“Meier, your situation is different from ours. How could that possibly work?”
Zheng Qingning’s words openly and subtly implied that Su Meier’s family circumstances were poor.
“If you look down on me, we really don’t have to stay friends.”
Su Meier found a seat at the very edge of the ox cart and sat down.
Panicking slightly, Zheng Qingning quickly squeezed into the middle seat beside her.
“Meier, that’s not what I meant. I was just thinking about your family situation and trying to look out for you.”
“Alright then, I understand your good intentions.”
Su Meier extended her delicate hand toward her.
“Then pay me back the one cent I covered for you earlier.”
“What?”
Zheng Qingning froze, completely caught off guard by such an unexpected response.
“Honestly, when it comes to friendship, the worst thing is being fake.
You keep saying this and that, but when I ask you to pay me back, suddenly you’re unwilling.
So what exactly are you trying to do?”
The original owner really had terrible taste in friends.
The woman had been taking subtle digs at her rural background the entire time, as if Su Meier couldn’t hear it.
Keeping someone like that around was like keeping a parasite.
It seemed she needed to find an opportunity to end this unfortunate friendship.
Zheng Qingning’s face alternated between red and white.
Eventually, she fell silent.
Even so, she still stubbornly refused to return the one cent.
Tong Youyi had been annoyed that Zheng Qingning stole her seat, but seeing Zheng Qingning get embarrassed instantly improved her mood.
“Meier, do you really plan to stay in Dali Village forever?”
Tong Youyi seemed deeply concerned about the matter.
Without hesitation, Su Meier replied,
“My dad has already arranged a job for me. I think it’s pretty good. I don’t see any problems with it.”
Tong Youyi refused to give up.
“Have you ever considered finding a job in the city?
Both my parents work at the state-owned textile factory. They could pull some strings and find us suitable clerical positions.
Then we could commute together every day.
And if traveling back and forth is inconvenient, you can stay at my house.
Our home is one hundred and eighty square meters. We can easily prepare a room for you.”
After finishing her pitch in one breath, Tong Youyi looked at Su Meier expectantly.
Su Meier was stunned.
So she was actually a rich girl.
No wonder her clothes and demeanor seemed completely different from everyone else’s.
A clerical position at a state-owned textile factory was considered an iron rice bowl in this era.
Such jobs were incredibly scarce.
The fact that her parents could arrange one for someone else meant they held fairly high positions.
The temptation was enormous.
However, Su Meier wasn’t familiar with the city and didn’t want to live so far from home.
Just as she was about to decline, Tong Youyi seemed to read her mind.
“Meier, don’t answer yet.
Your rejection will make me sad.”
She looked at Su Meier with pleading eyes.
“Thank you, Youyi. I’ll seriously think about it.”
Su Meier neither directly refused nor accepted the offer.
“Then make sure you think about it carefully. I’ll ask my parents to start looking into it.”
Tong Youyi sounded excited.
“There’s no rush. Why don’t you just ask them to look for something for you? Forget about me.”
“No way!”
Tong Youyi immediately rejected the idea.
“If we go, we go together!”
Good heavens.
She hadn’t even agreed yet.
This was forcing a duck onto the perch.
“Wow, Youyi, your parents are amazing! They’re actually executives at a state-owned textile factory.
If I ever had the chance to work there, I’d definitely treasure it.”
Zheng Qingning’s voice was filled with envy.
“With your qualifications and education, there’s really no need to envy others.
Finding a job shouldn’t be difficult for you.”
Instead of agreeing with her, Tong Youyi casually handed her a compliment.
As expected, Zheng Qingning’s expression stiffened.
“Youyi, you’re giving me too much credit.”
She had education, yes.
But her family circumstances were nowhere near as privileged as Tong Youyi’s.
To continue studying in the city, she had been living with her aunt.
“I’m not overestimating you. I’m just telling the truth.”
Tong Youyi replied lightly.
Grinding her teeth, Zheng Qingning forced a smile.
“I was just thinking…
If Meier doesn’t want the position, could you give it to me instead?”
Already imagining that future, she affectionately linked arms with Tong Youyi.
“We could commute together and look after each other.”
“Sorry, but even if Meier doesn’t want it, that still doesn’t mean it’ll go to you.”
Tong Youyi immediately withdrew her arm.
She disliked people crossing personal boundaries like that.
If not for Meier’s sake, she wouldn’t have interacted with Zheng Qingning at all.
Now that Meier had finally come to her senses, Tong Youyi no longer felt the need to be polite.
Seeing the blunt rejection, Zheng Qingning stiffly withdrew her hand.
Suppressing the anger in her eyes, she lowered her expectations.
“I can buy it instead.
No matter how much it costs.”
That statement immediately raised Tong Youyi’s suspicions.
She carefully looked Zheng Qingning up and down.
“Do you really need a job that badly?”
Embarrassed, Zheng Qingning nodded.
“To be honest, my family isn’t nearly as well-off as yours.”
“That doesn’t sound right.
The people living on your street aren’t exactly poor.”
Combined with the superiority Zheng Qingning usually displayed, she definitely didn’t look like someone unable to find work.
Zheng Qingning looked as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself.
Clearly, she was hiding something.
Tong Youyi couldn’t care less.
She waved her hand dismissively.
“Sorry. I can’t help you.”
Buying jobs with money was illegal.
If anything went wrong, it could implicate her parents.
There was no way she would get involved.
Listening casually to their conversation, Su Meier also sensed that something was off.
Zheng Qingning’s life was probably far less glamorous than it appeared on the surface.
Still, as long as she didn’t provoke her, Su Meier had no interest in meddling.
When Zheng Qingning realized Tong Youyi’s attitude wouldn’t change, her hopes for the job vanished.
A wave of grievance surged through her.
Tears began to gather in her eyes.
Tong Youyi and Su Meier exchanged a glance.
Both saw the same helplessness reflected in the other’s eyes.
With perfect tacit understanding, they simultaneously turned away.
Soon, the carriage arrived in the city.
“Little Su, we’re here.”
“Alright! Thank you, Grandpa.”
Su Meier was the first to jump down from the carriage.
“No need to be polite.”
The old man grinned.
“I’ll head back to the village at three in the afternoon.
If you want a ride, make sure you come by then. Don’t miss it!”
“Got it, Grandpa.”
She waved.
“If you can’t make it back in time, stay at my house!”
Tong Youyi suddenly suggested.
“Thank you for the offer, Youyi, but my parents will worry.”
Even if she had to travel home in the dark, she would still return.
“Fine.
You’re still as stubborn as ever.
Once you’ve made up your mind, nothing can change it.”
Tong Youyi sounded quietly aggrieved.
It was a matter of upbringing.
From childhood until now, Su Meier had never spent a night away from home.
Besides, in an era with poor communication, her parents would be worried sick.
“Come on. It’s already noon. Let’s go get lunch.”
Su Meier reached out and took Tong Youyi’s hand.
Tong Youyi was startled by the gesture.
Then she quickly brightened.
“Let’s go, Meier! We’ll eat at the People’s Restaurant.”
Since Su Meier still wasn’t familiar with the city, she simply let Tong Youyi lead the way.
“Okay!”
Behind them, Zheng Qingning, who had been treated as though she were invisible, clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles cracked.
After a brief hesitation, she followed after them.