Zi Xi became more and more excited as she thought about it, her eyes lighting up as if she could already see a vast island business empire rising in her hands.
Even the dimly lit and dilapidated supply and marketing cooperative seemed much more pleasing to the eye, like a future flagship store.
After paying, Pei Jiwang accepted the soy sauce and vinegar bottles handed to him by the salesperson.
Turning my head, I saw Zi Xi staring at the rolls of toilet paper and soap, her eyes shining, and even a strange smile on her lips.
He could clearly hear the complete inner monologue of her mind, from disliking scarcity to discovering business opportunities, and then to planning a business blueprint.
For a moment, Pei Jiwang was at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
This little girl's thought process is indeed different from that of normal people.
One second they're lamenting the poor quality of toilet paper, the next they're conjuring up images of building a business empire.
Pei Jiwang looked at her cheeks, which were slightly flushed with excitement, and her almond-shaped eyes, which shone with shrewdness.
A feeling mixed with amusement, and even a hint of indescribable appreciation, quietly swept through my heart.
The little girl seems to be more than just a complaining pretty face.
Beneath her delicate appearance, there is indeed something different.
On the way back, Zixi still sat on the back of the bumpy bicycle.
But at this point, her complaints had lessened considerably, replaced by various additions and revisions to the business blueprint.
Because the little girl was immersed in her own exciting thoughts, her tolerance for the desolate scenery along the way also increased.
Pei rode her bike in silence, her mind racing with calculations about channel costs and profits, feeling that this procurement trip was packed with information.
As evening approached, the sky darkened without warning, thick dark clouds rolled in from the sea, and the air was filled with a stuffy and damp atmosphere, as if a downpour was imminent.
A strong wind began to howl, whipping up sand and gravel that rattled against the paper windows.
Sure enough, after nightfall, a rare storm swept across the island.
Large raindrops pounded heavily on the red tiles of the roof, making a loud crackling sound.
The wind, carrying rain, seeped in through the cracks in the doors and windows, bringing with it a biting chill.
Pei Jiwang got up and carefully inspected the doors and windows, trying his best to seal the gaps with the old strips of cloth and newspapers he could find.
When he returned to the inner room, he saw Zixi curled up on the bare, hard bed in the bedroom, covered with a thin military blanket, her whole body trembling slightly.
Lightning flashes outside the window occasionally illuminated the room, reflecting her pale face and her eyes filled with fear.
She gripped the corner of the blanket tightly, her knuckles turning white.
[Won't this wind blow the house down? This rain is so heavy, it's like the sky is leaking, it's terrifying! I've never seen such heavy rain in Shanghai before...]
Zi Xi's heartfelt words, tinged with a subtle tremor, clearly reached Pei Jiwang's ears.
He frowned and draped one of his old military jackets over her thin blanket.
"It's all built now. I've blocked up all the doors and windows. The house is very sturdy and won't collapse."
His voice sounded unusually calm amidst the wind and rain.
Zi Xi didn't speak, but instead shrank her face further into the blanket, leaving only her eyes showing as she anxiously stared at the window paper that was flapping in the wind.
Pei Jiwang sat down at the table in the outer room and picked up a book on military theory by the dim light of a kerosene lamp, trying to distract himself.
However, after reading only a few pages, he suddenly felt a slight dizziness.
Immediately afterwards, the voice that had always been clear to Zi Xi became like a radio whose signal was suddenly severely interfered with, becoming intermittent and indistinct.
The house is leaking, it's so cold, phew...
The sound suddenly weakened, and there was even a brief, unsettling silence.
Pei Jiwang suddenly raised his head, closed the book, and frowned deeply.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com