Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Qiao Wei was speechless. How could she not have sensed it? She had been so confident that as long as she tried hard enough, he would be hers for the taking.

”Did you fall in love with my cousin’s wife at first sight?” Qiao Wei lost control, her bloodshot eyes filled with resentment.

”Qiao Wei,” Jie Jingchen snapped, his eyes filled with an icy chill, like an Asura from hell.

Qin Mei felt terribly wronged. She was getting caught in the crossfire for no reason. Qiao Wei was just trying to vent, completely disregarding the consequences.

Qiao Wei flinched in fear, biting down hard, aggrieved and indignant.

Jiang Yuan’s gaze on Qin Mei was unfathomably deep, his heart filled with simmering restraint. He scoffed and said, ”No.”

Qiao Wei jutted out her chin, pressing him aggressively. ”Do you dare to swear it?”

Jie Jingchen was conflicted. His rational mind told him to stop Qiao Wei, but his emotions let her go on. He also wanted to know what Jiang Yuan would say.

Qin Mei remained silent. ’Even if Jiang Yuan takes this opportunity to confess his true feelings, I’ll reject him without mercy,’ she thought. ’I’m not the original owner of this body. I feel no pressure at all.’

Jiang Yuan’s deep eyes grew even darker. As he looked away, a flicker of restrained adoration for Qin Mei crossed their depths. Qin Mei didn’t see it, nor did Qiao Wei, but Jie Jingchen did.

”My feelings for her are by no means love at first sight,” Jiang Yuan said, enunciating each word clearly. ’We were childhood friends. How could it be love at first sight?’

Qin Mei breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at Qiao Wei and said teasingly, ”Cousin, don’t use me as your shield. You’ll affect my relationship with my husband.”

Qiao Wei gritted her teeth. Jiang Yuan gave Qin Mei one last look, then rose and walked away without hesitation.

”Jiang Yuan!” Qiao Wei tried to run after him but was stopped by Jie Jingchen. Panicked, she looked at Jie Jingchen. ”Cousin, let go! I need to go and talk things out with him.”

For his sake, she had argued with her father and run away from home with him, only to be cruelly abandoned.

”Hasn’t he made himself clear enough?” Jie Jingchen asked coldly.

Qiao Wei was speechless. She shoved Jie Jingchen away indignantly, but instead of chasing after Jiang Yuan, she ran upstairs.

The butler tactfully excused himself, leaving only Qin Mei and Jie Jingchen in the living room, staring at each other. Qin Mei wanted to explain but didn’t know where to begin, so she decided to just play dumb.

’Not having the original owner’s memories is actually a good thing,’ she thought. ’At least there’s no psychological baggage.’

”Why don’t I go upstairs and talk to her?” Qin Mei said, pointing upwards. She expected Jie Jingchen to give a cold reply like, ”Just leave her be,” but instead, he said something completely different.

”Go ahead.”

”...” Qin Mei felt like she’d painted herself into a corner.

’Talk to her about what? I’m no relationship expert.’

’When someone’s heartbroken, isn’t it better to just let them lick their wounds in their room alone?’

”Well, I’m off then,” Qin Mei said, biting the bullet.

”Okay, go on,” Jie Jingchen said encouragingly.

Qin Mei was starting to not understand Jie Jingchen at all. ’What does he mean by this? Shouldn’t he be interrogating me right now about my ambiguous relationship with Jiang Yuan...?’

’Wait, no! What ambiguous relationship? I’m innocent! I didn’t even know a person named Jiang Yuan existed before today. I shouldn’t be slinging mud at myself.’

’Jie Jingchen is being magnanimous enough not to press the issue, so I shouldn’t be stupid enough to dig my own grave.’

Looking back every few steps, Qin Mei felt Jie Jingchen’s encouraging gaze pushing her on. Forced into a situation she wasn’t ready for, she went up to the second floor. ’Now, which room is Qiao Wei in?’

’I can’t possibly check every single room,’ Qin Mei thought. Remembering Jie Jingshan, she knocked on her door.

”Fourth Sister-in-law,” Jie Jingshan said, opening the door.

”Jing Qi, which room is Qiao Wei staying in?” Qin Mei asked with a smile.

Jie Jingshan pointed upstairs. ”Third floor. The room at the end of the hall.”

”Oh, I won’t bother you then. Study hard.” Qin Mei patted Jie Jingshan’s shoulder. ’Thank goodness I thought to ask,’ she mused. ’Qiao Wei is on the third floor, and here I was searching the second. What a waste of time that would have been!’

’Jie Jingchen’s room is on the third floor, and so is Qiao Wei’s. What a coincidence,’ she thought wryly.

Qin Mei walked to the room at the end of the third-floor hallway, took a deep breath, and knocked.

”Get out! Leave me alone!” Qiao Wei roared from inside.

Qin Mei froze. ’Should I insist on going in, or should I just listen to her and disappear?’

’Insisting would be asking for trouble, just bringing it on myself.’ Qin Mei decisively turned to leave. She had only taken a single step when the door flew open. Before Qin Mei could react, Qiao Wei yanked her into the room and slammed the door shut, all in one fluid motion.

Qin Mei was dumbfounded. ’Qiao Wei is so fickle,’ she thought. ’One second she’s telling me to get lost, the next she’s dragging me into her room.’

Qiao Wei dragged Qin Mei over to the sofa, then threw her arms around her and began to bawl, wiping her tears and snot all over Qin Mei’s clothes. Honestly, Qin Mei was disgusted. She tried several times to push Qiao Wei away, but it only backfired—Qiao Wei just hugged her even tighter.