Chapter 29 : Rejection

He Tingyue glanced back at the crowd behind him, his brows furrowing slightly.

“Everyone get inside!”

Only then did the group disperse quickly.

Matchmaker Yao smiled brightly. “Little He, I came to find you today, you know what this is about, right?”

This wasn’t the first time she had come to see He Tingyue.

With his excellent conditions, many were vying for his attention.

But after several attempts to set him up, he had turned them down without even meeting the girls. Eventually, Matchmaker Yao had lost interest.

This time, however, out of respect for Yao Xiangling, she had to come.

“Grandma Yao, please speak your mind.”

Matchmaker Yao grinned. “I have a suitable girl in mind for you, you should consider meeting her. Don’t rush to refuse, she’s genuinely a catch.”

He Tingyue raised an eyebrow. “Who is she?”

Hearing his interest, Matchmaker Yao felt hopeful.

“The girl’s name is Jiang Yu, from Nanghe Village. Don’t let her rural background fool you, she’s quite beautiful. I’ve never seen anyone in North City more attractive.”

He Tingyue scoffed lightly. “Beauty doesn’t mean much.”

To him, she was just a superficial girl.

Vainglorious, materialistic, and scheming.

Matchmaker Yao felt stifled by his response. While that was true, there were still people who admired her.

“So, you’re not planning to meet her?”

He paused for a moment, clearly picturing Jiang Yu’s delicate features in his mind.

Slowly, he shook his head. “Not interested.”

Matchmaker Yao felt a wave of disappointment. In terms of looks and personality, they actually matched well.

“Then I’ll decline for now and will find someone suitable later.”

After all, He Tingyue wasn’t that young anymore. His subordinate, Tong Fang, was even younger than he was and already had children aged five or six.

But He Tingyue remained calm and unhurried.

Matchmaker Yao turned to Yao Xiangling to share the outcome, her enthusiasm dampened. “As I said, he was bound to refuse.”

Yao Xiangling was surprised. “He wouldn’t even meet her?”

According to Jiang Yu, she and He Tingyue had known each other for a while.

Did he really not feel anything after seeing her?

“He truly is a heartless one.”

Matchmaker Yao waved her hand. “Let me keep an eye out for a better match to introduce to Jiang Yu.”

Yao Xiangling felt a twinge of sadness, time was running out for Jiang Yu.

She had to return to the countryside by next month at the latest.

Once back home, her parents would have full control over her life.

Knowing Jiang Yu’s personality, even if Yao Xiangling offered her a job, she would likely refuse.

Back home, He Tingyue’s response was like a bucket of cold water on Jiang Yu.

She couldn’t believe it. “He refused? Did he even mention who I am?”

Yao Xiangling sighed. “He did, but maybe he doesn’t have plans to get married.”

“Oh.” Jiang Yu felt a bit deflated.

Seeing her glum expression, Yao Xiangling wasn’t sure if it was good or bad.

This foolish girl had clearly fallen for him.

“If you really like him, then be proactive and get closer to him a few times,” Yao Xiangling advised.

If she tried a few times and still got nowhere, the foolish girl might just give up.

Jiang Yu felt conflicted, unsure if she should take the initiative.

Days passed, and her heart slowly calmed down.

Xie Fei fei shared some news she had gathered.

“Zhang Xiyue and Yan Wenxuan are indeed still together. Yan Wenxuan even visited her parents! It seems he’s looking to get a permanent position through Zhang Xiyue’s father.”

Substitute teachers earn significantly less than full-time teachers.

Jiang Yu asked, “Did her father agree?”

Xie Fei fei shook her head. “He didn’t agree, saying Yan Wenxuan didn’t meet the requirements. Which is normal, considering how many substitute teachers are around. He’s only been there for less than six months; he’s not in line for a permanent position.”

Jiang Yu pouted in frustration. “With Zhang Xiyue’s brains, how can she manage?”

“Definitely not! She had a huge argument with her dad, even threatening to sever ties, and she pushed her sister-in-law down, who had to be rushed to the hospital. Guess what?”

Jiang Yu perked up. “What happened next?”

Xie Fei fei whispered, “Zhang Xiyue’s sister-in-law is pregnant!”

Jiang Yu was shocked. “Pregnant? Isn’t Zhang Xiyue’s brother an idiot?”

“It’s not a matter of intelligence, it’s about the brain injury, not that part. Zhang Xiyue’s parents never expected their son could have children, they married this girl just to take care of him, like hiring a maid. They didn’t have to pay a bride price for a maid, but her family wanted two hundred, so her in-laws were always dissatisfied.”

“Turns out this little wife knows how to play the game. She secretly got pregnant, and now her family treats her like a great contributor! She’s being smart with this baby, her father-in-law’s job is definitely safe from Zhang Xiyue.”

It seemed Yan Wenxuan’s presence had sparked a sense of crisis in her, knowing his greedy nature would likely encourage Zhang Xiyue to compete for work.

Having digested this bit of gossip, Xie Fei fei handed Jiang Yu an application form.

“My mom’s newspaper is hiring, but it’s just a temporary position. She thought you have a talent for writing, so she asked me to give you this application.”

Jiang Yu was overjoyed. “Fei fei, I can’t thank you enough!”

Xie Fei fei waved her hands. “Don’t mention it. My mom can only offer you a chance, whether you get selected is up to you.”

Huang Ying wouldn’t stoop to using connections, but that didn’t mean others wouldn’t.

This position might already be filled by someone else.

Jiang Yu understood this but was still very happy.

“As long as I have a chance to fight for it, I’m thrilled.”

As for whether she succeeded or not, she’d just do her best and leave the rest to fate.

Jiang Yu took the application form, planning to fill it out at home and submit it to Huang Ying tomorrow, along with her personal thanks.

Yao Xiangling thought that regardless of the outcome, this opportunity was hard to come by.

Typically, city job postings have residency restrictions, making it unlikely for Jiang Yu to qualify.

But the fact that she had an application meant Huang Ying had helped her.

“Take this bag of apples tomorrow to thank her properly.”

“Sure.”

The next day, Jiang Yu went to the Xie household, eager to thank Huang Ying and submit her application.

The application form included a section for listing previously published works.

After reviewing it, Huang Ying asked her to add her pen name and two stories she had submitted afterward.

“That’s good enough. I’ll have Fei fei notify you when the official exam is scheduled.”

Jiang Yu stood to leave. “Thank you, Auntie!”

“Don’t mention it, I didn’t do much. You’ll have to rely on yourself,” Huang Ying said with a smile, waving her off.

Feeling elated as she left the Xie household, Jiang Yu considered this her first big success since coming to the city, it called for a celebration.

She decided to buy some marinated snacks on her way home.

Just as she stepped out of the state-run restaurant, she spotted He Tingyue’s figure.

Her eyes brightened, and she was about to greet him when suddenly, someone dashed past and snatched her wallet!