Pei Manning was making lunch when she heard someone knocking on the door. She wiped her hands and went out to open the door.

Mrs. Li was standing outside the door with a smile on her face and a net bag of apples in her hands. A woman in her teens was standing next to her.

He was dressed quite decently, in a brand new Liberation suit, carrying a black leather bag, his hair was combed neatly, his eyebrows were raised high, his eyes were shrewd, and he looked like someone who was not to be trifled with.

When Pei Manning opened the door, she saw Sister Li with a stranger and couldn't help but ask, "Sister Li, who is this?"

"Oh, this is my cousin, Miss Manning. I'm hosting a party today and all my relatives are here. We don't have enough benches, so I thought you had a lot of empty benches here, so I wanted to borrow a few from you."

As Sister Li said this, she stuffed the net bag in Pei Manning's hand and said, "Sister Manning, you have to help your sister-in-law."

It is quite common to set up a banquet to entertain guests at this time, borrow tables, chairs, pots, pans, and bowls from neighbors, wash them after use, and return them.

Pei Manning felt it was strange, but she didn't smile when asked for help, especially since her family had specially sent the gift to her door and only made a request that was not difficult.

She said, "Okay, Sister Li, do you want to borrow a few? I'll get them for you, and you don't have to send the apples."

"Sister Manning, let me get it! The bench is heavy, you can just come in and carry it yourself." Sister Li followed in, carrying the things.

The woman next to him frowned, perhaps unhappy that she did not receive a grand reception. After thinking it over, she finally followed him in.

As soon as he entered the door, his sharp eyes kept looking around the yard. Seeing that it was very clean, he nodded with satisfaction. He was a person who loved cleanliness.

Then he cast his critical eyes on Pei Manning. She was too delicate and had a seductive figure, like a vixen.

She looks quite cute, with the skin on her hands white and delicate, and the green onions so tender that they look like they could be squeezed to extract water, and she doesn't look like she has been working.

Forget it. A family like theirs doesn't require their daughter-in-law to be capable, pretty, and obedient. It's enough for them to be supported by their parents.

"Sister Manning, are you making lunch? No wonder I could smell the fragrance from so far away!" Sister Li walked into the main room, put the net bag of apples on the table, and said with a smile.

As soon as she entered the room, she saw a plate of stir-fried cabbage, a plate of scrambled eggs with leeks, and a bowl of sauerkraut vermicelli soup on the table.

It looks shiny and has a nice color. It has a fragrant smell that makes your mouth water.

I don't know how Pei Manning made it. They are all ordinary home-cooked dishes, but the smell makes me salivate.

But there was too much oil, right? Mrs. Li thought to herself that it was a waste of money.

Pei Manning had no intention of inviting them to dinner. She smiled politely and distantly and said, "It's all done casually, Sister Li. These benches are empty. Just return them when you're done using them."

"Okay, I'll return it to you after you use it this afternoon." Sister-in-law Li said with a smile, and did not stay in Pei Manning's house for long. She picked up two benches with her cousin and walked out.

As they walked away, Sister Li asked in a friendly manner, "Sister-in-law, how is she? She's very pretty, isn't she? I'm not saying that if you miss her, you won't find anyone prettier. She's just a little old. She's only sixteen, not old enough to get married."

The girl she called sister-in-law nodded reservedly, with a somewhat cold attitude: "This one looks good. Has she finished high school?"

"Uh... she should have been to school, right? This girl likes to study a lot, and her brother is an officer in the army, so she must have enough money for tuition."

The woman was more satisfied: "Okay, then, help me test the waters and find a suitable time for us to meet each other."

Sister Li promised: "Sister-in-law, don't worry, as long as I hear your family conditions, I will agree!"

"Then I'll be waiting for your good news."

"If this thing succeeds, sister-in-law, you have to help our military work."

"Don't worry, I know."

…

Pei Manning sent off two days, had lunch, and then went to the post office to mail a letter.

It was a thick package filled with the drawings she had made during this period.

There is also a Chinese store near the post office. It is beautifully decorated and you can see a wide variety of merchandise through the windows.

They are all hot-selling products, which are simply dazzling.

Rows of single-speaker and double-speaker radios, imported watches of various brands, and televisions of various sizes. These items are much cheaper than those in the outside market, but they all require "Overseas Chinese Currency Coupons."

Pei Manning couldn't help but take a few more glances every time she passed by.

"Comrade," she was looking into the window when someone in the distance quietly waved at her, "Comrade."

Pei Manning covered half of her face with a thick scarf. She looked down and pointed at herself: Call me?

That person nodded. Pei Manning saw that although there were not many people on the street, at least there were people passing by from time to time, so she walked over.

"Comrade, do you want overseas Chinese vouchers? I have some here." As he approached, the man asked in a low voice.

"You're going to give it to me?" Pei Manning was surprised.

He was speechless for two seconds, his face was black, "I mean this." He made a gesture of counting money.

Pei Manning was even more shocked. How dare people here secretly scalp tickets on the street?