Chapter 57: The Cannon Fodder Sister of the Female Lead (Part 9)

Looking at the buns handed over, Jiang Qu definitely couldn’t eat them. Just now, she and He Xing each ordered a bowl of beef noodles at the restaurant, accompanied by several exquisite side dishes. These things were extremely rare and precious delicacies in this era. Although the big buns in front of her were filled with meat, they were too greasy, so Jiang Qu swallowed hard and pushed them toward Jiang Qiuhe with a smile.

“Big brother, you eat. I just had one on the way. You must be thirsty, have some water.”

As she spoke, she took out a kettle from her bag and handed it over.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Qiuhe directly grabbed a kettle from Jiang Lai’s hand.

“Sanya brought a lot of water with her. This little girl didn’t mind the effort and carried it all the way.”

Saying so, Jiang Qiuhe directly wiped the grain cart beside him and called out to Jiang Lai.

“Sanya, come sit here. Erya, you come and sit waiting too; it’s still a bit hot today.”

The three siblings slowly moved forward. As they were about to arrive, a middle-aged man wearing a hat walked over, holding a pole for extracting grain. The tip was hollow like a needle. When it was thrust forcefully into a grain sack and pulled out, it could extract a whole tube of hulled rice.

When the man pushed the pole in, Jiang Qiuhe frowned sadly, and the three siblings stared at him as he poured the grain into his hand, scrutinized it over and over, and then peeled the rice, chewed it, and finally spat it out, grim-faced.

“It’s fine, move it over.”

Jiang Qiuhe nodded repeatedly and moved the mule cart forward a step.

There was a noise ahead; it seemed like an argument had started. Jiang Qiuhe instructed his sister to watch the grain and squeezed through to take a look. After a while, he came back, sighing.

“The people collecting grain ahead said the weight is not enough. It should have been two hundred catties, but thirty catties are missing.”

“Thirty catties? How can it be missing so much!”

“Those people stuffed stones in the bags and got caught. It’s a serious trouble now. The leaders at the grain station said they want to deal with it strictly, and we don’t know how long we will have to wait.”

Seeing it was already evening, if they didn’t hand over the leftovers, they would have to stay here overnight.

At this time, He Xing came over from behind the grain station, accompanied by a young man. The young man came to the grain bags, squeezed them, and then waved his hand directly.

“Okay, move it over and weigh it.”

He Xing whispered something to Jiang Qiuhe, Jiang Qiuhe nodded, patted He Xing’s shoulder, his dark face holding a touch of a smile.

The young man was from the grain station, and after taking Jiang Qiuhe’s grain inside to the storage station, weighed it. It was over four hundred catties, a few pounds more.

“Okay, Jiang Sheng’s family submitted four hundred catties. Keep up the good work next year; you can go back!”

With the grain submitted, Jiang Qiuhe felt relieved, his face more relaxed, and he continuously thanked He Xing along the way.

“Thanks to you, otherwise we might have had to stay here another night.”

“No need to thank me, a friend of mine knows someone inside, and he helped by saying a word.”

At this moment, Jiang Qu said with a smile.

“Big brother, He Xing is always enthusiastic, like this with everyone. After all, we’re from the same village, it’s only right he helps.”

“You’re speaking as if He Xing is one of our family… But it’s soon, Sanya, aren’t you coming over to thank He Xing?”

Before Jiang Lai could say anything, Jiang Qu directly asked He Xing.

“Is everything sorted out?”

He Xing nodded.

“Pretty much.”

Beside them, Jiang Qiuhe listened in bewilderment. Since when did Erya and He Xing become so close?

Jiang Lai smiled without saying anything. Once in the cart, she saw the two sit not too close, not too far, so she pretended to know nothing and sat directly between them.

“He Xing, take this.”

Jiang Lai took a pair of gloves out of her bag and handed them to him.

“Wear them when you work; your hands won’t hurt.”

He Xing looked at the gloves before him, then lowered his head to see the cracked skin on his finger pads, noticing for the first time a cut on the back of his hand bleeding slightly.

He instinctively refused.

“No need, I don’t need it.”

“Take it. You saved my life before; it’s only right I repay you with something.”

With Jiang Lai’s insistence, He Xing had nothing more to say, so he accepted the gloves and packed them away.

Later, he heard the girl beside him whisper a thank you.

He Xing nodded stiffly.

Sitting by, Jiang Qu watched this scene, her heart feeling slightly bittersweet and uneasy.

She clutched her bag, and after seeing He Xing accept the gloves from Jiang Lai, her face turned cold, her lowered eyebrows glistening.

After getting off the cart, she didn’t look at He Xing and walked straight home.

That night, Jiang Lai was applying clam oil facing a mirror, hearing Xiao Buding say.

“He Xing is by Jiang Qu’s window.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Lai, driven by curiosity, climbed onto the bed and pressed her ear to the window, listening carefully outside.

The sisters originally shared one room, but later for Jiang Qu’s convenience in studying, one room was divided into two, the sunny one given to Jiang Qu, and Jiang Lai, who was addicted to novels all day, moved into the shady one.

“Jiang Qu went out.”

Since Jiang Lai couldn’t catch anything, Little Buding vividly recited everything for her.

Jiang Qu: “Why are you here in the middle of the night?”

He Xing: “Weren’t you looking for a math competition book? I found one today and brought it for you.”

Jiang Qu spoke in an awkward tone.

“Did you have to give it to me at night?”

“You’re leaving for school first thing tomorrow, and tomorrow I’m going to Beishi for a trip, coming back in maybe seven or eight days.”

“Hmm, only telling me this? Don’t you need to tell my sister too?”

He Xing lowered his voice, his tone slightly annoyed.

“Why should I say anything to your sister?”

“You accepted her gloves; I thought you two were dating.”

“Jiang Qu! You think I’m that kind of person?”

“Then why is Jiang Lai clinging to you? It’s not possible my sister is being clingy, right?”

He Xing remained silent for a long time.

“Your sister doesn’t know about us. You told me not to tell her. Now she thinks we’re matchmaking, whatever she does is understandable.”

Hearing this, Jiang Lai nodded.

Jiang Qu wanted to say more, but after a moment of hesitation, her attitude softened.

“If you fall for someone else, be sure to let me know. I won’t bother you; it’s good for both of us to part amicably.”

“I won’t fall for someone else.”

“Hmm, I’ll clarify things with Jiang Lai as soon as possible. Though she’s stubborn from a young age, within her sights, she must get it. I don’t know what will happen when I tell her the truth.”

Jiang Lai smacked her lips, hearing He Xing reply.

“She’s a good girl, Jiang Family knows how to raise daughters. Besides, don’t throw a tantrum like this casually next time. I know you’re pampered, but saying that about me and your sister, it’s not right.”

Jiang Qu silently clenched the corner of her clothes, obediently nodding.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep