Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

The corner of Qin Mei’s mouth twitched, her expression one of ’I knew it.’ ”Is there a difference?”

”Of course there’s a difference,” Xu Jiali said, nodding earnestly. ”Not agreeing means he disapproves. Being unhappy means he approves... Ugh! Whatever, there just is a difference.”

Qin Mei stared at Xu Jiali, who clearly couldn’t even keep her own story straight. Knowing Jie Jingchen’s temper, if he hadn’t given his approval, he would have mercilessly thrown the Gao family out the second they dared to show up.

”As long as you can convince yourself,” Qin Mei said, throwing back the covers to get out of bed.

”Xiao Mei.” Xu Jiali threw her arms around Qin Mei again.

Qin Mei was exasperated. She was kneeling on the bed, and Xu Jiali was still clinging tightly to her waist. ”Auntie, if your precious nephew comes back and sees you hugging me like this, he’ll get jealous. The consequences for you will be severe.”

Xu Jiali immediately let go of Qin Mei. She knew this was no empty threat. Jie Jingchen was far too possessive of Qin Mei, and he was always trying to find ways to keep Xu Jiali away from her. In his own words, she was a ”bad influence.”

Xu Jiali felt she was being unfairly accused. ’I’m not some unpardonable villain, so how could I possibly be a bad influence on Xiao Mei?’

”Xiao Mei, search your heart. Have I been good to you or not?” Xu Jiali asked.

Qin Mei furrowed her brow. ’This is the wind-up.’ ”Just say it.”

Xu Jiali’s face broke into a dazzling smile. Since Qin Mei had told her to be direct, beating around the bush any further would only backfire.

”Xiao Mei, help me convince Jing Chen to let Gao Qiang and his parents come over tomorrow with a marriage proposal,” Xu Jiali said in a rush.

Qin Mei matched Xu Jiali’s dazzling smile with one of her own and refused outright. ”I can’t do it. You’re asking the wrong person.”

”No, don’t say that! Xiao Mei, you *can* do it. I’m not asking the wrong person. No one can persuade Jing Chen except you.” Xu Jiali was adamant.

”Auntie, that precious nephew of yours is a stubborn mule. I really can’t convince him.” Qin Mei wasn’t a fool. If she got involved and Xu Jiali and Gao Qiang lived happily ever after, great. But if their marriage was a disaster, she’d be the one to blame.

A marriage approved by the elders after careful consideration will be a happy one, nine times out of ten. A marriage the elders oppose will be an unhappy one, nine times out of ten.

”Jing Chen might be a stubborn mule, but even he has a weakness. Xiao Mei, you’re his weakness,” Xu Jiali said.

”No, no, no, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m not his weakness, he’s mine. To him, my words are just hot air. He doesn’t listen to a thing I say. In fact, it’s the other way around—I’m the one who hangs on his every word,” Qin Mei said, her voice lacking conviction.

”Xiao Mei!” Xu Jiali stomped her foot.

’Stomping your feet and throwing a tantrum won’t work,’ Qin Mei thought. ’I’m not a matchmaker.’

Qin Mei got out of bed. Before she could take a single step, Xu Jiali suddenly dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around Qin Mei’s legs. ”Xiao Mei, I’m begging you. Please, will you help me?”

Qin Mei felt like she was going to lose her mind. Why was she so fixated on her? ”I’m begging *you*. Please, just leave me out of this.”

”Auntie and Uncle have already agreed. Jing Chen is the only one who hasn’t. Auntie said that as long as Jing Chen gives his approval, I can marry Gao Qiang right away. They won’t have any objections,” Xu Jiali said.

’Has it ever occurred to you,’ Qin Mei wanted to say, ’that maybe your aunt and uncle don’t actually approve of your marriage? They just don’t want to be the ones to say no, so they’re putting all the pressure on Jie Jingchen.’

Qin Mei relented. ”I can help you, but you have to agree to one condition.”

”Fine! No problem. Not just one condition—I’d agree to ten, even a hundred!” Xu Jiali breathed a sigh of relief but didn’t loosen her grip on Qin Mei’s legs, terrified she would bolt the second she let go.

”Tonight, take me to that place you took me to last time,” Qin Mei said.

”We don’t have to wait for tonight. I can take you right now,” Xu Jiali readily agreed.

”I’m not talking about the place we went to eat,” Qin Mei clarified. ”I mean the place we went to... have fun.”

Xu Jiali’s face filled with terror. She looked up at Qin Mei, her expression a mixture of shock and disbelief. ”Xiao Mei, if I dared to take you to a place like that again, Jing Chen would kill me.”

