The Reborn Sidekick Rejected The Male Lead
Chapter 256 - 247: Sketching

Chapter 256: Chapter 247: Sketching

Although they had reached the place for boating, they didn’t take a boat. Professor Shi and the other two teachers led them up a small hill, from where they could enjoy a panoramic view of the mountains and waters below, with a broad vista.

The two of them found a nice spot, and with the professor’s introduction, they began a day of field sketching.

When Lu Jingqiu had come here for fun previously, she had taken many photos and had also painted several pictures at home, all of them landscapes, which she kept at home.

Today she painted a close-up view, and at times during the session, the professor would come over to point out some problems.

Lu Jingqiu benefited greatly. They had arrived after ten in the morning, and for lunch, everyone ate their own packed food.

It was almost three-thirty in the afternoon by the time they packed up to leave, and it was after six when they got back to the school.

After eating at school, Lu Jingqiu rode her bike back home.

By the time she got home it was already past seven, and she didn’t feel like doing anything else but lying in bed and sleeping until dawn.

That Friday afternoon, after Lu Jingqiu finished school, she rode her bike to Xue Jianian’s place. She had rushed over as soon as she was done with school, and Jianian arrived even earlier than she did. "Your school doesn’t get out earlier than ours, does it?"

Xue Jianian smiled and said, "I ride my bike like the wind. But I only got here a few minutes before you."

Lu Jingqiu looked around her shop and said, "You have a good variety here. You actually have eggplants."

"Not many, just that they are expensive, twenty cents a jin. Not many people buy them, so Uncle Wei only grew about a dozen plants. Once this batch is sold, there won’t be any more. Right now, we have water spinach, cabbage, bamboo shoots, and I’ve also collected a lot of cured meat from the countryside. And I’ve got plenty of bananas too."

"Hmm, get me some bamboo shoots and cured meat later, and a bunch of bananas as well."

"Don’t you want any of the chickens or ducks?"

Lu Jingqiu shook her head, "I’m not planning on keeping chickens or ducks anymore. It’s just me now, and I don’t eat much."

Xue Jianian handed her a banana, and as they each ate one, she said, "Hey, ever since I started running the store, I’ve been almost always here. Although we live close by now, we hardly see each other."

"Why don’t you hire a salesperson then?"

"I did look for one. The young ones look down on my place, and the older aunties are too nitpicky for me to deal with. Plus, with all these agricultural and sideline products, without a fixed quantity, I don’t feel at ease. Although my opening hours are shorter, I can still earn some money every month. You don’t have to worry about me."

"I’m not worried, I just think it’s a pity that the second floor is such a large empty space."

"The second floor isn’t much use. Maybe I should rent it out."

"How will you rent it?"

Xue Jianian laughed and pointed at a neighbor’s place, "Rent it to your second cousin. They could put a staircase outside going up to the second floor, open a door through there, and seal off the staircase on my side. Then cut a hole between the two rooms. They deal with wholesale electronics, right? They could completely use the space upstairs for stock."

Lu Jingqiu took a bite of her banana and said, "Why didn’t I think of that? My second cousin does wholesale, and the electronics are bulky; they really can’t fit too much over there. Now that you mention it, it reminds me. I’ll talk to my second cousin about it, and if he thinks it’s suitable, Jianian, I’ll give you a ten-yuan discount on the rent each month."

Xue Jianian gave an OK gesture. She thought it was a good idea, and the space upstairs was indeed of no use to her.

After leaving Xue Jianian’s shop, Lu Jingqiu checked out her second cousin’s store. The shop sign was already up, the doors were open, and inside, her second cousin’s older brother was attending to customers.

There was a counter with many watches inside it, and shelves held a few radios. Televisions and refrigerators hadn’t been brought back yet.

Her second cousin’s older brother recognized her, greeted her as she came in, and asked her to wait as he attended to a customer.

Lu Jingqiu noticed that there were quite a few people coming and going in the short time she was there.

Some were young couples, apparently getting married, and others were looking to furnish their homes with big-ticket items.

Once the customers had left, Lu Jingqiu asked, "Brother Yang, do you get a lot of people here?"

Brother Yang smiled and said, "Quite a few. We just opened a week ago, and the people who come here are from around the neighborhood or just passing by. But we do get a good number of visitors. Some are just checking prices, others buy on the spot. In any case, selling five or six watches a day and a couple of radios isn’t bad."

"Wasn’t my second cousin going to focus on wholesale?"

