The waiter smiled and took out a watch, saying, "Do you think this one is good? You get what you pay for. This watch will last for decades and won't break down!"

The men's watch was quite low-key and simple, with a tough strap, which matched Xie Zhao's temperament very well. Cheng Yaoyao held it in his hand and gestured, but heard a male voice next to him: "Who are you going to buy the watch for?"

Xu Nanfang rested his elbows on the counter, looking at Cheng Yaoyao with a smile. His followers had taken Shen Yan away, and now they were hiding not far away, watching with laughter how long it would take for Xu Nanfang to return empty-handed. Cheng Yaoyao was a famous rose, beautiful but with many thorns, and they didn't believe Xu Nanfang could win her over.

Cheng Yaoyao looked away in disgust: "It has nothing to do with you."

"No. You can't be angry with me if Shen Yan doesn't take you around." Xu Nanfang had the high-spirited vigor and ruffian spirit that is unique to young men, and he didn't look like a southerner.

Cheng Yaoyao said without even looking up: "I have nothing to do with him, stop dragging us into this."

Xu Nanfang looked at Cheng Yaoyao's expression. Cheng Yaoyao's face only showed disdain, not sadness. He knew what was going on and smiled, "Then let's not talk about him. We are old acquaintances. We haven't seen each other for a long time. Would you mind having a meal with me?"

Cheng Yaoyao said, "No need to eat, just help me."

When Xu Nanfang heard this, he patted his chest and said, "I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Cheng Yaoyao sneered and said, "That's not necessary. Stretch out your hand."

Xu Nanfang reached out his hand in confusion, and Cheng Yaoyao put the watch on his wrist and gestured. Xu Nanfang's skin color was similar to Xie Zhao's, and the silver watchband matched his wheat-colored skin and hard wrist bones, which was low-key and good-looking.

It will definitely look better on Xie Zhao! Cheng Yaoyao smiled contentedly and handed the watch to the waiter: "Please wrap it up for me."

Xu Nanfang immediately took out the money, but Cheng Yaoyao held him down: "I'll do it myself!"

Xu Nanfang failed to snatch the order, and was quite surprised to see Cheng Yaoyao take out a beautiful little purse, and then took out a roll of money from the purse. Eight hundred yuan is not a small amount these days. As far as he knows, Cheng Yaoyao's family is not rich. After all, Cheng Nuonuo eats and drinks with Shen Yan every day.

Cheng Yaoyao took out a roll of money from his small purse and handed out eighty large bills. Without blinking, Cheng Yaoyao told the waiter, "Wrap it up nicely."

Xu Nanfang smiled casually and said, "It's wrapped so beautifully, who are you giving it to?"

Cheng Yaoyao glared at him, coquettishly and arrogantly: "It's none of my business."

Xu Nanfang raised his hands in a gesture of surrender and smiled.

Cheng Yaoyao put the watch box into her bag and suddenly felt a burning gaze that seemed to stare a hole in her face. She turned around and saw only Xu Nanfang's followers pointing at her.

Cheng Yaoyao was furious: "What are they looking at?"

Xu Nanfang said innocently: "Comrade Cheng Yaoyao, I declare that I have drawn a clear line between myself and this group of people. I am definitely not in the same group with them. Don't leave!"

Cheng Yaoyao glared at him fiercely, picked up his bag and left. Xu Nanfang called out a few times, but Cheng Yaoyao didn't even turn his head, his back looked like a proud little swan.

Several young men came over with a laugh and said, "Nan Fang, you've also been frustrated, right?"

Xu Nanfang stared at Cheng Yaoyao's back with a smile: "It's quite interesting. If you guys hadn't been messing around, I would have made an appointment."

"Don't try to be so arrogant. Cheng Yaoyao is notoriously rude. You can't possibly catch up with him!" A young man pushed him, "Lu Jiu is coming soon. Let's think about how to welcome him."

Xu Nanfang retracted his gaze and said, "With Lu Jiu here, our Beijing circle has gained a new force."

