"I really do thank you!"
Wen Ruocheng could no longer control his expression. Good grief, taking two small pieces of meat, slicing them into eight, and pretending he was being generous to a whole family. Was she praising him, or was she trying to ruin his reputation?
Wen Ruocheng felt his teeth ache with suppressed rage. He forced the words out through a tight throat, "It's fine. You eat them."
"It's so kind of you to have such filial piety. I'll order another serving, and you can take it home with you."
"That wouldn't be very appropriate, would it?" Sun Linglong looked a bit embarrassed, though her eyes were filled with excitement.
"It's no trouble at all."
Having said that, Wen Ruocheng quickly stood up and walked to the service window, ordering two more helpings of braised pork. He was terrified he might lose his temper right then and there. He had never met such a disgusting person in his life! If it weren't for the fact that this woman was the daughter of the production team leader, he wouldn't have put up with her for a single second.
Wen Ruocheng’s face went through several shades of color before he took a deep, shuddering breath, finally managing to suppress the surging emotions within. He returned to the table with the two packed portions of braised pork and handed one to Sun Linglong.
"Thank you so much."
Wen Ruocheng noticed Sun Linglong’s empty bowl, then caught the stiff, forced smile on Ji Wenrou’s face. He realized exactly what was happening.
"Are we friends now? May I call you Linglong?"
Sun Linglong shook her head firmly, her face solemn. "Comrade Wen, I thought we were already friends. After all, as the Great Leader said, all people within the Four Seas are family; we should all get along."
Wen Ruocheng laughed. "Indeed, we are all friends. Linglong..."
"However, male and female comrades must maintain a sense of propriety. Using given names is too intimate, so let's skip that, don't you agree?"
Sun Linglong’s words were clearly pointed, making Ji Wenrou’s expression even sourer. Wen Ruocheng, who had spent his money only to be rebuffed, looked equally displeased. Was he supposed to have spent his money for nothing?
"I have some things to take care of, so I'll be going now. Thanks for the braised pork!" Sun Linglong placed the pork into her basket and beamed.
Once Sun Linglong was completely out of sight, Wen Ruocheng slammed his fist onto the table.
"Brother Ruocheng, are you all right?" Ji Wenrou asked, her heart aching for him. She quickly stepped forward to check his hand, relieved to see only a bit of redness.
*Uncultured country bumpkin! So impossible to deal with!* With work officially starting tomorrow, Wen Ruocheng’s brow remained permanently furrowed.
***
Farther down the road, Sun Linglong looked at the braised pork in the aluminum lunchbox inside her basket and couldn't have been happier. She had spent nearly five yuan of Wen Ruocheng’s money on this meal—consider it interest on a debt.
Sun Linglong walked to the meat stall. It was getting late, and there wasn't much good meat left. Fortunately, there were still some pork offal scraps. More importantly, pork offal didn't require meat coupons, which was excellent news for Sun Linglong, who was penniless and coupon-less. She managed to secure a large amount of offal for just one yuan and fifty cents.
She then went back and splurged on a tiny pinch of spices. Looking at the spice packet—not even as big as her pinky finger—it had cost her two yuan. More expensive than the meat itself! This was exactly why people nowadays didn't like to buy offal; it required too many seasonings, otherwise, no matter how you cooked it, it would always have a foul stench.
When Sun Linglong reached the town entrance, Uncle Ma was just pulling up in his ox cart.
"Why on earth are you buying pig offal, lass? It never tastes good." Uncle Ma shuddered. He remembered his own wife, craving meat, having bought some offal once. The result was a pot of greenish water that made her vomit for an entire day, until her stomach was completely empty. Ever since then, he had steered clear of it. Whoever liked that stuff could have it.
Sun Linglong sighed. "I have no choice, Uncle Ma. There are so many people in my family; we can’t go without a bit of meat forever. And little Wanwan is so starved she’s nothing but skin and bones. At five years old, she’s the size of a two or three-year-old. It breaks my heart."
Uncle Ma felt deeply sympathetic, but he had no words of comfort. In these times, which family wasn't the same?
Once on the cart, Sun Linglong sat quietly in the corner. Soon, Auntie Zhang also finished her shopping and climbed aboard. "It’s good to be young. You really ran faster than me, lass."
Sun Linglong quickly moved over to make room and gestured for Auntie Zhang to sit. Seeing the offal in the basket, Auntie Zhang looked away with disdain. It was a smell truly hard to love. Sun Linglong didn't say much, repeating the same excuse she’d given Uncle Ma. She knew how to remove the gamey smell, but the seasonings were too expensive. The villagers wouldn't want to spend that kind of money and would only gossip behind her back. Why invite trouble? Sun Linglong saw things clearly.
A moment later, Wen Ruocheng and Ji Wenrou arrived with their luggage. Looking at the large pack on Wen Ruocheng’s back, most of the people on the cart cast looks of curiosity and envy.
Auntie Zhang leaned over and whispered to Sun Linglong, "Linglong, this Educated Youth Wen isn't bad at all. His family is wealthy, and he’s handsome. He’d be a decent match for you..."
"Auntie Zhang, I don't like his type." The smile on Sun Linglong’s face froze as she interrupted. She didn't want to be tied to Wen Ruocheng!
Auntie Zhang chuckled sheepishly. "Alright, alright. You’ve always been a girl of your own mind. It was my mistake."
"That Educated Youth Wen must be rich. I saw him and Educated Youth Ji at the State-run Restaurant today."
"Is that so?"
"You bet. Look at the pack on his back; it’s clearly filled with good things."
Auntie Liu listened to the whispers of the people around her, her eyes darting back and forth. A sudden idea struck her. She observed Wen Ruocheng closely, and the more she looked, the more satisfied she became. *Perfect!*
Auntie Liu stood up and pulled Ji Wenrou over to chat. "Dear, come sit here."
Ji Wenrou sat next to Auntie Liu, and with no empty seats left around, Wen Ruocheng had to squeeze onto the edge.
"Dear, I heard you and Educated Youth Wen are cousins?"
Ji Wenrou nodded demurely. "Yes, our families formed a god-kin relationship, so I just call him cousin."
Auntie Liu’s smile stiffened. "You mean you aren't actually related? Just god-kin?"
"Auntie Liu, you shouldn't put it that way. Brother Ruocheng and I have known each other since we were small. I’ve always thought of him as a cousin. Does it really matter if it’s by blood or not?"
"That’s true, that’s true," Auntie Liu muttered, seemingly comforting herself. But she remained uneasy. The man was handsome, the woman was pretty, and they were only "god-kin"—could this really not lead to trouble? But looking at Ji Wenrou’s sincere face, Auntie Liu let go of her suspicions. *Forget it. This silly girl looks like she hasn't even figured things out yet. As long as I make my move first, what does it matter if they are god-kin?*
Wen Ruocheng suddenly felt like he was being stared at, and a chill ran down his spine. He scanned the people on the cart, his gaze finally landing on the cheerful, smiling Sun Linglong. He frowned slightly. *Could it be that this village girl has set her sights on me now that she’s seen my background and good looks?* He told himself that, naturally, someone with his face couldn't possibly be ignored.