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Chapter 2: Showing Off
Knock, knock, knock!
“Li Luo, it’s me, Qiuyu.” Han Qiuyu’s voice came from outside. “Sorry about earlier.” She pushed the door open without waiting. “Oh—you didn’t lock it.” She strolled right in and plopped herself down on the bed.
Li Luo froze. That was Qin Mian’s bed! She had planned to clean up the top bunk and sleep there, but she was too fat to climb up. It had taken all her determination just to lie down here.
What is this woman’s problem?
“Li Luo, what’s your education? Where do you work? How long are you planning to stay here?” Han Qiuyu asked, pretending to be friendly.
“No schooling, no job. I plan to live here permanently. Why? You gonna introduce me to a job?” Li Luo perked up.
She did want to work, but she had no recommendation letter, so no one would hire her. She’d begged Qin Mian’s father to write her one, but the old man refused. Then she thought of doing business, but from what she’d learned, private trade—even small—wasn’t allowed in this era.
Han Qiuyu blinked. “I don’t even have a job myself yet,” she added quickly, “but my family already has connections lined up for me. I’ll get into a factory sooner or later.”
Li Luo immediately caught the undertone: this girl was bragging. She tuned her out.
Once the damp spots on her clothes dried, Li Luo brushed off the mud and got ready to look around the area. “Qiuyu, I’m heading out.”
Meaning: Why are you still sitting there?
Clueless woman.
“Hey, where are you going? I’ll come with you. I’ve got nothing else to do anyway.”
“Thanks, but no need.” Li Luo locked the door and walked out.
Han Qiuyu strutted beside her, chest out, enthusiastically pointing out places of interest in the northwest.
On the street, neighbors greeted Han Qiuyu warmly, praising her looks. Then, noticing the big dark-skinned girl at her side, they casually asked who she was.
Han Qiuyu, smug inside, cheerfully replied: “That’s Qin Mian’s wife.”
The neighbors all clicked their tongues and shook their heads. “What a mismatch. Such a pity.”
Li Luo nearly jumped out of her skin in anger. Just you wait—once I slim down, you’ll see how perfectly I match him.
…
When they passed the department store, Li Luo went inside for a look.
This era was short on supplies, and most goods sold were just daily necessities.
Accessories like hair clips and handbags were few, ugly, and badly made.
My handicraft skills aren’t bad. If I could get wholesale headbands and clips, then decorate them, I could definitely make money. Too bad there’s no source… and no capital.
Leaving the store, she noticed a calligraphy-and-painting shop across the street. She turned to head that way.
Han Qiuyu tugged her arm. “It’s almost eleven. If we don’t go now, we’ll miss lunch at the cafeteria.”
“I’m dieting. You go eat,” Li Luo replied.
Han Qiuyu curled her lips secretly. Knows she needs to diet, yet still so fat. She walked off ahead.
As Li Luo crossed the street, a middle-aged man appeared at the shop door. He looked around furtively before slipping inside.
Shifty. Definitely something fishy.
Li Luo edged closer to the doorway, keeping out of sight.
The man reached the counter, pulled a rolled-up painting from his sleeve, and handed it to the shop owner.
The owner unrolled it, inspected it, then discreetly raised three fingers.
The man sighed regretfully. “Deal.”
The shop owner quietly slipped three yuan into his hand. The man clasped his fists in thanks and turned to leave. The owner escorted him to the door.
At the threshold, the owner noticed Li Luo, gave her a brief glance, and started to head back inside.
Li Luo stepped forward. “Boss, hold it right there. Weren’t you two just making a secret deal?”
The owner, calm and unhurried, asked: “Do you have any proof?”
Li Luo explained: “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to tattle. I want to join.”
She quietly analyzed the situation. Since the calligraphy and painting shop was openly running, that meant business was allowed. But the boss’s sneaky way of taking goods suggested that his supply channels were few, fixed, and expensive. Naturally, the selling price was controlled by these high costs, making sales difficult. That was why he resorted to secretly buying cheap paintings for resale.
