Chapter 16

Gu Shi’an willingly took on the role of standing in line, while Lin Yao happily took a break, strolling to the shade under the tree to fan herself with a handkerchief.

Outside the movie theater stood the Red Star Cold Beverage Factory, established by Germans before liberation. After liberation, the Germans fled, but the factory remained operational to this day. It supplied cold drinks not only to Yunshui County but also to nearby towns and even the provincial capital.

In this era, the factory had small vendors selling ice cream and popsicles. Banana ice cream, packaged in paper boxes, was pricier at ten cents per piece. Popsicles were more affordable, with red bean popsicles costing three cents each and bean paste popsicles at just two cents.

However, banana ice cream during these times contained a lot of saccharin, making it overly sweet and cloying.

Lin Yao preferred the mildly sweet bean paste popsicles.

By evening, the weather had cooled slightly, but as people began queuing up, the heat returned. The oppressive warmth caused the leaves of the old locust trees lining the road to curl.

Lin Yao’s small face flushed from the heat, and even the handkerchief she used to fan herself seemed ineffective.

As a new movie premiered, more young men and women gathered at the theater entrance, including families with children. The crowd attracted numerous street vendors selling melon seeds, salted peanuts, spiced broad beans, and refreshing items like sodas and popsicles.

Though Gu Shi’an had a straightforward personality, he was thoughtful. Quietly, he slipped away to the street and returned with a bag of spiced broad beans, two bottles of soda, and a red bean popsicle.

He handed the snacks to Lin Yao.

Still fanning herself, Lin Yao looked at him in surprise. “For me?”

Gu Shi’an nodded.

Lin Yao smiled brightly as she accepted the treats, her sweet words pouring out. “Thank you! How did you know I like bean paste popsicles? Did Sister Chunmei tell you? Ha, Sister Chunmei knows me so well. These spiced broad beans smell amazing. Do you want to try one?”

She pinched a broad bean with her slender, fair fingers and held it to Gu Shi’an’s lips.

Luckily, it was already dark, and most people were occupied with their children or looking at posters. If it had been broad daylight, Lin Yao wouldn’t have so openly offered Gu Shi’an food.

Gu Shi’an, seemingly calm and composed, naturally ate the bean Lin Yao handed him.

In reality, his handsome face was burning with embarrassment.

Lin Yao teased him, “The bean tastes good, doesn’t it? Want another one?”

For some reason, she loved seeing Gu Shi’an flustered and at a loss for words.

Caught off guard, Gu Shi’an hesitated, neither answering nor staying silent.

Lin Yao, leaning in closer, failed to notice how near they were. In the dim light, her lips accidentally brushed against Gu Shi’an’s.

Lin Yao: “!!”

Both of them stood stunned.

An elderly lady passing by noticed their interaction and chuckled to her companion, “Old man, young people these days are so full of affection. Look at this sweet couple.”

The old man laughed along.

“Young folks, you’re in your prime! Such a perfect match. Take advantage of your youth and work on having a little one soon.”

“Wait, no…”

Lin Yao’s face turned red as she realized she had embarrassed herself. Hugging her broad beans, she quickly retreated under a tree, staying silent.

Gu Shi’an sighed in relief and resumed queuing.

Because of this incident, watching the movie that evening felt a bit awkward. In the dark theater, the only light came from the flickering black-and-white screen. Lin Yao, usually carefree, sat upright and focused entirely on the film.

Gu Shi’an, seated next to her, was just as composed. Yunshui County Theater had a stepped seating arrangement, with east and west sections of wooden seats, each accommodating around a hundred people. The narrow rows allowed just enough space for one person to pass sideways.

This design served two purposes. It allowed couples to sit close and share moments while maximizing the theater’s profit with more seats.

For Lin Yao, however, it was less than ideal. The small space left just a fist’s distance between her and Gu Shi’an. She could faintly catch the clean scent of soap from his body, making her breathing inexplicably rapid.

Gu Shi’an sat upright, his white shirt and green military uniform accentuating his tall, straight figure, resembling a vibrant young cypress tree.

Lin Yao sneaked a glance at him and, feeling self-conscious, shifted slightly to adjust her posture.

Noticing her subtle movements, Gu Shi’an’s lips curved faintly.

