The Reborn Sidekick Rejected The Male Lead-Chapter 32 - Xia Lins Provocation
Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Xia Lin’s Provocation
Chapter 32 -32: Xia Lin’s Provocation
Shen Mu smiled, a face that wasn’t prone to smiling in the past now bore a few more traces of joy and pride, “Yeah, my second brother just took a stroll up the mountain and saved someone. He even took down a wild boar along the way.”
“Attacked by a wild boar?” Lu Jingqiu had been here for three years and had only heard about wild boars deep in the mountains. She had never seen anyone take down a wild boar; the villagers usually wouldn’t go too deep into the woods.
Li Yinger said meaningfully, “The one he saved was Xia Lin. Talk about coincidence. How did she suddenly go up the mountain, and then encounter a wild boar? If it hadn’t been for Shen Mu, I guess…”
Li Yinger didn’t continue, but everyone understood what she meant.
Lu Jingqiu wasn’t surprised to hear this, since Xia Lin often found good things like ginseng in the mountains, which were little known to the villagers. Maybe this time, she had gone too deep inside.
Thinking of the danger, she suddenly slapped her forehead. She seemed to have forgotten to remind her parents not to go too deep.
But with dad there, there should be nothing to worry about.
For the sake of food, a few people had clear assignments. Yun Yuzhi and Li Yinger went to the village to exchange for white flour, while Lu Jingqiu and Shen Mu drove to the town. Zhang Yumin and a few others took care of Shen Mu’s tasks.
On the way, Shen Mu and Lu Jingqiu chatted. He inquired about how they came to know Jiang Nanzhou.
Lu Jingqiu was surprised and said, “Your grandfather was one of my father’s former leaders.”
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After hearing this, Shen Mu turned to look at her and said after a while, “You mean Grandpa Jiang, right? He’s not my grandfather.”
Lu Jingqiu: “…”
Shen Mu said, “My brother and I don’t share the same father. Our family situation is a bit complex.” Then he gave Lu Jingqiu an awkward smile.
This was the first time she had heard Shen Mu speak so much to her and even voluntarily share about his family. Had these thoughts been bottled up inside for too long?
Seeing that Lu Jingqiu hadn’t spoken for a while, Shen Mu hastened to explain, “Don’t overthink it. My brother and I get along well. Since you know my brother, you would have found out sooner or later. It’s not a secret.”
“Oh, actually, you and your brother do look very much alike.”
Shen Mu smiled, “We resemble our mother more. However, our personalities are very different; my second brother is the person I admire the most.”
Lu Jingqiu could tell that when the usually reticent Shen Mu talked about his second brother, his eyes shone with light.
“It’s really enviable that you and your brother have such a good relationship.”
Shen Mu said, “Actually, you’re pretty good too…uh, I mean, apart from being with Gao Shu, you’re pretty good.”
Lu Jingqiu snorted softly, “You mean to say I was pushy and unreasonable when I clung to Gao Shu, right?”
Shen Mu hurriedly explained, “That’s not what I meant.”
Lu Jingqiu wasn’t really angry and turning her head, she asked, “Did you guys really dislike the old me?”
Shen Mu said, “Do you want to hear the truth?”
Lu Jingqiu said, “Of course.”
Shen Mu nodded and gave an answer, then worried she’d be upset, he quickly added, “I think you’re much better now.”
Lu Jingqiu nodded, “I think so too. Say…Shen Mu, as comrades who’ve spent over two years together, let’s start anew, shall we? Hello, my name is Lu Jingqiu.”
Shen Mu hadn’t expected Lu Jingqiu to have such a playful side. Driving the car, he leaned to the side to shake hands with her.
But before he could retract his hand, Shen Mu saw someone on the other side trying to crash into the car.
He quickly turned the steering wheel, avoiding the person.
Lu Jingqiu exclaimed in surprise, thankfully grabbing the car door, and looking back at the person, she said, “Who’s that, trying to get themselves killed?”
Shen Mu said, “A thug from the neighboring village. Last month, he was inexplicably injured. Rumor has it…ahem, apparently he can’t get married now, and has been aimlessly wandering the town streets, trying to extort money from whoever he catches.”
From the neighboring village? “Is he related to the Mao Dan’s mother from our village?”
Shen Mu nodded, “Seems like it. He came to our village a few days ago and was supposedly scolded by Mao Dan’s mother.”
Just now, Shen Mu said he wouldn’t be able to get a wife, and figured it must have been his final kick that crippled the man. Before, she even thought that man had gotten off easy.
Now that he had become a cripple, she wanted to see how he would continue to harm people.
Thinking back on how she had escaped that perilous night, the bit of frustration in Lu Jingqiu’s heart gradually dissipated.
Their laughter grew as they chatted more along the way, and it was only then that Shen Mu learned Lu Jingqiu had never actually met his older brother.
