Chapter 23

Giving Him Hope, Only to Leave Him in Despair

Xu Jiajia turned toward the sound and saw Shen Zhou surrounded by a group of delinquents. He looked panicked and frightened.

One of the delinquents, a cocky-looking teenager, extended his hand arrogantly, demanding money. “Hand over all your cash, or we’ll beat you until even your parents can’t recognize you!”

Shen Zhou had spent his only fifty cents as a wedding gift for Xu Jiajia, leaving him penniless. “I don’t have any. I’m just a country bumpkin—where would I get money?”

The leader, about sixteen or seventeen, had a big mouth and a face resembling King Julien from Madagascar. His exaggerated expressions made him even more memorable.

“Hahaha… No money? You think we’re stupid? My buddy saw you with fifty cents a couple of days ago, and now you’re broke?!”

As he spoke, his exaggerated expressions made him look even more like King Julien.

Shen Zhou, outnumbered and outmatched, had no choice but to try and appease them. “I’m not lying. My brother just got married, and I gave that money as a wedding gift. How about this: I’ll go home today, ask my mom for fifty cents, and bring it to you tomorrow. Is that okay?”

The leader actually considered it. “What time tomorrow?”

Shen Zhou couldn’t believe the delinquents were this gullible. He was overjoyed but careful not to show it. “Same time as today. Does that work for you?”

He deliberately left the decision to the leader, making himself seem compliant.

“Alright,” the leader said, brushing his bangs aside.

One of the others seemed skeptical. “Boss, what if he tattles to his parents?”

The leader, known as “Big Ji,” scoffed and retorted, “Do you think he’d dare?”

Before the man could respond, Shen Zhou quickly chimed in, “I wouldn’t dare, I swear! I’m just a country boy; I’d never dare cross you city folks!”

Big Ji snorted in satisfaction. “Good, because if you snitch, I’ll beat you to the ground!”

Just as Big Ji finished his threat, he looked up and saw Xu Jiajia standing at the alley’s entrance. His eyes lit up, and he was visibly awestruck. Then, as if suddenly self-conscious, he turned to his gang and whispered, “Does my hair look okay?”

“It’s fine,” they replied.

Big Ji adjusted his collar and walked confidently toward Xu Jiajia. “Comrade, where are you headed? Let me escort you.”

Before Xu Jiajia could respond, Shen Zhou sprinted to her side, standing protectively in front of her. He glared at Big Ji. “If you have a problem, deal with me! Don’t you dare scare my sister-in-law!”

The words “sister-in-law” hit Big Ji like a thunderbolt. “W-what? She’s… married?”

The girl he had fallen for at first sight belonged to someone else.

It was like a cruel joke from the heavens—hope dangled before him, only to be snatched away.

Shen Zhou wasn’t naive. Seeing Big Ji’s peacock-like demeanor, he immediately knew what was going on. “That’s right. She’s my sister-in-law, and my brother is a soldier. If you dare harass her, he won’t let you off!”

Big Ji’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What nonsense are you spouting? Do I look like that kind of person?”

Worried his rough tone might scare Xu Jiajia, he quickly softened his voice. “Comrade, don’t listen to him. I’m a good citizen, not a hooligan.”

Big Ji’s gang: “…”
What’s with this sudden change? Is Big Ji really smitten?

Shen Zhou: “…”
This guy has two faces!

Xu Jiajia, however, remained calm. “Your name is Ji as in auspiciousness?”

Big Ji was stunned that the girl he admired remembered his name. He was so thrilled he began to stammer. “Y-yes… yes…”

Xu Jiajia couldn’t help but laugh at his nervousness. His stuttering reminded her of Su Wenxing’s iconic line from My Hero: “F-fly away!”

Her laughter was like a spring breeze, her crescent-shaped eyes utterly captivating.

Big Ji was mesmerized. His heart raced. So beautiful… I want to marry her!

Then he remembered she was already married. His excitement instantly turned into despair. “…”
It’s all my fault for showing up too late!

Xu Jiajia asked, “What are you doing here?”

Shen Zhou opened his mouth to explain, but Big Ji quickly covered it with his hand and grinned. “We’re just bonding.”

Shen Zhou frantically shook his head, muffled protests spilling out.
No, that’s not true! Sister-in-law, he’s lying! He’s a bad guy—don’t trust him!

Xu Jiajia had overheard Shen Zhou earlier but wanted confirmation. “Shen Zhou is just a student. Don’t bully him.”

Fearing she might misunderstand, Big Ji slung his arm around Shen Zhou like an old buddy. “Sister-in-law, we’re close! I’d never bully him.”

That “sister-in-law” threw everyone into confusion.

Moments ago, he had seemed ready to marry her.

Now, within seconds, he was calling her “sister-in-law.”

Even Shen Zhou was taken aback. Furious, he shoved Big Ji’s arm away. “That’s my sister-in-law! Stop calling her that!”

Big Ji grinned shamelessly. “We’re brothers, aren’t we? Your sister-in-law is my sister-in-law. Your parents are my parents.”

If he couldn’t be her husband, being family was the next best thing.

Shen Zhou was disgusted. “Who’s your brother? Shameless!”

Unbothered, Big Ji pulled a one-yuan note from his pocket and handed it to Shen Zhou. “Didn’t you say you’re broke? Take this. Use it however you like.”

The way he handed over the money made it seem like he was offering a fortune.

Shen Zhou, though poor, had his dignity. “I don’t want it.”

Chen Ji directly shoved something into his pocket. “Take it, we’re all brothers, no need to be polite.”

