Zheng Jiaojiao thought she had been observing discreetly enough, but Xu Xiaoyue still noticed her gaze.  

Xu Xiaoyue glanced back at her. In the novel, Xu Xiaoyue was nothing more than a cannon-fodder supporting character, while Zheng Jiaojiao—she was the beloved female lead of a sweet romance.  

Technically speaking, Zheng Jiaojiao was only a distant relative of the Yan family, barely connected by blood. She was merely staying with them as a guest.

Zheng Jiaojiao was also the name of her real-life best friend. For some reason, the author hadn’t shaped this character into a great beauty. In terms of appearance, she was just plain and unremarkable.

Who would have thought that such an ordinary face could, in the end, conquer everyone in the compound with her kindness and become the “white moonlight” in the hearts of all the men.

Liu Ye glanced at Zheng Jiaojiao, who was standing behind Yan Shuli. She had originally wanted to bring up the childhood engagement but ended up swallowing her words.

Following the rule of being a courteous guest, Xu Xiaoyue was arranged to share a room with Zheng Jiaojiao.

The first thing Xu Xiaoyue did after settling in was to take out the coat given to her by that man on the train and carefully wash it.

Even after several hours, the cool, woody scent on the coat still lingered faintly. Xu Xiaoyue thoughtfully recalled how he had introduced himself on the train—Commander of the 181st Regiment… Yan Ye.

That name felt oddly familiar.

Xu Xiaoyue really regretted only skimming her own ending. She knew nothing about the development of the middle plot.

As the water flowed noisily, Zheng Jiaojiao tiptoed quietly toward Xu Xiaoyue’s direction.

The bathroom door was wide open, and what Zheng Jiaojiao saw with a lift of her eyes was a distinctly male coat soaking in the basin.

Her eyelid twitched. Before Xu Xiaoyue, who was focused on washing the coat, noticed her, she silently backed away.

Zheng Jiaojiao curled her lips. She had thought this woman might’ve had some lucky break, but now it seemed that flirtatious nature was still in her bones.

She had only just arrived at the Yan household—who knew which man she had already gotten close to?

Although she had to share a room with Zheng Jiaojiao, thankfully the beds were bunked, and Xu Xiaoyue slept on the top bunk, which was still acceptable.

She didn’t want to engage with Zheng Jiaojiao, but Zheng Jiaojiao insisted on making conversation.

“Sister Yue, it must have been exhausting taking the train all the way from the countryside, right?”

“It was okay,” Xu Xiaoyue said, turning over.

“What do you think of Brother Shuli?” Zheng Jiaojiao asked, holding her breath, eager to hear the answer.

Now she was fishing for information. Xu Xiaoyue curled her lips. She had no interest in playing this game with Zheng Jiaojiao and simply gave her the answer she probably wanted to hear.

“He’s pretty good. But there are so many outstanding comrades in this compound—I’m not in a rush. I’ll need to think it through.”

Hearing that, Zheng Jiaojiao covered her mouth to suppress a laugh. She had been worried for nothing. Whether in the past life or this one, Xu Xiaoyue would never be a match for her.

The moon faded from the sky, the mist scattered, and daylight broke.

“Oh? Eating breakfast, huh?” came a voice from outside the door—it was that same permed-hair woman from yesterday.

This time, standing beside her was a tall and skinny man, who darted his eyes around sneakily the moment he entered the Yan household, as if searching for something.

“Hongyan, what are you doing here so early?” Liu Ye frowned.

Hu Hongyan took a couple of steps forward, pulling the man beside her into full view. Though she wore a smile, there was something unmistakably sly about it.

“Didn’t your family just have a guest arrive yesterday? I thought I’d bring my boy along to get acquainted.”

After speaking, the woman’s sharp eyes quickly spotted Xu Xiaoyue standing behind the crowd. “Comrade Xiao Xu, right?”

“You’ve just arrived here in the compound and everything’s unfamiliar—feel free to come by your auntie’s house and visit. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask Haozi.”

The one named Haozi was startled at first. But when he saw Xu Xiaoyue’s face, his eyes lit up. He quickly stepped out from behind the woman and said, “Right, right! If there’s anything you don’t get, just come to me. Even if there’s nothing, you can still come find me…”

The man’s greasy gaze swept from Xu Xiaoyue’s face down to her soft waist.

