“Officer, we have a suspicious individual here. Her name is Zheng Qingning, and she lives in Alley No. 78 on Meiyuan Road.”
Tong Youyi directly provided the information.
“Thank you for the lead, Comrade. We will investigate it carefully.”
With that, the two police officers escorted the criminal toward the Public Security Bureau.
Only after the culprit had been taken away did the crowd gradually disperse, still discussing the incident among themselves.
“What a coincidence. Why are you two here today as well?”
Su Meier looked at them curiously.
“Oh, we’re on our way to the Hongxing Commune to pick up a package.”
Shen Jianyang answered.
“Pick up a package?”
Su Meier had never seen a parcel collection station in this era and was genuinely curious.
“Need any help? Shall I come along?”
“Yes! Definitely!”
Shen Jianyang nodded eagerly.
“Brother Song has way too much stuff. Little Sister Su can help me carry some.”
In the past, he always had to help Song Cili alone.
Today, he could finally take it easy.
That suited Su Meier perfectly.
Who knew? Maybe she could even score some extra snacks in the process.
“Youyi, I’ll walk you home first. After what happened today, I don’t feel comfortable letting you go back alone.”
Tong Youyi was feeling exhausted as well and didn’t refuse.
“Alright.”
Her home wasn’t far away, located about a hundred meters east of the city center.
It was a single-story house with its own small garden.
For this era, her family’s living conditions were considered comfortably above average.
Just before going inside, Tong Youyi stopped her.
“Meier, wait.”
She stuffed a paper bag into Su Meier’s hands.
“This is for you, my goddess.”
She gave her a mischievous smile.
“Come visit again next time.”
Before Su Meier could return it, the door slammed shut with a bang.
Su Meier remained standing there with her hand outstretched.
After all that back and forth, Tong Youyi had still bought the clothes and insisted on giving them to her.
The favor she owed now had become enormous.
She doubted her entire savings of thirty yuan would be enough to repay it.
Forget it.
There was still plenty of time.
She could repay the kindness little by little.
Eventually, she’d settle the debt.
At a bustling street corner, a man leaned lazily against a wall with a cigarette hanging from his lips.
Each time he inhaled, the glowing ember brightened in the darkness.
At that moment, an indescribable sense of calm maturity surrounded him.
As Su Meier approached, he flicked the cigarette away with his finger.
The butt traced a graceful arc through the air before landing on the ground.
He crushed it beneath his shoe.
“All done?”
His voice was low and slightly hoarse from smoking.
“Mhm.”
Su Meier came back to her senses.
So he smoked.
She had thought he was the perfect model youth.
“By the way, where’s Comrade Shen? I don’t see him.”
The three of them had arrived together moments ago.
How had he vanished so quickly?
“He went to get the bicycle.”
Song Cili’s expression remained indifferent, his voice cool and steady.
“You own a bicycle?”
Su Meier looked astonished.
This man was really showing off.
“Mhm. Bought it not long ago.”
If not for the constant trouble of carrying packages, he wouldn’t have bothered.
But owning a bicycle was much more convenient.
Ring-ring! Ring-ring!
The crisp sound of a bicycle bell cut through the crowd.
Shen Jianyang rode toward them at full speed.
His thumb and forefinger skillfully squeezed the brake lever.
The sudden stop produced a metallic rattling sound.
A sturdy twenty-eight-inch bicycle came to a smooth halt before them.
Supporting himself with one foot on the ground, he spun the handlebars dramatically.
“Little Sister Su, let your big brother take you for a ride and cheer you up.”
Su Meier looked at the confident sunshine boy with a complicated expression.
Had he forgotten whose bicycle this actually was?
Sure enough, Song Cili was already staring at him with visible displeasure.
“Get off.”
“Brother Song, don’t be angry. I was just joking!”
Shen Jianyang swung his leg over the frame in a graceful motion and hopped down.
Song Cili stepped forward and mounted the bicycle.
“Get on.”
Shen Jianyang immediately climbed onto the back seat out of habit.
The next second, Song Cili’s voice turned cold.
“Not you.”
“Huh?”
Completely confused, Shen Jianyang climbed back down.
Su Meier stood nearby in a daze until Song Cili spoke again.
Only then did she point at herself uncertainly.
“Me?”
Shen Jianyang finally understood.
There was an extra passenger today.
He immediately nodded frantically.
“Yes, yes! How can we let a girl walk? I should be the one walking.”
Ah…
Wasn’t that a bit inappropriate?
She and Song Cili weren’t that familiar.
Su Meier struggled internally for only a second.
In the end, laziness won.
She climbed onto the bicycle.
“Then I’ll trouble you, Comrade Song.”
After settling onto the seat, she patted the cushion behind him.
“Comrade Song, I’m ready. Let’s go.”
Caught off guard by her action, Song Cili’s body visibly stiffened.
His hands tightened unconsciously around the handlebars.
A moment later, he pushed off and the bicycle rolled forward steadily.
The sudden start caught Su Meier completely unprepared.
Her body tilted backward from inertia.
Fortunately, she reacted quickly and grabbed his waist.
Otherwise, she would have fallen flat on her face.
The firm, solid sensation beneath her hands made her immediately realize what she had done.
“S-Sorry.”
As though burned, she quickly withdrew her hands and instead gripped the edges of the seat tightly.
“It’s fine. Just be careful next time.”
His voice sounded low and somewhat unnatural.
Far behind them, Shen Jianyang jogged to keep up.
He hadn’t gotten a clear look at what had happened.
Otherwise, he would have been shocked.
His Brother Song had actually allowed someone to grab his waist without getting angry.
“Educated Youth Song, you’re here.”
The commune employee immediately recognized him and skillfully brought out his packages.
Song Cili handed over a slip of paper.
After carefully checking the information, the worker nodded.
“Educated Youth Song, these are your items. Please confirm everything is correct.”
Looking at the two large packages tied neatly in cross-shaped bindings on the ground, Su Meier asked curiously,
“Did your family send all of these?”
They were enormous.
Even if she wanted to help carry them, she already had her own package containing candy, meat, and the dress Tong Youyi had given her.
Looking at the packages, Song Cili noticed there was one more than last time.
His brows furrowed slightly.
“Miss Su, if you want snacks—”
“Yes! I do! I do!”
Su Meier nodded so vigorously it looked as if the words Give me all of them were written across her face.
At that moment, she had already planned to carry one of the packages herself and hurry back in time to catch Old Grandpa’s ox cart.
Unexpectedly, Song Cili didn’t follow her expectations.
“Carry the smaller package for me. Once we reach Dali Village, I’ll open it and share some of the contents with you.”
That sounded perfectly reasonable.
Help first, receive rewards later.
She happily agreed.
“No problem. Where should we meet once we get there?”
Song Cili looked at her as if she were an idiot.
“Where else do you think you’re going?”
“Home, of course… Isn’t that what you meant…?”
Her gaze drifted toward the bicycle’s rear seat.
To her astonishment, Song Cili nodded.
In the end, a heavily loaded bicycle rolled through the countryside.
A large package occupied the rear rack.
A young woman sat on the front crossbar.
Another package rested in her arms.
Only after leaving the city did Su Meier finally dare to lift her head and enjoy the fresh air.
Regret?
Impossible.
Earlier, she had secretly squeezed the package and judged its shape.
Without question, it was full of canned snacks.
The more she thought about it, the more excited she became.
As a result, she failed to notice that her back was pressed firmly against the man’s chest.
Only when she felt his warm breath above her head did her body suddenly stiffen.
Without drawing attention to it, she carefully shifted forward, trying her best not to touch him anymore.