The next morning, Hu Honglian humd a tune while cooking pig’s trotters and noodles at the stove.
The at Tian Xiang brought back last night—stead pork covered with dough slices—was reserved for her daughter with noodles.
Just as the dish was ready, Zhuang Eri arrived, watching Hu Honglian with a smile.
Hu Honglian: "Eri, have you eaten? Oh dear, what’s wrong with your face? There’s a blood mark."
Poor girl, twenty years old and still bearing injuries on her face; clearly caused by a family fight.
Zhuang Eri said nothing, just laughed awkwardly.
Hu Honglian understood; the person hadn’t eaten.
"Xiangxiang is inside, go ahead, aunt will make you a bowl of noodles."
Zhuang Eri: "Thanks, auntie. Auntie, you’re like my real mom! Don’t worry, once I get married and live a better life, I’ll co visit you. I’ll buy you at, cans, and cloth to make clothes."
Hu Honglian: "Alright, alright, it’s just a bowl of noodles, no big deal."
Tian Xiang heard the voices and ca out, pulling Zhuang Eri to the room to chat.
Zhuang Eri ca to return the bag.
Yesterday, Zhuang Eri borrowed Tian Xiang’s small cloth bag to look good.
Tian Xiang asked Zhuang Eri how things went with Jiang Gaojun last night; how far had they gone?
Zhuang Eri first showed a sly face, then shyly smiled, "I gave him a kiss."
Tian Xiang: "..."
Wow, these two, kissing on their first eting.
Tian Xiang: "Are you two together?"
Zhuang Eri: "Pretty much; he asked to et him at the factory for lunch today."
Well, that’s a date.
Tian Xiang: "What about your face?"
Clearly, Zhuang Family had another fight this morning.
Zhuang Eri was nonchalant, "No worries, my condition will make him ache for ."
Tian Xiang: "Did you explain your situation to him clearly?"
Zhuang Eri: "I told him at the end."
"What did you say?"
Zhuang Eri whispered: "First I confird so things about him, then painted a rosy picture..."
Yesterday, Zhuang Eri and Jiang Gaojun went into the small forest of the factory area.
Initially, they kept half-step apart, behaving properly.
Zhuang Eri started chatting, asking where Jiang Gaojun studied, what activities he usually engaged in, if he had many friends, or if they went out to play together.
She was hitting the sore spot there.
Jiang Gaojun had a disability in his leg, despised since childhood, never bullied for his uneven legs but devoid of friends!
Zhuang Eri lost her mother young, disliked by her stepmother, dressed shabbily, fed poorly, bullied similarly at school; she understood Jiang Gaojun’s feelings and situation.
Jiang Gaojun said nothing, she comforted him by sharing her school experiences.
They quickly found common ground, Jiang Gaojun even felt like he’d found a soulmate.
Originally thinking Zhuang Eri was better than previous introductions, now he was even more satisfied.
Sitting on the stone bench, Zhuang Eri looked longingly into the distance, saying she was twenty and wanted to marry and have kids, care for her husband, serve her parents-in-law, and make a happy family of five.
Jiang Gaojun nervously rubbed his hands, at twenty-five, with peers having kids; more than anyone, he wanted to marry and hold a wife.
Zhuang Eri bravely kissed him, asked, "So, should we get married, what do you think?"
Zhuang Eri had bathed, borrowed her stepsister’s clam oil to smooth her face and neck, leaned in close with a faint scent wafting to Jiang Gaojun’s nose.
Jiang Gaojun had t dozens of gals over the years, all talking properly or forced by elders to complete the matchmaking task.
He’d never seen soone as bold as Zhuang Eri, nor had anyone kissed him.
If he were just eighteen or nineteen, he might have thought Zhuang Eri’s behavior inappropriate, not his type.
But now, at twenty-five, his mindset had changed, thoughts filled with won, fervently wishing to marry at once, enter the bridal chamber tonight.
Jiang Gaojun nodded bewilderedly.
Alright, alright, he agreed, agreed to everything.
Not from Red Fifth Street?
No problem, marry over here.
No formal job?
No worry, wages can sustain a wife and kids.
Convince mother?
Possible, he’s found true love, will marry none but Zhuang Eri.
After hearing Zhuang Eri’s account, Tian Xiang was stunned.
Wow, the other person turned out to be a love expert.
Zhuang Eri said, "I’m forced. If not leaving this house, next they might knock out and send to an old bachelor’s bed."
Tian Xiang expressed understanding and sympathy.
"By the way, did you remind Jiang Gaojun not to tell Aunt Peng about my matchmaking?"
She didn’t want the matchmaking to fail first and get entangled with Aunt Peng.
Zhuang Eri: "Rest assured, I specifically told him."
Just then, Hu Honglian’s noodles were ready, Zhuang Eri joined Tian Xiang in eating at, given a piece of pig’s trotter.
After breakfast, Tian Xiang rode her bike to work.
Nearing the factory gate, she saw ng Cheng’an.
The guy was leaning against a bike on the roadside, seed to be waiting for soone, but upon seeing her approaching, he cycled away at a snail’s pace like a cow pulling a cart.
Tian Xiang: "?"
What kind of confused behavior is this?
Quickly catching up, intending to ask him about the leadership’s inspection, ng Cheng’an turned his head as if just seeing her, greeted her, "Morning."
Morning, my foot.
She swore, the guy had seen her earlier; seeing her caused him to crawl like a snail.
Does this count as reserved affection?
Clearly waiting for her yet embarrassed to show it, pretending it’s a chance encounter.
Tian Xiang glanced at him, ntioned the inspection under ng Cheng’an’s guilty gaze, "The leaders are coming this morning for an inspection, right?"
"Yeah."
Tian Xiang: "Don’t seek revenge on Lu Feng for yesterday, hold off a few more days."
ng Cheng’an’s expression changed, "Why?"
Tian Xiang: "You can’t beat him now."
ng Cheng’an chuckled, "You underestimate ."
Tian Xiang clicked her tongue, "That’s not my point. Just..."
"Oh, so things can’t be explained clearly! His luck is better than yours, able to avert disasters. Just like his affair with Widow Tian, a declaration article turned most of his reputation around, although he must maintain relations with Widow Jiang, the basic goal is reached. Once they make a fuss again and break up, nobody would recall the past."
She had a clear view; ng Cheng’an didn’t believe luck mattered, only a bit clever handling things.
ng Cheng’an: "That’s my concern."
The guy...
Tian Xiang frowned, are all villains this stubborn?
Both entered the factory gate.
Coincidentally bumped into Lu Feng.
Lu Feng was standing under the bulletin board nearby, smiling at them.
Tian Xiang swore "Trash" under her breath, headed straight to the bike shed, ng Cheng’an following behind her.
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