Chapter 86 An Ordinary Yet Extraordinary Life
Xiao Chuan was still waiting outside the office for Wu Zhongguo to get off work. It was the same when I was a child. After school, I would sit in the empty meeting room, flipping through comic books, and time would fly by.
Today was the same. Dad and his colleagues were busy catching criminals, and Mom was working hard to cook at home in her spare time. He used the delivery fee to buy soda and a hot-blooded comic book, and forgot about the homework assigned by the teacher. The day passed in the blink of an eye.
He couldn't actually read comic books, but through the window he could hear the victims' families encouraging each other to live strong lives.
He felt a little sad, but also a little relieved.
He still has a home to return to, and a father to wait for him.
The noise outside the corridor grew louder. Xiao Chuan stood at the door and peeked out. He felt that there wasn't much difference between adults getting off work and children getting off school. Anyway, he saw the smiles on Uncle Lu Ye and Uncle Zhao Qiqi's faces, which were similar to his own after school.
They don't have homework yet!
"Your dad and Zheng are working on the case materials; it'll probably take a while." Chen Zhenzhu's smile was bright in the sunlight, and the boy's little thoughts vanished, once again putting his homework out of his mind.
"You're so loyal! From now on, you're like an older sister to me." Xiao Chuan patted his chest and said, "I know you put a lot of effort into this case. You're the most considerate adult I've ever met. I'll definitely help you if you ever need anything in the future!"
Shen Zhenzhu was waiting for Gu Yanzheng. It was already 5:30. Since she had already waited so long, she might as well wait another hour, have dinner together, and get a good night's sleep, so as to avoid having her days and nights reversed.
"I haven't congratulated you on making it into the provincial team as a starter yet. Your foot is healing really fast," Shen Zhenzhu said with a smile.
Xiao Chuan rested his elbows on the table and whispered, "I was just kidding Fang Chengkai. The match won't be until after the New Year. Who knows if he'll still be a nobody in the starting lineup?"
"You're really something!" Shen Zhenzhu laughed heartily, her voice sweet and clear.
Xiao Chuan scratched his ear, as if he had seen the monkey offspring of the King of Flower Fruit Mountain, and then laid out his thoughts to Shen Zhenzhu: "Don't laugh at me, I have something I need your help with."
Shen Zhenzhu said, "Since you treat me like an older sister, I'm willing to help you."
Xiao Chuan said again, "See? I told you you're a stickler for things. It's really not a big deal. My dad is your colleague, so why don't you let him be on camera sometime?"
Chen Zhenzhu asked, "Why?"
Ogawa honestly said, "To satisfy my childish vanity."
This made Chen Zhenzhu very happy. She said with a trembling shoulder, "Okay, I'll give it a try later."
Xiao Chuan glanced at the door and, seeing no one coming, beckoned to Shen Zhenzhu with his finger.
Shen Zhenzhu was willing to play with him, so she leaned closer and said, "Go on."
Xiao Chuan said, "You don't need to find a way to get him in the spotlight. You've seen 'Detective Dee,' right? When you solve a case and a reporter wants to interview you, you can just ask my dad in front of the camera, 'Old Wu, what do you think?' That'll be enough. If you ask him a lot, everyone will know that my dad is an excellent strategist at his workplace."
A burst of laughter erupted, and the four groups of unreliable adults who had been hiding by the door appeared.
"I think you're treating me like I'm mentally challenged." Wu Zhongguo smiled helplessly and vigorously rubbed Xiao Chuan's big head: "Come on, your mom made chicken soup. We'll wait for the two of us to go home."
For years, Wu Zhongguo has made it a point to leave work on time and go home for dinner every day.
The four teams were already used to it, and they went downstairs together to go to Sister Liu's restaurant to replenish their bodies after staying up all night.
Director Liu happened to run into them, waved to Shen Zhenzhu, and said in a friendly tone, "Come here."
Come on, come on.
