Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man-Chapter 105 - 49: Jing Si’s Good Fortune

Jie Jingjue did the frying while Qin Mei handled the seasoning. Jie Jingjue took the first taste, but whether it was all in his head or for some other reason, he felt like something was missing.

"The cutting technique, the soul of the dish," was Qin Mei’s explanation.

Jie Jingjue produced two rocking chairs from somewhere. He and Qin Mei each took one. Jie Jingchen sat in a wicker chair while Jie Jingshan was in her wheelchair. The two siblings read their books as Qin Mei and Jie Jingjue sat in their rocking chairs, basking comfortably in the sun.

"Jing Wu, were you adopted?" Qin Mei asked, nudging Jie Jingjue’s rocking chair with her foot.

"I’m their biological son." Jie Jingjue’s features were a blend of Qiao Yanqiu and Jie Jianguo’s. Jie Jingchen took more after Qiao Yanqiu, while Jie Jingshan had completely inherited Qiao Yanqiu’s looks.

"Look at them." Qin Mei pursed her lips in the direction of Jie Jingchen and Jie Jingshan. "Now *that’s* what you call real siblings. Always reading, always studying."

Jie Jingjue pillowed one arm behind his head, tilting it slightly as he spoke in a lazy drawl. "I hate reading. The moment I look at the words on the page, they all start to swim."

Qin Mei had wanted to persuade him to take the college entrance exams, but seeing his aversion, she decided to drop it. ’School isn’t the only path to change your destiny, but it is the fastest one. And besides hard work, you also need a natural aptitude for it, which Jie Jingjue clearly lacks.’

’Besides, Jie Jingjue’s family was well-off. He didn’t need to rely on academics to change his destiny.’

"I’m going to buy some sunflower seeds." Qin Mei got up. ’Snacking on sunflower seeds while sipping tea and basking in the sun—it would be absolutely perfect.’

Jie Jingchen’s gaze lifted from his book to watch Qin Mei.

"Fourth Sister-in-law, I’ll go too," Jie Jingshan said.

"The corner store isn’t far. You stay here and read. I’ll be back in a little while," Qin Mei replied, turning her down.

"I’ll go with you," Jie Jingchen said.

"You don’t have to." Seeing Jie Jingchen start to get up, Qin Mei placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "You need to stay home and rest today."

Qin Mei went inside to grab some money and ration tickets. Then, slinging a small cloth satchel over her shoulder, she headed out, humming a little tune.

Jie Jingchen stared after her carefree figure, an obscure darkness clouding his eyes. ’She left without me.’ He felt a pang of frustration, like he’d been abandoned.

Qin Mei had just stepped out the main gate when Jie Jingjue came running after her. "Fourth Sister-in-law, wait for me!"

Qin Mei paused, turning to face the pursuing Jie Jingjue with a raised eyebrow. "What are you doing out here?"

"You’ve only been here a few days and you don’t know your way around. I was worried you’d get lost, so I’ll take you to the corner store," Jie Jingjue said with a grin.

"Are you sure?" Qin Mei asked. When Jie Jingjue nodded, she added, "One of them is disabled and the other is injured. You’re comfortable leaving them at home alone?"

"It’s fine. The corner store isn’t far, and we’ll be back in a flash." Jie Jingjue rubbed his nose.

Qin Mei said no more and let Jie Jingjue lead the way. He was quite the talker, plying her with questions the entire way.

"Fourth Sister-in-law, how did you and my fourth brother meet?" Jie Jingjue asked.

The corner of Qin Mei’s mouth twitched. ’That was a question she couldn’t answer. She truly had no idea how the original ’her’ and Jie Jingchen had met.’

’The first time she’d laid eyes on Jie Jingchen, he and the original ’her’ had already been married for six months. She cringed, recalling how she had mistaken him for someone else at Modu Hospital and ended up taking care of a different man for a whole week. The memory alone was mortifying.’

’Jie Jingchen must have had incredible self-control. To watch his own wife taking care of another man and not even bat an eye... what on earth was going through his head?’

"I forgot." She wasn’t just brushing him off; she had truly forgotten.

Jie Jingjue faltered for a second before asking, "Then why did you marry my fourth brother?"

"I forgot," Qin Mei replied with a faint smile.

’Forgot again?’ Jie Jingjue didn’t believe her, convinced that Qin Mei was just unwilling to share. "Fourth Sister-in-law..."

Qin Mei pointed to her head and said frankly, "I have amnesia."

"What!" Jie Jingjue stared at Qin Mei, stunned, a look of exasperation on his face. "Are you serious?"

"Six months ago, I injured my head, and I’ve had amnesia ever since." Qin Mei’s explanation was brief and half-true. It was true she’d hit her head, but the reality was that she had transmigrated into this body and possessed none of the original owner’s memories.

