Jiang's mother was still wearing the same fashionable gray dacron suit as yesterday. Her hairstyle was similar to everyone else's—shoulder-length hair, the popular style of the time. On her feet were a pair of round-toed leather shoes, and she carried a vegetable basket in her left hand.
The middle-aged woman standing in front of her in line asked, "Sister Jiang, I heard your eldest son has been going on blind dates lately. How's it going? Has he found anyone he likes?"
Jiang's mother replied in her usual sharp and caustic tone, "Don't even mention it. Just talking about it makes me angry! Our Guangzong is a truck driver at the steel factory. Not only is he handsome and dashing, but he also has a respectable job. With conditions like his, you'd be hard-pressed to find another even with a lantern."
"Every family that's met with our Guangzong has agreed without hesitation. But he just had to take a fancy to that ungrateful Su family! Let me tell you, Su Wenshan's second daughter from the steel factory is nothing but a little vixen. She met my son once and deliberately tried to seduce him… That whole family is no good!"
Su Yun didn't want to breathe the same air as Jiang's mother and quickly walked ahead, so she didn't hear the rest of what Jiang's mother said.
But the farther she walked, the more unwilling she felt to let it go.
After a few more steps, she stopped abruptly, her expression resolute.
At the pork stall, Jiang's mother bossily bought a pound of pork belly. With an arrogant expression, she lifted her basket and walked away, unwilling to spare even a glance at the butcher.
After perfunctorily responding to a few people who tried to flatter her, Jiang's mother turned into a quiet alley.
If she turned the corner at the end of this alley and crossed one more street, she would reach the apartment building where the Jiang family lived. She had always taken this route without incident.
But this time, just as she reached the corner, her foot suddenly slipped. She fell backward instantly, and her vegetable basket flew out of her hand. The greens and pork scattered all over the ground—
"Ah!"
A sharp and miserable scream rang out.
"Oh… my waist! Which bastard threw a banana peel here? Don't you have any sense of public decency? You damned brat! Bananas are so expensive, and you ate two at once? Why didn't you choke to death on them!"
"Oh… my back! It's twisted! Somebody help me! Save me! My husband is the deputy director of the steel factory—come save me!"
On the other side of the alley, Su Yun, who had just eaten two bananas in a row, let out a satisfied burp. A pleased smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she quickly fled the scene.
When Su Yun returned to the entrance of her own hutong, she happened to see He Hua approaching from the other direction.
Like Su Yun, He Hua wore her hair in two braids. She was dressed in the same faded floral shirt with two patches and a pair of work pants. In her hand, she carried two aluminum lunch boxes in a net bag, skipping along with the air of someone who had just struck it lucky.
When she saw Su Yun, her narrow eyes widened immediately. She strutted over proudly, curling her lips in a familiar smirk.
"Oh, you're back too? Went on another blind date today, did you? Did he like you?"
Before Su Yun could respond, she sneered, "I don't even need to ask—I know he didn't. Otherwise, you wouldn't be rushing back right at mealtime. I told you, you'll never get married. Unlike me—people chase after me, beg me to eat with them, and even take me to the state-run restaurant!"
Su Yun let out a cold laugh, not even bothering to respond.
He Hua didn't mind her indifference. Acting mysterious, she lifted the net bag and paraded the lunch boxes in front of Su Yun, circling her twice with exaggerated pride.
"Guess who gave me these two boxes of roast chicken?"
She deliberately drew out the words "roast chicken" loudly.
Su Yun didn't even look at her. "A dog."
With that, she lifted her foot and walked straight into the courtyard.
The smug look on He Hua's face froze instantly. Not seeing any jealousy on Su Yun's face, she ground her teeth in frustration.
But then she thought of Jiang Guangzong's generosity today. As long as she could snatch Jiang Guangzong away, she would one day see Su Yun crying in misery. The thought immediately brightened her mood, and her smug expression returned.
During the day, the courtyard was much quieter than at night. Those who worked or attended school hadn't returned yet. Only a few elderly residents, young children, and unemployed youths like Su Yun remained.
As Su Yun entered, she greeted the elderly Mrs. Gao in the front room by the gate, then passed through the front yard into the middle courtyard. As soon as she stepped inside, she saw Widow He hanging laundry in the yard with a dark expression.
At that moment, He Hua followed in with her net bag.
The instant Widow He saw her, she rolled up her sleeves, grabbed the wooden stick used for beating laundry, and charged at her daughter, shouting, "You wretched girl! You still remember to come back? You disappeared early this morning! You didn't cook lunch or wash the clothes—are you trying to rebel?"
He Hua hurriedly jumped aside to avoid the blows and raised the lunch boxes. "Mom, I wasn't slacking! Here's what happened—someone insisted on treating me to lunch this morning and even let me bring back two boxes of roast chicken from the state-run restaurant. The chicken's right here. If you don't believe me, take a look!"
Widow He stopped mid-swing, her eyes widening as she stared at the two aluminum lunch boxes in the net bag. She snatched them over and quickly opened them. Inside were indeed two boxes of glistening roast chicken.
She swallowed instinctively, then glanced cautiously at Su Yun before lowering her voice to question her daughter.
"You wretched girl, don't lie to me. Who would treat you to roast chicken for no reason these days? Tell me—what's going on?"
He Hua secretly glanced at Su Yun, feeling immensely pleased. A shy expression appeared on her face as she said, "Oh, Mom, don't ask. It was a man I met today. He has a good job and plenty of money. Two boxes of roast chicken mean nothing to him. He even said he'll treat me again tomorrow. I can order whatever I want—he can afford it!"
Widow He's expression changed instantly.
She threw aside the wooden stick and looked at He Hua as if she were a treasure. "I knew it! My daughter is so proper and pretty—how could no one want her? See? A man with a discerning eye has come knocking on his own! Good, good! If he wants to treat you, then go ahead. Just remember one thing—get him to come formally propose as soon as possible and settle this quickly!"
With that, Widow He carried the lunch boxes back toward her home, her face full of pride. "I'll save these two boxes of roast chicken. When your elder brother comes back from work, I'll stew them for you…"
Su Yun paid no further attention. She had no interest in watching He Hua's petty triumph. She unlocked the door and entered her small west side room where she lived alone.
After closing the door, Su Yun took out the fifty yuan from yesterday's drawer and deposited it into the system. Seeing the system balance display 879.4, she smiled knowingly. Just a little over a hundred more, and she would reach the thousand-yuan milestone.
She had only been reborn for two days. Not only had she become a "hundred-yuan household," but she had even secured a job in advance. It all felt like a dream.
Was it possible that Heaven had seen how bitter her previous life had been and decided to compensate her?
With that thought, Su Yun casually opened yesterday's math textbook, took out her notebook, and continued studying.
Time passed quickly, and soon the sound of He Hua making a big show of stewing chicken drifted through the courtyard.