Back To The 80s-Chapter 620: Extra Two: Controllable Range Target Lock Four_1
Jiujiu was surprised. It was only November, when did the school announce winter vacation?
Li Duo glanced at Chen Lu, nodded, and turned back around.
Ji Xiangdong drove a few people to a private clubhouse on Middle Mount Road. The entrance looked ordinary, but the interior was a paradisiac haven, decorated in an antique style, and small bridges and streams were all around, with faux hills and trees separating the tables.
Chen Lu was overwhelmed. Her family was considered well-off - the first in the village to make over ten thousand dollars. Among her five siblings, she was the youngest and most spoiled. She had tried everything the county had to offer, but this was the first time she had been to such a refined place for dinner. She tread carefully on the red carpet, fearing she would leave a trail of footprints.
Chen Lu steal a glance at the bottom of her shoes. They weren’t dirty thankfully. She looked at Jiujiu, noticing how the latter was unfazed, behaving as if all was normal. Instantly, she felt unbalanced again.
Actually, this was also Jiujiu’s first time in such a place. Her grandparents always taught her to be thrifty and be humble no matter when.
Even though the business managed by Ou Ruoshui was making a considerable income, Ou Ruoshui still gave Jiujiu a fixed spending limit. During university, Jiujiu’s monthly allowance was one hundred yuan. For most students, this wasn’t a small amount.
Ji Xiangdong chose a quiet corner and asked everyone to sit.
Taking the menu, he passed it to Jiujiu, saying, "Jiujiu, look at what you want to eat. Don’t be shy."
Jiujiu looked at the prices on the menu and commented with astonishment, "Uncle Ji, everything is so expensive. Roast chicken here is seven or eight yuan more expensive than it is elsewhere."
Chen Lu felt that Jiujiu was being petty and sneered, saying, "Jin Ming, the food here is definitely more delicious than elsewhere. That’s why it’s more expensive."
Jiujiu pretended to be surprised and said, "How can they cook a chicken differently? Isn’t it just a chicken?"
Li Duo watched Jiujiu with a smile, saying, "Today your Uncle Ji is treating, so don’t worry about the price. Just eat well." The more Jiujiu ignored him, the more uneasy he felt, and the more he wanted to talk to this girl.
Jiujiu nodded, ordered Squirrel Mandarin Fish and Beijing-style Fried Tripe, then handed the menu to Ji Xiangdong, "Uncle Ji, you can order the rest."
Ji Xiangdong ordered a few more hot dishes and several bottles of juice.
As dish after dish of exquisite food was served, Chen Lu was amazed once again. Money was such a great thing.
She thought about the food served at other restaurants that focused on larger portions, where presentation and garnishment were never a concern.
Li Duo took Jiujiu’s bowl, rinsed it with boiling water, and passed it back.
Jiujiu lowered her head and muttered, "Thank you, Uncle Li."
Throughout the meal, Chen Lu ate with jealousy and discomfort. Jiujiu was treated like a princess by two men, who served her food and poured her juice.
After finishing the meal, Ji Xiangdong signaled Li Duo to lead Jiujiu to walk in front while he lagged behind for a few steps, forcing Chen Lu, who was following him, to slow down too.
Ji Xiangdong glanced at Chen Lu and whispered, "No matter what you’re thinking, you better not hurt Jiujiu. She isn’t someone you can mess with." Without a backward glance, he strode away to catch up with Li Duo and Jiujiu.
Chen Lu turned pale with fear. At the end of the day, she was just an eighteen-year-old girl. No matter how cunning she was, she couldn’t compete with Ji Xiangdong.
On the way back to school, Jiujiu noticed that Chen Lu was silent and pale. She didn’t know what had happened.
As Chen Lu was walking back to the dormitory with Jiujiu, she couldn’t resist saying, "Jiujiu, can I call you that? I’m sorry for what happened before."
Jiujiu stared at Chen Lu in surprise, looked deeply at her for a while, and then said, "You don’t need to say sorry. We are not familiar, and besides, you can’t call me Jiujiu." Without letting Chen Lu reply, she walked quickly towards the dormitory.
Jiujiu felt terrible. Her inferiority complex dragged her down to the dirt, it seemed that she could hear the laughter of the people around her even if she closed her eyes. She was so sensitive that every look from others made her overthink.
After New Year’s Day, the school started the exams and winter vacation was about to begin.
To Jiujiu’s surprise, Chen Gang came from the Capital City to her school to accompany her home.
Seeing Chen Gang, Jiujiu’s spirits lifted after days of oppression. Her mood brightened like the sky after the rain, and she said with a smile, "Brother Six, why are you here? Why didn’t you write me a letter?"
Chen Gang looked at his sister fondly, and said with a smile, "Aunt asked me to get off the train at S City and take you home with me. She is worried about your safety on the road."
Upon hearing Gu Xiaobei’s arrangements, Jiujiu asked again, "How is Aunt? I will visit you in Capital City during the summer vacation next year, okay?"
Chen Gang nodded and said yes. He didn’t tell Jiujiu that he would graduate next summer and his job preference was in the Tibetan Area.
Chen Lu, leaning on the dormitory window sill, looked at Chen Gang, who was talking to Jiujiu downstairs. His distinctive features and warm smile made her blurt out to her dormitory mates, "Who is this guy? He’s quite handsome." She felt even more jealous.
Li Fei, sitting on the bed learning to knit a scarf, didn’t even look up when she replied, "Jin Ming is also beautiful, so naturally her family is also good-looking."
Chen Lu snorted with displeasure. What’s the use of having a good-looking face? With her skinny body, she didn’t think men would find Jiujiu attractive. As she thought about this, she glanced at her own chest.
Chen Gang stayed at the school’s guest house, waiting for Jiujiu to finish her exams, so they could go home together. Cheerful with Chen Gang’s arrival, Jiujiu returned to the dormitory each day with a light smile on her face. Li Fei couldn’t help but ask, "Is that guy your boyfriend?"
Jiujiu exclaimed with wide eyes, "What boyfriend? That’s my Brother Six! We’re blood relatives."
Li Fei, a bit embarrassed, said, "I’m sorry, you and your Brother Six don’t look alike so..."
Jiujiu explained, "I look like my mom." In her heart, Chen Gang was always her real brother, the one who had protected her since childhood.
While waiting for Jiujiu’s vacation, Chen Gang also got to meet Li Duo.
Seeing Li Duo, Chen Gang smiled and greeted, "Brother Li."
Li Duo was surprised. He remembered Chen Gang was part of the group of kids who called him Uncle Li. But considering Chen Gang was now as tall as him, it would indeed be embarrassing for him to call Li Duo Uncle.
"Are you also here to wait for Jiujiu’s break?" Li Duo asked after greeting.
Chen Gang grinned and nodded, adding meaningfully, "Brother Li, Jiujiu suffered a lot as a child. You must be good to her in the future."
Li Duo was baffled by this statement, but somehow found himself nodding in agreement.
Chen Gang said nothing more. He loved Jiujiu, and from the moment he found out that Jiujiu wasn’t his real sister, he decided that when he grew up, he’d marry Jiujiu and give her all the love she deserved for the rest of their life, compensating her for everything she’d been deprived of by the Chen family.
