Rebirth: The Courtyard Bride Is Cool and Radiant

Chapter 532: Chapter 532 Rumors

Even with prior warnings, even though she herself had participated in post-disaster relief, seeing the specific casualty numbers still unsettled her for a long time. In the face of natural disasters, humans are truly insignificant.

Yunyi still hadn’t recovered by the time they boarded the train.

Huo Jingrui had booked hard sleepers, just as he had on the trip there. If Yunyi hadn’t objected, he would have used his grandfather’s name to book soft sleepers.

He took the bedsheets from his bag, spread them out, and then whispered to Yunyi, ”You go up and rest first.”

Yunyi nodded and climbed onto the middle bunk.

She closed her eyes, intending to quiet her mind, but eventually, she fell asleep.

When it was time for lunch, Huo Jingrui saw she was still sleeping. ”Yi’er, wake up.”

Seeing her eyes flutter open, he said gently, ”It’s lunchtime. Why don’t you get up and eat something first? You can go back to sleep afterward, alright?”

Having had a short nap, she felt quite refreshed and nodded. ”Alright.”

Huo Jingrui took out the lunchbox his mother had Auntie Zhang prepare. Thankfully, his mother had arranged for it to be delivered just in time. ”Here’s your favorite sweet and sour pork, and some spicy and sour shredded potatoes,” he said. ”It’s still warm, so we don’t need to go to the dining car to heat it.”

Yunyi saw the lunchbox wrapped in a towel and knew her future mother-in-law had been very thoughtful. A warmth spread through her heart. ”To prepare this meal for us, everyone must have worked so hard,” she said. ”Auntie Zhang must have timed the cooking perfectly, and Auntie had someone deliver it right on time. It was even wrapped in a towel to keep it warm. They really went to so much trouble for us.”

Huo Jingrui noticed people looking their way and felt too self-conscious to say anything overly flirtatious. ”This is a token of your future mother-in-law’s affection,” he said. ”Make sure you eat plenty later.”

Yunyi smiled as she took the chopsticks he offered her. ”Alright. Next time we come back, I’ll put on a good show too. I’ll cook them a meal so they can taste my cooking.”

A fond smile touched Huo Jingrui’s lips. ”Just make one or two of your specialty dishes to show your appreciation...”

He had wanted to say that Auntie Zhang could handle the rest. However, this was a public place, and in this era, some things were best left unsaid in front of so many people. Fortunately, he caught himself in time and didn’t voice the remainder of his thought.

While these two were warmly enjoying the meal Jiang Jingya had lovingly prepared, things in the compound, however, were anything but calm.

News that Old Four of the Huo Family had brought his fiancée home had spread throughout the compound overnight. At the same time, word of Fang Minjuan’s troublemaking visit from the previous day was also spreading like wildfire. Some people even came calling first thing in the morning, just to see what kind of girl had managed to capture the heart of Huo Lao, who usually kept women at a distance. Only upon arriving did they learn that she had already left the previous night.

Rumors even began circulating in the compound that the Huo Family disapproved of the girl Huo Lao had brought back and had driven her away overnight.

When Jiang Jingya stepped out after lunch, she overheard people discussing the matter. ”What are you all talking about?” she asked, approaching them.

They hadn’t expected Jiang Jingya to appear just then. Caught gossiping by the very person they were talking about, they each wished the ground would swallow them whole.

One of them, however, was rather blunt: ”Jingya, I heard your Old Four brought back a sent-down youth as his fiancée?”

Jiang Jingya replied calmly, ”Yes, she is indeed a sent-down youth.”

This person was the type to take a mile if given an inch. ”I mean, Jingya,” she pressed, ”even if you really disliked her, you shouldn’t have chased her away in the middle of the night like that.”

Jiang Jingya elegantly brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead. ”Well, this is a perfect example of ’sitting at home while trouble drops from the sky.’ If I hadn’t come out, who knows what these rumors would have blown up into.”

A young wife had been staring at Jiang Jingya’s attire. ”Lady Jingya, where did you buy that outfit?”

Jiang Jingya had, in fact, come out partly to show off this very outfit. ”Oh, this?” she said with a subtle smile. ”You can’t buy it in any store. It was handmade for me by my Old Four’s wife.”

Her words left everyone stunned. Jiang Jingya had just referred to the girl as ”Old Four’s wife.” What was going on? Had the Huo Family actually acknowledged the sent-down youth’s status?

Someone ventured cautiously, ”Jingya, does this mean you’ve all agreed to your Old Four marrying that sent-down youth?”

A bright, joyful expression lit up Jiang Jingya’s face. ”Agreed?” she beamed. ”If my daughter-in-law weren’t still too young to legally register the marriage, I’d want to welcome her into our family officially this very instant!”

As she spoke, she casually flicked at an imaginary speck of dust on the corner of her garment.