Chapter 34: So It Was This Menace After All

Stepping out of the credit union, Cheng Juan ran straight into Cheng Shi, who had come to pick her up.

Cheng Shi smiled. "Brother Li was busy today, so I took his place."

"You didn't really have to come," Cheng Juan said.

"That wouldn't do," he replied.

He knew Liu Jie was no good. Especially after what he had seen that night—the things Liu Jie had nearly done to that girl—he was even more terrified that Liu Jie might try to harm Cheng Juan.

As they neared home, Cheng Juan spotted a small kiosk selling ice cream. She bought a cone and handed it to Cheng Shi. These ice creams were shipped all the way from Guangdong Province and cost one yuan and fifty cents each. At a time when pork was only two and a half yuan a catty, these treats were quite expensive, so they rarely felt they could afford them.

Cheng Shi froze. "Sis, I'm eighteen now."

"Even if you were eighty-eight, you'd still be my little brother," she said. "Besides, I got my monthly salary today. I'm happy, so treat yourself."

In his previous life, he had rushed away from home to seek his fortune, never imagining it would be the start of a lifetime of drifting and hardship. From that day on, no one had ever treated him like a child or bought him ice cream again. To have the chance in this life to see his sister grow old in peace—it was truly wonderful.

Cheng Shi smiled. "That's all well and good, but I can't be the only one eating." He bought one for Cheng Juan as well.

The two walked along, chatting and laughing as they ate.

"Do you remember," Cheng Shi asked, "when I set fire to a pile of dead leaves as a kid and almost burned down the material shed? Dad beat me, and I ran away from home—do you remember that?"

Cheng Juan laughed out loud. "I remember. I couldn't stop you, so I just followed you."

"We said we'd make a living collecting scrap," Cheng Shi continued, "but we realized we couldn't even beat others at that, so we had to perform on the street to make money."

"You did handstands, and I sang little tunes," Cheng Juan recalled. "We actually made two dimes. Back then, a bowl of rice noodles in front of the train station only cost a dime."

"Heh, I remember. We ate until we were stuffed, planning to go back the next day, but we never expected the temperature to drop. We froze half to death in the middle of the night and snuck back to get our clothes. Mom caught us, and that was the end of our escape."

"We were so silly," Cheng Juan said.

"We were. But who doesn't have a foolish past?"

Liu Jie, who had been waiting by the roadside for Cheng Juan, saw Cheng Shi in the distance and immediately turned away.

Cheng Shi cursed under his breath: *You bastard, so you really haven't given up yet.*

He vowed to pick his sister up every day from now on; he would not give that guy a single chance.

***

Previously, Cai Aiping would only pick out the discarded vegetable leaves at the market. But now that Cheng Shi provided enough for their monthly expenses, and knowing how hard the three of them worked, she tried her best to buy high-quality ingredients. Feeling more secure with money in hand, she had gone to the market today and boldly bought a fish, a whole chicken, and a large slab of meat.

Cheng Juan and the others returned early. Cai Aiping was busy cooking, and Cheng Juan helped wash the vegetables.

Cheng Shi went downstairs to work. The weather was getting hotter, so he tried to get more done while it was slightly cooler in the evening, allowing Cheng Yongjin to take a break. Ever since Cheng Yongjin started earning money making bearings, he had been like a man possessed, working so hard he would skip meals and sleep.

Seeing Cheng Shi arrive, Cheng Yongjin refused to rest, choosing instead to stand by and fan him. A tabby cat slipped in and sat beside them, staying even after it grew sleepy.

"This little thing is quite interesting," Cheng Yongjin remarked. "Better than many people."

Cheng Shi smiled but said nothing. You only truly know after you've hit rock bottom: animals won't abandon their owners because of poverty or sickness; they are more loyal than most people.

Cai Aiping finished cooking and called them up for dinner. There was stir-fried chicken and braised pork. Cheng Shi ate until his mouth was glistening with oil. "Mom, this skill of yours is better than any five-star chef! And this pork is perfectly chosen—five distinct layers, skin tender, fat fragrant, and the lean meat isn't stringy at all."

Cheng Juan pursed her lips and smiled. "That’s enough. Any more bragging and it’ll sound fake. When have you ever even eaten food made by a five-star chef? You’re just talking big."

"Heh. When I have money, I'll eat at five-star hotels every day," Cheng Shi replied.

There was a knock at the door. Cheng Juan opened it to find Auntie Qian from the second floor. Auntie Qian was not only a snob but also loved meddling in others' business, constantly trying to play matchmaker. At fifty or sixty, she spent her days caked in makeup, looking garish.

Cheng Juan despised her from the bottom of her heart. However, they were neighbors, and Auntie Qian had once been a colleague of Cheng Yongjin’s, so she couldn't just turn her away.

"Oh, Auntie," Cheng Juan greeted. "Have you eaten? We just finished."

Most people would say, "Oh, I've come at a bad time. You eat, I'll come back later." But Auntie Qian was not most people. Shamelessly, she said, "I've eaten. I'll just say a few words and be on my way. You're always busy, so I could only come now. You keep eating while I talk."

Cheng Shi had never liked her, and now that he didn't have to maintain appearances for the sake of Qian Xiaoying, he didn't bother hiding his disdain. As she smiled, the wrinkles on her face cracked, and her powder began to fall off like dust being cleared from a boiler room. Cheng Shi nearly burst out laughing; he lowered his head to stifle it and ended up coughing from the effort.

Cheng Juan poured Auntie Qian a cup of tea and sat down to continue eating.

"I’ve come to bring you some good news," Auntie Qian said.

Cheng Shi frowned inwardly: *Damn you, you old bat. You didn't take a bribe from the Liu family to play matchmaker, did you?*

According to his memories, Liu Jie wasn't supposed to propose for another two years, as that was when Cheng Juan would become a cadre at the credit union and have actual utility. Cheng Shi had already moved to Shenzhen by then, so he hadn't known the details.

Sure enough, Auntie Qian said, "Director Liu's son has taken a fancy to your Juan'er, and he asked me to come and propose."

Cheng Yongjin didn't know how to react. In his mind, Director Liu was the highest official he knew. To have him personally come to ask for a marriage alliance! He felt flattered, yet he remembered that just two days ago, Director Liu had brought men to their house to seize their property. How could this make any sense?

Cheng Shi and Cheng Juan both blurted out at the same time, "No."

Auntie Qian’s smile faltered. "Adults are talking; children shouldn't interrupt. Your own father hasn't even spoken yet."

Cheng Yongjin instinctively glared at Cheng Shi. "You're getting out of line."

Auntie Qian took the opportunity to press on. "Look at Liu Jie—his looks, his education—you won't find another like him in the entire machinery plant."

Seeing the hesitation on her father’s face, Cheng Juan grew anxious. "I don't want to, and no one can force me."

"Marriage is a major life event, of course one listens to their parents," Auntie Qian countered. "Besides, Director Liu is a dignified director. His son is a perfect match for you; how could you be wronged? To put it bluntly, you'd be marrying up. Director Liu said that as long as Juan'er marries into his family, your father's pension can be raised by two grades."