Chen Zhenzhu ran over and said crisply, "Here. Director Liu, what are your orders?"
Who says women are inferior to men? They are all Mulan.
Director Liu sincerely thought that in previous years, the number of female police officers allocated was not large, and next year the unit would definitely recruit more female comrades. Since Shen Zhenzhu arrived, he's been taking less of his blood pressure medication!
"I'm letting you in advance, there's something coming at the start of the year—"
"Grand Martial Arts Competition!"
Director Liu nodded and said, "I'm thinking of letting—"
"Let me go!"
Director Liu coughed, and the junior cadre remained silent, pursing his lips. The members of Team Four standing behind him were barely able to contain their laughter.
Lu Ye called out casually, "Sister Pearl, don't beat me to it!"
Zhou Chuanxi, not one to mince words, said, "Staying up all night has ruined your brain. Director Liu, just say what you need to say."
Shen Zhenzhu chuckled as she looked at Director Liu.
How could Director Liu argue with Shen Zhenzhu? He said again in a friendly tone, "Originally, the 'Grand Competition' was to find unsolved cases that hadn't been solved in the past three years and transfer them to other units for discussion. In other words, it was an exchange to test criminal investigation and case-solving abilities."
At this point, Director Liu's smile grew even brighter, his double chin swaying slightly, allowing Shen Zhenzhu to glimpse a hint of smugness and pride from his leader: "However, in the last three years, the case-solving rate of our Liancheng City Bureau has been steadily increasing, and there are no unsolved cases left over, haha, none, isn't that amazing?"
Shen Zhenzhu couldn't help but exclaim with delight, "Amazing!"
Director Liu chuckled and said, "We can't just transfer cases of drunken brawls and assaults or speculation at the mall entrance to them. But what if we don't have any unsolved cases?"
Shen Zhenzhu was very accommodating and continued the conversation, saying, "There are also many old cases in the archives."
Director Liu laughed and said, "That's right. Don't you often go to Zhang Jie's place? Have her find a case and we'll submit it as a token of appreciation, so that our brother unit can solve it."
"Yes." Shen Zhenzhu belatedly realized that this was what the "Grand Martial Arts Competition" was about. However, she was confident in her abilities.
Chen Zhenzhu took two steps, then turned back and asked, "When is the competition?"
Director Liu stopped and said, "We need to start preparing after the New Year. The case files should be distributed by the end of February, and we'll go to Chenzhou in early March to exchange experiences on solving cases. You're one of the spots. Who else would you like to go with?"
Shen Zhenzhu turned her head again and saw Lu Ye, Zhou Chuanxi, and Zhao Qiqi with expectant faces, as well as Wu Zhongguo looking up at the sky. He had a family to support and this incident had happened, so he didn't really want to go on business trips lately.
"Uncle Wu." Shen Zhenzhu's voice made Wu Zhongguo think she had taken the wrong medicine.
Director Liu also looked over, thinking to himself that this pearl really didn't follow the usual path.
Then Chen Zhenzhu said with a grin, "Old Wu, what do you think?"
Xiao Chuan quickly ran behind Gu Yanzheng to hide. Gu Yanzheng smiled and patted him on the shoulder: "That's good, you can help your dad with chores now."
Wu Zhongguo looked at Gu Yanzheng, who said, "I have work scheduled for early next year, so I will definitely stay here."
Wu Zhongguo said with a smile, "I didn't say you were going."
Gu Yanzheng: "...Hmm."
Wu Zhongguo said, "It depends on which of the three is willing. I have no objection."
Shen Zhenzhu turned to Director Liu and said, "Can we discuss this further internally?"
"Okay." Director Liu treated Shen Zhenzhu well, and after the notification was given, he got into his car and went home.
Sixth Sister stood outside the restaurant, eagerly awaiting the return of the fourth group. Seeing their disheveled appearance and learning that they hadn't slept for almost two days, she quickly asked them to sit down.