Even though the circle in Shanghai is small, the playboys from different places also have their own small circles. Xu Nanfang came from Beijing, and he couldn't get along with Shen Yan and his group of local second-generations. Xu Nanfang shifted his attention and temporarily put Cheng Yaoyao aside.

Cheng Yaoyao had already left the department store and was strolling along the street, bored. She was walking slowly when someone suddenly patted her shoulder.

"Far away!"

"Sister Meng!"

Sister Meng was carrying a bag and happily holding Cheng Yaoyao's hand: "It's so cold, what are you doing here alone?"

Cheng Yaoyao smiled and said, "I'm shopping, how about you?"

"I'm out to buy some New Year's goods!" Sister Meng took Cheng Yaoyao's hand affectionately, and the two walked together. She lowered her voice and said, "Yaoyao, the crab roe sauce I made last time was very popular. I gave a few bottles to my relatives and friends in Shanghai, and they all wanted them!"

Cheng Yaoyao laughed and said, "But there is no supply in Shanghai."

"Yes! I can get the labor and crabs for the venue, you just need to help me." Sister Meng tasted the sweetness of doing business, and tried her best to lobby Cheng Yaoyao, "These days, everyone in Shanghai is buying New Year's goods, and some people buy them at 20 yuan a bottle! You don't know, our batch of goods is sold at 25 yuan a bottle on the black market!"

Cheng Yaoyao touched her bag. After buying the watch, a quarter of her small coffers were gone, and she was even further away from her goal of 10,000 yuan. Besides, she still wanted to buy a TV and a refrigerator!

Cheng Yaoyao pondered and said, "But I'm at home these days, it's not convenient."

Sister Meng asked, "What's the inconvenience? Your family doesn't allow you to go out?"

Cheng Yaoyao wrinkled her nose. How could outsiders know the complicated situation of the Cheng family? Wei Shuying and her daughter were staring at her. Cheng Yaoyao thought for a while and said, "Okay. Where is the location?"

Sister Meng was delighted and agreed with Cheng Yaoyao on a meeting place and time, and then the two parted ways on the street.

Everything Cheng Yaoyao bought was at Shen Yan's place. She had nothing in her hands, so she strolled around outside, ate a bowl of sesame paste in a restaurant alone, and then slowly returned to Cheng's house when it was almost dark.

The lights were on in the living room, and Cheng Zheng was reading a book. When he saw her coming back, he immediately stood up and greeted her, saying, "Yaoyao, why did you come back so late? The things you bought have been delivered to your home a long time ago. Was it Shen Yan who sent you back? Why don't you ask him to come home and sit for a while?"

It seemed that Shen Yan went out to socialize with those playboys, and Cheng's father thought that he was with him, which saved her a lot of trouble. Cheng Yaoyao didn't say anything, which was considered as tacit agreement.

Wei Shuying stood up slowly: "Finally I'm back. The food has gotten cold while I was waiting for you. I'll go heat it up."

"I've eaten." Cheng Yaoyao said, and took out a paper bag: "Dad, I bought some snacks."

Wei Shuying took a look and said: "Oh, it's from Lao Dachang, it's not cheap, right? It's really expensive for Shen Yan."

Cheng Yaoyao's face turned cold, and the idea of ​​living in peace with Wei Shuying was completely dispelled. She put the bag down and said, "I bought these things with my own money. I'm not like your daughter, who sticks to Shen Yan and asks him to spend money."

Cheng Yaoyao said as he threw out a light receipt. When Wei Shuying saw the amount on it, her face turned pale and she gasped in pain. How much money did Cheng Zheng give Cheng Yaoyao? You should know that Cheng Zheng only gives her 30 yuan a month for household expenses. For an ordinary family, 30 yuan is enough for a month's living expenses. But Wei Shuying used to receive the Cheng family's food capital and most of her salary, and she also had to support a group of people in her mother's family. Now she only has 30 yuan, and she is immediately stretched.

Cheng Zheng frowned and asked, "Shen Yan spent money on Nuonuo? What's going on?"

Before Cheng Yaoyao could say anything, Wei Shuying interrupted him and said, "It's getting late. You should take a bath and go to bed! Yaoyao, I've got some hot water for you!"

