Chapter 437: Chapter 437: Probing
And then everyone was waiting for Lu Haijun to return from training.
The Lu family’s mother and daughter were pressing for the marriage, while Shen Yixiang just wanted to get things clear.
Although Shen Yiguang and Yang PeiMin felt it was no longer necessary, such relatives, whether sincere or not, were not worth entertaining.
But for Shen Yixiang, a woman who wouldn’t give up until she hit a dead end, getting a feel for those problematic neighbors once more was not a bad idea.
Lu Hailing, aside from clinging to Chen Guizhi, also clung to Shen Yixiang, practically worshiping her like a role model, bombarding her with endless compliments and pleasing words for free.
She also often dragged Shen Yixiang to her dormitory for visits, talking about “personal sisterly conversations,” which were actually just about Lu Hailing’s work issues—acting helpless and ignorant, wanting to be taught. Shen Yiguang had previously fallen for this act; the feeling of being needed and admired was genuinely pleasing, immediately making himself feel exceptionally useful. Not only did he share his work experience wholeheartedly, but he also often brought benefits from the factory here. When there was no food, he gave Mrs. Lu five yuan a month to nourish her body, as he not only heard Lu Hailing worry about her mother’s health but also saw the sparseness of their home, even their bowls for eating were incomplete, gathered from others’ discarded broken ones, as long as the bottom held.
Now, Lu Hailing still came to pull Shen Yixiang over obliviously; Shen Yixiang instantly tensed, her facial muscles tight, struggling heavily against the discomfort of her pulling her hand.
She knew Yang Peijun had no reason to lie to her, his words must be true. Perhaps under this mindset, when she thought back to her interactions with Lu Hailing, she increasingly felt that Lu Hailing was not as innocent as she appeared. If she were a rural maiden unfamiliar with city life, there might be no reason for her to be ignorant about human interactions either. Such knowledge isn’t divided between rural and urban; everyone has their own social circle and sees how others around them act and speak. Yet, one time Lu Hailing even asked her, “If a coworker treats her to food, should she reciprocate?” What was that about? Not reciprocating and still wanting to take advantage? Don’t rural people understand? Isn’t it tight for everyone in the countryside? Accepting someone’s food might mean taking their livelihood; that’s not an advantage anyone should take, right? Even young children know this.
Now, she seriously suspected that Lu Hailing couldn’t come up with anything she ‘didn’t understand’ anymore, even having to fabricate this to deceive her.
“Sister Yixiang, I have something to say, come to my place,” Lu Hailing came in, leaned closer, and whispered softly. When Shen Yixiang looked up at her, Lu Hailing was also looking squarely at her, her eyes and eyebrows filled with expectation. Lu Hailing’s eyes were quite beautiful, clear and distinct, and when others spoke to her, she looked at them seriously. That gaze was full of earnestness and admiration. Shen Yixiang thought to herself that such people were particularly easy to believe. Lu Hailing’s lips were slightly pursed, her cheeks possibly flushed with happiness, perhaps from not being sunburnt since coming to the city, much whiter than when she first arrived, and looking even more pleasing.
“Sister Yixiang, what’s wrong? Is there something on my face?” Lu Hailing asked, reaching to wipe her face.
Shen Yixiang shook her head, “No, let’s go.”
Shen Yixiang had also worked with others to catch those shameless people before, and she knew that it all required infiltration and then the right moment to catch them red-handed.
Now, she just wanted to see what exactly Lu Hailing was going to tell her.
Lu Hailing had already discussed it with Mrs. Lu, and today they had called Shen Yixiang over to discuss her marriage to her second brother.
Shen Yixiang entered Lu Hailing’s dorm, where Mrs. Lu warmly called to her, eagerly asking Lu Hailing to bring sugar and tea to serve her, treating her like a distinguished guest, “Yixiang, come have a seat, have you been busy with work lately? I haven’t seen you for several days.”
Shen Yixiang nodded at her, trying to squeeze some smile out of her face, but her facial muscles were already too stiff to allow it.
Mrs. Lu seemed not to mind, her face radiating kindness as she handed Shen Yixiang a silver bracelet, “Today, I asked Hailing to call you over to show you something. This came through mail from Hai Jun’s father. An out-of-towner liked the peach wood combs and vanity boxes that he made himself. His mom appreciated these items, so Hai Jun’s father made a set and exchanged it for this silver bracelet. He felt like he had found a treasure, as the wood was inexpensive… You and our Hai Jun have been seeing each other for over half a year now, and it’s rare for you to take an interest in a poor boy like him. When I came, I didn’t know and didn’t prepare a proper first-meeting gift for you, which was quite rude of us. His father and I have been meaning to make it up to you. Here, keep this bracelet and don’t push it back to me. We’re all family now, let’s not stand on ceremony.”
Shen Yixiang, a bit stunned, hurriedly pushed it back, tugging at the corners of her mouth, “Aunt, I can’t accept this.”
Mrs. Lu glared at her, “Look, I just said we shouldn’t be so formal with each other. Just take it. I’ve been waiting for Hai Jun to come back so he can file for a marriage approval. You two have been together for quite a long time, it’s time to settle down. His father and I consider this a load off our minds. What do you think?”
Shen Yixiang pushed the silver bracelet onto the table, looking at Mrs. Lu’s expectant face, she turned her head and answered, “I promised my parents that I wouldn’t marry so early.”
Mrs. Lu was surprised, “Yixiang, look, your parents’ home is nearby, and you also work around here. After you get married, it wouldn’t be much different, you can still live near your mom. You can visit the troop with Hai Jun during breaks. Your parents were probably thinking that you’d marry far away, so they wanted to keep you for a couple more years, right? Now it’s not considered marrying far away, since it’s nearby. They would definitely agree, wouldn’t they?”
Shen Yixiang still shook her head, “It’s not just about that. My parents raised me, and I haven’t had a chance to take good care of them yet. Even though I’m now employed and earning a salary, it’s only been a few months. Despite giving most of my salary to my mom every month, I still feel it’s not enough. I’d like to take care of them for one or two more years before I consider marriage…”
Mrs. Lu and her daughter were stunned, and Lu Hailing couldn’t help but say, “Sister Yixiang, in another year or two, my brother will be too old. Look, you can even take care of your parents’ home after getting married. Besides, your family is well-off, and now Aunt is also enjoying her life. Honestly, these old folks don’t really care about this bit of filial piety…”