Back in her mother's territory, Chen Zhenzhu felt exhausted. As her bottom hit the bench, a bubbling casserole dish, glistening with amber oil, was placed in front of her.
Xiao Li set out the bowls and plates, served them soup, and said, "Angelica and Astragalus Black Chicken Soup, I've been simmering it since yesterday afternoon. It's very nourishing to drink this after staying up all night."
"It smells so good." Zhou Chuanxi inhaled the aroma, the medicinal fragrance of angelica mixed with the scent of sweet dates. He picked at the chicken with his chopsticks; the black-boned chicken was incredibly tender, the meat falling into the soup with the slightest touch.
Sixth Sister brought over another large bowl of food and said in a moment, "Drink it while it's hot, it won't taste good when it's cold."
"Wow, steamed egg custard. I love it." Chen Zhenzhu blew on the black-boned chicken soup in the soup spoon, her eyes fixed on the steamed egg custard.
The white porcelain bowl was filled with a smooth, pale yellow steamed egg custard, resembling solidified yellow jelly. With each movement, the surface of the egg trembled slightly, and steam, mingled with the aroma of eggs, rose from its tiny pores.
Shen Liuhe felt both sorry for and amused by his greedy appearance: "This is steamed egg custard with codonopsis and wolfberry. I know you've been staying up late, so this is all easy to digest and nutritious. Eating a spoonful of my egg custard is more nutritious than eating a whole egg."
Lu Ye had already finished a bowl of black-boned chicken soup, so naturally he wouldn't let the delicious food in front of him go to waste. He scooped up a spoonful of the ginseng slices and bright red goji berries at the bottom of the bowl and swallowed them, the heat making him gasp for breath.
Shen Liuhe had a good impression of Lu Ye; he was tall, strong, and not a picky eater. She handed Lu Ye a glass of water and said with a smile, "Don't rush, no one's going to take it from you."
Lu Ye took a sip and tasted the slightly bitter ginseng slices mixed with the sweet, sticky texture of the dates. He exclaimed in surprise, "Date tea?"
Shen Liuhe said, "With the addition of American ginseng, you won't get a sore throat even if you drink too much. Here, this is yam and pork rib soup, pan-fried millet cake, and longan and lotus seed millet porridge. After you finish these, you'll be refreshed after a good night's sleep."
Gu Yanzheng took the longan, lotus seed, and millet porridge. Rice oil condensed into a film on the surface of the bowl. The whole longan pulp absorbed the nutrients and moisture of the millet porridge, each plump and buried in the porridge.
He scooped up a longan, put it in his mouth, and bit it open; the sweet juice of the longan splashed onto his tongue...
Soon, the spoon scraped against the bottom of the bowl with a soft slurping sound. The bustling atmosphere of the restaurant, along with the warm porridge, filled my stomach, making me feel refreshed and invigorated.
Their table was close to the kitchen, which was Shen Liuhe's personal preference. This way, she could manage the kitchen while also taking care of these troublesome older kids.
The pressure cooker was hissing and steaming, and Xiao Li was pounding black sesame seeds inside, just in case Sister Pearl was working overtime at the end of the year and went bald before she even got married.
In a warm corner of the restaurant, the chill and fatigue that had accumulated in the bones of the four teams were gradually driven away by their mother's cooking.
As soon as the nightlights were turned on, Xiao Li's shouts rang out from the kitchen: "The duck soup is ready!"
Shen Liuhe pushed open the kitchen door, and saw clean white towels placed on both sides of the casserole. She paused in her movements.
Shen Zhenzhu, Gu Yanzheng, Lu Ye, Zhou Chuanxi, and Zhao Qiqi were all slumped in their seats, exhausted.
