The Reborn Sidekick Rejected The Male Lead-Chapter 367 - 356: Booking the Aunt

Li Erping’s courtyard wall was made of earth bricks, not very high, about 1.20 meters, with pits and bumps due to years of neglect.

The gate too was quite worn but appeared sturdy.

The gate was open, and one could see into the courtyard with its clay surface; two rows of floor tiles led from the gate to the main house and the kitchen.

The house seemed quite old, generally dilapidated, but the courtyard was kept very neat and tidy.

"Is anyone there?"

"Who is it?"

Lu Jingqiu had just called out while standing in the courtyard when a woman over 1.70 meters tall in her thirties with large eyes came out of the kitchen.

With two short braids hanging in front, she wore a floral blouse, her hands still covered in flour, apparently in the midst of steaming buns. Seeing Lu Jingqiu, she asked puzzledly, "Who are you looking for?"

"Excuse me, is this Li Erping’s home? I’m looking for Comrade Li Erping."

"That’s me, please come in and sit down." Li Erping said, heading into the kitchen to wash her hands. She was known in the area for working odd jobs; many people knew her, and whenever a worker needed someone to fill in, they would come to find her.

She couldn’t claim to be proficient in everything, but she had filled in at the textile mill, thermos factory, steel mill, shoe factory, and clothing factory—she had some skills in all these areas. This unfamiliar comrade must also be here to ask her to fill in, right?

When Lu Jingqiu entered the main room, although the furniture was sparse, everything was maintained very clean and tidy.

The wooden sofa, whose original source was a mystery, had peeling paint, but she had arranged it so nicely with crocheted doilies that it looked quite appealing.

After washing her hands, Li Erping came back and quickly brewed a bowl of sweetened water for her, smiling as she said, "How should I address this comrade who has come to my home, and for what matter?"

"Big Sister Li, I wonder if you remember Zhou Lanqin from the State-owned restaurant at Nanjiekou; she’s my auntie. She recommended me to come here, saying that you are a very upright person, clean and capable. My surname is Lu, Lu Jingqiu."

"Ah, the head chef Big Sister, of course. How could I not know Big Sister? Comrade Lu, what is it that you want me to do?"

Lu Jingqiu smiled and replied, "Big Sister Li, I’m looking for someone long-term, at least for two or three years, to look after a newborn. What do you think?"

Li Erping frowned, "A newborn baby?"

"I’m pregnant, but I’m still in school, and there are no elders around at home, so I need someone to help take care of the baby. I heard from my aunt that you’re particularly efficient and patient, which is why I came to ask."

Li Erping seemed troubled, saying, "Comrade Lu, I used to fill in for people at factories, I’ve never really been a nanny before. I’ve heard nannies need to live with their employer, and I... might not be able to do that. I have two children at home; the older one is in fourth grade, and the younger one is in second grade. They eat lunch at my husband’s canteen, so there’s no need for me to pick them up, but they need someone to watch over them in the afternoon."

"I understand, the Third Community on Academy Street, near Central Road, is just about fifteen minutes away from here. If you don’t think it’s too far, you could come in the morning and evening and return home every day, and you wouldn’t need to watch the child on Saturdays and Sundays."

"Really?" Li Erping hadn’t expected such a job; it seemed tailor-made for her.

It was a long-term position too, without the uncertainty of when she might get another job after finishing one.

After thinking for a moment, she carefully asked, "Comrade Lu, may I ask how much you could pay per month?"

Lu Jingqiu had already thought about this and had asked around: "Twenty-five per month. You can eat at my house. But you’d need to be there before seven in the morning, as I have school."

"That’s fine, that’s fine. For my kids here, I just need to prepare breakfast for them in the morning." Li Erping was almost eager to start the job; twenty-five a month, although less than what her husband made, wasn’t bad at all, and it was enough for their family’s everyday expenses with some left over. "When do I start?"

Lu Jingqiu smiled, slightly embarrassed: "My due date is in July, so there are still several months to go. I came today to ask if Big Sister Li would be willing, and I would notify you half a month before I deliver."

"Alright, alright, no problem. Just come when it’s time. Although I’ve never cared for someone else’s child, I’ve had two of my own, all raised by me, so I definitely have experience. ...I just don’t know, Comrade Lu, how will the baby be fed, will you come back to breastfeed during the day? Babies really can’t handle being hungry."

Lu Jingqiu shook her head, "The baby will drink formula during the day."

"Oh, I see."

After finalizing the arrangements with Li Erping, Lu Jingqiu cycled back home.

Just as she arrived at her doorstep, she happened to bump into Luo Xinyue, who had been brought by Shang Ze for a prenatal checkup.

Spotting her from a distance, she busily waved her hand and called out, "Jingqiu!"

"Xinyue, Comrade Shang."

"Qiuqiu, did you go for a prenatal checkup?"

"No, I went to see my aunt."

"To see your aunt, have you found one already?"

"Yes, my younger aunt introduced me to someone; I went to check them out today. Have you found one?"

"My mom found one for me, from our compound, very diligent and good at taking care of children."

"As long as the person has good character, that’s all that matters."

"Qiuqiu, don’t bother cooking tonight, let’s go to Niannian’s place to eat, I miss her cooking."

Before Lu Jingqiu could even speak, Shang Ze said affectionately with a smile, "You little glutton. We can’t go too often, Comrade Xue is also very busy."

"It’s fine, we can help her out. Qiuqiu, don’t go home, let’s just go straight there."

"To have lunch?"

Luo Xinyue was taken aback and said, "Oh right, she might not be home at noon, let’s do it in the afternoon then, four o’clock, come find me."

"Okay."

Shang Ze said from the side, "Comrade Lu, please tell Ah Mu that I will look for him after lunch, I have something to discuss with him."

"Okay."

"See you in the afternoon."

"See you in the afternoon."

After Lu Jingqiu returned home, she informed Shen Mu about Shang Ze’s message and then went upstairs to rest.

Running around all morning was quite tiring.

Today Yiyi went to the grain and oil store, while Shen Mu studied at home all morning and then ran to the grain and oil store at noon, buying more than twenty prawns to make shrimp noodle dish.

When Lu Jingqiu woke up from her nap, she felt slightly embarrassed to see her young brother-in-law, a grown man, bustling about in the kitchen all day: "I really didn’t expect it, Ah Mu, your cooking skills are getting better and better."

Shen Mu also replied bashfully, "After all these years, I was an educated youth for four or five years, and now it’s been six or seven years since then, making noodles is indeed a piece of cake. Speaking of which, the best cook among us at Educated Youth Spot was Captain Zhang.

By the way, have they been in touch with you recently?"

"No, not since school started, but before the New Year, Sister Yuzhi was busy with both child and studies. When they both had classes, they would leave their child at the daycare center provided by the school, which is available for the teachers. Now, there are quite a few university students who have children, so the school made this accommodation to facilitate students with kids.

Even though their child is at the daycare, they still have their hands full."

"Oh, yes, both are studying without any source of income, raising a child really isn’t easy. What about Li Qing and Li Yinger?"

"The two of them got married, and they haven’t had children yet, but hearing that I’m pregnant, they probably got the itch. They don’t have to worry; the conditions of both their families are pretty good. They’re not afraid of having a child."