Chapter 203 He will abandon Jiang Wanqiu sooner or later!

The wooden floor was polished to a high shine, so bright that it could even reflect a person's image.

The room was fully furnished with all the necessary furniture and appliances, and the leather sofas gleamed with a soft sheen. Most striking of all was a color television set, an extremely rare sight for that era, placed in the corner of the living room, and a massive double-door refrigerator standing at the kitchen entrance.

"Wife, slow down."

Zhao Wenchang supported Jiang Wanqiu's arm and carefully helped her sit on the soft leather sofa.

He squatted down, gently grasped Jiang Wanqiu's slightly swollen ankle with his large hand, and helped her take off her shoes: "Wife, you've suffered so much following me all these years, but today I'm finally letting you live in a nice house."

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed down the stairs. Ping An excitedly ran up and down the stairs, her face flushed, and rushed down to hug Jiang Wanqiu's arm.

"Mom! This house is so big! Your voice echoes!" Ping An's eyes sparkled. "I chose the south-facing room on the second floor. The window faces the pomegranate tree, it's so beautiful! Can I bring my classmates here to play sometime?"

Jiang Wanqiu smiled and patted his head, gently instructing him, "Bringing classmates over to play is fine, but be careful. You need to keep a low profile at the new school. We won't cause trouble, but if anyone bullies you, you can't be afraid to stand up for yourself, understand?"

"Understood!" Ping An nodded vigorously.

Zhao Wenchang got up and went to the kitchen to check the gas and electrical circuits. Jiang Wanqiu sat alone in the living room, her gaze fixed on the off-white rotary dial telephone on the coffee table.

She walked over, picked up the receiver, and put it to her ear.

"Beep—beep—"

A clear and long tone came through the receiver.

At that moment, Jiang Wanqiu felt a strong sense of unreality.

The hardships of the past life and the struggles of this life seem to fade into the distance with this "beep beep" sound.

After a quick tidying up, the family sat around the elegant long dining table.

Zhao Wenchang heated up the snacks that the Cui family had brought back. Although it was just a simple late-night snack, the whole family ate it with great relish.

Under the lamplight, Zhao Wenchang peeled a piece of walnut pastry for Jiang Wanqiu and placed it in her bowl. He said in a deep voice, "I have to go to the military region to officially report for duty tomorrow, so I might be back a little late. Ping An's enrollment procedures will take two more days. In the next two days, you can stay home and help Ping An get familiar with the environment. If you get bored, have the orderly drive you to the department store in Beijing to buy some clothes."

Jiang Wanqiu took a bite of the crispy pastry, the sweetness spreading on her tongue. She looked at the two men beside her, one big and one small, and nodded with a smile: "Okay, you can focus on your work. I'll take care of things at home."

...

A detached villa located in the heart of Beijing.

In the Yue family's living room, an exquisite imported leather bag was slammed heavily onto the leather sofa with a "thud".

Yue Ke plopped down, her chest heaving violently, her delicate makeup distorted by anger.

She grabbed a swig of cold water from the coffee table and yelled at her mother, Elaine, who was sitting in front of the vanity mirror removing her earrings, "Mom! Look at that Jiang Wanqiu! A country bumpkin with a big belly, she dares to embarrass me in public! And that Zhao Wenchang, he's utterly ungrateful! I'm the daughter of the Minister of Commerce, and I took the initiative to befriend him, but he didn't even glance at me. He just fawned over that pregnant woman like a lapdog!"

Elaine slowly removed the jade earring from her earlobe, tidied the stray hairs at her temples in front of the mirror, and glanced coldly at her daughter through the reflection in the mirror.

"What kind of behavior is this, all this shouting and yelling?" Elaine said coldly. "Sit still."

Yue Ke bit her lip, reluctantly sitting up straight, her eyes reddening: "Mom, I'm just not willing to give up. Zhao Wenchang's looks, his physique, he's already a regimental commander at such a young age, and now he's got connections with Minister Cui. He's a real rising star. There are plenty of young ladies from prominent families in Beijing eyeing this piece of meat. If I don't act quickly, what chance will I have in the future?"

