Chapter 2

At this moment, Fang Hua still hadn’t realized the change in Geng Ailing’s attitude. She naively thought Geng Ailing was just shy because it was her first time away from home.

She continued warmly, “I’m planning to go south. I arrived late yesterday and missed the train, so I stayed here overnight. What a coincidence to run into a fellow villager like you today!”

“And you? What brings you to the city all by yourself?”

Fang Hua paused for a moment before replying, “I want to earn some money, but I don’t have a letter of introduction, and I can’t find any work…”

She was now eager to confirm what stage of the story the plot had reached, so she deliberately followed Geng Ailing’s lead in the conversation.

Of course, this was indeed Fang Hua’s biggest headache right now. Although the original host had foolishly brought her household registration booklet, her residence wasn’t officially transferred. Without a letter of introduction, she was effectively a drifter — it was difficult to go anywhere!

Upon hearing this, Geng Ailing’s eyes lit up as she scrutinized Fang Hua’s pure and delicate face, her eyes brimming with excitement.

Her cousin had mentioned in a letter that if she brought along any pretty young girls, she’d be paid an extra fifty yuan per girl!

She had originally planned to bring a neighbor’s younger sister and had even asked her father-in-law — who was the brigade leader — to issue two letters of introduction.

Her father-in-law, who already felt the Li family owed her, usually agreed to her requests. One of the letters was left blank because she didn’t know the exact characters in the neighbor girl’s name — but both were already stamped.

Later, she found out the neighbor girl had just gotten engaged and was unwilling to travel far with a widow, so that plan fell through. She hadn’t expected to run into Fang Hua here.

“Well, isn’t this a stroke of luck! I’m heading south to work, and I just happen to have an extra letter of introduction without a name on it. I can write your name in. It won’t fix your household registration, but at least it’ll help you settle temporarily. Plus, my cousin said she could arrange housing and a job, so you won’t be a drifter anymore. Once things are stable, you can transfer your registration down there!”

Seeing that Fang Hua was listening attentively, Geng Ailing continued, “My cousin opened a hair salon down south. Business is booming, and she asked me to come help. Lihua, I think this kind of work is perfect for you — just washing hair and giving massages, not tiring at all. You could easily earn this much every month!”

She held up a hand to indicate the amount.

“Five hundred?” Fang Hua asked.

Geng Ailing lightly slapped Fang Hua, “You sure know how to joke. Who could earn five hundred a month unless they’re a high-ranking official?

My cousin pays fifty a month! Even a regular worker at the textile factory only makes thirty — don’t look down on this fifty yuan job!”

Fang Hua mentally cursed. Thanks a lot for your ancestors’ generosity! With the original host’s figure and looks, one client could earn more than fifty! Was this woman looking down on her?

Suppressing her disgust, Fang Hua said seriously, “Sister Geng, individual businesses are still illegal right now. Isn’t this job kind of… not allowed?”

Geng Ailing looked a bit flustered at that. She quickly covered Fang Hua’s mouth and whispered, “My cousin’s shop has been open for two years now. She said they don’t strictly enforce things down south. A lot of places like hers have been operating with no issues. And now that policies are loosening, it’ll only get better. That’s why she wrote and asked me to come.”

Fang Hua believed her — after all, even during the strictest years, people secretly traded on the black market to survive. And now the country was on the verge of economic reform.

But she wasn’t interested in meddling. If Geng Ailing wanted to go, let her. So she replied, “I don’t know how to wash hair or give massages, and I don’t even have enough money to travel south. I’ll pass. You go ahead and work hard! I hope you earn a fortune and return home in glory!”

Geng Ailing, oblivious to Fang Hua’s sarcasm, kept up her enthusiasm:

“Oh, that’s nothing! Washing hair and massaging is easy to learn. My cousin said you’ll pick it up quickly. She already sent me the money for the trip. And if I bring other girls, she’ll even reimburse their tickets too. So I’ll cover your fare for now — my cousin will reimburse me. We’re from the same village, and I know it’s not easy for you being new here. Let me help you out!”

