Xu Qingning asked directly.
Luo Yao was a little embarrassed, but she still admitted, "Yes."
“Chen Meili is my sister Tang Wenya’s good friend, and a frequent visitor to our courtyard.” Xu Qingning said calmly, “My sister and I don’t get along well because of some past events, and Chen Meili knows that. If I’m not mistaken, she must have said a lot of bad things about me to you, right?”
"Yaoyao, your aunt is one of us. You need to tell right from wrong." Wu Yong didn't expect Chen Meili to be this kind of person. It's fine for young girls to go shopping together and have a private chat, but why is she trying to sow discord?
Luo Yao neither said yes nor no, and remained silent with her head down.
She doesn't lie.
Chen Meili is warm and cheerful, so it probably wasn't intentional.
“Luo Yao, I know you grew up with Zhao Jingyu, and he cherishes that kind of relationship.” Xu Qingning picked up the teapot and poured tea for Wu Yong, acting like an elder. “Last time he called me, he mentioned you, saying he hoped you would study hard, improve every day, and strive to get into a good university.”
“Jingyu said the same thing in his letter.” Wu Yong nodded, speaking earnestly, “Yaoyao, I’m worried about you going back to the Northwest alone. Your aunt is planning to have you teach at a school. If that works out, it will be a blessing for you. Whether it works out or not, you should thank your aunt for her kindness.”
"Thank you..." Luo Yao still didn't want to call her aunt.
“You can thank me after you become Teacher Luo.” Xu Qingning smiled slightly. “Don’t worry, even if you don’t get the job at the school, I will help you find another job. You don’t need to stay at the guesthouse anymore. It would be best if you moved here with me. Otherwise, I will have to go to the guesthouse to find you, which is inconvenient.”
It's mid-August now, and school starts on September 1st, so Luo Yao will stay at their house for a maximum of ten days or so.
It doesn't matter.
“Sister-in-law, you are so thoughtful.” Wu Yong was very touched. “My friend and I have already made plans to go to the south after the Ghost Festival. It’s not convenient for Yao Yao, a little girl, to stay with two grown men. I feel at ease knowing she’s staying with you. It’s just that we’re causing you trouble.”
“It’s no trouble at all. We’re worried about her living alone, she’s just a young girl.” Xu Qingning readily agreed. “You go about your business. My mom and I both really like Luo Yao. Her presence will make the house more lively.”
She was really looking forward to the surprises that Luo Yao's hidden storyline would bring.
The important thing is that since Luo Yao lives in her house, Tang Wenya and Chen Meili have no opportunity to do anything underhanded.
“Uncle, I still want to stay at the guesthouse…” Luo Yao didn’t expect Wu Yong to also let her move to Xu Qingning’s house. “Anyway, I will move to the company dormitory after I find a job, and I won’t stay at the guesthouse for long.”
“No, I’m not comfortable with you staying at the guesthouse.” Wu Yong waved his hand. “We’ll go back and pack our luggage later.”
“Yes, we’ll move in tonight.” Xu Qingning smiled. “Tomorrow is the Ghost Festival, so we can go release river lanterns together.”
Although reluctant, Luo Yao still agreed: "Okay..."
After cooking the dumplings, Yang Yuelan went to the neighboring yard to call Wang Yaqiang and Liu Dawei over for dinner, as she had made a lot and prepared dumplings for them.
The two young men often come over for meals, which makes me feel a little embarrassed.
Wang Yaqiang, in particular, heard that people in the tenement were gossiping about him and Xu Qingning, and wanted to avoid suspicion.
“If you treat us like strangers, then we won’t be able to come to you for help in the future.” Yang Yuelan pulled the two of them over. “Jingyu isn’t home, so I treat you like my own children. Don’t worry about what others say; we understand each other.”
The two of them then arrived.
Upon meeting Xu Qingning, Wang Yaqiang didn't say anything else, only that he had gotten off work a little late.
