Xiao Jing tightened her grip on the vegetable basket and instinctively shrank back.
Xiao Jing's reaction made Zhang Yuan realize that he might have frightened her. His face turned pale, and he took two steps back: "Yes, I'm sorry."
Xiaojing shook her head. "I overreacted just now, you don't need to apologize. What did you want to see me about?"
"I..." Zhang Yuan's face instantly turned bright red. He stammered for a long time, too embarrassed to speak.
Xiaojing knew in her heart what he wanted to say when he came to see her, but she really didn't have those feelings for him.
Moreover, she is indeed not ready to spend her life with another man.
Feelings can't be forced.
Looking at Zhang Yuan's shy face, Xiao Jing sighed and took the initiative to bring it up, saying, "You came to me to ask about matchmaking, right?"
"Yes, yes." Zhang Yuan nodded repeatedly, a visible sense of relief on his face. He finally found his voice: "I, I still want to ask you what you think."
Xiao Jing said tactfully, "Sister Ling should have already conveyed my meaning to you."
"I... I think what others have conveyed might not be accurate. I... I want to hear it from you yourself," Zhang Yuan said, unwilling to give up.
"Comrade Cheng Jing, I... I like you very much. Although we haven't known each other for long, you are already deeply engraved in my heart. Therefore, I want to form a revolutionary friendship with you that goes beyond ordinary friendship. I hope you can agree."
Zhang Yuan had probably memorized this passage beforehand; although he stumbled a bit, he recited it very fluently.
Xiao Jing wasn't completely unmoved, but there was nothing she could do; if she didn't like it, she simply didn't like it.
"I'm sorry, I can't agree."
Zhang Yuan's eyes dimmed instantly. He forced a smile, trying to salvage the situation: "Yes, was what I said too direct? Did it scare you? If you think it's too fast, we can be friends first."
Xiao Jing shook her head again: "I'm sorry."
After being rejected twice in a row, Zhang Yuan was so embarrassed that he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going now." Xiao Jing walked past Zhang Yuan, carrying her vegetable basket.
Zhang Yuan quickly called out to her, "Cheng, Cheng Jing."
Xiao Jing turned to look at him, her eyes seeming to ask: Is there anything else?
Zhang Yuan stared intently into Xiao Jing's eyes.
Those eyes were dark and clear, filled with detachment and confusion, devoid of any affection for him.
He pursed his lips in disappointment, but in the end, his emotions prevailed over his reason, and his unwillingness to accept defeat took the lead.
"You...you really have absolutely no feelings for me?"
Xiao Jing gently shook her head.
Watching Xiao Jing leave without looking back, Zhang Yuan could only accept reality.
She really doesn't like herself.
He returned to the dormitory dejectedly. His comrades immediately understood when they saw his expression: "You still went to find them despite your reluctance, and you got rejected again, didn't you? I told you so, but you wouldn't believe me."
Zhang Yuan gave a muffled "hmm".
"There are plenty of fish in the sea, why be hung up on just one?" His comrade wrapped his arm around his neck and put his arm around his shoulder, saying, "Brother, I'll introduce you to one today, want one?"
"No." Zhang Yuan twisted his body and broke free from under his arm.
"What do you mean you don't want her? She doesn't even like you. Are you going to remain chaste for her and never marry her?"
Zhang Yuan suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Seeing that he was softening, his comrade quickly caught up with him and punched him in the chest with his fist: "Don't be stubborn, come on, come on. The third company commander's sister-in-law is said to be even prettier than Director Cheng's sister."
“I’m not going.” Zhang Yuan pushed him away abruptly: “I’m in a lot of turmoil right now and I don’t want to meet any other female comrades.”
"Don't say you won't go. You need to go out and meet other women, chat, and relieve your inner turmoil because you're feeling really upset. Otherwise, if you keep it all bottled up inside, you'll definitely get sick." His comrade practically dragged Zhang Yuan out of the house.
They dragged him out.
"Listen to me, go and see him."
*
Time flew by and it was the end of the year. Zhang Yuan was getting married, and the invitation was sent to Cheng Baidong.
Cheng Baidong took the invitation home. Fang Qiao glanced at it, casually tossed it onto the table, and clicked her tongue.
"Don't go then."
“Zhang Yuan was one of Old Chen’s men, not close to us, so we can’t go. Besides, quite a few people know that he tried to be a matchmaker for our Xiao Jing before, and it hasn’t been that long. If we really went to his wedding now, what would that look like? It would be so awkward.”
It's only natural that it's going to rain and people need to get married.
Fang Qiao knew in her heart that she couldn't blame the other person, but she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.
Although Xiaojing initially refused, it's a bit too quick for her to fall in love with someone else, getting married only two months later.
Thinking about it this way, his claim of sincerity isn't entirely true.
There's always some water added to it.
It's a good thing that things didn't work out for someone who wasn't very sincere.
Fang Qiao had figured it out and turned to Cheng Baidong, saying, "But since they've sent us an invitation, we should give them a small gift. It's not much money, but it'll save face for both of us."
"Okay, I'll do as you say."
Cheng Baidong followed Fang Qiao's instructions. He didn't go in person, but he had Chen Jingrui from next door bring the gift, just like everyone else.
That's the end of it.
Xiao Jing naturally heard about Zhang Yuan's marriage.
Someone came to her for mending clothes and asked her what was on her mind. She tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said, "Congratulations?"
Now everyone believed that she really had no intention of having any feelings for him, and afterwards everyone wisely stopped mentioning Zhang Yuan in front of her.
Xiao Jing was happy to have some peace and quiet.
After the New Year, when Xiaojing went out to buy groceries, she always felt that someone was watching her from behind.
At first, she thought she was just being paranoid, but it happened every time, which seemed too coincidental.
Safety is a serious concern. When Xiaojing told Fang Qiao about it when she got home, Fang Qiao immediately decided to find someone to accompany Xiaojing on the trip the next day.
Fearing that becoming too familiar with the residential compound might alert the enemy, Fang Qiao deliberately chose a stranger.
Qi Miao lived and worked in the logistics department and didn't often go into crowds, so not many people in the family compound knew her. Fang Qiao then assigned this task to Qi Miao.
Qi Miao was also quick-witted; taking advantage of Sunday off, she spent time with Xiao Jing.
She followed behind Xiaojing, keeping a distance between them, looking out for each other and making it easier to observe who was suspicious.
I didn't notice anything unusual when I went there, and everything seemed normal when I first arrived at the market.
When Xiaojing finished buying groceries and went to the seafood market to pick out river shrimp, Qi Miao noticed a young woman in a light blue fitted jacket on the opposite side of the market. Her eyes kept glancing at Xiaojing, scrutinizing her from head to toe, with a hint of hostility.
Moreover, whenever Xiaojing turned around, she would guiltily look away and glance around, touching her hair and pulling down her clothes, acting all pretentious and clearly not a good person.
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