Bei Qinghuan had deliberately provoked Qin Zhenghua.
If she hadn’t, there was no telling how long the man would sit in her house, preventing her from eating her Fried Fish.
Besides that, the Tao Su from Mei Suqin’s inner thoughts was neither Qin Zhenghua’s classmate nor his colleague. For Mei Suqin to look down on her so much, Bei Qinghuan guessed she could only be a woman Qin Zhenghua had met while working in the countryside.
This conjecture was inspired by a joke Bei Qinghuan had made to her mother last time about finding a country man as a live-in son-in-law.
One had to understand that the circumstances under which Qin Zhenghua had gone to the countryside were completely different from Bei Qinghuan’s.
Bei Qinghuan had no choice; she had to go.
As for Qin Zhenghua, his father, Qin Dagang, had actively responded to the call for educated youth to go to the countryside as a proactive gesture to secure a promotion, taking the initiative to sign his son up.
They had been particularly cunning, arranging for Qin Zhenghua to be sent to Mei Suqin’s hometown.
This so-called hometown of Mei Suqin’s was in Jiangtong, separated from Hai City by just the Yangtze River.
One could make a round trip in a single day.
Given the Qin family’s situation over the past few years, if they had truly wanted their son to return to the city, it would have been quite easy with a few connections.
But surprisingly, just like Bei Qinghuan, Qin Zhenghua had only returned to the city this year when the policy changed drastically.
She hadn’t thought much of it before, but now, Bei Qinghuan couldn’t help but suspect that this Tao Su must have been the one holding Qin Zhenghua back.
Now that he had been so suddenly provoked, Qin Zhenghua would surely cause a scene with his family when he got home.
Bei Qinghuan hurried to leave. Just as she was about to go, she turned back, filled a lunch box halfway with the Sweet and Sour Marinated Fish Chunks, and then went out.
Yan Guifang asked, “Where are you going?”
Bei Qinghuan replied, “To watch a show.”
“Hey, hey, it’s time for dinner!”
“I brought it with me!”
With a swoosh, Bei Qinghuan dashed out.
She had been so absorbed in frying the fish inside that she hadn’t noticed, but now that she was out, she realized the sky had turned completely dark.
All the street lamps in the family compound’s residential area were already lit.
Clutching the lunch box, Bei Qinghuan jogged all the way to the area of small courtyards where the factory leaders lived.
As she passed No. 3 Courtyard, Bei Qinghuan subconsciously glanced at the large, red-lacquered gate.
She wondered if Representative Jing and that Comrade Correspondent had returned. She still hadn’t gotten her bracelet back.
But right now, she had more important business to attend to.
Bei Qinghuan slipped into the narrow alley between No. 3 Courtyard and No. 4 Courtyard. She half-squatted by a window, carefully eavesdropping.
As expected, the Qin family had started arguing.
Qin Zhenghua’s voice was much more arrogant than it had been at Bei Qinghuan’s house.
“…You insisted I go, you insisted I go, and what’s the result? She asks me who Tao Su is. Mom, since she already knows, let’s just break off the engagement. Being with her is like being with a brother. It’s uncomfortable for me. Tao Su is different, she’s a woman, okay! So what if she doesn’t have a household registration? Our family has four workers, it’s not like we can’t afford to feed one more person!”
In the alley, Bei Qinghuan opened her lunch box, picked out a piece of Sweet and Sour Fried Fish, licked off the sauce first, then took a bite.
Tsk, it was the perfect blend of sweet, sour, salty, and savory!
It was the best snack for watching a show. She could even critique the script in her head: Well said, Qin Zhenghua. If you have more to say, please do!
Inside, Mei Suqin’s voice was much more suppressed, reaching the outside in fits and starts.
“Don’t even think about it! It’s true we won’t be short one mouth to feed, but why should we sacrifice ourselves to support a country girl? Don’t think I don’t know you’ve been sending your entire monthly salary to her, just spending our money… It’s utterly humiliating. Is it because we can’t find a city girl for you to marry? Must you marry someone from the countryside… If you marry that country woman, just you try getting a promotion at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative in the future!”
