MM Racing Chapter 1164 Almost Agreed
Chapter 1164 Almost Agreed
He Yuzhu was taken aback by her words, and instinctively pulled the net bag back in his hand. It wasn't that he didn't want to help, but the vegetables were a gift from the factory manager, and they held special significance. Lu Jia had mentioned wanting roast chicken that morning and had specifically told him to come home early that evening. But seeing Qin Huairu's red-rimmed eyes and tearful expression, and remembering the close relationship Jia Dongxu had shared with him when he was alive, his heart softened—after all, they were neighbors living in the same courtyard, and she was an orphan and a widow; life was truly difficult for her. He gritted his teeth, about to hand over the net bag, saying, "Okay, Huairu, you..."
Before she could finish speaking, she heard footsteps behind her, and Lu Jia came out wearing a light coat. She had planned to visit Gu Nan's house; Ran Qiuye had given her a piece of floral fabric for making children's clothes a few days ago—blue with pink flowers, soft material—so she wanted to thank her and chat with Ran Qiuye. The two had gotten along very well lately, becoming increasingly close, almost like sisters.
As soon as she reached the courtyard gate, she saw He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu standing there talking. She was all too familiar with Qin Huairu's red-rimmed eyes and her look of impending tears—everyone in the courtyard knew that Qin Huairu always wore this expression when trying to get something from He Yuzhu, putting on a more pitiful act than anyone else. Hearing Qin Huairu's words and hearing He Yuzhu's hesitant gesture of handing over the item, Lu Jia's anger flared instantly, a surge of rage rising to her head.
He Yuzhu is incredibly stupid! Before they got married, he liked to help Qin Huairu out, and she couldn't stop him; but now that they're married, and there's a baby in her belly waiting for him to get nutrition, he's already giving away the food the factory manager just gave him, without even tasting a bite himself? Qin Huairu looks pitiful, but she's shrewder than anyone else. Every time she gets something, she forgets about it immediately and comes back for more next time. She's an ungrateful wretch!
Lu Jia remained silent, standing there watching with her arms crossed, eager to see just how foolish He Yuzhu could be today. The light from the corridor illuminated her face, half bright and half dim, her eyes carrying a hint of coldness—if he really gave her the food, she would definitely have a good talk with him tonight and teach him a lesson he wouldn't forget!
Lu Jia stood against the wall not far away, her back against the cool blue bricks, her ears like radar, listening intently to every word of He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu's conversation. Especially He Yuzhu's slightly ingratiating words, "Sister Qin, these pork ribs are freshly stewed, so oily and flavorful. Take them back for Bang Geng and the others to nourish themselves," and Qin Huairu's feigned reluctance, "I'm so sorry," yet her eyes were full of expectation—these words made Lu Jia feel as if a wad of waterlogged cotton was stuffed inside her, heavy and suffocating.
But she showed no emotion on her face, and even straightened the wrinkles on her clothes. She walked over with small, quick steps, a perfectly timed smile on her face, as if she hadn't heard the whispers just now: "Zhu Zi, what were you saying to Sister Qin here? I looked for you in the yard for a while, I thought you had already gone home."
He Yuzhu was carrying an oiled paper package, the greasy edges of which were still oozing dark red meat juice. The aroma wafted through the air, clearly intended for Qin Huairu. Startled by Lu Jia's call, he jerked his hand back as if burned, the package slapping against his dark blue work trousers, leaving a dark oil stain. A flicker of panic crossed his face, his eyes darting away from Lu Jia. He forced a smile, his gaze quickly sweeping over Qin Huairu: "N-nothing, just ran into Sister Qin, we chatted for a bit. I'm going back now, I'm going back."
Qin Huairu opened her mouth to smooth things over, saying, "Jia'er is pregnant, she has to be careful," and then gave He Yuzhu a wink, signaling him to bring the things over when he had the chance. Unexpectedly, He Yuzhu seemed to have gotten away with it, turning and walking home before she could finish her sentence. His retreating figure exuded a sense of haste, even his steps were a beat faster than usual. Her outstretched hand froze in mid-air. She could only awkwardly purse her lips and force a smile at Lu Jia, a smile tinged with unease and the embarrassment of having her secret exposed. Her cheeks flushed slightly.
"Then I'll head back too, Jia-meizi." Qin Huairu tugged at the hem of her apron, turned, and walked towards her own courtyard, but her steps faltered slightly. The slight annoyance at being interrupted had long since dissipated, replaced by a secret joy—He Yuzhu's flustered appearance clearly showed that he had reservations. Reservations about whom? Naturally, it was about Lu Jia, who was pregnant in front of her. That made things easier; as long as he still held onto her feelings, she wasn't afraid of not being able to win him over in the future.
The more she thought about it, the more comfortable she felt, and her steps became lighter. She had almost finished arranging things with Yi Zhonghai; the old man, seeing her hardships as a widow and her child, always showed her extra care. As for He Yuzhu, he was soft-hearted but stubborn; as long as she showed some weakness and mentioned Xiaodang's hunger, she wouldn't have to worry about him not coming to her. Once she had both men under her control, who in this courtyard could control her? Even Gu Nan, who was always at odds with her, would have to think twice.
He Yuzhu had already reached Lu Jia, his panicked expression replaced by cautious concern. He reached out to help her but was afraid of touching her belly, his hand hovering in mid-air for a long time before finally only daring to gently hold her arm: "You, pregnant, why aren't you resting at home? What are you doing out here? It's getting dark, and the ground is uneven. What if you fall?"
Lu Jia was still angry, and his words made her feel even more that he was just trying to make amends. He was saying nice things, but who knew he was still thinking about sending Qin Huairu ribs. But she didn't say anything. She just gently pulled her hand away from his and said with her eyes downcast, "I'm fine. Zhu Zi, you go back to your room and rest. I'm going to ask Sister Qiu Ye something. She's been pregnant before and has experience."
He Yuzhu's brows furrowed instantly. It was Gu Nan's family again! Ever since Lu Jia became close to Ran Qiuye and started going there every few days, he'd been holding back his anger. Gu Nan looked refined, but he was cunning. Lu Jia, pregnant, was trying to get close to him—was that appropriate? But he swallowed his words—Lu Jia was carrying the He family's child, a huge contribution indeed. What if he angered her and it affected the baby? He could only suppress his anger and mumble a low "Mmm": "Go early and come back early. I'll leave the door open for you, and there's some porridge warming up on the stove for you."
Lu Jia ignored him and walked straight towards Gu Nan's house. The old yellow dog at the gate lay on the stone steps, not even lifting its eyelids when it saw her. Usually, it would at least give a token whimper, but today it completely ignored her. Lu Jia didn't care and pushed open the gate to enter the yard.