Chapter 39

Han Qingqing, hurt and stumbling, returned to the engagement banquet but remained distracted throughout the event. Shen Tianming’s face grew increasingly grim, and the two barely interacted.

After the toasts, Han Qingqing used the excuse of changing clothes to pull her former classmate, Xiaolan, into the hotel’s dressing room and questioned her, “Xiaolan, I never confessed to Qin Yan, so why did you lie?”

Xiaolan kept her head down, silent.

When Qin Yan’s nanny approached Xiaolan, they conveyed a message from him, if someone tried to stir trouble with rumors at the banquet and Han Qingqing didn’t clarify, Xiaolan was to say one thing. In exchange for saying that one thing, Qin Yan promised to arrange a job for her. In this year of 1979, with many former educated youth returning to the city and waiting for job assignments, Xiaolan struggled to find suitable work. But Qin Yan had the connections to secure her a position at the bus station ticket office.

She needed this job.

Xiaolan raised her head and said, “It was Qin Yan who suggested it. If you, Han Qingqing, refuse to clarify the truth and even lie, then why can’t I lie for my own benefit? If you had clarified, I wouldn’t have had the chance to spread any falsehoods. You can blame me, but you should also reflect on your own actions.”

Han Qingqing was left speechless.

Outside the door, Shen Tianming also stood in silence, having been pulled there by Jiang Ruan.

“Why did you bring me here?” Shen Tianming felt conflicted, the pure and innocent image he had of Han Qingqing starting to crack.

Jiang Ruan replied, “Brother Qin Yan said that since you’re already engaged, you should see the real side of your fiancée. We wouldn’t have interfered if it wasn’t our business, but she crossed the line, so don’t blame us for retaliating.”

Shen Tianming didn’t approve of Qin Yan’s tactics. Qin Yan had regained the ability to walk but kept it a secret, allowing rumors to circulate up to the day of the engagement banquet without clarifying them. Now, Qin Yan was no longer embarrassed, but the Shen family was left in an awkward position.

He asked, “Do you even know what kind of person Qin Yan really is?”

“Of course, I do.”

Qin Yan had anticipated the potential consequences of the rumors and had involved Jiang Ruan in the plan, including reaching out to Han Qingqing’s classmate.

Jiang Ruan continued, “I was the one running around for these errands. The reason we’re telling you this is that Qin Yan said your grandfather and mother are smart and polite people, and there’s no need to become enemies with the Shen family over Han Qingqing.”

After the banquet ended, Shen’s mother ordered her son to escort Han Qingqing to her doorstep but not enter the house, to which Shen Tianming agreed.

What should have been a joyful engagement left Shen Tianming feeling little happiness. Han Qingqing’s reluctance to dispel the rumors and her ambiguous statements to mislead the guests suggested that she still hadn’t let go of Qin Yan.

It turned out the joke was on him. If Han Qingqing’s heart still belonged to Qin Yan, wasn’t luring him to the guesthouse and getting engaged to him just a farce?

…

Back at home, Shen’s mother relayed the events of the engagement banquet in detail to Old Master Shen, fuming over how the Qin family had seemingly set the Shen family up for embarrassment from the start.

“Dad, that Qin Yan, so young and already so ruthless. Our Shen family is a laughingstock now.”

Old Master Shen said, “Ruan Ruan had spoken to me about this earlier.”

“She did?” Shen’s mother was surprised. “Why didn’t you tell me?” If she had known, she wouldn’t have dragged Han Qingqing to clarify the rumors.

Old Master Shen didn’t think the incident had truly disgraced the Shen family. A few mocking remarks and some temporary pity would pass soon enough.

He chuckled, “Tianming has high standards, and a little setback may not be a bad thing. If we keep criticizing Han Qingqing, it may backfire. Let him see clearly for himself. If he’s still determined to be with her after all this, then I have nothing more to say.”

