Chapter 37 : No Money for Food

“Okay.” Nangong Ruochen went to find a good seat with the backpack on his back, set it down, and waited for Yun Siying.

“Comrade, I’d like one portion of braised pork, one portion of steamed fish, one portion of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and two large bowls of rice,” Yun Siying said smoothly when it was her turn to order.

“Comrade, that’s 1.2 yuan for the braised pork, 80 cents for the steamed fish, 20 cents for the vegetables, and 40 cents for the two bowls of rice. That’s a total of 2.6 yuan, plus half a catty’s worth of meat coupons and 4 taels of grain coupons,” the cashier said.

Yun Siying quickly paid, took the number card, and walked over to the table where Nangong Ruochen was sitting. She sat down and waited for their food. Taking a sip from the water bottle she’d brought, she realized how thirsty she was. The weather was hot and humid, she missed the pre-apocalyptic days of her previous life, when there were fans and air conditioning.

She did have fans and AC in her personal space, but the Hongxing Brigade hadn’t been connected to the power grid yet. Every household still used kerosene lamps after dark, and the educated youth camp was no exception. The villagers went to bed early partly because they were exhausted from the day’s labor, and partly to save on kerosene. Staying up late was a luxury they couldn’t afford.

“Nangong, Comrade Yun you’re here to eat too!” Chen Siming greeted them warmly. Behind him were Xu Ronghua, Lin Zikang, Shen Subai, and Shu Ruxue.

“You’re here too? Go order quickly, or there won’t be any good dishes left,” Yun Siying said casually. Her gaze briefly landed on Shu Ruxue, her brows lifting slightly in surprise. ‘She actually has money to eat at a state-owned restaurant?’

Yun Siying casually swept her mental energy over Shu Ruxue, checking her belongings. To her surprise, the girl still had 9.2 yuan and a few national food coupons in her purse.

Without hesitation, Yun Siying used her mental power to take all the money and coupons from Shu Ruxue and store them in her own space. She immediately felt better ‘let’s see how you squirm now.’

“Yes, yes, we’ll line up now,” the group replied as they moved to the back of the line.

The moment Shu Ruxue saw Yun Siying, she was consumed with jealousy especially seeing how close she was to Nangong Ruochen. Just yesterday, she’d heard about him from Shen Subai: Nangong’s family background was far superior to both the Shen and Shu families. He was handsome, wealthy, and obviously a far better match than Shen Subai. In Shu Ruxue’s mind, a man like that should be hers. Shen Subai wasn’t worthy, and Yun Siying even less so.

While waiting for their meal, Yun Siying and Nangong Ruochen chatted casually. Soon, the kitchen staff called out, “Order number seven braised pork, steamed fish, and stir-fried vegetables, are ready!”

Both of them got up, collected the dishes, and returned to their table. Looking at the generous portions, Yun Siying marveled, people in this era really didn’t skimp on servings. Thankfully, she hadn’t ordered more, they might not have been able to finish it.

Just as she had taken a few bites, a loud voice rang out from the front counter.

“What?! Your money was stolen? Comrade, if you don’t have money, what are you doing at a state-owned restaurant? Please leave at once. There are many people still waiting in line!”

Yun Siying looked up just in time to see Shu Ruxue standing frozen at the front, humiliated. The attention of the entire restaurant was on her. Shu Ruxue looked embarrassed and turned to face the group of educated youths behind her. Her gaze finally landed on Chen Siming. She looked at him with pitiful eyes and pleaded, “Comrade Chen, the money you lent me really was stolen. Could you please lend me another five yuan? I’ll repay you as soon as the money from my parents arrives.”

Chen Siming’s face twisted with discomfort, but he still refused firmly, “Comrade Shu, it’s not that I don’t want to lend you money, but I honestly don’t have any to spare. I barely have any myself.”

Inwardly, he felt annoyed. ‘This woman is shameless.’ He had kindly lent her ten yuan when she said her money was stolen, and now she hadn’t even paid that back yet she was asking for more?

She wanted to borrow more money but without ever repaying it , wasn’t that treating him like a walking bank? No, even banks require deposits before you can withdraw. What he was being asked to do was pure charity, and he didn’t have such noble aspirations. ‘Forget it,’ he thought. ‘I need to get back the money I already lent her as soon as possible, and it’s best if I keep my distance from this person in the future.’

Yun Siying glanced over casually. As soon as she saw what was happening, a smile flickered in her eyes and quickly spread. She began watching with great interest. ‘If her enemies were having a hard time, that only made her happier.’

The other educated youths also shook their heads, indicating they couldn’t help. Shu Ruxue then walked over to Yun Siying, still putting on a pitiful look, and said, “Siying, I know you brought two thousand yuan with you when you came to the countryside. Considering my parents raised you for eighteen years, could you lend me ten yuan?”

Her voice wasn’t quiet, and everyone in the state-owned restaurant clearly heard what she said. Instantly, all eyes turned toward Yun Siying. ‘Two thousand yuan.’ For most families, even after generations, it was hard to save a few hundred, let alone that much. Everyone suddenly wanted to know what a girl with that kind of wealth looked like.

All they saw was a fair-skinned young woman with delicate, refined features an absolute beauty. They had never seen such a stunning girl before.

Many young men started whispering to each other, eager to find out her background and where she lived. With that kind of fortune, uncles and aunties alike began eyeing her, too.

So much money, whoever could marry her would basically be set for life. Not only would they gain a beautiful wife, but also a huge dowry. Families struggling financially, those with heavy burdens, and even some sleazy types were now eyeing Yun Siying as a golden opportunity.

Yun Siying clearly noticed the burning stares from those around her. She hadn’t expected Shu Ruxue to cause such a scene, but at least she’d finished her food before it could ruin her appetite.

When Shu Ruxue had made similar comments the day before, the other educated youths had thought she was just speaking offhand. But now, hearing her say it so openly in a public restaurant, it was obvious she had ulterior motives. Several people’s expressions shifted as they looked at her.

Yun Siying said coldly, “Shu Ruxue, can you stop holding this over my head forever? Your parents raised me for eighteen years, and I already repaid that by coming to the countryside in your place.”

If she didn’t want to see Shu Ruxue suffer painfully, she might have ended her already.

“And what does your lack of money have to do with me? I’ve already severed ties with your family. Do you want me to pull out the newspaper with the severance notice printed in it and show everyone?”

She hadn’t expected that just by watching the drama unfold, she’d end up becoming the center of attention herself.

“Siying, how can you be so heartless?” Shu Ruxue protested, still putting on her pitiful act. “I suffered for you in the countryside for eighteen years, while you lived a life of luxury in the city.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Yun Siying clicked her tongue. “I was just a baby back then, what could I possibly have done? Yes, you suffered for eighteen years, and that’s unfortunate. But I didn’t cause that. If you want someone to blame, go to the hospital that messed up our records. It was their negligence that led to the misdiagnosis. You should be asking them for compensation.”