Chapter 26: Making Her Furious

Xia Ruanruan quickly memorized everything.

A few days later, the teacher had taught her all he knew.

Then he said, “I don’t know much more, but I can recommend a proper guitar teacher for you.”

“But he doesn’t live around here—he only comes back occasionally.”

“When he returns, I’ll tell him about you. He’ll probably be happy to teach you.”

Xia Ruanruan wasn’t aiming to be a professional guitarist, but being able to play a few songs was nice.

And if having another teacher helped her blend in, she was all for it.

“That would be great! I’d really appreciate it.”

The music teacher nodded. “Alright, when he comes back, I’ll mention it to him.”

“Thank you, teacher!”

The teacher waved his hand. “No problem.”

With the guitar lessons at school wrapping up, the weather had turned to late autumn.

Xia Ruanruan pulled out the gray khaki jacket that the original owner had left behind—just wearing a light sweater wasn’t enough anymore.

One morning, she opened her door just as Huo Beiqing finished washing up. He paused when he saw what she was wearing.

During breakfast, he asked, “Do you still have enough money for groceries?”

Xia Ruanruan recalled the wages he had given her before and nodded. “Yes, I still have about a few dozen yuan left!”

It wasn’t a lot, but as long as she didn’t buy big-ticket items like clothes or bedding, it would be more than enough for food. She calculated that it could last another month, so she really did have enough.

Huo Beiqing lowered his gaze slightly and didn’t say anything.

But when Sunday came, Xia Ruanruan woke up to find Huo Beiqing already in the kitchen making breakfast.

Yawning, she asked, “Doctor Huo, why are you up so early today?”

“Mm, it’s Sunday. I need to go buy some things.”

After setting down two bowls of porridge, he added, “Come with me.”

Before she could refuse, he continued, “After that, we’ll visit home.”

“Oh… okay.” Xia Ruanruan belatedly realized that she hadn’t visited the Huo family home in over half a month, even though her school was nearby.

She felt embarrassed—when she left, she had told her mother-in-law she’d visit in a few days.

Now she’d probably think she was a liar.

After breakfast, Huo Beiqing led Xia Ruanruan outside. They ran into several doctors and their families, who all greeted him warmly.

One thin woman, in particular, gave Huo Beiqing a polite greeting—but her eyes lingered on Xia Ruanruan several times with an unfriendly gaze.

Xia Ruanruan didn’t know who she was, but her instincts told her that look wasn’t a good one.

So as soon as they walked past, she asked Huo Beiqing, “Who was that?”

Huo Beiqing was quick to understand who she meant. “Director Jiang—she’s Doctor Jiang’s aunt.”

Doctor Jiang? Xia Ruanruan immediately recalled.

She still remembered overhearing Jiang Ruoman and Sun Zhenzhen talking in the hospital restroom. They had mentioned that Jiang Ruoman had been assigned under Director Wang because of her aunt’s connections.

Thinking of this, Xia Ruanruan turned her head slightly to glance back.

To her surprise, Director Jiang was still staring at her, her expression unfriendly.

Without hesitation, Xia Ruanruan rolled her eyes, then turned back and boldly linked her arm around Huo Beiqing’s.

The two were walking side by side when Xia Ruanruan suddenly hooked her arm around Huo Beiqing’s, making him stiffen for a moment.

Leaning closer to him, she muttered indignantly, “That Jiang Director is glaring daggers at me. I’m going to make her furious.”

Huo Beiqing heard her words and glanced back. Sure enough, Jiang Director’s expression was anything but friendly—she looked like she wanted to eat Xia Ruanruan alive.

His gaze instantly turned cold.

Noticing his look, Jiang Director flinched, quickly shifting her focus to the person beside her, not daring to stare at Xia Ruanruan anymore. Still, she stole a few guilty glances at Huo Beiqing, only relaxing slightly once she was sure he wasn’t looking her way anymore.

Even though she was seething inside, she didn’t dare glare at Xia Ruanruan again.

She had gone to great lengths to place her delicate and beautiful niece beside Huo Beiqing as an intern. If she claimed it was only for career growth, she’d be lying. Her real hope was that her niece could win Huo Beiqing’s heart and climb up the social ladder by marrying into the Huo family.

Who could have expected an unexpected rival to appear out of nowhere?

If Xia Ruanruan had been from a prestigious family, Jiang Director wouldn’t have felt so resentful. But she was just some shameless woman from the countryside.

And worse, this shameless country girl had even tarnished her niece’s reputation at the hospital!

Now, thanks to Xia Ruanruan, her niece’s name was so tainted that finding a decent young man in the hospital to marry would be difficult.

Just thinking about it made Jiang Director’s blood boil.

Meanwhile, some of the doctors and their families nearby had noticed the tension. One of them commented while watching Huo Beiqing and Xia Ruanruan walk away, “Huo Doctor’s wife is certainly bold.”

Another chuckled. “Exactly. Behind closed doors, they can do whatever they want, but out in public like this…”

The group shared knowing laughter.

Someone else added, “If this were a few years ago, they’d be criticized for setting a bad example.”

Another person sneered, “Wasn’t Huo Doctor’s wife supposed to be from the countryside?”

“I’d say she looks even more flashy than city girls.”

A woman beside them nudged the speaker. “Hey, don’t lump all city women together.”

“The flashy ones are always those who move to the city. The things that happen in rural areas—ugh, I can’t even say them out loud.”

Though she claimed she couldn’t, she still gossiped anyway. “You know, stuff like fathers-in-law having affairs with daughters-in-law, younger brothers-in-law and elder sisters-in-law… it’s all scandalous.”

The others made disgusted faces but didn’t stop talking. Soon, they shifted topics to Xia Ruanruan again, even bringing up how she had been seen carrying a guitar around.

“She’s just a muddy loach that touched the ocean and now thinks she’s seafood.”

“She has no idea what she really is. Always acting so flirtatious… Sooner or later, she’ll cross a line.”

The gossip swirled, but thankfully, Xia Ruanruan wasn’t around to hear it. Otherwise, she would’ve fought back immediately.

By then, she had already loosened her grip on Huo Beiqing’s arm, letting go once they had walked out of that residential area.

Huo Beiqing glanced at his now-empty arm but said nothing.

Instead, he led her toward the car. When they reached it, Xia Ruanruan was about to get into the backseat, but Huo Beiqing opened the passenger door for her.

She quickly climbed in, fastening her seatbelt as soon as she sat down.

Just as Huo Beiqing reached over to help, he noticed she had already secured it herself.

His hand paused midair.