Chapter 105: The Day That Will Never Come

At the city gate, they happened to run into Zhou Mingxue, who was out on a date.

“You’re here! Come to my place for dinner later. My dad was still talking about you this morning,” Zhou Mingxue said brightly when she saw them.

“No need, let’s go another time. You should take care of your own business first,” Lin Jingyue teased.

The man beside her looked a little red in the face.

Zhou Mingxue had probably been teased by her so often that she had grown somewhat thick-skinned. “I’m not busy. My dad even said this morning that you must come for dinner.”

“You should come too.” She turned to the man beside her as well.

Lin Jingyue sighed inwardly. It seemed they would have to make this trip after all.

She gave Jiang Xun a glance, and he understood at once. “All right, then we’ll come by later. We’re going to see an elder first.”

“Deal. I’ll have my mother prepare the meal.”

“Mm, it’s settled.”

After parting ways with Zhou Mingxue and the others, Lin Jingyue had Jiang Xun go to the supply store to buy some gifts to bring when visiting someone.

“Pick whatever you think is suitable. I’m going to see my master.”

“Then go ahead. I’ll come find you later.” Jiang Xun pushed the bicycle forward and handed her the cured meat.

This was for Elder Huo.

“Mm.”

At the scrap collection station, Lin Jingyue saw Elder Huo and greeted him with a smile in her eyes. “Old man, I’m here!”

Elder Huo jumped at the sudden shout, clutching his chest. “Must you always startle people like that? Can’t you speak more quietly?”

“Honestly, I don’t know what’s become of young ladies these days.”

“Oh, it’s because your courage is too small,” Lin Jingyue said, placing the cured meat aside. “You can cook this and eat it yourself. If it’s not enough, I’ll bring more next time.”

“I know, you chatterbox.” Though he said that, Elder Huo’s eyes were full of amusement.

He really had taken in a good apprentice.

“Old man, do you have any treasures today? I haven’t picked up any treasures in ages.” Lin Jingyue stretched her neck to peer into the room.

Elder Huo was speechless.

He decided to take back what he had just thought. She was clearly here to torment him.

“Do you think treasures are so easy to come by?”

“Mm-hm. With you here, of course there are treasures.” Lin Jingyue nodded like a pecking chick.

“You little fox.” Elder Huo pointed toward the table. “I prepared something long ago. It’s over there. Go get it yourself.”

Lin Jingyue bounced over and, seeing the flat box, her eyes lit up.

She opened it and saw the black velvet cloth inside. She drew in a sharp breath. “Good heavens, where did you find this?”

A jade bracelet, bright and translucent all through, with a rich, vivid green and excellent wateriness.

Lin Jingyue took it out, unable to put it down. She had really struck it rich. With this luster, this full green... it was undoubtedly imperial green.

She would have been thrilled to bits.

“Just found it in some forgotten nook or cranny. Keep it for private enjoyment if you like, but don’t show it off. Wait a few years first,” Elder Huo said, watching her.

Sure enough, girls liked these things.

“There are still a few sets like this in the capital. When we get back...”

“All for me as a dowry?” Lin Jingyue’s eyes gleamed. In her previous life, she had the most diamonds.

Cheap parents, then stepfather and stepmother—no matter the occasion, they always gave her diamonds, diamonds, and more diamonds. Not an ounce of originality.

She liked luminous jade.

She remembered having once attended an auction to broaden her horizons, where a bracelet of imperial green fetched more than thirty million.

Of course, imperial green also had its grades.

The one in her hand was definitely top-tier.

“Shameless girl.” Elder Huo shot her a glance. “But as long as you behave, it’s not impossible.”

“Master, listen to yourself. Is there anyone in this world more obedient than me?” Lin Jingyue blinked, smiling sweetly.

“Impudent little girl.” Elder Huo laughed and scolded her.

Lin Jingyue immediately went to knead his shoulders. “By the way, Master, I recently treated two people in the production brigade...”

