Without Lu Tingting needing to say a word, Wu Meixia and the others took turns recounting the entire incident to Meng Wei, piece by piece.  

They spilled everything about Jiang Moli’s past shamelessness, laziness, and gluttony without holding back.  

The more Meng Wei listened, the darker her expression grew.  

The others assumed she was indignant on Lu Tingting’s behalf, angry that Jiang Moli had bullied her.  

In reality, Meng Wei was seething over Lu Cheng’s terrible judgment. She was even more furious and resentful that she had lost to a woman like Jiang Molly—a good-for-nothing idiot.  

[Disdain value +1.]

Hearing the notification of the disdain value increase, Jiang Moli didn’t pay it much mind. Without a doubt, someone was gossiping about her behind her back.  

Suppressing her inner rage, Meng Wei took out a handkerchief and handed it to Lu Tingting, comforting her gently, “This is your third uncle’s fault. No matter what, he shouldn’t side with an outsider and let you suffer.”  

These words struck a chord with Lu Tingting. “Sister Weiwei, I wish you were my third aunt instead! That bitch Jiang Moli—who knows what tricks she used to seduce my third uncle? It makes me so mad!”  

Hearing Lu Tingting call Jiang Moli a bitch gave Meng Wei a small thrill, though she feigned disapproval. “Alright, there’s no need to get angry over someone not worth it. As for the teaching assignment, I’ll plead with your third uncle on your behalf.”  

Lu Tingting pouted. “And I really don’t want to clean toilets either. It stinks so bad.”  

Meng Wei smiled. “That’s simple. You’re the one who got her that job. If she loses it, she won’t be able to boss you around anymore.”  

Lu Tingting smacked her forehead in delight. “Oh, right! I’m so stupid—thank you, Sister Weiwei!”  

After watching Lu Tingting and her friends leave, Meng Wei’s smile faded. She turned and walked into the department store.  

Despite the bustling crowd inside, Meng Wei spotted Lu Cheng immediately.  

His tall, commanding figure and striking features made him stand out like a crane among chickens, dazzling even in a sea of people.  

Then she looked at the woman beside him.  

She admitted Jiang Moli had some charm, but compared to her laziness, lack of ambition, and vanity, that bit of beauty was like a single jade tile failing to hide a mountain of flaws.  

Besides, Lu Cheng wasn’t the type of man to be swayed by looks.  

Meng Wei might not be a peerless beauty, but she was widely recognized in their circle for both her talent and appearance. If Lu Cheng were truly a womanizer, he would have made a move on her long ago.  

No matter how she thought about it, Lu Cheng’s interest in Jiang Moli was baffling.  

Either Jiang Moli had some hidden virtue no one knew about, or Lu Cheng had some unavoidable reason for this.  

Whatever the case, she was determined to get to the bottom of it.  

…

After browsing all the counters on the first floor without finding any wedding dresses or festive attire, Lu Cheng led Jiang Moli to the fabric section and asked her to pick out some auspicious material to have a set tailor-made.  

“This fabric is nice—light, breathable, and the color is vibrant.”  

Lu Cheng immediately took a liking to a bright red polyester fabric, also known as dacron. These days, young people prided themselves on wearing dacron.  

Jiang Molly, however, wasn’t a fan. Instead, she preferred a fine cotton print with small red flowers on a white background.  

“I want this one.”  

“Alright, then this one it is. How many yards?”  

From this small exchange, it was clear the man didn’t share the common flaw of most men in this era—macho arrogance. He didn’t act like the sole decision-maker just because he earned the money, nor did he insist Jiang Moli obey him.  

After buying the fabric, the two headed to the second floor.  

The second floor mainly sold furniture, appliances, and hardware.  

Jiang Moli picked out a new bed, a new wardrobe, a dressing table, and even a set of rattan side tables and lounge chairs.  

The Lu family had a courtyard. When autumn came, she could set up a canopy, place the tables and chairs underneath, and lounge beneath the shade—how delightful would that be?

Whatever Jiang Moli fancied, Lu Cheng didn’t say a word—he simply paid without hesitation.  

In this era, department stores were state-owned, and salesclerks held enviable “iron rice bowl” jobs, making them notoriously aloof. They wouldn’t treat customers any better just because they bought something, and home delivery was out of the question. Buyers had to figure out how to haul their purchases themselves.  

Lu Cheng, however, kept it simple—he just called Lu Dezhao and had him send people over to help.  

After hanging up, he turned to Jiang Molli. “Still want to look around the second floor? If not, let’s head to the third.”  

Jiang Moli actually felt they had bought enough—the essentials were covered, and they’d already spent a considerable amount.  

But seeing Lu Cheng’s unfazed, money-is-no-object attitude, she decided it was time to show him what real reckless spending looked like.  

…

The third floor had an upscale, high-end vibe, showcasing gold and silver jewelry, jade, watches, pens, cigarettes, alcohol, tea, high-end ready-to-wear clothing, leather shoes—you name it.  

Further in, there was even a separate “special supply” section.  

Lu Cheng clearly had a plan. He led Jiang Moli straight to the jewelry counter.  

“Do you prefer gold, jade, or gemstones?”  

Jiang Moli answered bluntly, “I like them all.”  

Lu Cheng wasn’t fazed. “All our savings are with you. Set aside a thousand for the wedding banquet—the rest is up to you. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”  

Jiang Moli didn’t know whether to call him financially clueless or just carefree.  

But then again, given his rank and profession, he really didn’t have much financial pressure.  

He wore military uniforms, ate military rations, and even lived in military-assigned housing. The only thing he needed to spend money on now was her—his new wife.  

Lu Cheng pointed to a plain gold bangle in the display case. “This one’s nice—simple and elegant.”  

“No.”  

He then gestured to a green jade bracelet. “How about this?”  

“Don’t like it.”  

Lu Cheng glanced at her and chuckled. “Then pick something yourself. We’ve got time—no rush.”  

There wasn’t a trace of impatience in his tone, just the calm tolerance of someone older.  

Jiang Moli strolled around the jewelry counter with her hands behind her back but ended up not buying a single thing.  

“None of them appeal to you?”  

“Nope.”  

“Then we’ll check another store later.”  

“We’ll see.”  

Truthfully, it wasn’t about the designs. This era was unique—flaunting gold and silver or living luxuriously could easily invite accusations of “capitalist tendencies.”  

Though she skipped the jewelry, the ready-to-wear clothing on the third floor was decent—well-made and high-quality, though the colors were dull, mostly limited to blue, black, gray, and white.  

Jiang Moli picked out two outfits:  

One was a shirt paired with trousers, the other a short-sleeved top with a midi skirt. She also bought a pair of the era’s trendy woven leather sandals.  

When she went to the restroom, she spotted a lingerie counter tucked away in a corner.  

People in this time were more conservative—rural women mostly wore traditional undergarments, while city women typically stuck to undershirts. Bras weren’t widely accepted yet.  

But for Jiang Moli, bras were far more comfortable than undershirts.  

Perhaps noticing she’d been gone too long, Lu Cheng came looking for her.  

“What are you looking at?”  

Jiang Moli casually held up the two bras she’d picked. “Which one do you think is better?”  

Lu Cheng stared at the bras for two seconds before tactfully averting his gaze, his ears turning bright red.  

“Whichever you like is fine.”  

If just looking at bras made him this flustered, she wondered how he’d react if she modeled them for him.  

Tsk tsk.

Jiang Moli decisively bought both.  

Afterward, the two headed to the special supply section.