Chapter 1378: Xiang Dong
Chaoyang just laughed and didn’t answer Xiang Dong, but he leaned in and quietly said something to Jing Chu.
"Mm. I got it."
What Chaoyang told Jing Chu was that in a bit he’d buy the gifts for the proposal.
Xiang Dong didn’t catch it clearly, but watching the way the two of them interacted made him feel extremely upset.
He liked Jing Chu too—how could a guy not like such a pretty girl? But she was always so cold to him. He never expected her to get along so well with Chaoyang.
He hated a scene like this. "Chaoyang, if you don’t want to stay in the Capital anymore, then come back. You can try coming to the pesticide factory too."
Chaoyang nodded with a smile and didn’t say anything.
The three of them reached the department store. Everything Jing Chu wanted to buy was on the first floor, same for Xiang Dong.
"Do we need to buy two thermos flasks?"
"We need four. My eldest brother and sister-in-law need two, and my brother and my dad get one each."
"You should get two for yourself too, that way it’s easier to use hot water."
"No need."
They bought four thermos flasks. Chaoyang tried to pay, but Jing Chu refused.
"You know how I am."
Chaoyang finally behaved himself.
Next were the big kettles for boiling water, they needed two of those, and then basins—they needed a lot of those.
They took two of each size, and just like that they already had ten basins. They also bought four lunch boxes, to have on hand just in case.
Plates, bowls, chopsticks, spoons. All the tools needed for cooking and stir-frying. After this round of shopping, it was really quite a lot; Chaoyang followed behind carrying the stuff.
Xiang Dong trailed behind the two of them as well; he bought one thermos flask for himself and nothing else.
Looking at the two people in front of him, he found them particularly eye‑sore.
"Comrade, give me four of these mirrors."
"Buying them for your sister-in-law?"
The seller was a middle‑aged woman. "I say, what’s wrong with the way you talk? Your wife’s sister‑in‑law isn’t your sister‑in‑law? Still calling her ’your sister‑in‑law, your sister‑in‑law’ like that."
Jing Chu was stunned for a moment. When she realized what the woman meant, her face still didn’t show anything, but Chaoyang was standing right behind her and saw her ears turn red.
He obediently admitted his mistake at once. "Big Sis, I misspoke. Thank you for correcting me, I’ll definitely pay attention from now on."
Xiang Dong listened from the side and saw that Jing Chu didn’t refute it at all; he felt his heart turn cold. Though he’d already given up, that was only because he knew Jing Chu would never look twice at a rural guy like him.
Even if she did, it shouldn’t have been Chaoyang. Why him of all people?
Right now Xiang Dong was furious. It felt like he’d been betrayed.
"Jing Chu, candles and matches. We should get those too."
"Mm, I totally forgot. There are still a lot of little odds and ends."
Chaoyang just followed behind her, watching her buy one thing after another. It felt like they were setting up their own home. No, once he gets back to the Capital, he has to get the house completely in order too. Even if he can’t come back himself, he wonders if Jing Chu will be able to come see him?
Chaoyang was just about at his limit with what he could carry, and only then did Jing Chu finally stop; she’d bought everything she could think of.
"It’s really this much?" Jing Chu was startled too.
"It’s not that much. Jing Chu, you forgot to buy toilet paper."
"Oh, right, I really did."
"Chaoyang, what else am I missing?"
"We’ve already got all the seasonings; there’s nothing else we need for now. Let’s take this lot back first, then we’ll come back out to buy grain."
"I think Aunt Jiang will definitely have us eat at her place. But I’m guessing it’s going to get busier and busier over there, so I’m thinking we should cook for ourselves."
"Alright, then we’ll get all the grain and oil ready."
"Mm, let’s head back. We can think as we walk—if we remember anything, we’ll come back again."
"Okay, but I thought of one thing you didn’t buy. Don’t you need a new lock?"
"Do I need to change it?"
"Let’s get a big padlock for the front door."
"Alright. We’ll do it your way."
This was exactly the kind of thing Chaoyang liked to hear; it felt like a young couple discussing what to buy.
Xiang Dong followed silently behind the two of them, his expression ugly. On top of that, he’d been on the night shift, so his head was pounding.
After the two of them left the department store, Chaoyang suddenly acted like he’d just noticed Xiang Dong.
"Xiang Dong, the two of us need to go drop this stuff off."
"You two are together now?"
Chaoyang nodded with a smile, but Xiang Dong didn’t look at him; he stared at Jing Chu, wanting to hear it from her personally.
Jing Chu frowned, her face full of impatience. "Yeah, we’re together. What’s it to you?"
Jing Chu looked over at Chaoyang. He just smiled. "Alright, let’s go."
"Why?" Xiang Dong stubbornly stared at Jing Chu. Why Chaoyang? If it were someone else, he’d just laugh it off, not feel like this, like someone had stepped on him.
Jing Chu took the four thermos flasks out of the pile in Chaoyang’s arms without giving Xiang Dong so much as a glance.
"No need for you, I’ve got it."
"They’re not that heavy."
Chaoyang still had a smile on his face, but there wasn’t a trace of a smile in his eyes. When it came to Xiang Dong, he really had no patience left.
He gave Xiang Dong a nod and hurried after Jing Chu.
Xiang Dong felt extremely unwilling to accept this. Why was it that Chaoyang could get her, while she could barely be bothered to respond to him?
What exactly did Chaoyang have over him? Because they’d grown up together, the two of them had been compared to each other since they were kids.
He’d worked so hard to be a sensible, well‑behaved person, always hoping to be praised.
"Chaoyang, are you two going home now?"
Chaoyang didn’t even look back. "Yeah."
"I’m going to ask for leave. Wait for me a bit, I’ll come find you. Or you can drive me over so I can ask for leave."
"We’re going to buy grain."
"Then wait for me, I’ll go back with you." With that, he turned and ran off.
"Hmph, I heard he didn’t even come back to see your Fourth Uncle for New Year. Chaoyang, how did Xiang Dong end up like this?"
"I don’t know either."
Jing Chu didn’t pay any more attention to the matter; she didn’t think it was worth her time.
After the two of them got home, they went straight to the grain station and bought the grain they needed.
This time Chaoyang absolutely refused to let Jing Chu carry anything. He had two sacks slung over his shoulders, and the rest he carried in his hands.
"Jing Chu, let’s go back to the department store later. I need to bring the gifts for the proposal back. Even if it’s just a formality, I’m not going to let you suffer even the slightest grievance. Whatever we’re supposed to have, we’ll have."
"Alright, if that’s what you want, we’ll do it your way. Our family doesn’t care about this stuff at all anyway."
"I care. As long as it has to do with you, I care."
A smile appeared on Jing Chu’s face, a smile that came from the heart. As a girl, of course she hoped the boy would always put her at the center of everything. Even someone as cool and detached as Jing Chu still had that kind of wish.
The two of them completely ignored what Xiang Dong had said and happily went back to the department store.
They went straight up to the second floor. They bought two bolts of fabric right away.
"We don’t lack this at home." Jing Chu said helplessly.