Chapter 17 : She was almost bitten by a dog

The next day, Xie Fei fei went to find Jiang Yu and mentioned inviting her over for dinner.

Jiang Yu wasn’t sure about Xie Fei fei’s parents’ background, but she figured they were likely just basic workers at the factory.

Having three working members in the family was already quite good.

Thinking that having more friends means more opportunities, Jiang Yu naturally wouldn’t refuse.

However, the date Xie Fei fei mentioned coincided with Jiang Ting’s visit back home.

“What’s up? Do you have something on that day?” Xie Fei fei noticed her hesitation and quickly added, “We can change the date.”

Jiang Yu hurriedly replied, “No need to change it, I’m free.”

Xie Fei fei nodded. “Great, it’s settled then.”

But on the day of Jiang Ting’s visit, Jiang Yu detoured to her aunt’s house.

“Let’s go, you’re coming back with me.”

Jiang Yu found this strange, feeling as if Jiang Ting was afraid she would escape.

“I have something to do, I’ll go back in the afternoon. You go ahead.”

But Jiang Ting insisted on pulling her along.

“We agreed to go back today,- you have to come with me!”

Jiang Yu pushed her away, visibly impatient. “What’s the difference when we go back? I said I’d return in the afternoon, so what’s the rush?”

Jiang Ting was flustered, worried that Jiang Yu would see through her intentions.

“I’m not rushing, I just think it’s convenient. Since I’m going back anyway, it’s better if you come with me.”

Jiang Yu chuckled. “Can you ride the bicycle with me on it? Should I have your man chase after us, or will you be the one chasing, letting your man carry me?”

Jiang Ting’s expression darkened. “Are you dreaming?”

“Then why are you so anxious about when I go back?” Jiang Yu retorted.

Glancing at the time, she realized she couldn’t just drop by at mealtime, she needed to arrive earlier.

Jiang Yu lost interest in continuing the conversation. “I’ll go back when I’m ready, you don’t need to worry about me. You should head back now.”

With that, she ran off.

After having asked for Xie Fei fei’s address a couple of days earlier, Jiang Yu, unfamiliar with the city, wandered around for a while but still ended up in an alley.

Just as she was about to ask someone for directions, she spotted He Tingyue and Sun Zailiang.

After a moment of hesitation, she walked over.

“Comrade Sun!”

Sun Zailiang’s eyes lit up. “Comrade Jiang Yu, what are you doing here?”

Jiang Yu smiled. “I made plans to have dinner at Xie Fei fei’s house, but I can’t find her place.”

“Xie Fei fei?” Sun Zailiang was visibly surprised. “She invited you over for dinner?”

Jiang Yu smiled knowingly at him.

“Yep! I helped her with something, and her parents wanted to thank me, so they invited me over. I felt awkward refusing, so I decided to go.”

Sun Zailiang was still regretting offending Xie Fei fei but hadn’t expected that while he struggled to gain the favor of a girl, Jiang Yu would have it so easy.

“What did you help her with?”

Jiang Yu smirked and tilted her head playfully. “She almost got bitten by a dog, and I helped her out. If she had gotten bitten, it would have taken quite a chunk out of her!”

Sun Zailiang’s eyes widened. “She almost got bitten by a dog? When did that happen? Whose dog was so fierce?”

Jiang Yu giggled, covering her mouth. “Just a stray dog. Comrade Sun, why are you so concerned? Are you planning to play the hero next time? You care so much about female comrades, doesn’t your girlfriend mind?”

Sun Zailiang’s expression stiffened. “What girlfriend?”

“Oh, isn’t that female worker from the second factory your girlfriend? I saw you give her a red scarf. When are you getting married? I assume you won’t invite me, so I’ll just say congratulations in advance.”

Jiang Yu’s smile remained, but it made Sun Zailiang uncomfortable, as if she were implying something deeper.

“Comrade Jiang Yu, you’re mistaken, that’s my sister.”

Jiang Yu was taken aback. “Your sister? You city folks sure know how to have fun, even kissing your sister? Oh, I get it,who can say a sister isn’t a sister? Alright, I’m off then.”

She waved and headed towards Xie Fei fei’s house.

Sun Zailiang was furious. “What kind of person is she?”

He Tingyue shot him a cold glance.

Sun Zailiang quickly clarified, “Don’t misunderstand, Brother Yue, I really have no relationship with that female worker.”

Then, as if casually, he added, “But Jiang Yu is something else. At first, she acted all high and mighty, and then she started chatting me up, and now she’s cozying up to the vice factory director’s family.”

He Tingyue didn’t respond directly but asked quietly, “Did you pursue Xie Fei fei?”

It hit too close to home.

Sun Zailiang’s face changed dramatically. “She didn’t agree to me, we have no relationship!”

It was because Xie Fei fei hadn’t agreed that he felt free to act this way.

Otherwise, that would have been downright sleazy.

He Tingyue snorted and walked away, sharp-tongued.

Sun Zailiang likely still didn’t realize that the “dog” Jiang Yu referred to was him.

Meanwhile, the “sharp-tongued” Jiang Yu had arrived at Xie Fei fei’s home.

Xie Fei fei hurriedly pulled her inside. “Why are you so late?”

Jiang Yu replied, “I couldn’t find your house at first, and then I ran into Sun Zailiang, it was really unlucky.”

Xie Fei fei laughed, clearly relating to her experience. “That was indeed unlucky.”

She led Jiang Yu into the house. “These are my parents.”

“Hello, Uncle and Auntie,” Jiang Yu greeted confidently.

Huang Ying’s eyes lit up as she stood up to shake Jiang Yu’s hand.

“Old Xie, I’ve been in Beicheng for so many years, but I’ve never seen a girl as beautiful as Jiang Yu.”

Not only was she pretty, but her eyes were bright, and her demeanor was graceful, Huang Ying liked her at first glance, feeling she must be a good person.

Xie Jinchang smiled at Xie Fei fei. “With your friend here, you’ve been overshadowed.”

Xie Fei fei laughed heartily. “So what? I recognized Jiang Yu at a glance, she’s just more attractive than the others.”

Jiang Yu teased, “If I weren’t good-looking, would you not be friends with me?”

“Of course not, but we definitely wouldn’t have gotten to know each other so quickly,” Xie Fei fei winked mischievously.

Huang Ying went to the kitchen to prepare the meal.

“That’s my Aunt Jing, who came over from Nanshi with my mom, she makes really authentic Huaiyang cuisine, so eat plenty when it’s ready.”

In reality, she was a nanny, but they couldn’t say that publicly, so they described her as a distant relative helping out.

Once seated for dinner, Huang Ying started chatting with Jiang Yu about her background.

When the topic of education came up, Jiang Yu said, “I only completed junior high, my family conditions weren’t good, so I couldn’t continue.”

That junior high education was a result of her crying and pleading, Wang Meili wouldn’t support her for high school.

Plus, during her middle school years, many high schools had shut down, so attending wouldn’t have made much sense.

Huang Ying sighed, “What a shame. Otherwise, with a smart girl like you, your grades would surely have been excellent.”

Jiang Yu thought to herself that Xie Fei fei must have inherited Huang Ying’s preference for looks.

As long as someone was good, everything else seemed to be good too.