Chapter 11: Two Words—Trash!

In the following days, Tian Xiang left early and returned late.

In the mornings, she went to the street theater troupe to do odd jobs, helping move things around, then joined in practicing waist movements and kicking legs.

At the end of the workday, she headed to Hongwu Street to stake out, wearing a green army cap and a red scarf, trying her best to stay unnoticed.

After several busy days, she felt completely at home at the troupe and even found a mentor.

However, there was no progress on Hongwu Street. Lu Feng hadn’t visited Widow Jiang; he was either at the family housing compound or working at the factory every day.

Of course, there were some gains—she identified two secondary female characters.

One was the woman Tian Xiang saw on her first day, a broadcaster at the mechanical factory’s radio station. People called her Qingwen, though her surname was unknown for now.

The other was a girl with dimples when she smiled, around seventeen or eighteen, a temporary worker at the Hongwu Street neighborhood office who hadn’t been formally hired yet.

So far, it was known that Lu Feng had four women in his harem: the second, fourth, fifth, and eighth secondary characters.

Number Four, Tian Chuying, was deeply infatuated with Lu Feng. Since they had just started interacting and nothing had happened yet, she could be set aside for the moment.

Number Five, that young girl with a somewhat naive appearance, seemed to like Lu Feng in a shy, secretive way.

Under these circumstances, Lu Feng probably hadn’t made a move on her yet.

Currently, the ones worth focusing on were numbers Two and Eight.

Number Eight was, needless to say, Tian Xiang’s primary focus.

Lu Feng was already twenty-two, not young anymore. It seemed Widow Jiang had fulfilled her role in enlightening this scoundrel.

Some things, once touched, could never be undone; the two would definitely continue to have private contact.

Then there was Number Two, the mechanical factory broadcaster.

To become a broadcaster, one must excel in education, appearance, voice, and even factory connections—each indispensable.

Number Two’s figure and looks left Tian Xiang astounded.

Judging by her spirited persona, this girl’s family background was no simple matter.

Both Number Two and Lu Feng worked at the mechanical factory and were roughly the same age.

As the secondary character just behind the protagonist, Number Two surely had many scenes opposite the male lead in the story.

These two must have known each other for a long time and had developed quite a complicated emotional entanglement—perhaps even love and hate.

So she must have talked to Lu Feng before; this time he was going on a blind date, which might be related to Number Two.

Lu Feng had a small reputation on Hongwu Street. Handsome and competent, if he wasn’t looking for someone there, why bother with the girls from Sanli Lane?

Before the blind date, Tian Xiang was already somewhat puzzled, and now it seemed there was indeed an untold story beneath it all.

The next day, after sketching out the character relationships on paper, Tian Xiang rode her bike to Hongwu Street again.

This time she didn’t wear a hat or scarf but boldly went to the neighborhood committee.

Hearing that a young girl was coming to volunteer, the matron at the committee, who bore the label of secondary character number 99+, was indifferent.

“Recently graduated students don’t look at job postings and come here to waste time? What’s the point?” the matron wondered.

Beside her, Yang Qunying, the neighborhood committee director, acting like a curious bystander, said, “Hey, the girl has high awareness and is so earnest, why would you look down on her? Comrade Tian Xiang, if you want to help here, of course it’s no problem. Come over, and I’ll register you.

By the way, did you bring your lunchbox? There’s no salary here, but we do feed you, at least one meal at noon.

I’m telling you, if you don’t want to work in the factory and want to be with the neighborhood office, you have to volunteer more; they value that…”

Tian Xiang noticed that anyone with “bystander” stamped on their forehead was incredibly enthusiastic and eager to help.

She happily handed over her application form.

Yang Qunying finished writing the details and quietly asked, “Comrade Tian Xiang, are you the Tian family sister from Sanli Lane whose fiancé was stolen by her younger sister?”

Tian Xiang paused.

It seemed all these people’s enthusiasm was built on gossip.

She forced a smile and nodded. “Director, how did you know?”

Yang Qunying wore a smug expression. “Your name is easy to remember. Tian Xiang, Sweet Xiang—once you hear it, you never forget.”

Well, her own slap had made her famous; recently, people in both Sanli Lane and Hongwu Street had been talking about it.

Yang Qunying teased, “You’re volunteering here this time chasing after Lu Feng, right?”

Tian Xiang was stunned. What did it mean to be chasing after Lu Feng?

Yes, she was after that man—to rid the people of harm!

But the looks on their faces suggested otherwise, as if she were pursuing Lu Feng romantically.

After spending the entire morning doing publicity work with the neighborhood matrons, Tian Xiang finally understood.

Her recent stakeout near the mechanical factory had been noticed and spread around. Especially after nearly running into Lu Feng on the first day, the gossipers, always hungry for drama, secretly spread rumors that she liked Lu Feng but was too shy to admit it, so she came to the factory to secretly court him and create opportunities.

What kind of brains did these gossipers have?

If she truly liked that scoundrel, would she have slapped him?

Of course, her secretive actions in recent days had caused misunderstandings.

Tian Xiang immediately corrected, “Director Yang, don’t say such things. Even if I liked some stray cat or dog by the roadside, it’s impossible for me to like him.”

Yang Qunying laughed heartily. “Alright, alright, it’s normal for a young girl to be shy. I won’t say more.”

Tian Xiang frowned.

As long as she carried the protagonist label on her forehead, it seemed no one was willing to listen to her explanations.

Collecting a paste bucket and brush, Tian Xiang was ready to return when she saw the “background board comrade.”

Today, he still wore a spotless white shirt paired with green military trousers and liberation shoes. His cool, delicate features and melancholy aura made him so handsome that Tian Xiang clicked her tongue in admiration.

Yang Qunying introduced, “This is the mechanical factory’s union publicity officer. Xiangxiang, take two copies of the materials we pasted today to him.”

“Oh.”

Tian Xiang went into the office, grabbed the materials, but Yang Qunying had disappeared. Only the background board comrade remained on the steps outside the main door.

As Tian Xiang stepped out, he looked up. The sunlight shone on the young man’s gentle face, glowing like a beautiful jade.

“Tsk tsk tsk!”

Handing over the materials, he took them and walked away.

Tian Xiang thought for a moment and decided to follow.

“Hey, comrade, wait.”

He stopped and turned, eyes questioning.

Tian Xiang said, “I want to ask you something.”

He blinked in confusion but neither nodded nor spoke.

What kind of temperament was this? Could he be mute?

They had met three times, and he had never uttered a word.

Yet Tian Xiang was quite curious about him—he was the only one without a label on his forehead.

Tian Xiang asked, “What do you think of Lu Feng?”

The background board comrade smiled wryly and spat out two words: “Trash.”

Tian Xiang was surprised, her eyes lighting up.

Finally, someone who saw through the scoundrel’s true nature appeared. As he spoke, she noticed white mist forming on his forehead, slowly solidifying into the words “Extra.”