“Of course!”
Hearing that, Yun Yixuan’s eyes curved into crescents with delight, and the pride on her face was impossible to hide. She even patted her chest confidently.
“From now on, you’ve got me looking out for you. As long as we sisters work together, we’ll definitely make something of ourselves. We’ll eat well every day and live comfortably. Our good days are still ahead of us!”
As she spoke, she waved her arms dramatically, as though she were painting a magnificent picture of their glorious future.
Li Meiling looked at Yun Yixuan’s brilliant smile. She was so bright and confident that she seemed like the warm spring sun itself.
For some reason, a deep sense of trust suddenly rose in Li Meiling’s heart.
At that moment, she firmly believed that the two of them would live good lives someday, laughing freely together beneath the sunlight.
The two joked and laughed along the way, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the state-run restaurant.
It was lunchtime, yet only a handful of customers were inside.
After all, this was the 1970s. Very few people could afford to eat at a state-run restaurant. Not only did customers have to pay money, but they also needed to hand over a certain amount of food ration coupons. For most ordinary families, eating here was no small expense.
Yun Yixuan and Li Meiling walked side by side to the counter.
Behind it was a blackboard with the day’s available dishes written in crooked chalk.
Apparently, the restaurant served a fixed selection of dishes each day. Customers couldn’t simply order whatever they wanted whenever they wanted it. Meat was especially scarce and wasn’t available every day.
Fortunately, the two of them were lucky today.
Braised pork was on the menu.
Yun Yixuan quickly scanned the blackboard until her gaze landed on the words “Braised Pork.”
Her eyes immediately lit up.
Only then did she notice a young woman behind the counter, her head lowered as she wrote something in a notebook.
The woman wore a brightly patterned blouse made from fabric that looked quite expensive. She paired it with a fashionable pair of Dacron trousers that were smooth and neatly pressed.
Two thick braids hung tidily over her chest, with the ends carefully curled upward. It was obvious that she had spent time styling them.
Everything about the way she carried herself suggested that she had grown up comfortably. Her family was probably fairly well-off.
Yun Yixuan didn’t think much of it and casually placed her order.
“One serving of braised pork, five steamed buns, and two bowls of egg noodles.”
Her clear voice echoed through the relatively empty restaurant.
Hearing her, the female attendant slowly raised her head and looked Yun Yixuan up and down.
The moment she noticed Yun Yixuan’s old clothes covered in several patches, her brows furrowed.
A trace of disdain flashed through her eyes.
Her lips curled downward, and she gave a faint snort before rudely saying, “Do you even know how much all that costs? Can you afford it? Don’t pretend to be rich when you’re not.”
She even rolled her eyes in disgust, acting as though Yun Yixuan were some penniless troublemaker who had wandered in just to cause problems.
Yun Yixuan’s temper instantly flared.
Her face flushed red as anger surged through her.
Well, look at that!
Wasn’t this a perfect example of looking down on someone just because of their appearance?
Yun Yixuan clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails nearly dug into her palms. Suppressing her anger, she immediately fired back.
“Whether I can afford it or not is none of your business. Just tell me how much it costs! You’re only an attendant at a state-run restaurant, yet you’re acting so superior. It’s not like you own this place, so what’s with the attitude?”
Her eyes were filled with stubborn defiance as she stared straight at the attendant without backing down in the slightest.
Meanwhile, Li Meiling’s heart skipped a beat when she realized that Yun Yixuan had really ordered the braised pork.
She hurriedly grabbed Yun Yixuan’s arm and tugged on it.
“You really ordered the braised pork? We can just eat something simple to fill our stomachs. There’s no need to spend so much money.”
As she spoke, Li Meiling glanced worriedly toward the woman behind the counter, afraid they might end up causing even more trouble.
“What do you mean, there’s no need?”
Yun Yixuan turned toward Li Meiling, her cheerful smile immediately returning. Her eyes sparkled brightly.
“I already told you I’m treating you to a meal. How could I just casually feed you anything? Besides, I’ve been craving braised pork for ages. We finally came all the way here today, so I’m definitely going to enjoy myself!”
After saying that, she looked back at the attendant.
Her expression practically screamed, Go ahead. Say something else if you dare. Now hurry up and tell me the price instead of wasting my time!
The attendant stared at the confident young woman before her.
Seeing how sharp-tongued Yun Yixuan was and realizing that she clearly wasn’t someone who would quietly tolerate being insulted, the attendant didn’t say anything more.
She slowly announced, “Four yuan and fifty cents in total, plus half a kilogram of meat coupons and half a kilogram of grain coupons.”
Without another word, Yun Yixuan smoothly took out the money and ration coupons and placed them on the counter.
Then she turned around, grabbed Li Meiling, and found a table not far from the counter.
The attendant stared blankly at Yun Yixuan for a moment before quietly muttering to herself, “She really can afford to eat here…”
Coming back to her senses, she collected the money and coupons before shouting toward the kitchen window behind her.
“One braised pork! Five meat buns! Two bowls of egg noodles!”
In an era when supplies were relatively scarce, ordinary people didn’t have particularly high living standards.
Most daily meals were simple and plain. As long as people could fill their stomachs, they were already satisfied.
The meal Yun Yixuan had just ordered could be considered exceptionally luxurious for the time, more than enough to attract envious glances from anyone nearby.
It didn’t take long for their food to be ready.
State-run restaurants didn’t have waiters bringing dishes directly to customers’ tables. Once the food was prepared, customers had to collect it themselves.
Yun Yixuan and Li Meiling quickly got to work. One carried the plates while the other held the large bowls, and together they carefully but efficiently brought everything back to their table.
The moment all the dishes were placed before them, Yun Yixuan was stunned by the enormous portions.
A huge plate of glossy, reddish-brown braised pork sat in front of them, piled high with perfectly cut cubes of meat.
Every piece gleamed with a rich layer of sauce and fat, looking so delicious that Yun Yixuan’s mouth watered just from staring at it.
Beside the pork were two enormous bowls filled to the brim with noodles. The noodles looked firm and smooth, and each bowl was topped generously with golden eggs. The mouthwatering aroma rose with the steam.
Then there were the steamed buns.
They were absolutely massive.
Each bun was nearly three times larger than the ones Yun Yixuan remembered from her previous life in the future.
They were plump and snowy white, with neat folds pinched across the tops as though proudly showing everyone just how generously stuffed they were.
Yun Yixuan stared at the ridiculously abundant feast before her and rubbed her forehead in regret.
Only now did she realize that when she placed the order, she had unconsciously estimated the portions according to the standards of her previous era.
She had completely forgotten just how generous food portions could be in this period.
Thinking about it, she shook her head with a helpless smile.
Great. I ordered this much food. How are we supposed to finish all of it?
But when she turned and saw Li Meiling staring at the table with equally wide eyes, Yun Yixuan couldn’t help laughing.
“It’s fine. If we can’t finish everything, we’ll pack up the leftovers and take them with us. There’s no way we’re wasting such good food.”