Cui Yuanwei picked up the photograph. Looking at the torn image of the woman, his fingers turned white from how tightly he gripped it. Pressing the photo against his chest, his eyes reddened with heartbreak.
He glared furiously at the two culprits—
Well, he was supposed to be glaring at Cui Qingshu, but she was currently hiding behind Su Ranyue.
Only her bright eyes peeked out, darting around before landing immediately on the purple sandalwood jewelry box atop Su Ranyue’s vanity.
Still sobbing as she stirred up trouble, Cui Qingshu deftly scooped up the sandalwood jewelry box.
The box was extremely heavy. She almost failed to lift it. Taking a deep breath, she forced it into her arms and bolted for the door.
Even while running, she didn’t forget to “plead” on Su Ranyue’s behalf.
“Dad, you absolutely mustn’t hit her. It’s normal for little sister to resent her own mother.
After all, her mother abandoned her husband and daughter and ran away back then!
Little sister was just confused for a moment. She definitely didn’t mean it!”
Su Ranyue was so furious her eyes practically spat fire as she watched Cui Qingshu run off with her jewelry box.
Inside were all her precious valuables. Besides the things she had taken from Cui Qingshu, more than half had been secretly given to her by their father.
Every single item was one of her treasures.
Even after Cui Qingshu disappeared through the doorway, Su Ranyue was still grieving over her jewelry.
Then she turned around—
And met her father’s suspicious gaze.
“Dad, I didn’t do it. It really wasn’t me,” she hurriedly explained.
The excuse sounded pale and powerless—and strangely familiar.
Before, the one forced into such weak explanations had always been Cui Qingshu.
How had Cui Qingshu changed so suddenly?
Watching the growing suspicion in her father’s eyes, Su Ranyue felt so stifled she was about to explode.
Meanwhile, Cui Qingshu carried the box downstairs. Once she reached a corner on the first floor, she cautiously looked around before storing the jewelry box inside her spatial dimension.
She took the chance to inspect the space.
It was roughly a hundred square meters and about five meters high. Completely empty except for the sandalwood jewelry box she had just placed in the center.
The heavy box only made the space feel even more vast and barren.
Cui Qingshu muttered inwardly, Still way too empty. It’d be great if I could fill it up.
Then she rubbed her stomach.
Hungry.
She didn’t want braised crucian carp anymore. She wanted braised pork.
Leaving the courtyard, Cui Qingshu followed the original owner’s memories and headed toward the state-owned restaurant.
The families living near the Cui residence were all fairly well-off. Even the poorest had brick houses and private courtyards.
The moment she stepped out of the alley, she ran into a group of middle-aged women chatting together.
The instant they saw Cui Qingshu—especially the bruises on her face—their eyes lit up.
Aunt Wang exclaimed sympathetically, “Oh my, girl from the Cui family, what happened to you? How did you get hurt so badly?”
Cui Qingshu slipped into character in a second. Mist immediately welled in her almond-shaped eyes. She touched the bruise on her face subconsciously and shook her head.
“Aunt Wang, I-I’m fine. I just accidentally fell.”
She lowered her head evasively, looking like an obedient girl who couldn’t lie.
The experienced gossip veterans saw through it instantly.
This was obvious guilt.
The gossip in Aunt Wang’s eyes intensified.
“Did your father side with Su Ranyue again and hit you?”
Cui Qingshu abruptly looked up and shook her head frantically, waving her hands in panic.
“No, no, Aunt Wang, don’t misunderstand. I really fell. My dad treats me very well.
It’s all my fault. I should’ve given everything to little sister. If I’d even given her the little jewelry Grandma left me, she wouldn’t have gotten angry.”
Aunt Wang still wanted to drag her over for more questioning, but having achieved her goal, Cui Qingshu lowered her head in “sadness” and quickly slipped away.
From far behind her, she could already hear the crowd discussing the Cui family gossip.
Cui Qingshu was satisfied.
Family scandals should absolutely be spread far and wide. Public family drama was delightful. The more public it became, the happier life would be.
As she walked, Cui Qingshu quietly observed her surroundings.
Everything looked gray and dull—the scenery, the streets, even the pedestrians.
