Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

”Grandma is worried about your safety,” Jie Jingshan said.

Qin Mei chimed in, ”Xiangjiang isn’t very peaceful right now.”

”I’ve practiced martial arts since I was little. If my eldest aunt hadn’t forbidden it, I would have joined the army,” Xu Jiali muttered.

Qin Mei looked at Xu Jiali with a complicated expression. ’Joining the army in Xiangjiang, while Jie Jingchen is a soldier in Huaxia... It would be a miracle if Grandma ever let her enlist.’

”Let’s sneak out. I’ll take you to eat delicious food, take you out for some fun, take you to...” Xu Jiali tempted them.

Qin Mei was swayed. With just a little more convincing from Xu Jiali, she might have agreed.

”I’m not going.” Jie Jingshan shook her head.

”Why not? What are you afraid of?” Xu Jiali gave Jie Jingshan a little shove.

”I’m afraid of the danger,” Jie Jingshan said. Ever since she and Fifth Brother had snuck out and gotten into an accident that crippled her legs, she’d been traumatized. She didn’t dare sneak out anymore.

”What’s there to be afraid of? I’m here! If we run into trouble, I’ll protect you,” Xu Jiali vowed, puffing out her chest as if she were some great heroine.

”I’ll go,” Qin Mei said.

”Xiao Mei, you’re the best.” Xu Jiali was moved. ’Finally, I’ve convinced someone.’

”Qin Mei,” Jie Jingshan pleaded, shaking her head at her. ’My aunt is a loose cannon. You can’t go along with her crazy ideas, or something bad will happen.’

”Jing Shan, your legs haven’t completely healed yet. You stay home. Your aunt and I will go out,” Qin Mei said to Jie Jingshan.

’Xu Jiali has trained in martial arts since she was a kid, so she can protect herself. If we really run into trouble and can’t win a fight, we can just run. But Jing Qi can’t. She can’t fight, and she can’t run. If we don’t bring her, we won’t have to worry about her and won’t be held back.’

”Qin Mei, you can go out, but at least have the driver take you and bring a few bodyguards. That’s the only way you’ll be safe,” Jie Jingshan said.

”I can drive, so we don’t need a driver. And I can fight, so I’ll protect Xiao Mei. We don’t need bodyguards,” Xu Jiali refused.

Qin Mei had no objections, and seeing the two were now in cahoots, Jie Jingshan grew frantic.

”Jing Shan, you should go upstairs and get some sleep.” Before the words were even out of her mouth, Xu Jiali took advantage of Jie Jingshan’s distraction and knocked her out with a chop to the back of the neck.

”You...” Qin Mei’s eyes widened in shock as she stared at Xu Jiali. ’This is a bit much. This girl’s methods are ruthless. She just knocks someone out if they don’t listen to her.’

”Heh, it’s safer this way. Jing Shan is the biggest tattletale,” Xu Jiali said, acting as if Jing Shan was the one in the wrong.

’If she wanted to knock Jing Qi out, she should have just said so! I could have put Jing Shan to sleep with a single pill. The only side effect of getting knocked out like that is a sore neck. Waking up from one of my knockout drugs has no side effects at all.’

”Your aunt and uncle aren’t even home, and neither is your cousin. Who was Jing Shan going to tattle to?” Qin Mei asked irritably.

”Granny. The butler,” Xu Jiali said.

”Granny?” Qin Mei repeated, confused for a moment.

”The one you all call ’Nanny Grandma’,” Xu Jiali said. ’It would be so much better if they just called her Granny like I do, but no, they have to call her ’Nanny Grandma’.’

Qin Mei was speechless.

”Xiao Mei, don’t just stand there gawking! Help me get Jing Shan back to her room. If Granny comes in and sees this, we’re toast,” Xu Jiali urged.

With a sigh of resignation, Qin Mei helped Xu Jiali carry Jie Jingshan upstairs.

After settling Jie Jingshan on the bed, Xu Jiali opened the window and pulled Qin Mei over, ready to jump. But Qin Mei stopped her. ”What are you doing?”

”Jumping out the window, of course! We’re sneaking out, so we can’t use the front door.” Xu Jiali looked at Qin Mei as if she were a complete moron. ’Is there something wrong with the wife Jing Chen married? How can she not understand something so obvious?’

Qin Mei stared at Xu Jiali, her almond-shaped eyes filled with disdain. ”I suggest you change your outfit,” she said.

”What?” Xu Jiali didn’t get it. Qin Mei tugged at the red princess gown she was wearing. Xu Jiali immediately protested, ”But my dress is beautiful!”

Qin Mei didn’t deny that the dress was beautiful. She simply pointed out, ”It’s too eye-catching. Trust me, dressed like that, we’ll be caught before we even make it over the wall.”

Xu Jiali thought for a moment and had to admit Qin Mei had a point.

”Wait for me.” Xu Jiali dashed out of Jing Shan’s room and back to her own to change.

Qin Mei shook her head with a resigned sigh. ’With a personality like Xu Jiali’s, her grandparents must never have a dull moment.’

Qin Mei also went back to her room. If she was going to go out with Xu Jiali, she needed to prepare a few things herself. ’It doesn’t matter whether I’ll need them or not,’ she thought. ’What matters is having them on me for peace of mind. Just in case!’

「Ten minutes later.」

Qin Mei and Xu Jiali were sitting in a taxi. Qin Mei’s expression was grim, her cold gaze fixed on the utterly ecstatic Xu Jiali beside her.

Looking at Xu Jiali, Qin Mei had to seriously wonder: ’Am I the one visiting Xiangjiang for the first time, or is she?’