Shen’s mother saw the logic in his words. This time, her son was obedient and returned shortly after dropping off Han Qingqing.

Meanwhile, Qin Yan accompanied Jiang Ruan home. She pulled him into the house, and he leaned against the newly painted wall, tall and lanky. Jiang Ruan had to tilt her head up to meet his gaze.

She ran over and touched Qin Yan’s leg, exclaiming, “Brother Qin Yan, you’re so tall!”

Qin Yan stayed still, feeling like ants were crawling all over him, and joked, “Should I leave now?”

“Go ahead.” Jiang Ruan withdrew her hand, as she still needed to shower, change clothes, and sleep.

Surprisingly, she didn’t try to make him stay, and the tingling sensation turned into a feeling of loss. “Will you still come to my house as usual tomorrow morning?” he asked.

Jiang Ruan glanced at his long legs and replied, “You’re all better now. You don’t need a nanny anymore, so I don’t think I’ll come. If you need me, just call, and I’ll be there.”

With only half a month left before Qin Yan started university, Jiang Ruan needed to find something else to do.

Qin Yan had thought about this and suggested, “I’ve come up with a few options for you, opening a clothing store, a snack shop, or even learning photography and starting a photo studio. What do you think?”

Jiang Ruan was open to any of them. “Any of those would work,” she said.

“Any?” Qin Yan frowned. These choices were just jobs to Jiang Ruan. He wanted her to find something she was passionate about.

“Go take a shower, and while you’re at it, think about what you truly enjoy doing. We can discuss it afterward,” he said.

“Alright.”

After showering, Jiang Ruan saw Qin Yan sitting on the sofa, his eyes closed. His long lashes fluttered under the warm orange light, casting a delicate shadow. He really was handsome. Jiang Ruan hadn’t thought of him romantically before, but now she did, considering they were engaged.

She quietly crouched down beside the sofa just as Qin Yan opened his eyes. Jiang Ruan looked at him and teased, “You should have pretended to be asleep a bit longer so I could sneak a kiss.”

Qin Yan was helpless against Jiang Ruan’s boldness. “Did you figure out what you’d like to do?” he asked.

“I did,” Jiang Ruan said. “I still enjoy selling things and making money. It’s fulfilling and allows me to travel to many places. If I stayed in a small space doing the same thing every day, I could manage, but I’d find it boring.”

Qin Yan understood, Jiang Ruan liked being a traveling merchant, which wasn’t a problem.

“Alright, I won’t interfere with your interests. But let me say this upfront—you’re not allowed to work as a nanny for anyone else,” he said.

Jiang Ruan leaned in close to his ear and whispered, “Qin Ao and Ran Xiaorong have both snuck kisses before. Don’t you want to kiss me?”

Qin Yan: … “How do you know that?”

“I saw it myself. I even asked Qin Ao about it, and it scared him half to death. He begged me not to tell anyone.”

“And you’re still telling me?”

“I’m only telling you. I won’t tell anyone else.”

Qin Yan made Jiang Ruan sit properly. He was a man, and she was his fiancée—did she really think his self-control was that strong? Gritting his teeth, Qin Yan said, “I’m really leaving now.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Jiang Ruan offered, worried about him walking home alone at night.

Qin Yan laughed. “You’d better stay home. Otherwise, I’ll have to walk you back.”

Outside, Liu Jinyun overheard the cheerful laughter coming from Jiang Ruan’s house. She thought of her daughter’s weeping and her son-in-law’s curt departure, while the two shameless people across the street seemed to be doing who knows what.

She stormed out and sneered, “Don’t you have any decency? You’re not even married yet, and you’re already planning to spend the night together?”

Grandma Huang, in a good mood that day, came out to scold her. “Your daughter wasn’t even engaged when she took a man to a guesthouse, and now you’re accusing us when we’re already engaged and in our own home? Lao Jiang, come and deal with your wife.”

