Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Qin Mei sized up Teacher Lin. Her features were simple and elegant, like a lone orchid in a secluded valley. She wore her hair in two long braids, a headband holding back the stray hairs at her forehead, which made her look particularly graceful and refined. She had on a long, small-print floral dress, a little red jacket, and a pair of leather shoes. While not exceptionally bewitching, she possessed a lively, ethereal charm.

Her dark eyes, clear as autumn pools, were fixed directly on Qin Mei, and her pretty face was veiled in a faint sadness.

”Xiao You, come here.” Jie Jingshan’s face was cold as she crooked a finger at Jie You.

”No.” Jie You shrank his chubby little body, hiding behind Teacher Lin. He was afraid of Jie Jingshan. He had seen her crazed episodes a few times, and with his parents and grandpa not around, he didn’t dare provoke this aunt of his. His mother had also warned him not to get close to her and to stay far, far away if he saw her.

”Jie You,” Jie Jingshan barked sharply.

Qin Mei flinched. She was so used to the sweet, well-behaved Jing Qi that this sudden severity was jarring. For a moment, she’d even forgotten their own first, unpleasant encounter.

”WAAAH... Auntie’s mean.” Jie You burst into tears, frightened.

”Don’t cry,” Jie Jingshan said, her voice frigid and fierce.

Watching Jing Qi in full intimidation mode, Qin Mei realized this wasn’t about scolding Xiao You. This was a show of force meant for Teacher Lin.

Jie You’s wails stopped abruptly, replaced by quiet sobs as he cowered behind Teacher Lin.

Qin Mei saw it clearly then. The normally fearless Jie You was terrified of Jing Qi.

”Jing Qi, you’re scaring Xiao You,” Teacher Lin couldn’t help but say, her voice gentle and pleasant to the ear.

A smile touched Qin Mei’s eyes as she gazed at Teacher Lin. ’She’s one of those types,’ she thought. ’Not enough beauty, so she makes up for it with her voice.’

Teacher Lin, in turn, sized up Qin Mei. ’Those clear, almond-shaped eyes shine with a dazzling, intoxicating light,’ she thought. ’Such exquisite, flawless features. A face that could topple nations, capable of bewitching any heart with ease. No wonder Jing Si abandoned me to marry her.’

’Even her clothes are simple—a white shirt, black pants, and a pair of cloth shoes—but on her, they look extraordinary. The charm she exudes could make all the flowers in the world pale in comparison.’

”Teacher Lin, thank you for bringing Xiao You home. I’ll take him now,” Jie Jingshan said, her tone distant and cold as she dismissed her. ”Your job is done. You can go home and make dinner.”

Teacher Lin froze, stunned. Jing Qi had actually called her ”Teacher Lin.” Before, she had always called her Sister Yaru.

A surge of anger rose in Lin Yaru. ’I was so good to Jing Qi! Even after she was disabled, I never scorned her. Whenever I had time, I would come over to take care of her, even helping with her bedpan. And she’s forgotten all the kindness I showed her. What an ungrateful wretch!’

”Jing Qi, your second sister-in-law’s mother is sick and has been hospitalized. She has to be at the hospital to take care of her, so she entrusted Xiao You to me for a few days,” Lin Yaru explained. ”We’re colleagues and neighbors, our families are close, and I’m fond of Xiao You, so I agreed to help.” The implication was clear: she wasn’t just dropping Xiao You off. She was accompanying him home and planned to stay for several days to look after him.

Qin Mei raised a hand to her forehead. A scrape on her fair wrist was particularly noticeable.

’To push Teacher Lin and Jie Jingchen back together, Xu Chunyan is really stopping at nothing!’ she thought.

’And you can’t even blame her. Her mother is sick, and everyone knows the Xu Family’s current situation. She can’t just ignore her hospitalized mother, can she? With Jie Jingwei still away on business and Teacher Lin being her only close friend, asking her for help is perfectly reasonable.

’However, in the eyes of all the neighbors, Teacher Lin and Jie Jingchen had been the perfect couple. My intervention forcibly tore them apart. It would be incredibly awkward for the three of us—Jie Jingchen, Teacher Lin, and me—to live under the same roof.

’It was tactless of Xu Chunyan to ask Teacher Lin for help with Xiao You. And for Teacher Lin to agree... either she still has lingering feelings for Jie Jingchen and wants to use this opportunity to rekindle things, or she has truly moved on and can remain perfectly calm living under the same roof as him. But no matter how I look at it, it seems to me that she still has feelings for Jie Jingchen.’

”I deeply admire your spirit of helping others, Teacher Lin,” Jie Jingshan said, her words blunt and merciless. ”But to avoid any impropriety, you should either take Xiao You to my second sister-in-law’s family home or take him to your own. You are not welcome here.”

’My sister-in-law is racking her brain trying to set Teacher Lin up with Fourth Brother, but I’ve already accepted Qin Mei as my sister-in-law. If she thinks she can destroy their marriage and their feelings for each other, she’s dreaming.’

A flash of resentment crossed Lin Yaru’s eyes, and she nearly lost her composure. Taking a deep breath, she kept her voice as warm as a spring day. ”Jing Qi, it would be inconvenient to take Xiao You to either your sister-in-law’s family’s home or to mine.”