The Reborn Sidekick Rejected The Male Lead

"Qiuqiu, Qiuqiu, I'm back."

Yang Mingchao stood in the yard and started shouting, and when Lu Jingqiu came out holding Hua Hua, she saw a man with disheveled hair, a scruffy beard, and clothes worn to a shine, almost failing to recognize him: "Second cousin, what happened to you?"

Yang Mingchao scratched his head: "I've been driving for days without proper rest, no bath, and bad meals, I'm so hungry, Qiuqiu, could you make me something to eat, please?"

Seeing him like this, Lu Jingqiu felt both amused and sorry for him: "Okay, I'm off today, let me cook a few dishes, let's wait for my dad and my uncle, and eat together."

"Sure, I'll go take a shower first."

Lu Jingqiu put down Hua Hua and went to the kitchen. In winter, apart from cabbage and radishes, there really wasn't much to eat.

A dish of pork with cabbage, scallion omelet, and a plate of peanuts.

Lu Jingqiu started to cook. When Yang Mingchao came over, she first gave him two boiled eggs to tide him over: "Second cousin, go see why your uncle and my dad haven't finished work yet."

"Will do, I'll check on them." Yang Mingchao was truly hungry. He stuffed the eggs into his mouth, mumbling as he went out and returned in about five minutes, followed by dad and uncle.

The uncle looked at the dishes on the table and smelled the aroma wafting from the kitchen, regretting: "Had I known, I wouldn't have eaten in the canteen."

"Uncle, then join my dad for a couple of drinks." My aunt gets off work late, my older cousin isn't home, and second cousin is hardly ever around, so my uncle usually eats in the canteen.

"Just a little drink, mustn't be greedy."

Lu Xianrun was already smiling as he went to get the alcohol, and Yang Mingchao sat by the table quickly grabbing several mouthfuls of food.

Yang Pinggui looked at his son, who was not showing the proper respect, and said gruffly: "Where have you been these days, has the transport team been busy?"

"Dad, with New Year's coming, every unit needs goods delivered, and our transport team doesn't even have enough trucks; two people to one vehicle, eating and sleeping in the truck. I hardly ate anything today."

Lu Xianrun came over with the alcohol and said: "Let the kid eat first, there are no outsiders at home. Jingqiu, is there any rice left, let your second cousin fill up on it."

"Dad, the noodles are coming up, they'll be ready soon."

Lu Jingqiu cooked scallion noodles, and Yang Mingchao wolfed down two huge bowls and nearly finished all the dishes on the table as well.

Patting his bulging stomach, he said carefree: "Nothing beats the food at home."

Lu Xianrun asked: "Mingchao, not having a drink?"

"I've got to leave early tomorrow; I came back with Gao Da today to change clothes."

"Second cousin, when do you get a holiday?"

"The day after tomorrow."

"Uncle, when is my older cousin coming back?"

"Either the 29th or the 30th of the year; he doesn't have many days off."

"Ah, he's coming back so late."

Lu Xianrun said: "As long as he can make it back, that's good."

Those who serve in the military endure hardship in the early years with few holidays, and sometimes they can't see their family for a year or two.

Yang Pinggui said: "Exactly, he's only coming back for three days. By the way, what's the deal with Zhuang Chen from your team, suddenly being transferred?"

"His cousin was caught engaging in speculative dealing, which affected him, so his family advised him to transfer out of the military as soon as possible."

"How did that affect him?"

"His cousin was orphaned young and was legally adopted by his dad, but grew up living with his mom. When she remarried, the cousin went with her. Being under his dad's name, they're a family; having someone in prison affects his future prospects. It's better for him to transfer out early while he's still young."

Yang Mingchao joked: "His own son's bright future is ruined by an adopted son, Zhuang Chen's family is probably so angry they could eat that cousin alive."

Lu Xianrun said, "Qiuqiu, his cousin seems to live in Ten-miles Village."

Zhuang surname, Ten-miles Village, a rogue: "Zhuang Yan, that person really isn't trustworthy, always fooling around and neglecting his duties. So, he's a relative under dad's command."

Zhuang Chen, she remembered from her previous life, had followed her dad for several years, and was later transferred to another military region. When her dad got sick, he even made a special trip to visit, still in his military uniform. There was no talk of him leaving the service back then.

"Ah, it's such a pity," Yang Pinggui said. Although he worked at the propaganda department, he knew of Zhuang Chen, a very excellent soldier: "He's been enlisted for over a decade, and his position isn't low. Now that he's leaving, people beside me have started to make their moves."

"Which department is it?"

Yang Pinggui stood up, wrote a name on the table with his drink, and Lu Xianrun smiled, "This time, they're probably going to be disappointed."

Lu Jingqiu didn't understand the work matters of her father and uncle, so she got up to clean up the kitchen.

Yang Mingchao followed her and said softly, "Qiuqiu, tell me, what gift do you want for New Year's? Your brother will get it for you."

Lu Jingqiu looked at her suddenly generous second cousin and guessed the answer: "Making big money?"

Yang Mingchao humbly said, "I wouldn't say it's big money, but it's enough for me to squander."

"Since you're offering, I won't hold back."

"I want a camera."

"A camera? No problem, I just dealt with that recently. I'll get you a good one in a few days."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I've made quite a bit. Once Gao Da and I discuss it, we'll split the money."

"Brother, thank you."

"Don't mention it. If it wasn't for the money you got, we wouldn't have been able to obtain so much stock. But, hearing about this from my dad today has given me a wake-up call. After the New Year, we should lay low for a while. If colleagues find out, we could attract envy and if it gets out, that's a big problem."

Lu Jingqiu agreed, "Second cousin, you are thinking right."

In her previous life, she hadn't given her second cousin that much money. He had made quite a bit recently, and she feared a butterfly effect might bring unwelcome trouble to her second cousin.

...

In these few days off work, apart from buying groceries, Lu Jingqiu was cleaning the house.

Right up until New Year's Eve morning, the older cousin came back with his future wife.

Upon hearing the news, Lu Jingqiu specially ran to her aunt's house.

Meng Sining, from the same military unit as the older cousin, was based in Yangjiang City, over two hundred kilometers away. Meng Sining was a local and worked in a clerical position at the military unit.

Later on, the older cousin stayed in Yangjiang City and settled down there.

The older cousin's wife, Lu Jingqiu had seen her many times. She was very straightforward and had a good temperament. The only flaw was her cooking skills weren't great; she had been spoiled by the older cousin all her life.

"Older cousin, older cousin's wife," Lu Jingqiu called out.

Meng Sining was very delicate, about 1.65 meters tall, almost the same height as Lu Jingqiu, with a bob cut, straight bangs, and a fair complexion.

The older cousin was 1.8 meters tall, which made his future wife seem even more petite by comparison.

Meng Sining blushed a little when Lu Jingqiu called out, hiding behind Yang Mingwei.

Yang Mingwei laughed and gave Lu Jingqiu a nip, saying, "Don't call her that recklessly."

Lu Jingqiu teased, "One day it will be true, right, future cousin's wife?"