Chapter 33 This Means Eating Well Again

Chapter 33: She Can Really Eat

Lu Yun and Zhou Yanze went on a date together.

The two strolled around, and Lu Yun worried Zhou Yanze might be running low on patience, so she kept stealing glances at him.

After a few glances, Lu Yun noticed the tips of Zhou Yanze's ears turning red, just like the day she first mentioned going on a blind date with him.

After shopping all morning, they had lunch together, and then Zhou Yanze escorted Lu Yun home.

Lu Yun was even happier with how this date went.

She never expected this man to be so easily flustered. As for patience, he had plenty—forget a whole morning of shopping, he could handle a whole day, no problem.

Lu's father came home and rushed to start cooking. Lu Yun went into the kitchen to lend a hand, and soon Lu's mother came back carrying fresh fruit.

Lu Yun left the kitchen to eat an apple—it was sweet and crunchy.

Lu's parents were talking in the kitchen, so Lu Yun ran back in to listen in.

Lu's father: "When I got off work today, I saw Aunt Jiang. She was talking to Aunt Li about something, but Aunt Li ignored her."

Lu's mother: "What exactly is Aunt Jiang up to with all her stirring?"

Lu's father: "Who knows, but she sure loves stirring up trouble."

Aunt Jiang sure did love stirring the pot. The next morning when Lu Yun went to work, Aunt Jiang flagged her down. "Yesterday Zhao Lan and Sun Zhi fought again. They seemed to bring you up. This has nothing to do with you, right? Sun Zhi is already married. Even if their marriage is rocky, it has nothing to do with you. People might think you two dated, or that you were involved with him after he got married."

Lu Yun: "If you want to fight with them, go fight with them. Why are you trying to drag me into it?"

Aunt Jiang: "How is that stirring the pot? I'm only telling you because I care about you."

Lu Yun: "You care about me? Aunt Jiang, if you really cared, you'd go to the Suns and say all this to Zhao Lan and Sun Zhi yourself, not to me."

Aunt Jiang rolled her eyes behind Lu Yun's back. The Lus were too clever for her—every time she tried to stir things up, they wouldn't bite.

Aunt Jiang: "With a temper like that, what man would ever want her!"

Lu Yun looked smug. "Aunt Jiang, I knew you'd be talking trash about me! Don't you worry about what kind of man I can find, because the man I found is tall, long-legged, and handsome, and he's sweet and patient with me."

Aunt Jiang knew Lu Yun had been set up on a blind date. Hearing Lu Yun go on and on about how great her match was, she figured he must just be after Lu Yun's looks. Once Lu Yun's looks faded, she'd see if he was still so sweet and patient!

There was no work all morning, so Lu Yun goofed off until noon, then headed to the cafeteria with Chen Qiao.

The cafeteria had braised pork chop noodles today, and Lu Yun added chili oil and vinegar to hers.

Sister Lü was sitting at the table next to Lu Yun with her coworkers. Lu Yun overheard them talking in hushed tones about seeing Chen Shu with some guy—the guy was pretty good-looking, probably that guy Lu Yun was betrothed to as a kid.

Chen Qiao: "How good-looking could he be? He can't be hotter than your blind date!"

Lu Yun didn't care how good-looking that guy was. She was more just curious about him.

Chen Shu was freaking out right now. In this novel, she wasn't even a side character—she was just the cousin of a supporting character, and that supporting character was Lu Yun!

After Lu Yun turned down her childhood betrothal, the guy fell hard for her. He confessed to her a few more times, but she shot him down every time. Even after he struck it rich and flaunted his money everywhere, trying to buy Lu Yun's affection, she still turned him down.

According to the novel, he should have come back from the south having made a fortune this time. So why hadn't he made any money at all?

Chen Shu wouldn't question whether the novel was wrong—everything else in it had been right on the money. Otherwise, how would she have known to run into Lu Yun's ex-fiancé on purpose before he even came looking for Lu Yun? It was all according to the novel that she found this opportunity.

Chen Shu suspected he might be testing her, so she could only try her best to act like she didn't care.

Jiang Xiangqian: "I don't know why, but this time when I went south to stock up on goods, I kept feeling unwell. In the end, I missed out on that batch of clearance-sale clothing from the factory. I could have made a good profit."

Everyone who went with Jiang Xiangqian made money, but Jiang Xiangqian didn't. Still, he wasn't completely empty-handed—he at least made a little.

Chen Shu forced a smile. This must be where things went wrong. It had to be. It was fine—Jiang Xiangqian was very capable. He didn't make money this time, but he definitely would next time!

Jiang Xiangqian said, "These are gifts for you."

Jiang Xiangqian had brought back many things. Seeing them lifted Chen Shu's spirits—these were all trendy items, some styles they couldn't even buy here. Now they were all hers!

While Chen Shu was busy trying on clothes, Jiang Xiangqian spoke up: "I also bought things for your cousin's family. When should we go to your cousin's house?"

Chen Shu's heart raced. She just remembered that she had told Jiang Xiangqian, to show off her character, that once they arrived in the city, they would go to the Lu family together and apologize to Lu Yun.

Chen Shu knew Lu Yun's temper. If she and Jiang Xiangqian went together to apologize, Lu Yun would treat them terribly, and then Jiang Xiangqian wouldn't have a good impression of Lu Yun.

