Chapter 171: That Jiang Is So Annoying

Chapter 171: Chapter 171: That Jiang Is So Annoying

"Vice Yang, I’ve relayed your instructions to all the troupe members. I also asked them one by one. Five of them ran into Teacher Jiang when they were out, but none of them said anything about you to her."

After hearing Fan Qiuyun’s report, Yang Lijiong indicated, "I understand. You can go back to your room and rest."

"Okay."

Closing the door, Yang Lijiong walked out onto the balcony alone.

Unlike the sweltering heat of the day, the nights in Menghai were wonderfully cool.

Yang Lijiong was staying on the third floor, and the mountain breeze, carrying the scent of the forest, made her spirits lift considerably.

She gazed calmly at the distant mountain range.

’She had indeed felt melancholic and displeased upon learning that Lu Cheng had married.’

’After all, Lu Cheng met her standards for a partner in every respect.’

’But she was proud by nature, clear-headed and rational.’

’She wouldn’t risk her own future and reputation over a mere man.’

’The things Jiang Qing had said not only belittled her but also put her in an awkward and indefensible position.’

’She, Yang Lijiong, was a match for any outstanding man in the world. Why would she need to compete with another woman for one?’

And, just as she’d suspected, Jiang Qing had been talking utter nonsense.

But it no longer mattered. She had already punished her in her own way.

...

Jiang Moli had drunk too much water before bed, and a full bladder woke her up first thing in the morning.

She got up and ran to the restroom, but both squat toilets were occupied.

A line had formed for the first stall, so Jiang Moli instinctively got in line for the second one.

Two rounds of people had already gone through the first stall, but the person in the second one hadn’t budged, still as a mushroom.

Jiang Moli peered over the half-height wooden partition and asked the female soldier in the stall, "Hey, are you constipated? I have a remedy for that. Want it?"

’What young woman would be happy about being accused of being constipated?’

The female soldier’s face flushed red as she glared at Jiang Moli.

’Disdain +1. 10,000 Yuan credited to your account.’

"Ms. Jiang, what’s the remedy?"

Jiang Moli turned, looking the other female soldier up and down before asking with a grin, "You’re constipated too?"

The female soldier’s face flushed crimson.

The diet in Menghai was heavy on coarse grains like sweet potatoes and potatoes, which were hard to digest. Her stomach had felt bloated since the previous evening, and she’d already decided to go to the infirmary for medicine if she still couldn’t relieve herself this morning.

Having her private trouble pointed out in public by Jiang Moli, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of irritation.

’This Jiang woman is so infuriating!’

’Disdain +1. 10,000 Yuan credited to your account.’

Only after hearing the notification that disdain had been credited did Jiang Moli finally say with a beaming smile, "Eat raw peanuts with cold water. It works as well as a laxative."

After her trip to the restroom, Jiang Moli returned to her room to grab her washbasin and toothbrush.

While washing her face, Jiang Moli noticed a dark-skinned soldier next to her secretly staring. Jiang Moli turned to her. "Hey, were you born that way?"

The female soldier looked baffled. "What?"

"I mean, born so dark? What a coincidence! I’m all natural too. Except I was born with fair skin. HAHA!"

The dark-skinned soldier was so angry she grabbed her washbasin and stormed off.

"Why are you leaving? Did you get mad?" Jiang Moli called after her. "I was just kidding. Don’t be so sensitive!"

The other soldiers who were washing up shot Jiang Moli looks of disgust and revulsion.

’How dare she point out someone’s insecurity and then call them sensitive? What kind of person does that?!’

’Disdain +3. 30,000 Yuan credited to your account.’

Having earned a bunch of Disdain Points first thing in the morning, Jiang Moli was in a ’very nice’ mood and chirped to the system, "These missions are way too easy."

System: ’Host, you should be careful or you’re going to get beaten up.’

Jiang Moli: "If I really do get beaten up, would that count as a work-related injury?"

’No. It would just mean you had it coming.’

Jiang Moli: "..."

After washing up and returning to her room, she ran into Lu Tingting, who was locking her door to go to school.

Jiang Moli stopped. "My dear niece, how about I take you out to have some fun? Wanna go?"

Lu Tingting rolled her eyes at her. "No, I have to go to class!"

"Then give me Jiaojiao. I’ll take it with me."

Lu Tingting glared at her. "Aren’t you supposed to be in class?"