In front of Shen Zhenzhu was half a bowl of steaming egg custard, and in her hand she held a half-eaten millet cake, with almond crumbs peeking out from between her fingers. Zhou Chuanxi was asleep, slumped over the menu, while Zhao Qiqi's forehead was pressed against the rim of the millet porridge bowl, her breath creating tiny ripples on the oily film of the porridge.
In a bustling restaurant, this corner is quiet and peaceful.
Shen Liuhe quietly brought them clothes to put on, and then put the duck soup back on the fire to keep it warm.
At the next table, a family of four was talking about something amusing, and the adults and children were laughing heartily. Their laughter, along with the sounds of the police officers snoring away, blended into the scene at Sixth Sister's Restaurant.
Shen Liuhe returned to the counter and started working on her abacus, calculating bills for customers as she did every day, rounding down the amount as she went. In the shop, some customers were ordering food, some were ordering soft drinks, and others were gazing into each other's eyes, forgetting the world around them and enjoying their time together.
This night was so ordinary, yet so precious. It was as if, even if you did nothing but swing your legs and savor the delicious food in front of you, you had the right to be treated gently by the world.
These bloodshot eyes, scabbed wounds, and missed time with family are all gently comforted by the delicious food, allowing these people who guard the darkness and drive away the cold to be tenderly protected as well.
In her dream, Chen Zhenzhu smacked her lips, and the almond crumbs fell on the table like scattered stars.
The world is still cruel. There are criminals wielding knives, missing women and children, and life-threatening rescues. But at this moment, in this small corner of the world, hot soup warms cold lips, soothes weary organs, and even the noise around you becomes the best lullaby.
In the end, God left this paradise, allowing the pursuers to close their eyes in peace, allowing the mother who cooks soup to sprinkle scallions into the casserole without worry, and allowing all the souls swimming in the darkness to temporarily find shore, curling up in the warmth of their home like children.
Just like when Mom adds a few extra red dates when stewing chicken soup, or two extra slices of ginger when making peony and pork rib soup, or reducing the amount of rock sugar in the jujube tea, just like when she looks out the window with worry while cooking, and after seeing their figures, she mutters to herself: "My eldest daughter is back. Make sure you eat your fill. Only when you're full will you have the strength to fight against the bad guys."
My mother doesn't think she has any great abilities, but she is the one who finds home when her children are exhausted from returning home late at night.
*** ***
In the early hours of a winter night, Chen Zhenzhu finished her shift and took a bus to Liancheng State-owned Shopping Mall.
She saw Shen Yuyuan standing at the front of the crowded queue, jogged over, rubbed her hands together, and breathed out white puffs of air as she spoke: "Here's a steamed bun for you, eat it quickly."
Shen Yuyuan and Shen Liuhe queued for the first half of the night and the second half, respectively, and finally managed to secure a place at the state-run department store's television set discount ticket counter.
As the Spring Festival of 1993 approached, Shen Zhenzhu's new home was finally renovated. The furniture and appliances were mostly arranged by Shen Liuhe and Shen Yuyuan, except for the television, which still needed to be purchased.
Although the market economy was gradually liberalized, scarce commodities such as television sets were still subject to planned regulation. Purchasing a television set required either a work unit's allocation, a lottery system, or the exchange of overseas remittance certificates or foreign exchange certificates.
The 18-inch Venus brand TV purchased with the voucher costs over a thousand yuan and is in limited quantities, requiring people to queue up to buy it.
Shen Zhenzhu originally felt sorry for her family and didn't want them to work hard, so she went to the premium market, which later became known as the "scalper," to buy the goods. Not only did the price double, but the source of the goods was also unknown.
"I've heard that some scalpers counterfeit TV coupons, and some even use empty TV boxes to scam people. We should just buy from the official channels for peace of mind." Shen Zhenzhu knew that after 1993, food coupons and industrial coupons would be abolished nationwide, but her family had everything except a TV. With the Spring Festival approaching, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and come to buy one.
