me? You can know a person’s face, but not their heart. You’re the one who mistook a fish eye for a pearl.”

’Jie Jingchen is incredibly shrewd, always thinking ten steps ahead. She had never once gotten the better of him. Qin Mei felt fortunate that she and Jie Jingchen were husband and wife, not enemies. If he treated her the way he treated his enemies, she’d be dead meat.’

’Qin Mei was puzzled. Jie Jingchen was so cautious and careful, so how did he capsize in a ditch and fall for the original owner’s trap?’

’Jie Jingchen is traumatized by the drugging incident. I’d better not ask.’

”Who mistook a fish eye for a pearl?” Jie Jingchen walked toward them.

”Hmph!” Qin Xiang shot Jie Jingchen a glare, snorted coldly, and turned his head away, ignoring him.

Jie Jingchen didn’t get angry. He walked over to Qin Mei, stood behind her, and gently massaged her shoulders.

Qin Xiang was dumbfounded. ’Is this still the same Jie Jingchen he knew? Look how skillfully he’s massaging her shoulders.’ He marveled once again, ’Little Sis really knows how to tame a husband!’

Qin Mei didn’t answer, asking instead, ”Is your father okay?”

”He’s fine. It’s not like he’s dying,” Jie Jingchen replied nonchalantly.

Qin Xiang stared at Jie Jingchen with a horrified look and said to Qin Mei, ”Xiao Mei, did you hear that? What kind of thing is that to say? If he has this attitude toward his own father, can you really expect him to be filial to our parents?”

”Big Bro, being filial to our parents isn’t his responsibility,” Qin Mei blurted out, regretting it the moment the words left her mouth.

”How is being filial to my parents-in-law not my responsibility?” Jie Jingchen’s gaze shifted, his deep eyes full of protest.

”How is being filial to our parents not his responsibility?” Qin Xiang frowned in displeasure.

Hearing them both speak in unison, Qin Mei surrendered. ”Right, right, it’s his responsibility. I misspoke.”

”Is the bathwater ready?” Qin Xiang asked, sniffing himself. He hadn’t bathed in three or four days and was starting to smell. He had just broken a sweat, and now he couldn’t even stand his own body odor.