”Murder is illegal. He wouldn’t dare,” Qin Mei said, squatting down to meet Xu Jiali’s gaze.

Xu Jiali’s expression was agonized. ”I would rather not marry Gao Qiang than dare to take you to a place like that again.”

’My marriage to Gao Qiang can wait,’ she thought. ’We can put it on the schedule after Jing Chen leaves. Unless, of course, he decides to stay in Xiangjiang forever.’

”I’m going to make money, not to mess around,” Qin Mei said, trying to persuade her.

Xu Jiali shook her head. ”Forget it. Just pretend I never said anything.”

Xu Jiali stood up and turned to leave, but Qin Mei just smiled slyly. ”Go on, leave. When Jie Jingchen gets back, I’ll just tell him you came over trying to convince me to go out again. And that you offered to introduce me to all your boy toys... not the kind who just perform, but the kind who perform *and* sell their bodies.”

Xu Jiali spun around, staring in stunned disbelief at Qin Mei, who was spouting utter nonsense. ”You’re framing me!”

”I’m not framing you. I’m threatening you,” Qin Mei corrected.

Xu Jiali gritted her teeth. Qin Mei was even more ruthless than she was, willing to do anything to get her way. ”I have a mouth. I can defend myself. Jing Chen won’t just take your word for it.”

Qin Mei raised her index finger, wagging it with a punchable smirk. ”He won’t listen to *your* side of the story, but he will absolutely listen to *mine*. Your ’defense’ will just sound like a pathetic excuse.”

Xu Jiali ground her teeth, took a deep breath, and hung her head in dejection. ”Is my nephew not good enough for you? Is he not... strong enough in *that* department? Why...?”

”Xu Jiali.” Qin Mei couldn’t take it anymore. She cut her off, pinching the bridge of her nose. She succinctly explained her plan to Xu Jiali. When she was done, she saw the shocked look on Xu Jiali’s face and asked, ”Understand?”

Xu Jiali nodded dazedly. ”I understand, but... what are you trying to get out of this?”

”I’m trying to make money,” Qin Mei replied.

Xu Jiali was skeptical. ”Making money is easy. The Qiao Family has tons of businesses. Just let Uncle give you...”

”Are you going to help me or not?” Qin Mei cut her off.

Xu Jiali hesitated, so Qin Mei added, ”We’ll split the profits fifty-fifty, after costs.”

”I’m not short on cash,” Xu Jiali said. Trying to tempt her with money was pointless.

”Isn’t there something appealing about making your own money and being self-sufficient?” Qin Mei asked.

Xu Jiali lowered her head, lost in thought. She wasn’t a true member of the Qiao family. Her aunt had taken her in out of pity. To put it bluntly, she was living on their charity.

”This medicine you developed... does it actually work?” Xu Jiali was tempted.

Seeing Xu Jiali’s interest, Qin Mei was inwardly delighted. She said with certainty, ”The results are top-notch.”

”Who’s tried it?” Xu Jiali pressed, determined to get to the bottom of it.

Qin Mei wrestled with herself for a good ten seconds before letting out a long breath. ”Jie Jingchen,” she said calmly.

’At the moment, she really couldn’t think of a more suitable candidate than Jie Jingchen.’

”For real?” Xu Jiali’s eyes widened in astonishment.

’Of course it’s a lie,’ she thought. But out loud, she said, ”For real.”

Xu Jiali’s gaze shifted strangely to Qin Mei’s chest. Qin Mei had already straightened her collar, hiding any marks underneath, but she still pulled it tighter with the subconscious guilt of a liar.

Suddenly, Xu Jiali no longer felt any envy or jealousy toward Qin Mei. ’So Jing Chen needs... medicinal help with his performance.’ Remembering that he had injured his back, Xu Jiali’s gaze on Qin Mei softened into pity.

Qin Mei’s heart skipped a beat. ’Oh no, she’s not going to ask Jie Jingchen to verify this, is she?’ ”Auntie, this kind of thing has to be kept secret. It would wound his pride.”

”Don’t worry,” Xu Jiali said, giving Qin Mei a look that said, ’I get it.’

Qin Mei forced an awkward laugh. ”So, is it a deal?”

”Deal,” Xu Jiali nodded. She thought for a moment, then added, ”But I have a condition of my own.”

’More conditions?’ Qin Mei raised an eyebrow and pouted slightly. ”What condition?”

”Not tonight,” Xu Jiali said. ”After my marriage proposal from Gao Qiang is settled, *then* I’ll figure out a way to take you to... make money.”

”Done,” Qin Mei agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

Xu Jiali was taken aback, her brows furrowing slightly. ”Aren’t you worried I’ll back out of the deal once my marriage proposal is settled?”