Zheng Yang's tense expression suddenly eased when he looked at the old man. He smiled and sat down: "Grandpa, my name is Zheng Yang. I am twenty-one years old and I work in the transportation team. I have been working there for three years and my monthly salary is fifty-eight yuan. Of course, I also have some extra income. I smoke, but I am not addicted. I only smoke when I am tired from driving. I drink alcohol, but very rarely. I don't have any bad habits."
Hu Jun was a little stunned for a moment, then smiled and nodded with satisfaction: "Hmm. The young man is promising. I have to thank you on behalf of my Hu Bei for helping me get a job in the transportation team. For us country folk, having a job in the city is like our ancestors' graves emitting auspicious smoke."
Zheng Yang waved his hand and said seriously, "Grandpa, I can only help with the introduction. It's really my cousin's ability that he was able to get in. What our leaders value is my cousin's ability to drive and repair cars. He can learn quickly."
Hu Jun became increasingly satisfied as he chatted with the young man. His granddaughter had good taste; this young man spoke logically and wasn't arrogant or frivolous. Judging from his attitude towards him, he could tell that he really liked Ruyu. That was good.
For lunch, Zheng Yang bought roast duck, and Grandma Jiang also cooked a lot of dishes. Since her in-laws hadn't visited for so many years, she felt she had to cook more dishes to show her respect.
At lunch, Zheng Yang had a few drinks with the old man. Since he wasn't going to drive in the afternoon, he wanted the old man to drink to his heart's content. After a few rounds of drinks, Hu Jun waved his hand and said, "I'm not drinking anymore. I'm getting old. I have to control myself and not overdo it with anything. Kid, I'm still very satisfied with you. You have to treat Ruyu well, you hear me?"
"Grandpa, please rest assured, Ruyu is someone I truly love and cherish in my heart. I have the intention of marrying her and spending my life with her. My mother passed away a long time ago, and my father is the only elder in the family. I also want a warm and loving family. Grandpa, please don't worry, I will never do anything to hurt Ruyu." Zheng Yang said these words very seriously.
Jiang and Hu, being shrewd and experienced people, had seen all sorts of people and could naturally tell whether his words were genuine or not. The two in-laws exchanged a glance and smiled, saying, "You know, as the old saying goes, actions speak louder than words. We're all watching you."
The meal was considered a success. Jiang Ruyu had to go to work and left early. Zheng Yang had a lot of freedom at work. He took his grandfather and Hu Bei to his workplace to report for duty, complete the onboarding and accommodation procedures. Seeing the attitude of the people at his workplace towards Zheng Yang, Hu Jun was even more satisfied, which showed that his character and ability were recognized.
While the atmosphere was pleasant on their side, Sun Li felt uneasy. After much thought, she went to find someone: Fang Da, the youngest son of the Fang family in the alley. She knew that he had been coveting Jiang Ruyu for a long time, but he didn't have the courage to show it.
Moreover, the Fang family is in very poor condition. The three children share a room of only 20 square meters. Currently, only the eldest son has married a very fat wife, the second son has gone to the countryside, and the youngest son escaped the ordeal, but at such an old age, he still sleeps with his parents in a small cubicle of only a few square meters.
Fang Da coveted Jiang Ruyu because of the Jiang family's good financial situation; he even considered marrying Jiang Ruyu and living with her in the Jiang family.
School was about to let out for summer break, so whether she went or not didn't really matter. She asked Zheng Xiaoyue to help her ask the teacher for leave, and then she went to Fangda.
After squatting for over an hour, she finally saw Fang Da return, looking disheveled and slovenly. She frowned and gave him a disdainful look, but remembering his role, Sun Li suppressed her disgust and walked over to him, coaxingly saying, "Jiang Ruyu, whom you've been eyeing for years, is almost someone else's wife. Aren't you worried at all? I saw Jiang Ruyu's grandfather come today, and Zheng Yang even brought gifts to meet the elders. If you keep doing this, the wife you've been longing for for years is going to fly away."
Fang Da froze for a moment, then resumed his sly demeanor: "Heh, you're being so kind as to tell me all this, how come you want me to be the one to stick my neck out so you can reap the benefits? Do you think I'm easy to fool?"
Sun Li's face froze. She was also cunning: "Hmph, same to you. I naturally have what I want. Just tell me if we want to take a gamble. If we succeed, we can both get what we want. If we fail, it's just a little loss of reputation."
Fang Da's eyes flickered, and after a long while he asked, "Tell me your dirty idea."
"You, humph!" Sun Li's face stung from those words: "Whether it's dirty or not, use it or not, it's up to you."
"Ha, you dare to think and act, and you're afraid of being criticized? Even if I despise what I can't have, it's all clean and honest, unlike your messy thoughts." Fang Da made no attempt to hide his disgust for Sun Li. She probably didn't know that his feelings for Jiang Ruyu weren't about wanting to possess her, but rather about wanting her to be happy, even if she didn't marry him.
Sun Li took a deep breath: "Hmph, no matter how noble and unattainable a woman is, once she is defiled, she can no longer be proud. For the sake of her reputation, she can only submit to you. I've said my piece, you can decide what to do with it yourself."
Watching Sun Li walk away quickly, Fang Da's eyes darkened. This young girl is quite cunning despite her young age. If he were truly the kind of man who only cared about his own life, he might have listened to her. Unfortunately, Fang Da thought of Jiang Ruyu, whom he had seen today. She was still so beautiful and lovely. Even when she saw him looking disheveled, she would still nod and greet him as usual.
Who wouldn't like such a beautiful girl? He liked her, but it was like a faith. He still remembers that when they were both very young, his family was poor and they were bullied by children from other alleys. She stood in front of him like a fairy, with her arms outstretched, and said, "We are people from Yangliu Alley. People from other alleys cannot bully the children from our alley."
At that moment, she shone brightly in her own world. He still remembers it to this day: the little girl with messy hair and dusty clothes, proudly holding his hand like a victorious general.
Thinking back on all this, Fang Da rubbed his face vigorously. Even if he was a scoundrel, he would never do anything to hurt her.
Sun Li felt uneasy after returning home. She didn't know if she had made the right move. She could only reassure herself step by step that Jiang Ruyu had blocked her way, and it wasn't her fault. She believed that everyone should look out for themselves and that Jiang Ruyu had done nothing wrong.
Jiang Ruyu was unaware that she was being watched by a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to bite her.
Fang Da was wandering around Qianmen Street when he saw Jiang Ruyu, who was getting off work. Jiang Ruyu felt very uncomfortable seeing her childhood friend who used to follow her around. Even though he was a year older than her, he was now a loitering street urchin.
"Fang Da, why are you still wandering around the streets? It's so late, go home early."
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