Just then, Cecilia Adler walked into the courtyard, brushing the snow from her clothes.
She closed the door and hurried inside.
‘So cold.’
‘Looks like I won’t be able to set up my stall tomorrow.’
“Where have you been off to now?” Lucas demanded, his face cold.
Cecilia answered calmly, “Ian took me to see the new house his parents prepared for our marriage.
We stayed there for a while.”
Vivian Lee exclaimed in shock, “What?
A new house?”
‘How is that possible?’
‘She didn’t even get one back then!’
May Sutton anxiously pressed, “What kind of new house?”
“It was assigned by my father-in-law’s work unit.
It’s a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, and it’s quite nice inside.”
A pang of jealousy shot through May’s chest.
A two-bedroom apartment, just for the young couple to live in.
She couldn’t help but picture her own daughter living such a comfortable life.
But no, her infuriating daughter was stubborn and had terrible judgment.
She’d actually fallen for that hooligan Feng.
She wouldn’t listen no matter what anyone said.
She even threw a fit and ran away from home, forcing May to search for her everywhere.
Feeling distressed, she pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm herself.
Lucas’s expression shifted from cloudy to clear.
“For your father-in-law to let you live in a work-unit apartment shows he thinks highly of you.
Once you’re married, you must be sure to mention all the good things I’ve done for you in front of him.”
Cecilia gave a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Of course.”
‘Of course?
What good things?’
‘He tricked me into coming to the capital to be married off.’
‘In the three months I’ve been here, all he’s given me is a single fabric ration coupon.’
‘We’re both his daughters, yet Vivian Lee gets five yuan in allowance from him every month.’
‘Vivian even has a job.’
‘And me?’
‘I’m treated like a servant, waiting on the three of them hand and foot.’
‘Whenever they have good food or drinks, they hide it all away.’
‘If they were stewing ribs or meat, one of the mother-daughter duo would always be standing guard over me.’
‘Terrified I might sneak a bite.’
‘It’s not even as good as at the Quillan family’s house.’
‘At least with the Quillans, they always gave me enough meat to eat my fill.’
“Now, that’s more like it.” Lucas was satisfied, and his attitude toward Cecilia softened.
“It’s getting late.
You should get some rest.”
May Sutton said, “I have something to do at my work unit tomorrow, so I’ll be busy.
Get up early to steam the mantou and baozi, and fry the meatballs.”
“I know.” Cecilia returned to her room and put away the change she had earned.
As she took off her coat, the book Ian Quincy had given her fell out.
‘Georgian style, French floor-to-ceiling windows.’
‘The dictionary should have definitions for these, right?’
She went to the study to find a dictionary.
With the dictionary in hand, she headed out of the room.
She heard Vivian Lee’s sincere-sounding voice.
“Sister, I was wrong before.
I apologize.
These are my study materials from last year.
Isn’t Ian Quincy preparing for the university entrance exams?
He hasn’t touched a textbook in ten years, so maybe these will be useful to him.”
Cecilia was immediately on guard.
‘A weasel paying a New Year’s visit to a chicken—could it have good intentions?’
‘Besides, Ian Quincy graduated from high school at fifteen.
He’s smart and talented.
If he wanted study materials, wouldn’t he pick them out himself?’
‘What business does someone like her, who’s barely read any books, have worrying about it?’
‘If I take the books and Ian doesn’t use them, wouldn’t I owe Vivian a favor for nothing?’
“He has books to read.”
Vivian shoved the books into her arms.
“Just take them.
Dad’s work unit gave out bath tickets, and he told me to give you two.
Want to go together?
I can scrub your back for you.”
Cecilia took the bath tickets but handed back the books.
“I said he doesn’t need them.
But I’ll go to the bathhouse.
I can scrub your back, too.”
Bathing properly at home was inconvenient, and she hadn’t had a good wash in a while.
The bath tickets were exactly what she wanted.
She went back to her room to pack a change of clothes.
When she came out, Vivian was already waiting.
Outside, a thick layer of snow had accumulated.
It crunched loudly underfoot.
Vivian took the initiative to start a conversation.
“Sister, let me give you a piece of advice.
Even though you and my brother-in-law have a marriage certificate, you haven’t had the wedding banquet yet.
People don’t really consider you married.
If you keep running over to his place, and the neighbors find out, who knows what kind of gossip they’ll spread about you.”