“You were in high school, right?”

Shen Zhou didn’t know why he was asking, but seeing no malice in Chen Ji’s tone, he nodded. “Yes.”

Chen Ji then shared some good news: “In ten days, there will be an internal recruitment at the machinery factory. Are you interested?”

Shen Zhou hadn’t expected such a pleasant surprise and was immediately excited. “I… can I really do it?”

But at the same time, Shen Zhou was puzzled.

Why was Chen Ji offering this opportunity to him instead of taking it for himself?

Chen Ji’s accomplice cleared up his confusion. “If we were better at studying, we wouldn’t have failed the exam.”

For state-owned factories like this, recruitment is usually done internally.

Most of the people eligible to take the exam are children of factory workers.

Even if they aren’t directly related, there are often other family connections to the factory.

Shen Zhou was baffled. With their good family backgrounds, why were they hanging out on the streets like this?

Xu Jiajia overheard their conversation and saw an opportunity. “Can I sign up?”

Chen Ji thought Xu Jiajia wanted to work and his eyes lit up. He quickly said, “Of course, you can. But it’s tough to pass. If you really want a job, I can have my dad help you get one.”

Chen Ji’s accomplices were stunned by this unexpected development and didn’t know what to say.

Xu Jiajia gave Chen Ji an incredulous look. “Do you even have a job?”

Chen Ji shook his head. “No, I don’t like being restricted. My whole family works in factories, and I’m the only one living off them. They can afford to support me.”

Shen Zhou: “…”

They can afford to support him, but he’s out here causing trouble on the streets? What kind of logic is that?

Xu Jiajia understood. This guy was a spoiled brat who hadn’t faced the harsh realities of life. “I still want to take the exam myself. I appreciate your offer, though.”

Chen Ji bashfully scratched his head. “No need to be so polite.”

Xu Jiajia smiled softly. “I want the machinery factory’s materials and past exam papers. Can you get them for me?”

Chen Ji was the youngest in his family. The month his mother became pregnant with him, the family had a streak of good fortune. The day he was born, his father became the deputy director of the machinery factory.

Everyone said he was lucky for the family, and even if he didn’t do anything, they all pampered him. Yet, he always felt something was missing.

But Xu Jiajia’s words made him feel energized. “Of course, I can! My dad is the deputy director of the factory, getting the materials will be easy for me.”

Shen Zhou was dumbfounded. “With such a powerful background, why are you still hanging out on the streets? Wouldn’t it be better to stay home and live as a young master?”

Chen Ji looked sad. “You don’t understand. I actually want to do private business, but the country won’t allow it. Sigh…”

Xu Jiajia didn’t expect this kid to have some intuition. “Just because it’s not allowed now doesn’t mean it won’t be in the future.”

Chen Ji seemed to have found a kindred spirit and became excited, speaking in a rush. “You… you think so too?”

Xu Jiajia didn’t directly respond. “Our country is just biding its time. When the time comes, it will shock the whole world.”

Chen Ji nodded eagerly, his head bobbing like garlic being crushed. “Yes, yes! I’ve always felt that way. I knew we were on the same wavelength!”

Xu Jiajia set a time to meet Chen Ji tomorrow and then returned to the guesthouse.

She lay in bed, thinking about the events of the past few days.

Before long, she fell asleep.

It wasn’t until she heard a knock at the door that she woke up.

Opening the door, she saw it was Shen Yuebai. She pulled him inside and excitedly shared the good news with him: “In ten days, there’s an exam at the machinery factory.”

Shen Yuebai could tell from her excitement what her plan was. “You want to take the exam?”

Xu Jiajia nodded. “Yes.”

Shen Yuebai had heard from his comrades that state-owned factories were hard to get into. Most workers either inherited their parents’ positions, bought their way in, or passed the exam. Of those who passed, most were children of workers.

Someone like Xu Jiajia, who had no such connections, would find it very difficult.

Unless her ancestors were particularly fortunate.

Shen Yuebai, concerned about the pressure Xu Jiajia might feel, comforted her. “Don’t worry about it too much. Just treat it as a test.”

Xu Jiajia hugged Shen Yuebai’s neck and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m so lucky to have you.”

After spending a lot of time with Xu Jiajia, Shen Yuebai had gotten used to her boldness. He pulled out two bath tickets and said, “Take your clothes, let’s go take a bath.”

Xu Jiajia gasped in amazement. “Wow, you’re amazing! You can get anything!”

Shen Yuebai: “…”

The bathhouse was not far from the guesthouse, just a five-minute walk.

It was on the second floor, with separate male and female areas.

This was Xu Jiajia’s first time in a bathhouse, and everything seemed so new to her.

She pulled back the thick cotton curtain of the women’s section, and a wave of hot air hit her face.

Standing at the entrance, she immediately saw a large mirror on the east wall, with a red-colored portrait of a great leader on it.

Above the mirror hung a hand-painted sign that read, “Serve the people,” giving the place a solemn and grand feel.

After passing through the changing room, she pushed open a red spring-loaded wooden door to find the bathing area. The sound of water flowed steadily, and steam filled the air. There were two large baths visible.

At this hour, there weren’t many people.

Xu Jiajia hung her clothes nearby, took off her military uniform, and entered the pool in just her undergarments.

She leaned against the ceramic tiles of the pool, cupping water in her hands and pouring it over her body.

The heat seeped into her skin, and beads of sweat began to form on her face.

Halfway through her bath, Xu Jiajia suddenly screamed, “Ahh!”