Zhao Moting took it and glanced over it.
Just one glance.
He raised his head, a faint, cold curve lifting the corner of his mouth. “Auntie, this diagnosis slip doesn’t have the clinic’s official stamp. It’s not valid.”
Li Dahua’s face instantly paled.
Zhao Moting continued, his tone casual as if commenting on the weather. “And, as it happens, I know the doctor who wrote this slip. He’s not from the gastroenterology department.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the onlookers erupted in a buzz of chatter.
Sun Yang seized the moment to step forward, deliberately lowering his voice to a deep, ominous tone to intimidate. “Auntie, this could be considered fraud. You know fraud can land you in jail, right?”
The words “land you in jail” struck Li Dahua’s mind like a thunderclap.
Her legs went weak. She snatched the paper back from Zhao Moting’s hand, turned, and pushed her way out of the crowd.
In her haste to flee, she nearly tripped and fell face-first, losing one shoe in the process. She didn’t even bother to pick it up, vanishing in a flash.
With Li Dahua fleeing in such a panic, what more did the onlookers need to understand?
Someone spat in disgust. “Pah! So she was just trying to swindle someone.”
Another sighed. “That girl had it rough, almost got cheated.”
Everyone dispersed awkwardly.
Lin Qiao’er stood rooted to the spot, her legs still weak. She let out a long, deep sigh of relief.
She turned and bowed deeply to Zhao Moting and Sun Yang.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice slightly hoarse.
If Zhao Moting hadn’t stepped in, today she would not only have been swindled out of ten yuan but also lost the hard-earned reputation she had built.
In business, once your reputation is ruined, everything is over.
Before Zhao Moting could speak, Sun Yang eagerly chimed in, “Miss Qiao’er, don’t mention it! It’s only right to help someone in need when you see injustice.”
Zhao Moting raised an eyebrow, giving him a deep, pointed look.
Sun Yang rubbed his ear and chuckled, not the least bit embarrassed.
Lin Qiao’er lowered her head, her fingers twisting the edge of her apron. After a moment of hesitation, she said softly, “Thank you for your help. After I finish work, let me treat you both to noodles.”
The state-run restaurant was too expensive for her to afford.
But a bowl of noodles from a street-side noodle shop, costing thirty cents each, was something she could manage.
Sun Yang agreed without a second thought. “Sure!”
Lin Qiao’er looked at Zhao Moting.
Sun Yang jumped in again. “He agrees too.”
Zhao Moting: “…”
He gave Sun Yang a cool glance. “I’m not mute. I don’t need you to speak for me.”
Sun Yang felt a chill on his neck and shrank back, letting out a couple of awkward chuckles.
Lin Qiao’er couldn’t help but curve her lips into a slight smile. Softly, she said, “Then, at six this afternoon, I’ll wait for you both at the entrance of the automobile factory.”
Sun Yang grinned brightly, revealing a pair of cute little canine teeth. “It’s a date!”
Lin Qiao’er bent down to pack up her stall, her fingers still trembling slightly.
Lin Qiao’er was busy filling pancakes for customers and didn’t notice the corner of the alley.
Sun Xiaowen stood sideways in the shadows, holding a few crumpled banknotes between her fingers, quickly stuffing them into Li Dahua’s hand.
Sun Xiaowen’s voice was low, as if squeezed through gritted teeth. “Keep this matter buried.”
Li Dahua took the money, folded each bill neatly, and tucked them into the innermost pocket of her clothes. Patting it, she put on a fawning smile. “Don’t worry, Comrade Sun. If there’s another good opportunity like this in the future, remember to call on me again.”
Sun Xiaowen shot her a cold glare, then turned and walked away.
Her high heels clicked sharply against the bluestone pavement, each step filled with anger and frustration.
Her heart felt heavy.
That good-for-nothing Li Dahua couldn’t even handle such a small matter properly.
In her previous life, she had married a battalion commander. After discovering he had a mistress outside with whom he had two illegitimate children, she threatened to report his misconduct to the military. The battalion commander ended up beating her to death at home.
Meanwhile, Lin Qiao’er married Zhao Moting, gave birth to twins, and under the Zhao family’s protection, became a well-known wealthy merchant in Shanghai.
Now that she had been reborn, she was determined to change her fate.
She was better than that country girl Lin Qiao’er in every way—she refused to believe Zhao Moting wouldn’t choose her.
Sun Xiaowen took a deep breath, the gloom on her face vanishing as she replaced it with a gentle, proper smile.
