Chapter 25: No Tickets, Still Learning to Be Generous
Qian Xusen wasn't really angry to begin with. After all, he was the one who had insisted on following her back, and even insisted on Wen Zhu's treatment. Furthermore, she was boarding at school and couldn't leave, so he had someone bring her a letter. He was actually quite touched.
No one has ever taken a promise to him so seriously, and he is actually happy about it.
I'm just used to disappointment and always want to prove the value of my existence.
When I heard that Wen Zhu was going back to school, I immediately sat up from the bed and asked, "Are you going back after dinner?"
Seeing that the boy was finally willing to pay attention to him, Wen Zhu stopped teasing him.
Perhaps because he didn't want to lose face and tarnish his heroic image, he resolutely refused Brother Zhang's help and insisted on hopping on one leg. However, this didn't seem particularly heroic and actually slowed down his walking speed. Only at Wen Zhu's suggestion did he reluctantly use a crutch. After walking for a while, he arrived at the town's only state-owned restaurant.
The blue brick walls were painted white, and the red double doors, with several panes of clear glass inset into the wooden doors, bore the words "State-owned Restaurant" in large letters, topped with a five-pointed star. The words "Self-reliance, Hard Work" were also inscribed on either side, perfectly reflecting the spirit of the era.
Wen Zhu walked in with Qian Xusen. There were only two people eating a bowl of noodles. Wen Zhu thought that he couldn't always take advantage of others, so he said arrogantly, "It's my treat today, order whatever you want!"
Qian Xusen glanced at her and said, "Forget it, let me do it."
"No, no, no, I'll do it. I have to take care of your food and drink, forget it."
"It's not much money, I'll give it to you, it's not worth the money."
Qian Xusen then unceremoniously ordered a plate of poached chicken, a plate of braised fish, a plate of greens, a bowl of tomato and egg drop soup, and three servings of white rice. The driver had already gone, leaving Zhang alone to take care of him. These dishes were just enough for the three of them. Wen Zhu didn't order anything else; she wasn't picky about food; she just wanted meat.
The two men were scrambling to pay. The cashier clattered away on an abacus and said, "Boiled chicken is four dollars and fifty cents, braised fish is three dollars and fifty cents, soup is one dollar, and stir-fried vegetables are fifty cents, a total of nine dollars and fifty cents. Also, give me eight ounces of meat coupons, half a pound of grain coupons, and two ounces of oil coupons."
Then both of them were stunned.
Wen Zhu asked, "I don't have a ticket, do you have one?"
Qian Xu: "I don't have any either. We have already cancelled the tickets in South City. Do you still need tickets here?"
They both turned back to look at the burly bodyguard, "Do you have a ticket?"
The bodyguard scratched his head, "Me neither."
Wen Zhu asked, "What have you been eating these past two days?"
Qian Xusen, "Eat the meal."
Wen Zhu wanted to give this damn kid a smack on the head, "I mean, where did you eat without a ticket?"
Qian Xusen pointed at the bodyguard and said, "On the first day, we ate the buns we brought from your house. We paid someone to heat them up. We went to your house for lunch today. Your aunt invited me to go. I listened to you and didn't stay at your house, so I came back after dinner."
Wen Zhu: ...
The staff at the state-owned restaurant was getting impatient. "Do you want to eat or not? If you can't afford it, don't waste my time. You don't have a ticket, but you're trying to be generous! Go, go, go."
Wen Zhu wanted to try to negotiate with the staff to see if he could get a ticket for free and pay more money, but he was ruthlessly kicked out.
The barrage of comments was full of laughter.
【Hahaha, cannon fodder treatment.】
[For some reason, she had the illusion that she was a newbie from another world who had intruded into a period novel. Hahaha, she was kicked out.]
【I'm eating chicken legs, do you want some? 】
I'm eating braised fish.
【I'm drinking tomato and egg soup. 】
The content was ruthlessly blocked by Wen Zhu. Not a single good word was said, all were just laughs at her. Cannon fodder also has self-respect, so she chose not to read it!
The three men went in with high spirits and came out covered in dust.
I could only squat not far from the state-owned restaurant, watching others eat and questioning my life.
Wen Zhu had barely eaten out in this era. She'd forgotten her past life, and it was 1984. But according to the novels she'd read, the heroine had traveled back in time, making a killing and earning a fortune, yet she'd never seen anyone ask for tickets. So why did she need a ticket to eat? Why couldn't she even afford a meal at a state-owned restaurant?
But she wasn't discouraged. She figured that since Nancheng had begun a pilot program to eliminate the coupon system this year, it was likely that economically more prosperous areas would gradually relax the policy next year. The years 1984 to 1985 would be a crucial turning point, and if her family wanted to make money, they had to seize this opportunity.
Wen Zhu was thinking in his mind, when at this moment an auntie peeked at them from outside the state-owned restaurant, saw them coming over, and asked in a low voice.
"Young man, young lady, do you want to eat? I can make it at home. It's a little more expensive than the state-owned restaurants, but the portions are definitely big, and most importantly, it doesn't require a ticket!"
Wen Zhu had become more wary of strangers after being kidnapped, but who knew that Qian Xusen had already followed him.
Wen Zhu quickly leaned in and whispered, "Aren't you afraid of being cheated? You've been sold once, and you still dare to follow someone?"
He glanced at Wen Zhu indifferently and said, "South City is already full of restaurants. Only your shabby place has nothing. If you don't dare to go, we will buy some food and bring it back to you. You can go back and wait for the food."
"Yes, there are many delicious foods in South City."
The auntie had actually heard them a long time ago, and seeing that they were worried, she explained, "Don't worry, young lady, we are a legal self-employed business with a license. It's just that people think it's too expensive nowadays and don't have that much money, so not many people go there to eat. If you don't believe me, I'll show you later. It's state-approved."
After walking two streets, we arrived at the place the aunt mentioned. It was a self-occupied house. The living room was cleared out and four small tables were placed in it. There was a small sign at the door that read "Wang's Restaurant".
It was very simple, but there was a sign on the wall saying it was a private business. So the group went to eat with peace of mind.
I ordered the same dishes as before, and they were delicious. After all, chicken, fish, and vegetables are all natural these days, without all the pesticides and hormones. It came to 11.5 yuan, a couple of yuan more than the state-owned restaurant, but since they didn't require a ticket, a little more expensive was better than no food at all.
Wen Zhu wandered around town again, buying some Chinese medicinal herbs for Qian Xusen to keep. She would take them home on the weekend and make them into pills and ointments for easy portability. She borrowed some tools from the pharmacy and made more ointment for Qian Xusen, substituting a few herbs. He was recovering well; now all she had to do was let the bones heal on their own.
Wen Zhu did not refuse Qian Xusen's offer to take her back to school. After all, it was already dark and it was not safe to be alone at night.
When she entered the school, Wen Zhu looked at Qian Xusen with the same look as if she was looking at a mother who had abandoned her child. This made her feel inexplicably guilty, but as a sixteen-year-old girl, how could she possibly take care of a child every day if she didn't study hard in school?
So he walked into the campus without looking back.
When Qian Xusen saw someone walk in, he asked, "Brother Zhang, as a student, shouldn't I do some reading? It's not good to hang out outside all day, right?"
Brother Zhang:? I don’t know who skipped school and was kidnapped.
"Yes, you should read some books." Otherwise, if you are not smart enough, you will be easily abducted.
Qian Xusen's originally gloomy mood has now cleared up.
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