Over the next week, in the mornings Xiao Chunlan stayed in charge of the class, while Jiang Xiaoyu went to the neighboring class to continue learning. After that, she went to the kitchen to discuss lunch preparations with Li Ruyi. In the afternoons, she returned to class duty. Since Gao Hongfen had been reassigned and was no longer interfering, she and Xiao Chunlan got along peacefully without conflict.
However, this month, Feng Yuqing, the intern recruited by Director Jiang, had already come several times to pick up Qinghe from the kindergarten. By the third time Xiao Chunlan spoke to him, a suspicious blush had already appeared on her face. She was falling too fast, Jiang Xiaoyu thought, it was time to act quickly.
Coincidentally, the hospital’s semiannual blood donation event arrived. Xiao Chunlan was lined up behind the group that Feng Yuqing was assisting. That meant Jiang Xiaoyu had no choice but to stand behind her as well.
Xiao Chunlan felt a little uneasy. “Teacher Jiang, there’s a shorter line over there.”
Jiang Xiaoyu smiled. “I want to line up where Dr. Feng is. Since I’m donating blood anyway, can’t I choose who draws it?”
Xiao Chunlan felt a surge of irritation. Worried others might think the same of her, she lowered her voice and reminded her, “You’re married. Mind your words and actions.”
Jiang Xiaoyu glanced at her. “You’re not married, so you should be even more careful.”
Xiao Chunlan’s face turned red with embarrassment and she stopped talking until her blood draw.
Feng Yuqing really was good-looking. From Jiang Xiaoyu’s modern perspective, his height was slightly on the shorter side, but it didn’t affect his appearance at all. He didn’t resemble Deputy Director Xiao in the slightest. She wondered if he had ever questioned anything his mother said.
Xiao Chunlan sat there shy and flustered, almost wishing she could donate another four hundred milliliters just to extend her time talking to him. But Jiang Xiaoyu was infuriatingly persistent, constantly asking about blood types, even directing questions at her.
“Teacher Xiao, you’re O-type blood. Dr. Feng, which blood types can produce O-type?” Feng Yuqing patiently explained for a while, but Jiang Xiaoyu’s head was spinning. She simply redirected the conversation back to Xiao Chunlan.
“Teacher Xiao, what blood types are your parents? Are they both O-type?”
Xiao Chunlan felt humiliated, as if Jiang Xiaoyu was implying she wasn’t her parents’ biological child.
With Feng Yuqing present, she explained anyway. “Listen carefully. My parents are both A-type blood. Two A-types can produce O-type. If you don’t understand, go ask Dr. Mu.”
Jiang Xiaoyu nodded as if enlightened. “I see, thank you for explaining.”
Xiao Chunlan was left speechless by her polite attitude. In front of Feng Yuqing, she instead looked like the difficult one. Jiang Xiaoyu really was cunning.
Then Jiang Xiaoyu turned to Feng Yuqing, who was deep in thought. “Dr. Feng, what blood types definitely cannot be produced by two A-types?”
Feng Yuqing, distracted and preoccupied, answered quickly, “Two A-types can produce A or O, but not B or AB.”
Jiang Xiaoyu nodded. “Thank you, Dr. Feng. The 400 milliliters are full. Please remove Teacher Xiao’s needle. By the way, Dr. Feng, what blood type are you?”
“I’m B-type.” Feng Yuqing answered absentmindedly, letting the nurse remove the needle. “I’ve been busy all afternoon, I need to rest for a bit. Sorry.”
Jiang Xiaoyu’s goal was achieved. She smiled and waved. “Goodbye.”
She still needed to donate blood herself. She had already seen her husband arrive and waved him over. “Hubby, can you do the needle? I’m scared when others do it.”
A nurse nearby turned away, trying not to laugh. Mu Chengfeng skillfully inserted the needle, watching as she donated four hundred milliliters of blood, his heart aching with concern. He helped his wife back to his office to rest.
Leaning close to his ear, Jiang Xiaoyu whispered, “So that’s Dr. Feng everyone praises like a flower. He’s nothing special at all. Not even close to you. Why does no one praise you?”
