How I Tamed My Wolfish Husband Back in 80s-Chapter 18 - Tou Lao Mao_1
18: Chapter 18: Tou Lao Mao_1
18 -18: Tou Lao Mao_1
The weather was cold, so Qin Jin found his military coat at the bottom of the trunk and draped it over Li Qiao, adding a scarf and wrapping her up like a zongzi.
Even with the chilly wind blowing all the way, she didn’t feel cold, and an inexplicable sweetness bubbled up in her heart.
The open-air movie in the neighboring village was set up in the threshing field, where a teeming crowd jostled tightly in front of the screen.
Those who couldn’t get a good spot even climbed trees, walls, or perched on the tops of straw stacks.
Li Qiao couldn’t help but laugh at the sights, feeling more curious than anything else.
How interesting could a movie be to create more buzz than a pop concert?
Qin Jin led her up to the top of a straw stack their friends had saved for them in advance.
“The view is good from here, right?”
“Mm,” Li Qiao said softly, “Jin, the wind is a bit strong.
Could you block it for me?” She snuggled into his arms while speaking.
Their rascal friends began to mock them, drawing looks from the people around.
Though it was night, Li Qiao’s face still felt burning hot; she lowered her head in silence, too shy to look at anyone.
Qin Jin scolded, “What’s all the noise about?
If my wife is cold, shouldn’t she come to me instead of you lot?” He held his breath and gently wrapped an arm around her.
Despite her bulky attire, he still found her petite.
He extended his other hand into her sleeve to try and warm her, finding her skin warm, not the slightest bit cold.
Was this being cold?
She must have just wanted him to hold her hand on purpose, right?
She was quite the clever one.
Li Qiao leaned against Qin Jin’s chest, listening to the strong beat of his heart, and she too began to feel an unusual throbbing within her, as if a different kind of affection was sprouting.
It wasn’t a bad feeling at all.
She easily intertwined her fingers with his, and then turned her gaze back to the screen.
Accidentally, she spotted Li Jinhua nearby, accompanied by Li Jinniu and Dong Lamei.
Does the whole village come to watch a movie, gathering people from miles around?
The trio was frantically stomping their feet, unable to squeeze into the front.
Qin Jin also noticed them, “I see your mother, your brother.
There’s a spot here, should we call your brother over?”
Li Qiao replied, “Sure.” After all, it was her duty-bound younger brother, who always politely addressed her as ‘third sister’ whenever they met; she didn’t mind him.
“Jinniu,” Qin Jin waved at him.
Li Jinniu looked around, and when his eyes finally settled, they lit up, “Third brother-in-law!” He pointed at Qin Jin and said, “Mom, fourth sister, it’s third brother-in-law.
Let’s join him there.”
Li Jinhua was equally excited; the bruise on her face had faded, and she had deliberately worn pretty clothes for the day out, even dusting on some powder and spritzing a bit of flower-scented water.
Once she sat close to him, she didn’t believe she wouldn’t be able to enrapture him.
The three made their way to Qin Jin’s spot, but as they approached, there was no sign of him.
Only a few young lads from Feng Family Village remained.
“Where’s third brother-in-law?” asked Li Jinhua.
“He took his sister-in-law to the latrine.”
Sister-in-law?
A sense of alarm struck Li Jinhua.
Had Li Qiao also come?
Why hadn’t she seen her?
The group helped Li Jinniu onto the straw stack, with Lamei and Li Jinhua following after.
The movie began, but there was still no sign of Qin Jin and Li Qiao.
Li Jinhua couldn’t help but say, “Did my third sister fall into the latrine or something?”
“They probably came back, saw no place to sit, and went somewhere else,” someone chimed in.
“You’re such a blockhead.
They just got married.
What could be better than a movie?” If he had a pretty wife, he wouldn’t care for watching movies either.
Why couldn’t he have been the one to stumble upon Li Qiao the day she jumped into the river?
Suddenly, Li Jinhua hatched a plan.
If she could find them now and covertly lead others to intrude upon their moment, by tomorrow, the scandalous romance between Li Qiao and Qin Jin was likely to spread throughout all the surrounding villages.
Li Qiao was as good as dead to them.
She excused herself to use the latrine.