"You and Fourth Brother got married six months ago, and then you hit your head and lost your memory... Fourth Sister-in-law, don’t tell me my fourth brother..." Jie Jingjue abruptly clamped his mouth shut.

"Abused me?" Qin Mei finished the sentence he couldn’t. ’Did Jie Jingchen abuse the original owner, causing her to hit her head and kick the bucket, which gave me the chance to take over her body?’

’Was that what happened?’ Qin Mei clearly remembered that aside from the injury on her head, the original owner’s body had no other wounds indicative of abuse. There were only intimate marks on her skin, ones that had taken days to fade.

Jie Jingjue panicked and began to explain frantically, "No, Fourth Sister-in-law, you misunderstood! That’s not what I meant! I mean, my fourth brother hit... no, that’s not it, my fourth brother isn’t that kind of person! Fourth Sister-in-law, my fourth brother..."

"Alright, that’s enough," Qin Mei cut him off. His rambling was giving her a headache.

"Jing Wu, new girlfriend again?" a neighborhood woman called out teasingly when she saw Jie Jingjue hovering around Qin Mei.

"Granny Liu, you’ve got it all wrong! She’s my fourth sister-in-law." Jie Jingjue then introduced her to Qin Mei, "Fourth Sister-in-law, this is Granny Liu. She lives in the courtyard next to Auntie Two’s."

"So you’re the Fourth Wife of Jing?" Granny Liu walked a circle around Qin Mei, looking her up and down. "My, you’re a pretty one. No wonder Jing Si gave up Teacher Lin to marry you."

Qin Mei beamed at Granny Liu, greeting her with poise. "It’s nice to meet you, Granny Liu."

"Yes, yes, very good." Catching Qin Mei off guard, Granny Liu gave her a pinch on the rear and praised profusely, "Not bad, not bad at all. You’ve got the hips for bearing sons! Jing Si is a lucky man, and Doctor Qiao is a lucky mother-in-law."

The smile froze on Qin Mei’s lips. She stared at Granny Liu in shock. ’Pinching my butt like that? That’s going way too far!’

Jie Jingjue, however, was used to it. Granny Liu was a matchmaker. Never mind all the unmarried girls in the neighborhood—even his own butt had been pinched by her on occasion.

"Fourth Wife of Jing, Auntie Two tells me you know acupuncture. Said you saved the Hero’s wife with just a few needles." Granny Liu stared at Qin Mei. ’Her skin is as white as snow, as smooth as silk. Jing Si sure has good taste.’

Qin Mei was repulsed by the butt-pinching incident and had to stop herself from snapping, but she had no desire to chat with the woman. "Auntie Two was exaggerating."

"So, do you know acupuncture or not?" Granny Liu pressed.

Qin Mei was about to say no, but something in Granny Liu’s expression made her change her mind. "I do."

"Fourth Wife of Jing, my back’s been giving me trouble lately. Why don’t you stick me with a few needles?" Granny Liu said.

"I can do that." A wide grin spread across Qin Mei’s face.

"Really? That’s wonderful! No time like the present, then. Should we go to my place, or yours?" Granny Liu asked, her face wreathed in smiles.

A cunning glint flashed in Qin Mei’s mischievous smile. She thought for a few seconds before saying, "If I go to your place, the house call will be more expensive. It’s cheaper if you come to mine."

"What? You’re going to charge me?" Granny Liu’s face fell, and her expression soured. "We’re neighbors! How can you have the nerve to ask for money?"

"Of course I do. Why shouldn’t I?" Qin Mei shot back.

"Whenever any of us neighbors have an ache or a fever, your mother-in-law, Doctor Qiao, never charges us a thing," Granny Liu grumbled.

A brilliant light flashed in Qin Mei’s eyes. "My mother-in-law is my mother-in-law, and I am me. She has money; I don’t. I’m not stealing, robbing, or cheating anyone. I’m earning an honest living with my own skills. Is that against the law?"

Granny Liu was left speechless. Qin Mei paid her no further mind and turned to walk toward the corner store.

Jie Jingjue looked at the deflated Granny Liu, barely suppressing a laugh. He put on a serious face and said, "Granny Liu, there’s no such thing as a free medical treatment in this world." Then he called out, "Fourth Sister-in-law, wait for me!"

Granny Liu stood there, dumbstruck, her face turning pale with rage. She muttered under her breath, "What’s the use of a pretty face? She has a heart of stone. Jing Si must’ve had some rotten luck to marry her. I really don’t know what he was thinking, passing up the gentle and kind Teacher Lin to marry a hard-hearted little vixen."