"Riding my beloved little scooter, I'll never get stuck in traffic..."
Sutan pedaled her bicycle as if she were riding on wheels of fire, humming a cheerful tune, much like a canary that had just flown out of its cage.
The very air felt sweet.
An olive-green jeep sped past her, and the man in the passenger seat happened to catch Sutan's line about never getting stuck in traffic.
Hechengming thought he had misheard; he rolled down the window and glanced at the side mirror.
It really was Sutan.
Only yesterday, this woman had looked like a drowned rat, yet today she was bursting with energy, pedaling her bicycle with fiery determination, off to goodness knows where.
As Hechengming pulled his gaze back, he spotted Zhou Jianfeng not far behind Sutan, and his eyes suddenly turned cold.
"Captain, when we left, the instructor told me I had to make sure you went to see Dr. He. Please, just give Dr. He a chance for the sake of the regimental commander!"
"Just walk around with Dr. He for a bit, and once some time has passed, you can just leave!"
Wang Xiaojun felt the temperature inside the car drop significantly. He snuck a look at his captain and, seeing the dark, terrifying expression on his face, assumed it was because the captain didn't want to meet Dr. He.
Wang Xiaojun's forehead was beaded with cold sweat.
He was on a mission today, and even at the risk of being punished by his captain, he had to say what needed to be said.
Hechengming rested his elbow on the window, his dark eyes fixed straight ahead. After a moment, he said, "Slow down."
Wang Xiaojun hit the brakes.
"Slower."
With the accelerator practically floored, Wang Xiaojun thought that if the captain asked him to go any slower, he might as well just park the car.
Through the rearview mirror, Hechengming saw Sutan catching up, his dark eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion.
Sutan looked at the jeep ahead, which was moving as slow as a snail.
She pushed hard on the pedals and zoomed past.
Instinct made her want to see who was in the car, and when she caught sight of the face in the passenger seat, Sutan’s slender, willow-leaf eyebrows knit together. She turned her head, wondering if this person knew the original owner of her body.
Zhou Jianfeng was riding an old-fashioned bike, and with Qin Hongmei on the back, picking up speed was impossible.
It wasn't the first time Qin Hongmei had sat on the back of Zhou Jianfeng's bike, but it was the first time she had felt so humiliated.
It was broad daylight on a busy street; she didn't dare wrap her arms around Zhou Jianfeng's waist, so she could only grip the seat tightly with both hands.
In his attempt to catch up to Sutan, Zhou Jianfeng had hit several bumps, and she had nearly fallen off.
"Sutan, it's right here!" Zhou Jianfeng shouted at the top of his lungs when he saw Sutan about to pass the shopping center.
Sutan stopped when she heard Zhou Jianfeng's shout and looked at the department store not far away, feeling satisfied.
"Why were you riding so fast?" Zhou Jianfeng complained before his bike had even come to a full stop.
Qin Hongmei hurriedly let go and hopped off, clutching her chest. Her face was deathly pale.
Sutan frowned. "I've heard of people getting carsick, but I've never seen anyone get motion sickness from a bicycle."
"Big sister, your constitution is too weak. You really need to work on it!"
Before Qin Hongmei could think of a way to spite Sutan, she heard Sutan calling her "big sister" and telling her that her constitution was weak and she needed to exercise more.
What did she mean by "exercise more"?
Did she mean she should sit on the back of Zhou Jianfeng's bike more often? Was she truly indifferent to Zhou Jianfeng catering to her, or was she just feigning generosity while burning with jealousy inside?
Qin Hongmei pinched her palm hard until her eyes turned red.
Her mouth opened slightly, but before a word could escape, Sutan was already striding toward the entrance.
Zhou Jianfeng started to follow, but Qin Hongmei tugged on his sleeve. "Jianfeng, weren't we supposed to go to your unit so Sutan could hand over her work to me? Why are we at the shopping center?"
Zhou Jianfeng was soaked in sweat and in a foul mood. "I am a deputy director at the meat processing plant. Look at what you're wearing compared to what she's wearing!"
"If we show up at the textile mill like this, what will people say about me?"
Qin Hongmei bit her lip and gingerly let go of his sleeve. "Jianfeng, I didn't mean to question you. I’m just worried about you!"
"It's all my fault for being so heavy. If I were as thin as Sutan, you wouldn't be so tired!"
"By the way, this coat I'm wearing is the one you bought me a couple of days ago. This is only the second time I've worn it. When you bought it for me, I already felt it wasn't quite right."
"It cost over two hundred yuan, and you don't earn money easily. Why don't you give this coat to Sutan? It’ll save a bit of money."
"When my in-laws kicked me out, my mother-in-law gave me all my old clothes anyway!"
As Qin Hongmei started to take off the coat, Zhou Jianfeng pressed his hand down to stop her. Seeing her reddened eyes, a flash of guilt and self-reproach crossed his face.
It was clearly his own lack of stamina, yet because of Sutan’s comment, he had blamed his exhaustion on Hongmei being too heavy.
"No need," he said.
Qin Hongmei curled her lips into a submissive smile. "Then let's just say I borrowed the money from you to buy this. Once I start working and earning money, I'll pay you back!"
Before she could finish, Zhou Jianfeng was already chasing after Sutan.
Sutan entered the store, quickly asked for directions to the women's clothing section, and headed straight for the second floor.
By the time Zhou Jianfeng found her, she had already picked out her clothes.
"Jianfeng, I thought I wouldn't hold you up, so I went ahead and picked these out. It’s a few pieces for three hundred yuan total. Is that all right?"
Zhou Jianfeng’s face visibly darkened.
Qin Hongmei ran over just in time to hear "three hundred yuan."
"Sutan, what kind of clothes are you buying that cost three hundred yuan? That's five or six months' worth of Jianfeng's salary!"
The reprimand slipped out before she could stop it. Qin Hongmei already viewed Zhou Jianfeng as her own man, and his money as her money. She would not allow him to spend it on another woman.
Sutan lifted her chin, her clear eyes fixed on Zhou Jianfeng.
"The clothes I have at home are all patches. I just picked out two outfits for myself so I can have something to change into."
"There are eight pieces in total, inside and out. The most expensive one is this coat—it's forty yuan!"
Sutan pointed to a pale pink padded jacket, her gaze cool as she looked at Zhou Jianfeng.
Zhou Jianfeng scanned Sutan from head to toe with cold, sharp eyes, then looked at the pile of clothes she had selected.
Seeing Zhou Jianfeng’s cold expression, Qin Hongmei spoke up again: "Sutan, Jianfeng already spent a lot of money on your wedding. You can buy clothes anytime; just get one outfit that you can wear for now."
"Look at how many people are watching. Jianfeng cares most about his reputation. You really mustn't make a scene with him, or where will he be able to hold his head up?"