While waiting for the bus at the intersection, a hearty and boisterous laugh suddenly rang out from behind.  

Zhou Qiqi instinctively turned around and saw Deng Cuixiang striding toward them with a floral cloth bag slung over her shoulder, her high heels clicking briskly against the pavement. Her gaze was fixed intently on the bulging burlap sack beside the two girls.  

“Hey, Qiqi, Yingying, are you two heading into the city? Why such a big bag?”  

Zhou Qiqi didn’t try to hide anything. She patted the stuffed burlap sack and smiled.  

“I bought some clothes wholesale and plan to set up a stall in the city to sell them.”  

“What kind of clothes? Let me take a look!”  

Deng Cuixiang’s interest was instantly piqued. With deft hands, she untied the sack’s opening.  

When she saw the clothes inside and heard Zhou Qiqi’s explanation, her eyes lit up, and she couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.  

“I have these two styles too! I thought they were too old-fashioned to wear, but with your modifications, they’ve suddenly become so chic and high-end! You’re amazing!”  

Her eyes sparkled as she stared at the clothes, her fingers lightly tracing the fringe and lace, as if she couldn’t wait to buy a couple of pieces right away.  

Unfortunately, her family had just finished building a new outhouse, and money was tight. She had no choice but to suppress her longing.  

Zhou Qiqi, sharp-eyed, noticed her hesitation and immediately made a warm suggestion.  

“Sister Cuixiang, if you don’t mind, you can bring me your old clothes, and I’ll modify them for you!”  

“Really? That’s fantastic! You’re definitely going to make a fortune!”  

Deng Cuixiang’s eyes shone with excitement, but then she suddenly remembered something. She pulled the two girls closer and lowered her voice.  

“But I have to warn you—while it’s great that you’re starting a business, don’t be too flashy about it. Most of the families in our residential compound are housewives without proper jobs, stuck at home all day taking care of kids. After seeing you spend money so freely, a lot of them are already green with envy! If they find out you’re also making money, who knows how much resentment you’ll stir up!”  

Zhou Qiqi’s expression turned serious at these words, and she nodded earnestly.  

Before she could respond, three military wives approached from a distance, chatting and laughing.  

Quick-witted Deng Cuixiang swiftly stepped in front of the burlap sack, blocking it from view.  

The leader of the group, Li Hongjuan, swung her cloth bag and drawled in a probing tone,  

“Oh, Cuixiang, what’s in such a big bag? Some kind of treasure?”  

Deng Cuixiang casually nudged the sack with her foot.  

“Oh, it’s nothing special. My younger sister-in-law just had a baby, so I’m sending over some old clothes and little blankets.”  

Her parents’ home was in the city, and she often traveled back and forth to deliver things, so the explanation was perfectly plausible. Li Hongjuan gave the sack a cursory glance and didn’t press further.  

Instead, she turned her attention to Zhou Qiqi and Zhu Yingying, offering a strained smile as she greeted them.  

“Qiqi, Yingying, you’re going into the city too?”  

“Yeah, just buying some groceries,” Zhou Qiqi replied evenly, neither submissive nor overbearing.  

Just then, the supply truck sputtered to a stop in front of them.  

Deng Cuixiang hoisted the burlap sack and headed for the truck bed, while Zhou Qiqi and Yingying quickly followed.  

Li Hongjuan and her two companions, however, swayed their hips and hurried to the front seats—after all, the front was much more comfortable than the truck bed.  

As the supply truck jolted its way toward the city, the three in the back chatted nonstop.  

Somehow, the topic turned to food.  

Remembering the delicious meal from the day before, Zhou Qiqi couldn’t help but praise,  

“The cafeteria chef’s skills are amazing! That braised fish yesterday afternoon was absolutely divine!”  

At this, she even subconsciously licked her lips, her face full of nostalgia.  

Yingying was baffled. “What braised fish? The cafeteria served braised fish?”  

