Reborn in the 1970s — Married a Proud Rough Man

Chapter 276 - 105: Mom, Aunt Zhang Didn’t Succeed

"Yan Qiu." Mr. Xie sighed and walked over to Mrs. Xie, pulling her stiff body into his arms. Mrs. Xie didn’t struggle, letting him hold her. "Honey, Zhang Hongying won’t let this go. If Mom and Dad are living here, she won’t dare to act out. Mom is her nemesis."

Mrs. Xie was silent. ’I know perfectly well that even though Jing Wu sent Zhang Hongying back to her hometown, she still managed to come back on her own. It’s just... I never would have dreamed that Zhang Hongying would have those kinds of intentions toward Jie Jianguo. For over twenty years, we’ve been raising an ungrateful wretch.’

Seeing she wasn’t speaking, Mr. Xie called out, "Yan Qiu."

"Hmph!" Mrs. Xie snorted. "Do you think I’m afraid of her?"

Jie Jianguo froze, his arms around her tightening. "You’re not afraid of her, but I am."

"Yan Qiu, I’m the one Zhang Hongying is after, the one she wants to get. Her methods are just too vile. Thinking about it now makes me feel such regret. I was so close... my reputation would have been ruined, and our happy marriage would have been destroyed because of it." Mr. Xie paused, then continued, "So, I’m scared. I’m scared that the scheming Zhang Hongying will come back again, scared you’ll divorce me, and scared of losing this happy marriage."

Mrs. Xie could sense his emotions. She wasn’t afraid of her husband being overbearing, but she couldn’t stand seeing him show this vulnerable side. Her heart ached for him, and she hugged him back.

A flicker of joy went through Mr. Xie, and he continued to press his case. "Yan Qiu, I promise, it won’t be for long. Just let my parents stay with us for a month. Only one month. Yan Qiu, I’m begging you."

A month wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short either. Mrs. Xie wanted to refuse, but looking at her pleading husband, she didn’t have the heart. "They’re used to living in their own home. I’m worried they won’t leave."

"They will. After one month, whether they want to or not, I will send them home," Mr. Xie promised.

’It’s not that I’m afraid of Zhang Hongying coming back,’ Mrs. Xie thought. ’If she angers me, I’ll make her regret it. After this incident, if she behaves herself, I’ll let it go—consider it repayment for the life Zhang Hongyan saved. But if she remains unrepentant, then she can’t blame me for being ruthless.’

"Jie Jianguo, you remember what you said. If you don’t send them away in a month, I’m taking the children and leaving," Mrs. Xie threatened.

"Darling, you’re as beautiful as you are kind. Marrying you in this lifetime is my greatest blessing." Mr. Xie cupped Mrs. Xie’s face and gave her a quick kiss on her red lips.

"What are you doing? Aren’t you afraid someone will see? We’re surrounded by neighbors! Have you no shame at our age?" Mrs. Xie pushed Mr. Xie away, giving his chest a light tap.

"It’s so dark, no one will see." No sooner had the words left his mouth than a bright beam from a flashlight shone on them.

Mr. and Mrs. Xie instinctively raised their hands to shield their eyes from the light, their expressions unconsciously tensing.

"Dad, Mom," Qin Mei called out.

Hearing Qin Mei’s voice, their tense expressions visibly relaxed. Mr. Xie immediately adopted a stern look and asked, "What are you doing out here?"

Qin Mei, wearing pajamas with a coat thrown over them, kept the flashlight trained on the two of them. "I heard a noise and was worried it might be a burglar, so I came out to check."

"Xiao Mei, don’t do that again. If it really were a burglar, it would be dangerous for you to come out and check by yourself." Mrs. Xie gave an elegant smile and walked toward Qin Mei.

"Okay, I promise it won’t happen again," Qin Mei nodded obediently.

"Fourth Wife of Jing, stop shining that thing. You’re going to blind me," Mr. Xie said sharply.

"Lower your voice. Don’t scare Xiao Mei," Mrs. Xie retorted, turning to glare at Mr. Xie.

Mr. Xie fell silent. Qin Mei turned off the flashlight, and Mrs. Xie walked over, affectionately linking her arm with Qin Mei’s. "If you came out to check, where’s Jing Si?"

’I wonder how much of my conversation with Jie Jianguo she heard,’ she thought. ’She definitely saw him kiss me.’

"He’s hanging laundry under the eaves," Qin Mei answered truthfully. ’In reality, I ran out to eavesdrop after hearing my parents-in-law’s voices and just grabbed the flashlight on the way. I didn’t mean to turn it on, but I did it without thinking.’

People were very conservative in that era. Even married couples rarely held hands in public, let alone kissed.

"Pathetic," Mr. Xie couldn’t help but mutter.

Mrs. Xie glared at Mr. Xie and said in a commanding tone, "Go get your parents settled. I need to have a word with Xiao Mei."

Mr. Xie pressed his lips together and gave a sullen nod before stepping into the courtyard.

"Xiao Mei." Mrs. Xie took Qin Mei’s hand, unsure of how to begin.

"Mom, don’t worry. Aunt Zhang didn’t succeed." Qin Mei knew exactly what was on Mrs. Xie’s mind. With something like this happening in the family, she knew that for the sake of peace, her father-in-law would lie to her mother-in-law, Grandpa and Granny would lie to her, and even Jie Jingchen would tell her a white lie. But Qin Mei herself would not.