Song Zhishu declined, and Gu Qingya was just about to pack away her lunchbox of dumplings.
The woman with high cheekbones sitting nearby spoke up at this moment: "Hey, if you have too many dumplings and no one to eat them, you can give them to me."
As soon as these words were out, even Fu Yurou felt a sense of admiration for the woman. Having just had such an unpleasant conflict with Gu Qingya, she was still able to be so thick-skinned.
*Tsk, tsk, tsk!*
The woman with high cheekbones remained oblivious to Fu Yurou’s thoughts, her eyes gleaming as she stared at the dumplings, swallowing hard. She nearly leaned her entire face into the lunchbox.
Gu Qingya quickly pulled the box away, a look of distaste on her face as if worried that the woman’s drool might fall inside. "If you want to eat them, it’s two yuan a box."
The woman with high cheekbones was incensed: "You just gave them to this male comrade for free, but you’re charging me? And two yuan? That’s so expensive, are you trying to rob me?"
Song Zhishu looked a bit awkward.
Gu Qingya didn't back down an inch: "I gave them to Comrade Song because he helped me. Why should I give them to you for free? Because you took my seat? Because you shoved me?"
"As for the two yuan, that’s how much I paid for them. Take it or leave it."
The woman with high cheekbones recalled her own actions and, knowing she wouldn't get the upper hand, snorted coldly: "So expensive, I’m not eating it."
Gu Qingya didn't take it to heart; she took out her chopsticks and began to eat on her own.
Looking indignant, the woman’s gaze suddenly landed on Wang Fangfang, who was sitting opposite. Seeing that they were eating the same thing, she felt a bit more balanced and started a conversation.
"What’s your name?"
"My name is Wang Fangfang." Wang Fangfang smiled at her. Ever since getting on the train, Wang Fangfang had been unusually silent, so she was glad to finally have someone to talk to.
"Wang Fangfang, I’m Li Qiuyan. Are you with them?" Li Qiuyan glanced at Fu Yurou and Song Zhishu.
Wang Fangfang nodded with a smile: "Yes, Yurou and I were classmates in elementary school, and we’re going to the countryside together this time."
"So she’s eating red-braised pork, while letting you eat cornbread?"
Fu Yurou: ?_?
Whom had she offended to have the fire redirected toward her? She decided to finish her task and open the system shop first.
"Zhishu, I feel bad eating the red-braised pork while you have the steamed bun. Why don't we eat them together?"
After saying this, she turned to the troublemaker: "High cheekbones, I know you’re envious of my pork, but I’m not giving you any, just like the person behind you is staring at your cornbread—you wouldn't give it to him either."
Upon hearing this, Li Qiuyan turned around and, sure enough, saw someone behind her staring at the cornbread in her hand with hungry, glowing eyes. She hurriedly hid the bread and cursed angrily: "What are you looking at? Haven't you eaten in eight hundred years? Are you a starving ghost reincarnated?"
The "starving ghost" who was scolded thought: *I wasn't looking at your cornbread; I was looking at the one opposite you.*
Afraid someone might snatch her food, Li Qiuyan grumbled and shoved the cornbread into her mouth, but she hurried too much and started choking, spraying crumbs onto Wang Fangfang. She stood up quickly, snatched the crumbs off Wang Fangfang’s clothes, and shoved them back into her own mouth.
Fu Yurou: ...
Gu Qingya: ...
Wang Fangfang, who had been sprayed: ...
Fu Yurou was certain now: this woman was a real piece of work. She hoped they wouldn't be assigned to the same place in the countryside, or things would get lively.
Ignoring the chaos, she focused on her task. "Zhishu, let's eat together."
Fu Yurou held the lunchbox out between them. Song Zhishu ignored the people opposite and looked at Fu Yurou’s fair, lovely face, his eyes flashing with tenderness and contentment. "Alright, let's eat together."
Song Zhishu gave Fu Yurou half of his steamed bun, and the two of them finished both the bun and the pork together. Wang Fangfang, sitting on the other side of Song Zhishu, looked down at the cornbread in her hands, her fingers unconsciously tightening on the hem of her clothes.
...
While Fu Yurou was having a lively dinner on the train, the Fu family at the furniture factory dormitory had all returned from work. Little did they know that when they opened the door, they would find a scene of total devastation.
"Oh my god!" Huang Meifeng, who had arrived first, saw the state of the room and her face changed drastically. Zhang Pan, who followed her, also looked grim.
Before they could even react, Fu Yuqing’s voice came from behind: "Mom, is dinner ready? I'm starving. From now on, we won't have to look at that nuisance, so I'm going to eat an extra bowl tonight..."
She didn't finish her sentence; Fu Yuqing saw the state of the house and her eyes widened. Fu Jianye followed behind her and saw the same. The four of them stood at the doorway, not daring to step inside.
"Why are you all standing at the door?" Fu Aiguo, returning from work, frowned when he saw the entrance blocked.
"Dad, that bitch Fu Yurou cleared out the whole house and even smashed the dining table and the cabinets!" Fu Yuqing regained her senses and let out a shriek so loud the entire dormitory complex could hear.
Fu Aiguo hadn't processed this yet, but when he walked closer and saw the scene, his expression shifted violently. He shoved his daughter, who was still trying to complain, and his son, who was blocking the way, aside, and strode inside. When he saw the broken lock on the bedroom door, he rushed in. Seeing the wardrobe moved and the floorboards where he kept his stash pried up, his eyes turned bloodshot.
"Old Fu, Yurou took everything. How are we going to live from now on?" Huang Meifeng complained, though she seemed less despairing than Fu Aiguo. Yurou could spoil the furniture, but she couldn't take away what was hidden—she would just have to dig it up again later.
"She knew... she knew everything." Fu Aiguo’s face was pale, his fists clenched tight.
"Old Fu."
"Don't bother me." Fu Aiguo muttered to himself, his voice laced with a vicious edge: "If only I had known..."
He didn't finish his thought, held back by some hesitation, but his face was etched with regret.
"Dad, let’s call the police. Even if Fu Yurou went to the countryside, we can still find her." It was Zhang Pan, who usually kept out of family affairs, who spoke up.
Fu Aiguo immediately stopped her: "No, we cannot go to the police."
Fu Yuqing shouted: "Dad, big sister is right! We can't let it go like this. If we don't report it, Fu Yurou will get away with it! My clothes, my bedding, and my five yuan of private money are all gone!"
Fu Yuqing was on the verge of tears. She had moved her hidden money to a new spot, never imagining Fu Yurou would steal it for a second time.
Fu Yurou hadn't intended to be so ruthless at first, planning to leave at least a few sets of clothes, but upon discovering the secret Fu Aiguo had hidden, her rage flared. She adopted a "three-all" policy (burn all, kill all, loot all), taking everything she could, ensuring nothing of value was left behind. In the process of looting, she had even found the five yuan Fu Yuqing had hidden in the bed frame.
While the family was in the middle of their row, a knock came at the door.
To keep outsiders from seeing the mess, Huang Meifeng smoothed her hair, walked over, opened the door, and stepped out, closing it behind her. "Excuse me, the house is a bit messy, so I can't invite you in. What is the business of you comrades from the Educated Youth Office? We already have one daughter sent to the countryside."
Everyone knew the people from the Educated Youth Office, as they often came to deliver notices. It was precisely because they had been pressuring the family so intensely lately that Fu Yurou had been sent away.
The officials acted by the book, handing three notices to Huang Meifeng. "Zhang Pan, Fu Jianye, Fu Yuqing: the train is in four days. Pick up your tickets at the station. Don't be late."