After calling Luo Zhixia, Su Qing went to the supply cooperative to find Feng Yunce.
“Han Mei didn’t give you a hard time, did she?” Feng Yunce couldn’t resist asking as soon as she saw Su Qing.
Su Qing was speechless. “You were hoping we’d get into a fight, weren’t you?”
Feng Yunce said guiltily, “I was worried you’d get the short end of the stick.”
“Don’t worry. If you and Han Mei ever argue, I’ll definitely take your side.”
Su Qing didn’t respond. She wasn’t going to argue with Han Mei. She was going to beat her half to death.
“When do you get off work?”
“Need something?” Feng Yunce asked.
“I want to go to the department store to buy some things, but I don’t know where it is.”
“Wait here. I’ll go ask my supervisor for leave.” Before Su Qing could say anything, Feng Yunce headed to the office in back.
Su Qing waited outside the supply cooperative for a while. When Feng Yunce came out, Su Qing handed her the soda she was holding.
Feng Yunce took a sip and pointed to the bus stop across the street. “Catch a bus there. It’s four stops away.”
After paying the conductor, Feng Yunce took the tickets and led Su Qing to the back door.
“My dad wants you to come over for a meal. When are you free?”
Su Qing paused. “Is your father doing well?”
“He’s doing great. After he was exonerated, he came straight back and went to work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He’s eager to get to work every day. He doesn’t act like a fifty-year-old man who’s nearly retired at all—more like a young guy who’s just joined the office and can’t wait to impress his superiors.”
Feng Yunce could only shake her head at her father, who was such a workaholic.
Her father didn’t just push himself; he expected her to do the same.
Every quarter, the supply cooperative selected its outstanding salesclerks. If her name wasn’t on the list, her father was sure to nag her for days.
In the book, Feng Yunce’s father was described as a man devoted to his work and eager to advance. He had married the daughter of a capitalist, who had abandoned him and their child without a second thought when he was sent down to the countryside.
The original Su Qing and Feng Yunce had been close friends. Whenever there wasn’t enough food at home, Feng Yunce would bring some from her own family for Su Qing.
In those days, no family had much grain to spare.
Feng Yunce could bring food to the original Su Qing because Feng Qi had allowed it.
Since Su Qing had transmigrated into the book and taken the original’s place, she ought to repay the kindnesses the original had reason to be grateful for.
“Sure. I’ll come once I’m settled in.”
As they spoke, they arrived at the department store.
Feng Yunce led Su Qing off the bus and pointed to the three-story department store in front of them.
“They have a wider selection here than at the supply cooperative. They carry pretty much everything you need for daily life.”
Su Qing noticed a few human-powered tricycles outside.
Once they entered the department store, Su Qing pulled a sheet of paper from her pocket. She’d written down everything she needed, since she had so much to buy and didn’t want to forget anything.
Feng Yunce took the list from her and led her around, following what she’d written.
First they bought pots, bowls, and other kitchenware, then they went to look for household necessities.
Han Mei had come to browse the department store with her friend Luo Wei. The two were picking out clothes when they spotted Su Qing and Feng Yunce and paused in surprise.
Then they remembered that the village where Feng Yunce’s father had been sent down was Su Qing’s village. It wasn’t strange that the two knew each other.
“I’m talking to you. What are you looking at?” Luo Wei called to Han Mei several times, but got no response. Following her gaze, she asked, “Who’s the woman with Feng Yunce?”
“…Brother Huaijin’s wife,” Han Mei said slowly, her eyes still fixed on Su Qing.
Su Qing was wearing a black Bragi dress with a floral print. Its fitted waist showed off her slender figure.
Her thick black braid was loosely plaited and draped across her chest.
That hairstyle made other women look as though they had a bird’s nest on their heads, but on Su Qing it looked effortlessly fresh and beautiful.
“What? Colonel Zhou’s wife?” Luo Wei’s eyes widened in shock. “But I heard she was dark, fat, and dowdy!”
It was infuriating how unfair comparisons could be.
Without Su Qing, Han Mei could have passed for a pretty, refined woman. But beside the fashionable, beautiful Su Qing standing before them, she didn’t measure up.
Of course, Luo Wei wouldn’t dare say that to Han Mei.
“I don’t know,” Han Mei said gloomily. “When Brother Huaijin came back all those years ago, he said someone had set him up and he’d slept with a village girl. He said she was dark, dowdy, and fat.”
But looking at Su Qing, she was none of those things. She was strikingly beautiful.
“She’s nowhere near as pretty as you,” Luo Wei ingratiated herself. “She looks so provincial. You’re a doctor in the medical department, with a bright future ahead of you. How could some country girl compare?”
Han Mei felt greatly reassured.
That was right. She wasn’t ugly, and she was a doctor. Su Qing was just an unemployed country girl. What could she possibly have that Han Mei didn’t?
Han Mei’s confidence returned.
She pulled Luo Wei over toward Su Qing.
“Comrade Su Qing, are you here to buy things? Didn’t I tell you? Brother Huaijin isn’t here, but if you need anything, you can come to me. It must be such a bother for Comrade Feng to help you.”
Han Mei looked at Su Qing as though Su Qing should have asked her for help instead of bothering Feng Yunce.
Su Qing sneered. “What? Is the concubine in a hurry to prove her loyalty?”
“Haha…” Feng Yunce couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.
“Feng Yunce, what are you laughing at?” Seeing Han Mei’s expression change, Luo Wei cursed Feng Yunce. “No wonder you and Su Qing get along—you’re both discarded wives your own men don’t want.”
Feng Yunce’s laughter cut off. She glared fiercely at Luo Wei.
Then she shot back, “No wonder you and Doctor Han get along—you both like men who already have wives.”
“You…” Luo Wei was so furious she raised her hand to slap Feng Yunce.
Feng Yunce ducked her head, but the blow she expected never came.
“Let go!” Luo Wei hadn’t expected that country wife of Colonel Zhou’s to grab her wrist.
Su Qing fixed Luo Wei with a cold stare. “You steal another woman’s man, and you think you’re in the right?”
From Feng Yunce’s reaction, Su Qing could tell this woman had some kind of improper relationship with her husband.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have reacted so strongly.
At Su Qing’s words, Feng Yunce’s expression didn’t change at all.
She had long since lost faith in Jia Wangchuan and had no expectations of him anymore.
She was angry just because of Luo Wei—the other woman who was mocking her, the wife.
Luo Wei relied on Jia Wangchuan to back her up and showed Feng Yunce no respect at all.
Feng Yunce had been ready to take the slap, but she hadn’t expected Su Qing to stop Luo Wei.
She gazed at Su Qing with sparkling, starry eyes.
In her memory, Su Qing had been timid, too afraid to speak up even when her stepsister bullied her. She’d grown up to be so formidable.
“Luo Wei.” Han Mei shook her head at Luo Wei.
Then she looked at Su Qing. “Comrade Su Qing, this is all a misunderstanding. Let Luo Wei go. She didn’t mean to target you.”
“If she didn’t mean to, then she did it on purpose.” Su Qing flung Luo Wei’s hand away and turned a cold gaze on Han Mei.
Han Mei frowned. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?” Su Qing said icily. “Yesterday you brought your daughter to my home to show off. Today you brought your ‘kind’ here to make trouble for Yunce and me. What are you trying to say?”
“Are you saying you’re sluttier than we are, and better at seducing men?”
“Comrade Su Qing, how can you say that?” Han Mei truly hadn’t expected Su Qing to be so sharp-tongued. She couldn’t argue with her, and though anger flared in her at having her thoughts exposed, she hid it well, making it look as if Su Qing had wronged her.