Hanhan jumped off the kang (a heated brick bed) in a flash and went into the kitchen to carry bowls and basins into the room. Qin Xiaoyu watched in bewilderment as he jumped around, arranging the bowls on the floor and kang like an array. Finally, he pulled his little sister over and stuffed her into his arms before sitting down on the edge of the kang and letting out a long sigh.
One clap of thunder after another seemed poised to flatten this unjust world. The three sat motionless, not even the younger sister daring to utter a sound. As the thunder subsided, large raindrops pounded against the windowpane, leaving long, gray streaks. Soon, the house responded with a pattering, tinkling sound.
Qin Xiaoyu then realized that the house was leaking. Hanhan, well-trained, remembered the location of the leak and caught the water in the bowls and basins. The three of them, mother and daughters, sat silently amidst the dripping water. The younger sister, having finished eating, nestled in Qin Xiaoyu's arms, feeling sleepy. She swayed a few times, found a more comfortable position, and drifted off to sleep.
Hanhan seemed somewhat distant from Qin Xiaoyu, only looking at her without daring to approach her. The original host had often vented his anger on him; the mother had bipolar disorder, and the child was truly pitiful.
"Come here." Qin Xiaoyu, still feeling cold wrapped in the blanket, guessed that Hanhan was cold too, and reached out her hand to him. Hanhan glanced at her, then quickly threw himself into her arms, his head drooping, his shoulders hunched, but he made no sound. A moment later, Qin Xiaoyu felt her arm was soaked with sweat, and her heart ached dully; those dark, helpless nights of her childhood returned. In the rumble of thunder, she curled up in a corner, hoping for a warm embrace.
She constantly longed to escape this world, but if even she were gone, what would happen to the child? With such a useless mother protecting him, and so many people scheming against him, if even she were gone, Hanhan's life would probably be even more miserable than hers…
She was in a dilemma.
It rained for half the night, so we had to get up to empty the full bucket of water. Plus, there wasn't much space left on the kang (heated brick bed), so no one except my younger sister got a good night's sleep.
"Mom, you should get some sleep. I'll keep an eye on things. You have to go to work tomorrow," Hanhan said considerately.
Qin Xiaoyu considered saying she didn't want that lousy job anymore, but then she thought better of it and decided not to tell the child these things. The child was sensitive and she was afraid he would worry.
She thought a lot that night. Since there was no way to go back yet, she decided to leave it at that for now. Before she could solve her own problems, she should pave the way for Hanhan, which meant making money, making a lot of money.
She had made up her mind. She definitely wouldn't go to the textile factory. Tying herself to the spinning wheel for most of her life was a dead end. She wanted to see what else she could do to support herself. Reborn in this era, with her intelligence and diligence, she was sure she could find opportunities to make money if she was willing to dig. She wasn't one to give up easily; how would she know if she didn't try? She did it all for Hanhan's sake.
A single autumn rain brings a chill, and although the rain had stopped in the morning, the air was still biting cold. Qin Xiaoyu shivered as soon as she stepped outside, but she pushed her bicycle out without stopping. She had eaten a lot last night, mostly hard-to-digest food, so she didn't feel hungry. She planned to go out and explore the world first.
After a day of running around, Qin Xiaoyu was too exhausted to even complain.
Opportunities to make money are not nonexistent; in fact, they are frighteningly numerous.
Just now, a few children were playing around at the entrance of the alley with their schoolbags on their backs. There was a pile of sand there, which had been soaked by the rain. The outside was wet, but the inside was still dry. The children took turns rushing up and kicking it to make the wet shell fall off.
"We're going to be late! Get out of here!" A woman on a bicycle roared as she charged at the children, who fled in panic.
Qin Xiaoyu stared blankly at the dry sand cascading down like a waterfall for a while. Suddenly, a small green thing rolled out of the sand and landed at her feet.
She bent down and picked it up. It was an old-style ring; the silver setting had been embroidered with a dark green patina, but the emerald on it was still undamaged. Based on her knowledge of jewelry appraisal she had learned while working in a jewelry store, this quality and the inclusions would fetch at least 100,000 yuan in the 21st century. Yet now, her child had just taken it out and thrown it away like a toy.
Qin Xiaoyu held up the ring, as if she had spotted a huge business opportunity. She re-examined the world and was deeply astonished.
Money is everywhere! The old lady's shabby little chair is clearly made of Phoebe zhennan wood. The kangqin (a type of zither) in the old lady's house is made of the finest small-leaf sandalwood, and the vase with plum blossoms on the coffee table is made of glass—the craftsmanship alone is extraordinary. Not to mention anything else, the huge Mao Zedong badge hanging on her wall could probably fetch an astronomical price.
But what's the use of all this? It's still dirt cheap now, and even if she gets it, it won't solve her immediate problem. She has to get through these next few years before she can earn money. How is she going to survive these next few years? She's worked a lot since she was a child, and she earned her tuition fees herself, but the skills she learned seem to be of little use in the 1980s because society as a whole hasn't kept up. It turns out that novels are all lies. Qin Xiaoyu was extremely frustrated.
She had been searching all day and was starving by evening. What made her most desperate was that there were no business opportunities. It was still the era of market economy, and everything was state-owned. There were almost no private enterprises to be seen. Even vegetable vendors had to go into stores. What could she do?
The Tang family's gate was wide open, which was a bit strange. She had just moved her bicycle over the threshold when Hanhan ran over.
"Mom, someone's coming," he said, pointing up at the roof with his little hand.
Someone came, and it was upstairs, but that didn't seem to concern Qin Xiaoyu and the others. Qin Xiaoyu ignored them and went into her room; she was too weak to speak.
Clang! Grandma Hanhan slammed a basin on the ground, muttered something unintelligible, and turned to go inside.
Qin Xiaoyu suddenly understood something. She turned around and exchanged a glance with Hanhan, then realized what was going on. Hanhan was too young to explain, but this person who had come was probably related to her deceased husband, and it concerned the interests of her and her child.
She had to face it. She took a deep breath, turned, and headed upstairs. Grandma Hanhan happened to be coming out carrying a basin of water. She was taken aback when she saw Hanhan walking over with such an imposing air.
"This is the compensation money. Please pass it on to Comrade Xiao Tang's wife and tell her to take care of herself..." Two unfamiliar men who looked like cadres entered the room and handed a white envelope to the old woman.
Qin Xiaoyu saw this scene as soon as she entered the house. The old lady was startled when she saw her come in and quickly tucked the white envelope in her hand into her bosom.
Qin Xiaoyu understood. If she had been any later, the money would have gone to her aunt's family. Given her status in the family, no one would have told her, and even if they did, getting it back would be an impossible task. Forget it, it's not good to offend people and then move on to her more agreeable self from her previous life.
No way! That's Xiao Han's money, why should she get it for free! The host jumped out.
"Is this my money?" Qin Xiaoyu stepped forward and managed to grab a corner of the envelope. The old woman wanted to tear it open, but seeing the two leaders staring at her curiously, she could only reluctantly let go.
"You weren't home just now, were you? Wenzhi's boss asked me to collect the money and give it to you," the old woman explained hesitantly.
"Thank you for your trouble. I'll take the money. Thank you both, leaders." Qin Xiaoyu turned and bowed to the two men.
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