Chapter 303 Offering Unsolicited Favors
The next morning, before Su Wantang had even gotten out of bed, there was a knock on the door downstairs.
Wang Ma went to open the door and came back with a smile on her face.
"Miss, it's Mrs. Qiao from next door. She said she's brought you some nourishing soup."
Su Wantang was sitting on the bed when she heard this and her brows furrowed slightly.
"Let her in."
Aunt Wang responded and turned to go downstairs.
Not long after, footsteps were heard.
Qiao Lingling walked in with a smile, carrying a blue and white porcelain bowl.
"Madam Lu, you're awake? I specially made crucian carp soup this morning; I heard it's especially good for pregnant women."
As she spoke, she placed the bowl on the bedside table.
The soup was milky white with a few slices of ginger floating on top, showing that the chef had put a lot of effort into it.
Su Wantang leaned against the headboard, looking at her.
"Sister-in-law Qiao, you've been working so hard so early."
Qiao Lingling waved her hand.
"It's not hard work at all. We're neighbors, it's only right."
As she spoke, she glanced at Su Wantang's stomach again.
"How many months pregnant is Mrs. Lu now?"
"More than two months."
“That’s exactly the time to nourish yourself properly,” Qiao Lingling said. “When I was in Germany, I met a lot of pregnant women, and they all said that the first three months are the most crucial.”
Su Wantang smiled but didn't reply.
Qiao Lingling added, "If Mrs. Lu doesn't mind, I can come to visit you often in the future, and we can chat."
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Sister-in-law Qiao."
"No trouble at all."
After Qiao Lingling finished speaking, she nodded to her and turned to go downstairs.
Su Wantang looked at the soup on the bedside table but didn't touch it.
When Wang Ma walked in and saw the bowl of soup, her eyes lit up.
"Young Miss, would you like some?"
"I won't drink it," Su Wantang said. "Wang Ma, you should pour it out."
Wang Ma was stunned.
"Dumped? Such good soup, it's such a waste to throw it away."
"Then you drink it."
After hesitating for a moment, Wang Ma picked up the bowl and went out.
Su Wantang lay back on the bed and closed her eyes.
This Qiao Lingling comes too often.
In the afternoon, Qiao Lingling came again.
This time she brought a bag of red dates.
"Madam Lu, I heard that red dates are good for pregnant women, so I went and bought some."
Meng Wan was reading a book in the living room when she heard this and looked up.
"Oh, Mrs. Joe is so thoughtful."
Qiao Lingling smiled brightly.
"We're neighbors, it's only right."
She handed the red dates to Wang Ma, then looked at Meng Wan.
"Mrs. Lu, what book are you reading?"
Meng Wan handed her the book.
"Goethe's poetry collection."
Qiao Lingling's eyes lit up.
“Goethe! I studied his works extensively when I was in Germany.”
She took the book and flipped through a few pages.
"Is this the German version?"
“Yes.” Meng Wan nodded. “I learned a little German when I was young.”
Qiao Lingling became excited.
"Then we can talk in German."
As she spoke, she actually said a few words in German.
Upon hearing this, Meng Wan laughed even more heartily.
"Mrs. Joe speaks German very well."
"Not at all," Qiao Lingling waved her hand. "It's all because I spent a long time in Germany before that I developed these skills."
The two started chatting.
They talked about Goethe and Schiller, from literature to philosophy.
Qiao Lingling spoke with great tact, neither appearing pretentious nor failing to respond appropriately to Meng Wan's topic.
Meng Wan became happier and happier as they talked.
"Mrs. Qiao, you are truly a talented woman."
"Mrs. Lu, you flatter me," Qiao Lingling said. "You are the real scholar, and I am just a student."
Meng Wan was overjoyed by the praise.
Su Wantang heard everything clearly from upstairs.
She sat by the window, holding a glass of warm water in her hands.
This Qiao Lingling certainly knows how to talk.