Cheng Zheng was interrupted and said, "Yes, it's so cold, Yaoyao, go take a hot bath and have a good sleep."

Cheng Yaoyao sneered as he glanced at Wei Shuying's face and went to the bathroom. When she came out of the shower, Cheng Zheng was still in the living room.

"Dad, why don't you sleep?"

Cheng Zheng rubbed his temples and said, "Dad is waiting for you. Did you blow dry your hair? Go to sleep. Dad will take a day off tomorrow and take you to the department store for a stroll?"

"No thanks." Cheng Yaoyao said, "I went to the department store and the Friendship Store today."

Cheng Zheng smiled and said, "I saw it. What did you buy today?"

"I bought some food, a hair dryer, high heels and a bag." Cheng Yaoyao took out the bag and showed it to Cheng Zheng, "Does it look good?"

"It looks nice." Cheng Zheng said, "We already have a hair dryer at home, why did you buy another one?"

Cheng Yaoyao said as a matter of course: "Take this back to Tianshui Village for use."

Cheng Zheng said: "Now that you have come to Shanghai, you won't go back."

"What?" Cheng Yaoyao was stunned: "I want to go back!"

"Silly child." Cheng Zheng looked at his daughter's confused expression and smiled dotingly without further explanation. Once the formalities were completed, he would give her a surprise.

Cheng Zheng asked again: "Are you still going out with Shen Yan tomorrow?"

Cheng Yaoyao nodded vaguely. Cheng Zheng cared too much about her and didn't even let him go to the black market. If he knew that she was selling butter, she didn't know if she would have a heart attack. It would be better to let him think that she was going out with Shen Yan.

Cheng Yaoyao yawned: "Dad, I'm sleepy."

"Then go to sleep." Cheng Zheng sighed as he looked at his daughter's back. No matter how reluctant he was, his daughter's happiness was the most important thing.

Cheng Yaoyao lay down in the bed and felt a warm hot water bottle. She took out the watch she bought today, opened it and looked at it, stroking the brand new and cold metal strap, hoping to go home as soon as possible after the New Year.

No words were spoken that night.

The next morning, Cheng Yaoyao got up yawning.

After leaving the bedroom, Cheng Zheng and Wei Shuying sat at the table to eat. Cheng Zheng drank soy milk while reading a newspaper.

Cheng Yaoyao walked over, and Wei Shuying said in a gloomy tone: "The eldest lady finally got up. The milk is almost cold."

"If it's cold, heat it up." Cheng Zheng said.

Wei Shuying's face twitched suddenly, and she picked up the milk and went to heat it up while mumbling.

Cheng Zheng put down the newspaper and called Cheng Yaoyao: "Yaoyao, come and sit down. We also have your favorite toast today."

Cheng Yaoyao glanced at the table, which was filled with toast, poached eggs, and milk. She had gotten used to eating Chinese breakfast at Xie's house, so she wasn't really interested in the toast and milk. She drank a few sips of warm water and said, "I'm going out now."

Cheng Zheng said, "Let's go out to a restaurant and eat some fried dumplings. Do you have enough money?"

Before Cheng Yaoyao could answer, Wei Shuying rushed to ask, "You bought it yesterday and you bought it again today. How much money do you have at home? Why don't you buy some new clothes for Nono? It's a pity that Nono lives in the countryside and spends the New Year alone..."

Cheng Zheng couldn't help but feel distressed. After all, they were his daughters, so he couldn't be too partial. Cheng Zheng took out a few banknotes, and Wei Shuying immediately stared at his movements with great joy.

Cheng Yaoyao walked to the table and reached for a piece of toast. She was wearing a sweater skirt, and when she raised her arm, a hole appeared at her elbow.

Cheng Zheng's face changed, and he stared at the hole: "Yaoyao, why is your clothes torn?"

"Oh!" Cheng Yaoyao hurriedly covered the hole and said, "The clothes you sent me last time were all eaten by insects. This is my best skirt."

Cheng Yaoyao added sensibly, "It's okay. I'll put on my coat to cover it so it won't be visible."

