Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

”Not interested.” Qin Mei looked him straight in the eye, but the boss looked away. ”Nine out of ten bets are losses. If he dares to gamble again, I’ll chop off one of his fingers for every bet he makes.”

”Just one more round. If you lose, I’ll knock ten thousand off the debt. If you win, the slate is wiped clean. How about it?” the boss tempted.

”No betting,” Qin Mei said curtly.

”Sister Qin.” Zhang Haoyuan came over to Qin Mei, pulled her into a corner, and whispered, ”I think we should give it a try.”

They couldn’t really lose. A loss meant a ten-thousand-yuan reduction, while a win would clear the entire debt. The temptation was too great for Zhang Haoyuan to resist.

Seeing Zhang Haoyuan’s eagerness, Qin Mei’s eyes turned frosty. The corner of her mouth curved into a mocking sneer, and her voice was ice-cold, without a trace of warmth. ”Say that again.”

Zhang Haoyuan shut his mouth, remembering the promise he’d made to her. ”I was wrong.”

’Human nature can’t withstand temptation, and a gambler can’t resist a lure.’ Qin Mei decided she couldn’t delay any longer. She pulled a dagger from her satchel and, without hesitation, stabbed Zhang Haoyuan in the back.

The scene stunned everyone. The boss shot to his feet, never expecting Qin Mei to stab Zhang Haoyuan in the back. The four bodyguards were also too shocked to react.

Their job was to protect the boss, not Zhang Haoyuan. Seeing Qin Mei stab him, they didn’t intervene—not that they could have. Who could have predicted that the woman who had just been proclaiming she would marry Zhang Haoyuan, pay off his debt, and rush home to consummate the marriage would turn around and stab him?

”You...” The disbelief on Zhang Haoyuan’s face wasn’t faked. No one had told him this was part of the act.

Qin Mei pulled out the dagger and kicked Zhang Haoyuan to the ground. There was poison on the blade. Zhang Haoyuan’s eyes flew wide, and he stared as if he had died with his eyes open.

”A debt dies with the debtor.” Qin Mei crouched down, wiped the poison from the dagger on Zhang Haoyuan’s clothes, and discreetly slipped a pill into his mouth.

”You killed him?” The boss’s eyes swept over her as he spoke coldly. ’Her courage is extraordinary, and she’s so decisive. To just kill a man without a word... she’s even more ruthless than I am.’

He ran a casino, and he’d seen many families torn apart and ruined by gambling addictions. His methods of intimidation were endless, but he had never directly taken a life.

”I killed him. He didn’t listen.” Qin Mei’s expression was as calm as still water.

’How was he not listening?’ The boss thought Zhang Haoyuan had been very obedient. ”You’ll pay his gambling debt.”

”He’s dead. What is there to pay?” Qin Mei sheathed her dagger and walked toward the boss, reaching for the two bundles of cash on the table.

”You’ll pay his debt.” The boss, wanting to put the grisly sight out of his mind, pressed his hand down on the two bundles of cash.

”I don’t even know him. Why would I pay his debt? Do I look like I’m made of money?” Qin Mei asked coldly.

”A husband’s debt is a wife’s to pay.” The boss wasn’t about to lose a hundred thousand yuan just like that.

Qin Mei grinned, showing her teeth. ”We weren’t married yet. I was originally going to help him pay it, but you didn’t agree. Now that he’s dead, you expect me to lose both the man and the money? Is that even possible?”

The boss was speechless, suddenly hit with the frustrating feeling that he had lost control of the situation.

”A life for a life. Call the police,” the boss said to the bodyguards behind him.

The four bodyguards exchanged glances. ’Call the police? With our line of work, is that really a good idea?’

BANG! The door was kicked open. Jie Jingchen stormed in, his expression terrifyingly grim. Seeing Qin Mei was unharmed, his tense nerves instantly eased.

Ignoring Zhang Haoyuan lying in a pool of blood, Jie Jingchen strode toward Qin Mei. The boss was momentarily stunned. The four bodyguards immediately drew their guns, but while they were fast, Jie Jingchen was faster. With lightning speed, he disarmed all four of them.

Gao Hai and Gao Yang rushed in, subdued the four men, and handed them over to several police officers to be taken away.

The moment the boss saw the police, he instantly realized he’d been set up.

”Meimei, are you okay?” Jie Jingchen checked Qin Mei over, only breathing a sigh of relief when he confirmed she wasn’t injured.

”What happened to Zhang Haoyuan?” Gao Hai asked.

”He killed him.” Jie Jingchen pointed at the boss, adding, ”I saw it with my own eyes.”