Elaine turned around and sat down next to her daughter.

“You’re still too green.” Elaine’s eyes narrowed slightly, her tone certain. “Zhao Wenchang has just arrived in Beijing and hasn’t settled in yet. He’s a smart man and knows what he needs most right now. The Cui family values ​​loyalty and friendship. If he wants to gain a foothold in Minister Cui’s eyes, he has to play the role of a ‘doting husband’ and ‘upright’ man well. It would be foolish of him to flirt with you at this time.”

Yue Ke was stunned for a moment: "Acting? You mean he was interested in that Jiang Wanqiu..."

“Men, what man doesn’t stray?” Elaine sneered. “Especially poor guys who climbed up from the bottom. When they’re young and inexperienced, they think their wives are treasures. But once they’ve spent time in the glamorous world of Beijing and gotten used to women like you who have both a good family background and charm, when they come home to that haggard old woman who only knows how to have children and cook, do you think they’ll still have any interest in her? It’s only a matter of time before they start to dislike her.”

After hearing her mother's analysis, Yue Ke's anger subsided considerably, and a secret excitement immediately rose in her heart: "Then Mom, what should I do now? Just watch and wait?"

"What's the rush? Forcing your way in now will only cause trouble. We need to use 'praise to kill'. Don't go against him normally, and when he runs into trouble at work, our in-laws will step in to help, offering timely assistance, so he understands who the woman who can help his future is. As for that Jiang Wanqiu..."

Elaine's gaze fell on her daughter's lower abdomen, and her tone turned sinister: "She's just a pregnant woman. Childbirth is like passing through the gates of hell for a woman; there are countless accidents during those ten months of pregnancy. If we do something slightly to her or give her a fright, that's an 'accident.' Even if she's lucky enough to give birth, ruining the reputation of a country woman with no connections is as easy as crushing an ant."

Yue Ke nodded heavily: "Mom, you're amazing. I'll have someone keep an eye on Zhao Wenchang right away, and also find someone to investigate that country bumpkin Jiang Wanqiu's background. I don't believe she's a saint who doesn't have any dirt on her!"

The next day.

Zhao Wenchang gets up very early.

He changed into the military uniform issued by the capital city, fastened the top button tightly, and then adjusted the brim of his hat one last time in front of the mirror, his eyes resolute.

Afterwards, Zhao Wenchang moved very quietly, pushed open the bedroom door, and glanced at Jiang Wanqiu, who was still fast asleep on the bed.

In the morning light, Jiang Wanqiu's sleeping face was serene, with a few strands of hair clinging to her fair cheeks, rising and falling gently with her breath.

Zhao Wenchang stood by the bed, gazing greedily for a while before turning around and tiptoeing downstairs into the kitchen. A cup of milk sat warm on the gas stove, the temperature just right, not too hot to scald.

He placed a note in a conspicuous spot on the bedside table; the handwriting was strong and forceful.

"Honey, the milk is warm in the pot. Remember to drink it when you get up. Today is your first day, so you might be busy. If anything happens, call the office. Don't try to handle it all by yourself. I'll be back soon."

Not long after Zhao Wenchang left, the beige telephone in the living room started ringing incessantly, like a death knell.

"Ring ring ring—ring ring ring—"

Jiang Wanqiu was groggily woken up, put on a coat, and went downstairs.

As soon as she picked up the receiver, Le Yunyun's signature, energetic voice came through: "Wanqiu! Oh my, you finally answered the phone! Did you sleep well last night? Are you comfortable living in that little villa?"

Jiang Wanqiu moved the receiver a little further away and said with a helpless smile, "Yunyun, your information network is too good. You even know my home phone number? I just moved in yesterday."

"That's right!" Le Yunyun said proudly. "In Beijing, there's nothing I, Miss Le, can't find out! I can even find out whether your rat is male or female!"

