Xu Biao’s face was full of confusion and bewilderment.
Lu Ling remained silent, holding his lunchbox as he shoveled rice into his mouth.
Xu Biao pursed his lips, his heart filled with anxiety.
“Brother Lu, Du Yun is no good. That guy already has a girlfriend—she’s just from the countryside and rarely comes around, so not many people know about it. Now he’s shamelessly clinging to Factory Flower Bai, messing around with relationships!”
Lu Ling frowned and looked at Xu Biao.
Xu Biao clicked his tongue, “I’m telling the truth…”
Not far away, Bai Xiaotong had almost finished eating and was secretly probing into Du Yun’s family situation.
Bai Xiaotong had only been working in the printing and dyeing workshop for half a month and had little contact with Du Yun, so she definitely didn’t know much about his family.
Du Yun was also aware that Bai Xiaotong was trying to learn about his personal circumstances. Sweat beaded in his palms as he carefully selected what to tell her.
He had an older brother who was already married, with a little nephew over a year old. He was the second child in the family, with a younger sister and brother below him. His sister had responded to the call to go to the countryside two years ago, and his brother was still in high school, graduating next year.
Four siblings in total—quite a large family.
Du Yun was stuck in the middle, neither here nor there, and probably didn’t get much attention at home.
If it were just a lack of attention, that would be one thing. But if things weren’t fair, and he had to fight for what he needed, it could lead to a lot of trouble later on.
Bai Xiaotong was about to frown, but Du Yun, sweating with excitement, was already lost in fantasies, planning for their future together.
He stammered, “Xiaotong, I’ve already worked at the factory for four years. Once I get married, I can apply for housing right away. If the woman is also a factory employee, we’ll get priority. How about… how about we go see a movie tomorrow? Not at our factory’s cinema, but at the Cultural Center. They have a new film.”
The Cultural Center again.
Bai Xiaotong sighed and said, “Tomorrow… I’m not sure if I’ll have time.”
She didn’t outright refuse, leaving room for possibility.
Du Yun’s face flushed with excitement. “Xiaotong, I’ll wait for you there tomorrow. From when the cinema opens until it closes, no matter what time, just come over once you’re done.”
Waiting at the cinema entrance again.
Had Du Yun and Fang Zhiyong discussed this? Their tactics were exactly the same.
But this Du Yun seemed a bit more sincere.
Bai Xiaotong thought for a moment and asked him, “What do you mean by asking me to see a movie?”
Du Yun’s heart raced wildly. “I… I… I like you.”
He didn’t dare say he wanted to be with her, only expressing his feelings.
Bai Xiaotong smiled. “Lots of people like me.”
Du Yun said, “I… I’m different from them.”
Bai Xiaotong was curious. “How are you different?”
Du Yun was stumped.
The Factory Flower was as beautiful as a fairy, with a great figure—the dream girl of all the young men in the factory. Everyone was crazy about her, obsessed with her.
Whoever married the Factory Flower would be the happiest man in the textile factory.
Everyone thought that way, so what made him different?
Du Yun pondered the question.
He wasn’t stupid. He knew whether he could date the Factory Flower depended heavily on his next answer.
Sweat poured from Du Yun’s forehead, but he didn’t bother wiping it. Digging deep into his thoughts, he said, “If… if you and my mom both fell into the water, I… I’d save you first, then die in my mom’s place.”
Bai Xiaotong was stunned, looking at Du Yun sitting across from her in shock.
This answer was truly unexpected!
Though he was trying to balance filial piety and love, it felt… strange.
Still putting his own life first, saving her first, then dying in place of his mother.
Bai Xiaotong’s expression was complicated, her thoughts in turmoil. After a moment’s thought, she said, “We’ll see tomorrow, if I have time.”
Maybe she should get to know him a bit first, see what his character is really like.
Du Yun was stunned, looking at Bai Xiaotong’s snow-white face, his heart almost stopped beating, his hands trembling with excitement.
“Then, I, I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”
Bai Xiaotong frowned, “Pick me up for what? I’m not even sure if I’ll have time yet.”
She was just observing and considering right now, not actually dating him. What would it look like if he came to the residential compound to pick her up?
Du Yun quickly said, “Okay, okay, then I’ll wait for you near the cultural center.”
Bai Xiaotong didn’t say much more, getting up to leave. The lunchbox in front of her was snatched away by Du Yun.
“I’ll wash it for you.”
“Alright, thanks.”
Bai Xiaotong left, and when she reached the cafeteria entrance, she instinctively glanced sideways.
Du Yun thought she was looking at him and immediately gave a silly grin.
Bai Xiaotong: “…”
Actually, she was looking at Lu Ling.
That man was sitting not far away; she had noticed him earlier.
But thinking about yesterday’s incident, she didn’t want to have anything to do with that jerk at all. Looking back now was just because she couldn’t help wanting to show off to him again.
Unfortunately, Lu Ling was already gone.
Whatever, she figured they wouldn’t have much to do with each other in the future anyway.
Bai Xiaotong returned to the small office in the workshop.
During lunch break, the office was empty. She poured some hot tea, picked up a newspaper, and was just about to rest when her gaze slid past the small window in front and suddenly caught sight of Lu Ling.
That man was standing under a tree not far away, hands in his pockets, staring fixedly in this direction.
Bai Xiaotong met his gaze from a distance, confirming he wasn’t just passing by but was really looking at her. She was about to go out and snap at him, “What are you looking at?” when someone suddenly appeared at the office door.
It was a colleague from the same office, Sister Zhang, a veteran employee in her thirties.
Sister Zhang asked Bai Xiaotong, “Have you eaten?”
Bai Xiaotong smiled and nodded, then looked outside for Lu Ling again, only to find that he was gone, disappeared.
Huh, what’s going on?
Bai Xiaotong rolled her eyes, letting it go, too lazy to bother.
The next day was the weekend. Bai Xiaotong slept in, only getting up after Li Maihong had prepared breakfast.
While washing up and eating, Li Maihong asked her daughter curiously, “When you went to work yesterday, why didn’t you ride your bike?”
Although it was only a ten-minute walk, having a bike at home made riding much more convenient.
Bai Xiaotong: “I’ve been exercising lately. Mom, you can ride the bike from now on.”
She was pregnant now, even though it was just the beginning, she was terrified and didn’t dare ride the bike anymore.
Exercising?
Li Maihong gave her daughter a puzzled look but didn’t say much. It wasn’t far anyway; walking was fine.
After breakfast, Li Maihong gave her daughter a few instructions and went out.
She was going to her eldest daughter’s place to deliver some dried vegetables sent over by her family.
Today, Bai Xiaotong planned to go check out the situation near the cultural center.
But there was no rush. After leisurely cleaning the house and doing the laundry, it was already past ten o’clock when she finally slung her small leather bag over her shoulder, ready to go catch the bus.
It was a bit far from the residential compound to the city cultural center; taking the bus would take about half an hour.
In this era, transportation was either by bicycle or bus, and the bus stops were always crowded.
The car hadn’t arrived yet. Bai Xiaotong adjusted her scarf and, turning her head, saw Lu Ling again.
This person was always appearing and disappearing mysteriously. She hadn’t seen him earlier, and suddenly he popped up.
Bai Xiaotong paid no attention and waited for the car on her own.
Not long after, the bus heading to the cultural center arrived. She followed the crowd onto it, then glanced back and noticed Lu Ling had also boarded.