Her family ate at the cafeteria every day, and fish was basically never on the menu.

Moreover, the food at the cafeteria was just passable—far from being considered delicious.  

“Huh?”  

Zhou Qiqi was also stunned, her face filled with confusion.  

Now even Zhou Qiqi was baffled. Deng Cuixiang slapped her forehead in realization.  

“I remember now! In the afternoon, my husband and Regimental Commander Shen went to the city for a meeting. On the way back, Commander Shen stopped by the military district restaurant, which delayed them a bit and almost made my husband late getting home. So… it turns out he had specially gone to buy braised fish for Qiqi!” 

“That restaurant serves high-ranking officials—of course the food is amazing!”  

Hearing this, Zhou Qiqi’s heart pounded wildly, and her cheeks instantly flushed pink.  

She bit her lip as if countless sweet fireworks exploded in her heart, a honeyed warmth spreading from deep within.  

The feeling was so unfamiliar that she couldn’t help but press a hand to her chest, silently grumbling to herself.  

It’s just a meal… why did he have to be so thoughtful about it?

“Ah, young love is something else! They’re all so considerate!”  

Deng Cuixiang’s eyes darted between Qiqi and Yingying, teasing them with a grin.  

“Not like my man—he followed Commander Shen all the way to the restaurant but didn’t even think to bring back a meat bun for me! He’s as clueless as the Great Yu!”  

Amid the laughter and chatter, they soon arrived in the city.  

After helping unload their things, Deng Cuixiang left to visit her parents’ home.  

Zhou Qiqi and Zhu Yingying transferred to a bus and headed straight for the city cinema.  

It had to be said—though that woman was sharp-tongued and unpleasant, her eye for a good location was spot-on.  

On one side of the street was G City Normal University, and on the other was the city’s largest food processing factory.  

Both female students and factory workers had disposable income to spare.  

Add to that the large open space in front of the cinema, which attracted plenty of young couples on dates, and this place was practically a golden spot for setting up a stall!  

But naturally, such a prime location was coveted by everyone.  

By the time they arrived, it was already past nine, and nearly all the good spots in the open area had been taken.  

The most prominent central position was occupied by a woman in a bright red dress, brown sunglasses, and flashy red nail polish.  

Her stall was the largest, piled high with all kinds of clothes—none other than the woman Zhou Qiqi had seen at the wholesale market the day before.  

Sharp-eyed, the woman spotted Zhou Qiqi immediately.  

First, she looked surprised, then deliberately put on an exaggerated, mock-crying expression, clearly trying to provoke her.  

Zhou Qiqi ignored her and led Yingying around the area to scout for a spot.  

All the good locations were taken, but after searching for a while, they finally found a small empty space near a crossroads, farther from the cinema.  

Though it wasn’t as close to the cinema, it had the advantage of being near the intersection, visible to passersby, and shaded by two large trees. Zhou Qiqi was satisfied enough.  

She and Yingying quickly spread a cloth on the ground, neatly laid out the clothes, and unfurled the fabric sign they had made the night before.  

Made from high-quality beige linen and borrowed from Zhouzhou’s watercolor set, the sign boldly displayed the words “Qiqi’s Fashion Stall” in sweeping calligraphy, adorned with cute little flowers and hearts as decoration.  

Once hung up, it looked quite professional.  

After setting up the sign, Zhou Qiqi handed Yingying a folding stool to sit on, then planted her hands on her hips and began loudly hawking their wares.  

“Batwing tops, bell-bottoms—exclusive designer styles! Don’t miss out if you’re passing by!”  

She wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. There was no shame in making money.  

She had assumed that since it was Monday, most people would be at work or school, so foot traffic would be light. Plus, the clothes on display were modest in color and style, so she didn’t expect customers right away.  

But to her surprise, after just a few calls, a young woman in her twenties approached, pointing at a black batwing top on the ground.  

“Boss, how much for this batwing top?”