Among the older educated youths, Wang Changjun appeared modest and courteous on the surface, but inside, his mind was full of calculations.
This new Qin Ziqi was obviously both wealthy and beautiful, and she had come from a big city. But what kind of family background did she actually have?
Zhou Xue, on the other hand, was definitely from a family of officials. Her family background was extraordinary. The tone of her voice and the way she carried herself both had an unmistakable air of superiority.
Wang Jinyan happened to be sitting beside Shen Xingheng. At that moment, her face was flushed, her head lowered, and even her ears were red.
She felt that a man like Chen Ye had a gaze that was too sharp and intimidating, whereas Educated Youth Shen was much better. He looked gentle and refined.
Li Xinxin, however, seemed completely uninterested in everyone.
Lu He looked from one person to another.
Good grief. One dinner had somehow turned into a gathering of people all harboring their own ulterior motives.
Qin Ziqi lowered her head. While everyone else was busy calculating things in their minds, she quietly piled all the dishes she wanted onto her plate in one go and then silently began eating.
Si Chenye appeared to be chatting with Lu He, but in reality, he was constantly observing the older educated youths from the corner of his eye. Naturally, he also noticed the two gazes fixed on him.
Zhao Jun cleared his throat.
“Everyone, don’t be shy. Hurry up and eat. We’re lucky today—we’ve got meat and canned fruit.”
Several people at the table seemed to snap out of a trance.
That’s right. It was rare to have such good food. Whatever they were thinking about could wait. There was no need to rush.
Immediately, several pairs of chopsticks reached toward the luncheon meat, cured meat, and sausage. The chopsticks moved so quickly they nearly blurred.
What was worse, Qin Ziqi noticed someone pick up a piece of food, suck the tip of their chopsticks, and then use them to pick up more food.
She was extremely glad that she had piled her food onto her plate beforehand.
Zhou Xue, who was sitting beside her, completely lost her appetite after seeing that. She simply lowered her head and ate the canned yellow peaches in her bowl.
After dinner, the older educated youths were so satisfied with the meat that they didn’t make the newcomers help clean up or wash the dishes.
Qin Ziqi and the others simply returned to the back courtyard.
After walking only a short distance, Zhou Xue squeezed herself next to Si Chenye, pushing Qin Ziqi, who had originally been walking beside him, farther back.
“Chen Zhiqing, did you take a different train from us? Is that why you only arrived today? By the way, are you full tonight? I have some egg cakes at my place.”
Si Chenye silently took two steps backward.
“No need, Zhou Zhiqing. I’m full, and I have some pastries of my own.”
Qin Ziqi watched the scene before her and couldn’t help secretly laughing.
Commander Si probably never imagined that a little business trip like this would earn him a romantic admirer.
Shen Xingheng glanced darkly at Zhou Xue. After thinking for a moment, he slowed his pace.
“Qin Zhiqing, I heard from Lu Zhiqing that your family members are government officials?”
In fact, Lu Chengxiu had never said anything of the sort. She only ever said things that belittled Qin Ziqi.
Shen Xingheng was simply trying to fish for information.
Qin Ziqi gave Shen Xingheng a thoughtful look.
“No. I only have a father who was cut off from the family and sent down here, and a mother who has already passed away.”
“What… what?”
Shen Xingheng’s expectations and interest in Qin Ziqi immediately vanished.
With such a family background, the Shen family would never agree to it. No matter how beautiful she was, it was useless.
Before Qin Ziqi could say anything else, Shen Xingheng quickly walked ahead.
“Xiaoxue, I’m going to town tomorrow to call my family. Are you going?”
The moment Zhou Xue heard him call her that, she became irritated.
“I’m not going.”
“Then I’ll tell Uncle Zhou that we’ve all settled in and everything is fine, so he won’t have to worry.”
“Whatever.”
After only a few words, they had already reached Zhou Xue’s courtyard.
She glared angrily at Shen Xingheng.
It was all his fault. He had started talking to her, so she hadn’t even gotten to say more than a few words to Chen Zhiqing.
Shen Xingheng had achieved his goal. Without looking back, he entered his own courtyard.
