Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

"Xiao Mei, get up. Listen to me. You deserve this kneel from me." Mrs. Xie’s tone was unyielding.

"Mom, please get up. I can’t accept this." Qin Mei didn’t dare to rise.

Mrs. Xie knelt ramrod straight. "You deserve it. Forget that we’re mother- and daughter-in-law for a moment. Xiao Mei, you healed Jing Qi’s legs. That makes you her savior, my savior, the Jie Family’s savior, and the Qiao Family’s savior. For a debt of gratitude this great, what’s wrong with me kneeling to thank you? It’s not just me. If my parents back in Xiangjiang found out, they would do the same, disregarding their status to kneel before you in thanks."

"Mom, please don’t. This is too much. It’ll shorten my life. Mom, do you want me to die young?" Qin Mei asked, half-joking and half-serious.

Mrs. Xie froze for a moment, then frowned. "Watch your mouth. What’s all this talk about dying young? That’s nonsense. You will live a long and healthy life. All of you will."

"Mom, if you get up, I’ll have a chance to live a long life. If you keep kneeling, I really will die young." Qin Mei looked up and saw Jie Jingchen and Jie Jingshan both standing by and watching. She could forgive Jie Jingshan, but Jie Jingchen was also just looking on coldly. A wave of anger suddenly washed over her. "Jie Jingchen, are you hoping I’ll die young?"

"Hush, hush! Xiao Mei, be good and stop saying such unlucky things." Qin Mei’s repeated talk of dying young made Mrs. Xie’s heart clench.

"Hurry up and help Mom up," Qin Mei urged. ’Is the sight of a mother- and daughter-in-law kneeling to each other really that interesting?’

Jie Jingchen stepped forward to help Mrs. Xie up, but she pushed him away. "Don’t help me. Help your wife."

Mrs. Xie stood up on her own. Qin Mei also refused Jie Jingchen’s help and got up by herself. Mrs. Xie pulled Qin Mei to sit on the edge of the bed and asked her how she had managed to heal Jing Qi’s legs, especially in just over a month.

Mrs. Xie had faith in Qin Mei and firmly believed she could heal Jing Qi’s legs, but she had expected it to take at least half a year, if not a full one. A little over a month was completely unexpected.

Qin Mei didn’t know how to explain. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Mom, do you know anything about traditional Chinese medicine?"

"No, I don’t." Mrs. Xie shook her head.

"Do you know anything about acupuncture?" Qin Mei asked again.

Mrs. Xie shook her head again. "No."

Qin Mei wanted to be blunt. ’You don’t understand this, and you don’t understand that. Even if I explain it clearly, will you even understand what I’m saying?’

"Mom, the process isn’t important. The result is what matters," Jie Jingchen said.

Mrs. Xie was momentarily stunned. She recalled the time Qin Mei had given Jing Qi acupuncture; the process had been arduous and painful. Taking a deep breath, she said, "You’re right. Jing Si is right. The process isn’t important. What matters is the result."

Qin Mei breathed a sigh of relief when Mrs. Xie didn’t press for details. After a moment of thought, Mrs. Xie asked, "Now that Jing Qi’s legs are healed, does Jing Wu know?"

Jie Jingchen remained silent. ’They’d better keep it from Jing Wu, too,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair.’

"Fifth Brother doesn’t know," Jie Jingshan replied.

Jie Jingchen’s expression tightened, but he was instantly satisfied. Knowing it was a secret from everyone made things feel fair again. Still, he was thoroughly annoyed.

Mrs. Xie mulled it over for a moment before saying, "Jing Qi, you shouldn’t hide this from your fifth brother."

"Okay, I’ll let Fifth Brother know." Jie Jingshan nodded. When her legs were paralyzed, the person she felt most guilty toward was him. At first, she had resented him; if he hadn’t taken her out that day, the accident never would have happened. But eventually, she made peace with it. ’It was my fate, a trial I was destined to face. Even if it hadn’t been with him, the accident still would have occurred.’

"Mom, the water’s getting cold. You help Jing Qi with her bath. We’re going back to our room." Jie Jingchen pulled Qin Mei away. ’If Jing Wu hadn’t gone out, he would know by now. Too bad for him, he just had to leave.’

There were two buckets of hot water. Since Jing Qi wasn’t taking a soak, she wouldn’t use it all, so Mrs. Xie joined her.

Qin Mei and Jie Jingchen returned to their room, closing and locking the door behind them. It was too early to sleep, so Qin Mei sat by the window reading a medical book her mother-in-law had given her. Jie Jingchen sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. He wasn’t reading; his resentful gaze was fixed on Qin Mei.

Qin Mei knew Jie Jingchen was watching her, but she ignored him and let him stare. After a while, however, his gaze made her feel increasingly uncomfortable.

"Have you had your fill of looking?" Qin Mei closed her medical book and met Jie Jingchen’s resentful eyes.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" Jie Jingchen asked, his voice sullen.

"You never asked." Qin Mei’s words were indifferent, tinged with a hint of distance. ’During that last acupuncture session for Jing Qi, if he had trusted me, if he hadn’t kicked open her door, maybe I would have shared the news with him willingly. But he didn’t trust me. Why should I share anything with him?’

"Qin Mei, are you blaming me for what happened?" Jie Jingchen asked. He knew she was still holding a grudge over that incident.