Chapter 567: Another Social Death
Chapter 567: Another Social Death
Jiang Xia also got out of the car and watched Zhou Chengsen's usually calm expression crack. She wasn't sure whether to sympathize with him or laugh.
Being chased by a doctor to get a vaccine was something Jiang Xia had never seen in her two lifetimes.
Zhou Chengsen quickly composed himself in less than half a second and pointed to the health clinic at the end of the road. "Sorry, I didn't mean to worry Dr. Ruan. I already got the vaccine at the clinic in our town yesterday, the one right there."
He decided to get another dose in the afternoon.
Zhao Chenglei had reminded him to get the vaccine the night before. It wasn't that he had intentionally skipped it; he had been busy all day with a visit from a higher department and simply forgot.
Then, during dinner last night, Zhao Chenglei asked him if he had gotten the vaccine.
Not wanting to worry his family, he casually said he had gone to the clinic to get it.
But Jiang Xia had been there last night, and she was there now too.
Zhou Chengsen had to lie again to cover up his earlier lie.
Ruan Tang: "Oh, I just checked with the clinic you mentioned. They don't have any vaccines, and no one has received one there."
Zhou Chengsen: "……"
He had never felt so embarrassed!
Ruan Tang didn't have much time to waste on this. "It's Saturday today. Comrade Zhou, you shouldn't have to work this afternoon, right? Why don't you come with me to the city to get your vaccine? Is there a car that goes to the city from here? I have to return to the hospital for a night shift at three o'clock this afternoon."
Jiang Xia: "Second Brother, let's go get some food first. You can drive to the city, and I'll ride my bicycle back home."
If she let the two of them eat together, they would likely feel awkward. Besides, Dr. Gao had helped her so much, and her niece had come from so far away. Since Jiang Xia had run into her, it was only right to personally take care of her, as a matter of basic courtesy.
Ruan Tang refused: "No need to eat. We can grab a couple of buns on the way and head straight to the city!"
Jiang Xia: "People are like iron, and food is like steel. How can you skip a meal? It's only an hour's drive to the city, and it's just past noon. We can eat and then leave. If I let you go back with an empty stomach, I won't be able to face Aunt Gao in the future."
Ruan Tang had no choice but to agree: "Let's have noodles or something similar, then."
"Alright, how about seafood noodle soup?" Zhou Chengsen asked.
Jiang Xia: "That place's seafood noodle soup is really good."
Ruan Tang, succumbing to her professional instincts: "You can't eat seafood."
Zhou Chengsen: "……You two can have the seafood noodles, and I'll have something else, like clear broth noodles."
Ruan Tang didn't say anything more.
Jiang Xia: "Second Brother, call the commune and tell Mom we won't be back for lunch. I'll go with Dr. Ruan first."
"Alright."
So, Jiang Xia drove Ruan Tang to the noodle shop, while Zhou Chengsen went back to his office to make the call.
The town was small, and the seafood noodle soup place was just around the corner.
Jiang Xia ordered two bowls of seafood noodle soup and a bowl of clear broth noodles for Zhou Chengsen.
Just as the food was being served, Zhou Chengsen arrived.
While eating, Zhou Chengsen said, "I'm really sorry to have caused you trouble, Dr. Ruan. Next time, I'll definitely get my vaccine on time, or at least the day before or after. You won't have to make a special trip again."
Dr. Ruan was on night duty tonight, and it wasn't clear if it would be an all-night shift.
If it was an all-nighter, she would need to rest during the day to prepare for the night shift.
She had given up her rest time just to check if he had gotten the vaccine, and Zhou Chengsen felt very embarrassed.
"You just need to remember."
Jiang Xia: "We'll make sure to remind him."
Ruan Tang didn't say anything more and quickly finished her noodles.
It was her first time trying seafood noodle soup, and she found it quite delicious.
After finishing their meal, Jiang Xia handed the car keys to Zhou Chengsen and said to the cyclist, "I'll head back first. Drive safely, you two."
Zhou Chengsen took the keys and replied, "Sure. Be careful on your bike, too."
He was a little worried that Jiang Xia might not be used to riding his old, heavy bicycle.
"I'm off, Dr. Ruan. See you!"
"See you."
Watching Jiang Xia ride away, Zhou Chengsen opened the jeep door and said to Ruan Tang, "Dr. Ruan, please get in the car."
Ruan Tang bent down to get into the car, and Zhou Chengsen helped her, making sure she was seated before closing the door. He then walked around to the driver's side, got in, and fastened his seatbelt. He glanced at Ruan Tang to make sure she had fastened hers as well, then started the engine and drove off.
Li Xiuxian had come to the hospital for a prenatal checkup. Today, she had a bit of a stomachache and some bleeding, so she decided to come to the hospital. After seeing the doctor, she decided not to go home and found a restaurant for lunch.
The restaurant happened to be right across from a noodle shop.
She watched as Jiang Xia drove up with a beautiful, cool-looking woman to the noodle shop. Then Zhou Chengsen arrived!
Finally, Jiang Xia rode off on her bicycle, while Zhou Chengsen drove the woman home.
It looked like a blind date!
Was the woman from the city? Did Jiang Xia introduce her to Zhou Chengsen?
Li Xiuxian watched as the jeep headed in the direction of the city.
In the past, when it rained, she had asked Zhou Chengsen to drive her and her daughter back to Zhen Shang for school, but he had been reluctant.
Now, he was eager to drive other women around.
Ha!
Men!
Li Xiuxian couldn't help but recall Ruan Tang's appearance:
Judging by the woman's clothes and demeanor, she clearly came from a good family, probably similar to Jiang Xia's background. She also looked quite young, probably only four or five years older than Jiang Xia.
Li Xiuxian had to admit that the woman was younger, prettier, and more elegant than herself.
What really stuck in her throat was how well the woman and Zhou Chengsen looked together. He was handsome and tall, and she was stunningly beautiful and cool. They were a surprisingly good match, even aesthetically pleasing.
Zhou Chengsen had been handsome in his twenties, but in his thirties, he had become even more charming. The youthful innocence had faded, leaving him still young but with a more mature and elegant presence.
Many of her colleagues at school had always commented on how good-looking her husband was.
Zhou Chengsen's looks were something Liao Ruixiang couldn't match. And Liao Ruixiang wasn't as considerate as Zhou Chengsen.
When she was pregnant with Yingying, she had never come to the hospital alone when she felt unwell. Any discomfort, and Zhou Chengsen would be very concerned.
But over time, things had changed, and their conflicts had increased.
Until Jiang Xia's arrival, their conflicts reached their peak!
The more Li Xiuxian thought about it, the more she felt heartbroken.
Jiang Xia was such a busybody!
How long had they been divorced? And now, she was already eager to introduce Zhou Chengsen to a new woman.
If it weren't for Jiang Xia's meddling, if she hadn't gossiped about seeing Li Xiuxian at the cinema, their marriage wouldn't have ended.
Ruining someone's marriage and tearing a family apart, she would get her comeuppance one day.
*
Jiang Xia returned to the village at 1:15 PM, right in the middle of the hottest part of the day.
As she passed by the dock, she heard the familiar sound of a boat engine and instinctively looked out at the water.
Zhao Chenglei was back in his small wooden boat!
Behind him was a group of people.
Jiang Xia's eyes widened. What on earth had he been doing?!(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