Over the course of a few days, Qiao Lingling became a regular visitor to the Lu family.
She chatted with Meng Wan about literature, helped Wang Ma prepare vegetables, and even served hot tea to Grandpa Lu at just the right moment while he played chess.
Grandpa Lu drank his tea and looked at her.
"Xiao Qiao, you've brewed this tea very well."
Qiao Lingling smiled.
"I'm glad you like it, sir."
Grandpa Lu nodded.
"You're a very sensible child."
Qiao Lingling lowered her head, a hint of shyness on her face.
"You flatter me, sir."
Lu Zhenguo sat beside her, looking at her with a hint of admiration in his eyes.
"Xiao Qiao, does your husband work in the logistics department?"
“Yes.” Qiao Lingling nodded. “His name is Zhang Jianguo. He’s in charge of supplies in the logistics department.”
Lu Zhenguo thought for a moment.
"Zhang Jianguo...I vaguely remember him."
“He’s usually quite busy with work,” Qiao Lingling said. “So I don’t have much to do at home, so I think I should get out and about more.”
Lu Zhenguo nodded.
"It's a good thing for young people to get out and about more."
Qiao Lingling smiled again.
When Lu Jingyan returned from outside, he saw Qiao Lingling sitting in the living room and frowned.
"Mrs. Qiao is here again?"
Qiao Lingling stood up and nodded at him.
"Brigade Commander Lu is back."
As she spoke, a hint of admiration flashed in her eyes, then she lowered her head like a startled fawn.
Lu Jingyan ignored her and went straight upstairs.
Pushing open the bedroom door, I saw Su Wantang sitting by the window.
"Wantang".
Su Wantang turned her head and looked at him.
"You're back?"
"Hmm." Lu Jingyan walked over and sat down next to her. "That Qiao Lingling from downstairs is here again?"
“I’ve been here for several days now,” Su Wantang said. “I come every day.”
Lu Jingyan's brows furrowed even more.
What is she doing here?
“They said they came to see me,” Su Wantang said. “They even brought me soup and red dates.”
Lu Jingyan remained silent for a while.
"Jianjun hasn't been found out yet?"
"not yet."
Lu Jingyan stood up, walked to the study, and picked up the phone.
"Jianjun, how is he?"
Gao Jianjun's voice came through the microphone.
"Brother, I checked, and Qiao Lingling's resume is quite clean."
How clean is it?
“It’s so clean… a little too clean,” Gao Jianjun said. “Her file looks brand new.”
Lu Jingyan's gaze darkened.
"Continue the investigation."
"yes."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Jingyan returned to his bedroom.
Su Wantang was still sitting by the window.
"How about it?"
“Jianjun said her resume was too clean,” Lu Jingyan said. “That’s not normal.”
Su Wantang nodded.
"I also think it's abnormal."
She paused for a moment, then added, "She's been coming every day these past few days, and she's made everyone in the family very happy."
Lu Jingyan walked over and sat down next to her.
What do you want to do?
"Wait a little longer," Su Wantang said. "Now that she's here, she'll eventually slip up."
Qiao Lingling came over again during dinner that evening.
This time she brought a box of pastries.
"Mrs. Lu, this is the osmanthus cake I made today. Please try it."
Meng Wan took the box, opened it, and looked inside.
"Wow, it's so exquisitely made."
Qiao Lingling smiled.
"I'm glad you like it."
As she spoke, she looked at Su Wantang again.
"Mrs. Lu, please have some too."
Su Wantang glanced at the osmanthus cake and shook her head.
"I haven't had a good appetite lately, and I can't eat much."
Qiao Lingling immediately showed a concerned expression.
"That won't do, pregnant women need to eat properly."
She thought for a moment and then said, "How about I make you something sour tomorrow? Pregnant women like to eat sour things."
Su Wantang smiled.
"No need to trouble yourself."
