Chapter 61 ☆ Photo (Part 2)

A young man holding a camera smiled shyly and walked over: “Excuse me, I’m a reporter from the provincial newspaper. I saw you and thought you looked great, so I took your picture. I’m sorry. Are you also a member of the art troupe? I can take a set of photos for you.”

“Not interested.” Cheng Yaoyao replied coldly.

The reporter continued to persuade her: “I can print out a set of photos and give them to you. I…”

Wu Man didn’t expect this and quickly said, “Reporter Ouyang, aren’t you going to take a group photo for us?”

“Yes, yes, we want to take a separate photo in our dormitory.” The other girls also surrounded Reporter Ouyang, talking all at once.

Cheng Yaoyao used this chance to walk around them and rubbed her eyes when she reached the door.

Xie Zhao approached immediately: “What’s wrong with your eyes?”

“Just now, there was a…” Cheng Yaoyao began to complain to Xie Zhao but saw the two girls suddenly turn their heads and stare at Xie Zhao, whispering. Xie Zhao looked up, and they ran away giggling.

Cheng Yaoyao, annoyed, glared at them and said to Xie Zhao, “Why are you staring at me like that?”

Xie Zhao said: “I wasn’t.”

Cheng Yaoyao snorted: “Are you enjoying the girls smiling at you?”

“No.” Xie Zhao said honestly, “I’m from the countryside, and they were just laughing at me.”

“…Yes, you look silly; they’re laughing at you. Just ignore them.” Cheng Yaoyao looked Xie Zhao up and down. He was wearing a new vest, and his dark blue work jacket’s sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He was tall and straight, which explained his popularity.

“Okay, just pay attention to Sister.” Xie Zhao looked into her eyes and asked again, “What’s wrong with your eyes?”

“Just now, a bothersome reporter took my picture and the flash made my eyes hurt.” Cheng Yaoyao complained and raised her head so he could look at her eyes.

Her peach blossom eyes were watery with a hint of red at the corners, making her look even more affectionate. Such a stunning face would attract attention anywhere. Xie Zhao clenched his fists, feeling helpless again.

Cheng Yaoyao, unaware of Xie Zhao’s thoughts, pulled his clothes and said sweetly, “Let’s go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some things now?”

Xie Zhao had no objections.

With Xie Zhao as the porter, Cheng Yaoyao went on a shopping spree. The Xie family was poor, lacking many things: thermos bottles, kettles, aluminum lunch boxes for Xie Zhao’s work, Jiefang shoes, various fabrics, needles and thread, oil, sugar, snacks, paper, and pens…

Cheng Yaoyao bought everything she saw. The saleswoman looked at Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Zhao, who were silently carrying things, and smiled, “Getting married, right? We have flashlights. Would you like to buy one?”

“Well… it’s not a wedding.” Cheng Yaoyao said quietly.

The saleswoman, while wrapping up the items, said, “There’s no need to be shy. If you’re buying so many things, it must be for a wedding.”

Cheng Yaoyao didn’t turn around but felt a gaze on her face, making her ears burn. She asked, “How much is it in total?”

The old lady used an abacus and said, “The total is eighty-seven Yuan and fifty-two cents.”

She had bought two kettles alone. Cheng Yaoyao sighed quietly; Money is valuable these days. She took out her heavy purse, but a large hand had already handed the money to the counter, along with a stack of small bills.

Cheng Yaoyao looked at Xie Zhao in surprise. Where did he get the money?

Xie Zhao asked her: “Do you want to buy anything else?”

The saleswoman smiled and said, “Look at your partner, how caring he is.”

“No… no more.” Cheng Yaoyao, usually generous, blushed when teased about “her partner.”

Xie Zhao didn’t say anything until lunchtime, when he suddenly said, “Dear, have a piece of braised pork.”

They ate at a state-owned restaurant, with a plate of braised pork, a plate of hot and sour bamboo shoots, a bowl of loofah egg drop soup, and two bowls of white rice. Xie Zhao wanted to order more, but Cheng Yaoyao stopped him, saying it would be wasteful.

This young lady used to order a whole table of dishes at Michelin restaurants. Now, she had learned to avoid waste.

Hearing Xie Zhao’s words, Cheng Yaoyao said sharply: “Who is your ‘dear’?”

Xie Zhao remained calm: “You.”

Cheng Yaoyao frowned in disdain: “That sounds so tacky.”

Xie Zhao looked at her and changed his words to “sister.”