"Wholesale is wholesale, retail is retail. So far, no one has come for wholesale, but just yesterday, two young guys from the city came to ask about it. They don’t have jobs back home, and when they saw our sign advertising wholesale, they came to inquire about the prices."

"Oh, that’s actually pretty good. If they sell at retail prices with our wholesale discount, they can make a profit."

"Exactly. All beginnings are hard, but so far it’s been decent."

Lu Jingqiu asked, "When is my second cousin coming back?"

Brother Yang replied, "He should have arrived there a day or two ago, discussing things with the factory manager should take at least two or three days. If all goes well, he might be back next week."

Lu Jingqiu nodded, and seeing more customers come in, she didn’t stay longer. She left the store, told Xue Jianian she was leaving, took her groceries, and rode her bike back home.

Once home, she discovered that Jiang Nanzhou was already there, "Nanzhou, has your training ended for today?"

"Yeah, just got home and saw you weren’t back yet, so I thought I’d go out to meet you on the road."

Lu Jingqiu took the groceries from the car and said, "I ran over to Niannian’s place after school."

Jiang Nanzhou looked at the cured meat and smiled, "I will soak it first, today I’ll make you bamboo shoots with cured meat."

Lu Jingqiu parked the bike and, smiling, hooked her arm through his, "I can help you."

Jiang Nanzhou affectionately pinched her soft and tender cheek, his voice gentle, "Just keep me company in the kitchen."

Lu Jingqiu asked, "Have the training sessions been tiring recently?"

"They’re okay."

"Eat more later, to replenish your strength."

Jiang Nanzhou turned to look at Lu Jingqiu, a faint smile on his face, his tone suggestive, "I think you should eat more later, I’m afraid you’ll be hungry again tonight."

Lu Jingqiu completely missed the undertone and quickly shook her head, "I won’t be hungry, I ate a lot tonight..." She stopped mid-sentence as it dawned on her, then gave Jiang Nanzhou an annoyed glare, "Comrade Jiang, you’re so naughty."

As she spoke, she threw a weak punch at him, which Jiang Nanzhou caught precisely with his large palm, then quickly leaned in and pressed a kiss onto her lips.

It was so quick that Lu Jingqiu didn’t even have time to react.

"The cured meat needs to soak a bit longer, or we could..."

Lu Jingqiu knew exactly what he meant and hurriedly said, "I don’t want to."

"Aren’t you tired?"

"Tired..."

"Then that’s perfect, I’ll hold you and we can rest a bit."

"No...no, I’m not tired."

"Then just keep me company..."

"Hehe... stop it. Nanzhou, I might get pregnant."

Jiang Nanzhou abruptly stopped, his mind muddled by other thoughts; he had forgotten that Jingqiu was still in school.

Lu Jingqiu thought he was angry and quickly explained, "It’s not that I don’t want children. I was thinking..."

Before she could finish, Jiang Nanzhou pulled her into his arms, "Qiuqiu, it was my oversight, I... cough, let’s go to the hospital tomorrow to get some contraceptives. That way it won’t happen."

Lu Jingqiu had thought he was angry, and quietly breathed a sigh of relief, "I’ve actually thought it through. Having a child while I’m still in school actually seems easier than waiting until after graduation and starting work. I was just thinking about the right time to have a child, as I can’t exactly do that while attending classes, and I’ll have to have a month of postpartum rest. I don’t want to fall behind in my studies.

It would be great if the due date could be during the summer vacation."

Jiang Nanzhou stared at Lu Jingqiu, surprised and moved. He had considered this matter before, but he thought that since they had just married and Jingqiu was still studying, she definitely wouldn’t want a child now, "Qiuqiu, are you serious? We just got married, it’s okay to wait a year or two."

Lu Jingqiu smiled with her lips pursed, "Nanzhou, you’re already twenty-seven, aren’t you in a hurry to have children?"

Jiang Nanzhou was slightly taken aback, "Are you implying that I’m old?"

"Hehe, not at all. Actually, I really want to have a child with you. Are you thinking we should enjoy some time together first?"

"Time together just the two of us... that’s a nice phrase. It’s quite nice for the two of us being newlyweds... kids, if you want, we can have one."

Lu Jingqiu wrapped her arms around his neck, "Then let’s just let nature take its course."

"Sure, I’ll follow your lead."

"You’ll follow my lead on everything?"

"Our family will listen to you."

"Then I want you to carry me around the yard."

"I can carry you around three times if you want."

The two of them hugged and spun around in the kitchen, exchanging simple yet sweet words.

Life itself is a simple and sweet affair.