Chapter 106: If Brother Jiang Looks Down on It, I Do Too

Mrs. Zhou had never expected that the fierce little girl would be so delicate and beautiful.

She could not help doubting her own eyes.

Lin Jingyue was a little unaccustomed to Mrs. Zhou’s enthusiasm, but she did not show it. She smiled with proper restraint, obedient and dignified, every gesture revealing excellent upbringing.

In truth, an ordinary family could not have raised a daughter like this.

Mrs. Zhou was surprised all over again. She did not know Lin Jingyue’s background, but she felt she must have come from a good family.

No wonder the Jiang family had not objected.

After talking for a while longer, she became even more certain. The young woman before her was graceful and generous, knowing exactly how to conduct herself. Though she did not speak much, every word was measured.

If Lin Jingyue were not Jiang Xun’s girlfriend, Mrs. Zhou would have wanted to introduce her to her own son.

But on second thought, she shook her head. Even if she were not Jiang Xun’s girlfriend, her son... probably would not be worthy of such a girl.

“Xiao Lin, sit and rest for a while. Mingxue, keep Xiao Lin company properly. I’m going to cook.” Mrs. Zhou stood up with a smile.

“Aunt Zhou, let me help you,” Lin Jingyue said with a smile.

“No need, no need. You’re a guest. How could we let a guest work? Sit down, quickly.” Mrs. Zhou hurriedly pressed her back into her seat.

Lin Jingyue then sat down obediently.

She had only been making a polite gesture anyway, and fortunately, the Zhou family knew proper manners too.

“My mom’s cooking is really delicious. You have to try it later,” Zhou Mingxue said as she sat beside Lin Jingyue and hooked her arm through hers.

“Then I’m in for a treat.”

“Of course. There probably isn’t much good food at the brigade. You often come into town to eat, so don’t be shy...”

Zhou Mingxue’s warmth and hospitality were probably inherited as well.

Mrs. Zhou’s cooking was truly excellent. The braised pork had been stewed until tender and soft, with fried potatoes added into the pot; the garlic cabbage was fresh and tender; the crisp potato shreds tucked into steamed buns had their own special charm. There was also pork belly stewed with vermicelli and several vegetable dishes. For this era, it was already a very fine spread for guests.

She had even specially bought soda and made pear soup with rock sugar.

Even though Lin Jingyue had been spoiled by Jiang Xun’s cooking, she still thought it was very good.

The meal was a happy one for both host and guests.

When it was about time, Lin Jingyue and Jiang Xun left the Zhou household. Before they went, Mrs. Zhou even packed some food for them to take away.

They could not refuse, so they had to accept it.

Comrade Xia stayed a little longer than they did, and by the time he left, he did not receive this treatment.

He did not think much of it, because he knew the relationship between Jiang Xun and the Zhou family.

“Uncle Zhou was transferred to this post because my grandfather helped make it happen,” Jiang Xun explained when he saw Lin Jingyue’s confusion on the way.

“On top of that, there were some other matters. Uncle Zhou’s family has taken good care of me, so we should just accept it and not feel burdened by it.”

“Mm, I understand.” Lin Jingyue smiled.

They went to the post office to collect a parcel. Because the package was too large, they hired an ox cart by the town gate, paying half a jin of brown sugar as the fare.

The parcel and Lin Jingyue rode on the ox cart, while Jiang Xun followed beside them on his bicycle.

When they returned to the brigade, everyone saw the huge parcel on the cart and was no longer surprised.

If one day the two of them did not have a parcel, that would be strange.

Lin Jingyue’s aunt could even ride around in a private car. Being rich was perfectly normal for her.

“Lin Jingyue, have you heard?” As soon as Lin Jingyue had finished sorting out the parcel and Jiang Xun had gone to cook, she was about to rest for a while when she heard Chen Chunlan’s voice.

She rolled her eyes without the least attempt to hide it.

That gossip addict was here again.

“What is it?”

“The brigade leader’s daughter is getting married,” Chen Chunlan said, not caring at all about Lin Jingyue’s cold expression.

“...What? Getting married?” Lin Jingyue was genuinely surprised. Was it that fast?