“…” Cheng Yaoyao’s face flushed, and she changed the subject, “This meat is too fatty. I want to eat lean meat.”

Xie Zhao removed the fat and put the lean meat back into her bowl. Cheng Yaoyao glanced at the meat with a slightly strange expression.

Xie Zhao noticed Cheng Yaoyao’s expression and asked, “Do you dislike it?”

“Disgusted!” Cheng Yaoyao curled her lips and ate the piece of lean meat.

The “little lotus leaf” trembled with pleasure.

Cheng Yaoyao’s eyes fluttered, and after a while, she said, “…I want to eat more.”

Pork these days isn’t fed with feed, making it especially fragrant. The three-layer pork belly, stewed with soy sauce and osmanthus leaves, is tender with the fat melting in your mouth, and the lean meat is flavorful and not dry. Cheng Yaoyao stopped eating the pork after a few pieces and began mixing the gravy with her rice.

Most of the braised pork went into Xie Zhao’s stomach. He ate steadily without getting flushed or out of breath, and his body remained lean and fit. Cheng Yaoyao recalled how Xie Zhao used to survive on just two wild vegetable dumplings a day while working, and wondered how he managed.

Cheng Yaoyao thought about it and put a piece of dried bamboo shoots into Xie Zhao’s bowl. Facing his intense gaze, she felt a bit embarrassed and asked, “After dinner, will you take me to the black market?”

“You’re not going.” Xie Zhao firmly refused.

Cheng Yaoyao groaned: “But…”

Xie Zhao said: “No buts.”

Although Xie Zhao usually complied with Cheng Yaoyao, when he made up his mind, she had no choice. While he went to the black market that afternoon, Cheng Yaoyao waited under the archway, watching Xie Zhao speak with the Hou Zi, but she couldn’t hear their conversation.

Cheng Yaoyao, bored, fiddled with her fingers and wondered how much money she could make from the sale this time. She worried if Xie Zhao had been deceived by the Hou Zi.

Nearby, the Hou Zi counted the bills and handed them to Xie Zhao, lowering his voice, “Brother Xie, the price of yellow goods has gone up a lot recently…”

Xie Zhao took the money and said indifferently, “The situation is tense. Wait for my news.”

“Why are you still waiting…” The Hou Zi looked at Cheng Yaoyao and said anxiously, “How long are you going to stay with her? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Just say the word and I’ll follow you!”

“Let’s talk later.” Xie Zhao picked up the empty basket and walked towards the archway.

The Hou Zi sighed, picked up the goods, and thought, “Never mind, I lack the skills and courage. Making some small money is fine. Recently, the cultural center’s events and movies have made dried bayberries sell well.”

Xie Zhao handed the money and bills to Cheng Yaoyao, who put them in her purse. Her purse was bulging with cash, so she took out a few bills and gave them to Xie Zhao, saying, “Keep some for yourself.”

Xie Zhao accepted the money without comment. Cheng Yaoyao quickly added, “This is your share. Just take it.”

Xie Zhao hinted, “Can the share be cashed out?”

“No!” Cheng Yaoyao firmly refused.

It was almost evening when the tractor loaded with fertilizer and villagers finally returned to Tianshui Village. The large amount of items scared Grandma Xie. Xie Zhao went to unload the fertilizer, leaving Cheng Yaoyao to handle Grandma Xie’s questions alone.

Cheng Yaoyao said that Xie Zhao bought the items, but Grandma Xie didn’t believe it: “Where did Zhao get so much money? This thermos bottle must have cost seven or eight yuan, right?”

“…The money my family sent me, plus the money Xie Zhao earned from selling herbs and leather, is enough.” Cheng Yaoyao lied.

Father Cheng had sent Cheng Yaoyao a large package filled with items. This explanation was convincing enough for Grandma Xie, who stopped asking questions.

The package included many clothes from Cheng’s father, all autumn and winter coats and jackets, but none of the spring and summer clothes Cheng Yaoyao wanted. Cheng’s father also included a letter saying Cheng Yaoyao’s old clothes were moth-eaten and sent two hundred yuan, asking her to buy a few new pieces she liked.

Cheng Yaoyao put the two hundred yuan into her purse, feeling a little regretful. The old clothes, once beautiful and fashionable, were now put away. She found them and gave them to Xie Fei. But now she had money to buy new clothes for Xie Fei!

Cheng Yaoyao quickly forgot about this, but didn’t anticipate her old clothes causing such a stir in the Cheng family.