Chapter 7

Qiao Shuling looked at the items on the shelf and continued, “Give me two more bags of White Rabbit candy and two boxes of egg cakes…”

She said a bunch of things.

The teller looked at the extremely beautiful but seemingly not wealthy woman with some suspicion. “Comrade, the things you want add up to nearly a hundred yuan. Are you serious about buying them, or are you just joking?”

She looked disdainful.

Qiao Shuling knew that few people bought things this way these days, so she nodded affirmatively, “Of course I really want to buy it.”

She immediately put the money and tickets on the counter.

Qiao Shuling walked around the city carrying some heavy things.

In fact, the family compound is located in the suburbs of Rong City, and it takes about fifteen minutes to drive there. It would be very convenient if you have a bicycle.

However, bicycles were still a scarce commodity in that era, and few people in the compound owned bicycles.

It was 1980, the early days of reform and opening up. Most people still wanted a stable job, and only a very small number of brave people started businesses on the streets.

There are still relatively few self-employed people in this era.

Qiao Shuling plans to do business.

She first went to the department store to buy a bicycle, and then went to the market to buy some vegetables and meat.

When passing by the pork shop, Qiao Shuling’s eyes lit up when he saw that no one was interested in buying the pig offal and scraps.

This is good stuff!

Pig intestines and pig trotters can both be used to make braised dishes.

“Uncle, how do you sell these scraps?”

The butcher asked uncertainly, “Comrade, these are pig offal. Are you sure you want them?”

In 1980, most people were still hungry for fat and preferred to eat fatty meat. The bones and pig offal that Qiao Shuling pointed out were things that no one wanted.

“Well, I want them all.”

Qiao Shuling thought that he had space anyway.

Everything in the space is still, and no matter how many she buys, they will not break.

“Okay, okay, I’ll pack it up for you! It’s 20 kilograms in total, five yuan.”

The boss’s face was wrinkled with laughter. No one wanted the pig when it was lowered to the horizontal level. He felt like he had been taken advantage of today.

Qiao Shuling knew what her boss was thinking, but she didn’t care.

Seeing that the price was cheap, she bought the pig’s head as well.

The boss’s tone was a little vague when he saw her off.

“Goodbye comrade, see you next time!”

If there were more such suckers, wouldn’t he make a fortune?

She went to buy some star anise, cinnamon and other seasonings. The original owner really didn’t work and didn’t even have decent seasonings at home.

Qiao Shuling went to a deserted place and put some of the things she had just bought into the space, and all the things she bought at the supply and marketing cooperative were placed on the back of the bicycle.

These things must pass through the clear path.

She rode her bicycle to the location where the bus was picking up family members and said to Lao Ma, the orderly who drove the bus, “Uncle Niu, I just bought a bicycle, so I will drive back by myself.”

After saying that, he put two White Rabbit milk candies into Lao Ma’s hand.

Old Ma smiled instantly. White Rabbit milk candies were a luxury item nowadays. Qiao Shuling gave him two of these, which he could just give to his greedy grandson.

“Okay, okay, Comrade Qiao, please go back slowly!”

After Qiao Shuling drove away on her bicycle, the sister-in-law said sourly, “Captain Xie’s wife is really something. She doesn’t even consider how hard it is for her husband to make money. She bought a bicycle and so many other things. How much money did Captain Xie give her to make them?”

The gossipers nearby agreed with what they heard and were about to chime in when Old Ma’s cold voice rang out, “Captain Zhao’s wife, why are you always so jealous of Comrade Qiao? She’s pretty and knows how to behave. Captain Xie loves her so much that he gives her money. If you’re jealous, go ask your man for money. What’s the point of being jealous of a young girl?”

Lao Ma is a person who clearly distinguishes between public and private affairs.

Qiao Shuling was actually willing to give him White Rabbit milk candy. He must respect his Uncle Ma in his heart, so of course he had to protect Qiao Shuling!

Old Ma clenched his two big white rabbits, he had already realized——

Qiao Shuling is good, Captain Zhao’s wife is bad!

The eldest sister-in-law, Lin Yinglan, the daughter-in-law of Captain Zhao, was embarrassed by Lao Ma and shut up awkwardly.

She didn’t dare to offend Lao Ma.

Everyone knows that Lao Ma used to be the secretary of the chief. She started driving the bus after retirement because she had nothing to do. If she really offended Lao Ma, she would probably not be able to ride on this bus anymore.

Qiao Shuling rode her bicycle back to the family compound.

Lu Hong’s yard is just diagonally opposite hers, and it only takes a few steps to get there on weekdays.

She parked her bicycle in front of her house, took out a bag of White Rabbit milk candy and a box of egg cake from the package and came to the door of Lu Hong’s yard.

As soon as I reached the door, I heard crying sounds coming from inside.

“Wow, wow, wow, mommy doesn’t want Wo and Guoguo anymore.”

This sound was the crying voice of her youngest son Xie Shengsheng.

She was only there for one afternoon, so why did she not want them anymore?

Qiao Shuling walked into Lu Hong’s yard and saw Xie Shengsheng squatting on the ground crying. Xie Chuanchuan’s little hand was on his shoulder, and he was also sobbing softly.

The two of them are a pair of pitiful little things!

Lu Hong was a little panicked and tried to comfort them, “Chuanchuan, Shengsheng, don’t listen to the nonsense people outside say. Your mother just went out to buy something, why would she leave you behind?”

Lu Hong was still wearing an apron and holding a spatula in her hand. She was obviously cooking when she heard the two kids crying and ran out in a hurry.

She didn’t know what had happened. The two treasures were playing happily with her guards outside, but suddenly they started crying and said that Qiao Shuling didn’t want them anymore.

She knew that it was most likely some foul-mouthed woman who had deliberately said something in front of the two treasures. If she found out who it was, she, Lu Hong, would tear their mouths apart!

Seeing her two children crying so sadly, Qiao Shuling quickly said, “Babies, mommy is back!”

The two treasures raised their heads instantly, tears streaming down their faces, and ran towards Qiao Shuling.

“Mom!!!”

“Mother!!!”

Each of them held one of Qiao Shuling’s legs.

“Mom, I knew you wouldn’t abandon me and Guoguo.”

Xie Shengsheng cried and acted coquettishly.

Xie Chuanchuan was a little more reserved, but he also grabbed her clothes and whispered, “Mom, you’re back…”

The two angel babies melted Qiao Shuling’s heart.

“My dear babies, of course mommy doesn’t abandon you.”

Lu Hong was relieved to see Qiao Shuling coming back.

In fact, she was not sure either. After all, Qiao Shuling had treated the two kids so badly before. She was really afraid that Qiao Shuling would just leave.

But she treated her two children as her own sons, so she naturally had no good face towards Qiao Shuling, who abused the children. She didn’t even look at Qiao Shuling.

Qiao Shuling knew that Lu Hong was a rare person in the family compound who treated the two treasures sincerely, and she also understood that she was treating her coldly now because the original owner was really too much.

She let the two treasures release their legs and took the initiative to hand over the egg cake and White Rabbit candy. “Sister Lu, I bought this for you and the guards. Thank you for taking care of the two treasures today.”

Lu Hong saw Qiao Shuling give her egg cake and White Rabbit milk candy——

He immediately looked at her as if he had seen a ghost.