Chapter 10 – Here to Show Off

“I’m curious, that’s all.”

While doing her basic stretches, Zhao Yu still found time to reply to Ning Songyun: “But that doesn’t mean you should sneak around eavesdropping.”

“Then how are you supposed to find out?”

“Of course, by waiting for someone to come back and tell me.” Zhao Yu finished speaking and pulled Ning Songyun in front of the mirror.

“Don’t overthink it. When the time comes, I’ll tell you. Hurry up and practice.”

And as Zhao Yu had expected—

That very noon, while she and Ning Songyun were eating in the canteen, Lin Shu and Lu Jing came from who knows where and sat right beside them.

“Yuyu, you’re here for lunch too?”

Lin Shu greeted them warmly, as if she wasn’t the same person who had been sobbing and making a scene just two days ago.

“What else would people do here if not eat?” Ning Songyun hated people who made small talk out of nothing.

“Right… yes…” Lin Shu felt her face stiffen at Ning Songyun’s bluntness.

Then she noticed Lu Jing staring at Zhao Yu, eyes locked without blinking, and her own expression immediately cooled.

Her smile became a thin, forced curve as she turned to Zhao Yu: “By the way, Yuyu, you probably don’t know yet—we’re getting married soon.”

“Oh.”

Lin Shu had not expected that after going out of her way to flaunt, all she would get in return was one single “oh.”

Her smugness crumbled in an instant, even the smile on her face was difficult to maintain.

“Yuyu, will you sincerely give us your blessing?”

Ning Songyun’s eyes lit up with gossip at that question. She bent her head, pretending to focus on eating, but her ears were perked straight up.

“Of course.” Zhao Yu finally spoke a few more words: “After all, you two being together might actually be something everyone is happy to see, don’t you think?”

“Yuyu, you really are magnanimous.” Lin Shu let out a fake sigh of relief. “If it were me, I probably wouldn’t be able to be that generous.”

“Oh.”

Another single-word reply.

Zhao Yu finished the last bite of her meal. “So you came just to say this? Then answer me one question.”

“Ask away!” Lin Shu assumed Zhao Yu still cared about Lu Jing. As the ‘victor’ here, she naturally felt she could answer any question from the ‘loser.’

“This time, because of the marriage, he must have been unlucky again, right?” Zhao Yu gestured toward Lu Jing. “Go on, tell me. Let me have a laugh.”

“Yuyu, what nonsense are you—”

“Suspended for a year and a half,” Lu Jing interrupted Lin Shu, cutting her off. After speaking, he stood up and left.

“I’m done too.” Ning Songyun stuffed her last bite of rice in her mouth, stood up, and prepared to leave.

Before going, she shot Zhao Yu a look that clearly meant: Don’t forget to tell me everything later!

When the others were gone, Lin Shu’s expression relaxed, her tone far more casual than before.

“Seems you’re not surprised at all. Makes sense—after all, you were the one who gave me the idea.”

Zhao Yu couldn’t be bothered with her and rose to leave.

Lin Shu leisurely followed behind.

“Actually, I’ve known for a long time that you were dating Lu Jing, and that your background isn’t as ordinary as you claim.”

“So what?”

“So I’ve always envied you.” Lin Shu let out a self-deprecating laugh.

“At the start, I knew my place. I understood that being with Jianjun was already a blessing for a girl from the countryside like me. But who told him to die? And he died saving Lu Jing, no less.”

Lin Shu’s tone was casual, as though chatting: “Since my husband died saving your future husband, isn’t it fair for you to compensate me with another husband?”

“No problem.” Zhao Yu thought Lin Shu clearly didn’t know yet about the mess of Lu Jing’s family.

Right now, all her flaunting and posturing seemed utterly laughable. “I just hope you’ll keep thinking that way in the future.”

“What do you mean?” Lin Shu’s smug smile faded.

“You’ll know when the time comes.” Zhao Yu waved dismissively. “Oh, by the way, when’s the wedding?”

“What are you planning?” Lin Shu instantly grew wary.

“Planning? I’ll just bathe with pomelo leaves a few extra times that day.”

Zhao Yu plucked a branch from a nearby tree and twirled it lazily in the air. “To ward off bad luck.”

Lin Shu hadn’t managed to get under Zhao Yu’s skin. Instead, she herself was left fuming, glaring viciously at Zhao Yu before stomping off.

Zhao Yu tossed the branch aside and smirked.

Let Lin Shu see for herself—without the excuse of “taking care of a benefactor’s widow,” would Lu Jing still treat her like a precious daughter as he had in the past life?

Or once she encountered Lu Jing’s difficult family, would she still think she had gained a great bargain?

“Why’d you take so long to come back?”

As soon as Zhao Yu entered the dorm, Ning Songyun grabbed her hand.

She dragged Zhao Yu onto her bed, pulled a big box of peanuts, sunflower seeds, and candies from under it, and shoved it between them.

“Quick, tell me everything—what happened?”

Zhao Yu recounted Lin Shu’s little act of showing off. Ning Songyun’s eyes went wide, sunflower seeds forgotten in her hand.

“So Lin Shu really did… cook the rice until it was done, then let people find out, forcing Lu Jing to marry her?”

Suddenly enlightened, Ning Songyun exclaimed, “No wonder he suddenly agreed! But Yuyu, you’d better avoid Lu Jing in the future. At lunch just now, he didn’t take his eyes off you the whole time.”

You’re the sister-in-law I’ve chosen—I won’t let anyone covet you! Ning Songyun added silently to herself.

“Got it, don’t worry.”

Zhao Yu pinched her cheek and placed a peeled sunflower seed kernel in her palm. “Only these for you. Watch your weight, or else I’m afraid you won’t be able to jump properly on performance day.”

“Yuyu!”

Ning Songyun immediately popped the kernel in her mouth, then leapt up and chased Zhao Yu around, laughing and fighting.

“Ah! I’m exhausted!”

After more than half an hour of play, Ning Songyun collapsed on her bed, panting.

“Hm? Did you hear something outside?”

Zhao Yu leaned out the window. “Comrade Ye? Songyun, is he calling you?”

Ning Songyun sat bolt upright. “Who? Who’s looking for me?”

Zhao Yu pointed outside. “Comrade Ye Heng.”

“What does he want with me?” Ning Songyun muttered, but still pulled Zhao Yu along. “Come on, let’s go check.”

Zhao Yu had no choice but to follow. The moment they stepped outside, they found it was raining.

“Ye Heng! You dragged me out here in the rain just so I could get drenched?”

Fuming, Ning Songyun stomped toward him.

Zhao Yu raised a hand over her head, ready to run for shelter under the eaves—when suddenly a black umbrella appeared above her.

“Why did you just come running out like that?”