Chapter 24: Encountering Bai Jun and Qin Lan

Leaving the post office, they saw a popsicle vendor nearby. Jiang Yiyi bought three—one each for her and Yueyue, one for Gu Yunchi and Tiantian, and one for Gu Mu.

Gu Mu was reluctant to eat hers, planning to take it back for Gu Yunyang and Gu Yuncan. But the popsicle melted quickly, so she quickly took a bite. The coolness went straight to her heart. Seeing that they weren’t heading towards their rented house, she asked, “Yiyi, where are we going?”

“The state-run restaurant.”

Gu Mu thought she was just trying to coax Tiantian and Yueyue, but unexpectedly, Jiang Yiyi really took them there. She didn’t say anything discouraging; their family wasn’t short of money now, and if her daughter-in-law wanted to eat there, then they would.

They arrived at the state-run restaurant.

Jiang Yiyi had been delivering liangpi (a type of noodle dish) for the past few days, so the waitresses all knew her. They greeted her with a smile, “You’re here to deliver liangpi again?”

“I’m bringing my family to eat.”

“What dishes would you like?”

“Let’s have four-joy meatballs, Beijing-style sweet and sour pork slices, braised pork ribs, boiled fish, and four bowls of rice.”

These dishes weren’t cheap, and together with the rice, it would cost almost twenty yuan. When Jiang Yiyi finished speaking, quite a few diners looked over at her.

Qin Lan and Bai Jun, who were having their meal, also heard her voice. They subconsciously looked up. The moment Qin Lan saw Jiang Yiyi, her first reaction was to hide so that Jiang Yiyi wouldn’t see her. She had just made some progress with Bai Jun, and if Jiang Yiyi ruined it, all the money and effort she had spent these days would be wasted.

Bai Jun also wanted to hide. If he had known he would run into Jiang Yiyi, he would rather have stayed home drinking water than come here to eat. If Jiang Yiyi mentioned their past in front of Qin Lan, Qin Lan would definitely not be with him.

Thinking this, sweat appeared on his forehead. Usually, Qin Lan would have noticed and perhaps even wiped his sweat, but now Qin Lan’s head was almost buried in her bowl, so she didn’t notice his unusual behavior.

Jiang Yiyi didn’t see them. She returned to her table, teasing Tiantian and Yueyue while waiting for the food to arrive.

Qin Lan and Bai Jun were not far from their table. They didn’t dare to breathe, afraid of being seen by Jiang Yiyi. Finally, they finished their rice, didn’t even pack the leftover dishes, and got up to leave hurriedly. But the more hurried they were, the more mistakes they made. Both of them were looking down, and they were walking so fast that they bumped into someone coming in. The person almost fell and immediately became angry, “Watch where you’re going!”

Everyone in the restaurant looked over, and Jiang Yiyi followed their gaze. Seeing that it was Bai Jun and Qin Lan, she narrowed her eyes. Why were these two together?

Gu Yunchi also saw Qin Lan and felt that today was really unlucky, running into the Qin family twice.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Qin Lan and Bai Jun apologized hastily and then fled.

Jiang Yiyi withdrew her gaze, thoughtful.

After they finished eating, they packed the leftover dishes and ordered six more bowls of rice to take back to Jiang Jinfeng and Zhou Fen.

“Little sister, you’re back! Wu Gang sold a lot of liangpi, and he’s coming to get more. We don’t have enough. Should we start making more now?”

“No rush.”

How could there be no rush? That’s all money! Jiang Jinfeng wished he could make a hundred portions right now.

Jiang Yiyi gave him the packed food, “After you and your sister-in-law finish eating, go buy a few bags of flour. Without the ingredients, we can’t make liangpi.”

Jiang Jinfeng took it and opened it, his eyes widening at the sight of the food inside.

“Eat quickly, and then go buy the flour.”

While they were eating, she asked Gu Mu to watch Tiantian and Yueyue. Jiang Yiyi rode her bicycle with Gu Yunchi to the textile factory.

The hundred portions were sold out again today. Zhang Mei was even more excited than yesterday, “Yiyi, give me twenty more tomorrow.”

She had considered asking for fifty more, but she wasn’t sure. If she couldn’t sell them, she would be stuck with them. Although Jiang Yiyi said she would take them back, she couldn’t do that. If she took them, she had to sell them.

“Okay, this is my younger sister. When I’m too busy, she’ll come and deliver them to you.”

“My name is Gu Yunchi.”

“I’m Zhang Mei.”

They introduced themselves. Zhang Mei gave the money to Jiang Yiyi. As before, she quickly packed up and rushed home.

Jiang Yiyi took Gu Yunchi to the aluminum factory, telling her about Zhang Mei along the way. She would be handing all this over to Gu Yunchi in the future, so she needed to know about it.

Li Lan had already sold out and was waiting for Jiang Yiyi.

“Girl, you’re finally here! Don’t mind me, tomorrow you must give me thirty more.”

Jiang Yiyi agreed with a smile.

Li Lan also gave her the counted money and quickly packed up, “Come on, sister-in-law will treat you to a meal.”

“We’ve already eaten. Let sister-in-law treat us another time.”

“Okay, let sister-in-law know when you have time.”

“Okay.”

…

Li Lan excitedly went to find Cui Yong. She had earned two yuan and fifty cents in just one afternoon, and she had to show off to Cui Yong.

“Wife, you’re back! I have great news for you.”

Cui Yong was waiting at the door, excited.

“What is it?”

Cui Yong pulled her into the yard, closed the door, and lowered his voice, “Someone is selling a motorcycle today, 80% new, for this much.”

He held up three fingers.

Motorcycles were not easy to buy, even if you had the money, you needed connections. If you bought one, you could make a good profit by reselling it.

“So much?”

Li Lan’s eyes widened. Their passbook only had eight hundred yuan, which was the money from selling Jiang Yiyi’s bicycle and tricycle. They usually didn’t dare to touch this money; it was reserved for Cui Yong to buy goods.

Cui Yong rubbed his hands, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, wife. Can you go to your parents’ house…?”

“No!”

Li Lan interrupted him.

The initial capital for the bicycles was borrowed from her parents’ house, and it took two years to repay. Although her brother and sister-in-law didn’t say anything, their faces were always bad whenever she went home. If she borrowed money from them again, they would definitely be unwilling, and might even quarrel with her parents. She couldn’t let her family be upset.

Cui Yong really couldn’t bear to give up such a good opportunity, pacing back and forth, pulling his hair into a mess.

Li Lan’s excited mood also vanished.

“How about asking Li Ge (Brother Li)?”

“He can only lend us two or three hundred at most, far from enough.”

Li Lan thought of Jiang Yiyi. The liangpi was selling so well, Jiang Yiyi must have money. But then she shook her head. They didn’t have much of a relationship with Jiang Yiyi, so why would she lend them so much money?

But she really couldn’t borrow money from her parents’ house again.

Seeing Cui Yong sighing and pulling his hair, Li Lan couldn’t help but say, “Otherwise, talk to Jiang Meizi (Jiang girl). We won’t borrow it for free, we’ll write an IOU and pay interest.”

Cui Yong’s eyes lit up. Jiang Yiyi spent money without hesitation, and she must have money, but they only had a business relationship from buying and selling bicycles. Would she lend him the money?