“Altogether, it came to one hundred twenty-five yuan, three jiao, and six fen!”
So speculation and profiteering could be this lucrative—no wonder so many people were willing to take the risk.
Jiang Rou couldn’t help but feel tempted, but after a moment’s thought, she dismissed the idea. She had to set a good example; she mustn’t drag Shen Chengdong into shady dealings just for money!
She carefully sorted the cash, tucked it back into the money box, and hid it away. Then she told Shen Chengdong, “The money will stay here. If you need to use it, just take it yourself.”
Besides the profits from speculation, the stash also included what Chen Ailan had given her, plus some New Year’s money she had saved over the years. Altogether, it came to nearly two hundred yuan.
Shen Chengdong helped her put the brick back over the hiding spot, then leaned closer to her. “Once I start earning wages, I’ll hand all of it over to you. Our days will only get better.”
“Mm! They definitely will!” Jiang Rou’s heart brimmed with joy. She thought that once her husband joined the transport team, their lives would completely diverge from the book’s storyline. It was a good beginning—worth celebrating.
“I’ll go to the market for groceries. Tonight we’ll eat something nice.”
“Alright, I’ll go with you.”
The two walked side by side to the bustling market, their cheerful mood untouched by the noisy crowd.
Shen Chengdong stayed protectively close as they strolled. They bought plenty of vegetables, and even some meat.
Passing by the supply shop, Jiang Rou tugged his arm and led him inside, stopping at the clothing counter. Besides bolts of cloth, there were ready-made garments—simple styles, not as fine as those in the department store.
Men’s clothes were all much the same. She asked the clerk for a white shirt and held it up against Shen Chengdong.
“How about this one? The weather’s turning hot. You can’t keep wearing just those two shirts.” Especially with long-haul driving, he’d need extra changes of clothes.
Since childhood, Shen Chengdong had rarely owned new clothes. At this moment, a warm current stirred in his heart, softening his gaze. “No need to buy it. I have enough to wear.” As long as he washed them diligently, it would be fine.
Jiang Rou could tell what he was thinking, but she ignored it and urged him to try the shirt on.
He was tall, with broad shoulders that filled out the garment perfectly, making him look strikingly handsome. Because of that, many customers turned to glance their way.
Shen Chengdong disliked being stared at, so he quickly took the shirt off.
Jiang Rou, absorbed in examining the fit, paid no attention to the crowd. She thought the shirt suited him well and asked the clerk to write up the receipt—buying two at once.
“No need to buy so many. If I don’t get into the transport team, these shirts will be wasted.”
“They won’t be wasted. Even if you don’t, you can wear them every day. Later we’ll get a few pairs of socks, and you need a new pair of shoes too.”
Oh, and also underwear.
Seeing her buy and buy without choosing anything for herself, Shen Chengdong took her hand and led her to the bolts of cloth. “You should get some fabric and make yourself a dress.”
“No need. I have enough clothes. Mother still has plenty at home that I haven’t brought over yet.”
They had only just moved out, and she felt they ought to live frugally. When she refused to buy anything, Shen Chengdong’s expression darkened. Jiang Rou noticed and laughed softly. “I truly don’t lack for anything—it’s not about saving money. Besides, this money is what you earned. Spending it on your daily needs is only right.”
After that, she wanted to buy him several pairs of socks, but he insisted on just one. He flatly refused to try shoes, but when it came to underwear, he accepted two pairs without objection.
Jiang Rou blushed as she paid, and on the way home she didn’t dare look him straight in the eyes. Buying underwear for her own husband was perfectly normal—she was simply too shy.
After some discussion, the two decided not to tell the family about the transport team for now. They would wait until Shen Chengdong was officially hired.
A few days later, he put on the new white shirt and went to report for duty at the transport team, while Jiang Rou stayed home making paper boxes. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect—her movements were now quick and precise, and she planned to collect more boxes next time.
These days, Tang Xin didn’t dare come around, afraid her mother might see them together and cause trouble. Once she finished the day’s quota of boxes, Jiang Rou picked up a cloth bag filled with jars of pickles, intending to deliver them to her parents and Chen Ailan.
All of these were made by Shen Chengdong—his skill was superb, the flavor identical to her mother‑in‑law’s. She first brought a jar to Chen Ailan, then returned to the three‑courtyard compound. To thank Meng Shuge for his help last time, Jiang Rou knocked on the Meng family’s door.
It was Meng Wen who opened the door.
“Sister Wen, this was made by Chengdong. Here, take it and enjoy.”
The last jar of pickled snow cabbage hadn’t been enough—the father and daughter had savored it for a long time afterward. Seeing another jar of fresh pickles, Meng Wen’s face lit up with delight. “Thank you! But this time I really must pay you. I can’t keep taking advantage of you.”
Afraid she might actually hand over money, Jiang Rou quickly shoved the jar into her hands and dashed off, calling back over her shoulder: “Just eat it! We still have another jar at home, and when that’s gone, there’ll be more!”
By the time she finished, she was already inside her own gate. Meng Wen couldn’t chase after her anymore. Looking down at the jar in her hands, she fell into thought, a decision forming in her heart.
Meanwhile, Chen Aihe saw Jiang Rou rush into the house in such a flurry and couldn’t help asking, “What’s the matter with you? Was lightning chasing you?”
