Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

”Change your clothes first.” Grandma took the backpack from Dean Zhang and handed it to Qin Mei.

”Okay.” Qin Mei took the backpack and headed to the restroom.

When Qin Mei came out after changing, only her grandmother was sitting on the sofa. The others were nowhere to be seen.

”How much longer does Jiali have to live?” Grandma asked directly. She wasn’t one to beat around the bush or evade the truth. She faced reality head-on.

”It’s hard to say.” Qin Mei thought for a moment before adding, ”If the surgery is successful and I follow up with Chinese medicine, her survival rate will be very high, provided it doesn’t recur.”

”Dr. Zhang said the surgery is very risky.” Grandma’s voice trembled slightly.

”All surgeries carry risks.” Qin Mei didn’t dare to over-promise.

”Dr. Zhang said he recommends conservative treatment,” Grandma said.

”I recommend surgery,” Qin Mei stated.

”Dr. Zhang said...”

”I recommend...”

Half an hour later, Qin Mei emerged from the hospital room. Jie Jingchen was leaning against the wall outside. The moment he saw her, he immediately dropped the cigarette in his hand and stamped it out.

The smell of smoke made Qin Mei cough, causing Jie Jingchen, who had been about to step closer, to freeze in his tracks.

”I thought you quit smoking?” Qin Mei rubbed her nose. There was no accusation in her voice, only concern.

”Grandpa gave it to me,” Jie Jingchen said with frustration.

”Grandpa is getting on in years. He really shouldn’t be smoking; it’s bad for his health,” Qin Mei said. She had never seen him smoke and had assumed he was a non-smoker.

”Grandpa doesn’t smoke,” Jie Jingchen said.

’He doesn’t smoke, but he carries cigarettes around?’ Qin Mei was skeptical.

”The cigarettes belong to Uncle Zhang,” Jie Jingchen explained.

Qin Mei gazed at Jie Jingchen, decided to drop the subject, and asked, ”Where’s Grandpa?”

”He went to Uncle Zhang’s office with him.” Then, Jie Jingchen asked uneasily, ”And Grandma?”

”She’s in there, torn between listening to Dr. Zhang’s advice or mine.” Qin Mei moved closer to Jie Jingchen and took his hand. ”Come on, let’s go see your aunt.”

”Meimei.” Jie Jingchen held her back, his expression heavy as he looked at her.

”Don’t worry. I’ll only say what’s necessary and nothing more.” Qin Mei had no intention of telling Xu Jiali without permission. If Xu Jiali wasn’t mentally strong enough to handle the news and either collapsed into despair or did something drastic, she’d be no better than a killer.

Xu Jiali still hadn’t woken up, and Dean Zhang had arranged for two nurses to watch over her. Qin Mei took Xu Jiali’s pulse but didn’t use acupuncture to wake her. Instead, she pulled Jie Jingchen along to Dean Zhang’s office to discuss the surgical plan for Xu Jiali.

Initially, Dean Zhang was merely humoring Qin Mei. Old Mrs. Qiao hadn’t agreed to anything, making a discussion about surgery premature. Besides, he wondered where she got the confidence that Old Mrs. Qiao would approve the operation. Dean Zhang himself was sure she would follow his recommendation.

Dean Zhang’s disinterest did nothing to dampen Qin Mei’s motivation.

Grandpa and Jie Jingchen were laymen, and since Qin Mei was using technical terminology, they were completely lost in the conversation.

Dean Zhang, however, understood everything. He went from merely humoring her to becoming gradually interested, and eventually, he was discussing the matter with Qin Mei in earnest.

After they left his office, Dean Zhang was still in a state of high excitement. As he gradually calmed down, however, his expression turned grave. ’Talk is cheap,’ he thought. ’What matters is practical experience.’

He couldn’t perform this surgery, anyway. ’Qin Mei’s skill in Chinese medicine is top-notch, but surely her surgical knowledge isn’t just theoretical?’

Dean Zhang picked up the phone...

Qin Mei held a white lab coat. It wasn’t Dean Zhang’s; he had arranged for a new one to be brought to her. Wearing a lab coat made her a doctor. With that identity, Qin Mei wasn’t afraid of running into Brother Xiong.

Qin Mei went directly to Qin Xiang’s hospital room. When Qin Xiang saw her, he just about died. ’Why is my little sister still at the hospital?’

”I need to examine the patient’s wound. Please step out for a moment,” Qin Mei said to Brother Xiong.

Brother Xiong was in the middle of polishing a dagger. He glanced at the masked Qin Mei, put the dagger away, and stood up to leave the room.

Qin Mei was a little surprised. ’Is he really this obedient?’ she thought. ’Aren’t underworld bosses supposed to be headstrong? The more you tell them to do something, the more they defy you. Being contrary is their whole personality.’

