Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Xu Jiali was reckless, and Qin Mei was being just as reckless with her. When he asked her to go out, she complained it was too hot. So why wasn’t it too hot when she went out with Xu Jiali?

”How bossy.” Qin Mei pushed Jie Jingchen away and walked out of the bathroom.

”Meimei, Xu Jiali isn’t normal. Don’t get too close to her; she’ll be a bad influence.” Jie Jingchen hung up the towel and immediately chased after her.

”She’s your aunt. Does your mother know you talk about her like that?” Qin Mei plopped down onto the sofa. ’Ah, the air conditioning in this room feels amazing.’

”My mom knows she isn’t normal.” Jie Jingchen stood behind Qin Mei, placed his hands on her shoulders, and began to massage them with just the right amount of pressure.

Qin Mei looked up and glanced at Jie Jingchen. ’That’s not what I meant.’ ”You’re biased against your aunt. Your aunt is perfectly normal and quite charming. I like her a lot.”

Jie Jingchen’s hands paused. ’How could you not like her? If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have let her talk you into sneaking out.’

”Meimei, please don’t go out with my aunt alone,” Jie Jingchen said, his tone pleading.

’Damn it. I’m strong against the strong but weak against the weak.’ Qin Mei’s anger deflated. ”Fine, I won’t go out alone with your aunt anymore.”

’This trip to the nightclub was a bust, but I’ll bring Xu Jiali next time. I’ll just have to make it clear to her: at the very least, after covering our costs, we’ll split the profits fifty-fifty.’

’Xu Jiali has the connections and the gift of gab. We’ll definitely make money.’

”Especially to nightclubs,” Jie Jingchen added, his gaze growing a few shades deeper.

”Okay, okay, okay,” Qin Mei agreed readily, though inwardly she was already plotting her next trip out.

Jie Jingchen’s expression darkened, the light in his eyes dimming as his lips pressed into a cold line. ’That was way too half-hearted.’

”Jie Jingsi, let me ask you something,” Qin Mei said.

A hint of indulgence appeared on Jie Jingchen’s devilishly handsome face as he asked softly, ”What is it?”

”Is your aunt illiterate?” Qin Mei asked.

”She has a university degree.” Jie Jingchen sounded a little exasperated. ’The Qiao Family places great importance on education. How could a member of the Qiao family possibly be illiterate?’

”Are you sure her university degree isn’t a fake?” Qin Mei was skeptical. ’She can’t even tell 206 and 209 apart. A university degree? Isn’t that a bit ironic?’

”It’s real.” If Jie Jingchen hadn’t joined the army, he would have returned to Xiangjiang for university himself.

”Is her eyesight bad, then?” ’If the degree isn’t fake, then her eyesight must be the problem.’ But Qin Mei thought that was impossible, too.

”Meimei, what exactly are you trying to ask?” Jie Jingchen stopped massaging her shoulders.

Qin Mei chose her words carefully. ”Your aunt was supposed to take me to Room 206, but she opened the door to Room 209 instead.”

’If Xu Jiali hadn’t opened the wrong door, we wouldn’t have run into Jie Jingchen and Qin Xiang. I’d probably still be in there trying to persuade those men—the ones who sell their art, not their bodies—to buy my ”health and wellness” medicine.’

Jie Jingchen watched Qin Mei with a calm gaze and said, slowly and deliberately, ”She can’t tell the difference between 6 and 9.”

”Huh?” Qin Mei was stunned. This was an answer she never would have dreamed of. ’Is it that hard to tell 6 and 9 apart? One points down, one points up. How could anyone mix up something so obvious? Is she an idiot?’ ”You’ve got to be kidding me.”

”It’s true. Everyone who knows her is aware of it,” Jie Jingchen said. ”It’s not exactly a secret.”

”If she can’t tell 6 and 9 apart, then her math scores...”

”Pure luck.” Jie Jingchen resumed massaging her shoulders.

Qin Mei fell silent. ’He’s already put it that way, what more is there to say?’

Done dwelling on Xu Jiali, Qin Mei began to worry about her own brother. ”My brother...”

”Meimei.” Jie Jingchen cut her off, his voice grave.

”Is he off-limits?” ’Initially, I didn’t ask about Qin Xiang because I figured his situation was sensitive. Jie Jingchen would tell me what he could, and for what he couldn’t... well, that man’s lips are sealed. As curious as I am, I know where to draw the line.’

”We can’t,” Jie Jingchen replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Qin Mei stuck out her tongue playfully. ’Fine, if we can’t, we can’t. I won’t ask anymore.’

A few seconds later, Qin Mei couldn’t help but ask, ”Is this mission dangerous?”

”Every mission has its dangers,” Jie Jingchen replied.

Qin Mei gritted her teeth. ’That’s a non-answer if I’ve ever heard one.’

Qin Mei thought for a moment, then asked tentatively, ”Well, can you arrange for me to meet with my brother?”

’I want to see Qin Xiang. Not to ask about his mission, just to give him a heads-up.’ Qin Mei racked her brain, trying to remember what was happening in Xiangjiang around this time.

’For my brother’s safety,’ Qin Mei thought, ’this is absolutely necessary.’

”Meimei.” Jie Jingchen neither refused nor agreed.

”Not even a secret meeting in private?” Qin Mei’s voice was tinged with disappointment. ’If I hadn’t run into him by pure coincidence, Jie Jingchen’s security is so tight he never would have told me my brother was in Xiangjiang.’

Jie Jingchen looked at Qin Mei, his expression troubled. ”Meimei, arranging a meeting between you and your brother at this critical juncture would put Qin Xiang in extreme danger.”