Jiang Baomin emerged and rebuked his wife, “Liu Jinyun, instead of finding fault with others, teach your daughter how to behave.”

Liu Jinyun swallowed her anger and went back inside to comfort Han Qingqing. “Don’t be sad, Qingqing. Qin Yan isn’t worth it. Stay away from him. As for your job, I’ll find a way.”

Han Qingqing remembered Mu Xuehui’s words. Her braised chicken shop was near the university, so Han Qingqing could work there and be close to Shen Tianming.

Mu Xuehui had also advised her to focus on herself and spend most of her time investing in her own growth, not revolving around a man.

Han Qingqing said, “Mom, I’ve already found a job. Mu Xuehui opened a snack shop and asked me to help manage it.”

She saw Jiang Ruan walking Qin Yan out, their shoulders brushing together affectionately. Feeling a pang of sadness, Han Qingqing wondered when she and Shen Tianming could repair their relationship.

Liu Jinyun comforted her, “Don’t envy Jiang Ruan. Jiang Ruan is an uneducated fool who won’t be able to find a good job. Just wait and see—Qin Yan got accepted into a prestigious university. Those two won’t last. He’ll soon lose interest in her.”

Han Qingqing felt disheartened, realizing that her situation wasn’t much better than Jiang Ruan’s. After all, Shen Tianming was also a university student.

But Jiang Ruan had no such worries. Perhaps it was because she had survived the apocalypse, her perspective on life was much broader. If she liked someone, she would be with them, if not, she’d part ways. If there came a day when Qin Yan didn’t love her anymore, then she wouldn’t waste her time on someone who didn’t care for her. At that point, Qin Yan would be less important to her than a plate of braised pork.

For now, all that mattered was that she was happy.

After Qin Yan returned home, he discussed his plans with his father. He suggested that his mother come with him to the base, as he would be able to live independently once he started university. It was time for his parents, who had been separated for years, to reunite.

Qin Zhengqing agreed, while Miao Shufang hesitated a bit. But after a night of consideration, she decided it was indeed time for her son to become independent. She made up her mind to transfer ownership of her small restaurant and follow her husband to the research institute at the base.

Qin Yan was confident that his parents wouldn’t divorce this time around. But knowing how easily influenced his mother could be, he anticipated that sooner or later, someone would whisper in her ear about Jiang Ruan’s lack of education or career prospects, claiming she wasn’t good enough for him. He needed to prepare for that in advance.

The next morning, when Jiang Ruan didn’t show up, Qin Yan sighed softly to himself. It seemed he would always be the one worrying in this relationship, given his emotionally clueless fiancée.

…

That morning, Jiang Ruan sought out Qin Ao and proposed collecting eggs. She assured him that her intention wasn’t to compete with his business. Eggs were a fast-moving commodity, and now that households had their own land and were raising chickens, eggs were the easiest to buy and sell.

Qin Ao responded, “Collecting eggs is hard work, you know. It takes five or six hours of cycling back and forth.”

Jiang Ruan countered, “If you can manage it, why can’t I?”

Qin Ao had to admit she was physically stronger than him. Yet for some reason, he had a nagging feeling that if he didn’t partner up with Jiang Ruan, she would eventually block his path in business.

Qin Ao suggested, “Jiang Ruan, why don’t we partner up and collect eggs together? There are plenty of other valuable goods in the countryside besides eggs, but the distance makes it difficult for villagers to transport them for sale.”

“Sure,” Jiang Ruan agreed. “Let’s collect and sell together.”

Jiang Ruan joining forces with Qin Ao made Qin Yan uneasy. He thought about it deeply—after all, Qin Ao was the male lead in this story. What if Jiang Ruan developed feelings for him over time? He quickly dismissed the idea. Even if she did, knowing Jiang Ruan’s personality, he wouldn’t be able to change her mind. Rather than worrying about that, he should focus on improving himself.

