When Shen Chengdong returned, he saw his wife—who usually disliked studying—bent over the desk, writing something. He walked closer, about to ask, when Jiang Rou quickly covered the paper with her arm, tilted her head back, and smiled at him. “This is a secret. You’re not allowed to look.”
“?” Shen Chengdong raised his brows in surprise. He hadn’t intended to peek, but now his curiosity was piqued.
Just then, Jiang Rou noticed the bandage on his throat and cried out, “What happened to your neck? Who did this?”
Seeing her so anxious, the man couldn’t help but chuckle. Slowly, he peeled away the gauze, revealing a small red mark—no bigger than a fingernail—standing out vividly against his Adam’s apple. A hazy memory flickered in her mind.
Jiang Rou stared at the spot, her face burning so hot she wished she could vanish into thin air.
“Don’t remember? You bit me.” He leaned down, closing the distance between them. Jiang Rou instinctively leaned back, their eyes locking, a thread of intimacy winding between them with no escape.
Suddenly, a loud clang rang out from outside. It was followed by a child’s wailing cries and a woman’s stream of curses.
“…”
“…”
The moment shattered. Shen Chengdong straightened, coughed lightly, and chose not to press her further.
Jiang Rou held her breath, then whispered in protest, “I don’t remember that. It must’ve been a mosquito bite.”
Seeing her still trying to deny it, Shen Chengdong sighed helplessly.
Jiang Rou quickly changed the subject: “Go make dinner, will you? I’m starving.”
At her words, Shen Chengdong obediently picked up the bamboo basket by the table and headed toward the kitchen.
With the money he earned that day, Shen Chengdong bought a little pork and a dozen eggs. There were still a few potatoes at home—enough to make his wife’s favorite dish: stir‑fried pork with potato slices.
Watching his diligent figure from behind, Jiang Rou quietly let out a breath, then smiled to herself. At the same time, she warned inwardly: next time, she must never bite him again! And she mustn’t let herself be swayed by his charm.
Shen Chengdong entered the kitchen, intending to scrub the pot and cook rice. But when he lifted the lid, he found a pot of soup—dark and murky, looking more like pig slop than food.
Just then, Jiang Rou came over, smiling mischievously. “I made this soup especially for you. Want to try a bowl?”
“…” Shen Chengdong gave her a long, deep look, then ladled out a spoonful. The taste was bitter and overly salty.
He thought for a moment, puzzled. Why was his wife treating him this way? Could it be that she wasn’t satisfied with his performance last night?
The next morning, Tang Xin slipped quietly into Jiang Rou’s home.
Only after stepping inside did she relax her nerves, finally free to look around. “Xiao Rou, your house is really nice! These furnishings are far better than most families’.”
Jiang Rou led her into the inner room, poured a mug of sweetened water, and said with a smile, “These were all left by my grandfather. He loved them most while he was alive.”
Tang Xin had seen the old man when she was little. She couldn’t help but envy her friend. “Your grandpa was wonderful—unlike mine. Mine was stingy, bad‑tempered, and only favored my elder brother.”
Her brother was Tang Ce, Jiang Rou’s admirer.
At the mention of him, Tang Xin grinned slyly. “When you were about to get married, my mother was terrified. She worried my brother would hear the news and rush back to snatch the bride. Luckily, he was away on assignment and couldn’t return. Now that everything’s settled, he’s sent a telegram saying he’ll be back. This time, my mother didn’t stop him.”
Jiang Rou gave an awkward smile. She wanted nothing to do with Tang Ce. “I only see him as a brother, just like you do. Don’t bring him up again.”
If outsiders were present, Tang Xin would never mention it. But with only the two of them in the room, she spoke freely. “You know my mother adored your elder sister, always hoping she’d become her daughter‑in‑law. But my brother liked you instead. My mother nearly choked with anger—it was hilarious.”
Seeing her circle the topic endlessly, Jiang Rou sighed helplessly. She pushed Tang Xin toward the writing desk, pulled out the plan she had drafted the night before, and said, “Here, take a look. This is all I could come up with.”
Tang Xin’s attention shifted to the paper. She skimmed quickly, feeling uneasy. “Do you really think we can manage this?”
Selling popsicles, making paper boxes, stitching shoe soles—none of these were things they knew. Could they really learn on the spot and make it work?
Jiang Rou was more confident. “We’re not stupid. We just never bothered to learn. Of course we can do it.”