Lu Jingqiu had met Jiang Nanzhou’s friends and knew his younger brother, and after hearing all their praises, she felt somewhat regretful she had not had the chance to meet him in person.
By the time they reached the town, they were lucky enough to buy some meat. When her parents had left, they had brought many tickets, and she guessed that her father had taken all the family’s money and tickets with him. On the road, she and her mother stayed in the best places and ate the finest food, sparing no expense when it came to quality items. She understood her father’s intentions.
So when buying the meat, she didn’t feel the pinch and directly purchased five pounds, as well as cornmeal, planning to use the remaining meat to make buns for them to eat on the road the next day when they left.
Shen Mu was shocked by her extravagance. While his own family’s conditions were not bad, and his brother had brought many things with him this time, he still wouldn’t dare spend as carelessly as Lu Jingqiu.
After his surprise, he thought of Aunt Zhou’s illness and instantly understood, helping to carry the goods onto the car.
Just as they were about to drive back, they bumped into Xia Lin.
To be precise, it was Xia Lin who saw them first.
“Shen Mu, Comrade Lu, what a coincidence.”
Shen Mu: “Sister-in-law Xia Lin, are you here to buy things in town?”
Shen Mu got along well with Gao Shu, and since Gao Shu was a year older than Shen Mu, he started calling Xia Lin sister-in-law after she married Gao Shu.
Xia Lin, holding a burlap sack in her hand, smiled as her eyes wandered over the two of them and said, “I went to the city this morning and just happened to run into you on the town. Are you heading back to the village? Could I hitch a ride with you?”
Shen Mu didn’t respond and turned to glance at Lu Jingqiu, who, despite her reluctance, agreed.
Xia Lin, not paying attention to Lu Jingqiu’s expression, smiled and asked Shen Mu to help her put the burlap sack in the car.
Shen Mu, expecting the large sack to be heavy, was surprised to lift it with ease, but he didn’t inquire further.
The ride back wasn’t as pleasant as before, with all three people remaining silent the entire way. They didn’t encounter anyone else on the road, and Xia Lin only thanked them when she got out of the car.
Lu Jingqiu treated her as if she were air, and upon arriving at the Educated Youth Spot, started preparing the filling with Shen Mu.
Xia Lin’s current job was a scorekeeper; sometimes when she didn’t feel like going, she would let Gao Shu cover for her. Her trip to the city today was to pick up some fabric, something Gao Shu was unaware of, as only her sister-in-law and mother-in-law helped cover for her.
This was because Gao Shu disliked her dealing in such matters, especially the Black Market.
But without doing this, where would the money come from, from earning work points?
She could never forget the attitude of Gao Shu’s aunt back when they returned to West City. Pregnant and yet having to endure living with them. To ingratiate herself with Gao Shu’s uncle’s family, she had to get up early every day, stomach bulging, to make breakfast for them. When Gao Shu was not around, she also had to endure the scolding from his aunt.
She endured those days for a full four years, until Gao Shu graduated from university and they moved into the decrepit courtyard left by his father.
They only left because Gao Da was getting married and needed a place to live. By that time, her son was already four years old and could go to kindergarten. With Gao Shu’s help, she had started working at a clothing factory. She had hoped that life would get better, but unfortunately, the child fell ill…
She didn’t want to live a life without money like in her previous life and she wouldn’t lose Gao Shu over Lu Jingqiu again.
After stashing the fabric, Xia Lin prepared pear water and took it with her to find Gao Shu in the fields.
She had barely reached the fields when she saw Lu Jingqiu’s mother coming down from the mountain.
Seeing that she was alone, and remembering how Lu Jingqiu had clung to Gao Shu in her previous life, she walked up with a smile: “Aunt Zhou.”
Zhou Lanping was also startled. She had just gotten tired and stopped to rest here, waiting for Xianrun to put away the things before coming back to pick her up: “Gao Shu’s wife, aren’t you working today?”
Xia Lin replied with a smile: “Ah Shu is covering for me today, and my work is rather relaxed.”
Zhou Lanping said: “Is that so? I’ve heard from the villagers that my Qiuqiu, though small in stature, does the kind of hard work that even men would find tiring. Having family members around really makes a difference.”
Xia Lin knew that because of Lu Jingqiu, Zhou Lanping wasn’t very fond of her, and she didn’t expect to be snapped at. But having lived two lives, she couldn’t lose the argument merely on words and calmly replied, “The division of labor is based on points, heavier work naturally earns more. Comrade Lu occasionally takes time off, and without doing the jobs that earn more points, how would she have enough food to eat by the end of the year… I heard Comrade Lu took time off because of Auntie, and the leave is quite lengthy. But looking at Auntie, you seem to be in good health, so if there’s nothing serious, we should have Comrade Lu come back soon. In two or three months, it’ll be harvest time, and we’ll be short on hands. Auntie, you certainly can’t coddle Comrade Lu and enable her to avoid contributing to national construction.”