”Men, take him away.” At Gao Yang’s command, two officers stepped forward and escorted the boss away.

”I didn’t kill him, she did!” the boss protested unwillingly. The police had been watching him for years. Now that he was in their hands, he could imagine his fate. He would not admit to a murder charge.

Besides, he really hadn’t killed the man.

”Take him away,” Gao Yang said, ignoring his protests. After the man was led away, he looked at Qin Mei gratefully. ”Sister-in-law, we really have to thank you this time.”

”Is there a reward?” Qin Mei asked, smiling at Gao Hai.

”Well...” Gao Yang looked troubled and glanced at Jie Jingchen. There was a reward, but it would have to be made public. Jie Jingchen’s intention was to keep it private. Gao Yang understood his concerns—keeping it quiet was a way to protect Qin Mei. No one could guarantee there weren’t some fish that had slipped through the net.

”She’s just joking with you,” Jie Jingchen said.

Gao Yang smiled, gave Jie Jingchen a light punch on the chest, glanced at Zhang Haoyuan lying in the pool of blood, and left with his men.

Gao Hai didn’t leave with Gao Yang. He crouched down and put a finger under Zhang Haoyuan’s nose. ”No breath. Is he really dead, or faking it?”

”Let’s take him next door first,” Qin Mei said.

”Next door?” Gao Hai’s expression was a little strange. ”Are you sure?”

”I own the place next door,” Qin Mei said.

Gao Hai carried Zhang Haoyuan on his shoulder while Jie Jingchen led Qin Mei out of the basement. Qin Mei was dumbfounded. ’Are we going back the way we came?’

The gambling den was located right across the street.

Qin Mei pointed at the house opposite them and asked Jie Jingchen, ”What about that old woman?”

”What old woman?” Jie Jingchen asked back.

”The person we arrested was clearly an old man,” Gao Hai said.

”It was an old woman. Zhang Haoyuan even exchanged a code phrase with her.” Qin Mei ran to the house across the street. The door was open. She searched upstairs, downstairs, and all around the basement, but there was still no sign of the old woman. Qin Mei was baffled. ’It was clearly an old woman, so how did she turn into an old man?’

”Jie Jingsi, this is very strange. You’d better have Gao Yang investigate it thoroughly,” Qin Mei advised.

”Okay, I’ll tell him,” Jie Jingchen said.

Qin Mei first bandaged Zhang Haoyuan’s wound and had Gao Hai stay behind to look after him. Then, she and Jie Jingchen left.

Jie Jingchen gave Qin Mei a ride on his bicycle to Old Zhang’s house, where Jie Jingling was waiting for them.

”Amie, why is your allergic reaction so severe?” Jie Jingling was startled when she saw Qin Mei.

”I took some medicine. It’ll be fine in a little while.” Qin Mei took Jie Jingling’s hand and whispered, ”Sis, let’s talk inside.”

Qin Mei succinctly explained what had happened. After she finished, Jie Jingling, Old Zhang, and Grandma Hua were all lost in thought.

After a long moment, Grandma Hua stood up, walked toward Qin Mei, and suddenly knelt.

”Grandma Hua!” Qin Mei was shocked and quickly helped her up.

”Dear girl, thank you. You are our family’s savior.” Tears streamed down Grandma Hua’s face as she expressed her profound gratitude to Qin Mei.

Qin Mei had saved her old man, and now she had saved her son. It was a debt of gratitude that she could never repay in this lifetime.

”Grandma Hua, would you even be okay with your son changing his surname?” Qin Mei asked teasingly.

”As long as he can turn over a new leaf, we’d be willing to change our surname to Qin, let alone just him,” Grandma Hua said.

Qin Mei paused for a moment, then looked at Jie Jingchen. ”Grandma Hua, this was Jie Jingsi’s idea.”

”Jing Si, thank you.” Grandma Hua thanked Jie Jingchen, but she held Qin Mei’s hand tightly. She understood perfectly that if it weren’t for Qin Mei, Jing Si would never have come up with this idea.

”Jing Si, Xiao Mei, thank you,” Old Zhang said as well.

”Old Zhang, Grandma Hua, now it’s your turn to act,” Qin Mei said.

”Don’t worry, we promise we won’t reveal any flaws in the act,” Grandma Hua assured her. After a moment’s thought, she couldn’t help but ask, ”Dear girl, will we ever get a chance to see him again in this lifetime?”

”Yes,” Qin Mei said with a firm nod.

”Really?” Grandma Hua wept with joy.

”See him for what? It’s better for everyone if we don’t,” Old Zhang shot a glare at Grandma Hua, afraid they would be implicated if the truth ever came out.