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Chapter 30 Qin Yajuan Steals Snacks

The spacious living room was left with only Qin Yajuan. She slumped on the sofa in dejection. She had come back today intending to plead with Lin Jianbai. Only now did she realize she had chosen the wrong path.

Getting into the paper mill was indeed a good job. She didn’t deny it. It was tiring and a bit hard, but for a country girl like her, that was nothing. Plus, with more than thirty yuan a month in wages and food and lodging provided, it was far better than Xu Jingchu, who was stuck being a live-in nanny under someone else’s roof.

And from the looks of it today, Qin Yajuan could already guess—Xu Jingchu must have hit a wall with Lin Tingjun, so she had shifted her target to another man.

By rights, she should feel content. But! There was no Wang Yuejin in the paper mill! Or more precisely, there was no the Wang Yuejin she wanted to find!

From her very first day at work, she had been asking the older masters around her about Wang Yuejin.

“There’s no one by that name in our workshop, but I can ask around in the others for you,” one of them offered warmly. “What are you asking about him for?”

Since she was asking for a favor, she had to come up with an excuse. So she made something up on the spot:

“My mom said once when she came to the city to run errands, some hooligans stole her purse, but a young man chased it back for her. She’s always wanted to thank him. She only knows his name was Wang Yuejin, and that he worked at the paper mill.”

Hearing it was about repaying a kindness, the masters grew even more eager to help her look. By the next day, they had results—but their expressions were a bit awkward.

“Yajuan, are you sure your mom got the name right? Wang Yuejin?”

“Yes, Wang Yuejin.” Qin Yajuan confirmed again. She couldn’t admit she was looking for a potential partner. But why did the masters’ expressions look like those of someone who knew an uncomfortable secret, like a wife at home asking about a husband who had a second family elsewhere?

“Are you really sure?” they pressed again.

“Of course I’m sure. If you know something, please just say it. I only want to repay a favor, not intrude in anyone’s life.”

“There are three people named Wang Yuejin in our factory. One is an old man over fifty who tends the boiler—that doesn’t match your mom’s description of a young man.”

“The second is a notorious loafer here. He only got his position by taking his father’s slot, never works properly, just idles around.”

“And the third?” Qin Yajuan asked impatiently.

“The third…” The masters looked even more uncomfortable. “The third is a woman.”

“A woman named Wang Yuejin?” Qin Yajuan was floored.

“Why not? Why can’t a woman be called Wang Yuejin?” A young, energetic woman clapped her on the shoulder. “Sister, I’m Wang Yuejin. Heard you’ve been asking all over the factory about me, so I came straight to meet you.”

Out of politeness, Qin Yajuan forced a smile. “Nice to meet you, Sister Yuejin.”

“If your mom was sure the person she met worked here, then the most likely one is that second Wang Yuejin. Maybe he was in a good mood that day and did a good deed,” others suggested helpfully.

“If you feel awkward, we can even ask him for you.”

Qin Yajuan waved her hands quickly in refusal. Her excuse had been fabricated; if they really asked, she’d be exposed. “Maybe I heard wrong, maybe it wasn’t this factory. I’ve troubled you all enough.”

Still… a notorious loafer? She thought grimly. If she stayed at the mill a few more days, she’d surely find out. But deep down, she already knew it wasn’t him.

The Wang Yuejin she remembered wasn’t outstanding at work, but he definitely wasn’t a loafer. She had no desire to tangle with that kind of man—what if it led to trouble?

But the name Wang Yuejin was just too common. If he wasn’t in this factory, finding him would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

The packaging line at the mill paid well, though the work was dirty and tiring. Compared to the army office clerk job the Lin family had arranged for her in her past life, it was far inferior. And without Wang Yuejin here, she regretted her choice.

Army clerk… Lin Jianbai had mentioned something about finding another job for her. Could it be that very position? Qin Yajuan decided to head back to the Lin household to check.

That Friday, since she got off work early, she bought two jin of fruit and carried them into the military compound. People she passed greeted her warmly—these were all people of status outside, yet here they greeted her.

Pride welled up in her, but so did discomfort. In her previous life, she had enjoyed this treatment for a lifetime. If she chose Wang Yuejin now, soon everyone would forget her.

When she entered the house, she immediately saw Xu Jingchu huddled together with Shang Liling, and her mood soured even more. She remembered Shang Liling too—in her previous life, after university, he stayed on to become a professor. If Xu Jingchu married him… that would be even worse than marrying Lin Tingjun. Honestly, Xu Jingchu ought to go back to the countryside and marry some poor bachelor. In her opinion, Lai Zi would suit her fine.

The pile of scratch paper on the table proved Xu Jingchu and Shang Liling really had been studying just now. Still, in Qin Yajuan’s eyes, Xu Jingchu was a fox spirit who knew how to use “studying” as an excuse to hook men—every time she tried, it worked. She decided she would tell on her once Uncle Lin and Auntie Zhang came back.

Ignoring her, Xu Jingchu went out with a basket to buy vegetables. When she returned, sure enough, Qin Yajuan was sprawled on the sofa like a queen, watching TV and munching on Lin Tingyu’s snacks.

“Those are Tingyu’s snacks. The child only lets himself eat a little each day. Don’t eat them,” Xu Jingchu stopped her. Qin Yajuan had no manners at all—taking without asking was stealing, a basic principle she didn’t seem to understand.

The snacks had been left in a cabinet, unlocked and unarranged. Qin Yajuan truly hadn’t realized they belonged to Tingyu. She had just been hungry, found them tasty, and once she started, she hadn’t been able to stop.

But being caught red-handed was embarrassing! She stiffened and shot back, “Xu Jingchu, do you really think you’re the mistress of the Lin household? When Uncle Lin and Auntie Zhang are here, I can eat whatever I like. Now that they’re not home, what right do you have to stop me?”

“Taking without asking is stealing. If I catch a thief and stand up to stop them, don’t you think I have every right?” Xu Jingchu rolled her eyes and went straight into the kitchen. She’d explain things to Tingyu later—it was important to teach children from a young age to defend their own interests.

Xu Jingchu’s unexpected calm made Qin Yajuan panic. If she let it go that easily, she must be planning something behind the scenes. Qin Yajuan decided she had to strike first.

Without making a fuss, she emptied the snacks into the bag she’d brought, leaving only a thin layer at the bottom, then went back to watching TV, waiting for the Lin family to return.

“Yajuan, you’re back today?” Lin Jianbai looked a little surprised to see her on the sofa.

She had been working at the factory for over two months, and aside from the occasional phone call, she had never asked to come home.

Given all the trouble she had caused before, Lin Jianbai had judged her not to be a good seed. Since she hadn’t come back on her own, he had thought giving her a stable job was repayment enough. If she stayed away, all the better.

“Uncle Lin, Auntie Zhang, I brought some fruit to visit you,” Qin Yajuan said with a gentle, false smile. “The factory kept me busy lately, but this weekend I had some time, so I hurried back.”

“Good, good. Come back whenever you have time. This will always be your home,” Zhang Qiuyun replied with perfect politeness.

While the adults exchanged pleasantries, Lin Tingyu made a beeline for his snacks. He never let himself eat them all at once—just a little each day. Snacks were the happiest part of his day.

“Oh no, where did all my snacks go?!” Tingyu cried, rummaging through the cabinet again and again, but they were really gone.

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