Lu Yuanxing glared unhappily at Li Susu.
“Fine. We’ll do it your way. One pig leg and five pounds of pork belly!”
Seeing that Lu Yuanxing was unhappy, Li Susu quickly said, “Actually, five pounds of pork belly is enough too. I’ll listen to you. We won’t buy the pig leg!”
To be honest, a single pig leg weighed at least ten pounds. Adding another five pounds of pork belly meant they would have more than twenty pounds of meat. There was no way she, as a “pregnant woman,” could carry all of that back herself.
Lu Yuanxing would have to carry it, and they still had to walk ten kilometers. It really would be exhausting for him.
But Lu Yuanxing didn’t appreciate her consideration at all. He rejected her outright.
“We’ll do it your way! Let’s see whether I can carry it or not!”
Seeing how determined he was, Li Susu could only nod.
“Alright, then.”
Lu Yuanxing followed Ma Juan inside. Before long, he came back carrying a whole front leg of a pig and a large slab of pork belly.
Seeing this, Li Susu immediately asked, “Auntie, do you have a backpack basket? Also, we’re buying quite a lot of meat. Could you cover it with a piece of cloth? I’m worried it wouldn’t be good if other people saw it.”
Ma Juan nodded.
“I have a backpack basket, but you’ll have to pay for it. As for the cloth, I have some here. You don’t need to pay for that.”
“It’s fine. How much is it? I’ll pay,” Li Susu said immediately.
Ma Juan pointed at the pork.
“Pork belly is eighty cents a pound. Five pounds comes to four yuan. The pig leg is a little cheaper, sixty cents a pound. It weighs eighteen pounds, so that’s 10.8 yuan. Together, that’s 14.8 yuan. The backpack basket is another one yuan. So just give me 15.8 yuan in total.”
Li Susu nodded. She took a handkerchief from her pocket and unfolded it, revealing a stack of colorful bills.
She counted out 15.8 yuan and handed it to Ma Juan.
“Auntie, here’s the money. Please count it.”
Ma Juan took the money and counted it. Her face immediately broke into a bright smile.
“Little girl, it’s rare to meet such a generous customer. I also have a pair of pig kidneys here. I’ll give them to you for free!”
As she spoke, she took out two pig kidneys and handed them to Lu Yuanxing.
Looking at the two pig kidneys, Lu Yuanxing suddenly remembered how Li Susu had doubted whether he could carry the meat earlier.
His expression darkened even further.
Li Susu glanced at the two pig kidneys, then at Lu Yuanxing’s unhappy face, and inexplicably found the situation rather amusing.
Still, since they were free, why would she refuse them?
She absolutely had to take them.
“Thank you, Auntie! If I want to buy pork again next time, I’ll come to you!”
Ma Juan was also very pleased.
She usually sold pork at the black market, but the pig she had slaughtered today was simply too large, and she hadn’t managed to sell all of it.
Her pork was ten cents more expensive per pound than the meat sold at the supply and marketing cooperative. However, the cooperative required meat coupons, while she didn’t. Normally, people would hesitate when they heard her price and try to bargain.
She hadn’t expected this little girl not only to buy so much but also to pay without hesitation.
Ma Juan liked customers who were wealthy and straightforward.
Giving away the pig kidneys was also a way to encourage future business.
Both sides were satisfied.
Lu Yuanxing placed the meat inside the backpack basket and carefully covered it with the white cloth.
From the outside, there was no way to tell that the basket was filled with pork.
Lu Yuanxing carried the meat on his back while Li Susu carried the eggs. They hadn’t even walked out the door when they heard someone shouting from outside.
“Uncle! Auntie! Uncle! Auntie!”
Ma Juan’s expression immediately darkened.
Li Susu felt that the voice sounded familiar.
Listening more carefully, it sounded quite a lot like Wang Yanan.
It couldn’t be that much of a coincidence, could it?
She had merely come to buy some pork, and somehow she had ended up at Wang Yanan’s maternal uncle’s house?
