Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

A nurse said, ”Dean, Doctor Wang has a patient with a dislocated jaw. He can’t get it back in place. Could you please come take a look?”

Dean Zhang was taken aback. ’Setting a jaw is easy. If even Doctor Wang can’t fix it... was the jaw dislocated, or was it chopped clean off?’

Leaving the hospital, Xu Jiali felt a wave of relief wash over her. She spread her arms wide, tilted her head back, and greedily gulped down the fresh air. ”I’m finally out! If I’d stayed in there any longer, I would’ve completely wasted away.”

Xu Jiali suddenly realized something. Qin Mei had come to pick her up from the hospital, but did Jing Chen know?

Xu Jiali swallowed hard and looked at Qin Mei. ”Xiao Mei, does Jing Chen know I’m being discharged? Did he approve?”

Qin Mei’s brow furrowed slightly, but her tone was casual. ”It doesn’t matter if he agrees or not. What matters is that Uncle Zhang and Aunt Li gave the okay.”

Xu Jiali froze. From the sound of it, Jing Chen had no idea. She blinked. ”Do we need to make a run for it?”

Qin Mei rolled her eyes. ”What are you talking about? ’Make a run for it’? Seriously? Only you would think of that. Come on, let’s go home.”

Xu Jiali chuckled and rubbed her nose. ”I’m just worried Jing Chen will get mad. I don’t want you two to fight and have it affect your marriage because of me.”

”Haven’t you heard? ’Hitting is intimate, scolding is love; the more you bicker, the more you love.’” Qin Mei supported Xu Jiali as they walked toward the parking lot.

Xu Jiali’s lip twitched. ”I’ve heard it, but I don’t think it makes any sense.”

”When it comes to domestic violence, there’s no middle ground—it’s either never or forever. Tolerating it will only end up hurting you,” Qin Mei said in agreement. ”I think it’s unreasonable too.”

”But didn’t you just say the more you bicker, the more you love?” Xu Jiali thought Qin Mei was being a hypocrite.

”I said it, but that doesn’t mean I agree with it,” Qin Mei said haughtily. ”If Jie Jingchen ever dared to hit me, I’d break him. If he dared to say one harsh word to me, I’d chew him out ten times over until he couldn’t even see straight.”

Xu Jiali recalled how Qin Mei had dislocated Gao Qiang’s jaw. It had been so effortless, the movement clean and simple. She looked at Qin Mei with utter admiration. ”Xiao Mei, that move you used to dislocate his jaw was so badass and satisfying! I want to learn. Can you teach me?”

”Sure,” Qin Mei agreed readily.

Xu Jiali had expected Qin Mei to make an excuse and politely decline. She was so surprised by the quick agreement that she hesitated for a moment. ”Will I be able to learn it?”

”It’s simple. I’ll only have to show you once,” Qin Mei said.

”Making someone mute with a single needle looked simple too, but didn’t you say I couldn’t learn that?” Xu Jiali said plaintively.

”Girl, acupuncture requires technical skill. You don’t even know the body’s pressure points, so how could I teach you? Dislocating a jaw is different. It’s much easier to learn.” Qin Mei patted the slightly discouraged Xu Jiali on the shoulder.

”Let’s go, let’s go! Teach me as soon as we get home.” Xu Jiali was desperate to learn and started pulling Qin Mei along at a faster pace.

Qin Mei stopped in her tracks and stared at Xu Jiali. ”You really want to learn right now?”

”I really do.” Xu Jiali nodded like a bobblehead. To prove her determination, she even raised her hand. ”I swear.”

Qin Mei seemed conflicted for a second, then she grabbed Xu Jiali, turned around, and headed back toward the hospital. ”Come on, we’re going back.”

”Xiao Mei!” Xu Jiali didn’t want to go back to the hospital.

”Do you want to learn right now or not?” Qin Mei asked. ’There’s a certain unlucky guy in there right now. He’d be the perfect practice dummy for Xu Jiali.’

”I do,” Xu Jiali nodded.

”If you want to learn right now, then come back to the hospital with me,” Qin Mei said. Xu Jiali was confused. She didn’t understand why they had to go back to the hospital to learn how to dislocate a jaw, but she obediently followed Qin Mei anyway.

Back at the hospital, they ran into Li Mei.

Li Mei smiled at the two of them. ”What are you doing back already? Did you forget something?”

”Aunt Li, where are you off to in such a hurry?” Qin Mei asked.

”Zhang just sent a nurse to get me. He said there’s a patient with a dislocated jaw that he can’t manage to reset, and he asked me to come take a look,” Li Mei said.

A knowing smile touched Qin Mei’s lips. She said to Li Mei, ”Aunt Li, tell Uncle Zhang to bring the patient to his office. I’ll wait for them there.”

Li Mei looked at Qin Mei’s smile, as brilliant as the morning sun, and waved her hand dismissively. ”No need for that. You don’t need a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”

Qin Mei just smiled without saying a word and led Xu Jiali to the dean’s office.

Li Mei looked on, baffled, but didn’t dwell on it and headed for the treatment room.

About twenty minutes later, Dean Zhang brought Gao Qiang to his office, with Doctor Wang and Li Mei following behind. Gao Qiang was drooling, his jaw hanging uselessly. His expression was a mixture of agonizing pain and a towering hatred for Qin Mei.

Xu Jiali glanced at Gao Qiang without a shred of pity before turning to Qin Mei in confusion.

”Xiao Mei, this case is bizarre,” Dean Zhang said, his tone gentle. ”Whoever dislocated his jaw used a very tricky technique. Neither I, your Aunt Li, nor Doctor Wang can manage to set it back. Why don’t you give it a shot?” He was well aware of the history between Gao Qiang and Jiali; it was a classic case of love turned to hate.