Chapter 18

Yu Xiangnian returned to the bedroom and took out the things Zhao Ruozhu had given her to count.

There were ten “Da Tuanjie” coupons, twenty kilograms of grain coupons, three kilograms of oil coupons, two kilograms of sugar coupons, three kilograms of meat coupons, and two kilograms of pastry coupons.

Looking at these items, Yu Xiangnian once again felt conflicted.

She didn’t want to rely on others for her livelihood; she wanted to be self-reliant. But here, she felt utterly useless.

She couldn’t just wield a knife and go around asking people if they needed surgery, could she?

Besides, she didn’t want to be a doctor anymore. It was exhausting, and she didn’t want to witness separations and deaths, to see patients suffering while she was powerless to help.

She had wanted to be a diplomat since childhood; it was her dream. Due to various reasons, she had become a doctor instead.

Since fate had given her a second chance at life, she was determined to pursue this dream!

There was still a year and a half until the college entrance exam. She had plenty of time to prepare.

Thinking about this, Yu Xiangnian felt a surge of strength throughout her body once again.

She took five “Da Tuanjie” coupons and walked out of the bedroom. Cheng Jingmo was washing something under the tap in the courtyard.

The orange light from the hall seeped through the window, illuminating Cheng Jingmo’s sturdy features and muscular physique, which made Yu Xiangnian feel secure.

She walked into the courtyard, where beside Cheng Jingmo was a basin containing a military uniform and Xiao Jie’s clothes. Cheng Jingmo was washing the clothes she had just taken off, his hands covered in soapy foam.

In fact, today she was just being lazy and didn’t want to wash clothes. She had some thoughts and wanted Cheng Jingmo to wash her clothes for her.

And Cheng Jingmo really did wash them!

Yu Xiangnian’s heart seemed to flutter as if someone had flicked it with a finger.

She squatted down next to Cheng Jingmo and said half-jokingly, “Didn’t I tell you that I’ll wash my own clothes from now on?”

Cheng Jingmo didn’t look at her and simply said, “There are mosquitoes outside.”

“Do they not bite you?”

“I have tough skin.”

“Then how do you know my skin is delicate?” Yu Xiangnian asked playfully, just teasing him.

Cheng Jingmo: …

How did he know? He had seen it and felt it!

Yu Xiangnian’s skin was so fair and delicate. The last time he accidentally touched her hand, it was soft and smooth, definitely delicate!

Thinking about the feel of those hands, Cheng Jingmo’s ears turned red.

Fortunately, the light outside was dim, and Yu Xiangnian couldn’t tell.

Seeing Cheng Jingmo’s lack of response, Yu Xiangnian gave up teasing him and put the money she was holding into Cheng Jingmo’s shirt pocket.

With soapy hands, Cheng Jingmo could only ask, “What did you give me?”

“Good stuff!” Yu Xiangnian said as she stood up and went back to the bedroom to sleep.

Cheng Jingmo hung up the clothes and returned to the bedroom. Xiao Jie was already fast asleep.

He took out what was in his pocket and saw it was fifty yuan.

He knew it was definitely from Yu Xiangnian’s parents. He wouldn’t accept her money, nor did he need it.

He would give her all eighty yuan, plus his salary, the day after tomorrow!

Sure enough, the breakfast the next day was meat buns.

Xiao Jie’s eyes lit up. “Uncle, there are meat buns in the canteen today!”

“Your aunt bought them in the city yesterday.”

Xiao Jie immediately became respectful. “Thank you, Auntie.”

Yu Xiangnian understood that relationships between people couldn’t be intimate in just a day or two, especially for a child like Xiao Jie who had lost his parents and was very sensitive.

She didn’t expect Xiao Jie to get close to her. She was just playing the role of a stepmother for a day, a gong for a day.

Yu Xiangnian said, “By the way, I made two sets of clothes for Xiao Jie. They’ll be ready the day after tomorrow. Let’s go into the city together and pick them up. We’ll treat Xiao Jie to something nice!”

