Chapter 287 A Blissful Little Life

He lowered his head, said nothing, and simply kissed her forehead gently.

That kiss carried a soothing power, and also a silent support.

"I'll be there for you no matter what you do."

He spoke slowly, each word like a promise etched into his heart: "Whatever you decide to do, I'll be by your side."

On the third day, downstairs at the cultural troupe's dormitory...

The morning breeze was still a bit cool, and the leaves rustled gently in the breeze.

Li Hongmei rubbed her hands together and paced back and forth at the door, her steps appearing anxious and uneasy.

Her gaze kept sweeping towards the stairwell entrance, as if she were waiting for someone to appear.

She specially changed into her most beautiful outfit—a navy blue Lenin suit with a bright red plum blossom brooch pinned to the collar.

Her hair was combed meticulously, not daring to leave even a single stray hair, for fear of looking undignified.

"Sister Li?"

A crisp sound suddenly came from behind.

Liu Piaopiao came out of the building, carrying a cloth bag in her hand. She pretended to have just seen her, with a perfectly measured look of surprise on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Comrade Fang!"

Li Hongmei immediately put on a big smile and hurried to meet him, her steps quick, almost running.

She smiled broadly, her face smeared with oil, the wrinkles around her eyes crinkling into a tight knot. "I just happened to be passing by and remembered we knew each other before, so I thought I'd drop by and see you! What a coincidence, I spotted you as soon as I saw you coming out!"

Liu Piaopiao's eyes darted around, and the corners of her mouth curled up, revealing a meaningful smile.

"Thank you for remembering me, Sister Li."

Her tone was light and airy, yet it carried a hint of probing, as if she were fishing, waiting for the other party to take the bait.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two turned into the small teahouse next to the cultural troupe.

The teahouse was small, with polished wooden tables and chairs, and several faded landscape paintings hanging on the walls, looking quite old.

Liu Piaopiao ordered a pot of Longjing tea with practiced ease, her movements as natural as if she were a regular customer.

Li Hongmei had never even known which way the teahouse door faced in her entire life; this was the first time she had ever been inside.

She sat stiffly on the wooden stool, looking around as if she couldn't take it all in.

She stared at the painting on the wall for a long time, then secretly glanced at the people drinking tea around her, her expression as if she had entered a museum, afraid of damaging something valuable.

"Sister Li, have you heard about the fire at the kindergarten?"

Liu Piaopiao poured her tea slowly and gracefully, but her tone was light and airy, like a feather falling on the water, "Have you found out who did it? Are there any clues?"

Li Hongmei's hand trembled, and half a cup of tea spilled out with a "splash," dripping down the corner of the table onto her shoes.

She hurriedly pulled a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe herself, her voice trembling slightly: "How...how could I know! We haven't even investigated yet!"

As she spoke, her eyes darted away, avoiding direct eye contact.

Liu Piaopiao smiled gently, a subtle curve appearing at the corners of her lips.

She lowered her voice, her tone gentle yet tentative: "Sister Li, let's be direct. What about that thing I mentioned to you the other day... what have you thought about?"

"Shh!"

Li Hongmei looked around in fright, turning her head halfway around, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she made sure no one was paying attention. "Keep your voice down! Don't let anyone hear us!"

She lowered her voice, her brows furrowed, "How can you just say something like this out loud! What if it gets out... that would be terrible!"

Liu Piaopiao, however, was not in a hurry. Instead, she leaned forward slightly and got even closer.

Her eyes gleamed, as if she had discovered some treasure, and her voice lowered even further: "So, it really was you? You did it yourself?"

Li Hongmei neither nodded nor shook her head.

She simply blinked mysteriously, a cryptic smile playing on her lips: "Comrade Fang, this matter—heaven knows, earth knows, you know, and I know."

She put a finger to her lips, making a "secret" gesture, her eyes gleaming with smugness.

"I see."

Liu Piaopiao nodded, her gentle smile still on her face.

But inwardly she sneered: This older sister is really easy to fool.

They spoke mysteriously, but they had already revealed most of their cards.

"By the way," she changed the subject subtly, picking up her teacup and gently blowing on it, "you're helping out at the kindergarten now, how does Principal Qiao treat you? Does she trust you a lot?"

Upon hearing this, Li Hongmei immediately straightened her back, her face filled with pride.

Her voice rose a few decibels: "Great! My little sister now comes to me for everything—groceries, laundry, babysitting—I do it all!"

She said with great enthusiasm, "She even lets me see the financial ledgers, that shows how much she trusts me!"

She patted her chest triumphantly, a confident smile spreading across her face: "If you ask me, it won't be long before she asks us to stay and work in the garden! You just wait and see, it's almost certain!"

Liu Piaopiao narrowed her eyes, a meaningful smile playing on her lips, and began to praise her lavishly, saying, "Of course! Sister Li, with your abilities, who wouldn't admire you? Who would want to let you go? You're a rare talent. What would happen to the garden without you?"

The two chatted more and more enthusiastically, and the atmosphere gradually warmed up, as if they were old friends reuniting after many years.

The more Li Hongmei listened, the more comfortable she felt, and the more she realized that Liu Piaopiao was no ordinary person.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt that this Comrade Fang was not only cultured but also of high status. He was clearly a person from the upper class, a benefactor who had fallen from the sky. She felt that her life had not been in vain and that she had finally climbed the social ladder.

And what about Liu Piaopiao?

She knew perfectly well that she had never been genuinely close to Li Hongmei, but only used her as a convenient tool.

She deliberately spoke in a way that suited Li Hongmei's temperament, flattering her with every word, making her overjoyed.

"Sister Li, please come visit often when you have time."

As she was leaving, Liu Piaopiao affectionately linked arms with her, her smile as gentle as a spring breeze. "I know a lot of people in the cultural troupe, and I have acquaintances at all levels. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, just let me know, and I will do my best to help."

Hearing this, Li Hongmei was so moved that her eyes reddened, and she almost burst into tears on the spot: "Oh my Comrade Fang, you are truly a living bodhisattva descended to earth! With such a kind heart and such a sweet tongue, who wouldn't be blessed to meet you?"

Back in the military compound, Li Hongmei hummed a little tune as she walked, her steps as light as if she were walking on cotton.

She walked with a brisk pace, her face beaming with joy.

She was secretly delighted, thinking that the good days were just beginning!

What good were the old days?

Things are different now.

Having appeased her sister-in-law Qiao Wanyin and made her lower her guard, and having also established a strong connection with Liu Piaopiao, how could she not have a chance to rise to prominence in the future?

If we just work a little harder and keep this job, there will be plenty of benefits in the future.

In the days that followed, she tried her best to perform, always taking the lead and doing things behind others.

Every day before dawn, she would arrive at the kindergarten early, be the first to open the door, sweep the floor, boil water, wipe the tables, and even clean the dust on the windowsill.