Chapter 98 : You still look charming now

Xu Lihua found it curious. “Are you really proud of that?”

Jiang Yu replied confidently, “My husband treats me well, so of course I’m proud! I say, Aunt Xu, what’s wrong with you? You spend all day minding other people’s business and do nothing yourself. You still have your charm, why not find another man while you’re still young? Once there’s a man in the house, you won’t feel so empty and lonely.”

People nearby laughed.

“That’s right! Old Xu only worries about others because she doesn’t have a man in her bed. If she had one, she wouldn’t have time to mind other people’s affairs.”

“Old Xu, you’re not even fifty yet! How about I introduce you to someone?”

“And stop fixating on Lin Rui. She married your son, not sold to your family, and she’ll remarry eventually.”

Xu Lihua spat, “It’s not like I don’t have a son, I’m not getting remarried! If I’m not marrying again, why should Lin Rui? I warn you all, don’t even think about Lin Rui! If I find out someone dares to date her, I’ll crash right into their door!”

Jiang Yu shook her head silently, deciding not to get involved further. She locked the courtyard door and pushed her bicycle out of the compound.

This was her first time riding a bike, and she wasn’t very skilled.

But thankfully, she didn’t fall. With more practice, she’d get the hang of it.

First, she went to the street office to find Yao Xiangling. When Ren Jie saw her, she looked over.

“Isn’t this little Jiang? That bike looks new! Did your boyfriend buy it for you?”

Jiang Yu smiled and shook her head. “It was my aunt who gave it to me as a part of my dowry.”

Ren Jie exclaimed, “Director Yao gave it to you? She really treats you well.”

She glanced back at Zhuang Yihang, who seemed mesmerized by Jiang Yu.

She felt a twinge of annoyance. He was now dating Zhang Xiyue, why was he still thinking about Jiang Yu?

“I heard you got married yesterday, congratulations!”

Seeing Jiang Yu’s glowing complexion, Ren Jie could tell she was doing well at her in-laws’.

Having been through it herself, she understood that Jiang Yu was being pampered by her husband, the allure in her eyes evident.

“Thank you, Ren Jie! I brought you some wedding candies, could you help me call my aunt? I need to deliver some clothes to her.”

The wedding candies were something Jiang Yu had tucked into her pocket, and upon receiving them, Ren Jie immediately smiled.

“I won’t be polite then, you’re not an outsider. Go right in, Director Yao is inside.”

Jiang Yu thanked her, ignoring Zhuang Yihang’s gaze, and knocked on the office door.

“Aunt!”

Yao Xiangling smiled and took off her glasses, pointing to a chair beside her.

“Sit down.”

Jiang Yu took out the cotton coat. “I won’t sit. I still need to deliver something to a friend. Please try on this cotton coat.”

Ren Jie had been paying attention and quickly came over when she saw Jiang Yu pull out a long cotton coat.

“Director Yao, did Xiao Jiang make this for you?”

Yao Xiangling smiled with satisfaction. “Yes, I told her I had plenty of clothes, but she insisted on making it for me. The last autumn outfit I wore was also made by her.”

Seeing her smile so brightly, with not a hint of blame, made Yao feel extremely pleased.

Ren Jie admired, “Xiao Jiang is really skillful, the stitching is tight, and it looks warm. She must have put a lot of effort into it.”

Just by looking at the cotton coat, one could tell it required a lot of fabric and cotton.

No wonder Yao Xiangling cared for Jiang Yu, the girl was truly thoughtful.

As Yao Xiangling tried on the cotton coat, she liked it more and more, but unfortunately, there was no mirror there.

“Is it a bit long?”

The length nearly covered her bottom.

Jiang Yu took her arm. “It’s not long. I actually wanted it longer, to cover the knees ideally, but I didn’t have enough fabric of the same color. You see, if the coat were shorter, the wind would blow right in during winter, it’s better to make it long.”

Ren Jie agreed, “Director Yao is tall, wearing a long coat won’t make her look shorter, and it’ll keep her warm.”

Yao Xiangling felt even more satisfied. “It seems the sewing machine really was worth it.”

Jiang Yu glanced at the time. “Aunt, I still need to make a trip to the supply and marketing cooperative, so I’ll be on my way.”

“Alright, on the day you return, go to Nanghe Village first, then come over for dinner in the afternoon,” Yao Xiangling instructed.

Jiang Yu responded affirmatively and rode away.

A couple of days ago, Xie Fei fei had been assigned to the supply and marketing cooperative to purchase cabbage and hadn’t even attended her wedding banquet. She wondered if she was back yet.

“Yang Jie, is Fei fei around?”

Jiang Yu was familiar with the people at the supply and marketing cooperative since she often visited.

“She’s back, but she’s on leave today. Just go to her house to find her!”

“Okay, thanks, Yang Jie! I got married yesterday, please share some candy with everyone for a sweet treat.”

Jiang Yu left a handful of wedding candies, and Yang Jie happily congratulated her.

She rode her bicycle to the Xie family, waiting at the door for a while before Huang Ying came to open it.

“Aunt, aren’t you working today?”

Huang Ying pulled her inside. “I knew Fei fei was coming back today, but she’s taking a day off, specially trading shifts with the newspaper office.”

Xie Fei fei rushed out of the room and gave Jiang Yu a big hug.

“Woo woo woo, I didn’t even get to eat your wedding banquet, what a pity!”

Huang Ying glared at her disapprovingly and gave her a light slap on the backside.

“You’re getting married soon, can’t you be a bit more composed?”

Jiang Yu looked surprised. “Is Fei fei getting married to Lin Changan too?”

Xie Fei fei giggled. “They’re proposing at the end of the month, with a tentative wedding date next month.”

November in North City wasn’t too cold yet, making it a suitable time for a wedding.

If they waited until winter set in, it would be tricky, they’d have to wait until spring.

Xie Jinchang and Huang Ying thought it better to do it sooner rather than later.

Lin Changan had no objections; he held his own household registration, so he could move in anytime.

“Then this cotton is just right to send over.”

What Jiang Yu was carrying was exactly five pounds of cotton.

The three members of the Xie family exchanged surprised looks.

“Cotton?!”

Xie Fei fei immediately opened the bag. “Jiang Yu, where did you get so much cotton?”

Jiang Yu said meaningfully, “Who knows? I managed to get it. This is a gift for you, use it to make a couple of outfits.”

Huang Ying and Xie Jinchang were deeply moved.

Cotton wasn’t expensive, it only cost sixty-five cents at the supply and marketing cooperative.

But it was in high demand!

Once winter came, it would be gone before they could even fight for it.

Huang Ying took Jiang Yu’s hand, feeling immensely grateful.

“I was just worried, with Fei fei getting married, I need to prepare new quilts and make her a couple of cotton coats and pants.”

And even this five pounds wasn’t enough.

With the way Lin Changan’s family was, they wouldn’t prepare anything for him either, so she had to make him two new outfits as well.

That would mean she’d need to get at least ten more pounds of cotton for herself and Xie Jinchang.

Jiang Yu understood immediately. “Aunt, calculate how much more you need, and I’ll do my best to get it for you. But I’ll tell you first, this cotton is more expensive than at the cooperative.”

Huang Ying knew that too, she had asked in the black market before, where it cost a dollar ten per pound.

She didn’t think the price was high, she just couldn’t get any.

“If you can get it, I don’t mind the price.”

Jiang Yu calculated, “Ninety cents per pound? That’s the price I’m giving you. Others would charge a dollar.”

Huang Ying agreed immediately.