Chapter 18: Li Xiangbei Asks Zhang Cuihua for Money

After washing the food containers, the two of them sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard.

Li Xiangbei smiled and said,
“I started thinking about making money when I was eight years old. Back then, I was just a kid, so I ran errands for people in the rich neighborhood. Later, when I’d saved a bit, I bought cigarettes wholesale from a tobacco factory and sold them in the rich district and red-light area. By 1960, I met a kind old lady and helped her sell grain for two months. She gave me 100 yuan and 100 jin of grain in return. That’s also how I got to know quite a few older folks. I helped them exchange black market goods for grain and made money as a go-between. Over time, I managed to save up 316 yuan.”

As he spoke, Li Xiangbei pulled out more than ten yuan from his satchel and handed it to Su Yue.
“Yueyue, from now on, all the money I earn will be handed over to you.”

Su Yue looked up at him, a little surprised. She hadn’t expected that she and Li Xiangbei had actually interacted as far back as 1960. At the time, both of them were concealing their identities, which was why they didn’t recognize each other.

She pulled six yuan from the stack and handed it back to him.
“Not bad. You’ve done well. This six yuan is your pocket money.”

Li Xiangbei grinned as he took the money.
“Yueyue, you’re the best.”

Su Yue looked serious and reminded him,
“Don’t get involved in black market trading anymore.”

Li Xiangbei nodded immediately,
“Got it. Now that I’m working at the supply and marketing cooperative, I don’t need to do that stuff anymore. Besides, the crackdown on black market dealings is getting stricter. One of the old man’s sons even subtly warned me recently.”

Su Yue nodded.
“It’s getting late. Let’s head back.”

Li Xiangbei stood up, locked the room and kitchen doors, then the two of them left with their satchels and food containers.

Just as they opened the door, Su Yue saw a young woman diagonally across the alley, staring in their direction.

When the woman saw the two come out, she glared at Su Yue, then smiled sweetly at Li Xiangbei and asked in a flirtatious voice,
“Brother Li, have you had dinner yet?”

Li Xiangbei acted as if he hadn’t heard her, kept locking the door, and took the food container from Su Yue’s hands.
“Yueyue, let’s go.”

Su Yue smiled and nodded.

Li Xiangbei walked Su Yue back to her dormitory. Only when he saw the light in her room turn on did he turn and head home.

By the time he returned to the Li household, it was already dark. He went to the kitchen to fetch water for a bath.

After he finished washing up, he saw his mother, Zhang Cuihua, still sitting in the living room.

Li Xiangbei joked,
“Mom, it’s so late already. Why are you still sitting here feeding the mosquitoes?”

Zhang Cuihua looked at her son with an urgent expression and asked,
“How are things going between you and Xiao Su?”

Li Xiangbei smiled broadly,
“Going well. Oh right, Mom, Yueyue and I are planning to go look at furniture in a few days. Can you give us the money for it?”

“What’s the point of just giving you money? You need a furniture coupon to buy furniture. And to get the coupon, you need to register your marriage first and then bring the certificate to apply for it.”

Li Xiangbei chuckled,
“Exactly, Mom. If you give me the money, I’ll go register with Yueyue.”

Zhang Cuihua thought his reasoning made sense. Besides, once they got the certificate, Xiao Su would officially be part of the family. She nodded and replied,
“Alright then, I’ll give you the money—take 110 yuan.”

“Ma, you’re kind of short-changing me here!” Li Xiangbei suddenly sat up straight. “I already asked around at the furniture factory. A double bed costs at least seventy bucks. Add a wardrobe, and that’s a hundred gone. What can I get with the remaining ten? You promised me enough for 48 legs of furniture, remember?”

Zhang Cuihua shot her younger son a glare. “When your elder brothers got married, I only gave each of them 168 yuan and a ticket. The furniture was just a bed, a wardrobe, and two stools.”

Li Xiangbei crossed his legs leisurely and said, “Ma, Yueyue’s family didn’t even make a fuss about the money, but we can’t treat her unfairly, can we? Around here, even for temporary workers, the bride price is at least 200 yuan. For official workers, it’s no less than 400. Plus, I remember you and Dad spent money to get a temporary job for my sister-in-law too. And even then, she didn’t bring back any dowry. But Yueyue’s mom said all the bride price money will be returned with a dowry.”

Hearing that, Zhang Cuihua’s face flushed a little. Xiao Su (Su Yue) just started working and is already going to marry her youngest son—her family hadn’t benefited from the match at all. She hesitated for a moment and then said, “Fine, I’ll add another ten.”

Li Xiangbei pursed his lips, leaned closer to his mother, and whispered mysteriously, “Ma, I’ll tell you the truth. Yueyue’s dowry includes a whole house.”

As soon as he finished, he quickly covered Zhang Cuihua’s mouth. “Ma, you can’t shout! With her conditions, it took me three years of persistent chasing before she finally agreed to date me.”

Zhang Cuihua nodded quickly, her heart tightening. She realized they needed to get that marriage certificate fast—what if Xiao Su stayed in the city too long and decided her son wasn’t good enough anymore? She gritted her teeth and made up her mind. “Fine, I’ll add another ten.”

Li Xiangbei mock-pouted, “Ma, I feel like you’re cursing your son with that amount.”

Zhang Cuihua said firmly, “Two hundred and sixty. Not a penny more!”

Seeing how distressed his mother looked, Li Xiangbei figured the family probably didn’t have extra money left to buy a temp job for Liu Lanxiang anymore, so he nodded. “Alright then!”

Zhang Cuihua, heart aching, motioned for her youngest son to follow her into the room to get the money.

She dug deep into a cabinet and handed over the cash, her heart practically breaking in two.

Li Xiangbei stuffed the money into his pocket and turned to leave. Just as he opened the door, he saw Liu Lanxiang.

He smirked and called out, “Ma, eldest sister-in-law is eavesdropping at your door again. Better make sure you lock it tight tonight.”

With that, he brushed past Liu Lanxiang and headed to his room.

Liu Lanxiang’s face turned red from the jab. “Fourth, what nonsense are you spouting? I was just passing by!”

When Li Xiangbei ignored her, she looked to Zhang Cuihua and asked, “Ma, what were you and Fourth doing in there?”

Zhang Cuihua shot her a look. “I’m the mother-in-law. Do I need to report to you, a daughter-in-law, what I’m doing?”

Liu Lanxiang took a few steps into the room. “Ma, my husband and Second Brother both hand over ten yuan a month to the household. Now that fourth has a job, shouldn’t he be handing in money too?”

“He already did, the day he got paid.”

Li Xiangbei had started working on the 27th of last month. Even though he only worked three and a half days, he still got half a month’s salary.

Suspicion flickered across Liu Lanxiang’s face. “Ma, you can’t play favorites.”

“Go back to sleep. I have the early shift tomorrow,” Zhang Cuihua said as she turned off the lights and climbed into bed.

Liu Lanxiang pouted and walked out of the room.