Chapter 12

Among her aunt’s relatives, she was probably the only one her aunt truly trusted.

If her aunt hadn’t clearly stated from the start that she wasn’t allowed to sell the job to family members, she would’ve borrowed money if she had to—just to buy the job herself.

But as long as she could sell the job within three days, she would get a fifty yuan commission. With that money, her little household would be much more comfortable.

“If you can bring the money, my aunt and I can take you to the supply and marketing cooperative to finalize everything today,” said Chen Fan, trying to persuade her. “Sis, being a sales clerk at the cooperative is such a respectable job—people envy it when they hear about it. If you miss this opportunity, where else are you going to find something this good?”

If the job wasn’t sold soon, her aunt wouldn’t be able to wait. Her older cousin was already pushing hard, and her cousin-in-law, who had never raised a child, was also eager to start working. Plus, they were afraid that her aunt’s family might find out and stir up trouble.

When Jiang Yao heard that the job could be transferred today, she was sorely tempted. If she delayed too long, she feared something might go wrong. But if she went to handle the procedures now, she’d definitely be heading home in the dark.

Still, this was a rare and precious job in this particular era—whether for someone from the countryside or the city.

It would be a real pity to miss out.

Jiang Yao thought maybe she should toughen up a bit—walking at night once in a while wasn’t a big deal.

If they finished quickly and she only ended up walking halfway in the dark, it would be fine.

She took a deep breath and smiled at Sister Chen.
“Alright, just wait for me a moment. I’ll go with you to get it done.”

“Great! But you need to hurry. If the cooperative closes, it’ll delay everything.”

“Mhm.”

“I’ll just go inform my aunt—see you at the supply and marketing cooperative!”
Chen Fan waved at her, then stepped back into the state-owned restaurant to notify her co-worker before heading toward the cooperative.

“Alright, Sister Chen.”

Jiang Yao glanced at Xu Shaojun, who was waiting not far away, and walked over with small steps.
“Comrade Xu, something came up last minute. I’ll be delayed getting back—don’t want to waste your time. I can head back on my own later.”

Xu Shaojun’s Adam’s apple moved slightly before he spoke.
“It’s alright. I’ll go with you. A young girl like you being out late isn’t safe.”

“Next time you come into town, it’d be better to bring a family member along.”

He didn’t ask her why she suddenly had business to attend to—he simply insisted on escorting her back to the Qianjin Brigade.

Jiang Yao couldn’t argue with him and felt a little deflated. While job-selling was an open secret among regular folks, having a soldier tail her while she bought a job made her anxious.

What if this Comrade Xu was the type who upheld justice strictly and didn’t approve of private transactions? What if he decided to report them to the police?

“Comrade Xu, I really don’t want to take up your time. You’re a soldier—your time is much more valuable than ours.”

She gave him a flattering smile, hoping he’d change his mind.

“No trouble at all. I’m on leave for a few days—it’s not a bother.”
Xu Shaojun was momentarily distracted by her smile. His hand, which was in his pocket, subtly fidgeted.

“Comrade Xu, the matter I need to handle with my sister-in-law is quite private. It’s really not convenient for you to come along.”
Jiang Yao emphasized the word “inconvenient,” hoping he’d pick up on the hint and excuse himself.

“If it’s inconvenient for me to be there, I can wait nearby while you take care of things—and I’ll watch your bicycle too.”

Xu Shaojun didn’t feel comfortable letting her wander off alone. After all, he had offered to escort her home—it was only right to ensure her safety.

“That’s too much trouble, Comrade Xu. Why not wait here? It’s cool under the tree—better than getting sunburned by following me around.”
Jiang Yao racked her brain for an excuse to stop him from going with her.

“Comrade Jiang, there could be traffickers lurking in town. For your safety, I really think it’s best if I go with you.”

The mention of traffickers made Jiang Yao’s head throb. She realized her own safety came first and gave a sheepish smile.

“Well… actually, Comrade Xu, I came to town today to look for work.”

“As it happens, a distant sister-in-law helped me find a job. I’m just going to do the onboarding paperwork now.”

Since Xu Shaojun insisted on tagging along, there was no way to keep the job a secret. Saying it was arranged by family sounded a lot better than admitting to a black-market deal.

In this era, selling jobs like this wasn’t officially allowed. Unlike her original time, where it was all regulated and legal, such deals now were illegal.

If caught during a crackdown, forget jail—being dragged out and shot was a possibility.

“Congratulations, Comrade Jiang. It’s getting late—you’d best hurry and go meet your sister-in-law for the paperwork.”

Xu Shaojun’s expression remained calm, as if he were just hearing about what she had for lunch.

Just as Jiang Yao was finishing up with Xu Shaojun, a man suddenly stormed over, clutching a few vegetable leaves in his hand.

“Jiang Yao, what’s your relationship with him? Why are you here with him?”

His accusatory tone caught Jiang Yao off guard. The original owner of this body had spent the past few years buried in her studies, completely ignoring the outside world, and didn’t even have any close male friends.

Who was this guy?
What right did he have to question her like that?

“Comrade, I don’t think I know you.”

“Comrade, Jiang already said she doesn’t know you. Whatever our relationship is, it’s none of your concern,” Xu Shaojun said as he stepped in front of Jiang Yao. He didn’t like the look of this guy—there was something about him that made his temper stir.

“I’m from the same commune as Jiang Yao! We even went to junior high together for three years. At the very least, we’re old classmates—why can’t I be concerned about her?”
Deng Hongda retorted defensively. Even though they’d never been in the same class and Jiang Yao didn’t even know who he was, he’d already sent someone to propose marriage on his behalf.

He figured he was a good match for her—no one could be more suitable.

“Classmates?”
Jiang Yao searched the original owner’s memories. Nope—this guy didn’t ring a bell. She glanced up at the state-owned restaurant’s sign. Could this be the guy her family wanted her to meet?

She wasn’t sure. In the memory that mysterious voice had shown her, the cold and heartless husband’s face had been deliberately blurred.

“Jiang Yao, you really don’t remember? I’m Deng Hongda! I always sat at the table next to you during meals!”
Deng Hongda sounded annoyed—how could she forget him? If she weren’t such a good student, and one of the prettiest girls around, he wouldn’t even have considered marrying her!

“Uh…” Jiang Yao was speechless.
“I don’t remember.”

So it was Deng Hongda.
Just her luck. What a pain.