Ye Jianguo looked at Liu Hongmei in shock, eyes wide, and slammed his hand heavily on the table. “Liu Hongmei, tell me—what Li said, is it true?”
These days, premarital pregnancy was no small matter. That damned girl was about to ruin Ye Jianguo’s reputation completely.
Liu Hongmei’s legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed to the floor. Panicked, she blocked Ye Jianguo and said, “Old Ye, lower your voice! If anyone hears this, how will Zhirou face anyone?”
That damned man’s voice was like a megaphone. If anyone overheard, what would they do?
Ye Jianguo trembled with anger. “You care about shame now? If this spreads, the Ye family’s face will be completely ruined!”
Liu Hongmei bit her lip and stammered, “Old Ye, let’s not rush. We need to think this through carefully.”
Ye Jianguo grabbed her collar. “Think this through? We’re already at this point—how can we think carefully now?”
Originally, he had planned to marry Ye Zhirou off to the Jiang family. After all, that girl was cleverer than Ye Li, and they could gain more benefits. Now that she was pregnant, they were on the defensive—how could they still try to negotiate for advantage?
For the first time, Liu Hongmei saw Ye Jianguo disregard her entirely, and her face flushed red. She slapped his hand away, loosened her collar, and patiently explained, “Old Ye, Zhirou is carrying Jiang Bowen’s child—the initiative is in our hands. If they don’t want us reporting Jiang Bowen, they’ll have to accept our terms.”
If she didn’t rely on this damned man for her livelihood, she really would have slapped him.
Ye Jianguo’s eyes lit up, and he looked somewhat excited. “Hongmei, you’re right! I was too hasty—did I hurt you?”
With the house recently robbed and finances tight, they had to rely on the Jiang family for help.
Liu Hongmei shook her head, forcing a smile. “It’s nothing. You’re just impatient and didn’t wait for me to finish.”
Ye Li watched the couple huddled together, whispering, and a cold gleam flashed in her eyes. After freshening up, she left the house. It was a weekend, and she had plans to meet Duan Jiami at the state-run restaurant for a meal.
But it was still early, and she didn’t want to stay at home dealing with Ye Jianguo and Liu Hongmei glaring at her.
She wandered the streets for a bit and spotted a state-run store. Thinking about how empty her space was, she decided to check inside for any useful items.
Perhaps because it was the weekend, the store was packed. Ye Li, new to this “battlefield,” was pushed and jostled by the older women until she was almost bent out of shape. After finally squeezing inside, she managed to buy a single packet of pastries. She gave a wry smile and brushed her messed-up hair. Seems she came at the wrong time today.
Seeing how crowded the store was, she decided it was better to head to the state-run restaurant early and get in line. Otherwise, she might miss her meal.
She moved to a more secluded spot and, with a thought, sent the pastries into her space.
By ten in the morning, people had started arriving at the state-run restaurant. Ye Li acted quickly, stepping to the front of the line and finally letting out a sigh of relief.
Leaning to the window, she called out to a young round-faced waitress inside, “Comrade, I’d like one serving of braised pork, one braised fish, one serving of vinegar-flavored shredded potatoes, one braised tofu, and ten large buns.”
The waitress glanced at Ye Li coldly. “Why order so much? Everyone has a quota. You can’t waste food. These are national resources. Don’t order blindly—just enough will do.”
Ye Li didn’t get angry; after all, employees at state-run stores and restaurants were all like this. No need to argue. She smiled brightly at the waitress. “Ah, pretty sister! Please help me out. I’m treating someone today, and it wouldn’t do if the dishes were too few. You’d be helping me a lot!”
The “pretty sister” flattered, her heart lifted. She lifted the corners of her mouth, pretending to be stern. “Alright, alright! Just this once, next time, no more.”
Ye Li nodded repeatedly and smiled. “Thank you, pretty sister! You’re truly beautiful and kind-hearted.”
The waitress was so pleased she could hardly contain her smile, humbly replying, “Oh, little girl, your words are sweet as honey.”
Ye Li spoke seriously. “Pretty sister, I speak the truth. You look so spirited behind the counter! That energy of yours—brisk and bold—is even more striking than a female militia in the movies!”
“Oh my, little sister, keep praising and I’ll be embarrassed! My name’s Wang Xiufen, just call me Sister Xiufen. Go ahead, find a seat. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”
This girl’s words were irresistible. If she weren’t busy, she’d have loved to chat longer.
Ye Li nodded with a smile, following along obediently.
“All right, Sister Xiufen! You go ahead and get busy. I’m really sorry for taking up your time.”
She left the ordering window and found a corner to sit in, keeping her eyes on the door. Not long after, Duan Jiami appeared at the entrance of the state-run restaurant.
He was tall and lean, dressed in a gray youth suit that fit snugly around his body. The collar was neatly folded, buttons fastened all the way to the neck. Though the fabric had faded slightly from washing, it still looked crisp and tidy. His shoulders sloped naturally, his waist subtly curved, and his long legs were accentuated by straight-cut trousers. His black cloth shoes were polished clean.
Even with a cane, he stood like a freshly grown bamboo shoot—slim, yet exuding a firm, upright energy.
Ye Li quickly stood and hurried forward. “Comrade Duan, you’re here! Please, come inside!”
Seeing Ye Li, Duan Jiami’s stern expression softened. “Comrade Ye, you’re far too polite! I didn’t come for the meal. I came specifically because I didn’t want you waiting here.”
He finished speaking and started to turn back.
Ye Li stepped forward, blocking him. “Comrade Duan, I’ve already ordered the dishes. If you don’t eat, it’ll be wasted. I invited you not only to thank you for saving me that day, but also because there’s something I want to discuss with you.”
Hearing this, Duan Jiami looked at her with suspicion. She was the older stepsister of his fiancée, Ye Zhirou. He had met her once before, and she had seemed timid and reserved. But today, she looked very different.
What could she possibly want to discuss with him?
Thinking of the argument he had overheard near the entrance of Mumian Alley during the Mid-Autumn Festival, a thought struck him. He nodded. “All right then. You’ve gone to a lot of trouble. Let’s go in.”