71. This is your room
After the exam, Xu Wenqiang still had to help Xu Yanmei purchase goods in the early morning.
The winter was bitterly cold, and the early morning hours were icy as if they could kill you. Xu Wenqiang sat in Xu Yanmei's leaky pickup truck, covered in a heavy military coat, yet she shivered with cold.
"Look at what you've accomplished!" Xu Yanmei glanced at Xu Wenqiang. Xu Yanmei was only wearing a cotton-padded jacket, but her face didn't show any sign of suffering or freezing.
Xu Wenqiang looked out the dark window without saying a word.
It wasn't clear when, but Xu Yanmei had become numb to any of life's hardships. Cold, scorching, stormy, or sunny... everything was the same to Xu Yanmei. She had only one thought: as long as she didn't die, she didn't care about anything else.
Xu Yanmei is invulnerable, and Xu Wenqiang is in awe of her, but at the same time, she can't bear to see her suffer, because she knows better than anyone that Xu Yanmei was once lively and arrogant, but now she has been ravaged by life and has only one thought left: as long as she can't die, she just wants to stay alive.
But even Xu Yanmei is like this, she still wants a man to live with.
Xu Wenqiang felt helpless because she couldn't understand.
"Mom, is Chen Long good to you?" Xu Wenqiang asked.
"What does it have to do with you whether he treats me well or not?" Xu Yanmei asked back.
Xu Wenqiang was speechless and changed her words, "Mom, does it make your life any easier if you hang out with Chen Long?"
Xu Yanmei was still a little impatient when she heard this, but her tone became ambiguous. "Whether life is good or bad, it's still a day. Between men and women, the most important thing is love. Who has time to think about the daily life? You little girl, stop asking around."
Xu Wenqiang fell silent. Xu Yanmei looked like she was popular, so Xu Wenqiang thought, "That's all. As long as Xu Yanmei is happy, that's all."
Maybe it’s because it’s the end of the year and the market is busier than usual with people coming and going.
But no matter how many people there are or how good the business is, people's hearts remain the same. No matter what time, they will not be distracted by the desire to watch and talk about others.
Xu Wenqiang had long been aware of the irritating glances from those around her. She knew full well that Xu Yanmei and Chen Long's affair had likely been noticed by many in the market. After all, they had been in the market for so many years, and any slight disturbance between them might not last a day or two, but over time, it would inevitably be noticed.
"Wen Qiang, here I am to help your mother again." Sister Huang came over, cracking a handful of melon seeds in her hand.
"Auntie Huang, how's business?" Xu Wenqiang said with a smile, looking up.
"That's all I do, hard-earned money." Sister Huang turned around and spat out a melon seed shell, then asked, "Where's your mom going now?"
"Auntie, my mother went to the bathroom." Xu Wenqiang said.
"Going to the bathroom again?" Sister Huang laughed sinisterly. "How many times has she gone to the bathroom this morning? Is there something wrong with her?"
"Oh, my aunt really cares about my mom. I'll tell her when she comes back." Xu Wenqiang said with a smile.
"We've been sisters for so many years, it's natural for us to care about each other. Wen Qiang, if your mother has any good news, don't forget to tell Auntie!"
"I understand, Auntie."
After sending Sister Huang away, Xu Wenqiang glanced at Chen Long's cooked food stall. Sure enough, she only saw Chen Yang, not Chen Long. Chen Yang must have been tempted by these people in the market, and she wondered if he had become suspicious.
Chen Yang seemed to be aware of Xu Wenqiang's gaze and looked over here. Just as Xu Wenqiang was about to avoid him, someone stood in front of her, blocking Chen Yang's sight.
"What's new today?"
"What's new today?"
"Then give me a sea bass and two pounds of shrimp."
"Today's Spanish mackerel is pretty good too."
"Okay, another mackerel."
"Okay!"
Xu Wenqiang packed the fish and shrimps with quick movements and handed them to Xiao Cheng.
As Xiao Cheng took the fish and shrimp, Xu Yanmei walked over quickly with a smile on her face, "Classmate, what did you buy today?"
"I bought two fish and two pounds of shrimp." Xiao Cheng replied.
"You bought so much again!" Xu Yanmei laughed even louder. "Xu Wenqiang, can you give them a discount?"
"That's a bargain." Xu Wenqiang said, and gave Xiao Cheng a wink, telling him to leave quickly.
"Auntie, you guys are busy, I'll leave first——"
"Don't leave in such a hurry."
Xu Yanmei stopped Xiao Cheng, put another fish in his hand and put it in his hand, "Take it."
"Auntie, that's not necessary." Xiao Cheng looked at Xu Wenqiang, who nodded helplessly.
"Thank you, Auntie." Xiao Cheng took it.
"Come again!" said Xu Yanmei.
"Okay, goodbye, Auntie." Xiao Cheng left with the fish and shrimp.
Xu Yanmei watched Xiao Cheng's back as he left, and said with a sigh, "If I could have a son-in-law like this, I would burn incense and pray to Buddha, even if it meant I would live a few years less."
Xu Wenqiang pretended not to hear and sorted the fish and shrimp on the stall.
Seeing Xu Wenqiang's lack of reaction, Xu Yanmei showed a hint of sarcasm on her face, "What a pity! I don't have the chance to do that in this lifetime."
Hearing this, Xu Wenqiang said nonchalantly, "Mom, I want to stay at my classmate's house tonight. You can make your own arrangements tonight."
Upon hearing this, Xu Yanmei couldn't help but say, "Go ahead, go ahead. You don't have to go with me to pick up the goods tomorrow." Then, as if remembering something, she added with a hint of warning, "Xu Wenqiang, I've said everything I need to say. No matter which classmate's house you go to sleep at, don't cause any trouble."
"I understand," Xu Wenqiang agreed, a flicker of disappointment crossing her heart. It seemed Xu Yanmei's "concern" was simply a desire to avoid getting into trouble.
After returning home from the farmers' market, Xu Wenqiang changed her clothes, picked up some clean clothes, put on her schoolbag, said hello to Xu Yanmei, and went to the house that Xiao Cheng had taken her to last time.
As she pushed open the door, a warm breeze blew in. Xu Wenqiang's pores, which had been tightened due to the cold, finally opened up, and she sighed comfortably.
She couldn't wait to walk into the living room and wanted to throw herself on the bed in the living room, but found that the bed was gone.
Xu Wenqiang paused for a moment, put down her schoolbag, and walked to the bedroom door. She hesitated for a moment and pushed the door open.
The previously empty bedroom now held a bed covered in pink plaid sheets and a quilt also covered in a pink plaid pattern. Besides the bed, there was a desk. On it lay a lamp, piled with books and test papers, and a note: This is your room.
Xu Wenqiang no longer cared about anything else and threw herself onto the bed.
Because it was too comfortable, Xu Wenqiang almost fell asleep on the bed. She struggled to get up from the bed and went to the bathroom. The last time Xiao Cheng brought her here, he told her that there was a water heater in the bathroom and told her how to use it so she could take a hot bath.
After Xu Wenqiang turned on the water heater, she yawned several times. To shake off her sleepiness, she began to wander around. The kitchen was empty; Xu Wenqiang had seen it before. She walked to the door of another bedroom, hesitated for a moment, and then walked in.
The interior was similar to the bedroom she had just been in, with a bed and a desk. The sheets and quilt were blue plaid. She walked to the desk and, as expected, read the note again: This is my room.
Xu Wenqiang didn't know why, but her face suddenly became hot, as if Xiao Cheng was right in front of her. Just when she was at a loss, she suddenly heard a door open.
She hurried out and saw Xiao Cheng standing at the door.
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