Chapter 151.2

Su Xiaoxiao and Fantuan arrived at the small market under the bridge. After several years of transformation, it has become a small market. There is a wide variety of things for sale here—everything you can think of—and I don’t know when people started selling pork here.

Rarely did Su Xiaoxiao make pineapple sweet and sour pork. She bought an extra pound of meat and even managed to find two nice pineapples, thinking she might as well let the kids have a feast.

“Mom, that person over there seems to be Aunt Zhong,” Fantuan said, pointing to a woman nearby who was pushing a bicycle and selling ready-to-wear clothes.

Following Fantuan’s pointing finger, Su Xiaoxiao indeed saw Zhong Huiming, Dundun’s mother.

Dundun’s father retired last year due to injury, and their hometown was in the neighboring county. He said he would transition to work in the county police station, while Dundun’s mother took a job as a saleswoman at the county state-owned market. Before Dundun’s grandmother left, she specifically mentioned this matter when she came to bid farewell to Dundun and Ya Ya, leaving her address and even wanting to leave the small lotus pond at home for her to cultivate. However, Su Xiaoxiao didn’t know how to grow lotus roots, so she left it to other neighbors who could.

Su Xiaoxiao and Fantuan walked over to greet her. “Is it really you, Huiming? How come you’re selling clothes here?”

“Xiaoxiao? Fantuan? Long time no see,” Su Xiaoxiao has rarely visited the small market lately, and Zhong Huiming hadn’t seen them in days. Naturally, she was happy to see them today.

Fantuan politely said, “Hello Aunt Zhong, how are Grandma and Dundun and Ya Ya doing?”

Zhong Huiming was a quick-witted woman and smiled, “They’re all good. Fantuan seems to have grown taller again, right? I have some comfortable cotton clothes here, very suitable for you guys. Do you want to pick a few?”

Su Xiaoxiao flipped through her clothes, all of which were suitable for children to wear. The styles were simple and elegant, with some made of acrylic skirts suitable for girls, as well as pure cotton clothes and pants. The quality of the pure cotton clothes felt very good.

Su Xiaoxiao glanced around and asked her quietly, “Aren’t you working at the state-owned market? How come you’re selling clothes here?”

Zhong Huiming replied, “Dundun’s father couldn’t adapt after switching jobs. He didn’t want to go to work after a few days, and his foot injury kept recurring. So, I suggested he resign and stay at home to recover properly. How could our family survive solely on my meager salary? I was so worried at that time.

Fortunately, I have a relative working in a clothing factory in Dongcheng. He said he could get me clothes at wholesale prices and mentioned that their market was about to open. There were people doing business everywhere, and personal trading would soon be legalized. He asked if I dared to do it. Of course, I didn’t dare. Why would I want to jeopardize my stable job, right? He didn’t waste time persuading me and just sent me samples and quoted prices. Xiaoxiao, take a look at these clothes.”

Zhong Huiming picked up a piece of clothing and handed it to Su Xiaoxiao. “Similar quality clothes would sell for at least three or four yuan each in our market, and we’d need cloth tickets. But I can sell you this piece for two yuan as a friend, and I’d still make a profit. I took a risk and set up a stall at the small market in the county with the samples he sent me. In no time, I sold out. Those ten or eight sample pieces earned me half a month’s salary in just a short while. I was overjoyed at that time.”

Zhong Huiming sighed and said, “If it wasn’t for Dundun’s father waiting for money to treat his leg back then, I might still be hesitating. But now I have nothing to hesitate about. I just hope this market will open up and legalize soon, like the college entrance examination. When that happens, I’ll rent a small storefront and buy goods from my relatives. Doing some small-scale business to support this whole family will make me content.”

Su Xiaoxiao nodded in understanding. If she had remembered correctly, by this time next year, that great leader will propose the policy of “reform and opening up.” Then the spring breeze of ‘reform and opening up’ will sweep across the land. Rural areas will implement the policy of ‘contracting land to households,’ giving birth to a new economic organization called ‘individual businesses.’ This will lead these mobile vendors onto the path of legitimate and compliant operations. The entire market will gradually open up, forming a new economic landscape and propelling economic development to a new level.

Looking at Zhong Huiming with confidence, Su Xiaoxiao said, “Huiming, don’t worry. I also believe that the market will open up soon, and individual businesses will become legal. Although the current situation is not as tense as it was in previous years, you should still be careful for now. Patience is key as we wait for the policies to come into effect.”

“Really? Xiaoxiao, you’re so knowledgeable. I believe you. What you said must be right.” Zhong Huiming’s spirits lifted as if she had taken a reassurance pill. In fact, neither she nor her family were sure about her venture. They were always worried that others would accuse her of profiteering or cutting the tail of capitalism. The whole family lived in constant fear, but there was no other way. With so many mouths to feed at home, what else could she do?

Su Xiaoxiao asked Fantuan to choose the clothes he liked, and he also helped in choosing for his younger siblings, Zhuzi and Xiao Yu.

Fantuan now likes wearing white shirts and black pants. He, like Su Xiaoxiao, preferred comfortable, pure cotton. He picked white shirts for all the boys and a sky-blue floral cotton skirt for his sisters.