They searched all around but couldn’t find a trace of the two.
When she returned, Li Qiao had taken her spot, and Qin Jin squatted off to the side, smoking.
She purposely walked past him, leaving behind the fragrance of her floral water.
Qin Jin suddenly burst into a coughing fit.
Li Jinhua stopped and said, “Brother-in-law, smoking is bad for your health, take care of yourself.”
“Damn!
What have you put on yourself?
It’s so strong I can’t even open my eyes.
Get lost!”
Li Jinhua’s face turned red and then white, “You…
you don’t know what’s good for you, you country bumpkin!
This is perfume that city folk use.”
Qin Jin cursed, “You’re the country bumpkin, you ugly freak, as grotesque as an injustice.
Scram, you flirtatious wench!”
Li Jinhua burst into tears.
In the past few days, several matchmakers had come to propose matches for her, and some of the suitors even had junior college degrees, like the one teaching in a town’s primary school.
He was just a petty thug now; how dared he look down on her?
After finishing his cigarette, Qin Jin walked away.
Once Li Jinhua had calmed down, she returned to the haystack and reproachfully said to Li Qiao, “Big sis, where did you run off to?
I’ve been looking for you.”
Li Qiao was absorbed in the old movie “Little Soldier Zhang Ga” playing on the screen, the black-and-white image wasn’t clear, but that did nothing to dampen everyone’s enthusiasm for watching.
“Big sis!” Li Jinhua called again when she didn’t get a response.
Li Qiao’s gaze shifted from the screen, thinking Li Jinhua wanted her to move over, she squeezed herself closer to Dong Lamei, “There’s room to sit.”
Li Jinhua climbed next to Li Qiao, “What were you doing just now with brother-in-law?”
Li Qiao kept her eyes on the movie screen and replied, “Went to the latrine.” The village toilets were too dirty; she had to walk a considerable distance to find a clean one, and Qin Jin had scolded her for being too fussy about it.
Li Jinhua thought Li Qiao was lying.
She must have a better relationship with Qin Jin than she had seen, otherwise, why would he take her to watch a movie?
She had bumped into him herself when she went to watch a movie in her previous life; at that time, Li Qiao hadn’t been with him.
She began to suspect once again that Li Qiao had been reborn.
In her previous life, she had suffered a devastating defeat in love and ended up lonely and old.
This life, she had figured it out; it’s all about money, which was not impossible.
Li Jinhua’s thoughts whirled about, and she started probing, “Big sis, I’m planning to go back to school after the New Year to repeat a year.
Are you repeating, too?” In her past life, although she had attended high school, her family had no connections to secure her a formal job.
Every time she saw those neatly dressed people working in offices, she envied them deeply.
This life, she was determined to attend university and work in an office too.
Then, with the status of a college student, she could hint to Qin Jin.
She truly did not believe he would turn her down.
If Li Qiao had also been reborn, she would definitely choose to repeat the year too.
Li Qiao was surprised.
If Li Jinhua did repeat the year, they would meet once school started.
If she didn’t admit it, would the other party think she was playing them?
After considering, she said, “Grandma persuaded me to repeat the year.
I agreed, and I was just about to tell you.”
Li Jinhua’s heart leapt, but she couldn’t be certain.
She vaguely remembered that in her previous life Li Qiao had also mentioned Old Mrs.
Qin had taken the initiative to persuade her to repeat the year.
But when school was about to start, Qin Jin was suspected of involving in a local murder case and was arrested.
Old Mrs.
Qin ran everywhere, even came to their house to borrow money to bail him out.
But back then, her parents looked down on him and worried that the money they lent would go to waste and didn’t agree to the loan.
Qin Jin was detained for a month and was released due to insufficient evidence, but because of him, his family was nearly destitute and naturally couldn’t afford Li Qiao’s repeating the year.
If Qin Jin went to prison again this time, she would definitely help with raising the money.
Perhaps then he would discard his previous prejudices against her, wouldn’t he?
With this thought, she made a pact with Li Qiao, “We can go to school together again in the future, and then, we will stay in the same dormitory.”
Li Qiao thought to herself, I certainly don’t want to share a dormitory with you, to spare myself from giving you any chance to set me up.
…..