"I heard there's a domestically produced TV under the Peony brand, which is 200 yuan cheaper than the Venus brand." Shen Yuyuan had been standing for half the night and felt that her calves were numb. If it weren't for her good friend accompanying her for several hours, she wouldn't have been able to keep going.
"Those with tickets, line up in the south line. Those without tickets, don't push, there's no room for you!" The sales clerk of the state-run department store was as ruthless as ever. He opened the roller shutter door and let a group of people into front of the counter, shouting frantically, "Anyone who dares to cut in line, don't buy anything!"
The television was right in front of them; there were five hundred units in this batch. Shen Zhenzhu was third in line. She saw a sign on a pillar next to the counter that read "No hitting or scolding customers," and she and Shen Yuyuan exchanged a smile.
When it was their turn, Chen Zhenzhu handed over the TV voucher. The sales clerk examined it carefully under the light, turning it over and over. After checking, she asked, "Venus or Peony?"
“Peony,” Chen Zhenzhu said crisply.
"Bring me a Peony TV." After the saleswoman finished speaking, she waved her hand to the side, and Shen Zhenzhu and Shen Yuyuan quickly moved aside to wait for the TV.
"It's quite heavy; thank goodness we brought it by cart." An 18-inch Peony brand domestically produced television—a heavyweight appliance. The two sisters pulled the cart together, walking through the snow.
There were taxis waiting for passengers by the roadside. Shen Yuyuan was struggling to pull the cart and almost slipped and hit the curb when a weathered hand caught her and immediately let go.
Just as Shen Zhenzhu was about to thank him, she noticed that the lean middle-aged man was staring at the peony-themed television on their cart with red eyes and a bitter expression.
"Thank you." Shen Yuyuan lifted her foot and glanced at the sole of her new leather shoes that she had bought for the New Year. There was a piece of plastic tape stuck to it at some point.
Before Shen Yuyuan could reach out, the middle-aged man ripped off the tape, waved his hand, and said, "Go on, little girl, watch where you're going next time."
Just as Chen Zhenzhu was wondering what was going on, a short woman ran out of the alleyway next to the state-owned department store. Her face was sallow, and her head was covered by a hat and a scarf. She grabbed him, sobbing uncontrollably, and said, "Old Huang, cough cough cough, don't waste your money! I don't want the TV anymore. I have regrets in this life, but I can try again in the next... cough cough..."
The lean old Huang wiped away his tears and said to Chen Zhenzhu, "Let's go. You finally managed to buy this TV, so take it with you. Don't talk to anyone who tries to talk to you; there are a lot of scammers here."
Shen Zhenzhu saw his wife coughing violently, her hunched and thin body looking as if she was coughing up her lungs.
"What's wrong with her?" Shen Yuyuan walked over and handed a tissue to the short, sickly woman.
Old Huang wiped away his tears again and said, "She has lung cancer, and she shaved her head. The doctor said she wouldn't live more than three months. Her biggest wish was to watch a Spring Festival Gala. Unfortunately, I'm not capable enough to get TV vouchers or buy her a TV to fulfill her dream."
Shen Zhenzhu looked down at the hard-won Peony brand television set, her face flushed red from the north wind. She reached up and grabbed her hair, struggling and conflicted!
Shen Yuyuan did the same, coming in the middle of the night to queue up and worked hard to get the TV!
The middle-aged couple is so pitiful; they only have one more Spring Festival Gala to watch. Meanwhile, she still has dozens more to watch.
After much hesitation, the sisters Shen Zhenzhu and Shen Yuyuan looked at each other and understood the answer in each other's eyes.
"The money is correct, not a penny is missing." Old Huang counted the money in front of them, then said embarrassedly, "When my company issues TV vouchers, I will definitely call this number to let you know so you can come and pick them up. There are too few kind people in society these days. Thank you both, we will never forget you."
His wife kept bowing beside him, and it was heartbreaking to see.
Although she felt a little sad that she didn't get the Peony TV, she felt that she had ultimately done a good deed and warmed the hearts of the community.