The two sat side by side, heads close together, comparing options for a long time. In the end, they chose paper‑box making. It required little skill and was fairly simple. They had seen Aunt Liu from the courtyard do it before. For such odd jobs, all they needed was to apply at the neighborhood office, and staff would connect them with a pharmaceutical factory. The pay wasn’t much, but even a grasshopper’s leg is still meat. With steady effort, the earnings would add up to something substantial.
They acted on their decision right away, going to the neighborhood office that very afternoon. Paper‑box work wasn’t available every day, so the staff registered their names and told them to wait for notice the next morning.
Leaving the office, Tang Xin sighed. “Trying to earn a little money is really hard…”
“Yeah, it truly is,” Jiang Rou echoed.
Now that she had moved out of her parents’ home, she could no longer rely on free meals. And Shen Chengdong’s meager wages were far from enough. If she wanted to live without worrying about food and clothing, she had to learn how to make money!
The two walked on listlessly when they ran into Meng Wen, who was there to file for divorce. Behind her stormed Zhao Qi, his face twisted with anger. Standing together, the pair looked anything but harmonious.
Zhao Qi had the typical “pretty‑boy” looks—polished on the outside, but full of scheming inside. Whatever Meng Wen had said, it enraged him. He grabbed her arm with a snarl, then raised his hand as if to strike.
Seeing this, Jiang Rou quickly intervened. “What do you think you’re doing?! The Women’s Federation office is right next door. If you dare lay a hand on her, I’ll report you!”
Startled, Zhao Qi turned his head, frowning. “This is between husband and wife. What business is it of yours? Don’t meddle.”
Meng Wen seized the chance to break free, raising her voice: “I’m already divorced from you! Stop pulling at me!”
The commotion drew the attention of passersby. With so many eyes on him, Zhao Qi didn’t dare cause more trouble.
Jiang Rou and Tang Xin stepped up beside Meng Wen, standing shoulder to shoulder, their eyes wary.
Zhao Qi sneered. “What, you’re determined to stand up for her?”
Afraid he might lash out at them, Meng Wen braced herself protectively. “If you want revenge, take it out on me. They have nothing to do with this. Don’t forget what Director Liu told you. Don’t push my father too far!”
With the crowd watching and wary of the name she invoked, Zhao Qi didn’t dare touch the two young women. Reluctantly, he left—though not without a final threat. “Meng Wen, just you wait. I’ll make sure you regret this!”
Meng Wen ignored his rabid words. Turning to Jiang Rou and Tang Xin, she apologized softly. “Sorry… did I scare you?”
“Sister Wen, you really divorced him?” Tang Xin was astonished. The whole courtyard had been buzzing with rumors that Zhao Qi coveted the Meng family’s house—how could he agree to divorce so easily?
“Yes, it’s done. My father arranged for mediation.”
They had all grown up together and knew each other well. Meng Wen hid nothing from them.
Jiang Rou patted her shoulder in comfort.
Meng Wen smiled lightly, relief shining through. “Come on, let me treat you to a meal! Consider it a celebration of my rebirth.”
She took their hands and walked with newfound ease. The state‑run restaurants nearby weren’t any good, so the three deliberately took a bus far across town. Just the ride alone took an hour. By the time they arrived, it was already afternoon. The lunch rush had passed and the restaurant was much quieter.
Meng Wen studied the menu and ordered two meat dishes and three bowls of rice. They sat together in a corner, and she handed out chopsticks. As she passed them over, her sleeve slipped back, revealing the fading bruise on her wrist. It was the first time Jiang Rou had seen it, and her heart jolted. “Sister Wen, after what he did to you, are you really just going to let him go?”
Seeing Jiang Rou notice, Meng Wen finally spoke calmly. “I haven’t thought of a solution yet. He’s not easy to deal with. Just managing to divorce him is already a blessing.”
Tang Xin glanced between them. She had always believed she was the most unfortunate girl in the whole courtyard. But now, seeing Meng Wen married and divorced, she realized Meng Wen’s plight was even worse. Her quick mind turned, and she blurted out, “Let me think of something. I’ll find a way to teach that scoundrel a lesson.”
Afraid they’d get dragged in, Meng Wen quickly stopped her. “No need. I’ll handle it myself. You mustn’t provoke him.”
Just then, the waiter arrived with their dishes.
Jiang Rou’s eyes widened at the sight—everything was meat, which must have cost a lot.
Meng Wen served them pieces and promised warmly, “Eat up. Next time, I’ll take you out for zhajiang noodles.”
“Sister Wen, you’re too kind. But one free meal is enough—we can’t let you spend money on us all the time,” Tang Xin said, swallowing hard as she eyed the meat, secretly envious of friends who had such good parents.
