Chapter 10: Having a Foot in Two Boats
Under Jiang Ting's bitter glare, Jiang Yu walked out of the house with a composed demeanor and headed towards the city.
As soon as Jiang Yu left, Jiang Ting found Jiang Hao and snapped at him in frustration, "You're just going to let her leave like that?"
Jiang Hao looked irritated. "What do you expect me to do? Mom and Dad already said yes to it!"
In truth, he thought that if Jiang Yu could really get three hundred bucks back for him, it wouldn't be so bad.
Jiang Ting snorted contemptuously, making fun of how dumb he was being. "Why would Great-aunt give you three hundred? If she really cared about Jiang Yu, why didn't she give her job to her and let her become a city dweller?"
Jiang Hao's expression stiffened, and he began to waver.
"But she already told Mom and Dad..."
Jiang Ting snorted in disdain. "She's always been sneaky! Ever since she was little, she's been deceiving Mom and Dad like this. But just think about it, when have we ever gotten the better of her? It's always been her taking advantage of us."
Jiang Yu never suffered losses. She was lazy, greedy, and held grudges.
This time, Jiang Hao wanted to trade her marriage for a bride, but it didn't work out. Still, Jiang Yu would definitely hold a grudge over this.
"If you don't marry her off this time, you'll end up facing her revenge later!" Jiang Ting said coldly.
Jiang Hao's stomach dropped. "No, with Mom and Dad around, she won't dare to mess with me."
Jiang Ting ignored him, but the more Jiang Hao thought about it, the more uneasy he became, so he went to find Du Juan.
When Du Juan heard that Jiang Yu had gone to the city to get money for the bride price, she almost slapped him.
Dumbass!
The Du family had asked for such a high bride price for the exchange marriage.
"Jiang Yu has gone to the city. What about my second uncle?"
Jiang Hao was taken aback. "Second uncle... But you said before we couldn't afford the bride price, so we had to exchange marriages. Now my sister has gone to get the money. Once she's back, we'll have the bride price."
Du Juan shot him an angry look. "My grandpa changed his mind again. He insists that your sister must marry my second uncle, or he won't agree to our marriage!"
Jiang Hao was dumbfounded. How could they change their minds again?
"Why didn't you tell me sooner? My sister has already gone to the city!"
Du Juan looked at him scornfully. "Then go get her back! If my second uncle's bride runs away, how am I supposed to explain it to my grandparents?"
By now, she was already treating Jiang Yu as part of the Du family.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yu had boarded the bus to the city and went straight to find Ya Xiangling.
When Ya Xiangling saw her with her luggage, she immediately understood.
"Did you get the introduction letter?"
Jiang Yu smiled charmingly, a hint of pride in her expression.
Leaving other things unsaid, she had at least this much skill.
"It's open. I reckon I'll be troubling Great-aunt here for two months."
Yao Xiangling tapped her on the forehead. "It doesn't have to be two months. Maybe one day you'll meet someone you like, and marriage could happen in no time."
Jiang Yu didn't see it that way. She actually felt quite discouraged.
She still remembered what Yan Wenxuan's mother had said before.
Finding someone who catches your eye and is truly a good match is hard. Finding someone who feels the same way is even harder.
A handsome, well-defined face appeared in Jiang Yu's mind, but her eyes dimmed involuntarily.
There weren't many who would like her, considering her situation.
"What if I don't find the right person for a long time?" Jiang Yu was somewhat troubled.
Yao Xiangling gave her a sidelong glance. "Have your parents arranged a match for you?"
Jiang Yu had intended to keep it from her but hadn't expected her to be so perceptive.
So she explained everything about the marriage arrangement.
Yao Xiangling was furious and almost threw the cup across the room.
"They're not family; they're a pack of leeches! If you can't find the right person, just take over my job and settle down here in the city!"
Jiang Yu felt warm inside, knowing that Aunt Grandma genuinely cared for her.
"Aunt Grandma, I'll look after you when you're old, but I don't want your job."
Yao Xiangling was the director of the neighborhood committee, with a pretty good salary, but if she gave the job to Jiang Yu, she'd have to start as a junior clerk.
Jiang Yu thought it just wasn't worth it.
Moreover, she didn't like sitting in an office at the neighborhood committee, dealing with miscellaneous tasks all day.
Although Yao Xiangling was pleased to hear Jiang Yu's words, she still maintained a casual tone.
"I have a retirement pension. I don't need you to look after me."
Yao Xiangling had always been generous to Jiang Yu. She pulled out five yuan and stuffed it into her hand, telling her to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to get some egg cakes.
She also took out a stack of candy and pastry vouchers, along with some biscuit vouchers, and handed them all to Jiang Yu.
"Buy whatever you like. Aunt Grandma doesn't usually eat these kinds of snacks, so there aren't any at home."
Yao Xiangling had always been fond of looking elegant since she was young. She ate a light diet, rarely consuming oily or sweet foods.
At 55, people still believed she was just over 40.
Jiang Yu didn't stand on ceremony with her. She pocketed the money and vouchers and headed to the supply and marketing cooperative.
She loved wandering around the supply and marketing cooperative and department stores, enjoying the sight of various goods on display.
Just as Jiang Yu was about to ask the salesperson for half a jin of egg cakes, a voice came from beside her.
"Sun Zailiang!"
Hearing the familiar name, Jiang Yu reflexively looked up.
The female comrade who called out the name was a salesclerk, a lass with a round face, who looked quite cute.
A man wearing blue work clothes and a striped short-sleeve shirt got off his bicycle, grinning from ear to ear, and walked towards the salesclerk.
"Feifei! I just bought this scarf at the department store. Take a look, do you like it?"
Jiang Yu withdrew her gaze, realizing that this comrade, Sun Zailiang, already had a partner.
She wasn't too disappointed.
Because this comrade, Sun Zailiang, was a bit short and on the thin side, though he looked clean-cut and youthful.
She preferred her men tall and broad-shouldered, someone who made her feel safe.
Don't know why, but He Tingyue's face popped into her head again.
Jiang Yu covered her face in embarrassment and walked out of the store. She couldn't let herself think about it. That man was completely out of the question!
She had forgotten to buy the sponge cake and loitered around for a bit. Before she knew it, she found herself at the entrance of the Second State Cotton Mill.
It was time for the workers to leave, and they poured out, joking and chatting.
Jiang Yu saw Sun Zailiang again.
He was riding a bicycle, with one foot planted on the ground.
Soon, she saw him waving at a worker.
The girl was quite pretty, and the moment she saw him, her face lit up, and she dashed over.
From a distance, Jiang Yu couldn't hear what they were saying, but she saw Sun Zailiang take out another scarf, the same red one!
The worker accepted the scarf, casting shy glances at him, and in a swift motion, quickly kissed his cheek.
Jiang Yu widened her eyes. Wasn't he afraid of getting caught on the street?!
And besides, Sun Zailiang had been pretty affectionate with that salesclerk just a moment ago.
Just then, He Tingyue flashed before her eyes.
The man was big and commanding, and even riding a bicycle, he looked better than anyone else.
Jiang Yu opened her mouth, but her expression fell.
What standing did she have to talk to him?
"Brother Yue, wait for me, I'll head back to the compound with you," Sun Zailiang said as he rode his bicycle behind He Tingyue.
Of course, they were from the same compound.