Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Jie Jingling fell silent.

”Tongtong is twelve now. You should have started planning for her future long ago,” Qin Mei said.

”I’ve raised Tongtong myself since she was born. She’s never been away from me. I can’t bear to let her go.” Jie Jingling was torn. She wanted to keep her daughter by her side, but she also wanted her to have a future with boundless opportunities.

”Sister, you know what they say. You have to give something up to get something in return.” Qin Mei squeezed Jie Jingling’s hand tightly.

Jie Jingling gazed at Qin Mei. Amie was a wise person; she had always known that. She could never hope to match Amie’s foresight.

”Amie, give me some time to think about it.” Jie Jingling didn’t give her an answer right away.

Qin Mei smiled. At least she hadn’t rejected the idea outright. Jie Jingling clearly valued Tongtong’s future. She was a city person who had been educated, not a shallow, ignorant village woman.

”Don’t think for too long,” Qin Mei reminded her. If she waited a few years, Tongtong would be grown, and it would all be for nothing.

”It won’t be long. I’m going back after Jing Er’s banquet,” Jie Jingling said.

”So soon?” Qin Mei didn’t want her to go.

”Work at the clinic is really busy, and I don’t have many days off,” Jie Jingling said with a smile.

The reason Jie Jingling had agreed to bring her mother-in-law and sister-in-law was that she wasn’t staying for long. In just a few days, they wouldn’t be able to stir up much trouble in the Jie Family’s home.

Her mother-in-law was cautious. She wouldn’t act out rashly until she had a clear grasp of the situation. Jie Jingling knew her mother-in-law understood this was Shijiu City, not their village. She could throw her weight around in the Sun Family, but who in the Jie Family even knew who she was?

”Fourth Brother,” Jie Jingjue called out, his voice immediately turning into a complaint. ”Weren’t you supposed to call Eldest Sister and the others for dinner? What are you doing just standing there?”

The bowls and chopsticks were all set, but no one was coming to the kitchen to eat. Jie Jingjue had come out to check and found Jie Jingchen standing outside his own room, eavesdropping.

Even a fool could see that Jie Jingchen was listening in. Of course Jie Jingjue could see it. He was doing it on purpose, taking the opportunity to get back at Jie Jingchen.

Qin Mei and Jie Jingling froze and exchanged a look. Qin Mei was the first to get up and walk out. Leaning against the doorframe, she looked at Jie Jingchen and demanded, ”You were eavesdropping on my conversation with Sister.”

”Time to eat,” Jie Jingchen said calmly, showing no sign of embarrassment at being caught.

Qin Mei’s lips twitched. ’Good thing I wasn’t complaining about Jie Jingchen or badmouthing him to Sister,’ she thought. Then again, did she even have anything bad to say about him? Aside from not giving her spending money, Jie Jingchen treated her really well. He was a bit much in bed, but that wasn’t exactly something she could share with her sister-in-law.

”Eldest Sister, time to eat,” Jie Jingchen said toward the room.

Jie Jingling took a deep breath, collected her thoughts, and stood up with a smile. ”I’ll go get Jing Qi and Tongtong.”

The two were around the same age, and despite their different generational standing in the family, they hit it off in no time. At first, Tongtong was a little reserved, being in a new place with a stranger like Jing Qi. But she couldn’t resist Jing Qi’s warmth and gradually opened up. Soon, she was sharing interesting stories about her village with him.

Tongtong was curious about the city, and Jing Qi was curious about the countryside, so the two of them chatted away endlessly.

”Eldest Sister, no need to call for us. We heard,” Jie Jingshan said, leading Sun Tong out of the room.

They had heard Jie Jingjue’s shout.

”Mom, Fourth Aunt,” Sun Tong called out. Then she looked at Jie Jingchen and said timidly, ”Fourth Uncle.”

Jie Jingchen froze for a moment. Sun Tong was afraid of him. He wanted to say something to dispel her fear, but Qin Mei beat him to it, taking Sun Tong’s hand in one of hers and Jing Qi’s in the other. ”Come on, let’s go eat.”

Jie Jingling saw this and gave Jie Jingchen a gentle push. ”Tongtong is shy around new people. Once she’s been around you for a while, she won’t be scared anymore.”

Jie Jingchen touched his own face and asked, a little dejectedly, ”Eldest Sister, do I have a scary face?”

Jie Jingling burst out laughing and pulled Jie Jingchen along. ”You have a handsome face that could drive anyone wild. It’s got Amie completely mesmerized.”

Jie Jingchen loved hearing that. His deep eyes locked onto Qin Mei, full of adoration.

The Jie Family’s elders weren’t home, so Sun’s mother put on the airs of a senior. Even though she was a guest, she refused to go to the kitchen until the hosts came to call her for the meal.

Watching Qin Mei lead Sun Tong toward the kitchen without stopping to call them for dinner, Sun’s mother wanted to strangle her. ’To think,’ she fumed, ’that after I provided her with the best food and drink for the six months she stayed with the Sun Family, she won’t even invite me to a meal now. What an ungrateful wench!’

”Mom, come on, let’s eat,” Sun Dexiang urged.

”Eat, eat, eat! Is that all you think about? Have you never eaten before?” Sun’s mother glared at Sun Dexiang.

”But Mom, I’m hungry,” Sun Dexiang said, rubbing her stomach. She’d only had a steamed bun on the train, and now it was noon. She was so hungry her stomach was touching her spine.