Chapter 38 If Jiang Wan, an outsider, can go, why can’t she go!

Yuan Meilin froze mid-step when she heard what Director Zhao had just said, skidding to a halt with her lunchbox in hand. In a few quick strides, she rushed over.

“Director Zhao! I’m also one of the women from our village! And I’m a long-time local too—unlike Comrade Xiao Jiang, who’s an outsider… She doesn’t even know much about how our village works! Why don’t I go instead of her?”

Just moments ago, she had been mentally cursing Zhao Ying for being so full of herself. But now, she was all smiles and trying hard to please.

Director Zhao was taken aback. A flicker of disdain flashed quickly through her eyes. She tugged on the corner of her mouth. If it weren’t for the fact that she was a village cadre and had to maintain some decorum, she really wanted to ask if Yuan Meilin even owned a mirror.

“Meilin… well, the higher-ups specifically asked for young people. You’ve… already been married once, and you’re not exactly young anymore. Maybe you should sit this one out?” Zhao Ying said this tactfully, though the undertone of condescension was hard to miss.

A few of the older men nearby burst into laughter.

“Ay yo, Comrade Yuan Meilin! If you stood up on that stage with your frame, no one behind you would even be visible!”

“Haha! What, are we supposed to give you your own special program just so the others can still be seen?”

Yuan Meilin’s face turned red with anger. This time, she wasn’t going to take it lying down. This wasn’t just about some performance—there was a real opportunity to be seen by the officials, possibly even be selected for training or given a job! Since she had heard about it, she wasn’t going to let it slip away.

If someone like Jiang Wan, an outsider, could go, then why couldn’t she?

Unconvinced and stubborn, Yuan Meilin craned her neck and spoke with a sarcastic tone,
“Director Zhao, you’re the ‘Women’s’ Director. Shouldn’t you be looking out for us women? Xiao Jiang is only eighteen—still just a girl! Even if she doesn’t go, she’ll have no trouble finding work. But us older women? It’s not so easy for us!”

“I think I’m the better choice for this performance at the village office!”
“And let’s not pretend—the rehearsals are hard work. Does little Jiang even have the strength for it? She looks so delicate!”

She exaggerated her tone, trying to scare Jiang Wan into backing out. A pampered city girl like her surely wouldn’t want to suffer, right?

“This…” Director Zhao glanced at Jiang Wan’s slim, delicate figure and hesitated slightly. She had been too excited earlier and hadn’t thought it through. Jiang Wan’s soft, fair skin didn’t exactly scream “used to hard labor.” What if she couldn’t keep up with rehearsals and held things back?

But to her surprise, Jiang Wan smiled sweetly, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling, and said in a gentle voice:
“Director Zhao, what kind of performances are you planning?”
“I can dance a little… but I’m not good at much else.”

Jiang Wan had actually intended to politely decline, but when she heard that the event might lead to job placements, she was tempted. Zhao Ying was right—Jiang Wan had already thought this over.

Even if she was now married, and yes, Fu Jingchuan was completely her type, she couldn’t just stay home and do nothing. No matter the time or place, a woman should have her own career. When you’re capable, you earn respect.

Still, she wanted to confirm the program. If it was something like the typical rural folk dances, like the “yangge” they always did, that really wasn’t her thing.
But as it happened, she had learned some dancing in her past life—just for fun. She got into it after watching too many historical dramas, studied for a few years, but eventually stopped to focus on work. Even so, having that hobby did help her stay active and balanced.

After she stopped dancing, she’d actually felt her health decline bit by bit.

“What?? Comrade Xiao Jiang, you can dance??”
That kind of “fancy” word was rare in rural areas. Zhao Ying lit up with excitement.

“No problem at all! That’s perfect! We were just saying at our meeting earlier how every year it’s always the same few routines!”

“Then it’s settled, Comrade Xiao Jiang! You’ll do a dance performance!”

“No, wait—” Zhao Ying began pacing in place, then slapped her thigh, eyes wide. “I need to go around the village right now and find you a few teammates!”

She dashed off before Yuan Meilin could say anything else, clearly afraid she’d get dragged into another argument.

Yuan Meilin didn’t want to give up so easily. She felt like her chest was burning with frustration! Furious, she shot a venomous glare at Jiang Wan, then chased after Zhao Ying with her lunchbox in hand.

Her bulky frame stomped across the field, kicking up clouds of dust as she went, while shouting:
“Director Zhao!! Don’t leave!!”
“Have you had lunch yet?? I still have some braised pork in here!!”

The old men standing nearby were getting ready to leave and couldn’t help but shake their heads, chuckling.
“Yuan Meilin’s lunchbox is just pitiful—first trying to feed it to one, then offering it to another. In the end, no one wants it!”

Jiang Wan was startled, then looked down at her own net bag. She turned and said to Fu Jingchuan,
“Hungry? I made noodles.”

Fu Jingchuan’s deep black eyes gave nothing away. He pressed his lips together and nodded.
Tossing the sickle aside, he stood and said,
“Let’s eat under the tree by the road. The sun’s too harsh right now.”

He reached out to take the lunchbox from Jiang Wan and strode toward the shade of the tree.

Nearby, a few villagers were eating simple meals brought from home—mostly steamed buns or flatbread with pickled vegetables.

Everyone who saw this scene found it quite rare and interesting.

Captain Fu’s newlywed wife—the young girl from Nancheng—looked like someone far removed from worldly affairs. How could she possibly know how to cook? And how good could her cooking really be?

But Fu Jingchuan’s Adam’s apple moved slightly as he swallowed. Holding the aluminum lunchbox, he sat directly on the ground under a big tree without hesitation.

He had eaten Jiang Wan’s cooking before. It was far better than anything served in the army!

Fu Jingchuan was in his prime, broad-shouldered and strong. He had been starving since earlier. Lifting the lid of the lunchbox, he was momentarily stunned by the noodles inside, topped with egg sauce and shredded potatoes.

“You know how to make noodles too?” Fu Jingchuan raised a thick black eyebrow, then picked up his chopsticks and started slurping.

Jiang Wan watched him eat—straightforwardly but not messily—her eyes curved into a gentle smile as she stood beside him.

“Mm, is that so surprising?”

“I thought people in the south mostly ate rice,” Fu Jingchuan said thoughtfully, his eyes unconsciously drifting back to Jiang Wan.

He was nearly 1.9 meters tall, and even seated on the ground, his line of sight wasn’t much lower than hers. She was standing with her hands behind her back, looking directly at him just a moment ago. But as soon as their eyes met, she quickly looked away, like a startled kitten, and stared toward the field instead.

Fu Jingchuan paused, chopsticks in hand, a slight frown appearing between his brows.

He couldn’t quite figure out what kind of temperament this new wife of his had.

Just a short while ago, in front of everyone, she had hugged him and clung to him—and even worried about him wasting money. But now that they were alone, she suddenly seemed timid again?

What was going on with her?