When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 332: Chapter 125: The Green Tea Female Supporting Character in a Period Novel (12)

The brick factory was a treacherous place, but the base had no shortage of bachelor educated youths. They were like a pack of hungry wolves, each one desperate to "marry up" and escape their current poverty and hardship.

Even if they couldn’t take advantage of the woman’s family when it was time to return to the city, they were still the primary beneficiaries of such a marriage.

Jiang Zishi was a prime example. With a precedent like him, wouldn’t Chi Yun’er become a hot commodity the moment she arrived? Wouldn’t everyone be eager to curry her favor?

He didn’t want Chi Yun’er to escape the frying pan only to land in the fire.

Moreover, whenever he imagined other male educated youths fawning over Chi Yun’er, he felt an inexplicable surge of anger.

So, recalling Fourth Granny Bian’s words, he gave a somewhat vague and simple explanation of the situation. "Director Qi, it’s like this. A neighbor of our family has a younger sister, Comrade Chi Yun’er, who is serving as an educated youth in Bian Family Village alongside my younger brother."

"Zishi was originally able to look out for her, but now he’s getting married, so it’s no longer appropriate for him to keep taking care of Comrade Chi. That’s why I was wondering if our base has any work suitable for a woman?"

"If we brought her over, I... I could look after her more easily since she’d be close by."

"She’s not in the best of health and can’t do heavy labor. She just managed to pull some strings to get a temporary position in the brick factory’s finance office. Could you please see if we could perhaps trade that temporary job for a different position here?"

"Comrade Chi’s family is quite well-off, so she’s not looking to earn a lot of work points. She just wants to contribute to the organization in whatever small way she can..."

After he finished speaking, Jiang Yihua lowered his head slightly, letting Director Qi’s imagination run wild about his relationship with Chi Yun’er.

Director Qi’s eyes narrowed as he looked Jiang Yihua up and down. Seeing the awkward expression on the face of this key subordinate of his, he couldn’t help but smile and ask:

"I heard out in the fields that the young educated youth, Chi, came to visit you while you were working?"

"Does this mean good news is on the horizon for you two? You rascal. You’re usually so quiet, always focused on getting things done, and you never say a word about your personal life."

"If the young lady hadn’t come looking for you, I bet you would’ve waited until you needed me to stamp your approval papers before you revealed anything, wouldn’t you?"

Jiang Yihua gave a helpless smile. "Director, I... I do have some feelings for her, but she might be returning to the city soon. Until I have the ability to offer her a future, all I can do is look after her. For everything else, we’ll just have to let fate decide."

"Director, I’m really counting on you for this. She’s supposed to start the job in the next day or two. You know the environment at the brick factory isn’t great, and for a pretty young woman like her..."

The smile vanished from Director Qi’s face, and he nodded.

"Of course. We can consider Comrade Chi practically family here at the base. And leaving all else aside, just based on your contributions to our farm, Little Jiang, I have to agree to this."

"I’d give up my own seat for Comrade Chi before I let her be a lamb to the slaughter!"

Jiang Yihua gave him a solemn bow. "Director, thank you!"

"It’s too early for thanks. Wait until I get this sorted out. Then, when you two lovebirds get married, you can invite me to be your officiant. It won’t be too late to thank me then," Director Qi said with a smile and a wave of his hand, his mind already churning on how to arrange the job transfer.

With the matter settled, Jiang Yihua breathed a small sigh of relief. As he stepped out of the office, he saw the young woman sitting on a stone bench, looking utterly bored. She was swinging her legs, a faint smile playing on her lips, her eyes narrowed as she reached out a finger to play with a sunbeam.

He stood a short distance away, hands in his pockets, just watching. He couldn’t bring himself to shatter the picturesque scene.

But it was as if Chi Yun’er sensed his presence; she turned her head and saw him.

The young woman stood up and ran over with a light laugh. "Brother Hua, are you finished? The food’s getting cold."

Jiang Yihua nodded, led her to a spacious, shady spot, and handed her a pair of chopsticks.

It was a hot day, but the food still had some warmth left. The river fish was cool but not at all fishy. Paired with a secret dipping sauce, it was savory, fragrant, and delicious. The flesh was smooth, tender, and springy.

Many people knew how to make luffa pancakes and mung bean soup, but Chi Yun’er’s ability to turn such ordinary ingredients into something as delicious as a meat or egg dish was a rare talent.

Jiang Yihua’s expression softened, his eyes filled with a tenderness he himself didn’t even recognize.

A woman’s intuition is a powerful thing. Even without looking, Chi Yun’er could feel the man’s gaze on her—faint yet blazing, restrained yet intense.

’Humans are strange creatures,’ she thought. ’From before we can even speak, we know how to push our luck, to take a mile when given an inch.’

’When the enemy is strong, I am weak; when the enemy retreats, I advance.’ Chi Yun’er lowered her eyelids, a peculiar glint in her eyes. ’I’m very curious to see just what kind of person Jiang Yihua really is.’

After they finished eating, Jiang Yihua took Chi Yun’er back to the row of dormitories where he lived. He quickly washed the bowls and chopsticks, then placed about twenty wild duck eggs, collected from two nests during his morning walk, into her bamboo basket.

He picked up the basket, a smile tugging at his lips. "I’ll walk you back. I’ll come get you again tomorrow morning."

"Let’s try to hurry things along. Maybe we can get your job transfer finalized by tomorrow or the day after!"