"Sister, shall we take a taxi?" Shen Yuyuan pointed to the taxis waiting on the side.
Shen Zhenzhu nodded and smiled, "Let's reward ourselves today! We'll take a taxi home!"
Shen Zhenzhu and Shen Yuyuan got into a taxi one after the other. The taxi driver saw them in the rearview mirror, but they seemed to want to say something but didn't.
The car turned onto the main road and waited in line for the traffic light.
"You sons of bitches, you really are here!" an older woman shrieked, crossing the street to where Chen Zhenzhu and the others had gotten into the car, and grabbed the short woman's hat and ripped it off.
Shen Zhenzhu and Shen Yuyuan turned around desperately and clearly saw the smooth, long hair falling down!
"Sister, we've been scammed! That lady isn't sick at all!"
Chen Zhenzhu hurriedly said, "Master, stop the car!"
The taxi driver had already crossed the zebra crossing at the intersection: "Sorry, there are traffic police ahead. If I stop, I'll lose half a month's wages, and my car will be towed away."
Shen Zhenzhu shook the car window hard, so angry that she wanted to jump out and grab them.
Shen Yuyuan held her tightly: "Big sister, don't be impulsive!"
The taxi driver couldn't hold back any longer and said regretfully, "Are you from out of town? These two scalpers have been here for years, scamming people out of TVs and reselling them at inflated prices. Don't blame me for not telling you; they've been hanging around here for ages, and there's nothing I can do about it. Hey, how much did they pay you?"
As Chen Zhenzhu watched them turn from backs into green beans and then disappear behind her, she slammed her head against the back seat and angrily said, "1300!"
The driver chuckled and said, "That's fine too, it's not a loss. But if he sells it, he can at least make this much—" He gestured an "eight" with his hand and said, "Eight hundred!"
Shen Yuyuan angrily said, "He didn't give us TV vouchers! I'm calling the police!"
The driver said, "Calling the police is useless; these people play cat and mouse with everyone. You really want to call the police? Which police station should I take you to?"
He glanced at her in the rearview mirror and thought that Shen Zhenzhu looked like a guest on a legal program that was being rebroadcast on TV.
Shen Zhenzhu recognized that look. She wanted to acknowledge him but dared not, afraid of offending a stranger by mistaking him for someone else.
She quickly wrapped her scarf around her face, leaving only her big, bright eyes showing, and said in a muffled voice, "Don't call the police, just take us to the Oriental Garden residential area."
The taxi driver sensed her resistance and secretly watched her the whole way before driving her home.
Shen Liuhe was still cleaning the new house when she was surprised to see the two sisters leave in high spirits and return empty-handed.
After realizing he'd been scammed, he slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Let's go find them!"
The mother and her two children then rode their little motorcycle to the state-run shopping mall, but after searching around, they couldn't find any scalpers or scammers.
Shen Liuhe had no choice but to go to the nearby police station with her two silly daughters to report the case.
A mishap that capsized in the ditch!
Shen Zhenzhu was too ashamed to register her own name!
The next day at work, news spread throughout the Liancheng Public Security Bureau that Section Chief Shen of the Criminal Investigation Team had been swindled out of an 18-inch Peony brand domestic television by a scalper.
Even when the butcher asked a question while buying radishes and kimchi, the junior cadre was so embarrassed that he pretended not to hear and got into the car.
"You said you've interrogated so many criminals, that you wouldn't be fooled by them at all, so why did you let your guard down?"
“I’ve seen those two before. One is skinny with darting eyes, and the other is short, thin, and sallow with a regional accent, isn’t he? They don’t look like good people at all.”
"Don't mention recognizing Brother Ye when you go out; Brother Ye would be ashamed."
"It's alright, it's alright, we've definitely taken care of everything for you. With such a big fuss, the police station over there will definitely do their best to deal with them."
