When Jiang Sui first crossed over, she had visited the vegetable market near her home a few times. Now, after only six months, it had undergone significant changes.
The originally open-air and chaotic market now had a roof and was divided into distinct sections and shops, making it look much more organized.
Jiang Sui remembered Xia Youqing saying that the birth of this market was entirely accidental. It started with a few scattered individual vendors setting up stalls to make a living. Eventually, more people crowded in, and it truly transformed into a vegetable market.
“Boss, how much for this crucian carp?”
“It’s not expensive, not expensive at all. This much.”
Seeing a customer approach, the fish vendor immediately put on a flattering smile.
The price was about what she expected; buying it directly wouldn’t be much of a loss. However, Jiang Sui still put on a troubled expression.
“Boss, can’t you make it a little cheaper?”
“I can’t lower it even a bit, little girl. This is a small business with very thin profit margins.”
“To be honest, Boss, my family owes a lot of money, and my entire salary goes toward paying off debts. It’s really expensive. Could you be kind and give me a discount? Think of it as making a friend.”
“Hmm… Fine.”
“Then how about 70% off?”
“70% off?!” The boss’s eyes widened. “Little girl, you basically want to take it for free. 20% off.”
“Doesn’t 20% off mean basically no change? 60% off.”
“No, no. 30% off—no, 40% off.”
“50% off then. Consider it charity on my part.”
“Since it’s already 40% off, let’s just round it. How about 50%? Hehe, thanks, Boss.”
Happily purchasing the fresh crucian carp for half the market price, Jiang Sui bid the boss a cheerful farewell.
‘I wonder if Lu Yunze will like crucian carp soup.’
As Jiang Sui continued browsing the market, a black cat appeared by her feet at some point, sniffing the fish in her hand.
“Does Senior like eating fish?”
“Good flavors, yes. Bad ones, no,” the black cat turned its head away.
“Then what do you usually eat, Senior?”
“Cat food… I mean, rations that cats can also eat.”
“Oh.”
The black cat coughed solemnly twice before nimbly jumping onto the girl’s shoulder and whispering in her ear.
“Is it really okay to leave Lu Yunze at home by himself?”
“Don’t worry, only my mother is at home. It’s perfectly safe,” Jiang Sui laughed. “If I brought him out, it would only attract troublesome women.”
“Isn’t your mother also a woman?”
“That’s different. Would Lu Yunze be interested in an older, middle-aged married woman?”
“… Hard to say.”
Jiang Sui rolled her eyes at it and continued scanning the nearby stalls, intending to buy some beef to take back.
***
Meanwhile, at Jiang Sui’s house.
*Thwack!*
A broom hit his head with force. Lu Yunze couldn’t help but cry out in pain, backing away as he tried to explain.
“Madam, you have to believe me. I’m really not an Underwear Thief.”
“Save your breath!” Xia Youqing, brandishing the broom, was aggressive. “Sui’er just got back and you show up at my house? You must have been stalking her for a long time.”
“I… I really didn’t…”
The other person was Jiang Sui’s mother, after all. Lu Yunze couldn’t fight back, so he could only let her chase him around with the broom. However, the space in the living room was limited, causing Lu Yunze to take a few hits every now and then.
“If you’re not an Underwear Thief lusting after my Sui’er’s body, why are you holding her underwear in your hand?”
“Ah, this…”
Only then did Lu Yunze notice that he had been in such a hurry to run out of the bedroom that he was still holding Jiang Sui’s panties. He hurriedly tossed them onto the sofa.
“Madam, listen to my explanation. I… I…”
*Thwack!*
“Pervert! Get out of my house! Don’t you dare think about getting close to my daughter again!”
Leaving her house was fine, but not being allowed to get close to Jiang Sui… Lu Yunze’s heart skipped a beat.
The moment Xia Youqing raised the broom to strike again, Lu Yunze reached out and caught it. Although he had been chased around miserably, there was a significant difference in their strength. Xia Youqing realized that no matter how hard she pulled, she couldn’t move the broom an inch.
“Madam, I am not a pervert. I am Jiang Sui’s friend.”
“Huh? You’re Sui’er’s friend?” Xia Youqing froze.
‘Finally, she’s willing to listen to me.’
“Yes, we met at school. We both happen to live in Central City, so I came back with her for this summer vacation. And we agreed that I would visit her home this weekend. Do you understand what I’m saying, Madam?”
Xia Youqing fell into a long silence.
A male friend Jiang Sui met at school who also happened to live in Central City?
“Don’t just take my word for it. I have chat records with Jiang Sui. Look, Madam.”
Lu Yunze pulled out his mobile phone, opened the chat panel with Jiang Sui, and handed it to her to scroll through.
Xia Youqing looked closely for a long time. This friend was indeed her daughter’s account, and there was nothing wrong with their conversation.
Except, what kind of strange nickname was “Young Master”?
After several minutes of silence, Xia Youqing’s gaze moved back and forth between the phone screen and Lu Yunze’s face. The next second, she suddenly broke into an awkward smile.
