Jiang Ye’s grades were average, but she was more than qualified to be an elementary school teacher in the northwest region. In this era, having a junior high school education was already considered above average.
Listening to Jiang Ye’s righteous and solemn speech, those unaware of the situation might genuinely believe that she had traveled thousands of miles to contribute to the northwest and support education.
After finishing her speech, Jiang Ye looked at Huo Jingyuan with teary eyes, her voice trembling with a hint of vulnerability: “Brother-in-law, I’ve been on the train for several days and nights, and I didn’t get a good rest last night. Can I get some sleep first?”
A sly glint flashed in her eyes. As long as she could move into the family compound, she would never leave, even if she had to throw a tantrum. This way, she could successfully get close to Huo Jingyuan.
Guesthouses required introduction letters. Jiang Ye had sneaked out of Beijing, and without anyone to help her get an introduction letter, she had no choice but to spend the night at the train station.
Wen Ci lowered her eyelids slightly, “Didn’t the elementary school in the northwest arrange a dormitory for you?”
Jiang Ye remained silent.
Before coming, Jiang Chen had made it clear to her that most of the teachers at the elementary school were family members of military personnel. Therefore, her living conditions would be quite poor.
It was said that the rooms weren’t even as big as her own.
Suddenly, Jiang Ye’s gaze fell on the lunchbox in Huo Jingyuan’s hand. Rather than standing stiffly at the door, it would be better to find an excuse to get inside first. “Can I at least have a bite of hot food?”
“No,” Huo Jingyuan replied indifferently.
He had only brought enough food for himself and Wen Ci. If they went to the cafeteria now, they would likely only find leftovers. Huo Jingyuan’s expression was cold: “You’ve just arrived in the northwest. You should first find the school’s person in charge to help you with arrangements.”
Hearing this, Wen Ci looked at Huo Jingyuan, her eyes showing a hint of pleasant surprise. This dog man could actually recognize a green tea b*tch.
“Sister…”
Wen Ci raised her hand: “Stop. I have no sisters, so don’t try to claim any family ties.”
“At least for the sake of my biological parents.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Wen Ci glanced at her lightly, a chill rising in her eyes. She spoke slowly: “If you hadn’t mentioned them, I might have softened and invited you to a meal.
But you just had to bring them up.”
Her memories of her adoptive parents were filled with nothing but pain.
When Jiang Ye brought up her adoptive parents, Wen Ci’s gaze towards her grew more murderous and hostile.
Suddenly, Huo Jingyuan grabbed her wrist. She looked down at the man’s rough hand, the emotions in her eyes gradually melting away. She raised her head and curled her lips:
“I wonder if the Jiang family parents know you’ve come to the northwest.”
Wen Ci was certain that the Jiang family parents were unaware.
No parent would want their daughter, who had been pampered for over twenty years, to come to the northwest to work as an elementary school teacher, especially since Jiang Ye was at a critical time in her college entrance exams.
“I…” Jiang Ye hesitated, lowering her eyelids. After some thought, she picked up her suitcase, biting her lip, “Then I’ll come visit another day.”
After Jiang Ye left, Huo Jingyuan took his wife’s small hand and led her into the house. On the green train, Wen Ci had told Huo Jingyuan everything.
She didn’t want to hide anything from him.
As a result, Huo Jingyuan had an extremely poor impression of the woman from the Jiang family who had stolen Wen Ci’s identity.
However, he was also glad that he had married Wen Ci.
At the dining table, Wen Ci stared straight at Huo Jingyuan, boldly sizing him up, thinking about Jiang Ye’s various reactions and words at the door.
Suddenly, it dawned on her. Wen Ci raised her eyebrows slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips as she spoke lightly: “So, she came for you.”
‘Huh?’ Huo Jingyuan was puzzled: “What do you mean she came for me?”
“Nothing.”
Meanwhile.
Jiang Ye dragged her exhausted body to the military jurisdiction office. Upon learning that she was a high school student who had voluntarily come to the northwest to teach, they treated her with great enthusiasm.
After assigning her a room and handing her two keys, they asked: “Teacher Jiang, would you like to stay in the family compound or the school dormitory?”
The northwest elementary school had two old dormitories used for storing miscellaneous items. The rooms were old but quite spacious, though the bathing facilities were far from the dormitories.
Jiang Ye asked: “What’s the difference?”
“Not much. One is older, the other newer. The school dormitory isn’t convenient for bathing, and there aren’t many people around at night. The family compound has bathing facilities within the building.”
Jiang Ye thought for a few seconds: “Then I’ll choose the family compound.”
Even if she couldn’t live in Huo Jingyuan’s house, being in the same compound would give her more opportunities to interact with him.
Jiang Ye returned to the family compound.
The three-bedroom and one-bedroom apartments were in completely different directions. Jiang Ye stood downstairs, frowning as she looked up at the building. She was on the fourth floor.
Each room had two windows on either side. Jiang Ye gritted her teeth and carried her suitcase up to the fourth floor. Upon opening the door to room 402, her eyes widened in shock.
The room before her was extremely small, with only a table and a bed inside. The space to move around was a narrow pathway. She bit her lower lip tightly.
The conditions in the northwest were truly terrible.
Although she had suffered greatly in her previous life after marrying Gu Zhe, she had always lived comfortably and had never stayed in such a small room.
“Where’s the bathroom?” Jiang Ye murmured.
She looked around, and at the end of the corridor were the shower room and public toilet. She covered her nose in disgust, thinking of the house Wen Ci lived in, and clenched her fists.
On what grounds?!
On what grounds could she have a private bathroom.
On what grounds could she live in such a large house.
She had clearly stolen it all from me.
Jiang Ye was filled with hatred and anger, but there was nothing she could do. Suddenly, she thought of her brother. She threw her luggage into the room and went to the guard room in the family compound, asking in a delicate voice: “Can I make a phone call?”
“To whom?” the guard asked.
“To my brother at home.”
“The guard room phone only connects to the northwest military district’s internal lines. If you want to make a long-distance call, you’ll have to go to the military office or pay to use the phone at the cafeteria.”
Jiang Ye realized she hadn’t eaten yet: “Which way is the cafeteria?”
By the time she reached the cafeteria, the various windows were already being cleaned. Jiang Ye walked up to a window and asked: “Excuse me, is there any food left?”
“None.”
Jiang Ye: “…”
She felt a bit overwhelmed, looking at the leftovers on the large iron trays. Remembering the tasteless meals she had on the green train, she couldn’t help but swallow and ask, “Can I buy some of that food?”
The cafeteria worker glanced at Jiang Ye and said impatiently: “You’re dressed so well, why don’t you go order a separate dish? What’s the point of buying leftovers?”
After the cafeteria windows closed, the leftover food could be taken home.
Usually, people would occasionally take some home to save on a meal.
Jiang Ye: “How much is it?”
“Not expensive, one yuan.”
Jiang Ye nodded: “Indeed, it’s not expensive.”
She ordered a dish and decided to make the phone call first. Calling Beijing was considered a long-distance call. She took out one yuan to call home, and upon hearing her mother’s voice.
Jiang Ye kept her mouth shut.
Her parents didn’t know she had come to the northwest military district. After sneaking out, she had fabricated a lie with Jiang Chen, saying she was staying at a classmate’s house to prepare for the college entrance exams.
“Who is it? Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Jiang Chen heard the phone ringing and quickly rushed to the phone, saying seriously: “Mom, it might be for me. Let me answer it.”
Leave a Reply