Chapter 8

He Shanshan was a little flustered. She didn’t know if he had heard her say those harsh words just now. If he had, would it leave a bad impression? While she was lost in thought, she saw Lu Jingzhe just standing there coldly, saying nothing.

“He probably didn’t hear,” He Shanshan comforted herself and hurriedly said, “I’ll go to my room and change clothes.”

Then she bypassed Lu Jingzhe and quickly returned to her room.

When Xia Qingning came out with the water, Lu Jingzhe had already sat back down on the chair in the living room. She carried the water into the room, soaked the clothes she wanted to wash, combed her hair again, and walked out of the room with the two thermoses. She filled the two thermoses with water from the aluminum kettle on the coal stove in the courtyard and sent them back to Li Qiulian’s house.

Li Qiulian took the thermoses and found that they were full of water. She asked in confusion:

“You didn’t use the water?”

“I did. I thought you might need hot water too, so I filled it up and brought it back.” Xia Qingning replied.

Li Qiulian didn’t expect her to think of that. She felt relieved and said that the water wasn’t given in vain.

“Thank you, Aunt Li. I’ll go back now.” Xia Qingning sincerely thanked her. Li Qiulian was one of the few people in the courtyard who was kind to the original owner.

Seeing that she was about to leave, Li Qiulian’s daughter, Maimiao, looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, she couldn’t hold it back and asked:

“Did you braid your own hair?”

“Yes, I did.” Xia Qingning answered frankly. Actually, she had already noticed that Maimiao had been constantly stealing glances at her hairstyle.

“That…” Maimiao hesitated for a moment, a little embarrassed, and asked, “Can you teach me?”

She knew that she had been rude to Xia Qingning before. Now that she needed her help, she naturally felt a little awkward. But Xia Qingning’s hairstyle was so beautiful, and she didn’t care about losing face.

“No problem. Besides this one, I can braid many other styles. I can teach you all of them.” Xia Qingning didn’t mind her previous attitude towards her at all. She said generously.

“Really?” Maimiao’s eyes lit up. She didn’t expect Xia Qingning to be so forgiving and agree so readily. She felt a little more fondness for her.

“How about this, I’ll come to your house tomorrow after work and teach you.” Xia Qingning thought for a moment and said.

“Okay, okay, okay. I’ll wait for you.” Maimiao nodded repeatedly.

After they agreed, Xia Qingning waved goodbye to her. After she left, Maimiao suddenly turned to Li Qiulian and said:

“Mom, don’t you think she’s a little different from before?”

Actually, Maimiao didn’t need to say anything. Li Qiulian had noticed it too. Although she always thought that Xia Qingning wasn’t good enough for Lu Jingzhe and she was disgusted by what she had done before, they had already gotten a marriage certificate, which meant they were family. She still hoped that they could live a good life together.

After delivering the thermoses, Xia Qingning returned home and found Lu Jingzhe leaning back in a chair with his eyes closed. The strict discipline of the army was ingrained in his bones, and even his posture was upright.

He had been on the train for so long, he must have been really tired. Seeing him like this, knowing that she had taken his room and he had nowhere to rest, Xia Qingning felt a little guilty. She walked over and gently patted him, lowering her head and whispering:

“I changed the sheets. Go into the room and rest for a while.”

Lu Jingzhe opened his eyes when he was woken up and saw Xia Qingning’s delicate and beautiful face. For a moment, he couldn’t tell if it was real or a dream.

“Go to bed and rest for a while.” Xia Qingning said again when she saw him wake up. Her voice was soft, but her expression was natural and confident, not at all awkward.

“Mm.” Lu Jingzhe woke up and responded, not refusing.

At this time, He Shanshan, who had finally chosen clothes and changed in the room, came out. But as soon as she reached the door, she saw Xia Qingning reaching out to pat her blind date and whispering to him. She instantly became furious.

She wanted to rush out and teach Xia Qingning a lesson, but she thought that it might leave a bad impression on the man, so she held back. But the next second, she saw the man stand up and walk directly towards Xia Qingning’s room.

How could she bear it? She strode over to the man, blocking his path, and asked angrily:

“What are you going to her room for?” Before he could speak, she turned her head and pointed her finger at Xia Qingning, firing off a barrage of accusations:

“You, Xia Qingning, your own husband doesn’t want you, so you’re trying to steal another man’s attention? I said, why did you dress up so seductively today? It turns out you were trying to attract my man. You’re so shameless!”

Looking at He Shanshan, who was like a shrew, and listening to her vulgar words, Lu Jingzhe couldn’t help but frown. He coldly said in disgust:

“If you can’t speak properly, shut your mouth! If you can’t shut your mouth, get back to your own house!”

Hearing this, Xia Qingning understood. He Shanshan didn’t know Lu Jingzhe. She thought he was her blind date.

He Shanshan, who had been reprimanded, was stunned on the spot. She had never been humiliated like this before, especially by the man she liked. She couldn’t take it anymore. Tears welled up in her eyes. She pointed at Lu Jingzhe and Xia Qingning and said:

“You…you…”

At this time, Wang Mingfang walked into the house, carrying several lunchboxes. Her son, Lu Lidong, and her daughter-in-law, Yao Hongmei, who was holding a child, were behind her.

He Shanshan saw her mother and felt like she had found a backing. She instantly gained confidence, grabbed Wang Mingfang’s arm, pointed at Lu Jingzhe and Xia Qingning, and said:

“Mom, you’re back. They’re ganging up on me. Xia Qingning just seduced him in front of me. If I hadn’t stopped them, they were about to go to the room together…”

He Shanshan, who was in a fit of anger, accused them one by one, completely failing to notice that everyone who had just returned looked embarrassed.

“You child, they’re a couple. Why can’t they go into one room?” Wang Mingfang quickly pulled He Shanshan, who was in a rage, and reminded her.

“A couple?” He Shanshan looked at Lu Jingzhe in surprise, and blurted out, “Isn’t he here to meet me for a blind date?”