Then she recounted both patients’ symptoms and the way she had handled them.

From the beginning, Elder Huo frowned. By the end, he was astonished. It seemed he had truly found a genius for medicine.

“Girl, you handled it very well. However, for a broken leg, there are even better methods...”

What she had done was already excellent, with nothing to criticize, but there were indeed simpler and more secure ways to handle it.

Elder Huo began instructing his apprentice, and Lin Jingyue listened attentively. She occasionally asked about things she did not understand and also offered some of her own insights.

The old and the young talked themselves into forgetting the time.

By the time they came back to themselves, Jiang Xun had already been waiting for a while.

“Why didn’t you call me? Did we run out of time?” Lin Jingyue glanced at her wristwatch.

It was only twelve fifteen. There was still time.

“It’s fine. I saw you two discussing so intently, so I didn’t interrupt.” Jiang Xun handed a packet of tea to Elder Huo. “Grandfather Huo, please have some of this tea first.”

Elder Huo glared at him, feeling displeased.

This brat was trying to steal his cabbage, hmph.

“My grandfather put this top-grade cloud-and-mist tea away for safekeeping.”

As soon as he said that, Elder Huo snatched the tea and hugged it to his chest.

Lin Jingyue: ...He could have done that a little more slowly.

“All right, hurry home.” Having secured the tea, Elder Huo immediately started driving them away.

He did not want to see this brat. It hurt his eyes.

Jiang Xun stood up with a smile. “Rest assured, I’ll take good care of Jingyue.”

“Your own partner and you won’t take care of her—who will?” Elder Huo shot him a sidelong look. “If you don’t take good care of her, you can always change partners.”

“...”

Jiang Xun’s heart tightened. He knew Elder Huo was not joking.

If Jingyue were ever wronged in his hands, this old man would definitely break his legs.

And no one would be able to plead for him.

“The younger generation understands. There will never be such a day,” he promised solemnly.

“Hmph. A man’s mouth is full of lies, and promises are worthless. Girl, keep your eyes sharp and see clearly...” Elder Huo grumbled.

Lin Jingyue and Jiang Xun: ...

The two of them looked at him speechlessly.

Though, really, aren’t you a man yourself?

“Get lost already!” Realizing the look in their eyes was off, Elder Huo instantly grew embarrassed and angry.

The two of them slipped away like grease had been applied to their soles, vanishing out of the scrap collection station in a flash.

At the Zhou household, Zhou Mingxue’s mother was off work today. Knowing that Jiang Xun and Lin Jingyue were coming for dinner, she had specially gone out to buy groceries.

She prepared a table full of abundant dishes.

This was the second time the man surnamed Xia had come over. Though he was still reserved, he was no longer overly unfamiliar with the place.

He was chatting with Zhou Mingxue’s father, who had just come back. Usually so shy, he was quite articulate when speaking with his future father-in-law.

When Lin Jingyue and Jiang Xun came in, they saw this warm and harmonious scene.

Jiang Xun had bought two jin of sugar-coated rice sticks, two jin of sponge cake, and two jin of brown sugar, carrying them all in his hands.

The gift was quite substantial, but given that it was for the Zhou family, it was only proper.

“Why invite you to dinner and still let you spend money?” Zhou’s mother greeted them, casting them a reproachful look.

“So this is Little Lin, is it? Oh my, you’re so lovely.” She smiled warmly at Lin Jingyue.

“I’ve heard your Uncle Zhou and Mingxue mention you so often, but never had the chance to meet you.” Zhou’s mother took the things and put them away, then turned and led Lin Jingyue to sit on the sofa.

“Whenever you come into the city in the future, come straight to Auntie’s place. Auntie will cook for you. There isn’t much good food out in the countryside.”

A little aside: Lin Jingyue: I scare even myself when I start trash-talking myself. Don’t come to me for treatment. Other doctors save lives; I might take yours.