I became the Counterpart of the Winner in a Period Novel-Chapter 217 - 214: The East Wind Has Arrived

Once the people were far away, Jiang Mingyue immediately closed the door and locked it again. The next second, she returned to Qingshan Village without any delay, going from the back yard to the front yard. Sure enough, they were all waiting for her under the soap tree.

"Is it Yueyue?"

"Mom, it’s me. Xiao Ran, Zhenmei, brothers, why don’t you go back inside? Are you standing here feeding mosquitoes?"

Jiang Zhenmei couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing, "Yueyue, are you deliberately ruining the atmosphere? Mosquitoes? Didn’t you smell the mugwort? Our mom had the foresight to gather it early."

"Sis, let’s not talk here; it looks like rain is coming. Let’s go back."

The family went inside, and Jiang Mingyue automatically entrusted the bicycle to her second brother, and the basket was taken by her eldest brother.

"Wow! Yueyue, why is your backpack so heavy?"

"It’s food, of course! Big bro gave me a bunch; you guys can take it to the kitchen yourselves."

"Yueyue, did you really eat already? Are you still hungry? Mom saved you two fennel egg pancakes and a bowl of mushroom chicken soup. Do you want some?"

Jiang Mingyue felt a bit helpless.

"Mom, I left a note at home. I really ate, and I’m still full!"

"Good, as long as you’ve eaten. It’s not early anymore, go wash up and sleep. Your third sister has heated up water for you."

"Thanks, Mom. Thanks, third sister."

Jiang Mingyue ran upstairs, only to find a little bundle sitting outside her door, thankfully illuminated by the solar lamp set up by Yan Jinzhi; otherwise, in the dim light, it could easily be mistaken for a stray cat!

"Xiao Ran, what are you doing here? Missing your sister?"

"Not at all, not even a little. I’m angry, can’t you see? Hmph!"

Jiang Mingyue found it amusing, "Oh! Weren’t you just waiting under the soap tree with your third aunt, willing to feed mosquitoes until your sister came back? Why are you suddenly angry now? Could it be you’re just pretending?"

"Hmph! I’m really angry! I was just giving you face in front of third aunt, but now that no one else is around, I can express my true feelings."

Jiang Mingyue was quite surprised at the little one’s change. Compared to when they first met, now, although still a bit pretentious, the kid was much livelier, just as a child should be.

"Oh! Let me think, why is our Xiao Ran so angry? So much so that little mushrooms are growing on your head."

"Where? Where are the mushrooms growing? How come I didn’t feel them?" The little puffed-up bundle extended his small hand to feel around his head, looking just like a blind man trying to figure out an elephant. The sight made her burst into laughter.

"You... you bad person, playing tricks on me!"

"Cough, cough... our Xiao Ran has improved a lot, even knowing how to use the word ’trick’ correctly. Not bad, not bad! Although I went to the city for something, I was thinking about you all the time and specially brought a big apple for you. Do you want it or not?"

Xiao Ran watched wide-eyed as his sister pulled out a big, round apple from the green satchel. The little guy’s eyes were wide open.

Earlier, the little guy had stubbornly insisted on planting an apple tree in the back yard. Jiang Mingyue guessed that the little guy liked apples.

Sure enough, look, just one apple and he was appeased.

Cradling the big apple, the little guy cherished it as if it were a treasure, not blinking for fear that the apple might disappear in the next second.

Jiang Mingyue, feeling helpless, escorted him to his room before returning to her own.

Of course, she still had something to do.

Wait, she thought she heard something.

Jiang Mingyue immediately released her spiritual power to patrol, just in case some thief had their eyes on their house.

Upon spreading out her spiritual power, Jiang Mingyue immediately retracted it, for it was none other than Wang Tiezhu.

Oh right, in the morning, Wang Tiezhu had mentioned he would bring the spices tonight.

Tsk! Almost forgot.

Jiang Mingyue went down the corridor towards the flat building, heading to the back yard, all the while keeping her spiritual power focused, especially on her family.

Oh my! Exaggerated, the eldest brother was already snoring after such a short time.

Compared to the thunderous snores of the eldest brother, the second brother was much more refined.

Although his sleeping posture was somewhat indescribable, the sleeping second brother was breathing steadily and didn’t snore.

Mrs. Jiang was also asleep, only the third sister wasn’t, but she was engrossed in a picture book.

It was one from the pile of books she had given her, a collection of folk stories. She was reading with rapt attention, and being that her room was at the far east end, quite distant from the back yard gate, she probably couldn’t hear anything.

But Jiang Mingyue still didn’t retract her spiritual power.

