Yu Yao learned from Aunt Fang about a side of Liang Hui she had never known before—he was actually doing small business in town?
She asked what exactly Liang Hui and Xiao Hai were doing, but Aunt Fang hesitated and spoke vaguely.
After all, it had only been two years since the household responsibility system was introduced, and most places still strictly controlled private business. Large-scale resale of goods could easily be labeled as illegal profiteering.
So Yu Yao didn’t press further.
She drank a cup of tea, then stood up.
“Auntie, I’ll go take a walk by myself. If Liang Hui comes back first, ask him to wait for me. I’ll definitely be back before dark.”
Aunt Fang was stunned and quickly said, “You just arrived in town and don’t know your way around. What if you get lost? I’ll go with you.”
“No need.” Yu Yao waved her hand. “On the way here, I saw a market near your residential area. I’ll just walk around.”
She left the things she bought at Aunt Fang’s house, carrying only a cloth bag as she went out alone.
..
Yu Yao had not only noticed the market, but also the grain supply station next to it.
Originally, she planned to exchange all her ration coupons for grain, but Liang Hui had taken the task upon himself, so she was happy to relax.
When passing by the grain station, she glanced inside but didn’t see Liang Hui.
He must have gone to handle other matters first and would come back later to exchange the grain.
Yu Yao didn’t think much more about it and headed toward the market with light steps.
With the household responsibility system, local restrictions on private trade had gradually loosened. What used to be considered an underground black market was now becoming legal.
As long as there was no large-scale profiteering, villagers were allowed to set up small stalls to sell their own agricultural products or poultry and eggs, and ration coupons were no longer required.
Yu Yao bought a sufficient amount of vegetable seeds, grain seeds, as well as chicks and ducklings.
Each time, she would go into alleys or corners, look around carefully to ensure no one was watching, and then store everything into her space.
After buying everything needed for planting and raising livestock in her space, she also bought needles and thread, scissors, buttons, snap fasteners, hooks, and a roll of elastic band, and even got a sewing basket.
These items were not put into her space; instead, she placed them all into her cloth bag.
Yu Yao planned to return to Aunt Fang’s house.
Passing by a pastry shop, she smelled the aroma coming from inside and walked in.
..
About two hours later, Liang Hui returned to Aunt Fang’s house.
He was not alone—he came with Xiao Hai, Dongzi, and Liangzi.
The four of them rode three bicycles back, all with bulging pockets and somewhat excited expressions.
Liang Hui got off his bike and called out, “Yu Yao!”
Aunt Fang came out and said, “Your wife went out for a walk and said she’d be back before dark.”
Liang Hui’s pupils contracted. “What?”
Xiao Hai couldn’t help but complain to his mother, “I told you to keep an eye on her, how did you let her run off?”
“Huh?” Aunt Fang was confused. “Run off? What do you mean?”
Dongzi and Liangzi exchanged a glance.
Dongzi said, “Brother Hui just spent 2,800 yuan buying a wife yesterday. He hasn’t even… yet, and she already ran away.”
Liangzi added, “Sigh, that bed he fixed up is wasted. Won’t be used tonight.”
For some reason, the two of them actually seemed a little amused.
But they didn’t show it openly, only pretending to be anxious and angry.
Aunt Fang was completely confused. “Wasn’t she married? How did it become bought? She didn’t look like that at all…”
Standing together, they looked so well-matched, and the couple seemed to get along well—it didn’t look like a case of trafficking at all.
“Bullshit!” Liang Hui snapped at Dongzi. “I spent 2,800 to marry her. What do you mean ‘bought’?”
Liangzi quickly smacked Dongzi on the head. “Are you stupid? Watch your mouth!”
Dongzi also slapped his own mouth. “Uh, yes, Brother Hui married her, definitely married her. But… what do we do if she really ran away?”
Liang Hui’s face darkened, his chest rising and falling heavily.
If she really ran away, he would deal with her properly.
Aunt Fang steadied herself and said, “That little girl didn’t look like she was running away. She said she was going to the nearby market to buy things.”
“Maybe there’s some misunderstanding? Let’s wait a bit. She might come back soon.”
After thinking for a moment, Liang Hui turned and left with his bicycle.
The other three quickly followed, preparing to help search for her.
Aunt Fang hurried after them and reminded, “When you find her, remember to come back and get your things.”
..
Yu Yao arrived a bit late, and the pastry shop was almost sold out. The remaining items had already been bought in bulk.
“I’ll take this, this, and this,” a tall, thin man in his twenties was saying while paying.
Yu Yao felt the voice was familiar—someone from this body’s memory—so she stepped closer and took a look.
It really was an unlucky coincidence.
“Liang Da Niu!”
Liang Haifeng paused mid-payment and turned around with some impatience.
Damn it, so annoying!
He had already changed his name!
Who was so inconsiderate to call out his old name in public?
But when he saw Yu Yao, his impatience turned into surprise.
“Yu Yao, why are you here?”
Then he became alert and looked around nervously.
“Don’t tell me you came here looking for me!”
She managed to find him so accurately and even cornered him at the pastry shop—she must have been following him for a long time.
Thinking of this, his surprise turned back into irritation.
“Didn’t I tell you? I’m going to marry Xueqing. Stop clinging to me, okay?”
Yu Yao said nothing, her face cold as she walked up to him.
Liang Haifeng instinctively stepped back. “Yu Yao, this is a public place, don’t act recklessly…”
Before he could finish, the money in his hand was snatched away.
“Hey! What are you doing stealing my money?”
What was this act supposed to be?
Was this a new trick to get his attention?
Yu Yao counted the money in front of him.
“12 yuan 8 mao 7 fen total. Minus the 504 you owe me, you still owe me 527 yuan 1 mao 3 fen. I’ll round it off—just give me 527.”
Liang Haifeng stared in shock. “What?”
“You owe me money.” Yu Yao stuffed the money into her pocket and glared at him. “Don’t tell me you’re trying to renege on it?”
Only then did Liang Haifeng fully understand. His fair face immediately flushed red.
He did want to deny it, but couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud.
After all, he was educated and couldn’t lie outright.
So he tried to dodge the issue.
“Forget it. Take this money as a treat for you. Just don’t keep bothering me anymore. It’ll look bad if people see it.”
With that, he tried to slip away.