Shocking! My Rugged Husband is the Hidden Tycoon in the 70s Novel-Chapter 185: The Man She Likes

Duan Qingmei grabbed Qu Qiongfang by the collar, "You say you don’t know, but you’ve always known, haven’t you?"

Duan Qingmei had also been peeped on, although she never saw it clearly several times, and even if she knew, she didn’t dare to speak out, until Xu Qinghuan exposed that the person was Zhang Tieshan, she really felt disgusted, as if she had swallowed a mouthful of dung.

Who would have thought, she’d always considered Qu Qiongfang her best friend.

"I even asked you, what did you say to me?" Duan Qingmei gritted her teeth. If she had once depended on Qu Qiongfang, she now hated her just as much.

Qu Qiongfang yanked herself free, "What right do you have to question me? Was I supposed to tell you? Why should I tell you?"

Duan Qingmei couldn’t believe it, "You... how could you say such a thing, after I always treated you like a good sister!"

Qu Qiongfang let out a sneer, "Good sister? You’re just stupid, always doing stupid things, being despised, being isolated, that’s why you relied on me.

Don’t forget, all along, I was the one helping you, I was the one protecting you, what have you done for me?"

After speaking, Qu Qiongfang gave Duan Qingmei a hard push and walked away.

Duan Qingmei laughed and cried like a madwoman, but she never thought of telling anyone what she’d just heard.

It wasn’t until both Duan Qingmei and Zhou Chang’an left that someone stood up slowly from behind the bean-vine shelf, Xu Manman never imagined, squatting here relieving herself, she could witness such a drama.

She also didn’t miss the words "the man I like" from Qu Qiongfang’s mouth. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

These days, with not much going on, Xu Qinghuan would go to the mountains early every morning to gather herbs, and while at it, hunt some game to improve their living. She would deliver lunch at noon, take a nap in the afternoon, and then go back to the mountains to either pick wild goods or gather herbs.

In the evenings, while Jiang Xingye studied, she would sit beside him drawing plans for the thresher.

The communal effort to organize the production of harvesters wasn’t going smoothly, unrelated to the drawings, mostly because the people handling the task were incompetent. Jiang Xingye had been borrowed to help out for several days and finally got the production sorted out.

Jiang Xingjun and Jiang Xingwei’s enlistment in the army is now almost certain. This matter is kept confidential, even within the family only a few know, but Zhou Guizhi couldn’t resist flaunting.

During dinner, she looked at her two sons, becoming more fond of them, then glanced at her daughter with some disdain, "Once Meizi is married off, I’ll have completed my duty."

Jiang Baohua gave her a glare, and Zhou Guizhi quickly lowered her head to eat, not daring to speak further.

Jiang Xingmei slammed her utensils on the table, angrily saying, "So you’re only despising me, huh?"

She had just finished eating and, without washing the dishes, stormed out in anger.

Zhou Guizhi is not someone who values sons over daughters; even if she did, she would only value Jiang Xingye. Still, worried about her daughter, she said, "Lao Si, go check on her, make sure she doesn’t do anything foolish."

The two old people’s health had gradually improved, coming out for dinner each evening themselves.

The old lady said, "As a mother, you need to be cautious with your words, if the child hears it, they’ll certainly become troubled."

In fact, Zhou Guizhi didn’t mean it that way, her focus was really on the joyous news of her two sons enlisting, Jiang Xingmei misunderstood.

"Mother, I understand, I will be careful in the future."

There’s no major need for caution; with the two sons in the army, after the New Year, it’ll be time for Meizi’s marriage. Once she’s married, she’ll be distant from her maternal family.

A girl returning becomes a guest.

Jiang Xinglan has been married for a few years, the number of times she’s returned can be counted on two hands.

Jiang Xingwei quickly got up, following behind Xingmei, seeing her go to Jiang Xingye’s place, he turned back.

"I’m so mad!"

Jiang Xingmei stormed over the threshold, startling the two in their moment of tender affections.

Jiang Xingye was just about to lean in for a kiss when Xu Qinghuan suddenly stood up, bumping her head against Jiang Xingye’s chin, causing him to tear up reflexively from the pain, covering his lips with a murderous look towards the intruder.

"What are you two... doing?"

Xu Qinghuan, unusually flustered, "Nothing, nothing, Meizi’s here, come, sit down, what brings you here?"

In her nervousness, she forgot that she wasn’t the mistress of this house yet.

Jiang Xingmei, being rather blunt, didn’t think much of it, plopped down on the chair Xu Qinghuan vacated, "My mom’s really too much, just criticized me at home, can’t wait for me to hurry up and get married."

In the storyline, Jiang Xingmei’s fiancé is Zhao Jianjun, the son of the Liaozhong Team’s accountant, but he likes a young intellectual named Liu Dongmei.

Liu Dongmei originally had a partner in the city, waiting for him to pull some strings to bring her back, treating Zhao Jianjun’s various attentions with indifference.

According to the timeline, it should be recently that Liu Dongmei will receive a breakup letter from her partner, who found someone else in the city and they’re about to marry.

Liu Dongmei falls into despair, feeling life has no future, and goes to the mountains to end it all, where she’s saved by Zhao Jianjun who had been secretly following her.

Zhao Jianjun took the opportunity to fill Liu Dongmei’s void, and she finally accepted Zhao Jianjun’s proposal.

Zhao Jianjun’s engagement is not a secret.

In Liu Dongmei’s mind, this man likes her, wants to marry her, and as for Jiang Xingmei, she’s a non-entity.

Xu Qinghuan took the opportunity to ask, "Who’s your fiancé?"

Jiang Xingmei began recounting Zhao Jianjun, "He’s definitely not as handsome as my fifth brother, can’t even compare to my third or fourth brother, but he has the advantage of being someone I know inside out. My dad says he’s honest and mild, while I’m strong-willed, so in the future, he’ll definitely give in to me, no fighting."

Xu Qinghuan thought, well, he’s not really an honest man.

Zhao Jianjun had already considered Jiang Xingmei’s character, secretly had someone convey the news to Jiang Xingmei, who indeed couldn’t swallow this insult, and sent back all the betrothal gifts.

In reality, the news of Zhao Jianjun and Liu Dongmei getting together hadn’t spread; only those at the Liaozhong Team’s youth point knew, which left room for gossip.

Jiang Xingmei was labeled overbearing, accused of spreading rumors, ruining her reputation, returned all the gifts, ending up with nothing—neither wealth nor good name.

Xu Qinghuan said, "They say marriage is a woman’s second birth; I think it’s best to be cautious about your engagement."

Hearing this, Jiang Xingmei knew there was something up, "What have you heard?"

"Last time I went to the county, while eating at a state-owned restaurant, I overheard talk among some Liaozhong Team youths about Zhao Jianjun associating with a female intellectual. I happen to have a friend whose brother is a youth there, I’ll help you find out more."

Jiang Xingmei was infuriated, jumped to her feet, but was pulled back by Xu Qinghuan,

"Don’t act rashly. We haven’t any evidence yet. If you rush in, people will say you’re slandering and ruining the female intellectual’s reputation, and in turn, you’ll aid those two. We need to use our brains, don’t let them set us up."

"Okay, I’ll do whatever you say, sis-in-law, you tell me what to do!" But Jiang Xingmei was filled with fury, evident from her heaving chest.