…

Once they finalized their egg-collecting partnership, their efficiency greatly increased, and so did their savings. However, Qin Ao still found the pace slow. “Collecting eggs isn’t bringing in money fast enough.”

Jiang Ruan was content. “It pays ten times better than a regular job. What more could you want?”

“You don’t understand. Xiaorong is aiming to get into university, and university graduates are in high demand right now. They’re guaranteed job placements after graduation. Meanwhile, we’re just small-time traders—hardly a match for them. Don’t be fooled by the fact that you’re engaged to Qin Yan now. In the future, if a competitor appears and claims you’re not good enough for him, how would you feel?”

“Are you talking about collecting eggs?” Jiang Ruan asked.

Qin Ao was speechless. “Of course, I don’t plan to collect eggs forever. Once we’ve saved enough, we’ll move on to other goods. I’ve already thought it through—right now is the season for eels and fish. We could start collecting those.”

Jiang Ruan nodded in agreement. “You’re pretty smart. I’ve already saved over 400 yuan, so I can join the venture.”

Qin Ao was surprised. Jiang Ruan never accepted money for nothing, and she had even declined the cash gifts from the Han and Qin families. Given that her monthly salary was only 100 yuan, how had she managed to save over 400?

“How did you earn it?”

“I helped Qin Yan with some tasks, and he paid me.”

Qin Yan likely didn’t assign her anything illegal, and Qin Ao didn’t dare to ask further questions. At least Qin Yan wouldn’t involve her in anything criminal.

…

The school term was about to start, and Qin Yan wanted Jiang Ruan to accompany him to the university, although he mainly just wanted her to see him off.

However, Jiang Ruan had to collect eggs that day. “Qin Yan, today marks the beginning of your new life, just as it’s the first step towards my successful future in the egg business. Today is important for both of us. I’ll come find you tomorrow.”

Qin Yan glanced at Qin Ao, who stood nearby, the source of his current frustration. Qin Ao pretended not to notice, pedaling his bike ahead. “Jiang Ruan, I’ll wait for you at the intersection.”

“Why wait until tomorrow? Come see me tonight, and I’ll take you out for some street food near the university.”

Jiang Ruan agreed and rode after Qin Ao.

Qin Yan reluctantly headed to the university alone, lingering for a while in the nearby area. He noticed that Mu Xuehui’s braised chicken shop was preparing for its trial opening. However, a beef noodle shop and a restaurant specializing in rice bowls had also opened on either side, both popular choices among students.

Qin Yan had rented out the properties and then sublet them to others, retaining a 20% stake in the business in exchange for his recipes and ideas. He had chosen trustworthy, hard-working couples to run the shops, confident they would manage the businesses well.

Inside the braised chicken shop, preparations were in full swing.

Mu Xuehui, hoping to help Han Qingqing let go of Qin Yan, made a sarcastic remark, “Qingqing, I heard that Jiang Ruan is off collecting eggs.”

Not keeping a close watch on Qin Yan and instead going around selling eggs was indeed a poor choice.

Han Qingqing found it amusing. Although she was just an employee, being a manager in a well-decorated braised chicken shop was far more respectable than being an egg vendor.

She said, “Yes, she’s collecting eggs with Qin Yan’s cousin, Qin Ao. Isn’t that embarrassing for Qin Yan? I’ve heard he’s pretty upset about it; he didn’t even let her come with him to the university today.”

When she heard that Jiang Ruan was collecting eggs with Qin Ao, Mu Xuehui’s heart filled with unease. Even though Qin Ao and Ran Xiaorong were secretly seeing each other, she wasn’t too worried about them because they had their own obstacles to overcome and would likely not last. But if Jiang Ruan grew closer to Qin Ao, that could spell trouble.

Jiang Ruan’s presence had already caused significant changes compared to the previous life. While Mu Xuehui could only passively accept some of these changes, she could not accept Qin Ao marrying someone else this time around. That was absolutely unacceptable.