Chapter 12: It’s better to meet by chance than to invite

It was around three in the afternoon and it was getting a little cooler outside. Fang Xiuxiu rode a bicycle with Wen Zhile to the market one kilometer away.

This place used to be a black market, and people had to sneak in. It was only after the document allowing private businesses came down last year that this place became open to the public. Many vendors spontaneously set up stalls here, and the business gradually expanded to a large scale.

This is the first time Wen Zhile has come here in both his past and present lives.

Fang Xiuxiu often comes here and walked to a clothing stall with ease.

This stall has a semi-enclosed outline supported by wooden sticks, and a layer of net woven with hemp rope is covered inside the outline. Clothes are hung on it, and all three "walls" are hung with clothes.

There is a small table in the center of the outline, which is also piled with clothes. Compared with the clothes hung up, the clothes piled here are simple and even rustic in style.

Wen Zhile took a look and felt that it was just as tacky as what he was wearing.

The clothes she wore were given to her by the villagers.

"Xiao Dai, come and see if there's anything you like. I'll buy it for you!"

"Boss! Are there any new styles coming from the south recently?"

The boss is a chubby lady. When she saw a regular customer, her eyes turned into crescents. "Of course I have it! I wouldn't give it to a normal person if they asked for it."

She quickly squatted down and pulled out a cardboard box from under the table. The clothes inside were neatly stacked, which was completely different from the ones on the table.

Fang Xiuxiu picked up a yellow shirt and skirt and compared it to Wen Zhile: "This one is good, what do you think, Xiao Dai?"

Wen Zhile pursed her lips and replied, "It doesn't look good on me, but it will look good on you, Sister Xiuxiu."

"I have quite a few skirts that would look good on you. Try them on."

Little girls should wear brightly colored clothes. She couldn't stand seeing Xiao Dai wearing gray clothes all day long.

Wen Zhile still refused: "You buy it, sister, I like that one."

She pointed casually, and Fang Xiuxiu and the boss looked over there.

"This one is good too!" The boss smiled and picked up the coat with a stick: "Red is only beautiful when worn by little girls!"

This is a burgundy sportswear-style zippered jacket that is neither too thin nor too thick, suitable for spring and autumn wear, with a wide hood on the back.

Fang Xiuxiu still compared herself in front of Wen Zhile. This color made her look whiter, which made her dark yellow complexion look better.

She instantly decided to buy this for Wen Zhile.

"How much is it, boss?"

The boss looked at Wen Zhile for a few times. Seeing that she was skinny and looked like she had suffered a lot, he thought for a while and said, "Sister, you are a regular customer. This girl has good taste and I like her very much. So I will give you a base price. If you really want it, take it for 30 yuan."

In fact, the purchase price was only five yuan, but it was indeed brought back from Shanghai in the south by train.

Fang Xiuxiu often comes to buy clothes and knows her. The owner of this shop said that she would always leave room for customers to negotiate on prices. If customers want to bargain, she won't lose money, but if customers don't bargain, she will make more than ten dollars for nothing.

She rolled her eyes and pointed at a simple white short-sleeved shirt: "Take that one too, 15 yuan for it. If it doesn't work, forget it. I'll take my sister to look somewhere else."

"Oh, you really know your stuff! That short-sleeved shirt is made of very comfortable material, pure cotton. It would cost me 10 bucks just to buy it!"

Fang Xiuxiu turned and left, winking at Wen Zhile: "Xiao Dai, let's go look at other places."

Wen Zhile followed her, but after walking two or three meters, the boss called her back loudly.

She instantly grasped the essence of bargaining.

…

"Jinghong, please stay tonight and live in my room." Ye Qin held Qu Jinghong with lingering feelings.

She and her old sister met for the first time after thirteen years of separation, and they were still not satisfied after chatting for days and nights.

Qu Jinghong readily agreed.

Wen Nuan was sitting next to Zhou Yusheng at the table. She seized the opportunity and said, "Grandma, Grandma Zhou, I want to stay, too."

Whatever she said today, she had to impress Zhou Yusheng's brother.

Qu Jinghong looked at her with a meaningful look in his eyes, as if he wanted to see through her.

The Zhou family only has two brothers and no daughter, so it is not appropriate for her to stay alone as a girl.

Zhou Zhanqi and Ji Diyin looked at each other and thought of the same thing.

This little girl's upbringing is not very good, so Master Yu Sheng should be allowed to interact with her.

Qu Jinghong disagreed, and Ji Diyin changed the subject.

But soon, Zhou Yusheng suddenly said, "Mom, Dad, Grandma, I'm going to take Nuannuan to visit our military compound later. Our compound is so big, it will take until dark. Let Nuannuan stay and let her live in the same room with Grandma Qu."

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Ye Qin ended the silence at the table: "Nuannuan, remember to call your parents and tell them, don't let them worry."

Fortunately, there were only family members at their table, otherwise they would have been very embarrassed.

Wen Nuan was delighted and made a phone call after dinner, but the call didn't go through.

After the banquet, Zhou Zhanqi and Ji Diyin went to see the guests off, while Qu Jinghong and Ye Qin continued chatting, with the two Zhou brothers accompanying them.

One was absent-minded, the other was careless, and they would add water and pour tea for them from time to time.

Wen Nuan came back and said, "Grandma, my parents don't seem to be at home, and the call didn't go through."

Qu Jinghong smiled soothingly: "Don't worry, I'll call you later."

Zhou Jihuai's heart moved, he let go of the kettle and stood up: "Grandma, Grandma Qu, I'm going to do some work there, I can stop by the school to pass on the message."

"That's great," Ye Qin and Qu Jinghong both saw that he wanted to run away, and said cheerfully, "Nuan Nuan's parents are not working today. Her family lives in the Beijing Family Courtyard, Building 3, Room 303."

With a tremor in her warm eyes, she walked towards Zhou Jihuai.

He looks so good, tall, handsome, and in great shape. Unlike Zhou Yusheng, Zhou Jihuai exudes a sense of power that is ready to strike, like a leopard.

Maybe because he was born with fair skin, he didn't get particularly tanned even though he spent years in the army. On the contrary, because of the frequent exercise, he looked healthier and more beautiful than other fair-skinned men.

Wen Nuan came closer, her face slightly reddened: "Thank you, Brother Zhou."

Zhou Jihuai frowned, took two steps back calmly, and faced the two old men: "I'll go right away."

Jingzhou City has a large urban area, and the South Military District Military Academy is a bit far away from Jingzhou University in the north. It was already 5:30 in the afternoon when Zhou Jihuai drove there.

The jeep stopped opposite Kyoto University because of a red light.

Zhou Jihuai stared at the road ahead. After a while, he heard a familiar voice, glanced to the side, and his gaze fixed.

Is it her?