Chapter 38: Anxious for Naught

During their time together, He Yuzhu had tried his best to adapt to Yu Haitang’s temperament and tolerate her shortcomings. In the end, however, he failed. Under the suffocating pressure of an arranged marriage imposed by the Yu family, He Yuzhu’s patience was finally worn thin. His internal defenses collapsed, and deciding he could no longer endure such endless torment, he agreed to Yu Haitang’s request for a breakup.

Fate, however, seemed to have a cruel sense of humor. He Yuzhu never imagined that his separation from Yu Haitang would indirectly pave the way for a romance between her and Xu Damao. Whenever the night grew quiet, He Yuzhu could not help but let his mind wander. He began to regret ever starting the relationship; if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t now have to witness the sight of her and Xu Damao as a couple. This heartache kept him awake, making him yearn all the more for those better days gone by.

Qin Huairu was equally dissatisfied with the pairing of Yu Haitang and Xu Damao. Distracted and restless, she paced back and forth in the room, her feet moving as if they were mounted on springs, unable to stop for even a moment.

"Oh, for heaven’s sake, Bang-geng’s mother, can you stop pacing? You’re making me dizzy!" Jia Zhang grumbled while knitting. Her hands had already missed several stitches because of Qin Huairu’s movement.

Hearing her mother-in-law’s complaint, Qin Huairu stopped and sat down beside her. With a distressed expression, she began to confide in the older woman. "Mom, you know my cousin Jingru has always had a crush on Xu Damao, hoping he would marry her. But now that he’s with Yu Haitang, what is going to happen to our Jingru?" As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears.

Qin Huairu, having married into the city from the countryside herself, understood deeply her cousin’s longing to marry into the city and secure a better life. Thus, when she heard the news about Xu Damao and Yu Haitang, she was incredibly anxious.

Jia Zhang looked at Qin Huairu and teased, "Oh, you really are worrying about someone else's business more than they are themselves!"

Hearing this, Qin Huairu suddenly turned her head and smiled. "Mom, you’ve hit the nail on the head! There’s no point in me just worrying here—I need to call Jingru over so we can think of a way together!"

A gleam of determination flashed in Qin Huairu’s eyes; she clearly had a plan. She rose immediately to find her cousin. However, Qin Jingru was not at the Jia residence. She spent most of her time at Xu Damao’s, hoping for a chance to get closer to him. This time, Qin Huairu decided to go directly to the Xu household.

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Xu house, Qin Jingru had been knocking patiently for over ten minutes. From inside came Xu Damao’s impatient voice: "Who is it? Knocking at this hour!"

"Xu Damao, listen to me. I know you’re in there. If you don’t open the door, I’ll keep knocking until you do!" Qin Jingru called out to the closed door, deliberately drawing out her tone.

For a few seconds, time seemed to stand still. Then, the door creaked open. Xu Damao stood in the doorway, startled to see Qin Jingru suddenly plop herself down on the ground. He was caught completely off guard.

Leveraging Xu Damao’s arm, Qin Jingru stood up nimbly, brushed the dust off her backside, and said with a hint of annoyance, "Hmph, if you hadn’t taken so long to open the door, would I have had to sit on the ground?"

Xu Damao frowned, his eyes filled with disdain for Qin Jingru’s rustic manners. Sensing this, she felt immediately uncomfortable.

"Hey, Xu Damao, are you wondering how I knew you were home?" Qin Jingru asked provocatively, arching her eyebrows with a look of triumph. "Let me tell you, Bang-geng saw you enter the courtyard when he came home from school."

"That little brat, Bang-geng, he’s such a blabbermouth!" Xu Damao muttered under his breath, his tone laced with irritation.

"Hey, Xu Damao, what do you mean by that? I came to see you out of the kindness of my heart, and you want to chase me away?" As she spoke, she tried to squeeze into the room. Xu Damao reached out to block her, but to his surprise, he found the woman’s strength to be unexpectedly great, and he failed to stop her.

Qin Jingru entered the house with an air of entitlement and began to tidy up. "Look at you, a grown man living in such a mess; this place is becoming unwatchable!" she chattered as she worked. "Xu Damao, you have everything you need, except for a woman to look after you."

"Brother Damao, if I could marry you, I would certainly do my best to keep the house in perfect order. I guarantee I’d do a better job than that Yu Haitang," Qin Jingru said with anticipation, her eyes shining with sincerity.

However, Xu Damao did not spare her feelings. "You’ve said all this a dozen times; it’s nothing new, so please stop repeating it." His tone was impatient, and his face wore an expression of cold rejection.

Qin Jingru did not give up. She leaned in closer, attempting to move him with affection. "Brother Damao, if you could just give me a clear answer, would I still be here saying these annoying things?" Her voice carried a mix of grievance and coquetry.

But Xu Damao remained unmoved. He told her firmly, "I have been very clear with you: we are not a match. Our families aren't suited, and we aren't of the same standing. Yu Haitang and I are a match made in heaven." With that, he reached out and gave her cheek a light, mocking pinch, a cold smirk playing on his lips. "You’re fine for cleaning the house, but don’t harbor any other delusions."

Incensed by this gesture, Qin Jingru slapped his hand away and spat on the floor. No longer willing to put any effort into this man, she turned and left. Behind her, Xu Damao muttered, "Country girl—no manners, no hygiene!"

Elsewhere, Qin Huairu was busy at home when she suddenly heard the door burst open. Qin Jingru ran in, sobbing. "Sister, Xu Damao is just too much of a bully!" She threw herself onto the bed and began to wail.

Seeing this, Qin Huairu hurriedly set aside her work, went to the bedside, and pulled her up. "What happened? Tell me slowly, make it clear." Her tone was filled with anxiety and concern.

Sobbing, Qin Jingru recounted the ordeal: "It’s the same old thing—he says I’m not good enough for him. If he despises me so much, why did he bother leading me on in the first place?" Her face was streaked with tears, looking both helpless and furious.