“Oh my, it seems I really did misunderstand. My apologies.”
“It’s fine, as long as you’re willing to believe me.”
Having finally cleared up that damn misunderstanding, Lu Yunze felt relaxed, but he couldn’t help asking, “Did Jiang Sui not tell you I was coming?”
“That…”
Xia Youqing began to think.
“It seems Sui’er did come into my room while I was sleeping earlier to say something.”
Ah, then he couldn’t blame Jiang Sui. It was entirely because this Madam had slept too soundly and woke up at an unexpected time.
In short, once the misunderstanding was resolved, Xia Youqing’s attitude changed instantly. She began to host him warmly, boiling water to make tea… wait, there was no tea in the house, only plain water.
“To think Sui’er brought back a friend, and a male friend at that. Other people’s daughters bring their best friends home to play, but my daughter actually brought back a handsome young man for her first time.”
“My name is Xia Youqing. What is your name, and how old are you?”
“Hello, Mrs. Xia. My name is Lu Yunze, and I’m 19.”
“Only a one-year difference. Mm, that’s very good,” Xia Youqing nodded slightly. “How is your usual relationship with Sui’er? She hasn’t caused you any trouble, has she?”
“No, Jiang Sui is a very good person and takes great care of me,” Lu Yunze laughed. “I’m actually a bit ashamed to say this, but the first time Jiang Sui and I met was when I was drunk and she picked me up off the street.”
“Picked you up off the street?!”
“She just took me back to a hotel, bought me some late-night snacks and water. Nothing else happened.”
“Mm, I believe you. Of course I believe you.”
Xia Youqing pondered for 2 seconds.
“What’s with Sui’er calling you Young Master? Is your family very wealthy?”
“I suppose we are wealthy.”
“That’s good too, finding a wealthy family…”
However, Xia Youqing fell into deep thought. She had lived in Central City for so many years, but she had never heard of a wealthy family with the surname Lu.
After explaining to Xia Youqing that he was only helping Jiang Sui tidy up her room as requested, the lady stopped interfering and let him continue his business.
Returning to the girl’s bedroom, Lu Yunze thought he needed to speed up. He had to finish everything before Jiang Sui returned.
After meeting Xia Youqing, Lu Yunze didn’t dare have any more naughty thoughts about Jiang Sui’s panties and bras, or he really would be kicked out of the house.
Come to think of it, Jiang Sui’s mother was quite different from what Lu Yunze had imagined. Although the mother and daughter had their own unique charms in terms of looks, their lively personalities were very similar.
“Only Mrs. Xia is home. As expected, is Jiang Sui’s father still a fugitive?”
Lu Yunze muttered to himself, unable to help sighing.
“He’s really not much of a man, leaving a mother and daughter behind.”
Just then, Lu Yunze suddenly discovered something out of place among the pile of clothes.
It was also a bra, but compared to the innocent style Jiang Sui wore, this one was a flashy red lace bra, looking mature as if it were something an older woman would wear.
“This isn’t Jiang Sui’s, is it?”
Since footsteps were passing by the door just then, Lu Yunze spoke up directly.
“Mrs. Xia, is this yours?”
“Ah… Yes, I must have accidentally mixed it in when I was collecting the laundry.”
Xia Youqing paused after speaking.
“Lu Yunze, is your home really in Central City?”
“Yes, though I don’t live with my parents.”
“Oh?”
“Does Mrs. Xia know the Luo family? I’m actually their adoptive son.”
“The… The Luo family?!”
Xia Youqing’s pupils constricted violently, and she stood there as still as a statue.
Lu Yunze stood up and walked toward her, intending to return the bra to her.
However, Xia Youqing didn’t take it. Instead, her face became extremely unsightly.
“Get out of my house right now. Leave immediately.”
“Huh? No, I really found it in the wardrobe. I didn’t steal it.”
Xia Youqing didn’t listen to a word he said. She turned around and grabbed the broom again, swinging it at Lu Yunze.
What was going on now?
Lu Yunze was stunned. He thought to himself that he hadn’t said anything wrong, so why the sudden outburst?
“Mrs. Xia, let’s talk this through.”
“We have nothing to talk about. Leave my house, and stay away from Sui’er.”
“No, we’re just friends.”
“Break it off! Break it off right now!”
It was no use; she was completely beyond reasoning.
Lu Yunze couldn’t stay any longer. After circling the living room twice, he ran for the front door.
Just as he threw the door open, Lu Yunze crashed directly into Jiang Sui, who had just returned from shopping. He nearly knocked the items in her hands to the ground.
“What’s wrong?” Jiang Sui was also bewildered.
“Something’s happened, Jiang Sui. Your mother…”
“What about my mother—”
Mid-sentence, Jiang Sui suddenly noticed the bright red bra in his hand.
“Lu Yunze, explain yourself first. Why do you have my mother’s clothes in your hand?”
“Ah, this is a misunderstanding.”
Jiang Sui said nothing. She only gave a simple smile, but it was a very cold one.