She walked up to Lin Qiao’er’s stall and said softly, “Qiao’er, give me two pieces of your savory pancakes.”
Lin Qiao’er looked up, surprised to see Sun Xiaowen, then smiled and replied, “Sure.”
She deftly picked up two pancakes, wrapped them in brown paper, and handed them over. “Here.”
Sun Xiaowen took out eight cents from her purse and placed it on the stall, but she wasn’t in a hurry to leave.
Holding the pancakes, she glanced at Lin Qiao’er’s face and suddenly asked, “Are you willing to sell your sauce recipe?”
Lin Qiao’er paused in her movements.
Sun Xiaowen held up three fingers, smiling brightly. “Thirty yuan—I’ll buy your recipe outright. That’s much better than slaving away from dawn to dusk.”
Lin Qiao’er did a quick calculation. She earned less than one yuan a day selling pancakes, so thirty yuan was over a month’s worth of income.
But this recipe was her mother’s legacy.
She shook her head, her voice soft but firm. “No. It’s a family secret passed down through generations.”
Sun Xiaowen’s smile faded slightly. “Alright, I was just asking.”
Clutching the wrapped pancakes, she turned and walked toward the automobile factory.
She now worked in the factory’s personnel department—a leisurely job with a modest salary.
With the advantage of her rebirth, she wanted to earn more money.
Soon, China’s economy would take off, and the first wave of private entrepreneurs would make a fortune.
Lately, she had been considering opening a restaurant.
Lin Qiao’er watched Sun Xiaowen’s figure disappear into the factory gate. Just as she was about to lower her head and continue working, a childish voice suddenly echoed in her mind:
“Mom, she’s been reborn. You need to be careful of her from now on.”
Lin Qiao’er froze.
Sun Xiaowen was reborn?
But then again, if she could hear her unborn child’s thoughts, rebirth… didn’t seem so far-fetched.
She had no grudge against Sun Xiaowen—they had barely even spoken.
Why would Sun Xiaowen target her?
Suisui wouldn’t lie to her.
Lin Qiao’er tightened her grip on the spatula, silently resolving to stay as far away from Sun Xiaowen as possible.
Unfortunately, she didn’t realize that some people couldn’t be avoided just because she wanted to.
When she closed her stall at noon, Lin Qiao’er packed up her things. Just as she stood up, she saw two people approaching.
Zhao Moting walked ahead, his pace unhurried. The sunlight fell on his face, accentuating his sharp, chiseled features—wherever he went, he stood out.
Sun Yang followed behind him, waving at Lin Qiao’er from a distance with a bright, toothy grin. “Comrade Qiao’er.”
Lin Qiao’er instinctively glanced at Zhao Moting.
The man’s expression was impassive, his gaze sweeping over her briefly.
She recalled what had happened in the alley yesterday, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
“Let’s go.” Zhao Moting spoke first, his tone indifferent. “There’s a noodle shop by the roadside; the taste is decent.”
Lin Qiao’er bit her lip, picked up the bamboo basket, and followed behind them.
The three of them walked one after another into the noodle shop at the street corner.
Just as the noodles were served, Sun Yang was called away by someone from the factory. There was a minor issue with the project he was responsible for. Sun Yang glanced at the steaming bowl of noodles; no matter how reluctant he was, he had to leave.
With Sun Yang gone,
Lin Qiao’er and Zhao Moting were left staring at each other, feeling somewhat awkward.
Zhao Moting called the shop owner over again and ordered a plate of stir-fried beef, stir-fried greens, and two tea eggs.
Zhao Moting looked at Lin Qiao’er, who was burying her head in her noodles. “Is this enough?”
Lin Qiao’er nodded hastily while eating. “It’s enough.”
She quickly calculated how much this meal was costing her.
While feeling pained, she silently grumbled: This person really doesn’t hold back.
Since the order was already placed, she could only eat a few more bites to make it worth the money.
Zhao Moting found Lin Qiao’er’s expression—like a resentful young wife who dared not voice her anger—somewhat amusing. He deliberately said, “I spent quite a bit of your money today. Eat more.”
Lin Qiao’er choked, nearly coughing.
Zhao Moting poured her a cup of tea. “Take your time. No one’s rushing you.”
Lin Qiao’er forced a smile that looked worse than crying.
“Brother, Qiao’er, you’re eating together?” Zhao Chufeng’s cheerful voice rang out.
Both of them looked over.
Zhao Chufeng didn’t stand on ceremony either, pulling up a stool and sitting down beside Lin Qiao’er.