Jian Mingyue Is About to Have Bad Luck
Jian Mingyue closed her eyes, steeled her heart, and leaned toward Yan Jinghong, letting out a startled cry.
“Ah!!”
Her face wore a panicked expression, but inwardly she was secretly pleased—this time, she was sure to fall right into his arms.
As if he had anticipated it, Yan Jinghong dodged, and Jian Mingyue stumbled forward, landing awkwardly on the ground.
She lifted her delicate, fair face and looked at him with tearful eyes: “Comrade Yan, why didn’t you help me just now?”
Yan Jinghong replied with clear impatience: “We’re not close. Why should I help you? Besides, men and women should keep their distance—what if you tried to pin something on me?”
Jian Mingyue’s face darkened like ink. This male supporting character was utterly clueless. If it weren’t for his good looks, who would bother with him? He really thought he was something special.
She got up from the ground and brushed the dust off her pants.
In just that short moment, no one had waited for her—they were already dozens of meters ahead.
Glancing at the empty fields and woods around her, with no one in sight, Jian Mingyue felt a creeping unease. Forgetting her anger, she hurried after them.
“Wait for me, wait for me!” By the time she caught up, she was panting heavily.
[These wretched people actually didn’t wait for me. I’m the beloved female protagonist—are they blind?]
Yan Jinghong: Hah, beloved? What an inflated ego!
Shen Zhou: This woman definitely has something wrong with her head, and she loves to daydream too.
Wen Shunu and Bai Jinchuan looked at her with equal disdain. Ah, what a pity—how could someone so young already have a broken mind?
After walking for half an hour, they reached the commune.
Looking around, the main street was a narrow dirt road lined with scattered single-story houses.
Though small, the commune had all the essentials. The supply and marketing cooperative, post office, barbershop, and state-run restaurant were located in the center, their large signs standing out prominently.
Wen Shunu sniffed the air—she could already smell the aroma of steamed buns.
The craving in her stomach tugged at her, making her abandon all decorum as she grabbed Jiang Taohua’s arm and strode purposefully toward the state-run restaurant.
After walking for three or four minutes, they saw a faded sign hanging above the entrance—red background with white characters, still eye-catching despite the passage of time.
As soon as they entered, they saw matching tables and chairs neatly arranged. The floor was concrete, and near the food pickup window, a small blackboard displayed the day’s menu in chalk.
Jiang Taohua read the offerings: braised beef, steamed buns, and noodles with gravy.
The kitchen was bustling with activity, and the waitstaff, dressed in uniform, moved back and forth across the dining area.
By the time Jiang Taohua and Wen Shunu arrived, six of the eight tables were already occupied, leaving two empty. They quickly claimed a spot, took out their ration tickets and money, and ordered two bowls of braised beef, two bowls of noodles with gravy, and ten steamed buns.
As they carried the dishes to their table, a familiar voice drifted over from nearby.
[These two gluttons can really eat. Not like me—I only need two steamed buns.]
Wen Shunu, not at all ladylike, rolled her eyes skyward. It was Jian Mingyue again—truly a persistent nuisance.
The two slender women devoured the braised beef and noodles with gravy as if swept up by a whirlwind, leaving their plates spotlessly clean.
Jiang Taohua sighed with admiration, “The meat in this era is genuine, no hormones, it really tastes delicious. The noodles in the sauce are also very chewy. The cafeteria chef’s skills are quite good, worthy of praise.”
They ate a bit too much this time, so the two of them decided to skip lunch. As for the remaining ten buns, they would save them for dinner.
They took out their handkerchiefs to wipe the corners of their mouths and planned to leave to explore the area.
Jian Mingyue, while eating her bun, kept an eye on their movements. It had been almost a month, and her mission hadn’t made any progress. She was growing anxious.
[Got it! Once Jiang Taohua stands up, I’ll secretly stick out my foot to trip her. I don’t believe she won’t cry!]
Jiang Taohua and Wen Shunu exchanged a glance. Wen Shunu, who had been about to stand up, was no longer in a hurry. She sat quietly, watching Jiang Taohua rise before following suit.
A flicker of delight crossed Jian Mingyue’s eyes.
[Now’s the time.]
Just as Jiang Taohua walked past her, Jian Mingyue stuck out her foot. But just as she thought she was about to succeed, Jiang Taohua’s shoe sole came down hard on her foot.
Jian Mingyue’s expression changed drastically, her features contorted in pain, and tears welled up in her eyes from the agony.
“Ah… Jiang Taohua, let go of me!”
“Congratulations, Host, for angering the female protagonist. You have earned three yuan.”
Jiang Taohua lifted her foot graciously, and Jian Mingyue immediately pulled hers back.
“Taohua, why did you do that? Aren’t we good friends?” Jian Mingyue, playing the victim first, began to hypocritically accuse her.
Looking at Jian Mingyue’s swollen foot, Jiang Taohua thought to herself, “Serves you right.”
With an innocent expression, she said, “Oh, did I step on your foot just now? I thought I was stepping on a pig’s trotter.”
Wen Shunu couldn’t hold back any longer and burst out laughing.
[You’re the pig’s trotter, your whole family are pig’s trotters.]
“Congratulations, Host, for enraging the female protagonist. You have earned two yuan.”
In just a short while, she had earned five yuan, which made Jiang Taohua beam with joy, her face glowing.
“Jian Mingyue, be more careful next time. Don’t be so oblivious. Do you think this is your own bed, sticking your foot out like that? It’s only because I’m generous and kind-hearted that I’m not holding it against you. If someone else had tripped over you, they’d definitely make you pay.”
Jian Mingyue, unconvinced, retorted stubbornly, “Taohua, what are you talking about? I’ve always eaten like this for over ten years, and nothing’s ever happened.”
To prove her point, she deliberately stuck her leg out again.
As luck would have it, a middle-aged woman in her forties happened to walk by and was tripped by Jian Mingyue, landing hard on her backside.
“Ouch! Who’s the rotten scoundrel that tripped me?”
Jiang Taohua looked over and saw that the tripped woman had a fierce face, prominent cheekbones, and a menacing glare—clearly not someone to be trifled with.
Tsk tsk.
Interesting.
The female protagonist is in for big trouble.
But she was more than happy to watch it unfold.
Jiang Taohua pulled Wen Shunu back a few steps, ready to enjoy the show.