Only the propaganda slogans on the walls were brightly colored:
“Working People Are the Most Glorious”
“Grasp Revolution, Promote Production”
“In Industry, Learn from Daqing; In Agriculture, Learn from Dazhai”
There were quite a few people on the streets, but unlike the slightly chubby figures common in modern times, Cui Qingshu walked a long way without seeing a single overweight person.
Everyone seemed reasonably spirited, but most looked thin and sallow.
Occasionally, young women passed by in crisp synthetic shirts with braided hair and simple, sincere smiles.
Cui Qingshu felt a little dazed.
This place was completely different from the prosperous modern metropolis she knew.
In just a few short decades, China had undergone earthshaking changes.
As she was sighing emotionally—
Her stomach growled even louder.
So hungry!
All sentimentality was instantly blown away by her protesting stomach, and she hurried her pace.
Standing at the counter of the state-owned restaurant, the first thing Cui Qingshu noticed was the striking slogan displayed prominently:
“Beating Customers Without Cause Is Forbidden.”
Cui Qingshu immediately straightened up. Her voice subconsciously softened several degrees.
“One bowl of rice and one serving of braised pork, please, beautiful lady.”
The young woman serving food instinctively curled her lips upward and looked up at Cui Qingshu.
But the moment she saw that face—even bruised, it was prettier than her own—she immediately rolled her eyes.
“Sixty-six cents and two liang of grain coupons. Hurry up and pay.”
Cui Qingshu froze blankly for a second.
Wait, did the flattery fail?
The famously terrible service attitude of this era really lived up to its reputation. Every restaurant worker seemed impossible to mess with.
She found a quiet corner and sat down to eat.
After reading so many period novels and dramas, she had long been curious about what the legendary state-owned restaurants tasted like.
And honestly, chefs who could work in these restaurants during this era truly had incredible skills.
Even the meat tasted better than modern meat.
Cui Qingshu buried her head in her food, eating rapidly.
She swore she had never eaten braised pork this delicious in her entire life.
Just as she was enjoying herself, voices drifted over from nearby.
“Ziming, look at that girl across from us. She eats like a starving ghost reincarnated. What a waste of such a pretty face.”
“What happened to the bruises on her face? Maybe she’s lazy and spends too much money, so some man beat her.”
Hearing the familiar name, Cui Qingshu raised a brow and looked over.
With the original owner’s memories, she recognized Shen Ziming immediately.
The future father of eight children in one pregnancy—calling him a reincarnated breeding pig still wouldn’t capture how absurdly fertile he was.
The moment Shen Ziming saw her, impatience appeared in his eyes.
“Cui Qingshu, how did you know I came back? You even followed me here?”
Cui Qingshu sneered inwardly.
What “Ziming” (“bright and wise”)? There was nothing bright about him at all. He should be called “blind and stupid” instead.
“Are your eyes growing on the back of your head? Didn’t you notice I arrived before you? Following you? How enormous is your ego?”
Shen Ziming replied confidently, “Then you must’ve known I was coming to the state-owned restaurant.”
He was incredibly self-assured because the old Cui Qingshu had once loved him desperately.
But he didn’t love Cui Qingshu.
He only liked Su Ranyue.
Cui Qingshu was so irritated she laughed.
This idiot is the male lead?
“Didn’t the army issue you a mirror? Can’t you see how annoying your own face looks?
Do you really think you’re currency that everyone loves, with women all over the world chasing after you?
What exactly would anyone like about you? Your poverty? The fact that you survive off your fiancée’s family supporting you? Or that even the Cui family daughter’s jewelry gets taken to grease connections for you?
Or maybe your habit of publicly judging, mocking, and fantasizing about women with your buddies?”
Cui Qingshu suddenly stood up. Her chair scraped harshly against the floor.
Pointing her chopsticks directly at the two men, she curled her lips into a cold sneer.
“You wear military uniforms and still say things like this. I’m ashamed for both of you.
The only reason you became an officer must be because the Cui family bribed your way there with money and valuables.”
The young waitress who had been secretly watching the drama couldn’t help crying out excitedly:
“Beautifully said!”