So Yan Jin’er finished getting herself ready, stuffed melon seeds and candies into her pocket, and stormed off toward the neighborhood committee building.
From afar, she could already see Yan Jin’er sitting obediently, nodding from time to time. Sometimes she wore a serious expression, sometimes she looked curious. Her expressions changed as if she were performing face-changing opera.
Yes, in order not to waste her precious rest time, Yan Jin’er successfully joined the Aunties’ Gossip Meeting with a handful of melon seeds and candies.
These aunties were women who either had no jobs or were retired, so they usually gathered under a big tree not far from the neighborhood committee entrance. They kept each other company while doing handwork and talking about all kinds of rumors they had heard.
Yan Jin’er was arranged to sit at the side. Seeing an auntie next to her knitting a sweater, she reached out to help separate the yarn.
That auntie was called Aunt Ma. She was the wife of the old caretaker uncle of Cheng Yu’s traditional courtyard house, so she usually knew a lot of gossip that others did not.
Coincidentally, they were currently talking about the aftermath of Cheng Yu’s family being sent down to the countryside. “I told you, that Xiao Qian girl always looks obedient on the surface, but she’s actually the most scheming. This time the Old Cheng family is going to be in chaos.”
“How so? How so?” the other aunties immediately chimed in skillfully as soon as they heard it. Yan Jin’er also perked up instantly.
“Oh, you all really don’t know, do you? That Xiao Qian has high ambitions. How could she be willing to go to the countryside to struggle for food and end up unable to return to the city, waiting to marry some rough country man?” Aunt Ma felt satisfied as she saw the other aunties’ curious expressions.
Without waiting for them to urge her on, she continued, “That girl secretly took her household registration book without telling her parents and went straight to the management committee to register her younger brother’s name instead.”
“Would Old Cheng and his son agree to that? That Cheng Xuan kid doesn’t look like someone who can endure hardship!”
“So now the whole family is in chaos. Cheng Yu that girl is the smart one—she already distanced herself early, otherwise, oh…”
The aunties chatted back and forth, and Yan Jin’er felt that this huge piece of gossip was worth it. It was indeed worth her heavy investment to infiltrate the auntie intelligence center.
After that, there were no major scandals. It was either someone mysteriously saying they saw a shadow climbing out of Widow Zhang’s wall at night, or who fought with whom over a bit of food…
Yan Jin’er even heard gossip about herself.
“Have you heard? That stepdaughter brought by Police Officer Bureau Chief Song’s second wife is quite capable. She’s already managed to get a job at the Textile Factory on her own.”
“And Chief Song treats her like a precious daughter—gives her whatever she wants. That job might even be… tsk tsk tsk.” The unfinished words were left for adults to understand themselves.
“Such good luck!” someone said out of jealousy.
“Hey, Aunt Sun, isn’t your third son still unmarried? Maybe you could bring home a golden nest then,” someone teased with malicious humor.
“Chief Song treats his precious daughter so well, do you think she’s up for grabs for your family? Don’t joke around like that, don’t ruin the girl’s reputation. If she hears this, she’ll come find trouble with you.” Aunt Ma had to step in and warn them as the topic started to go off track.
They could gossip and joke around, but they could not spread rumors that would damage someone’s reputation.
The person at the center of the gossip, Yan Jin’er, looked down at her watch after hearing all this and realized it was about time. She quietly slipped away from the meeting.
Luckily, since she usually only went to and from work and rarely went out, these aunties hadn’t recognized her. Otherwise, it would have been extremely awkward—so awkward it would have been the mother of awkwardness opening the door for awkwardness itself.
Yan Jin’er walked along the road. When she passed by Cheng Yu’s traditional courtyard house, she even paused for a moment. Not hearing any movement, she left disappointed and strolled back home.