"Um."
No wonder Chen Baifei was surprised. Zhao Lanzhi was known throughout the town for her love of money. He thought she would definitely not be satisfied with him, a poor son-in-law, and would find a wealthy family for her daughter. He did not expect her to agree so easily. There must be something fishy about this.
A thought struck him, and he stared intently at her. "What did you tell her?"
Lu Shuangshuang's eyes flickered. She took a few steps, then leaned against the bridge railing, avoiding his gaze. "You don't care how I convinced you. Just hurry up. You have three days to tell your aunt, or I'll tell the whole town about us!"
"You!" Chen Baifei could hardly believe his ears. "What nonsense are you talking about!"
Lu Shuangshuang turned around, her gaze firm, and said, "Brother Baifei, we've already slept together. I'm yours for life. You have to marry me. Otherwise, when I tell the whole town that you and I have had a relationship, what will the neighbors think of you? You'll lose your job. You'd better think about what to do."
Chen Baifei stared intently at her, gritting his teeth, "Lu Shuangshuang, you're threatening me!"
“I don’t want to force you.” Lu Shuangshuang turned to the side, avoiding his gaze. “Brother Baifei, you’re the one who’s been too indecisive. I’m just giving you a push for our future.”
Chen Baifei eventually agreed.
It started raining on his way home, the rain drizzling down his head and sliding down his rough, short hair, but he didn't pay any attention to it.
Suddenly, his mother's gentle voice from yesterday echoed in his mind, "Bai Fei, isn't Shuangshuang the second daughter of the Lu family who doesn't work? I don't think she's good enough for you. She doesn't work and is spoiled. How can a woman like that support you through thick and thin, how can she care for you..."
"I think the eldest daughter of the Lu family is quite good, but unfortunately, you two aren't meant to be..."
Raindrops dripped into his heart, casting a shadow beneath his eyelids. Chen Baifei slowly curled his hands into fists.
The next day, Xu Xinchen's school was closed for the Sunday service, but she still got up early and went to a nearby alley to buy hot steamed buns.
Yesterday, she had a falling out with Lu Shuangshuang and her daughter, so it was unlikely that they would ever eat together again. Xu Xinchen didn't care. She still had 20 yuan left. After calculating the prices here, she figured it was just enough for a month's worth of food, but it would barely be enough for some simple porridge and side dishes. There was no hope of eating big meals.
She still had to cut back on food and clothing. She looked down at her canvas shoes, which were already worn out. She wondered how long Lu Minshi had worn these shoes. They were so worn out and rubbed her feet. She figured she would earn a little more money and then buy a new pair.
The air in Qingyuan Town was fresh in the early morning. She had braided her hair into a fishtail braid and put it up in an updo, paired with the stylish short skirt she had bought yesterday. She looked as fresh as jasmine, yet also incredibly beautiful, attracting attention wherever she went.
As Xu Xinchen was lost in thought, she heard the sound of a car engine coming from the street ahead. She looked up and saw a man sitting in the car not far away staring at her blankly. She searched her memory and smiled sweetly, "Uncle Wang."
The man's heart melted at her smile. He agreed, grinning from ear to ear, "Hey, Min Shi, aren't you at work today?"
"Yeah, I'm on vacation." Xu Xinchen looked at the van with a cargo bed that he was driving. It was obviously used for hauling goods, but in this era when even bicycles were expensive, owning a vehicle was already quite an achievement.
She walked over and asked, "Uncle Wang, where are you going?"
"Go to the county town to pick up some goods." Uncle Wang took out a cigarette from behind him and lit it.
The county seat has a larger population, so there must be plenty of job opportunities. A thought crossed her mind, and she looked at him hesitantly, "Uncle Wang, I'm also going to the county seat. Could you give me a ride?"
"Sure, no problem, come on up."
This was Xu Xinchen's first time leaving Qingyuan Town to see the outside world. She didn't expect to succeed so easily. The villagers were all simple and warm-hearted. On the way, Uncle Wang joked with her while carefully comforting her, "Min Shi, you're so beautiful, you won't have to worry about marrying into a good family. Chen Baifei has no taste, don't take it to heart."
Xu Xinchen found it amusing; probably everyone in town knew she had been abandoned by Chen Baifei. However, she also felt a touch of emotion; this clumsy attempt at comforting her made her feel exceptionally warm.
"Yes, thank you, Uncle Wang."
The county seat is not far from Qingyuan Town. Xu Xinchen estimated that it would take less than an hour before he could see rows of houses in the distance.
After getting off the bus, Xu Xinchen wandered around the streets and alleys by herself. The streets were much more lively than the town, with a constant flow of traffic and buses with overhead wires.
Xu Xinchen felt a sense of familiarity mixed with a sense of novelty.
I bought some pastries along the way, such as red bean cake and osmanthus cake, to fill my stomach. Then I looked around to see where they were hiring.
She walked into a restaurant with a handwritten job posting on the door. The restaurant looked grand and impressive, probably one of the more upscale restaurants in the county.
Xu Xinchen looked inside and saw only the backs of several men, dressed in suits and exuding an extraordinary air, seemingly out of place in this small town.
She was staring blankly when everything went black. A waitress came up to her, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes when she saw her. She politely gestured, "Miss, please come in?"
