The town was so small, and the whole affair between Qian Youde and Jiang Mingyu had spread far and wide.
The registration auntie was amusing; seeing Jiang Mingyu and Huo Mingfeng register so quickly, she immediately laughed.
“Young people should date a few! Don’t be afraid, young comrade. I think Huo is a good guy. Even though he has three kids, I’ve never heard of him messing around with any other woman all these years. I guarantee he’ll never cheat!”
“Here, take the marriage certificate. Today is September 15th, a lucky day. Hurry back and have a good feast!”
“Don’t be heartbroken over a cheating scoundrel, okay?”
“Let bygones be bygones. The future is what matters most!”
Hearing this, Jiang Mingyu felt embarrassed.
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Huo Mingfeng remained calm, accepting the marriage certificate and nodding slightly: “Thank you.”
The two left the Civil Affairs Bureau, the air quiet.
Jiang Mingyu blushed slightly, trying to make conversation, “That Boss Su just now… how did you get rid of him? He didn’t seem like a good guy.”
She couldn’t help but think to herself,
“Aren’t people supposed to be reserved in the 1980s?
This auntie’s pretty tough!
” Huo Mingfeng thought for a moment and shook his head: “It’s nothing, I just stopped going to work at the steel mill.”
“Fired?”
Jiang Mingyu snapped out of her daze, looking at him with surprise.
Had he lost his job because of her?
“No, Boss Su wanted me to go back to work quickly, but I told him I was still on vacation and would come back whenever I felt better.”
Huo Mingfeng smiled.
He was the only driver at the steel mill; without him, the mill wouldn’t make any money.
So, Boss Su didn’t confront him directly.
He also took the injury assessment report back with him.
Jiang Mingyu understood: “I see.”
In the 1980s, drivers were rare. Aside from big cities like Hong Kong, where in small towns were there driving schools?
Luckily, she knew how to drive.
It was late autumn, and the air was cold.
The deep red maple trees lining the streets were covered in frost.
Jiang Mingyu and he walked under the maple trees, her noses flushed, her clear eyes taking in the surroundings.
She noticed the town was small, with only one straight street lined with wooden houses; only the government buildings were made of blue bricks and cement.
There was only one school in the town, a combined primary and junior high school.
Holding the hands of the two children, Jiang Mingyu asked, “Are the children in school?”
Huo Qiyun and Huo Qihou were twins, turning seven by the Lunar New Year, born on the first day of the Lunar New Year.
Huo Qilan turned six on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.
They were both of primary school age.
Huo Mingfeng shook his head: “Not yet. I plan to send them to study in Yanjing after the New Year.”
Jiang Mingyu’s eyes flickered slightly: “That’s a good place.”
Yanjing is a great place, near Jiangnan, close to Shanghai, and an ancient capital of civilization. It’s prosperous now and in the future, with a good climate, perfect for living!
Speaking of which, although Jiang Mingyu made her fortune in real estate in her previous life, she had worked in the aquaculture industry in Yanjing for a period of time, contracting tens of thousands of acres of ponds near Yanjing. The entire freshwater fish industry in Jiangnan was supplied by her, and she was quite successful back then.
Huo Mingfeng glanced at her.
The way she spoke made it sound like she had been to Yanjing and knew the place very well.
But he also knew that Jiang Mingyu had worked outside, so maybe she really had been to Yanjing?
He said, “I’m from Yanjing. I have no brothers or sisters, just a mother who is a teacher.”
It was time to introduce each other’s backgrounds.
Jiang Mingyu didn’t know whether to mention her previous life or the original owner’s.
After thinking for a moment, she smiled, “No rush, we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other later.”
“Shall we have a good meal today?”
Huo Mingfeng remained noncommittal, stopping in front of the supply and marketing cooperative.
Grain coupons and such were being gradually phased out, and the cooperative also had items that could be bought with money.
Huo Mingfeng picked up a few crumpled meat coupons.
They had obviously been stored for a long time.
“No need to buy, I have some.”
Jiang Mingyu looked down on the old stock at the supply and marketing cooperative.
But a member scoffed, “If you have some, why are you blocking the door? If you’re not buying, go stand somewhere else!”
This provoked Da Wa to jump out, “Speak politely! My mom isn’t refusing to buy, she’s just not interested!”
Er Wa wholeheartedly agreed, “Right! My mom can conjure up a supply and marketing cooperative, can you?”
San Ya also blushed, “Right! My mom can do magic tricks!”
Magic tricks?
Huo Mingfeng became interested.
Noticing his amused gaze, Jiang Mingyu coughed, “Excuse me, we’ll be going now.”
Taking the three children’s hands, they went home.
The three kids, still not satisfied, stuck their tongues out at the commune members behind them as “revenge.”
Back home, the gloomy sky began to drizzle.
Huo Mingfeng, carrying several planks, said, “I’ll go fix the roof.”
Jiang Mingyu, wearing an apron, went into the kitchen: “I’ll cook.”
The two billion worth of supplies was quite comprehensive, equivalent to dozens of large shopping malls.
Fortunately, the old house was at the edge of town and had electricity. Jiang Mingyu used a smal l rice cooker to cook rice, which worked.
Disdainfully tossing aside the old, dull-bottomed pot, she took out a Supcon frying pan and an induction cooker.
The three children were extremely curious about their new mother, clinging to her.
Seeing her conjure up so many things and fiddling with them, they all curiously clung to the stove.
The eldest child: “Mom, need help? I’m strong!”
The second child: “Yes, Mom, our eldest brother is strong, I can help you direct him!”
The youngest pointed at the indicator lights: “Mom, why do these things glow?”
“Xiaoyun, Xiaohou, take your sister out to play. Mom is making a very delicious lunch, please look forward to it, keep it a little mysterious, okay?”
Jiang Mingyu smiled.
She conjured up a plate of small snacks;
the white rabbit-shaped pudding was very cute, white and soft, and wouldn’t fill you up.
The three children’s eyes lit up, a heartwarming sight. They insisted that she eat one first before taking the snacks out, even saving two for Huo Mingfeng.
Touched by their enthusiasm, Jiang Mingyu picked up a spatula and stir-fried two vegetarian dishes: cowpeas and romaine lettuce.
Fortunately, time was frozen in the space; the food remained exactly as it was when it was placed inside, perfectly preserved!
These supplies were enough for Jiang Mingyu for two lifetimes, making caring for the children effortless. She wasn’t in a hurry to earn money.
Focusing on cooking, Jiang Mingyu took two lively grass carp from the tank, found tomato sauce and various seasonings, made a braised fish sauce, fried the fish, then simmered it in the sauce for a few minutes.
When it was done, Jiang Mingyu maintained her sense of ceremony, arranging it elegantly with celery and carrots.
On the kitchen ceiling,
Huo Mingfeng, repairing the roof, looked down thoughtfully.
Is this the “magic trick” the children mentioned earlier?
Someone who can conjure up a pile of food and appliances he’s never seen before is practically a god, right?
It seems she has an inexhaustible supply of things.
And Jiang Mingyu doesn’t seem to be hiding anything from them.
Isn’t she afraid that even an innocent person can be targeted by a powerful figure?
Huo Mingfeng doesn’t know where she gets the audacity to believe the three children won’t gossip, nor does he know where she gets the confidence that he won’t harm her.
It seems he needs to give her a good talking-to.
Shaking his head, Huo Mingfeng hammered in the last nail to secure the roof, then jumped down and went into the kitchen.
“Mingyu, let’s talk.”