“No, it’s asleep at home. I didn’t bring it.” Jiang Rou pulled a jar of pickles from her cloth bag and set it on the table.
“This was made by Chengdong. It tastes just like my mother‑in‑law’s. Try it.”
At those words, Chen Aihe’s eyes lit up. She had always praised her in‑laws’ pickles. She eagerly opened the jar and tasted a small bite. The flavor was indeed the same—fresh, savory, and appetizing. All it needed was a bowl of rice to go with it.
“Honestly, this skill could have earned money back in the day.”
The book had mentioned that after 1977, life would keep improving. Jiang Rou thought that in the future, making a living by selling pickles might not be impossible.
Chen Aihe put the jar away and said, “Your sister’s coming back next Monday. Our house is too cluttered. Later you’ll come with me to the recycling station to sell off the junk, so we’ll have space for her things.”
Jiang Rou agreed with a simple “Mm.”
Half an hour later, the two pushed a cartload of items out and soon arrived at the recycling station.
Thinking of how she lacked a jewelry box, Jiang Rou asked one of the workers after they finished selling the scrap, “Excuse me, do you sell things here? I’d like to find a jewelry box.”
The worker pointed to a corner and told her, “Go look over there. If you find one, we can sell it to you.”
Chen Aihe, disliking how filthy everything looked, pulled Jiang Rou aside in disapproval. “If you want a jewelry box, just buy a new one someday. Why bother with this place?”
Now that she was married and living independently, Jiang Rou no longer wanted to spend her parents’ money. Besides, she remembered from the book that places like the recycling station often hid treasures—she might even stumble upon an antique.
“Mom, these things aren’t that dirty. Once you wipe them down, they’re perfectly usable. No need to waste money on something new. And my grandfather used to say, the older an item is, the more valuable it will become. He must have been right.”
Chen Aihe thought it over and no longer objected.
Following the worker’s directions, they went to the corner piled high with all sorts of odds and ends, a messy heap that would make most people turn away.
“Mom, you just wait there. I’ll look myself.” With that, Jiang Rou stepped forward and carefully rummaged through the pile. Before long, she really did find two jewelry boxes.
One was decorated with “Blossoms of Prosperity,” the other with “Hundreds of Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.” She compared them, found both beautiful, and bought them both. Because they were considered scrap, the price was astonishingly low. Chen Aihe was taken aback and decided that in the future, whenever the household needed something, she would come here to look first.
To keep things discreet, Jiang Rou tucked the jewelry boxes into her cloth bag and carried them home. Before they parted ways, Chen Aihe reminded her once again to come back for the family reunion dinner on Monday.
Time flew by, and soon it was Monday.
Early in the morning, Jiang Rou sat at her dressing table, choosing a blue hairpin from her newly acquired jewelry box and fastening it in her hair. Her fair face glowed with a faint rosy hue; even without rouge, she looked radiant.
Shen Chengdong came in after washing his face, a towel draped around his neck. Catching sight of her profile, he froze in admiration.
Hearing his footsteps, Jiang Rou turned with a smile. “What time will you finish work today? I’ll come find you, and then we can go to my parents’ together.”
“Three o’clock. There’s not much to do today.” He set the towel aside and walked over, suddenly remembering something. “Since we’re meeting your sister and brother‑in‑law, should we buy them something?”
Recalling the scene from the book where the two families first met, Jiang Rou’s smile faded. “They don’t lack for anything. There’s no need to buy gifts.”
From their time together, Shen Chengdong had begun to sense her distance toward Jiang Qiuyu. Though he didn’t know the reason, he chose not to press further. Since she said not to buy anything, then they wouldn’t!
After sending Shen Chengdong off, Jiang Rou sat back down at the round table to continue pasting paper boxes. But today she kept making mistakes and couldn’t concentrate. After botching several boxes, she simply gave up. Lifting her gaze to the clock, she saw it was 8:05 in the morning.
That meant Jiang Qiuyu had just gotten off the train—and the storyline of her return to Beijing was about to unfold.
The part involving her began with today’s meeting. In the book, she and Shen Chengdong had bought all sorts of Beijing snacks for Jiang Qiuyu.
But Jiang Qiuyu casually handed them to a beggar, claiming she couldn’t bear to see others suffer. Her fiancé even praised her kindness. Now, with her mind clear, Jiang Rou had no intention of wasting a single coin on her.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was three o’clock in the afternoon. Jiang Rou locked the door, dressed in a light blue blouse and black trousers, and went to the transport team to find Shen Chengdong. She had been there once before, so the gatekeeper recognized her and called him out.
Before long, Shen Chengdong came hurrying from inside, covered in dust. “One of our trucks broke down. Everyone’s helping out. Wait here for me—I’ll be back soon.”
Jiang Rou nodded, unbothered.
He was gone for over an hour. When he returned, he was exhausted. “Sorry, the truck broke down suddenly. We had to unload everything and move it onto another vehicle.”
As he explained, Jiang Rou gently brushed the dust from his clothes, unconcerned. “It’s fine. Dinner isn’t until six anyway. We won’t be late.”
April was the season of peach blossoms, and wherever peach trees grew, the flowers bloomed brilliantly. Amid the beauty, the two rode a bicycle together back to the compound. Before they even stepped inside, bursts of laughter drifted out from within.
Jiang Rou drew a deep breath, then gently pushed the door open.