Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

No one was surprised to hear this; clearly, everyone already knew. But who had started the rumor? It had been spread so vaguely.

Second Aunt and Qin Mei exchanged a look. Second Aunt cleared her throat and asked tentatively, ”This is just absurd. Where is the Jie Family?”

”Doctor Qiao is at the state-run restaurant hosting a welcome dinner for her daughter-in-law’s brother,” Granny Guo said. ”Everyone went except for Jing Er. Jie You went too. Jing Er must not have been invited because they probably didn’t know he was back from his business trip. As for Teacher Lin, she was supposed to be helping look after Jie You. Now that Jie You has left, why would she still be at the Jie Family’s home?”

”Jie You might be gone, but isn’t Jing Er home?” one of the women asked with a sly smile, her implication hanging in the air.

”What nonsense is that? The person Teacher Lin likes is Jing Si, not Jing Er,” Granny Guo said, looking at Qin Mei. Her words were clearly meant to sow discord.

”Sister Guo, you’re the one spouting nonsense.” Ma’s mother shot Granny Guo a glare. Words like that could damage the young couple’s relationship, even if what she said was a well-known fact. Seeing that Qin Mei didn’t seem fazed, Ma’s mother decided it was still necessary to explain. ”Ahem, Fourth Wife of Jing, the thing with Teacher Lin and Jing Si is all in the past. That Granny Guo just has a foul mouth. You can’t get ivory from a dog’s mouth, as they say. Don’t pay her any mind.”

Granny Guo snorted. ”That’s right, I have a foul mouth. Can’t get ivory from a dog’s mouth. Don’t you mind me, Fourth Wife of Jing.”

Qin Mei smiled. ”I don’t mind.”

Ma’s mother also smiled awkwardly. ”As long as you don’t mind.”

Qin Mei wasn’t popular. She only treated patients who paid, so the neighbors didn’t have a good impression of her and weren’t afraid to get on her bad side. Doctor Qiao, on the other hand, provided free medical care, so no one dared to offend her.

”That’s complete nonsense,” Second Aunt interjected. ”This whole thing with Jing Si and Teacher Lin was just us neighbors trying to matchmake them. Jing Si himself was never interested in her. We all watched that boy grow up; don’t you think we know his character? If he had made a promise to Teacher Lin, he would have kept it. He married Qin Mei, so what does that tell you? It proves he never promised her anything! As for Teacher Lin, her crush on Jing Si is her own problem. He doesn’t even like her,” Second Aunt said.

”Yes, yes! Second Aunt is right,” someone chimed in. Immediately, a chorus of agreement followed.

Qin Mei fell silent. ’There’s really no need for all this,’ she thought, wanting to tell them so.

Jie Jingchen had already explained it to her, and she believed him. Qin Mei gazed at the tightly shut courtyard gate, listening to Liu Guihua’s vile curses. The Lin family didn’t come out to stop her, just letting her scream endlessly.

’Lin Yaru longed for Jie Jingchen but couldn’t have him, yet she refused to give up. She actually listened to Xu Chunyan and ended up in this miserable situation. How pathetic!’

Some of the neighbors couldn’t stand it anymore and began to drift away.

”Fourth Wife of Jing, should we leave?” Second Aunt asked Qin Mei. She had brought her to watch a good show, not to have her ears polluted by filth.

”Since we’re already here, we might as well see it to the end.” Qin Mei had no intention of leaving. ’After all the squeezing and weaving through the crowd Second Aunt led me on to get this spot, turning back empty-handed would be an insult to the dog poop I stepped in.’

”To the end it is, then.” Second Aunt was happy to stay. At her age, there wasn’t a curse word she hadn’t heard. She had only suggested leaving because she was worried Qin Mei wouldn’t be able to stomach it.

Not many neighbors were left. Second Aunt pulled Qin Mei down to sit on the steps.

”Don’t mind the dirt. It’s tiring to stand,” Second Aunt said.

Qin Mei smiled but said nothing. ’It’s not that I think it’s dirty... it’s just that the cold ground will freeze my butt.’

”Take your shoe off and give it to me,” Second Aunt said.

”What for?” Qin Mei asked, confused, but she still obediently started to take her shoe off.

”Not your left foot, your right,” Second Aunt said.

”Second Aunt,” Qin Mei protested, refusing to remove it. She had stepped in dog poop with her right shoe; she could already smell the stench.

”Stop fussing.” Second Aunt grabbed Qin Mei’s right leg and deftly pulled off the shoe.

”Second Aunt!” Qin Mei tried to stop her, but it was too late. She could only watch helplessly as the shoe landed in Second Aunt’s hands.

Second Aunt found a stick and started scraping the poop off the sole. Qin Mei watched, her heart touched, but it was also genuinely disgusting. ”Gag.”

Qin Mei couldn’t take it anymore. She shot up and ran to the side, dry heaving.

Seeing this, Second Aunt shook her head in resignation. She regretted taking that shortcut. When Qin Mei had stepped in the muck, she had let out a shriek. Second Aunt had told her it was dog poop, but it was actually human waste. ’In times like these, people can barely feed themselves,’ she thought. ’Who has food to spare for dogs?’

”So prissy,” Granny Guo sneered. She was even more disdainful of Second Aunt’s actions. ’Is there any need to suck up to her like that?’ she thought.

Second Aunt couldn’t be bothered to deal with Granny Guo. ’Qin Mei can help me make money,’ she thought. ’Can Granny Guo do that? No, she only knows how to cause trouble.’