What Sun Zhi had said to Chen Shu made her anxious and hesitant. Who knew—if Jiang Xiangqian met Lu Yun and saw her bad temper, might he actually fall for her?

Chen Shu whined, "Xiangqian, it's my fault, it's all my fault. I don't want you to go to the Lu family. Don't go. I've already apologized to my cousin, and she won't forgive me. If you go see her, she'll just yell at you!"

Jiang Xiangqian: "Even if I get yelled at, I have to go. Chen Shu, this isn't your fault—it's mine."

Chen Shu: "Please don't go. My cousin doesn't want you to come either. I already went to apologize and got chased out. I even lost my job because of my cousin."

Jiang Xiangqian felt for Chen Shu. "These are things I should do myself. You shouldn't have had to go to your cousin."

Chen Shu insisted, "Promise me you won't go see my cousin. There's nothing left to say between their family and mine! I've already been fired from the factory—isn't that enough?"

Seeing Chen Shu so emotional, Jiang Xiangqian quickly comforted her and repeatedly promised he wouldn't go to the Lu family to apologize.

Jiang Xiangqian had made money—at least some, just not as much as before. He bought Chen Shu lots of things, gave her money, and even rented a place in the city temporarily.

Chen Shu originally didn't plan to work at the garment factory—she didn't want to at all. Jiang Xiangqian had offered to rent her a place, but Chen Shu was worried the plot might diverge from what she knew, so she refused and went to work at the garment factory instead. That way, Jiang Xiangqian would have more capital for his business, and she could appear to be a sensible woman in front of him.

Chen Shu had it all planned out. She'd live in the factory dormitory and find a way to stall the courtyard house landlord. When Jiang Xiangqian returned, she'd buy the courtyard house. But who knew she'd end up in the police station a few times and get fired? And Jiang Xiangqian hadn't made much money—definitely not enough for him to become a nouveau riche. If he really had become one, they'd just buy a house outright instead of renting!

Chen Qiao ran into the office. "I saw your cousin!"

Even Sister He, who was busy knitting, couldn't help but want to listen. Why was Chen Shu back at their garment factory again? She'd already been fired, and last time had been such an ugly scene.

Chen Qiao: "She was wearing clothes that looked expensive, with sunglasses on, cursing out Sister Lü outside the factory."

It must be her former arranged marriage fiancé—or rather, Chen Shu's boyfriend—who had returned. He must have made money, and Chen Shu came to show off on purpose.

Chen Qiao: "She was cursing Sister Lü out so badly, saying Sister Lü spends all day in the workshop and dresses so frumpily. Does she even know that Sister Lü's husband just got promoted? Sister Lü probably didn't argue back for her husband's sake. She looked so smug."

Lu Yun and Chen Qiao got off work, and Chen Qiao said to Lu Yun, "Your cousin might still be waiting outside the factory for you. She'll want to show off in front of you too."

When they got outside the factory, neither Lu Yun nor Chen Qiao saw Chen Shu. Chen Shu hadn't waited to show off to Lu Yun.

Chen Qiao: "Strange. I thought she'd definitely wait for you to get off work and show off in front of you."

What was there to show off? Lu Yun's blind date was definitely better looking than that former arranged marriage fiancé!

When Lu Yun went home, she ran into Sun Zhi, who was being cautious again. Seeing Lu Yun, he retreated back into the courtyard house. That man must have wanted to do something again but hadn't managed to.

Sun Zhi went home, didn't see Zhao Lan, and lay down in the room alone, regretting that he ever got married in the first place!

Aunt Jiang came looking for Aunt Han, but Aunt Han wasn't home. Aunt Jiang urged Sun Zhi, "Why did you listen to your dad and marry a wife from the countryside? Lu Yun doesn't like you, but you shouldn't have married a rural girl. Even if you did, look at your wife—she seems even harder to get along with than Lu Yun. Don't get me wrong, but if Lu Yun had married you, she'd have found a good man. I know you like her, and if you'd married her, you'd definitely treat her well. It's just that Lu Yun has too high standards and is too picky."

Aunt Jiang was right, and Sun Zhi agreed with what she said.

He knew he wasn't good enough for Lu Yun. But couldn't he treat her well? Wouldn't Lu Yun be better off marrying him than any other man? Could any other man treat her as well as he could?

Sun's dad snapped, "What are you trying to stir up trouble for?!"

Aunt Jiang's voice softened a little, "I'm not stirring up trouble. I really mean it. What I said is right."

Sun Zhi said, "Dad, Aunt is right."

Sun's father retorted, "Right? What's right about that?! You settle down with Zhao Lan and behave yourself, and don't even think about Lu Yun anymore!"

Sun Zhi wanted to say—didn't he want a good life with Zhao Lan? He'd originally planned to make Lu Yun regret her choice and envy him. But that was all ruined because he married Zhao Lan. If he'd married anyone else, he wouldn't be impotent now.

Sun's father said to Aunt Jiang, "Come out with me."

Lu Yun came out to buy soy sauce and saw Sun's father and Aunt Jiang leaving together. Sun's father looked stern, while Aunt Jiang looked almost... coy?

Looks like there's more drama to watch?

Author's note:

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