Cheng Yaoyao was raised like a princess by him since she was little. She was so picky about her new dress that she refused to wear it, but now she is wearing tattered clothes! Cheng Zheng felt so distressed at this moment that he immediately handed the money to Cheng Yaoyao: "Yaoyao, go buy a new dress, don't wear this tattered one."

Wei Shuying had never expected this. Seeing Cheng Yaoyao casually put the money into his pocket, as if he didn't take the few dozen yuan as money at all, Wei Shuying asked anxiously, "What about our Nuonuo's new clothes?"

Cheng Zheng was very unhappy. If Wei Shuying hadn't taken all of Yaoyao's nice clothes back to her parents' home, would Yaoyao have to wear tattered clothes? Cheng Zheng said rudely, "Yaoyao's clothes can be given to Nuonuo. Who told you to give all of Yaoyao's nice clothes to your niece?"

Cheng Yaoyao put on his shoes at the door with a piece of toast in his mouth and said with a smile: "She can't wear them. I've grown taller recently!"

A fatal blow. Wei Shuying was so angry that she slammed the bowl on the table and stared at Cheng Yaoyao's back as he disappeared through the door.

The winter in Shanghai is particularly cold and damp, and the streets are foggy. When Cheng Yaoyao arrived at the place he had agreed to meet with Sister Meng, he saw Sister Meng standing there with her head wrapped in a headscarf, looking around.

Cheng Yaoyao patted her from behind and asked, "Where is the underground party contact?"

Sister Meng jumped three feet high, covered her chest and shouted: "Oh my God, you scared me to death! Come on, follow me."

Sister Meng took Cheng Yaoyao with her, and the two of them walked around the alley for a while, and came to an inconspicuous door. This small courtyard with its own entrance was just like the one in Suzhou, but it was a different world inside. In the front was a bright main room that could accommodate two tables, and in the back was a spacious kitchen that was fully equipped with all kinds of seasonings, pots and stoves.

A smart woman and two little girls were unpacking crab meat. When they saw Sister Meng come in, they said, "Everything is ready. This is..."

The woman looked Cheng Yaoyao up and down. Such a pretty and western-style young girl didn't look like the "chef" that Sister Meng mentioned. Sister Meng smiled and introduced Cheng Yaoyao, "This is Mrs. Yang. We are borrowing her kitchen. Mrs. Yang, this is Yaoyao."

On the way, Sister Meng had told Cheng Yaoyao that Sister Yang was a good cook and had connections, so those rich and powerful gourmets often came to her place to eat. Because of these powerful customers, Sister Yang was relatively safe.

Cheng Yaoyao thought, isn't this a private restaurant? This is a good way to make money.

Since both parties had revealed the truth, Cheng Yaoyao was not shy. He put on an apron, washed his hands, and started to make butter. Mrs. Yang's kitchen had all the ingredients, and the lard was freshly made, clear and fragrant. There were two large basins full of crab roe, and the crab shells in the yard were piled up like a small mountain.

The Spring Festival is just a few days away, and the butter must be sold before the festival. Cheng Yaoyao makes the butter, and Mrs. Yang and her two daughters help. The three of them are busy from morning till night. The butter is bottled and packaged, and vendors immediately come to transport it. It is a completely formal industrial chain.

After making the butter, Cheng Yaoyao also helped to mix the brine for the drunken crabs, while the production process was completed by Yang Sao and her daughter. Even so, Cheng Yaoyao was so tired that he couldn't even lift his arms.

When the last batch of drunken crabs were also divided up by the vendors, several people ate the rice with hot water and a plate of pickled mud snails. Cheng Yaoyao was not picky at all at this time, and ate the bowl of hot rice cleanly, and then he felt that his strength had returned.

Sister Meng took out a bag full of money, smiled from ear to ear, and reported the whole account to Cheng Yaoyao and Mrs. Yang. Cheng Yaoyao couldn't laugh at all, except for the first two days after arriving in Tianshui Village, she had never done such tiring work before.

After the account was settled, Sister Meng divided the money into three piles. Cheng Yaoyao invested 30% of the money as a technical investment. Holding the two thick stacks of money in his hands, Cheng Yaoyao couldn't help but be surprised: "So much?"

