Chapter 81: One Mao, Two Mao ~ Little Money-Grubber

The five yuan passed from the aunt’s hand into Chu Yue’s pocket.

Wang Xiulan looked on, eyes filled with jealousy and longing.

Next to Wang Xiulan stood her usual gossip partner, Sister-in-law Da Hua. While Da Hua wasn’t as sharp-eyed as Wang Xiulan, after glancing at Chu Yue’s spot, she more or less figured out what was going on.

“Chu Zhiyue, are you… selling things?” Da Hua hurriedly stepped forward, staring at the roasted pine nuts and wild yams on Chu Yue’s stall.

Seeing Da Hua open her mouth, Wang Xiulan immediately seized the moment and added loudly:

“Chu girl, your business is booming! I saw that person hand you five yuan just now! You made five yuan in such a short time? Oh my, that’s way easier than slaving away at work. You might not even earn five yuan in ten days to half a month!”

Her tone was intentionally provocative, clearly trying to stir resentment. She used a light, smug voice and emphasized the words “five yuan” loudly enough to catch attention.

The other military wives behind her all turned their eyes toward Chu Yue, and their expressions began to shift.

Chu Yue had seen Wang Xiulan several times before. In the past, it was always He Meijiao at the front line causing conflict with Chu Yue—Wang Xiulan hid behind her, staying invisible while reaping benefits.

Unfortunately, Wang Xiulan hadn’t been so lucky. The rich meal she managed to get her hands on in the end? She vomited it all out and was left with the other wives’ disdain.

As for He Meijiao—she still hadn’t given up after learning Lu Zhanlin was married. Maybe Wang Xiulan had fanned the flames behind the scenes.

Chu Yue had no patience for people like Wang Xiulan and showed no courtesy.

Her expression was cool and distant, eyes sharp as blades as she said directly:

“Sister-in-law Wang, if you’re jealous of the money I’m making, you can go pick pine nuts too. Pine trees grow right up in the mountains, only about ten meters high. All you have to do is climb them, chop down the cones, carry them back to the compound, start a fire to roast them, crack them open, and then go through a few more steps to make edible pine nuts. You look so capable—I’m sure you can do it.”

Anyone could hear the ridicule and contempt in Chu Yue’s words.

After all, when it comes to making money, nothing in this world comes easy.

Among the crowd behind her was Zheng Yue’e, a Northern woman who’d seen firsthand how men climb trees and chop pinecones. She knew that every pine nut was earned through sweat and effort.

She said bluntly:

“Chu girl is earning honest, hard-earned money. Those pine trees are tall, and every climb is a life-risking act. I wouldn’t dare do it. This money—only she has the guts and skill to earn it. Wang Xiulan, if you’re so envious, go climb the trees and chop the pinecones like she said!”

“Exactly! Wang Xiulan, you’re just criticizing from the sidelines without lifting a finger yourself…”

Several other wives chimed in, clearly irritated by Wang Xiulan’s earlier remarks.

Wang Xiulan never expected that instead of rallying the crowd against Chu Yue, she would become the target of everyone’s criticism.

Flustered and red in the face, she shouted:

“She… she… she’s setting up a stall and doing business!”

“Yes, I am doing business,” Chu Yue stood up, her gaze locking coldly onto Wang Xiulan, a faint mocking smile on her lips. “What, is there a rule somewhere banning military wives in the compound from doing business? Or do you just hate that I’m making some money to support my family? Planning to run to Sister Song again to tattle?”

The last time someone secretly reported her to Song Hongmei, Chu Yue hadn’t found out who it was. Now, she brought it up deliberately, as a way to probe for a reaction.

Although Wang Xiulan was sneaky, she wasn’t very deep—her schemes were all written on her face. She clearly wasn’t the kind of person who could stay calm and anonymously report Lu Zhanlin for misconduct.

Chu Yue’s words stirred up the crowd even more.

“Things aren’t like before. Back then, doing business might’ve been seen as profiteering. But now, it’s different.”

“Wang Xiulan, you’re just bitter. Can’t get the grapes, so you say they’re sour!”

“How many times do we have to say it? The military wives in our compound should stick together. If anyone’s running to Sister Song to rat others out, I’m never associating with that kind of person again.”

You say one thing, I say another — in the end, it made Wang Xiulan go pale with anxiety, nearly hopping with frustration!

“I… I… I didn’t mean it like that… how could you all…”

Wang Xiulan just couldn’t understand it. What was so special about Chu Yue? She’d only been at the compound for ten days or so, and yet everyone already seemed to side with her.

Zheng Yue’e shot Wang Xiulan a glare, then waved to the others.
“Enough. We came to the market to buy New Year goods. Let’s not interrupt Chu Yue’s business. Come on, come on… Chu Yue, the bus leaves at three. Don’t miss it.”

“Got it, Sister Zheng. I’ll remember,” Chu Yue replied with a smile.

She watched as the wives all walked off. Wang Xiulan was reluctant at first, but Hong Dahua tugged her along, and she had no choice but to leave.

As the group walked away, someone muttered softly:

“If Chu Yue can sell things at the market, why can’t we? I’ve got so many cabbages growing in the yard, we can’t even eat them all… why didn’t I think of selling them? Even making a few dimes would be good!”

It was such a simple idea — but due to the constraints of the era, no one had ever thought to do it before.

Chu Yue was like the first person to eat a crab — her bold move woke everyone up to the fact that times were changing.

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Meanwhile—

Chu Yue’s conversation with the wives had drawn the attention of some of the market-goers nearby.

An older auntie came over and asked,
“Young lady, I overheard your conversation just now. Are you a military wife?”

“Yes, auntie,” Chu Yue replied openly and confidently. “My husband is in the military, and I’m here as his dependent.”

The auntie smiled,
“A military wife! That’s wonderful. Soldiers are good people! If your man’s a soldier, I trust you won’t cheat me. Give me some of that yam — I’ll buy from you.”

“Sure thing, auntie~”

What started as a small conflict turned into free advertising for Chu Yue. Gradually, more customers started trickling in to her stall — buying some pine nuts, buying some Chinese yam.

Soon enough, not only was her bamboo backpack empty, even the stock she’d kept in her storage space was mostly gone.

Her pocket bulged — filled with small change, but still adding up to quite a bit.

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That night…

“Ten cents, twenty cents… fifty cents… ten cents…”

Lu Yuanbao, freshly bathed and bundled into a warm bed, couldn’t fight off his sleepiness. As Chu Yue’s soft voice counted coins beside him, it became his lullaby — and he dozed off, halfway between dreams.

Even in his sleep, he could still see Chu Yue’s radiant, beaming smile, the one she had while pulling out handfuls of coins.

Chu Yue was also curled up in bed, lying on her stomach. All the coins were spread out beside her pillow — grouped by type: the one-cent coins in one pile, the two-cent ones in another, then the ten-cent and twenty-cent piles…

She counted slowly, her eyes glimmering with joy. To her, nothing was more delightful than counting money.

Just then, Lu Zhanlin pushed the door open and came in — and the scene he walked in on was just this:

Chu Yue, like a little squirrel, happily storing up her treasures for winter.