Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Chapter 257 - 99: There’s a Problem with Your Thinking

Hearing the word "drugging," shock flashed through Jie Jingchen’s amber pupils, and his body gave an imperceptible shudder. Qin Mei drugging him had left a deep psychological scar. Afterward, she’d lost her memories and forgotten everything, but he remembered it with crystal clarity.

He wasn’t sure if it was just in his head, but he felt as if Qin Mei wasn’t squeezing his shoulder, but his throat.

Jie Jingchen’s lips pressed into a thin line, and his voice trembled slightly. "Second Sister-in-law came to you for the drug."

"No, your second sister-in-law wanted me to stop Aunt Zhang. No—Jie Jingchen, what are you trying to say? What makes you so sure I’d have that kind of drug?" Before the words were even out of her mouth, Qin Mei regretted them. ’How could I forget? My original self had drugged him before. So this guy assumes I carry that stuff around with me.’

Bitterness spread through his chest. Jie Jingchen looked a bit dazed as he asked with difficulty, "Do you have any more?"

Qin Mei’s breath caught in her chest. She clenched her fist and lightly thumped Jie Jingchen’s shoulder, deliberately trying to make him uncomfortable. "I do. A large supply, in fact. You’d better be on guard around me at all times. Be careful, or I might just drug you whenever I’m in a bad mood."

Jie Jingchen tensed, his expression strained. His thin lips parted slightly, but he said nothing.

A glint appeared in Qin Mei’s beautiful eyes as she raised the corners of her rosy lips in a cold sneer. "What’s wrong? Scared?"

After a long silence, Jie Jingchen finally spoke, his tone suggestive. "Qin Mei, if you drug me, you’ll be the one to suffer."

Qin Mei wanted to retort but found that she couldn’t. She couldn’t bear to give Jie Jingchen to another woman. She wasn’t shameless like her original self, who would drug any man she fancied if he didn’t submit.

"I’m going to tell Mom." Qin Mei felt like they were on completely different wavelengths, and she couldn’t be bothered to guess what Jie Jingchen was thinking. This concerned her mother-in-law’s marriage; if she hadn’t known, it would be one thing, but now that she did, she couldn’t keep it a secret.

"Do you have any proof?" Jie Jingchen had regained his composure.

"What proof? I have no damn proof," Qin Mei shot Jie Jingchen a look. "Aunt Zhang hasn’t made her move yet, and nothing’s happened. Where would I get proof? Besides, with something like this, by the time you have proof, it’s already over. It would be too late."

"And you’re rushing to tell Mom without any proof..."

"You think Mom wouldn’t believe me?" Qin Mei cut him off. "With something like this, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Given their current relationship, Qin Mei was confident her mother-in-law would believe her."

"Whether Mom believes you or not isn’t the point," Jie Jingchen said. "What’s important is that you’ll not only tip her off, but you’ll also give Aunt Zhang an opening to turn it around on you, since you have no proof."

Qin Mei raised an eyebrow, staring at Jie Jingchen. "Jie Jingchen, do me a favor and be clear. What exactly are you getting at?"

’They were his biological parents, not hers. She was just their fourth daughter-in-law. If Jie Jingchen, their own son, wasn’t in a hurry, why should she be? Was she the court eunuch, more anxious than the emperor himself?’

"We will watch and wait," Jie Jingchen said, four words leaving his thin lips.

Qin Mei gritted her teeth and reminded him, "We have to stop this kind of thing in advance—nip Aunt Zhang’s plan in the bud. Just waiting and seeing isn’t smart. Things could easily go wrong. We can’t just hope for the best; we have to prepare for the worst."

"Second Sister-in-law will rack her brains to find a way to stop it," Jie Jingchen said with conviction.

Qin Mei understood now. Jie Jingchen didn’t want to just wait and see; he wanted to make Aunt Zhang and Xu Chunyan turn against each other. He wanted to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight. "And you think your second sister-in-law is a match for Aunt Zhang?"

Aunt Zhang and Xu Chunyan weren’t in the same league. Aunt Zhang was full of schemes and an expert at hiding her true abilities; Xu Chunyan was no match for her.

"Second Sister-in-law is no match for Aunt Zhang, but she knows to call for reinforcements," Jie Jingchen said, looking utterly inscrutable.

Qin Mei frowned. "I’m the reinforcements your second sister-in-law is trying to call."

"And you refused," Jie Jingchen reminded her.

"I disdain to dance with wolves." Qin Mei’s face was etched with displeasure. No matter what, she would never cooperate with Xu Chunyan. Not in this lifetime.

"Second Sister-in-law will find someone else more capable," Jie Jingchen said mysteriously.

"Who?" Qin Mei asked, her curiosity piqued.

"You’ll find out when the time comes." Jie Jingchen didn’t satisfy her curiosity.

Although Qin Mei was curious, she didn’t press the issue when Jie Jingchen refused to elaborate. ’For the next few days, I’ll have to keep a close eye on Aunt Zhang’s every move. I don’t trust Xu Chunyan. That woman could switch sides at any moment, but there’s no telling whose side she’ll end up on.’

As night fell, Jie Jingchen took Qin Mei to the black market on his bicycle.

The night breeze was cool. Sitting on the back rack, Qin Mei hugged Jie Jingchen’s waist tightly, her cheek pressed against his back as she breathed in the clean scent of soap from his clothes.

"Jie Jingchen, teach me how to ride a bike," Qin Mei said softly.