The town’s Supply and Marketing Cooperative was located at the crossroads, a two-story red-brick building. The first floor sold daily necessities and non-staple foods, while the second floor sold fabrics, ready-made clothes, and hardware and electrical goods.
It was noon, and there weren’t many people inside. The ceiling fan overhead whirred noisily, dispelling some of the stifling heat.
The counter was made of wood, displaying a dazzling array of goods. Several salesclerks in white coats were huddled together, chatting and cracking sunflower seeds.
Su Nianqiu walked in and headed straight for the non-staple foods counter.
Inside the counter hung several slabs of pork that had already dried out a bit. Next to them were piles of large pork bones and spare ribs.
“Comrade, I’d like to buy some meat,” Su Nianqiu tapped on the glass counter.
The plump salesclerk who had been cracking sunflower seeds rolled her eyes, brushed the seed shells from her hands, and slowly walked over. She gave Su Nianqiu a once-over, eyeing her faded gray coat, and said impatiently, “Do you have meat coupons? There’s no fatty meat left today, only lean.”
People in the countryside preferred fatty meat, as it could be rendered into lard. Lean meat, on the other hand, was less desirable.
“No fatty meat is just fine,” Su Nianqiu ignored her attitude and directly pulled out ten yuan and five jin worth of meat coupons from her pocket, slapping them onto the glass counter. “Two jin of pork belly and three jin of spare ribs. Pick the freshest ones and cut them for me.”
The salesclerk’s eyes widened instantly.
Five jin worth of meat coupons! That was half a month’s ration for a large family in the city. Where did this country girl get so many coupons?
Moreover, who bought spare ribs? They were all bones with no fat, something only a fool would buy.
“Are you sure you want three jin of spare ribs?” Sister Wang, holding a cleaver, asked suspiciously.
“Yes, I’m sure. Cut them,” Su Nianqiu replied calmly.
Sister Wang didn’t say another word. Whoever had money and coupons was the boss. She deftly cut two jin of high-quality pork belly and chopped three jin of spare ribs, wrapping them in lotus leaves and tying them tightly with straw rope.
“That’ll be four yuan and sixty cents, plus five jin worth of meat coupons.”
Su Nianqiu paid the money and handed over the coupons, then carried the heavy meat over to the nutritional products counter next door.
“Two cans of malted milk powder. Two jin of brown sugar. Two jin of White Rabbit milk candies. Five packs of peach shortbread.”
This time, not only the meat seller but also the other salesclerks who had been chatting stopped and stared at Su Nianqiu in surprise.
Malted milk powder! This was a high-end nutritional product. A single can cost several yuan and required special nutrition coupons. And this girl was buying two cans at once?
Su Nianqiu counted out the money and coupons expressionlessly and handed them over.
The salesclerk’s attitude did a complete one-eighty. She beamed with a smile and packed the items with lightning speed, placing them into a large mesh bag. “Girl, is your family preparing for a celebration? Buying so many good things. My surname is Wang, call me Sister Wang. You can come to me next time you need to buy anything.”
“It’s for myself,” Su Nianqiu glanced at the salesclerk and replied flatly.
Carrying the mesh bag, she went up to the second floor.
The second floor was the fabric counter. Su Nianqiu directly asked for three zhang of the finest cotton fabric. For diapers and baby clothes for her unborn child, she had to use the softest material. She also bought two chi of pure white Dacron fabric, planning to make new shirts for Li Xiulan and Su Jianguo.
After her shopping spree, Su Nianqiu was carrying two large mesh bags. She had spent nearly thirty yuan and a pile of coupons.
But she didn’t feel the slightest bit of regret. Money was meant to be spent. Besides, she now had the Spatial Dimension, which was like having an inexhaustible treasury.
After finishing her shopping, Su Nianqiu picked up the net bags and prepared to go downstairs to meet Grandpa Mute at the village entrance.
Just as she reached the corner of the stairs, a young man wearing a white shirt and sporting a side-parted hairstyle came walking up.
The two of them came face to face in the narrow stairwell.
The man froze.
Su Nianqiu also stopped in her tracks.
The original host’s memories instantly surged to the surface.
Song Minghui. An apprentice worker at the town’s machinery factory, and also the man the original host had been engaged to since childhood.
Back then, the Song family was so poor they could barely put food on the table. Song Minghui had only been able to finish junior high in town and become a factory apprentice thanks to the secret support of Su Jianguo, the brigade leader. The original host had even saved all the best food at home to sneak to him.
And what was the result? After Song Minghui became a regular worker at the factory, he looked down on the original host for being a country girl, unworthy of a city worker like him, and found an excuse to break off the engagement.
When news of the original host’s accident and her jumping into the river reached the town, Song Minghui not only didn’t go to see her, but even told everyone he had foresight, having long since dumped that shameless, loose woman.
Su Nianqiu looked at the man before her—fair-skinned but exuding an air of hypocrisy—her eyes as cold as ice.
What a small world.
Song Minghui, however, was staring intently at Su Nianqiu’s face, a flash of intense admiration in his eyes.
This… this was Su Nianqiu?
The old Su Nianqiu had been pretty, but she was always meek and submissive, with a somewhat petty air. The current Su Nianqiu had skin so fair it seemed to glow, and her eyes were cool and haughty, like a wild rose with thorns.
What was even more striking was the two large, fully packed net bags she was carrying.
Meat, pork ribs, malted milk powder, White Rabbit milk candies, Dacron fabric…
Song Minghui’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He immediately put on a deeply affectionate expression, quickly climbed two steps up, and blocked Su Nianqiu’s path.
“Nianqiu? It really is you. I heard about what happened to you the other day. I’ve been worried about you and was planning to find time to visit you in the village.” Song Minghui’s voice was so soft it could drip water, and he struck what he thought was a dashing pose.
Seeing his affected manner, Su Nianqiu felt her stomach churn. This time, it wasn’t because of the pregnancy—it was purely out of disgust.
“A good dog doesn’t block the way. Move.” Su Nianqiu coldly spat out six words.
The smile on Song Minghui’s face stiffened.
In his memory, Su Nianqiu would wag her tail and come running as long as he gave her the slightest smile, offering him the best things from her home.
What was wrong with her today? Had she taken the wrong medicine?
Song Minghui’s gaze drifted downward, sweeping over Su Nianqiu’s flat stomach, his eyes turning frivolous and contemptuous.
“Nianqiu, are you still angry with me?” Song Minghui lowered his voice, pretending to be heartbroken. “About breaking off the engagement, I had no choice. My mother absolutely refused to agree—I couldn’t be unfilial. And now… you’ve ended up like this, your reputation ruined. It pains me too.”
He glanced at the net bag in Su Nianqiu’s hand, and his tone suddenly took on a different flavor, tinged with probing and malice. “Where did you get so much money to buy all these nice things? Nianqiu, listen to me—a woman should still have self-respect. That bastard in your belly, no matter whose it is, you should go to the hospital and get rid of it quickly. Those shady men giving you money are just playing with you; they won’t marry you.”
In Song Minghui’s eyes, Su Nianqiu, a village girl, had suddenly become so wealthy and dressed so beautifully—she must have given herself to some old man.