Sister Meng smiled and said, "Didn't you listen to my calculations just now? The New Year is coming soon, so I raised the price again. A bottle of butter is 20 yuan, and drunken crab is 8 yuan. If we sell it for a few more days, we can at least make this much money before the New Year!"

Sister Meng extended a slap, and Cheng Yaoyao's eyes lit up. If I earn another 5,000 yuan, it will be enough for 10,000 yuan! Cheng Yaoyao, who originally wanted to back out, suddenly regained his strength.

After leaving Yang's house, Cheng Yaoyao and Sister Meng went to the bank and deposited the money into their own passbook. Sister Meng had the same idea as people of this era: "It's so good to keep the money on yourself. You can count it from time to time and feel happy."

Cheng Yaoyao said, "It's not safe to keep money at home. What if it's stolen? What if your house gets burned down? There's interest if you put it in a bank."

Sister Meng hurriedly said, "Pooh, pooh, pooh! Bad things don't work, only good things do!" Even so, Sister Meng began to have doubts in her heart, so she opened a passbook and deposited the money into it.

The result came out and I was still muttering along the way: "I spent so much money and only got a small bill. Is it reliable?"

Cheng Yaoyao rubbed her ears. Regardless of whether the bank was reliable or not, she could never show off her wealth in the Cheng family. When she returned home yesterday, she felt that something in her bedroom had been moved. Fortunately, she had her wallet with her, otherwise her family's wealth would have been emptied.

Cheng Yaoyao had been going out early and coming back late for a few days, and Cheng Zheng thought she was out with Shen Yan, and he didn't think it was wrong. Anyway, the original owner was also away from home all day, just running around behind Shen Yan. Wei Shuying and Cheng Nonuo, mother and daughter, didn't know what they were busy with, and they didn't come to trouble Cheng Yaoyao.

At 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon, a table of guests came to Yang's yard. Yang was busy making butter, but this table of guests was famous in Shanghai and she had to accept them. Yang had no choice but to wash her hands and cook. Cheng Yaoyao and Meng Jie came out of the yard early and prepared to go home.

Just as she reached the entrance of the alley, Mrs. Yang's little daughter chased after her: "Sister Yaoyao, Sister Yaoyao, a customer brought a batch of seafood, and my mother wants you to help identify it!"

Cheng Yaoyao said to Sister Meng: "You go first, I'll go take a look."

Sister Meng was in a hurry to pick up the child, so she said, "Hey, you should come back early too."

Cheng Yaoyao followed Mrs. Yang's daughter back to the kitchen. Mrs. Yang was worrying about a basket of things: "Yaoyao, look, these are what the guests brought. They said they were fresh seafood and asked me to cook them."

Cheng Yaoyao took a look and saw a basket of fresh seafood. The giant lobsters waving their claws, the swimming crabs, the sea urchins with their spines still moving, the giant shrimps jumping, and the scallops were all extremely fresh.

Cheng Yaoyao smiled and said, "You know shrimps and crabs. This thorn ball is a sea urchin, and that one is a scallop. Did the customer tell me how to cook it?"

Mrs. Yang said, "They said they would do a good job of entertaining distinguished guests."

Cheng Yaoyao said: "Seafood is fresh. You can steam it all and add some dipping sauce to it."

Mrs. Yang said in embarrassment: "But I cook Hangzhou cuisine, how can I make this? Yaoyao, since you know it, you must be able to make it, can you help me?"

Cheng Yaoyao had no choice but to say, "Okay."

Cheng Yaoyao prepared the fastest blanched prawns, paired it with his own special dipping sauce, and asked Mrs. Yang's daughter to serve it out first to entertain the guests.

Cheng Yaoyao dispatched his troops: "Mrs. Yang, go soak the vermicelli and chop some garlic."

Mrs. Yang felt more confident and quickly started working in the kitchen.

Mrs. Yang often receives distinguished guests, so why is she so nervous? Cheng Yaoyao curiously peeked through the crack of the door. There were five or six guests at the table. Judging from their attire, they were of high status and were in their thirties or forties. The one at the main seat was blocked by the door curtain and could not be seen clearly.