Chen Zhenzhu slumped onto her desk, her hair disheveled, sobbing uncontrollably. She was utterly humiliated! Shame and anger accompanied her throughout the day's work. In the interrogation room, facing the motorcycle snatcher, she didn't even need to speak before he confessed upon seeing her aggressive demeanor: "I didn't lay a hand on him. I just snatched it and rode off on the motorcycle. Arrest me if you want, but don't hit me."
Shen Zhenzhu's face was drooping, and her face had turned pale.
"Sister Pearl, are we having the hot pot dinner again tonight?" Zhao Qiqi knew how much Shen Zhenzhu valued the television. Today was the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, and the day after the hot pot dinner was New Year's Eve, so the television was indispensable.
"Eat," Chen Zhenzhu said listlessly. "Have a drink with me tonight. By the way, where's Zheng Ge? Teams one, two, and three all came to mock him, but where's he?"
Lu Ye put on his police cotton jacket, and while buttoning it up, he said, "You forgot? I went to a meeting in the provincial capital. We agreed to meet at your new house."
"Oh." Chen Zhenzhu had really forgotten.
Oriental Garden boasts a prime location, with hospitals, schools, shopping malls, community gardens, and kindergartens nearby, making it a one-stop destination for humanistic healthcare and daily life.
But they don't sell televisions.
Even if I had a coupon, I couldn't buy it.
Waaah.
Shen Zhenzhu listlessly opened the door, followed by a group of men who were winking and peeking inside.
"Wow!" Shen Zhenzhu exclaimed in surprise as she looked at the huge imported color television set in the living room!
Gu Yanzheng was squatting on the ground studying the instruction manual, while Shen Yuyuan was attentively serving him tea and water. All of this was for this color television set, a symbol of expensive, luxurious, and extravagant living!
"Brother Zheng!!" Shen Zhenzhu was almost moved to tears. Only she knew how lonely she felt every New Year's Eve when she heard other people's Spring Festival Gala playing! The joy of the Spring Festival lay in staying at home, listening to her sixth sister's nagging, and watching the gala over and over again!
The landlord's TV had a persistent signal problem, requiring constant tinkering. Finally, we got TV vouchers, only to have them stolen.
Shen Zhenzhu looked at Gu Yanzheng with a pout, as if she had seen a savior.
"Don't get excited. Although I brought the TV back from the provincial capital, it's a housewarming gift that all of us in Team Four pooled our money to give you." Gu Yanzheng picked up the large color TV and, with his own strength, placed it steadily on the TV cabinet that Shen Zhenzhu had carefully selected.
He dared not meet Shen Zhenzhu's gaze. He pretended to read the instruction manual, hastily avoiding Shen Zhenzhu's burning and grateful look, and casually placed the white floral lace TV cover from the plastic bag on the TV.
Shen Zhenzhu then went to the back and saw her comrades who had braved wind and rain. She rushed up and gave each of them a big hug: "Thank you! I'm so happy, so happy, so happy! A thousand times, a million times happy!"
Lu Ye and the others accepted her gratitude somewhat awkwardly, but the unspoken understanding remained. If one had to name a fundraising effort, they did indeed contribute some money, originally intending to buy a regular 18-inch TV.
However, seeing the imported Toshiba 21-inch large-screen TV, given its exorbitant price, the funds they raised might only be enough to buy the white lace cover for the TV.
The "culprit" behind Shen Zhenzhu had a smile on his lips.
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Author's Note: Gu Yanzheng's mother arrived at her son's wedding room and was shocked: Where did the large color TV go?!
***
It's known that Di Renjie isn't from this era, so this is just a little joke. Please have a laugh and let it go. [Let me see][Let me see]
See you tomorrow, there's a red envelope! [Hugs]
Please bookmark this page! [Please!]
***
Next case preview: The thank-you gift from the kind-hearted Li Mancang
***
Food descriptions and reflections are based on and modified from online sources.
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