Still, Li Cuihua’s conditions were indeed quite good. She had graduated from middle school and was the brigade leader’s daughter. There would be plenty of people lining up to marry her.

“Guess who she’s marrying?” Seeing Lin Jingyue interested, Chen Chunlan grew even more animated.

“Who?”

“Sun Jiabao, that tagalong who hangs around Comrade Jiang.” No one knew what Li Cuihua, who always looked down on everyone, had seen in him. Sun Jiabao was idle all day long and good for nothing.

But now the brigade leader’s daughter had no reputation left, and decent families did not want her.

“Sun Jiabao?” Lin Jingyue glanced at Jiang Xun.

Jiang Xun, who was cooking, also turned around and looked at Chen Chunlan in confusion. “Has the match already been settled between the two families?”

Chen Chunlan waved a hand. “I don’t know, but that’s what people in the brigade are saying.”

Rumors could not be fully trusted.

Lin Jingyue remained skeptical, but rumors were not baseless either. She felt that Sun Jiabao probably... would not want Li Cuihua.

Because he was Jiang Xun’s most devoted fan.

A little later, after they had finished their meal, Sun Jiabao came rushing over in a flurry of urgency.

The moment he saw Jiang Xun, he looked as though he were facing a formidable enemy.

“Brother Jiang, heaven and earth can bear witness—I swear I absolutely will not marry Li Cuihua.” He was afraid Jiang Xun might misunderstand, and he hurriedly declared his loyalty.

Lin Jingyue’s mouth twitched. He was so anxious to make his position clear that something about it felt off.

Jiang Xun’s expression was equally hard to describe. “Whether you marry or not has nothing to do with me.”

What a bizarre fool.

“Of course it has something to do with you! Brother Jiang, that woman has designs on you. How could I possibly—”

“Cough, cough!” Jiang Xun nearly choked to death on a mouthful of water.

What nonsense was he talking about?

“Enough. If you want to marry her, then marry her. If not, forget it. Get lost.” Jiang Xun said that just seeing him hurt his eyes.

Sun Jiabao still wanted to say something, but in the end Zhou Yan dragged him away directly.

This simpleton really had no brain to speak of.

At the Sun household, Aunt Liu saw her son return and hurriedly pulled him over.

“Son, make it clear to me. Why don’t you want to marry the brigade leader’s daughter? Cuihua’s reputation may not be good, but her family conditions are excellent, and she herself is educated and literate...”

“Mom!” Sun Jiabao felt a headache coming on. “I will not agree to this. Go tell them quickly and make it clear. If even my Brother Jiang looks down on someone, then I look down on them too.”

That woman had ill intentions. Bringing her into the family would only invite disaster.

Aunt Liu stared at her foolish son speechlessly. The more she looked at him, the more annoyed she became.

“You and your Brother Jiang—can you even compare? He’s the moon in the sky, and you’re just mud on the ground. Even Li Cuihua looks down on you.”

Forget it. This fool would probably remain a bachelor for life.

No matter what Aunt Liu said, Sun Jiabao still looked utterly unwilling.

At the same time, at the brigade leader’s home, Li Cuihua’s face had gone dark. She had never expected that the family would actually be thinking of marrying her off to Sun Jiabao.

This was simply, simply...

“Stop thinking about it, little sister-in-law. They haven’t even agreed yet.” The brigade leader’s second daughter-in-law could not stand Li Cuihua and curled her lip.

“What nonsense are you spouting? When did Cuihua have anything to do with that idiot Sun Jiabao? She is going to get married, yes, but she’s marrying someone from my maternal family,” the brigade leader’s eldest daughter-in-law could not help saying.

“What? Your maternal family?”

“Mom, I’m not getting married!” Upon hearing the two women, Li Cuihua quickly looked toward Aunt Chun.

She was not getting married. She would not marry some dirt-poor peasant.

“That’s not up to you.” Before Aunt Chun could speak, the brigade leader returned. He glared at his daughter, then looked at Aunt Chun. “Set the wedding date as soon as possible and hurry up with the things needed for the bride to leave home.”