Meng Wen only smiled gently. “Soon I’ll be moving out of the courtyard. We won’t have many chances to gather like this, so don’t be polite with me.”
The news hit Jiang Rou and Tang Xin like a sudden blast, leaving them stunned. “You’re moving? Will Grandpa go with you?”
Her heart warmed at their concern. She explained with a smile, “I plan to leave the factory and enroll in the Workers, Peasants, and Soldiers University. I’ll need to live on campus. But once I graduate, I’ll move back.”
Hearing she would return someday eased their worry. The three continued eating and chatting. Sharing sorrows aloud seemed to lighten them. They lingered for a long time before finally leaving the restaurant.
It was rush hour, and the bus was packed with people. While waiting, Tang Xin couldn’t help but sigh, “If only we had a bicycle…”
Hearing this, Jiang Rou instinctively glanced at the bicycles parked nearby. Just as she was about to look away, one caught her eye—a bicycle with a red cloth tied to it. It looked like Han Yuanshang’s bicycle. And right now, Shen Chengdong was riding it. At this hour, shouldn’t he be at the repair shop? Why was he here?
Still, she couldn’t be certain it was Han Yuanshang’s bike. After all, new bicycles often had red cloth tied to them. The difference was that most people tied it to the wheel, while her cousin had tied his to the handlebars.
“Xiao Rou, what are you thinking? Come on, the bus is here!”
Before Jiang Rou could take a closer look, Tang Xin pulled her onto the crowded bus. Inside the jam‑packed carriage, she had no choice but to withdraw her gaze, her mind restless: When I get home, I must ask him about this.
Meanwhile, Shen Chengdong had no idea his secret was close to being discovered. For the past two days, he and Liu Er had been dealing with people from the transport team, hoping to secure a temporary job there. Through reselling goods, they could even make extra money.
After their latest deal, Liu Er handed Shen Chengdong his share of the profits and laughed. “If only you’d come around earlier—we’d already be rich!”
Shen Chengdong accepted the money but shook his head. “I just want to work in the transport team. I don’t plan to keep doing this.”
The transport team was a coveted job, and Liu Er thought he was dreaming. But he didn’t dare say it aloud. “I don’t get it. This trade makes so much money—far better than those so‑called iron rice bowls. Why won’t you stick with it?”
“My family… my wife has the final say.”
Shen Chengdong’s lips curved into a smile, leaving Liu Er stunned. “Brother Dong, when you smile like that, you look fierce. Doesn’t your wife get scared when she sees you?”
It was a tactless remark. Shen Chengdong’s smile vanished, his gaze turning cold. Without another word, he mounted his bicycle and rode off.
Watching his figure disappear, Liu Er still hadn’t realized he’d spoken out of turn. He thought: Even someone as cold as Brother Dong knows how to care for his wife. No wonder they say even heroes can’t resist beauty.
When Shen Chengdong arrived home, Jiang Rou had just returned as well. She was about to ask about the bicycle when he pulled two fluffy chicks from his coat and smiled. “Someone was selling these. I thought they were cute, so I bought two. We can raise them, and later we’ll have eggs.”
The little chicks, soft and golden, instantly captured Jiang Rou’s heart. She reached out to stroke their downy feathers, reluctant to let go. “They’re so tiny… where should we keep them?”
Shen Chengdong, who had experience raising chickens, set them down on the floor, then placed them inside a bamboo basket. He fetched a handful of millet and soaked it in a bowl of warm water.
Jiang Rou watched attentively, her eyes sparkling. “You’re amazing. It seems like there’s nothing you can’t do.”
The chicks chirped noisily inside the basket, circling as if searching for food.
Just as Jiang Rou picked up the bowl to feed them, Shen Chengdong stopped her. “The millet needs to soak for half an hour. Feed them after that.”
She quickly withdrew her hand and crouched beside the basket, her gaze full of wonder.
In the courtyard, some families raised chickens, but her own never had—her sister Jiang Qiuyu was afraid of anything with a sharp beak, so their eggs always came from ration tickets. Now, with her own household, Jiang Rou could finally raise animals freely, without worrying about anyone else.
At that moment, Shandian trotted over, wagging its tail at the chicks and barking as if to ask, “Who are they?”
Jiang Rou patted its head and introduced the new family members. “Shandian, these are your cousins. The bigger one is Gangqiu (steel ball), the smaller one is Gangquan (steel ring). You must take good care of them.”
With such strong names, she believed the chicks would grow up healthy and sturdy.
Shandian seemed to understand, happily circling the basket.
And so, one person, one dog, and two chicks played together in delight. As for Jiang Rou—she had already forgotten all about the bicycle.