Seeing how nervous Zhou Jinghe was, Xu Tang found it somewhat amusing and let out a soft laugh.
“Hello, Comrade Zhou. My name is Xu Tang. It’s nice to meet you. I just didn’t know how to answer you earlier.”
When Zhou Jinghe saw her smile, he felt that nothing in the world could compare to it. His heart pounded wildly.
“You don’t have to answer me. I just wanted to get to know you. If you’re not opposed to it, could we get to know each other?”
Zhou Jinghe was exactly Xu Tang’s type.
His looks completely matched her aesthetic preferences. Having such a handsome man standing right in front of her and openly expressing his feelings was honestly very difficult to turn down…
But she had only just met him. She knew nothing about his character or his family.
He was from Beijing. Based on all the novels Xu Tang had read in her previous life, if her guess was right, he was probably the son of some high-ranking cadre who had been sent down here for experience.
She had actually guessed correctly.
The difference in social standing between them was quite significant. Although Xu Tang certainly didn’t think she was inferior to anyone, families like his usually cared a great deal about being well-matched in social and family backgrounds.
What if his parents objected?
Just thinking about all the trouble that could come afterward gave her a headache.
Right now, all Xu Tang wanted was to work hard and give her family a better life.
As for everything else, she wasn’t considering it yet.
Xu Tang decided it would be better to refuse him for now. After all, she didn’t want to get married at the moment. Whatever happened in the future, she could deal with it then.
After thinking it over, Xu Tang said, “I’m sorry, Comrade Zhou. I don’t think we’re suitable for each other.”
Zhou Jinghe instantly felt as though he had stopped breathing.
He had no idea that he had lost because of his family background. If he had known, he would have immediately dragged Xu Tang to make a phone call and told her that his parents didn’t care about such things.
He asked anxiously, “Comrade Xu, is there something you don’t like about me?”
“No. It’s not your problem. I simply feel that we aren’t suitable for each other.”
After saying that, Xu Tang turned around and left.
She couldn’t bear to look at the hurt in his eyes.
She couldn’t let herself be blinded by his looks.
Zhou Jinghe watched Xu Tang walk away, his feet seemingly rooted to the ground.
Just like that, the feelings that had only just begun had been cut short.
His heart ached terribly.
Zhong Kai had witnessed everything from the side and had heard their entire conversation.
He looked at Xu Tang with newfound respect.
In all his life, he never thought he would actually live to see a girl reject Zhou Jinghe.
At first, he had even been a little gleeful about Zhou Jinghe’s misfortune.
But seeing Zhou Jinghe looking completely lost, Zhong Kai realized that his friend was genuinely serious.
“Jinghe, don’t be sad. If you two are truly meant to be together, you’ll eventually find your way to each other.”
Zhou Jinghe didn’t believe in fate.
He only believed in fighting for what he wanted himself.
Without saying another word, he turned and walked back toward the bureau.
Zhong Kai didn’t try to comfort him anymore. He figured Zhou Jinghe didn’t need it.
Zhou Jinghe was not someone who gave up easily.
This was the first girl he had ever fallen for, and he didn’t want to give up.
Xu Tang had no idea where she had wandered to.
Seeing that there was still plenty of time, she decided to take a look around the scrap collection station.
This was practically a must-visit destination for anyone who had transmigrated into this era.
Just then, the system suddenly spoke.
“Host, rescue the trafficked child. You can upgrade your space.”
Xu Tang was just about to ask the system where the trafficked child was when she spotted a woman carrying what appeared to be a sleeping child.
The woman looked furtive as she slipped into an alley.
After making sure there was no one nearby, Xu Tang carefully followed her.
“If there is any danger, I will alert the host.”
With the system watching out for her, Xu Tang wasn’t afraid at all.
She followed the woman to a house and hid around the corner of a wall.
She heard the trafficker stand at the door and knock in a pattern—two knocks followed by one.
Someone quickly came to open the door.
“009, do you have any pills that can let me hear what people are saying inside?”
She couldn’t get inside, so she needed a way to hear what they were saying.
“Yes, Host. It costs five points.”