After Lin Weihua returned, Cui Qingshu’s life became visibly more comfortable.
Su Ran’yue and Cui Yuanwei left early and came home late every day.
Qingshu knew exactly why. Cui Yuanwei was secretly trying to secure boat tickets, while as for Su Ran’yue…
A cold sneer rose in her heart. Ever since that day when Su Ran’yue suspected she might flee to Hong Kong, the woman had clearly become anxious.
Good. The more anxious she became, the more chaotic things would get.
During this time, Shen Ziming’s attitude changed drastically. He practically catered to Cui Qingshu’s every whim.
Early one morning, he arrived at the Cui residence carrying meat buns from the state-owned restaurant.
Standing nearby, Su Ran’yue chimed in sweetly, “Sister, Brother Shen treats you so well. If only Yueyue could find a fiancé as wonderful as Brother Shen.”
Without the slightest politeness, Cui Qingshu took all the buns from Shen Ziming’s hands.
“You like him? Then I’ll give him to you.”
The smile on Su Ran’yue’s face froze instantly.
“Sister, what are you saying? Brother Shen is your fiancé.”
Qingshu nearly choked on the fragrant meat bun she was eating.
She swept an odd glance over the pair of them and snorted.
“You two really know how to have fun.”
Both Shen Ziming and Su Ran’yue stiffened at the same time. Even though they didn’t fully understand what she meant, they knew it definitely wasn’t anything nice.
Su Ran’yue felt utterly humiliated, but could only grit her teeth and endure it.
She had made a mistake. She shouldn’t have revealed her relationship with Shen Ziming before Father left.
Let Cui Qingshu enjoy herself for a few more days. Once Father was gone, she and Shen Ziming would register their marriage immediately.
And then this pampered capitalist young lady, Cui Qingshu, could wait to be dragged through the streets in public denunciation.
Qingshu spent the morning sunning herself with her mother until noon.
Under instructions, Shen Ziming could only wait downstairs in frustration.
At lunchtime, Cui Qingshu brought her mother straight to the state-owned restaurant.
The moment she walked in, Ye Hongying’s eyes lit up.
“Qingshu, you’re finally here! I’ll have Master Chef make braised pork for you right away.”
“Sounds great.” Qingshu instinctively swallowed.
“Hmph, you little girl sure know how to boss people around.”
Chef Wang grumbled with his mouth, but moved faster than anyone else, turning immediately toward the kitchen.
Thanks to her connections by the serving window, Qingshu ordered without restraint: braised lion’s head meatballs, beef stewed with potatoes, cold tofu salad—one dish after another.
Standing not far away, Shen Ziming’s eyelids twitched painfully at the cost. He hesitated for ages before daring to approach.
Qingshu rolled her eyes impatiently.
“What are you standing there for? Come pay.”
Shen Ziming was unwilling and resentful, but thinking of his plans with Su Ran’yue, he could only grit his teeth and painfully fork over the money.
Watching his expression twist as if his flesh were being carved away, Cui Qingshu leaned close enough that only he could hear and mocked softly:
“A broke loser. Completely useless.”
Shen Ziming clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles cracked.
Endure it. Just endure a little longer.
She could only act arrogant for now.
The day she fell into the dirt, he would make her life a living hell.
Even Ye Hongying, who was handling the cashier counter, secretly rolled her eyes at Shen Ziming. While the chef cooked, she pulled Qingshu aside and chatted enthusiastically.
“Qingshu, you have no idea how unlucky I’ve been. Last time I went home, I met that blind date my family arranged. Guess who it was?”
At this point, Ye Hongying viciously glared at Shen Ziming again.
Having become close after several outings together, Qingshu already knew Ye Hongying had been set up with a soldier for a blind date.
Back then, she had even encouraged her to give it a try—after all, soldiers were considered top-tier marriage prospects in this era.
But judging by Hongying’s expression, she had clearly stepped on a landmine.
And apparently, it was someone Qingshu knew.
Following her gaze toward Shen Ziming, Qingshu asked in surprise:
“Was it one of that trash Shen Ziming’s comrades?”
“No kidding!”
Ye Hongying slapped her thigh angrily.
“The second I got there, I nearly puked up yesterday’s dinner from disgust.”
“That thing had a face thicker than city walls. Like nothing happened, he actually came to propose marriage.”
Her face twisted with revulsion.
“He actually told my parents, right in front of me, that I should give my job to his sister while I stayed home to take care of his mother.”
“Is he mentally ill? How are there people like this in the army? I’m never going on another blind date with a soldier again.”
The more she spoke, the angrier she got, shooting Shen Ziming another fierce glare.
“If I ever marry a soldier in this lifetime, I’m a dog.”
Qingshu twitched her lips and reluctantly defended decent soldiers a little.
“It’s just birds of a feather flocking together. Not everyone’s like that.”
Two rat droppings ruining an entire pot of soup.
Being insulted to his face, Shen Ziming sat nearby in unbearable humiliation, wishing he could crawl into a crack in the ground.
Inwardly, he reassured himself that disliking Cui Qingshu had been the right choice. If Yueyue were here, she would never let him suffer this kind of embarrassment.
When the dishes arrived, Qingshu warmly invited Ye Hongying to eat together.
Shen Ziming couldn’t swallow a single bite, but nobody cared.
After the meal, Ye Hongying invited Qingshu to browse the supply cooperative. Qingshu agreed immediately, planning to buy some clothes and household items for her mother as well.
Along the way, Ye Hongying chatted nonstop, and Qingshu gradually pieced together most of her family background.
Both of Ye Hongying’s parents were factory workers, and her father was even the captain at the local police station.
As she listened, something stirred in Qingshu’s mind. She turned and ordered Shen Ziming, who was trailing behind them:
“Those candies over there look good. Go buy some for me.”
Once Shen Ziming trudged off unwillingly, Qingshu lowered her voice and asked Ye Hongying:
“You said earlier that your mother has a martyr’s certificate?”
Ye Hongying nodded.
“Yeah. My grandfather died while serving in the army. My dad helped my mom apply for it afterward.”
She lowered her voice even further so only the two of them could hear.
“With that certificate, life and work become a lot easier. There’s even a monthly subsidy.”
Qingshu fell into thought.
Her mother had been absorbed into the Cui family for so long that people had nearly forgotten she was the family member of martyrs.
From the original host’s memories, she had never once heard the words “martyr’s certificate.”
Silently, Qingshu committed the matter to memory.
With Shen Ziming serving as a walking wallet behind her, Qingshu shopped extravagantly.
Biscuits and peach pastries? They looked good—buy them.
Brown sugar and white sugar? The house needed them—buy them.
Her mother was weak, so malted milk powder, a rare luxury item, was also purchased.
Dried kelp and tiny shrimp were hard to come by, so she stocked up.
Two bars of soap.
A flashlight, though expensive, was worth it too, along with extra batteries.
Trailing behind her, Shen Ziming was sweating cold bullets.
When he saw her heading toward the appliance section and glance at the women’s watches behind the glass counter, his heart nearly leapt out of his chest.
“Don’t go over there. I’ve already used up all my ration coupons.”
His heart bled with pain. Those were coupons he had painstakingly saved for an entire year, and she had burned through all of them.
Qingshu clicked her tongue in disdain.
“So useless.”
“So poor. You really can’t compare to Brother Wen.”
Only after completely draining Shen Ziming’s money did she finally pay with her own cash.
She didn’t buy the expensive watches. In her eyes, the styles from this era were old-fashioned and ugly—she had absolutely no interest in them.