Xu Xinchen waved her hand shyly and pointed to the notice posted at the door, asking, "Do you need more staff here?"
The waiter was taken aback, his gaze returning to her, scanning her up and down before saying, "Wait a moment, I'll go call the boss."
The proprietress was a plump woman who seemed quite gentle and kind. She walked over with a smile, but when her gaze fell on Xu Xinchen's face, her smile froze. She looked her over carefully again before asking in confusion, "Young lady, are you here for a job interview?"
Xu Xinchen smiled and responded.
The proprietress's gaze fell on her hands, her slender, fair fingers clearly showing she'd never done any manual labor. She understood, coughed, and said, "Girl, go back. This isn't for you."
As he spoke, he walked inside.
"Hey, wait a minute," Xu Xinchen called out anxiously.
The proprietress stopped and turned to look at her.
Xu Xinchen stepped up the stairs and came to the proprietress. Her eyes widened and her gaze was sincere. "Proprietress, I really have no money left. Can you give me a chance to try? If I can't do it, I definitely won't take up a minute of your time."
The proprietress looked at her for a long time before letting out a soft sigh and pointing to the tall stack of white porcelain bowls on the table by the door, "Go wash those bowls first."
Without hesitation, Xu Xinchen went to the table, picked up the stack of bowls that was as tall as her head, and moved laboriously towards the kitchen. At this moment, there was no one in the hall, only the occasional voices coming from the private rooms. The few waiters scattered in the hall were all doing their own things, but their eyes kept sneaking glances at her.
Unaware, Xu Xinchen moved the bowls step by step to the kitchen, filled the tub with water and added dish soap. Bubbles floated in the water as she washed the bowls one by one.
Less than an hour later, the proprietress came to inspect the kitchen and saw her washing and wiping the last bowl clean, placing it on a cabinet to the side. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You... you've finished washing all of these?"
Xu Xinchen nodded easily. She had done these kinds of jobs before her rebirth. She came from a poor family and struggled for many years to make a name for herself. But before that, when she was in school, she relied on these odd jobs to support herself.
In her opinion, these were just a piece of cake.
The proprietress was silent for a moment, then said, "Come with me."
The proprietress led her through the lobby to the private room area, which was separated by screens and had a quiet and elegant environment.
The proprietress handed her a bottle of red wine and gestured with her chin towards it, saying, "Go pour them some wine."
Xu Xinchen looked at the wine bottle in her hand. The bottle was printed with French letters that she didn't recognize, but having experience with wine parties, she recognized the brand at a glance. This brand of wine was not cheap.
It's easy to imagine that the people sitting inside were either rich or powerful.
She hesitated and looked back at the proprietress. The proprietress gestured for her to go in. She took a breath and went around the screen.
"It's not safe to ship this batch of goods by sea. I'll call Shanghai and ask them to arrange for delivery. We should probably go by land..."
As soon as Xu Xinchen entered, she saw three men. The one facing her was the one who had spoken to her. He was leaning back in his chair, looked quite young, and was wearing a white suit. His posture was upright and elegant, and he was clearly well-educated.
He looked up at her almost the instant she entered, his shrewd gaze sweeping across her face.
Xu Xinchen lowered her head slightly and slumped her waist, remaining completely still.
The other two chairs shifted slightly. Xu Xinchen caught a glimpse of the person closest to him out of the corner of his eye. The person had a cigarette between his fingers, and his hand was long and slender with even knuckles, making it very pleasing to the eye.
A faint fragrance lingered around her, and surprisingly, she didn't find the smell unpleasant, despite her usual dislike of cigarettes.
The private room fell silent for a moment.
"Here to pour the wine?"
His voice was deep and magnetic, and his tone was somewhat impolite and nonchalant.
Xu Xinchen only came to her senses after being reminded, and responded softly. She first poured wine for the guest who was closest to her, the one who had just spoken up to help her out.
With my gaze lowered, I could only see the other person's elegant black neckline, the collar open, revealing their sexy collarbone.
The man in white across the table chuckled, his voice low and mocking, "Ah Sheng, you're so arrogant coming from abroad, always looking down on us."
This remote and impoverished place, Qingyuan, is a wonderful place, blessed with outstanding people and beautiful scenery. The girls here are just as good as foreign girls…”
"Yeah?"
A soft chuckle escaped his lips, the voice slightly languid.
“Isn’t that right?” another person who hadn’t spoken until now interjected, “Look at our waitresses, they’re all so beautiful.”
Xu Xinchen suddenly felt a sharp gaze sweep across her face. She gasped for breath, raised her face, and met those dark eyes that were inches away from hers.
The man's profile was sharply defined, his fair skin gleaming coldly under the light, and his eyes were slightly upturned, giving him a half-smile as he looked at her.
Xu Xinchen looked away almost immediately.
The two of them burst into laughter again.
"Ah Sheng, how are you?"
"Hmm...it's alright."
The man gave a perfunctory reply.
"Tsk, you call this 'okay'? Ah Sheng can forget about getting married in this lifetime. He probably wouldn't even be interested in a fairy!"
When Xu Xinchen came out of the private room, her face was flushed. She calmed her erratic heartbeat, exhaled, and her heart slowly calmed down.
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