Hello, Comrade. I'm Here to Marry You!

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: She Is Excellent

When Jiang Manzhi got her food and turned around, she saw that Su Zhaozhao had left with another girl.

But her mother was still sitting there, watching her.

Clearly, she was waiting for her, with something to say.

And Jiang Manzhi, naturally, was just as eager.

"Mom, what’s the word? Did you find out everything?"

Zhang Jingshu nodded. "I did. The girl’s family background is very ordinary. Her mother passed away early, her father remarried, and she has a stepmother and a younger half-brother."

In families like that, the daughter usually has it the worst.

"What about her? What’s her education level?"

"Middle school."

After she said that, Jiang Manzhi was instantly ecstatic.

"Mom, you see? Her family background is worse than mine, and her abilities are nothing compared to mine. I’m the top performer in the arts troupe, and the leaders praise me after every show. What is she? She’s just an unemployed drifter! I think I have a chance."

But after she finished speaking, she saw Zhang Jingshu hesitating, as if she wanted to say something but was holding back.

Jiang Manzhi frowned. "Mom, why are you making that face? Am I wrong?"

"Manzhi, maybe you should just let it go. No matter what her shortcomings are, she and that Huai Zheng have an arranged marriage. I spoke with your Aunt Huang the other day, and she said that even though she’s never met this Su Zhaozhao, she respects her son’s wishes. As long as he likes her, she’ll accept her, no matter what kind of person she is. On top of that, Old Sir Xie will definitely approve."

Jiang Manzhi was so angry that her grip on her chopsticks tightened, as if she were about to snap them in two.

"Why? It shouldn’t be like this! Mom, she’s inferior to me in every way! You talk about the arranged marriage, but Huai Zheng and I grew up together! We’ve worked together for so many years. There’s no one in this world more compatible with Huai Zheng than me."

Seeing her daughter’s crazed state over a man, Zhang Jingshu felt her heart ache.

She knew how much Jiang Manzhi liked Xie Huaizheng. Of course she did—she was Jiang Manzhi’s mother. Naturally, no one in the world understood her better.

But since he didn’t like her back, she knew she had to persuade her daughter to let go sooner rather than later.

At this point, the cafeteria was starting to fill up.

So, Zhang Jingshu packed up Jiang Manzhi’s lunchbox and said to the people nearby, "Manzhi and I are going to eat at the guesthouse. You all take your time."

Xu Fengxia and the others exchanged glances, then nodded.

They were also worried about a repeat of the last incident in the cafeteria.

Jiang Manzhi had lost control of her emotions that time, and now, the rumors about her were running rampant throughout the base.

Zhang Jingshu pulled Jiang Manzhi outside and said, "When we get back, I’ll find a way to get you transferred back to Beijing. You shouldn’t stay in the Northwest."

"Mom, why are you doing this to me!" Jiang Manzhi broke down. "You should be helping me! I’m your daughter!"

Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

"It’s precisely because you’re my daughter that I can’t just stand by and watch you walk down this dead-end path. You ask why I won’t help you? Do you know? That Su Zhaozhao, just two days ago, she talked a girl down who was about to jump off a building for a man. It was the same girl she was eating with today."

Jiang Manzhi froze. She had no idea something like that had happened.

"Do you know what she said then? She said that if a woman tries to kill herself over a man, he won’t care at all. In fact, he’ll probably be relieved by her death. The only ones who will suffer are the people who care about you—your parents, your family, your friends."

Jiang Manzhi bit her lip and said nothing. She could see the pain in Zhang Jingshu’s eyes.

’That’s right.’ After she had cried to her mother on the phone last time, she knew her mom would find a way to come see her.

Beijing was so far from the Northwest, yet her mother had taken that long train ride all by herself to get here.

All because she was upset, her mother had come just to be with her.

And what about Xie Huaizheng? The man she loved wouldn’t even give her a glance that wasn’t cold and distant.

Zhang Jingshu continued, "I didn’t know Su Zhaozhao back then, but her words made me admire her greatly. If she were in your position, I’m sure she wouldn’t act like you have. Her family background isn’t good, and neither is her education, but she’s very smart, has her own opinions, and her own ideas. I think, perhaps, it’s that charm of hers that attracted Xie Huaizheng."

Jiang Manzhi wiped her tears and looked up at the sky.

The midday sun was scorching, stinging her eyes.

But only by doing this could she keep more tears from falling.

Then, she reached out and hugged Zhang Jingshu. "I was wrong, Mom. I know I was wrong."

"I just need some time to let him go. It’s just... a little hard to accept right now."

Hearing Jiang Manzhi’s words, Zhang Jingshu let out a small sigh of relief. "It’s okay. Mom is here with you. Manzhi, there are plenty of good men out there. There’s no reason to throw your life away over just one."

Jiang Manzhi hummed in agreement.

’Actually, she knew she couldn’t compare to Su Zhaozhao.’

’Her mother was worldly and had seen plenty of wealthy young ladies and second-generation rich kids in Beijing.’

’But she had never given anyone such high praise.’

’Maybe Su Zhaozhao really was that exceptional.’

Meanwhile, Su Zhaozhao was already on her way to the city with Wen Xiaoqi. They were headed to West State Railway Station, the same station Su Zhaozhao had first arrived at. Back then, the car ride from the station to the base had taken over two hours.

But now, without a car, they had to take a large, bus-like coach, which would take three hours.

That’s why they had set off right after lunch.

Su Zhaozhao hadn’t even had a chance to tell Xie Huaizheng.

’Then again,’ she thought, ’Xie Huaizheng is so busy. He’s probably happy to have a day without me bothering him.’

The two of them got on the coach. Su Zhaozhao gazed at the scenery outside the window. The boundless desolation had a unique kind of beauty.

"Zhaozhao, once you see me off at the station, you should head straight back to the guesthouse. It’ll be getting dark, and it won’t be safe."

"It’s fine," Su Zhaozhao said with a wave of her hand. "I can protect myself now."

’The number of things in her space was growing, and just as she’d planned, she had plenty of self-defense tools.’

’If she ran into a bad guy, she could just pull out an electric baton. Then they’d see who was tougher.’

’In her past life, she had also learned some self-defense to protect herself.’

’She still remembered the basics.’

The two of them chatted for a while and napped for a while, and soon enough, they arrived at West State Railway Station.

The three hours hadn’t been so bad.

Wen Xiaoqi went to buy her ticket, and Su Zhaozhao watched her board the train. They said a tearful, reluctant goodbye.

Su Zhaozhao was sad to see her go, and Wen Xiaoqi was crying too.

After the train departed, Su Zhaozhao composed herself and started browsing in the Friendship Department Store next to the station.

She wanted to see what the department stores were selling these days and what the prices were like.

It would also make it easier to sell the things from her space.

Meanwhile, when Xie Huaizheng found out Su Zhaozhao wasn’t bringing him a meal, he didn’t think much of it.

That evening, he still had to have dinner with Zhang Jingshu and Jiang Manzhi.