Cheng Jingmo calculated that the day after tomorrow was Sunday, so he could rest. “Hmm.”

After breakfast, Yu Xiangnian applied medicine to Cheng Jingmo again.

This time, she didn’t ask Cheng Jingmo to take off his clothes. It wouldn’t look good in front of Xiao Jie!

Cheng Jingmo looked at her with a slightly scrutinizing gaze, as if he had seen through her motives from last night.

When Yu Xiangnian arrived at the logistics department, she happened to meet Ding Yunfei also coming to work.

“Nian Nian, I’m sorry, I got held up this morning and didn’t buy you breakfast,” he said, looking apologetic.

Yu Xiangnian was actually hoping he wouldn’t buy her breakfast anymore. She smiled brightly, “It’s okay, Brother Ding. From now on, you don’t need to buy it for me.”

Ding Yunfei couldn’t quite tell if Yu Xiangnian genuinely didn’t want him to buy it anymore or if she was just saying it out of annoyance.

Yu Xiangnian continued, “Having you run so far every morning to buy me breakfast, it’s my fault for not being considerate. Don’t trouble yourself anymore; I’ll make something for myself in the morning.”

Having interacted with Yu Xiangnian for half a year, it was the first time Ding Yunfei noticed how caring she could be. Looking at her beautiful face, Ding Yunfei’s heart couldn’t help but flutter.

“Nian Nian, about your divorce…”

Yu Xiangnian sighed, “My parents invited me home for dinner yesterday. They don’t want me to divorce. Sigh! Brother Ding, you’re a good person. I don’t want to hold you back. Please don’t wait for me.”

With that, her eyes reddened, appearing genuinely distressed.

Ding Yunfei knew about Yu Xiangnian having dinner with her parents yesterday. He had even been warned by Yu Xiangyang.

Yu Xiangyang warned him to stay away from his sister, threatening to beat him up!

Out of male rebellion, the more he was told not to wait, the more he wanted to wait. The farther he was told to stay, the closer he wanted to get!

Anyway, he was only twenty-one years old; marriage could wait.

“Nian Nian, I won’t pressure you. Take your time. I’m willing to wait for you.”

As they talked, they had already arrived at the office.

Yu Xiangnian noticed Bai Mei’s seat was empty and casually asked, “Did Bai Mei not come to work today?”

“She had diarrhea yesterday, so she’s taken a leave today,” Ding Yunfei explained.

Yesterday, Bai Mei ate seven eggs in one go and ended up with a stomachache, having to go to the bathroom many times in the afternoon.

Early this morning, Ding Yunfei went to the military hospital to get medicine for her. That’s why he got delayed and couldn’t buy breakfast.

Yu Xiangnian understood upon hearing about the diarrhea, thinking to herself, “I’m the one who made you have diarrhea. You almost cost me my life!”

However, she showed a concerned expression on her face, “Is it serious? Should we go check on her? I brought White Rabbit candies for her today!”

She took out a few candies from her bag and put them into Ding Yunfei’s hand, saying, “These are for you.”

Letting you taste what it’s like to give a reward after a scolding!

Ding Yunfei looked at the candies in his hand, feeling conflicted.

Yu Xiangnian was truly too kind!

Bai Mei fell ill, and she was concerned about visiting her and even brought candies for her!

On the other hand, Bai Mei had been cursing Yu Xiangnian since yesterday. When Ding Yunfei went to deliver medicine to her this morning, she was still cursing non-stop!

Yet Yu Xiangnian hadn’t done anything wrong. She didn’t know Bai Mei had already eaten a bunch of fermented eggs; she simply kindly offered her own.

Moreover, when Bai Mei ate too many eggs, her burps were really foul.

This morning, he accidentally smelled it and almost threw up!

“No need to visit her. It’s just diarrhea; she’ll be fine by tomorrow,” Ding Yunfei said.

“Well, I hope she gets well soon.”

Who would want to go see her! Yu Xiangnian was just speaking her mind.

Dong dong dong… Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Yu Xiangnian looked up and saw Cheng Jingmo standing at the doorway.