When Si Chenye reached his door, he stopped and turned his head, asking in a low voice,
“Is there something going on between Zhou Zhiqing and Shen Zhiqing?”
Qin Ziqi glanced toward the two courtyards on the western side, then looked at Si Chenye teasingly.
“It’s just the classic story of ‘you like me, and I like him.’”
Si Chenye rubbed his nose.
“I’m here to carry out a mission. I’m not interested in spoiled young ladies like that.”
Qin Ziqi became curious.
“By the way, aren’t you getting a little old? No girlfriend? Not married?”
“I’m only twenty-four. Is that very old?”
Under the moonlight, he looked at Qin Ziqi’s face. Her skin seemed to glow with a milky-white radiance.
So fair. So delicate.
“I’ve never dated anyone. I’m not married.”
“Twenty-four? Hmm, that’s not young anymore.”
After saying that, Qin Ziqi opened her courtyard gate.
At twenty-four, he was already considered an older unmarried man in this era.
Si Chenye returned to his room and sat down on the kang, muttering to himself,
“Very old?”
Then he remembered that Qin Ziqi was only seventeen.
Maybe… it is a little old?
She still had another day to rest and recover, so Qin Ziqi slept in.
The stove had dried completely, so she could finally cook.
She first used pork to season the new wok. The rendered lard could be used for stir-frying vegetables, while the crispy pork cracklings would be perfect for stir-frying with the cabbage Uncle Zhuzi had given her.
She made sweet-and-sour spare ribs.
The pork belly was still stored in her space. She had eaten braised pork just yesterday, and eating it two days in a row would be too greasy.
She stir-fried chives with eggs.
The cucumbers could wait until evening.
After transferring all the dishes to plates, she still needed to cook rice. Since she only had one iron pot, she could only do things one at a time.
Qin Ziqi was about to go inside and get some rice when someone knocked on the courtyard gate.
When she opened it, it was unsurprisingly Si Chenye.
“Your spare ribs smell amazing. Do you mind if I join you for a meal?”
Si Chenye was carrying a cloth bag containing his own grain ration. In his other hand was a large piece of pork belly.
“I bought the meat at the supply cooperative this morning.”
“Are you this familiar with everyone?” Qin Ziqi was speechless.
Had she even agreed to let him join her?
He had simply brought his rations over as if it were already settled.
Why didn’t he eat with Lu He?
Was their comradeship really that weak?
“Over there, I’m actually known for being cold and aloof. Behind my back, people call me the Cold-Faced Yama.”
Si Chenye put down the meat and poured his ration of rice into the pot.
He was very cold and aloof indeed.
Qin Ziqi gave him an expression that clearly said, Do you seriously expect me to believe that?
Si Chenye rubbed the tip of his nose.
“It’s true.”
“Heh.”
Qin Ziqi shoved the firewood into his hands.
“Start the fire.”
She went back into the room, took out the cucumbers, and made another plate of smashed cucumber salad.
She was afraid there wouldn’t be enough food.
“I’m telling you, while you’re here, you’re not planning to latch onto me for meals, are you? What about Lu He?”
He had originally only intended to mooch one meal while getting to know the young woman a little better.
But the moment Qin Ziqi said that, he immediately seized the opportunity.
“Would that be okay? I’m already responsible for protecting your safety. This would make things more convenient.”
“I saw an iron pot in your courtyard.”
That clearly meant he knew how to cook.
“I can bring it over for you to use. I only brought it in case of emergencies. Actually, I’m not very good at cooking.”
Si Chenye lied through his teeth with a perfectly straight face.
“I think you should expand this stove a little. Otherwise, once winter comes, the food will get cold too quickly.”
Expanding the stove was indeed necessary.
There was only one burner. It was fine while the weather was warm, but once winter came, it would definitely be inconvenient.
However…
“If you’re eating with me, what about Lu He?”
“He has his own mission. He’s eating with the people in the front courtyard.”
It was true that Lu He had a mission to keep an eye on the people in the front courtyard.
And it was also true that Si Chenye had abandoned him when it came to meals.
Poor Lu He looked at the bowl of coarse-grain porridge in front of him, so watery that he could practically see his own reflection in it.
He was on the verge of tears.
Why won’t Boss let me eat with him?
I’m hungry!