Jiang Wanqiu was amused: "Alright, alright, Miss Le is so resourceful. What's the rush so early in the morning?"

Le Yunyun sighed on the other end of the line, then perked up again: "Don't even mention it! I just bought that shop you mentioned before, right next to Wangfujing! The location is amazing, right next to Wangfujing! But the renovation is driving me crazy. The workers can't understand what style I want at all. Come take a look, I'm so worried!"

"Now?" Jiang Wanqiu glanced at the wall clock.

"Right now! My dear sister, you have such discerning eyes! I won't feel confident unless you come and give me your feedback!"

Jiang Wanqiu thought that Zhao Wenchang had gone to work and Ping An hadn't started school yet, so he would just be staring at each other at home. So she agreed: "Okay, I'll go take a look and show Ping An the way."

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Wanqiu quickly washed up.

It's warmer here than in Northeast China. The temperature has already risen since the beginning of spring. She changed into a loose and comfortable floral maternity long dress, with a beige knitted cardigan over it, making her look gentle and elegant.

The orderly, Xiao Zhang, had been waiting downstairs. When he saw Jiang Wanqiu bring Ping An out, he immediately stood at attention and saluted. He quickly drove the jeep over and even thoughtfully put a soft cushion in the back seat.

"Sister-in-law, be careful not to bump your head." Xiao Zhang protected the car door frame.

The car started and drove through the streets of Beijing.

At this time, although Beijing was not as filled with skyscrapers as it would be in later years, it had its own unique charm. At the entrance of the alley with gray walls and blue tiles, old men would stroll around with birdcages in their hands; on the wide Chang'an Avenue, although there were not many cars, the torrent of bicycles was a spectacular sight, and occasionally a few trolleybuses with "pigtails" could be seen slowly passing by.

"Mom! Look how tall that building is!"

"Mom! That person's bike looks weird, it has a sidecar in front!"

Ping An pressed against the car window, her eyes darting everywhere, chattering incessantly with questions. Jiang Wanqiu patiently answered them one by one, feeling at ease as she watched the lively scene outside.

After about twenty minutes, the car stopped at the intersection of a bustling commercial street near Wangfujing.

Jiang Wanqiu spotted Le Yunyun from a great distance.

No wonder, Yue Yunyun's outfit today was really too eye-catching. She was wearing a bright red Hong Kong-style batwing top and tight-fitting stirrup pants, and she was standing with her hands on her hips in front of a shop that was under renovation, pointing at the workers on the ladder and shouting.

"Oh no! That light can't be hung that low! Are you trying to kill the guest?"

Seeing the familiar Jeep stop, Le Yunyun's eyes lit up, and she ran over.

"Wanqiu! We've been waiting for you!" Le Yunyun grabbed Jiang Wanqiu's arm, acting very affectionately.

Jiang Wanqiu looked up and surveyed the storefront in front of her.

It has to be said that Le Yunyun is indeed quite capable. This is a two-story street-front shop located at a prime corner of a crossroads, with a huge flow of people. Just this location alone will make it incredibly valuable in the future.

only……

Jiang Wanqiu frowned slightly as she looked at the shop's decor.

The decor is truly indescribable. The walls are painted a jarring pink, while the floors are covered in dark, old-fashioned terrazzo. The counters are set up like those in a traditional Chinese medicine shop, yet they insist on hanging those Western-style crystal chandeliers from above. They wanted to achieve the solemnity of a department store while also trying to emulate the chic style of Hong Kong and Taiwan, but the result is a hodgepodge, like someone dressed in a Western suit performing in a theatrical production.

"How about it? Isn't this location amazing?" Le Yunyun looked at Jiang Wanqiu expectantly. "But the decoration... it just looks awkward to me. The contractor even said it's the most popular 'East meets West' style right now."

Jiang Wanqiu couldn't help but burst out laughing, pointing at the counter and saying, "It is indeed a 'combination,' but it doesn't look like a place that sells high-end goods; it looks more like a supply and marketing cooperative is about to hold a dance party."