Jiang Moli: "I don’t think I have any classes this morning. If I do, you can have them. Since you like class so much, you can take a couple extra for me."

Lu Tingting said angrily, "In your dreams! I’m not going to your classes for you!"

"Well, can you call in sick for me then? Actually, never mind, it doesn’t matter. I’m basically just a glorified extra there anyway."

Lu Tingting eyed her with disgust. "So where are you going to goof off?"

"You can’t go anyway, so why ask so many questions?"

Lu Tingting was both frustrated and envious. ’She wanted to go out and have fun, too!’

...

Outside the guesthouse, two young men in their early twenties, one carrying a wooden bucket and the other a net, were waiting patiently.

When Jiang Moli came out, one of the soldiers approached her. "Ma’am, Camp Commander Lu instructed us to help you catch crayfish."

Jiang Moli looked the two young men up and down.

’Though the two soldiers weren’t particularly tall, they were young and had pleasant, well-defined features—a pair of clean-cut handsome boys.’

’Jiang Moli was quite satisfied with her man’s arrangements.’

"Let’s go."

"Yes, Ma’am. After you."

Jiang Moli led Jiaojiao in front, with the two soldiers following five meters behind, as they headed down the mountain.

Jiang Moli glanced back casually. ’These two young soldiers are pretty considerate,’ she thought, ’not following too closely.’

Little did she know, this was all instructed by Lu Cheng.

His exact words were: "Stay away from your ma’am—at least five meters. You don’t want the smell of your sweat to reach her."

The truth was, he didn’t trust other men getting close to his wife.

Not even the soldiers under his command.

When they reached the river, the two soldiers found a shallow area, took off their shoes, rolled up their pant legs, and got into the water to start catching crayfish.

Nearby villagers often came to the river to catch fish, but crayfish were something nobody wanted, so there were plenty of them.

In less than an hour, they had caught more than half a bucket.

And following Jiang Moli’s instructions, they were all large ones.

Jiang Moli was practically drooling at the sight of the thrashing crayfish in the bucket when a familiar voice sounded by her ear. "What are you looking at?"

She looked up and was surprised to see Lu Cheng. "You’re back so early?"

Lu Cheng said, "The person in charge at the Public Security Bureau had something come up, so the meeting was canceled. I bought the things you wrote down and came back."

"That’s a lot," he said, glancing into the bucket. "Should be enough, right?"

"Let’s get some more."

’It looks like a lot now, but it’ll never feel like enough once we start eating.’

Lu Cheng nodded, walked to her side and squatted down. His right hand, which had been behind his back, suddenly moved in front of her.

A soccer-ball-sized, oil-paper-wrapped package.

"What is it?"

"Take a sniff."

Jiang Moli leaned closer to the package and sniffed, unable to stop herself from swallowing. "Roast chicken?"

"You’ve got a good nose."

Lu Cheng smiled as he unwrapped the oil paper, pulling out a glistening, golden-brown drumstick for her. "Try it."

Jiang Moli took the drumstick and took a bite. The skin was crisp yet springy, the meat firm and infused with the unique aroma of braising spices. It was so good she was in a daze.

"It’s really good."

Seeing how happy she was eating, Lu Cheng smiled with more satisfaction than if he had been eating it himself.

"You have some too."

"You go ahead and eat. I’m going to bring some to Xiao Tang and the others."

Saying this, he placed the roast chicken, still on the oil paper, on her lap, tore off half a sheet of the paper, wrapped a few pieces of chicken in it, and headed towards the river.

WOOF! WOOF!

Lured by the aroma, Jiaojiao ran out from the trees. The puppy circled Jiang Moli several times, rubbing against the top of her feet and wagging its tail—doing everything short of actually speaking.

’Hungry! Want food!’

Jiang Moli, amused, tossed a chicken bone on the ground. Jiaojiao immediately snatched it up with delight.

Lu Cheng returned a moment later. Seeing Jiaojiao lying on the ground, happily crunching on the chicken bone, he asked, "Why did you bring it out?"

"It gets cabin fever from being cooped up in the room all day. I brought it out to get some fresh air."

Usually, Jiang Moli didn’t dare let the puppy out of the house.

If it accidentally ran off into the mountains, it would become a snack for the tigers, leopards, and wolves.

Even if it wasn’t eaten by a wild beast, there was always the chance a villager would catch it and turn it into stew.