Fang Hua couldn’t help but want to retort: You just want to scam whoever you can, huh?

Seeing that Fang Hua still didn’t agree, Geng Ailing quickly pulled out a ten-yuan bill — money her cousin had sent for travel expenses. She figured if she could earn fifty by bringing Fang Hua, lending her a little now was worth it. If Fang Hua came along and they split the bonus, she’d still be ahead. She shoved the bill into Fang Hua’s hand.

“Lihua, take this — just consider it a loan. Pay me back when you start earning. I’m telling you, this job is really decent. If you miss this chance, there won’t be another!”

By now, Fang Hua was sure the story had reached the part where Fan Lihua escapes her home village and is about to follow Geng Ailing south. She looked at the money in her hand, debating whether to return it.

Sensing her hesitation, Geng Ailing added quickly, “Don’t be polite, Lihua. We’re from the same village — we’re supposed to look out for each other. I may need your help someday too!”

As Fang Hua looked at the money stuffed into her hand, she suddenly understood — no, there was no need to be polite at all. After all, in the original novel, if Geng Ailing hadn’t taken Fan Lihua to do that kind of work, Fan Lihua wouldn’t have died sick at only twenty-six!

Wait a second…

How could she forget — she was about to go south, which meant she must have already slept with He Siyen, and she was pregnant… with twins!

Fang Hua immediately stuffed the money into her pocket and said, “Sister Geng, I have an urgent matter to attend to. I’ll return the money to you later.”

Without waiting for a reply, she rushed out of the inn. She needed to get to a hospital!

In this unfamiliar city, she didn’t try to find the hospital on her own — instead, she spent a whole five mao (fifty cents) to hire a cyclist to take her to the nearest hospital.

She had to confirm whether she was really carrying twins.

Hospital…

A traditional Chinese medicine doctor in his fifties or sixties sat across from her.

At this time, pregnancy was often diagnosed by pulse reading.

“How old are you?” the doctor asked while checking her pulse.

“Eighteen.”

“When did you get married?” he asked.

“Uh… half a year ago…” Fang Hua made it up on the spot.

“When was your last period?”

“I… I don’t really remember…”

“When was your last intercourse?”

“Uh… I don’t remember that either…”

The doctor glanced at her, then stopped talking and focused silently on the pulse.

“Put up your other hand too.”

Fang Hua obediently switched hands.

After a while, the doctor withdrew his hand and looked up at her. “You’re pregnant. With twins. Judging by your pulse, you’re about two months along.”

Fang Hua quietly took note and thanked the doctor before leaving.

She didn’t even know how to feel. She was now a pregnant woman — carrying two babies! For someone who had been single for 26 years and never even touched a man, this was hard to accept!

What’s worse was she didn’t even have the original host’s memories — she didn’t even know what the experience had felt like. Was this… asexual reproduction?

After paying eighty cents for the consultation, Fang Hua sat quietly on a bench outside the hospital. She needed to calm down and figure out her next move.

Just thinking about giving birth terrified her. This was the 1970s — there were no epidurals, and medical care was primitive. Pregnancy and childbirth were bound to be painful and risky.

More importantly, unwed pregnancy was not accepted in this era. If people found out, they’d drown her in gossip and condemnation. What about the babies’ household registration? You needed a birth permit to have children, and she didn’t even have a home. Were they supposed to be undocumented children?

She gently touched her lower belly, and a strange emotion welled up in her. She was carrying two little lives. In this world, where she had no family, the only blood ties she had were the babies inside her.

Suddenly, her expression shifted from worry to determination.

Fang Hua took a deep breath and made a firm decision: she would give birth to these children! She didn’t care about others’ judgment or gossip. As for the registration — she’d find a way later.

After all, those were two vibrant lives in her belly. And in the original novel, these twins would grow up to be outstanding individuals.