The second destination wasn't far, just a turn away.
There's a sign for the Education Bureau hanging by the door.
A young man was guarding the door, and Jiang Mingyue knew she couldn't just swagger in.
"Comrade, I'm looking for Cui Mingshi. Should I go in, or will you call him out for me?"
Rong Hua, guarding the door, found this quite novel. The young lady in front of him was pretty and spoke with a smile, yet her words seemed somewhat off-putting.
Seeing the other party staring at her without moving, Jiang Mingyue didn't blush like other girls might. Instead, her fair fingers tapped the edge of the table: "Comrade?"
Rong Hua had initially planned to respond coldly, but looking at the girl's flower-like smile, he couldn't bear to be harsh.
Silently, he exhaled a breath and picked up the receiver in front of him to dial.
Jiang Mingyue took a glance, thinking to herself: I've seen an antique with my own eyes; it's actually a rotary dial phone.
She thought Cui Mingshi wouldn't meet her; she had even prepared a second plan.
Unexpectedly, he came, and he came quickly.
He was accompanied by a follower.
The main figure hadn't yet spoken, but the follower was the first to speak.
"Oh! I was wondering who it was. Turns out it's Miss Jiang! Even an imposter counts as one, right?"
Cui Mingshi gave him a cold look: "Shut up! No one's taking you for a mute."
The follower really shut up.
Jiang Mingyue was caught off guard again.
Thinking to herself: Isn't this fiancé supposed to dislike her all this time? Every meeting was filled with mean words, yet the original character always rushed to stick to him.
The original character's impression of him seems different from what she's seeing here!
"Have you eaten yet?" His tone was still bad, but definitely not mean. He was actually concerned about her.
She nodded.
"What, cat got your tongue? Is it that hard to say a word to me?"
Huh?
"Forget it..." Cui Mingshi was seen lowering his head to search his pants pocket, but seemingly thought of something, and turned to his follower: "Out of cigarettes. Go to the supply and marketing cooperative and buy some for me."
The follower didn't want to leave and wanted to watch the drama but couldn't resist Cui Mingshi's unkind gaze urging him away.
Once the follower left, Jiang Mingyue knew what he was up to.
It might well be everything he had on him, a pile of money was dumped in front of her.
"Take it all. Just don't starve yourself to death. I don't want to have to collect your corpse." After a pause, possibly thinking he'd been too harsh, "Anyway, if things don't work out in the countryside, come find me. I won't let you starve."
A conscientious person!
Jiang Mingyue almost clapped her thigh, thinking he was a foolish jerk not worth her time, but unexpectedly, he turned out to be one of the rare wise ones.
Jiang Mingyue naturally didn't take his money; she pushed it all back to Cui Mingshi.
"I have hands and feet, no need for your charity... Of course, if I really can't make it, I'll shamelessly come find you."
Cui Mingshi tried to give it back again, but saw the girl had already walked to a quiet place, so he hurriedly followed.
"Did you need something from me?"
No kidding!
"No, just thought I'd come by since we know each other and pass you some news." To save you from growing green vines on your head.
Not waiting for Cui Mingshi to respond, Jiang Mingyue continued: "I heard your family's interested in Jiang Zhenzhu? You're about to marry her?"
"Jiang Mingyue, what the hell are you talking about? Who's been spreading rumors to you?"
Cui Mingshi was clearly furious, possibly eager to explain, his neck was crimson.
This reaction doesn't seem fake.
Jiang Mingyue tried using her spiritual power but found it ineffective on him.
This wasn't strange; her spiritual power only worked on people with nefarious intentions. If the person wasn't bad, it wouldn't have any effect.
Another point to overturn the original book's narrative.
The book stated that Cui Mingshi never liked Jiang Mingyue, but as soon as the true heiress appeared, he seemed to lose his mind and immediately agreed to the marriage.
He found her a job, married her, and pampered her, and Jiang Zhenzhu gained the Cui Family as a backing, which solidified her future connections and propelled her career to its peak, eventually becoming a role model young female CEO.
"Isn't it true?"
"Of course not, I'd have to be blind to like her."
Jiang Mingyue could then set half her mind at ease; with Cui Mingshi's temper, he probably wouldn't fancy Jiang Zhenzhu, the white lotus.
Not being true is best; I was worried your head might turn into a verdant field.
"Alright then, word has it that Jiang Zhenzhu has a sweetheart in the countryside named... Ning Yan, yes! Ning Yan, they've been childhood sweethearts and privately promised each other for life, so don't get involved."
Cui Mingshi: "Jiang Mingyue, is there water in your brain? Ugh! Forget it, considering your recent near-death experience, I won't argue with you."
"Furthermore, help me pass a message to my second sister-in-law... Actually, forget it, avoid her; I'll write it down, give me a pen."
Returning to the entrance, Jiang Mingyue earnestly began writing on their desk, uncovering the dirty water splashed on the original character one year ago.
In reality, the original character had a decent relationship with her second sister-in-law Zhu Xiangxiang, but that water basin incident in the middle of the night a year ago caused the night-waking Zhu Xiangxiang to fall and miscarry, plunging their relationship to rock bottom.
The key point was that the water was not spilled by the original character but was, in fact, a deliberate act by the eldest sister-in-law Zhou Ye.
This wasn't mentioned in the book, but she had seen it while using her spiritual power earlier.
After writing, Jiang Mingyue quickly folded the paper and stuffed it into the stunned Cui Mingshi's hand, "Deliver it discreetly to my second sister-in-law."
"Thanks!"
"Yueyue, when did your handwriting get so good?"
Jiang Mingyue paused, suddenly realizing she'd inadvertently revealed a tell.
"Of course it's from diligent practice. Look, I've got calluses on my index finger knuckles. Anyway, I need to get home before dark, so won't chat anymore. Next time I come to town, I'll bring you something tasty."
Alright, she's completed all three tasks she aimed for before leaving. Any one of these, if successful, would be bad for Jiang Zhenzhu. If all three worked out, Jiang Zhenzhu better prepare to cry.
Jiang Mingyue was pleased and brought Jiang Zhenmei along to the supply and marketing cooperative.
"Sister, we don't have money."
"Don't worry, I have."
Jiang Zhenmei panicked, "Even if you have money, you shouldn't waste it. It's really hard to earn money."
Jiang Mingyue didn't listen to her, promptly seated her to the side, and pointed to several floral fabrics: "This one, this one, and that one... Give me some of each."
Jiang Mingyue added up the measurements, totaling six dollars and three cents and five cloth coupons. After the payment, the cashier began cutting the fabric for her.
Jiang Zhenmei's eyes widened long ago, "Sister, why did you buy so much fabric?" It's enough to make clothes for four or five adults.
"Of course, they're gifts for you all! Later, I'll have to trouble the third sister to make them."
So, they're for them?
"That's not necessary, little sister. Buy for yourself, I can make it when we get back."
"We need it, we need it. Come on, third sister." Without giving her the chance to nag, hard days make them reluctant to treat themselves well. Look at those clothes, are they befitting a girl about to get married?
Pushed out of the supply and marketing cooperative, Jiang Zhenmei finally quieted down.
Her sister had opinions and was headstrong, she couldn't control her.
As the sisters reached the town's entrance, they found someone had been waiting there for some time.