The Reborn Sidekick Rejected The Male Lead-Chapter 408 - 397: Quarrel

The child wasn’t at home, so Lu Jingqiu had more free time. She was inseparable from Jiang Nanzhou, busy shopping and buying groceries every day.

She didn’t allow Aunt Zhang to interfere with preparing for the New Year since she had been busy with the household for the whole year; Lu Jingqiu wanted her to rest well during this period.

After getting everything ready at Grandpa’s place, Lu Jingqiu and Jiang Nanzhou went to Dad’s place, bought three fish, two chickens, and some meat.

Today was the day to prepare the deep frying.

Of course, once they got back home, it was Jiang Nanzhou who took care of these things.

Lu Jingqiu would just assist, like making a run for salt if they ran out.

Returning from the supply and marketing cooperative, Lu Jingqiu was stopped by a female comrade of about her own age.

"Excuse me, are you Comrade Jingqiu?"

Lu Jingqiu looked at her, paused, and nodded with confusion, "Yes, who are you?"

The woman said, "I am Zhou Suxi’s daughter, my name is Zhang Ting. Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Lu Jingqiu suddenly understood the woman’s intention for seeking her out and nodded, "Let’s go over there." She led the way to a nearby pavilion where there were no people.

Zhang Ting was actually quite embarrassed but didn’t want to see her mother so distracted all the time as the years passed.

"Ahem, well, my mother is the comrade assigned by the team to assist Uncle Lu with his daily life, and it’s been more than two years. You know about this, right?"

Lu Jingqiu nodded and corrected, "It’s just help with life, saying ’daily life’ is a bit of an exaggeration. My dad isn’t so old that he needs someone to look after his daily needs, and besides, he is not the kind. Comrade Zhang, Aunt Zhou is a staff member of the team, not a nanny."

Zhang Ting was momentarily taken aback, somewhat uncomfortable with Lu Jingqiu’s words, but for her mother’s sake, she endured it and said, "My dad has passed away, and I was only twelve or thirteen when it happened. For my sake, my mother never sought anyone else. Raising me all by herself wasn’t easy.

Interestingly, we both grew up in single-parent families and understand the difficulties they faced."

Lu Jingqiu shook her head, "No, I didn’t grow up in a single-parent household. My parents had a loving relationship, and it’s only been a few years since my mother passed away. Comrade Zhang, what are you getting at with this?"

Zhang Ting was a bit embarrassed, but seeing Lu Jingqiu feigning ignorance, she became quite annoyed, her expression darkened, "We are both mothers now, Comrade Lu should understand what I mean.

We’re married, with one child each, and seldom return by our parent’s sides, rarely with them throughout the year, they must feel lonely.

Over these two years, the two elders seem to have that kind of intention. I am very supportive of them starting a new family and am quite happy at the thought of having a new sister.

Comrade Lu, I wonder what your thoughts are on this?"

Lu Jingqiu frowned, "First off, I’m not aware my dad harbors those kinds of intentions. Moreover, it’s only been a few years since my mom passed away, and my parents were deeply in love. My dad is a man who values relationships, and his wife of several decades isn’t someone he can forget in three or four years.

Secondly, it seems that Aunt Zhou also shares these intentions.

As their child, I do have great respect for the elder’s thoughts.

However, you shouldn’t have brought this to me today."

"So your parents were very loving, as if mine weren’t. But that’s all in the past; the dead cannot be brought back to life, and people must move forward.

Don’t you want someone by your parent’s side in their old age who understands their needs?"

"Your parents were loving, and surely your mother holds your father in her heart. What is she doing seeking my father now, just to have someone understand her needs, to share life’s burdens? That’s not necessary.

"Oh, what do you mean? I’m sincerely trying to discuss matters concerning our parents, and you come at me with this attitude.

My mother holds my father in her heart, and she’s not bothering your father to forget your mother.

For a second marriage, we’re just hoping they can be happy together now, not harping on the past."

"We’re all pretending to be someone else, so why get married at all? Marriage would be a matter of various interests, better not to marry at all. My dad doesn’t lack money, doesn’t need people to serve him, and certainly doesn’t lack love.

Comrade Zhang, I apologize, but I have things to do and must go."

"Hey, with you, it’s as if no one is missing love. The love from a family member and the love from a partner are not the same.

Hmph, if you don’t want to, then forget it, making it seem like we’re imposing."

"At your age, do you think your dad is still a young man?"

"My dad may not be young, but neither is your mom. It was you who insisted we talk about it, so you’ve only got yourself to blame for any anger."

The two women were speaking so loudly in the pavilion that it’s not like no one walking by could hear them.

Everyone around here is an intellectual, and they didn’t really want to start a genuine argument, so after a few stubborn exchanged words, they each went their separate ways.

With a stern face and a bag of salt in hand, Lu Jingqiu walked back, not so much angry because of Zhang Ting, but with decidedly mixed feelings.

She had talked tough just now, but she really didn’t know what her father was thinking, or whether he harbored those feelings.

The mere thought of her father starting a new family made her feel as if he didn’t want her anymore, and it hurt inside.

But as someone who had lived two lifetimes, she didn’t oppose her father’s pursuit of happiness in his later years; in fact, she supported it.

Of course, thinking and experiencing are two different matters, and when faced with the reality, she still felt unsettled.

Lost in thought, Lu Jingqiu wasn’t paying much attention to where she was going, and before long, she walked straight into a wall. Looking up, she saw it was her father.

"Dad, when did you get back?"

"I came back while you two were arguing."

"Oh, you heard us."

Seeing his daughter unhappy, Lu Xianrun sighed and gently tousled her hair, a gesture of intimacy he hadn’t shared with her since she got married.

His daughter had grown up and become a mother, but it seemed she was still the same child who never truly grew up.

"I heard. Dad has no such intentions."

"Really, none?"

"None. If I did, I would discuss it with you."

"What’s there to discuss? If Dad likes her, I wouldn’t object... Actually, Aunt Zhou... isn’t too bad."

Lu Xianrun chuckled and flicked her forehead, "Now you say she’s not bad, but you were fighting so fiercely just now."

"That’s because she said some unpleasant things, like how her heart was with her dad, and her dad was in her heart, and then looking for... " Of course, Lu Jingqiu also felt guilty; one couldn’t just forget about the love shared with a spouse just because of a remarriage.

Deep down, she probably wasn’t too keen on her father marrying someone else.

"Dad knew of her intentions and has been avoiding her. Some of the higher-ups tried to play matchmaker, but I didn’t agree. She might be... a bit stubborn."

Lu Jingqiu pouted, clearly still not in a good mood.

When Jiang Nanzhou saw his father-in-law and wife come in together, he could tell from his wife’s expression that she was upset.

She didn’t say anything when he asked, but she got over it after a short while.

Later that evening, Lu Jingqiu finally vented the feelings she had been keeping inside to him.

Jiang Nanzhou raised an eyebrow in surprise, "This is up to Dad. If he’s willing, we... shouldn’t stand in his way. It’s not easy for Dad either."

"I’m not blocking it, I just feel a bit unwilling to let go at the moment."

"What’s there to let go of? Dad will always be your dad, and you won’t lose him. But with your attitude today, even if Dad was interested, seeing you get so angry would probably make him reconsider."

"My dad’s not interested."

"What are you, a worm in his belly, to be so sure?"

"I’m his flesh-and-blood daughter, of course, I know. Humph." He didn’t have those intentions in his previous life.

The one he couldn’t let go of in his heart was her mom.