Brother Xiong didn’t suspect her because he was aware of Jie Jingchen’s possessiveness. Jie Jingchen wouldn’t have been comfortable with a male doctor, but he would be with a female one.

After Brother Xiong stepped out and closed the door, Qin Mei immediately went over and locked it from the inside.

Qin Xiang, who was lying face down on the bed, was completely baffled by this maneuver. ’Isn’t this the same as putting up a sign that says ”No treasure buried here”?’ he thought. It was a dead giveaway.

Hearing the bolt slide, Brother Xiong’s calm vanished. His face darkened, and he lifted his foot to kick the door in.

”Brother Xiong.” Jie Jingchen’s voice stopped him in his tracks.

”Young Master Qiao, you’re still here?” Brother Xiong lowered his foot, a broad smile plastered on his face as he looked at Jie Jingchen.

”My aunt’s been hospitalized,” Jie Jingchen said.

Brother Xiong glanced at the adjacent hospital room and said indignantly, ”That brat from the Gao family is a real piece of work, and none of them are any good. Young Master Qiao, if you don’t want to get your hands dirty, just say the word. I’ll have my boys wipe the Gao family off the map.”

Jie Jingchen shot Brother Xiong a sidelong glance and said in a low voice, ”I’ll be at the hospital for the next few days taking care of him. You can come pick him up when he’s discharged.”

Brother Xiong looked completely baffled. ’Is he being this blatant about it?’ ”Alright.”

Finally, he didn’t have to play nurse anymore. He was terrible at taking care of people—it was a tedious, boring job. He was finally free. Brother Xiong stretched, then walked away with wide strides, afraid that if he moved a second too slow, Jie Jingchen would change his mind and call him back.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Jie Jingchen knocked three times.

Qin Mei opened the door. When she saw it was Jie Jingchen, her gaze flickered. She didn’t see Brother Xiong and whispered, ”Where’d he go?”

”I sent him away,” Jie Jingchen said.

”He’s not coming back?” Qin Mei asked.

”You two talk. I’ll keep watch out here.” In case Brother Xiong decided to come back, Jie Jingchen didn’t enter the room and instead stood guard outside.

”Okay.” Qin Mei agreed it was better to be cautious. She closed the door and took a passbook from her crossbody bag. ”Brother, this is for you.”

”Why are you giving me a passbook?” Qin Xiang took it and opened it. The passbook was in Jie Jingchen’s name, and the amount inside stunned him. ”This much? Jing Si is loaded.”

”The passbook is his, but the money in it isn’t,” Qin Mei said as she sat down, casually picking up a fruit knife and an apple and starting to peel it.

”If it’s not his, then whose is it?” Qin Xiang asked curiously. He didn’t give her a chance to answer before adding, ”The name on the passbook is Jie Jingchen. How can you lie so brazenly?”

”It’s mine,” Qin Mei said, keeping her head down to peel the apple, deliberately not looking at the shocked expression on Qin Xiang’s face.

”Yours? Who gave it to you?” Qin Xiang grew even more curious. Remembering his sister’s tendency to accept any money offered, he figured she hadn’t earned it herself. ’It must be a first-meeting gift from Jie Jingchen’s grandparents,’ he guessed.

’A one-million-dollar gift for their first meeting. Jie Jingchen’s grandparents are really generous.’

”I scammed it off a German merchant.” Qin Mei didn’t hide the truth, giving Qin Xiang a concise summary of what happened. With Jie Jingchen standing guard at the door, she wasn’t worried about eavesdroppers.

After listening, Qin Xiang was utterly stunned. His little sister was audacious beyond belief. ’She dared to come up with such a crazy scheme, and the Qiao family not only approved but actually executed it.’

Qin Xiang was a patriot. As long as she wasn’t scamming someone from Huaxia, he would cheer her on for swindling a rich businessman from any other country.

Qin Xiang closed the passbook and handed it back to Qin Mei. ”Sis, I’m not short on cash. You keep your money and spend it yourself.”

”Brother, money makes things easier. Just hold on to it for now,” Qin Mei said. This was her startup capital, and she didn’t need it just yet. Besides, when you’re away from home, having money on you provides a sense of security.

What’s more, this was Xiangjiang. It would be more convenient for him to get things done with cash on hand.

”Keep it yourself. I don’t need it,” Qin Xiang insisted, still refusing to take it.

Qin Mei’s hands stilled over the apple. She looked up at Qin Xiang, thought for a moment, and said, ”Brother, it’s too much money for me to carry around safely. Please, just hold on to it for me. You can give it back when you return to Huaxia. And if you need money for anything before then, don’t hesitate to use it.”