When the movie ended, it was already past eight in the evening.

Lin Yao had never been out this late before. Worried about Zhang Cuilan’s concern, she hurriedly jumped on her bike and urged Gu Shi’an. “It’s so late! Let’s hurry home. Auntie and the others must be waiting for us.”

The summer night breeze was cool. Gu Shi’an’s white shirt billowed gently in the wind, while Lin Yao swung her feet on the bike seat. The orange glow of streetlights cast soft halos on the road as their bicycle moved along the cobblestone path, painting a serene and picturesque scene.

*

Meanwhile, Sun Jialiang, carrying a black briefcase, emerged under the cover of night after a visit to the county lightbulb factory director’s home.

With his black-framed glasses and neatly gelled hair, Sun Jialiang had a polished and intellectual appearance. He wore the latest men’s watch, a clear indication of his affluent background, likely as a cadre’s son.

His visit to the county was aimed at securing the director position at the lightbulb factory.

The current director, in his fifties, was set to retire next year. Many people coveted this position. Recently transferred to the factory as a cultural officer, Sun Jialiang viewed this modest role merely as a stepping stone.

Ambitious and resourceful, he had already gained the favor of the old director. As long as he pleased the key leaders, the director’s chair would undoubtedly be his.

After days of effort, Sun Jialiang felt a rare moment of relaxation. His thoughts drifted to Lin Hongna’s curvaceous figure and soft waist. Hidden behind his glasses, his eyes glimmered with a touch of mischief.

It seemed like it was time to visit Linjia Village and offer the Lin family some benefits.

Deep down, Sun Jialiang knew exactly what Lin Hongna was after. Her flirtations and scheming were nothing more than a bid to climb the social ladder, hoping to transform from a hen into a phoenix and live a better life.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

Sun Jialiang was shrewd, self-serving, and a staunch believer in profit-driven relationships. Even marriage, to him, was a transaction of interests. For any woman to win his favor, she had to meet one of three criteria: come from a good family background, have an attractive face, or possess intelligence and cunning to be an asset to him.

Lin Hongna had none of these qualities. To him, she was just a pastime.

Sometimes, entertaining a woman who threw herself at him wasn’t so bad.

*

Back at the courtyard, Zhang Cuilan lit a kerosene lamp and was sifting cornmeal in her room.

Since the introduction of communal canteens, the Gu family had to hand over ten kilograms of rice and flour to the street office each month. With the summer heat, cornmeal stored in the shed often became moldy or infested with insects.

In her spare time, Zhang Cuilan used a sieve to remove impurities from the cornmeal.

The sound of a bicycle echoed outside, followed by Lin Yao’s rosy face as she entered the house. Like a chirping bird, she called out as she walked in, “Auntie, I’m back!”

Zhang Cuilan had been waiting for the two children to return and hurriedly went to greet her.

A night breeze had picked up outside, carrying a chilly and damp touch. The courtyard’s doors and windows creaked and groaned in the wind.

Zhang Cuilan glanced at the sky outside and turned to Lin Yao, who was nibbling on a snack indoors. She asked curiously, “Yao Yao, was the movie good today?”

Lin Yao coughed lightly, her eyes darting evasively. “…It was okay.”

Afraid that Aunt Cuilan would ask more questions, Lin Yao quickly finished her snack in a few bites and slipped back into her room without even drinking water.

Suspicious, Zhang Cuilan turned to ask Gu Shi’an.

He simply said, “It was good,” and buried himself in his work, refusing to elaborate.

“You’re nothing like your father back then. He was a quiet man too, but at least he knew how to give your mother a handkerchief or some fruit as a gesture. And you, you clueless brat, don’t even know how to pursue a girl. Yao Yao is such a lovely girl, but you just stand there like a fool. If you don’t take the chance to court her, some other good guy will. When that day comes and Yao Yao marries someone else, you’ll have nowhere to cry!” Zhang Cuilan scolded him, growing angrier with each word.

To her surprise, Gu Shi’an replied firmly, “That won’t happen.”

Zhang Cuilan asked, “What won’t happen?”

“She won’t marry anyone else.”

They had already kissed. In this lifetime, he wouldn’t let go.