Chapter 26: Coming Over
Seeing Zheng Xiangqiao, Yiyi slightly furrowed her brows, then quickly regained herself, a playful smile gracing her lips, "Oh, it’s Xiang Qiao, what brings you to see me?"
"I came to ask you to go shopping in town with me, why don’t we go together later."
Zheng Xiangqiao beamed at Yiyi, then naturally sat down beside her, noticing their situation, she couldn’t help but ask, "Did I come at a bad time? Are you about to have breakfast?"
"Has Xiang Qiao eaten?"
Ding Yuejun, after serving her daughter and granddaughter the dumpling soup, instinctively asked.
"Aunt Ding, I left early and haven’t eaten yet." At the end, Zheng Xiangqiao looked a bit embarrassed.
Upon hearing this, Ding Yuejun paused, and finally served Zheng Xiangqiao a bowl as well.
"Thank you, Aunt Ding."
Zheng Xiangqiao happily expressed her gratitude and then started eating.
Seeing Zheng Xiangqiao like this, Yiyi’s eyes were full of sarcastic laughter. Zheng Xiangqiao always appeared so generous and polite, yet unwittingly took advantage of you, though these were just small matters. What really made people avoid her was her cruel heart.
Silly of her not to have discovered Zheng Xiangqiao’s true nature before, truly blind.
Pressing her lips together, Yiyi felt her originally good mood evaporate, and then another person whom she loathed popped into her mind, the one who had an affair with Zheng Xiangqiao — Zhang Liangyue. Just thinking about how this scummy pair deceived her and caused her such pain from being a medicine boy in her past life, she couldn’t help but want to deal with them directly.
"Yiyi, what’s wrong?"
Seeing Mo Yiyi’s strange expression towards her, Zheng Xiangqiao quickly asked.
Upon hearing this, Yiyi came back to her senses, then smiled and shook her head, "It’s nothing, just that I recently went to town, so I’m not really in the mood to go again today."
"Yiyi, just do me a favor and accompany me."
Hearing Yiyi’s words, Zheng Xiangqiao gently invited her, finally holding onto Yiyi’s wrist and persuading her softly.
Looking at Zheng Xiangqiao’s somewhat anxious appearance, Yiyi raised an eyebrow, then glanced at the date on the calendar and remembered something. It was around this time that Zheng Xiangqiao took her to town to buy a scarf, and it was then they met Zhang Liangyue.
Thinking of this, Yiyi didn’t refuse anymore, nodding directly and saying, "Alright, let’s head out later."
Originally, she had come back wanting to do many things, having no mind at that point to trouble Zheng Xiangqiao and her companions; yet they had to approach her, so she might as well grant them that.
"Mom, I’m going out with Xiang Qiao for a while, will be back soon."
Hearing her daughter’s words, Ding Yuejun hesitated and looked at Yiyi, but ultimately said nothing except, "Alright, go early and return early."
Once Yiyi and Zheng Xiangqiao left together, they headed straight towards the town.
"Yiyi, let’s go directly to West Street later, I want to buy a scarf."
Hearing this from Zheng Xiangqiao, Yiyi nodded and replied, "Sure, I’m here to accompany you, wherever you want to go."
Zheng Xiangqiao responded by hooking onto Yiyi’s arm, "Yiyi, you’re the best."
Feeling the touch on her arm, Yiyi quietly withdrew her hand, "Why the sudden urge to buy a scarf?"
Zheng Xiangqiao initially found Mo Yiyi’s action odd, but upon hearing this, she didn’t dwell on it much, "I thought the weather would be cooling down once the semester starts, so a scarf would come in handy, Yiyi, would you like one too?"
Yiyi glanced back at Zheng Xiangqiao, then shook her head, "No, I’ll pass."
Getting the expected response, Zheng Xiangqiao didn’t say more, yet there was a tad of pride in her eyes.
Though everyone was girls, her days at home were much better off than Mo Yiyi’s. Though it took some time, her mother eventually agreed to let her buy the scarf, while Mo Yiyi probably didn’t have a penny on her since it’s known in Luwei Village that Mo Yiyi’s father treated his nieces and nephews better than his own daughter.
Yiyi had always paid attention to Zheng Xiangqiao, naturally not missing the smugness in her eyes.
Seeing this, Yiyi’s gaze was icy, though Zheng Xiangqiao’s affairs were not her concern, since she had come knocking, she would surely entertain her well.
Once the two reached the town, they headed straight for West Street.
"Boss, how much is this scarf?"
Zhang Xiangqiao picked up a pink scarf and directly asked for the price.
"Two yuan."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiangqiao immediately bargained, "Boss, could you make it cheaper, I’ll buy it if it’s cheaper."
The boss looked at the two young girls and waved his hand, "No way, can’t lower it anymore, two yuan is the cheapest already."
"Boss, two yuan is way too expensive, how about one yuan and fifty cents."
Hearing Zheng Xiangqiao’s counteroffer, the boss shook his head, "No way, one yuan fifty cents is impossible."
"Then... How about one yuan sixty?"
Zheng Xiangqiao continued to haggle.
The boss grew slightly impatient and finally set the price, "One yuan eighty, no less, these scarves are imported from Guang Province, the wholesale isn’t cheap, can’t lower more, if you can’t accept, then don’t buy."
Upon hearing the boss’s words, Zheng Xiangqiao stopped negotiating and reluctantly took out the two yuan.
The boss handed back twenty cents as change and then packed the pink scarf for Zheng Xiangqiao.
"Yiyi, let’s go check out other places next." Though Zheng Xiangqiao felt a bit of regret, thinking about how the girls in her class next semester would envy her scarf, lifted her spirits a bit.
Yiyi looked at Zheng Xiangqiao and asked, "Where next?"
"Why don’t we head to East Street, I heard there’s a bakery there with delicious meat pies."
Hearing this, Yiyi raised her eyebrows.
Things were indeed unfolding along familiar lines; it was at this bakery that they first encountered Zhang Liangyue.
Thinking of this, Yiyi scrutinized Zheng Xiangqiao.
"What’s the matter, Yiyi?"
Seeing Zheng Xiangqiao’s puzzled expression, Yiyi confirmed something; Zheng Xiangqiao, at this time, didn’t know Zhang Liangyue yet, today indeed being their first meeting.
"It’s nothing, just thought that the scarf suits you well."
Zheng Xiangqiao, hearing this, was very pleased, "Really? I thought so too, which is why I bought it despite the cost."
When the two reached East Street’s bakery, Zheng Xiangqiao collided with someone upon entering, "How do you walk without looking?"