Liu Dawei chuckled and brought Xu Qingning a message: "My brother called this morning, and I answered. He said that since my sister-in-law is feeling unwell, she shouldn't go over to answer the phone. He also said he'll write to you when he has time."
"It's rare for him to be so thoughtful." Xu Qingning smiled, surprised that he was such a meticulous person.
“If you count the days, my brother will be back soon.” Wang Yaqiang sat down and said to Wu Yong, “My brother left in mid-May, and he’s been gone for more than three months. He’ll start his return journey next month, and he’ll be back in three months.”
“It will be quick.” Wu Yong counted on his fingers, “It will take Lao Ji and me about two or three months to get back from Yuecheng.”
"When you guys come back, we'll have a proper get-together," Wang Yaqiang said excitedly. "My brother mentioned you guys on the phone and said we should learn a lot from you!"
"Oh dear, you guys should just focus on your jobs!" Wu Yong shook his head and laughed. "Although we have some skills, we still have to work in factories, and our whereabouts are uncertain. You guys have stable jobs, which is enviable."
Yang Yuelan's dumplings have thin skins and generous fillings, and the taste is as delicious as ever.
Two small cold dishes, cucumber salad and pickled peppers, are refreshing and delicious.
The meal was a pleasure for both the host and guests.
Through their conversation, Xu Qingning also understood Wu Yong and Lao Ji's work. They were both jade craftsmen who came from the Northern Xinjiang Jade Factory.
It was Zhao Jingyu who suggested that they go to Yuecheng to study and work for a period of time. He said that Yuecheng is the hometown of jade, and only by going to Yuecheng can they truly broaden their horizons.
It just so happened that Wu Yong had the idea of developing his career in the mainland, so he remembered Zhao Jingyu's words and longed to go to Yuecheng.
Lao Ji was his former colleague. When he heard that Wu Yong was going to Yuecheng, he also said he wanted to go, so the two agreed to set off together.
Xu Qingning's understanding of jade was limited to what she learned in the real world through watching videos on Douyin (TikTok). It was only from their conversation that she learned that Zhao Jingyu could examine raw jadeite stones.
Wu Yong said that Zhao Jingyu had been going in and out of the mining area with his grandfather since he was a child. He had seen a lot and learned a lot. He also said that if Zhao Jingyu had not come to work in the mainland, he would be a technician in a jade factory now.
Xu Qingning was inexplicably shocked after hearing this.
After the initial shock, there was also a sense of admiration; he actually knew how to identify jadeite rough stones!
Luo Yao didn't say a word, looking preoccupied.
Speaking of the mining area, she recalled the scene from her childhood when she and Zhao Jingyu would pick up stones in the mining area. He would always pick up a lot and then let her choose the ones she liked.
Later, people from the jade factory discovered the stones they had collected and bought some of them. Zhao Jingyu earned his tuition fees by selling the stones.
Later, he learned to process jade at a jade factory himself, and collected a bag full of colorful jade stones. He even gave her one of them, which she still treasures to this day.
Those were the good old days!
After dinner, Wu Yong took Luo Yao back to the guesthouse to pack their luggage, while Wang Yaqiang and Liu Dawei returned to their dormitory. Yang Yuelan was busy cleaning up the dishes and washing the pots.
Xu Qingning took a basin to the public sink to wash her face and brush her teeth. She always ate until she was stuffed when Yang Yuelan made dumplings, so she needed to move around a bit later to digest.
Tang Wenya also came over carrying a washbasin: "Xu Qingning, it's not easy to get into school. I advise you not to show off."
"What? You think becoming a teacher isn't showing off?" Xu Qingning gave her a cool look. "Unfortunately, based on your tendency to avoid going to the countryside, you won't get into a school."
System: "Master, Xu Qingning deliberately provoked you. You must fight back. Only by fighting back can we regain some of our luck!"
Second update.
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