When it came time to pay, Zhong Huiming insisted on charging only slightly more than the cost price. But Su Xiaoxiao said, “Huiming, remember, when you open your business, you should make every penny you deserve. Don’t forget, the transportation cost, your labor cost, the favors you owe to relatives, these are all costs. You can give me a friendly price, but you must make a profit. Selling to other acquaintances should be the same. Transparent transactions without profiteering. We get cheaper clothes than the department store, and you make the profit you deserve. That’s a win-win situation, right?”

People fall into two categories: those who exploit acquaintances and those who are too honest to do so. Zhong Huiming belonged to the latter. That’s why Su Xiaoxiao reminded her.

Taking the money from Su Xiaoxiao, Zhong Huiming said, “Xiaoxiao, only you would talk to me like this, considering me like this. Some people would love it if I sold to them at a loss.”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “Getting rewarded for your own labor is only fair. Don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed. If there’s anything you need at home, just let someone know. If Dundun’s father’s leg bothers him, don’t delay. Let him go to the military hospital as soon as possible. I’ll talk to Han Cheng when I get back.”

Zhong Huiming’s tears were almost streaming down her face. She had seen too much human warmth and coldness lately, especially with her own husband not working. Others didn’t know she had resigned; they thought she had lost her job at the state-owned department store. Relatives were afraid she would come to borrow money. Seeing them avoid her family, and then seeing Su Xiaoxiao, a neighbor she had known for a few years, being so kind to them… The contrast was striking.

“”Thank you, Xiaoxiao. Dundun’s father has seen a doctor. It’s just some aftereffects. He feels uncomfortable when the weather changes, but as long as he takes his medicine and rests well, he’ll be fine.”

Su Xiaoxiao nodded. “I should go back to cook for the children. Next time, I’ll bring Dundun and Yaya to play with Fantuan.”

Xiao Fantuan added, “Yes, Auntie Zhong, remember to bring them over when they’re free to play with me.”

Zhong Huiming said, “Sure, I’ll come over every Sunday. Next time, I’ll ask my relatives from Dongcheng to bring over some clothes that will fit you. It’s near Gangcheng, and they have a wide variety of styles, and they’re all very fashionable.”

Su Xiaoxiao replied, “Thank you in advance. Actually, you can also try selling adult clothes.”

Zhong Huiming nodded, saying, “Yes, when the children’s clothes sell well enough, I’ll start stocking some adult clothes.”

Su Xiaoxiao bid farewell, “Well then, please say hello to your family for me.”

…

As they left the small market, Fantuan walked ahead, occasionally looking back at Su Xiaoxiao. “Mom, you’re truly a kind-hearted person with a beautiful soul. You’re nice to everyone, and you know so much. Do you know that when I was very young, I suspected that you were the little fairy sent by my mother to protect me and Xiao Doubao? Otherwise, I wouldn’t believe there would be such a good stepmother like you in this world.”

Su Xiaoxiao chuckled, looking at her eldest son. “My sweet boy, be careful and walk properly.” He was still holding the pineapple; it would be a disaster if he tripped.

Fantuan turned back and walked shoulder to shoulder with Su Xiaoxiao, saying solemnly, “Mom, to be honest, if Dad hadn’t married you back then, I might not be the Han Fantuan I am now. I might have become a rotten Fantuan, and even cats and dogs wouldn’t eat that kind of food. I’ll be discarded and unwanted.”

As Fantuan grows older and more sensible, he understands the goodness of Su Xiaoxiao as his stepmother. He and Doubao often forgot that she was their stepmother. Even now, he still felt like he had two biological mothers, one who gave birth to them and one who raised them, both equally wonderful.

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head and said, “You might also meet a stepmother who’s even better than me and become an even better Fantuan; everyone wants to grab a bite of this sweet cake.” Su Xiaoxiao often forgot that she was a stepmother. After all, she raised them both like her own, and Fantuan and Doubao were truly angels sent by heaven.

Fantuan shook his head and said firmly, “No, that won’t happen, Mom. There won’t be a better mother than you in this world.”

Su Xiaoxiao rubbed the head of the cub and said, “Fantuan, actually, Mom often thinks that you and Doubao are the little angels that heaven bestowed upon me. You both are so considerate and well-behaved. Mom believes that you are the best sons in the world.”

Xiao Fantuan grinned, and the little boy with red lips and white teeth smiled even more brightly than the sunshine. “So, Mom, did you decide to marry Dad because you loved me and Doubao so much back then?”
 
Su Xiaoxiao felt a bit awkward. Time was truly a great healer; Xiao Fantuan had already forgotten that he used to be a dirty and skinny troublemaker with a bad temper and a guarded heart. She almost refused to marry their father because of them.

But can Su Xiaoxiao say that? Of course, she can’t say that.

But could Su Xiaoxiao say that? Of course not.

“The little fairy refuses to answer this earthly question. Little angels, let’s hurry home and make pineapple sweet and sour pork!”

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Lucia: I love them so much~

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