Xu Xiaoyue took two steps back and responded politely but distantly, “I appreciate the offer, but if I have any questions, I can just ask Aunt Liu. I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

Liu Ye frowned and stepped between them. Everyone in the courtyard knew Wang Hao hadn’t even finished primary school before he started loitering around the streets. He never did anything proper, just idled about all day. He was only trying to fool Xu Xiaoyue, a young girl from the countryside.

Fortunately, although Xu Xiaoyue came from the countryside, her behavior was very proper. That was precisely why Liu Ye had agreed to let her stay at the Yan house.

Anyone with eyes could see Xu Xiaoyue had already politely declined. Wang Hao, however, kept staring at her and even reached out his hand, trying to shake hers.

Seeing this, Yan Shuli was the first to grab the man’s hand, his tone unfriendly as he said, “No need for you to worry about matters in the Yan family.”

Pain flashed across the man’s face as he instinctively tried to pull his hand back, but Yan Shuli gripped it too tightly. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

Hu Hongyan hurried forward. “Oh dear, what are you doing?”

Receiving a look from Liu Ye nearby, Yan Shuli nonchalantly let go of the man’s hand. “Nothing. Just advising Auntie to take care of her own affairs before meddling in others’ business.”

Hu Hongyan’s expression darkened. She glanced at the silent Xu Xiaoyue, resentment building in her heart. Just a girl from the countryside, yet putting on airs in front of her.

She couldn’t swallow the insult but didn’t dare lash out at Liu Ye, so she turned her sarcasm on Xu Xiaoyue instead. “Pah! What kind of clothes are you wearing? So ugly. Country bumpkin.”

Xu Xiaoyue had deliberately kept a low profile, still wearing a sweat-stained undershirt that had turned yellow-white from over-washing. It looked rustic and shabby, but her face barely managed to carry the look.

Even after being insulted to her face, Xu Xiaoyue just smiled. “Auntie, you already know I’m a country bumpkin, and yet you still came after me. I figured it’s because you’re into bumpkins like me.”

That line made Hu Hongyan’s face go livid. Afraid Yan Shuli would cause more trouble, she grabbed Wang Hao and rushed toward the door.

“Mama Wang, don’t open the door for those two in the future,” Liu Ye sat on the sofa, her chest heaving with barely suppressed anger.  

*They say even if you don’t respect the Buddha, you should at least respect the monks.* To openly mock Xu Xiaoyue right in front of the Yan family—did they really think they were easy targets?  

Liu Ye strode upstairs and returned moments later, clutching a handful of fabric coupons in her hand.  

“Good girl, I’ve been so busy with hospital matters these days I almost forgot. Take these coupons—have Shuli bring you and Jiaojiao to the state-run department store to buy some clothes.”

Zheng Jiaojiao immediately shook her head like a rattle drum. “Auntie, how could I accept this? Just staying here is already a big burden. I really can’t take your coupons too.”

“It’s fine. They’re not worth much. Young girls should wear something brighter—dress up and look pretty.”

Hu Hongyan’s words had actually reminded Liu Ye: no matter where these two girls came from, since they were staying at the Yan house, they couldn’t keep dressing like this and letting people laugh at them.

Zheng Jiaojiao was about to refuse again, but Xu Xiaoyue accepted the coupons with a smile. “I wouldn’t dare decline a gift from an elder. Thank you, Aunt Liu.”

Compared to hesitant refusals, Xu Xiaoyue’s straightforward acceptance actually made Liu Ye feel more at ease.

Zheng Jiaojiao didn’t miss the approving look in Liu Ye’s eyes. She froze for a moment. Xu Xiaoyue accepting the gift so naturally—didn’t that prove she had come to the Yan house for money?

She clenched her palm. Thinking of what she had seen last night, she put on an innocent face and casually said in front of everyone, “Sister Yue, speaking of clothes, that coat you washed last night looked really big. When I held it up, it came down to my knees.”

A coat… long enough to reach the knees. Xu Xiaoyue was only half a head taller than Zheng Jiaojiao. How could she have such a large coat? It was obviously not hers—and clearly belonged to a man.

That one sentence carried so much underlying meaning it left everyone stunned. The air fell silent for a few seconds.