Outside, Bei Qinghuan took another bite of fish, slurped up the sauce, and gently spat out the bone. Perfect.
She then heard Qin Zhenghua venting his anger on something, followed by a series of “bang, bang, bang” sounds from inside the house.
“Mom, Bei Qinghuan may be a city person, but how is she any better? She doesn’t even have a job. Besides, you have to consider the child…”
Child!?
Here it comes, here it comes, the main point!
Bei Qinghuan quickly moved closer, even tilting her head like a gecko, pressing her ear directly against their window.
In doing so, her hands became an inconvenience.
She had to stretch out the arm holding the lunch box straight in front of her.
Just then, a low, magnetic voice suddenly sounded by her ear, “For me?”
The sudden sound startled Bei Qinghuan so much that she almost dropped the lunch box in her hand.
Fortunately, the person had already taken hold of it.
When she steadied herself and looked, it was that annoying man again—”Representative Jing’s orderly.”
He was wearing a white shirt, standing ramrod straight in the narrow alley. Moonlight shone down from over his courtyard wall, casting half his face in shadow, his features as deep and chiseled as a sculpture.
She had no idea when this guy had gotten here.
Whatever, this was a crucial moment in the unfolding drama.
She had taunted Mei Suqin and provoked Qin Zhenghua all for the sake of hearing them argue.
They had just mentioned a child inside; how could she miss such important information!
Bei Qinghuan couldn’t be bothered to argue with the “orderly” about anything. She just raised a finger to her lips. “Shh, don’t talk. Please, don’t talk!”
She herself resumed her gecko-like posture, trying to catch the conversation inside.
But the man asked again, “Is this for me to eat?”
A muffled voice came from inside: “…I told you I’d help you figure out a way to bring the child over. When the time comes…”
So, Qin Zhenghua already had a child?
Or was that Tao Su a woman with a child?
Ahhh, this is so exciting!
What happens “when the time comes”? Speak up, you people!
Bei Qinghuan was getting anxious outside. She quickly placated the man before her, “Yes, yes, yes, it’s all for you. Can you just not talk for a bit!”
Now that he had something to eat, the man indeed fell silent.
Bei Qinghuan focused all her attention on the conversation inside.
This time, a slightly unfamiliar male voice was trying to mediate.
“Zhenghua, don’t be foolish. The current policy is crystal clear. People with rural household registrations get no reimbursement for schooling or medical care here, and they aren’t allocated any grain or oil. If you bring a country girl here, she’ll just be taking from our rations for nothing, and there will be one thing after another. It’ll be a huge pain!”
Bei Qinghuan knew this was Qin Dagang.
But why had they stopped talking about the child?
Inside the house.
Qin Zhenghua was full of bravado. “I’ll support her! Is that good enough?”
Mei Suqin’s voice was heavy and resolute. “No! If I say no, it means no!”
“Mom, what is wrong with you? Didn’t you look down on Bei Qinghuan a few years ago? Why are you insisting I marry her now that I’m back? I told you, she’s very fierce with me!”
“So what if she’s fierce with you? I have ways to handle her! But you need to do the math. If we don’t break off the engagement, people will think our family is loyal and righteous. Your father’s reputation will improve, and when the old factory director retires, it’ll be your father’s turn. Besides, Bei Qinghuan at least has a Grain and Oil Ration, and she has something in her hands that can help us get rich. What does that Tao Su have? Nothing at all!”
“Mom, what on earth is this thing that Bei Qinghuan has?”
“Don’t you worry about that. In any case, you cannot marry Tao Su. And let me tell you, that woman Tao Su may seem obedient now, but she’s actually very vicious, gluttonous, and lazy. She’s far worse than Bei Qinghuan. Bei Qinghuan may seem fierce, but as long as you treat her a little better, she’s the type to give us her heart, her soul, her very kidneys!”
“Mom, how can you say that about Tao Su? Her family took care of me all those years I was in the countryside…”
“I said no, and I mean no. If you really can’t stand Bei Qinghuan, I’ll help you find a way to divorce her in a few years after we’ve made our fortune. But not now. Right now, you must win her over…”