If she could also make money by selling calligraphy and paintings, she’d soon have income.
The more she thought about it, the more excited she became: “Boss, my calligraphy and paintings are better than the ones hanging on your wall.”
The shopkeeper sneered: “Easy to say, isn’t it?”
Li Luo shifted her gaze to the scroll before her: “This one—bold strokes, rich colors, dazzling and vibrant. It must be the most expensive piece in your shop.”
Then she pointed to another: “This one has smooth lines, but the color blending is flawed, which lowers the quality of the whole painting. If the artist could improve on that, the price could easily double.”
The boss was slightly impressed: “Didn’t expect you to actually know your stuff. Bring your calligraphy or paintings, I’ll take a look. If they’re good, I’ll buy.”
Li Luo was overjoyed, but painting materials were expensive. She couldn’t bear to spend money on them, and it wasn’t easy to hide either. “I only have calligraphy.”
“Calligraphy works too. If it’s high quality, I’ll pay two yuan a piece. Poor quality, fifty cents.”
Li Luo left the shop, hurried home, and grabbed money to buy a brush, ink, and rice paper at the convenience stall.
Back home, she locked the door and began writing:
She wrote three pieces in one go. Just as she put her brush down, the door knocked.
Li Luo lifted the curtain—it was Qin Mian. “Just a moment.” She quickly hid her materials and opened the door.
“What are you locking the door for in broad daylight?” Qin Mian stepped in. He caught the faint smell of ink, though no ink bottle was in sight.
What’s she up to?
“N-nothing at all,” Li Luo stammered nervously, dragging out a stool for him.
Qin Mian’s sharp eyes swept the room as he sat down.
Then Auntie Liu from next door arrived, leading a boy of about ten to ask Qin Mian for help with his math homework.
Seeing Li Luo, Auntie Liu greeted her politely: “Are you settling in well here?”
Li Luo smiled. “Yes, quite well.” Not wanting to disturb the boy’s studies, she carried her stool outside under the eaves.
Auntie Liu struck up a chat, and before long Li Luo had figured out how many people lived in each household in the courtyard and what jobs they did.
She also learned that this siheyuan was a mixed courtyard, not an official family housing compound. Only their two homes had been assigned by the work unit, while the rest were factory workers renting space.
Li Luo deliberately asked about Han Qiuyu’s character.
Auntie Liu lowered her voice: “Not too good. Let me tell you, her family once asked a matchmaker to arrange a marriage between her and young Qin. Nothing came of it, but Han Qiuyu insists they’ll be together, even planned to marry after New Year. Who knew you’d show up quietly? This morning, her mother even came to scold Qin for being unkind. But from what I know of young Qin, he’s unlikely to have anything with her. Still, watch out, don’t let Han Qiuyu stir up trouble between you.”
Li Luo was stunned. No wonder Han Qiuyu had questioned her yesterday.
But Qin Mian clearly hadn’t liked the original her.
Wait—wrong. He hadn’t even met her.
Qin Mian’s father and her grandfather had been friends and verbally arranged a marriage. But during the chaos of war, the two families lost contact.
It was only half a year ago that they reconnected. Qin’s father brought up the engagement, with the intended groom being his eldest grandson.
The moment the eldest grandson saw the original bride’s looks, he ran away overnight.
The original one cried and made a scene, and Qin’s father, feeling guilty, thought of his younger son who was still unmarried and said she could marry him instead.
Fearing the younger son might also run, he pulled strings and had the marriage certificate processed for Qin Mian and her in advance.
Only afterward did he tell Qin Mian.
Qin Mian was so furious he wrote back threatening to sever ties with his father. Since then, there had been no word from him.
Meanwhile, the original one lived off the Qin family, lazy and idle. With no way to take her back, Qin’s father said, Whoever’s wife she is, let him be responsible, and sent her over to Qin Mian.
At that moment, the boy came out with his homework finished, and Auntie Liu left with him.