Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

The onlookers thought, ’It’s true you didn’t curse, but what you just said was more cutting than any swear word.’

Qin Mei continued, ”And so what if I did curse? They’re just words I use to vent my emotions. It has nothing to do with my upbringing.”

Grandma Gao, exasperated and furious, demanded, ”Didn’t your parents teach you to respect your elders?”

”Respect my elders? For someone like you, always pulling the age card? Search your heart and ask yourself: do you even deserve it?” Qin Mei scoffed. ’Trying to guilt-trip me with the virtue of respecting elders? You’ve picked the wrong person.’

Grandma Gao trembled with rage, her expression growing more sinister and terrifying. ”Xu Jiali, do you still want to marry my grandson or not?”

A suppressed fury surfaced in Xu Jiali’s eyes. Her sharp gaze swept over the Gao family before landing on Gao Qiang, who was hiding behind Mrs. Gao. With a contemptuous sneer, she commanded the driver and bodyguards standing behind her. ”Smash it.”

The driver and bodyguards exchanged a look and instantly bolted inside like horses breaking from the stable. The Gao family was still in a daze. It wasn’t until they saw the men rushing into the house and smashing things that they finally snapped out of it.

Mr. Gao rushed in to stop them, but the driver and bodyguards were specially trained; his attempt was utterly useless. Mrs. Gao, ignoring her son, also dashed in to intervene.

”AIYO! This is the end! The Qiao family is going too far! They’re not leaving the Gao family any way to live! Help!” Grandma Gao plopped onto the ground, shamelessly throwing a tantrum and rolling around.

Xu Jiali was dumbfounded. ’The impression Grandma Gao gave me was one of nobility and elegance. What’s with this shrew rolling around on the ground?’

Qin Mei looked at Gao Qiang and prompted Xu Jiali, ”Auntie, don’t you want to get some practice in?”

Hearing this, Gao Qiang’s first instinct was to flee. And he really did run. With Qin Mei and Xu Jiali blocking the courtyard gate, his only option was to retreat into the house.

”All that drool. I find it disgusting,” Xu Jiali said with disdain, flicking her hand.

Gao Qiang froze. Xu Jiali’s words weren’t particularly devastating, but they were incredibly insulting.

’Xu Jiali actually finds me disgusting? Just think, when we kissed, tasting each other’s saliva... wasn’t she enjoying it then?’

Qin Mei gave Xu Jiali a complicated look and teased, ”You didn’t seem to find it disgusting yesterday.”

”Yesterday was yesterday, and today is today,” Xu Jiali said. Yesterday, she hadn’t known what she was doing and was eager to learn, so she hadn’t cared. Now that she’d learned, she had no motivation left—especially after seeing the drooling Gao Qiang. Just looking at him made her sick.

Qin Mei pursed her lips and said, ”So fickle.”

Xu Jiali suddenly moved close to Qin Mei, taking her arm and resting her head on her shoulder, swaying gently. ”My dearest, the person I love most right now is you. My heart will never change for you.”

”Gross. You’re giving me goosebumps,” Qin Mei said, pushing Xu Jiali away in disgust and shuddering.

Xu Jiali stopped teasing Qin Mei. She looked up, her gaze distant as she stared at the horizon. ”Well, I think it’s time for Auntie to head home. Xiao Mei, come on, we’re going home.”

”Okay.” Qin Mei nodded. She had only come to accompany Xu Jiali. Now that her aunt had vented her anger, it was time to head back.

”Stop! You can’t leave! You had people smash our home, you have to pay for it! Or, if you won’t pay, take us to live at the Qiao family estate!” Grandma Gao shot up from the ground, the movement so fluid it left Qin Mei speechless.

’Is it even possible for an elderly woman to move like that?’

Grandma Gao lunged at Xu Jiali. Qin Mei reached out to pull her aunt away, but she saw Xu Jiali sidestep with a graceful flash. Grandma Gao missed and went sprawling, eating dirt.

Qin Mei silently retracted her outstretched hand. ’If Qiao Wei had skills like Xu Jiali, she wouldn’t have been in such a sorry state when she had to climb that tree to escape the wolf pack.’

”AIYO!” Grandma Gao lay on the ground, wailing. It was a nasty fall; she couldn’t even get up.

”Stop smashing things!” Xu Jiali roared.

Qin Mei frowned. ’Xu Jiali is still too merciful. Why only smash things halfway? You either don’t do it at all, or you do it thoroughly.’