"No trouble at all," Qiao Lingling said. "We're neighbors, it's only right."
Lu Zhenguo sat beside her, watching her.
"Xiao Qiao, is your husband usually not home?"
Qiao Lingling was stunned for a moment.
"He...he's quite busy with work."
"Is the logistics department this busy too?" Lu Zhenguo asked again.
Qiao Lingling's smile froze for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.
"Yes, we've been busy taking inventory of supplies lately."
Lu Zhenguo nodded and said nothing more.
After finishing her meal, Qiao Lingling got up to say goodbye.
"Then I won't bother you any longer."
Meng Wan escorted her to the door.
"Xiao Qiao, come visit me anytime you have time."
"Yes, Mrs. Lu."
Qiao Lingling is gone.
Su Wantang sat on the sofa, looking at Lu Zhenguo.
"Dad, you asked her that on purpose, didn't you?"
Lu Zhenguo put down his teacup.
"This Xiao Qiao comes too often."
When Meng Wan returned and heard this, she frowned.
"Isn't it a good thing that she comes often? It shows that she's enthusiastic."
“She’s overly enthusiastic,” Lu Zhenguo said. “Her husband works in the logistics department, and I know what that’s like; it’s not that busy.”
Meng Wan was stunned.
Lu Zhenguo added, "She comes to our house every day, doesn't her husband care?"
Meng Wan thought about it and realized that something was indeed wrong.
Su Wantang sat beside her without saying a word.
Lu Jingyan walked over and sat down next to her.
"Wantang, what do you think?"
Su Wantang thought for a moment.
"I think there's something wrong with her."
Grandpa Lu sat to the side, without saying a word.
Upon hearing this, he looked up.
"Girl, what do you think is wrong with her?"
Su Wantang looked at him.
“Grandpa, she comes too often, too enthusiastically, too… deliberately.”
Grandpa Lu nodded.
"you're right."
He put down his teacup and looked at Lu Jingyan.
"Jingyan, have Jianjun investigate thoroughly."
"yes."
Meng Wan listened to their conversation and felt a little uneasy.
"Aren't you overthinking this? Xiao Qiao seems perfectly fine."
"Mom," Su Wantang looked at her, "Think about it, she comes to our house every day, doesn't her husband care?"
Meng Wan was stunned.
Su Wantang added, "She said her husband works in the logistics department. Is the logistics department really that busy?"
Meng Wan thought for a moment and then shook her head.
"Indeed... I shouldn't be so busy."
“So,” Su Wantang said, “either her lover doesn’t care about her, or… her lover has no idea that she comes to our house every day.”
Meng Wan's expression changed.
Lu Zhenguo sat beside her, looking at Su Wantang with a hint of admiration in his eyes.
"Wantang is right."
He paused, then said, "This Xiao Qiao definitely has a problem."
Grandpa Lu picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"Then let's wait for news of the army's establishment."
That night, Su Wantang lay in bed with her eyes closed.
Lu Jingyan came out of the bathroom and lay down next to her.
"Wantang".
"Um?"
"Who do you think Qiao Lingling is targeting?"
Su Wantang opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling.
"have no idea."
She paused, then said, "But she definitely wasn't after me."
Lu Jingyan turned to the side and looked at her.
"Why?"
“Because every time she looks at me, there’s a scrutinizing look in her eyes,” Su Wantang said. “It’s not like she’s here to make friends, it’s more like she’s… confirming something.”
Lu Jingyan's gaze darkened.
"Confirm what?"
"I don't know," Su Wantang shook her head, "but I always feel that she has an ulterior motive."
Lu Jingyan reached out and pulled her into his arms.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Su Wantang leaned against him and closed her eyes.
"I'm not afraid."
She paused, then said, "I just feel that she came at the wrong time."
Lu Jingyan kissed her forehead.
"Jianjun will investigate this thoroughly."
"Um."
The two of them just hugged each other, neither of them saying another word.
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