Chapter 18: How About This, You Give Me a Few Fish

Liu Chunlei rode away on his bicycle with reluctance, a sweet smile lingering on his face.

“Idiot,”

Ye Hongping scolded at his retreating back, then looked at the fabric coupons in her hand and broke into a grin.

That idiot probably gave her his entire year’s worth of fabric coupons.

It was enough for her to make two new outfits.

Seeing Ye Hongping standing there alone, Ma Xiaolian ran over and asked, “He left?”

Ye Hongping casually stuck her hands into her pockets. “Just now, I gave him a good scolding.”

Ma Xiaolian said, “You scared me. I thought he was really your boyfriend.”

“How could that be?” Ye Hongping flicked her braided hair.

There was no way she’d fall for Liu Chunlei.

Absolutely impossible.

Ma Xiaolian laughed, “That’s what I thought too. There are so many handsome young educated men at the educated youth station, why would you pick an ugly toad like him?”

Then she gave Ye Hongping a once-over. “Sis, is there anyone at the station you like?”

Ye Hongping shook her head.

She had plenty of suitors, but not a single one she liked.

Not long ago, a male educated youth even confessed his feelings to her, but she turned him down—for now.

Ma Xiaolian reminded her, “You’d better stay away from that Liu Chunlei. Don’t let him sweet-talk you into anything.”

Ye Hongping secretly scoffed.

With Liu Chunlei’s IQ? She was doing him a favor by not scamming him.

If it weren’t for his uncle being the brigade secretary, she wouldn’t even give him the time of day.

“Sis-in-law, don’t worry. Liu Chunlei and I are just friends. He’s harmless—just a bit of a joker.”

“That’s good, that’s good.”

Ma Xiaolian relaxed. This girl was good-looking and had a gentle temperament.

She would be a perfect match for her cousin back in her hometown.

If she could help matchmake this, her family back home would be over the moon.

Ye Hongping affectionately linked arms with her. “Sis-in-law, can I ask you a favor?”

“What is it?”

“I’m afraid Luo Yaqing will spread rumors around the family compound and ruin my reputation.”

Ye Hongping looked troubled, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, making her seem especially pitiful.

“She wouldn’t dare!” Ma Xiaolian thumped her chest. “If she talks crap about you, I’ll rip her mouth off!”

…

Luo Yaqing pedaled into the family compound, handed the bicycle to Zhang Guiqin, and happily carried her bags toward home.

Qiu Shimin was sweeping the yard when she saw her come in.

“You bought so much stuff?”

“Auntie, we’re making dumplings for lunch,” Luo Yaqing said, showing off the pork belly she’d bought.

Qiu Shimin said, “You haven’t had breakfast yet, have you? There are buns in the house waiting for you.”

“You’re the best, Auntie!” Luo Yaqing beamed.

“Go eat then.”

“Wait a sec, let me put the fish in a basin first.”

She brought the stuff inside, filled a basin with water, and poured in the fish—nearly half a basin full.

Qiu Shimin glanced at the lively crucian carp and nearly-dead perch and turned to get a kitchen knife to clean them.

“Auntie, Auntie!” Luo Yaqing stopped her. “You go rest, I’ll take care of them in a bit.”

“Can you clean them properly?” Qiu Shimin asked with concern.

“You don’t trust me?” Luo Yaqing pouted.

Qiu Shimin chuckled dotingly. “Alright, I’ll trust you this once.”

Luo Yaqing pushed her inside. “Rest assured, I won’t let you down.”

“There are buns left for you,” Qiu Shimin reminded her.

“Got it! I’ll clean the basket first and then eat.”

She had only brought a mesh bag to the market, so she’d borrowed Zhang Guiqin’s basket for the fish.

After scrubbing it clean, she went in, heated up a bun to fill her stomach, then went to the courtyard to clean the fish.

She planned to keep the crucian carp alive for now and first clean the perch to marinate with ginger and salt for pan-frying at dinner.

“Hey, where’d those little fish come from?”

A woman’s voice interrupted her. Luo Yaqing looked up—it was her neighbor Ma Xiaolian, holding a piece of floral fabric by the fence.

“Hey, I’m talking to you. Where’d the fish come from?”

“Found them.”

Luo Yaqing was surprised Ma Xiaolian actually took the initiative to talk to her for once.

Ma Xiaolian eyed the basin curiously. “Where exactly did you find them?”

“…”

“Hey, are you deaf?”

“Found them on the road,” Luo Yaqing said while cleaning the fish.

Ma Xiaolian sneered. “You got that kind of dumb luck?”

Yeah right.

Freshwater fish were hard to come by this season—who would just toss them away?

Only one possibility: black market trade!

Thinking this, Ma Xiaolian let out a cold laugh. “Buying things from capitalist-roaders is a crime. You’ll get denounced and re-educated for that. If I report you, you’re done for.”

Luo Yaqing: “…”

She was clearly being threatened, and the air was thick with menace.

Good thing she wasn’t easily scared. “Go ahead and report me, better hurry before they get off work.”

Ma Xiaolian froze. “You’re really not afraid?”

Luo Yaqing shook her head.

This back and forth—it was obvious Ma Xiaolian just wanted her fish.

Sure enough, Ma Xiaolian said, “Forget it. We all live in the same compound, neighbors and all. How about this—give me a few fish, and I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything.”

Fish at the market were too expensive. A catfish was 0.35 yuan per jin, silver carp 0.23 yuan. No one could afford that often.

It’d been nearly two months since her household last had fish.

She craved it—

She loved eating fish.

Fish jelly made from crucian carp with porridge? She could eat three bowls.

Luo Yaqing glanced at her. There was nothing but unfiltered greed in the woman’s eyes.

She put down her knife, reached into the basin, picked up a crucian carp, frowned, and put it back.

“Not this one…” she muttered, picking up another. “This one looks decent.”

“Too small!” Ma Xiaolian leaned over the fence, craning her neck. “Pick out a few bigger ones for me.”

Luo Yaqing began selecting again.

Ma Xiaolian was getting anxious. If the fence weren’t so tall, she’d have jumped over already.

She stretched her neck and pointed through the slats. “The one near the edge… no, not that one, that one… yeah, that’s it… Bigger fish taste better and have fewer bones. The small ones poke your mouth.”

Luo Yaqing finally picked out several of the biggest crucian carp and placed them in a small basin beside her.

Then she stood up and carried the basin over to the eaves of the house.

Ma Xiaolian: “…”

Waited all that time, and the fish weren’t for her?

She’d been played?

Fuming, Ma Xiaolian clenched her back teeth. “Exploiting capitalist bitch, damn black five category trash!”

She spat angrily and stomped off.

Luo Yaqing didn’t even flinch. She hummed a cheerful tune, tidied up the courtyard, and went back inside.

Qiu Shimin had been watching from the window the entire time.

Yaqing had changed.

Less impulsive now, and more clever and composed .

“Auntie,” Luo Yaqing came in with a smile, holding the enamel basin, “What do you think of my fish cleaning?”

Qiu Shimin said, “Yaqing, you did a wonderful job.”

“See? I told you I could do it, but you didn’t believe me.” Luo Yaqing said, a little smug.

Qiu Shimin smiled, “I was talking about what just happened outside.”