It would be much simpler with Chen Jing taking over.
Ji Xia took Chen Jing to the landlord, handed over a simplified rental contract, and after both parties agreed that there were no problems, they signed the contract, paid the rent, and got the keys.
Having received the keys, the landlord left readily. Ji Xia handed the keys to Chen Jing, saying, "I'm going to class now. You're in charge here."
Chen Jing tossed the keys into his pocket, reached out and took her drawing board: "Don't worry, I'm here. I'll take you to class now, and then I'll get a few more guys to come and tidy up."
"good."
Ji Xia chuckled contentedly and waved happily to the two children watching the commotion beside her: "Goodbye, kids."
In the evening, Ji Xia appeared carrying her sketchbook, while Chen Jing stood outside the alley carrying a bag.
Upon seeing Chen Jing, Rong Ruoshi gave her a knowing look, then chuckled and waved goodbye before leaving.
Ji Xia glanced at the bag in Chen Jing's hand: "What are you carrying? Is the house still not ready?"
"All ready. This is for a bath. Shall we go to the public bathhouse for a shower later?"
As Chen Jing spoke, he winked at her, and Ji Xia's pretty face immediately turned red. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.
"You better tone it down, don't act like a lecherous glutton."
"I've been a vegetarian for almost a month now, how can I not look like a starving ghost?"
Chen Jing muttered to himself, but knowing Ji Xia's temperament, he could only wait until they were alone to coax her slowly.
This is unlike later generations, where kissing in the street wouldn't be considered strange.
The thought had just crossed his mind when he suddenly realized, how could he have such a thought? How could he know that people in later generations kiss in the street?
People in the capital city are used to going to public bathhouses to soak and scrub their backs in the evening. When Ji Xia and Chen Jing first arrived, they couldn't stand not being able to take a bath, so they went a few times, usually once every three or four days.
Chen Jing rented a house today and, after tidying up the new place with a group of his underlings, couldn't wait to bring Ji Xia's clean clothes, planning to go to the bathhouse with her.
After so many days of fasting, I finally rented a place today. Shouldn't my wish have come true?
Having roughly discerned his resentment, Ji Xia smiled slightly but did not refuse.
Actually, having lived half her life as a widow in her previous life, she is quite satisfied with Chen Jing in this life.
...
Nanshan Brigade
Lin Haodong was expelled from school and returned home. This news was almost the most explosive thing that happened in Nanshan Brigade in the past month.
For a whole month, Lin Haodong hid at home, barely daring to go out or speak to anyone.
If he could, he would love to stay at South China University of Technology and never come back. Unfortunately, he was expelled from school and without a certificate from the brigade or commune, he couldn't stay in Guangzhou even if he wanted to.
Granny Lin almost cried herself blind. Her son, on whom she had placed so much hope, had been sent back from school. This had become a laughing stock in Nanshan Brigade, and she could no longer be proud of herself.
As the sun set, the villagers carried their farm tools and went home.
Granny Lin handed over half a basket of pig feed to the authorities, then listlessly carried a bundle of firewood and two bunches of wild vegetables home.
On the way, a middle-aged woman saw Granny Lin's tired and old appearance and couldn't help but sigh with sympathy.
"Sister Lin, Adong has been back for so long, why doesn't he want to go to the fields to work?"
Granny Lin's lips moved, and she sighed softly, her cloudy eyes devoid of any light.
Suddenly, someone next to her laughed and said, "Sister Chen, you're overthinking it. Lin University students are destined for great things; why would they go to the fields to do farm work?"
Aunt Chen frowned and lowered her voice, saying, "You should all keep your mouth shut. Things are already like this, and you're still making sarcastic remarks."
"Tch, it's not like I'm belittling him, it's just his karma. He's so old, and I'm still sickly, hiding in the house and not doing any work. I've spoiled him rotten. Does he think he's some kind of big shot?"
"Hehe, who has Jing-ge's ability? You can make money even if you don't have the chance to study. Don't you see how well Jing-ge is doing in the city?"
"In the end, it's Ji Xia who brings good fortune to her husband, while that Liu Zhiqing doesn't. But I heard that Liu Zhiqing is also in the city..."
"I saw Liu Zhiqing in the city last time. I heard she made a connection with a powerful person there, is that right?"
As the group talked, they gradually shifted their focus to Liu Pianran, forgetting about Granny Lin and Lin Haodong.
Upon hearing the name Liu Pianran, anger slowly rose in Granny Lin's eyes.
It was this woman who seduced her son. If he hadn't broken off his engagement with Ji Xia, he wouldn't have been plagued by such bad luck, with one thing after another getting stuck with the Lin family.
Actually, Lin's mother still doesn't know why Lin Haodong was expelled from school, but she can't help but blame it all on Liu Pianran.
Now, Liu Pianran has dumped her son and even climbed the social ladder in the city, so she doesn't even need to go back to the village brigade anymore?
She rushed home, calling out repeatedly into the house, "Adong, Adong—"
Lin Haodong sat motionless on a chair in the room. His hair was messy, his clothes were dirty, he looked dejected, there was a bluish-black mark on his chin and lips, and his face was covered in stubble, which he hadn't bothered to shave.
Since returning to Nanshan Brigade, he has been in a state of depression and has almost never dared to go out and face the villagers.
Hearing his mother's voice, he barely managed to lift his head, his face ashen, his lifeless eyes utterly desolate.
Have you eaten anything?
Seeing her son's ashen face, Granny Lin felt heartbroken and couldn't help but hug him and weep bitterly.
"Ah Dong, what are we going to do now?"
Hearing his mother's cries, Lin Haodong felt dizzy. He tried to move his lips, but his throat was dry and he couldn't make a sound.
He twitched his fingers slightly, but Granny Lin grabbed his wrist: "It's all that bitch's fault, it's all her fault, we're going to settle the score with her now."
Lin Haodong's eyes flickered, and after a long pause, a hoarse and weak voice finally broke the silence: "What can you do to her?"
"So what? If it weren't for her, how could you have broken off your engagement with Ji Xia? How could you be so unlucky? You should ask her for compensation."
Lin Haodong's dazed mind took a while to understand that the woman his mother was talking about was Liu Pianran, not Ji Xia.
The faint light in his eyes dimmed. Liu Pianran, what's the use of looking for Liu Pianran?
Granny Lin said in a resentful whisper, "I heard that Liu Pianran has made a fortune in the city and doesn't have to go back to work in the brigade anymore. We should go find her."
Lin Haodong's facial muscles twitched contorted: "Mother, is it useless to ask her? Ask Ji Xia, ask Ji Xia, beg her to help me—"
Upon hearing this, Lin's mother frowned in distress: "How do we find her? I heard that Ji Xia took the Chen family's son to the capital. She's going to apply to some university in the capital and take the exams there."
Just then, a knocking sound came from outside the courtyard gate, followed by Captain Chen's voice: "Sister Lin, Haodong, are you home?"
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