Wasn’t Wang Yanan the daughter of a cadre?
How could her uncle be a butcher?
Uh…
The original novel had only described the details of the female protagonist Wang Yanan’s immediate family. It had never mentioned any of her relatives.
Lu Yuanxing heard Wang Yanan’s voice, and a trace of impatience flashed across his face.
Wang Yanan continued shouting outside.
Hearing her voice, Ma Juan went out to open the door.
“Yanan, what brings you to town?” Ma Juan asked curiously.
“Auntie, I have something to do in town. I want to stay at your place for a few days!” Wang Yanan said as she walked inside. “By the way, where’s my uncle?”
Seeing Wang Yanan walk straight inside without the slightest hesitation, Ma Juan followed her.
“Your uncle is in the slaughterhouse.”
Wang Yanan stopped in her tracks when she heard that. A look of disgust flashed across her face.
Her uncle was actually a good person, and he treated her well. It was just that his status was too low—he was merely a butcher.
When she was little, she hadn’t understood anything about social status. She only knew that whenever she came to her uncle’s house, there would be meat to eat and bones to chew on, and everyone was happy to come.
But as she grew older and learned about differences in social standing, she gradually stopped wanting to visit her uncle’s family.
Ma Juan had long grown accustomed to Wang Yanan’s look of disgust.
She knew that Wang Yanan was the daughter of a cadre. Ordinary people like them simply weren’t worthy of associating with her.
Her voice turned slightly cold.
“My family slaughters pigs, so there’s a strong smell around here. I’m afraid you won’t be able to get used to staying here.”
But Wang Yanan completely failed to understand the meaning behind her words. She simply waved her hand.
“It’s fine. I’ll just put up with it for a few days.”
The corners of Ma Juan’s mouth twitched.
Good grief!
Zhou Dashan’s niece really was… something else.
When she was little, Wang Yanan had always been the biggest eater whenever she came here. Ma Juan had originally thought that meant she was a grateful child.
Who would have thought that after growing up, she would become so cold toward her aunt and uncle?
Whenever they got close to her, she would either cover her nose or wave her hand in front of her face, openly or subtly showing her disgust toward them.
As she walked, Wang Yanan said, “Auntie, I want braised pork for dinner tonight. There should still be some pork belly at home, right?”
Ma Juan immediately refused.
“The last piece of pork belly was already sold. We can’t make braised pork.”
Wang Yanan looked disappointed.
“Then make braised pig’s feet! Braised pig’s feet are pretty good too!”
Ma Juan stared at Wang Yanan, practically speechless.
What the heck?
Did this girl think her house was a free restaurant?
First braised pork, then braised pig’s feet!
Did she think Ma Juan was her free cook?
Ma Juan replied coldly, “We can’t make pig’s feet either. They’ve all been sold.”
After being rejected twice, Wang Yanan became extremely annoyed. She turned around with an unhappy expression.
“Auntie, are you saying you don’t welcome me?”
Ma Juan immediately replied sarcastically, “How could I possibly not welcome you? You’re the daughter of a cadre, after all! For someone like you to come to such a shabby place as mine is truly an honor for me!”
Hearing this, Wang Yanan felt much better.
“My aunt really knows how to conduct herself.”
Ma Juan almost wanted to strangle her.
She cursed inwardly, What an idiot! Can’t she understand what people are saying? Who even wants her here?
Meanwhile, Li Susu and Lu Yuanxing, who were standing inside, listened to the exchange between Wang Yanan and Ma Juan.
The awkwardness was so intense that Li Susu felt like she could dig out a three-bedroom apartment right there.
Li Susu said, “Well… Wang Yanan is your childhood friend, after all. Why don’t you go out and say hello?”
Lu Yuanxing: “…”
Before Lu Yuanxing could even respond, Wang Yanan rushed inside.
The moment she saw Li Susu and Lu Yuanxing, she froze.
“You… Why are you two at my uncle’s house?”