The driver and bodyguards stopped and had just walked out of the house when they heard Xu Jiali’s resolute command: ”Burn it down.”

Qin Mei took back her previous thought, her gaze fixing on Xu Jiali with a new level of inquiry. ’When she loves you, she’ll give you her heart, her soul, and her money. When she hates you, she will absolutely leave you with no way out.’

The driver and bodyguards were ecstatic. They each pulled out lighters, split up, and got to work. Mr. and Mrs. Gao wanted to stop them, but they were powerless, forced to watch as the men set their house on fire.

”You... you’ll all face retribution for this!” Grandma Gao roared.

”Whether we’ll face retribution, I don’t know. All I know is that your retribution is me.” A smile played on Xu Jiali’s lips, but her eyes were filled with a vicious chill. ”Xiao Mei, let’s go.”

Xu Jiali pulled Qin Mei toward their car. A moment later, the driver and bodyguards got in. Xu Jiali took one last look at the house, now engulfed in a raging inferno, and ordered the driver, ”Drive.”

”Is there no law anymore?” Mrs. Gao cried in anguish.

”COUGH, COUGH, COUGH.” Mr. Gao, choking on the thick smoke, pulled Mrs. Gao away from the blaze.

Grandma Gao lay on the ground, enduring the pain in her back that felt like a broken bone. She gasped to Mr. Gao, ”Eldest, quick... go to my room... COUGH, COUGH, COUGH, under the bed...”

”Mom, the fire’s too big! If I go in, I won’t make it out,” Mr. Gao cut her off.

”Treasures! They’re all valuable treasures!” Grandma Gao said frantically.

”Mom.” Mr. Gao frowned. No matter how valuable the treasures were, he didn’t dare risk his life for them.

Mrs. Gao led Gao Qiang out of the courtyard. They stood at a safe distance, silently watching the house being consumed by the raging flames. It was over. Everything was over.

”Eldest, think of something! Those treasures might not be enough for the Gao family to make a comeback, but at least they could let us...”

”HAHAHA!” Mrs. Gao laughed manically. She stared at Grandma Gao on the ground, her eyes filled with unconcealed resentment. ”Retribution! This is all retribution! We asked you to take them out to pay for Xiao Qiang’s treatment, and you refused! Well, now it’s all gone! Are you satisfied now?”

”You shut your mouth, you jinx! Ever since my son married you, the Gao family has declined day by day! You even cursed the Old Master to death!” Grandma Gao said viciously.

”Was Father-in-law cursed to death by me, or was he angered to death by you? Don’t you know the truth in your own heart?” Mrs. Gao had completely torn away all pretense. She was afraid of nothing now and would say anything.

Grandma Gao’s face turned ghastly pale. She glared venomously at her hysterical daughter-in-law and snapped, ”What nonsense are you spouting? I think you’ve gone mad!”

Mrs. Gao pointed at herself and sneered. ”I’ve gone mad? HAHAHA! You selfish, stupid old hag! Even the concubines knew to grab benefits for their own children! And you? You hoarded so many treasures but couldn’t bear to part with them to help us. Were you planning to take them to your coffin? HAHAHA! Well, it’s all burned now! You have nothing left!”

”Don’t you dare try to sow discord between my son and me! Didn’t I take things out to save my son? If it weren’t for my treasures, would my son have been released?” Grandma Gao demanded.

Mr. Gao fell silent. It was true that his mother was the reason he had been released.

Mrs. Gao sneered mockingly. ”You saved your son, yes. But why did you save him? Wasn’t it just so you could rely on him in your old age?”

”He’s my son! It’s only natural that he should provide for me in my old age, isn’t it?” Grandma Gao said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Mrs. Gao was silent for a few seconds, then looked at her son, who was scared witless, her heart aching for him. ”Then what about your grandson? Why weren’t you willing to take out your treasures to save your grandson?”

”I’m willing to take them out now! You go get them! If you have the guts to bring them out, they’re all yours!” Grandma Gao taunted, certain her daughter-in-law wouldn’t dare. Her own son didn’t have the courage, so how could she?

’The treasures are impossible to get now,’ she thought. ’I can’t let my grandson resent me.’

Mrs. Gao gave a contemptuous sneer, no longer bothering to argue with Grandma Gao. Her gaze shifted to Mr. Gao, her tone resolute. ”Let’s get a divorce.”