On the way back, the two of them walked in tacit agreement without saying a word, until the sun went down before they reached the family compound.
They were newcomers and didn't know many people here yet. Lights were on in every household in the courtyard, and the aroma of food wafted through the air.
They barely ate anything at the Cheng family's house. Jiang Wanqing tried to endure it, but her stomach started growling uncontrollably.
Are you hungry?
"Hmm...it's alright."
"You go inside first, I'll go buy groceries."
Cheng Ran was very proactive; after speaking, he was about to go out again.
But it's so late, where can he go to buy groceries? Jiang Wanqing grabbed him and shook her head.
"There are still noodles, right? Just cook some to tide you over. It's too late, don't go."
Before the two even entered the house, a woman from across the hall came out to pour water. Upon seeing the unfamiliar faces, she exclaimed in surprise.
"You must be the new comrades who moved in? Your names are..."
"My name is Cheng Ran, and this is my wife, Jiang Wanqing," Cheng Ran introduced himself confidently.
The sister-in-law nodded, her eyes filled with envy and praise for the young man.
"Comrade Cheng, Comrade Wanqing, what a perfect couple! Hey... you haven't eaten yet, have you? I heard you talking about cooking noodles earlier."
"Yeah, I was just about to go back and cook some noodles."
The other party showed kindness and concern, so Jiang Wanqing replied with a single sentence. The sister-in-law clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Oh!"
"What a coincidence! We cooked extra food. Come in and eat with us so you don't have to cook when you get back. After you eat, you can wash up and go to sleep, hahaha..."
This sister-in-law's enthusiasm was so overwhelming that Jiang Wanqing blinked, and even Cheng Ran didn't know how to respond.
"What is your name?"
"Just call me whatever sounds good to you. My maiden name is Song. If you don't mind me taking advantage of you, you can call me sister-in-law, or Comrade Song, hahaha..."
Not only was Sister Song a kind person, but her voice was also cheerful, and you could tell at a glance that she was easy to get along with. Jiang Wanqing and Cheng Ran exchanged a smile.
She called out sweetly, "Sister-in-law Song."
"Hey! Come in quickly, the food is still warm!"
She hurriedly pulled the person inside, as if afraid they would leave if she was too late, which made Jiang Wanqing both amused and exasperated.
Sister-in-law Song may have lived in this courtyard for a long time. The small house has everything, even if it is a bit crowded, but it is very tidy.
She picked up the items that had been casually placed on the chair and smiled apologetically.
"Please excuse the mess. The house is a mess, please make yourselves at home. My husband is still at work and will be back later."
"Sister-in-law, are you all alone?"
Jiang Wanqing looked around. There was no one else there. There were children's clothes, but no one in sight.
“I also have a son. He went out to play after dinner.” As she spoke, she put the food down for them and pushed it over: “Don’t be shy, eat more. It may not taste very good, but it will definitely fill you up.”
Three simple home-style dishes, a few steamed buns, and two bowls of rice—it was certainly more home-style than the Cheng family's meal, but it was warmer.
Jiang Wanqing was very supportive and tried everything, immediately giving a thumbs up.
"Your cooking is so delicious! It's just as good as what you get in restaurants!"
"Hahaha...you're joking, I don't have that ability." Sister Song waved her hand, feeling awkward from the praise, and wiped her hands on her apron.
Cheng Ran thought she was just being polite and complimenting him, but after he took the first bite, he realized that she wasn't exaggerating at all!
"It's really delicious, you're too modest."
The couple were both very sincere. Although they ate elegantly, they ate heartily. Mrs. Song felt a sense of pride that her efforts had been recognized and encouraged them to eat as much as they wanted.
Before they knew it, they were full. It would be impolite to just wipe their mouths and leave after finishing their meal, so Jiang Wanqing started chatting with Sister-in-law Song, while Cheng Ran acted as an eavesdropper.
"Wanqing, where are you working? Comrade Cheng is so capable, you must be just as good, right?"
"I'm at UW."
"You're a teacher at Huada University!" Sister Song blurted out in an instant.
"No, no... I'm a student."
Jiang Wanqing quickly explained, after all, there is still a big difference between the status of a student and a teacher. Casual chat is fine, but she can't spread rumors about herself.
"That's still excellent. I have a cousin from my hometown who also got into Huazhong University of Science and Technology. In terms of social standing, he should call me 'sister.' I wonder how that kid is doing now..."
When this cousin was mentioned, Song's eyes welled up with pride. This was probably the hope that the whole village had placed in supporting her to go to university.
"If you have time next time, could you tell me his information and I'll help you look for him?"
"That would be great, but... wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?"
"How could that be? You treated us to a meal, so it's only right that we help you with a small favor. Cheng Ran, what do you say?"
Jiang Wanqing noticed that when Song's sister-in-law was being questioned, she would subconsciously look at Cheng Ran, probably because her traditional thinking told her that men were the main decision-makers in a family.
Since it was their first meeting, and she didn't want to change Song's mind, Jiang Wanqing pretended to cooperate and asked Cheng Ran a question.
He chimed in, "That's right, it's a small matter. You can leave it to her without worry."
"Okay, thank you."
"You're welcome, sister-in-law. It's getting late, so we'll head back now."
"Okay, come often."
It was only a few steps, but Sister Song insisted on seeing them all the way to the door before waving goodbye and going back home.
Unpleasant things can be diluted by happy things. The atmosphere in the family compound is very harmonious. Sister Song has set a good example, and Jiang Wanqing plans to find another free weekend to get to know everyone.
The next day, she went to school as usual. Shortly after entering the school gate, she saw Yuan Zhong's back, paused for half a second, and then decided to follow him…
On the tree-lined path of the school, the autumn leaves rustled in the wind. After taking a few steps, Yuan Zhong realized something was wrong, paused, and glanced back out of the corner of his eye.
"Cough cough..."
He coughed twice on purpose, quickened his pace, and clearly realized that he was putting distance between himself and the people behind him.
Just when he thought he was about to shake off his pursuers, everything suddenly went black.
"Well……"
He was struck on the back of the neck and collapsed, feeling dizzy.
Jiang Wanqing chased after him but found that she had lost him. After searching around but not finding him, she had to give up.
Buzzing... Buzzing...
When Yuan Zhong woke up, all he could hear was the buzzing of mosquitoes. His vision was blurry, and it took him a while to regain his clear vision. He covered his head and slowly woke up.
"Finally awake? I thought I'd beaten you to death with a stick, Yuan Zhiqing."
Upon hearing this familiar name from his memory, Yuan Zhong's heart tightened, and he turned his head.
"It's you!"
In the darkness, Jiang Xiu's face grew increasingly sinister. Holding a laundry mallet in her hand, she stepped out of the shadows and suddenly pulled the rope.
"You haven't forgotten me, that's good."
"You're not in prison..."
"Yes, if you can get out of prison, why can't I? We're husband and wife, how can you leave me alone? I'll cling to you until I die!"
She gritted her teeth and glared, like a demon crawling out of hell...
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