Mu Chengfeng immediately felt relieved. “I’m already married. There’s no reason for people to praise me. Once Dr. Feng gets married too, no one will praise him either.”
Jiang Xiaoyu immediately said, “Then I’ll praise you every day. I bought some pork liver today, I’ll cook it for you when we get home.”
Mu Chengfeng said softly, “Aunt Hua cooks pork liver without any smell. I’ll ask her to make it. You just rest here, we’ll go home together later.”
After donating blood, Jiang Xiaoyu was completely taken care of at home. Damei and Erzhu took turns coming in, bringing her brown sugar water and pork liver soup. Wangzhou and Xiaojun sat on either side of her and even refused to let her tell them Journey to the West stories.
Aunt Hua and Ke Xiu came to check on her. “You’re dizzy like this, you can’t go to work tomorrow, right?”
Jiang Xiaoyu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I’m fine, It’s Mu Chengfeng who insisted I rest.”
Aunt Hua said, “Blood is your vitality, don’t take it lightly. Leave this half-pack of brown sugar here. Drink a little every day.”
“That’s for Ke Xiu’s postpartum recovery,” Jiang Xiaoyu refused.
“We’ll buy more when we go to the market,” Ke Xiu teased. “Mom, Dr. Mu has already checked the door twice. Let’s go back and let Xiaoyu rest early.”
……
A few days later, it was heard that Feng Yuqing had brought his mother to the hospital for a full examination. She was physically healthy, but had neurological issues. As a doctor himself, he knew the best course of treatment and, without needing persuasion, sent her to the psychiatric department for care.
Jiang Xiaoyu casually asked, “What blood type is Dr. Feng’s mother?”
Mu Chengfeng, who had participated in the consultation, happened to know. “A-type. Why?”
Jiang Xiaoyu simply confirmed it. That matched what she already knew: Deputy Director Xiao was A-type, and Feng Yuqing’s biological mother was also A-type. Two A-types could not produce a B-type child. There was no mistake.
Over half a month later, Xiao Chunlan came to ask for leave with red-rimmed eyes, saying she wasn’t feeling well and needed two days of rest. The director approved it and arranged for another teacher to assist the Sunflower Class.
Li Ruyi, who shared a cooking exchange relationship with Jiang Xiaoyu, came to help during the children’s nap time and mentioned a few things.
“I heard from Pan Mengping that Xiao Chunlan went to the psychiatric department to take care of Dr. Feng’s mother, but Dr. Feng rejected her. She still kept going, and he turned cold, saying unmarried men and women shouldn’t get too close. Pan Mengping said Dr. Feng is foolish for refusing the deputy director’s son-in-law position and still trying to marry someone else. I think he’s quite good though—he doesn’t curry favor with authority.”
Jiang Xiaoyu understood the situation perfectly. Since Feng Yuqing found no reason for revenge, there was no need to approach Xiao Chunlan anymore. The original trajectory had been avoided.
Two days later, Xiao Chunlan returned to work.
By November, an old acquaintance of Deputy Director Xiao brought his son to visit and proposed a marriage alliance. Deputy Director Xiao persuaded Xiao Chunlan, telling her that if she missed this opportunity again, his network would have no better prospects for her.
Without Gao Hongfen and Gao Hehua stirring things up, Xiao Chunlan had already let go of her feelings for Feng Yuqing. She agreed, saying this would be the one, and she would not regret it. Deputy Director Xiao was very pleased, and the engagement was set for the end of the month, with the wedding planned for the Lunar New Year.
By December, Jiang Xiaoyu had already received three months of salary, thirty-six yuan per month, a little over one hundred yuan in total. She planned to send one hundred yuan back home and discussed it with her husband.
“Tomorrow I’m going to the market. I’ll buy some food and things to send home. Are you coming?”
“I’ll go, bring more money tomorrow and buy more to send to your parents. This year we’ll spend New Year at your home. I should visit and let my in-laws meet me.”
To visit his wife’s family, Mu Chengfeng arranged for Wei Mancang to cover his shift, freeing a few days off to spend the New Year at his wife’s home. On the second day of the Lunar New Year, they would visit his maternal grandfather’s family.