She lowered her voice to speak.

"Uncle Tiezhu, bring it over here."

Wang Tiezhu was a smart guy and didn’t say a word, cooperating with her to carry a few burlap sacks over to the bamboo thicket, and Jiang Mingyue went out to help.

As Wang Tiezhu turned to get the second load, he saw Jiang Family’s Xiao Mingyue carrying four burlap sacks in each hand. What would take him at least four trips, she managed in one go, effortlessly as if she were carrying cotton.

Wang Tiezhu: "..." Can’t compete, can’t compete at all!

No wonder his mistress complained about him, always praising Jiang Family’s Xiao Mingyue.

With someone like that, he wanted to praise her too.

"Girl, do you want to work with me? Your uncle will give you a bag of cornmeal every month."

Jiang Mingyue: "..." Just wanted to say "haha!" Out of respect for human dignity, Jiang Mingyue refrained from "haha-ing" right in his face.

"Thanks! But no thanks."

Wang Tiezhu felt a bit embarrassed by the straightforward rejection and attempted to salvage his pride.

"Yueyue, do you know how many pounds of cornmeal that is?"

Jiang Mingyue smirked, "How many pounds?"

"How about ten pounds?"

Jiang Mingyue felt like laughing.

Such a wicked capitalist! 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

One pound of cornmeal she sold to Pan Zhoucong for three cents, ten pounds were only worth thirty cents.

This guy dared offer her a salary of thirty cents a month; even Huang Shiren wouldn’t be so stingy, right?

"Not interested! Uncle Tiezhu, are you married yet?"

Wang Tiezhu didn’t understand why Jiang Family’s Xiao Mingyue suddenly asked about his private life, but it successfully made his old face blush.

"No, not yet!"

Jiang Mingyue glanced at him and delivered a blow, "No wonder no one wants to marry you."

A cold wind blew, making Wang Tiezhu shiver. Although he didn’t quite hear what Xiao Mingyue said, he had a feeling it wasn’t anything nice.

"Uncle Tiezhu, thank you for bringing those over. You’d better head back before it rains." After paying him, Jiang Mingyue urged him to move quickly.

Wang Tiezhu had initially wanted to hang around for a jar of wine, but there wasn’t enough time now, as he had to hurry back.

Jiang Mingyue knew he was currently staying at Granny Shi’s place, so she didn’t concern herself further with him.

Just as she returned to her room, it started pouring rain.

Uncle Tiezhu likely got drenched.

Jiang Mingyue felt a bit guilty and thought to herself that next time, if Uncle Tiezhu asked, she would surely give him an extra jar of wine.

With her change of clothes, Jiang Mingyue entered her space, settled into the hot spring pool, and enjoyed a comfortable bath. By the time she emerged, Yan Jinzhi had indeed arrived at Bamboo Garden.

Still, this guy was always either assembling something or reading a book, one or the other.

Hearing the stir, the man moved his gaze from the book.

"Oh! Yan Jinzhi, your eyes are red. Did you stay up late?"

"Mm! There’s a project in its final stages. I might take a team to the western desert for a month in about a month."

"Hmm?"

"Once it’s made, it needs to be tested. That kind of thing is too powerful; only an uninhabited desert is suitable."

"So you’re saying we’ll be apart for a month?"

"Mm, you’ll miss me?"

Jiang Mingyue didn’t want to speak. His eyes, fixed on someone, always made her heart race.

"If you’re going to miss me, why not consider officially acknowledging me?"

Jiang Mingyue smirked and unceremoniously struck him down, "In your dreams! When you return, continue as an intern."

Yan Jinzhi: "..." This little thing is really impervious to both soft and hard tactics.

"Oh, right, Yan Jinzhi, it’s pouring outside; do you think it’ll rain in Nanxi City?"

"It’s possible, but it might not. Are you still planning to trade with Pan Zhoucong?"

"I took eight boxes of good stuff from him without settling accounts yet. He’s probably lying awake thinking about it. How could I, being such a kind person, play the wicked merchant?"

Yan Jinzhi stifled a laugh.

"Yan Jinzhi, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing, I meant to say, given such kindness, you should pay him a visit."

Jiang Mingyue felt delighted, pleased that he understood her intentions.

The two quickly arrived at Pear Blossom Lane No. 55, fortunately finding no rain there.

Jiang Mingyue extended her spiritual power, and sure enough, the person who helped her check the estate during the day was still lingering outside, while at No. 59 Pear Blossom Lane, Brother Pan and the others had just sent off an underground guest.

Alright, everything was ready, only awaiting the east wind that was her.