Exchanging Meat 

“Miaoyin, I just ran into Brother Meng, and we’ve been walking together for a while. He’s impressive. I didn’t understand a lot of things when I first arrived, but when I asked him, he knew everything…” 

Zhu Wanqin stepped forward and even tried to hold Lin Miaoyin’s hand to show affection. 

Lin Miaoyin immediately put her hands behind her back and raised her eyebrows, ignoring her embarrassment. “I just touched chicken manure with my hands, so don’t touch me.” 

Zhu Wanqin “…” 

She withdrew her hand somewhat awkwardly, then turned her attention to the man driving the cart and greeted him with a smile. 

The cart driver had never spoken to such a young and beautiful girl from the city before. When faced with the white and tender little hand she stretched out, he was so excited that he didn’t know where to put his hands and feet. He wiped his hands on his clothes vigorously before shyly shaking Zhu Wanqin’s hand. 

“Hello, comrade. Thank you for helping us carry our things yesterday. I remember your name is Wang Jiefang, right?” Zhu Wanqin withdrew her hand and said with a smile. 

Wang Jiefang became even more excited, his face turning red, and he didn’t know what to say. He could only scratch his head and smile foolishly. He didn’t notice the subtle hint of disgust on Zhu Wanqin’s face. 

Meanwhile, Lin Miaoyin was looking at what Meng Yuanzheng was carrying. It was wrapped in cloth and couldn’t be seen clearly. Her expression darkened. “What are you carrying?”  

“I’ll tell you when we get back.” 

Lin Miaoyin looked at him and then at the things. “You’re not planning to give that away?” 

Meng Yuanzheng showed a puzzled look. “No.” 

If he wasn’t giving it away, then whatever it was, she would benefit from it when they got home. Lin Miaoyin felt a bit better and said without much warmth, “Get on the cart, we’re going home! Look at you, you just got beaten yesterday, and today you’re out here showing off. Didn’t you go to the clinic this morning?”  

“The doctor said it wasn’t serious. I just got some ointment for the scratches and came back,” Meng Yuanzheng replied honestly. 

“Came back? Where did you go? Did you go back to the commune? Have you forgotten the way home?” Lin Miaoyin suppressed her anger. This fool had clearly gone to the black market, and now he was walking along with Zhu Wanqin. Anyone would think these two were involved. 

He is a married man, and staying away from other women is a common thing to do. If he spends more time with the female protagonist and falls in love with her, wouldn’t the ending of the original story repeat? 

Right now, she wants to divorce him, but divorce seems impossible at the moment, so she can only make do with it. If he goes out and gets involved with other girls now, outsiders will only laugh at her.  

Since she couldn’t get a divorce, and he happened to have forgotten what happened in the past, it would be right to stay away from the female protagonist and change the original ending. But instead, he had been warned and yet, just hours later, he was back to this again. 

“Miaoyin, don’t blame him. If you want to scold someone, scold me.” Zhu Wanqin walked over and stood in front of Meng Yuanzheng.  

Lin Miaoyin decided not to give Zhu Wanqin a good face and thought it was better to sever ties with her completely. 

“Is it anyone’s business how I scold my husband?” She glanced at Zhu Wanqin, ignoring the surprised and aggrieved look in her eyes. She slapped the fence of the oxcart with her hand and said threateningly, “Meng Yuanzheng? Hmm?”  

Then, contrary to what Zhu Wanqin expected, Meng Yuanzheng, whom she thought would argue with Lin Miaoyin in public, obediently placed the items on the cart and sat down, resting his hand on it.  

She was stunned. These things? Weren’t they meant for her?  

She always thought that Meng Yuanzheng would send her back and give her the things, but as soon as Lin Miaoyin showed up, the things were taken away? 

She looked at Meng Yuanzheng, but Meng Yuanzheng didn’t look at her. The only response she got was Lin Miaoyin’s insincere words, “Oh, look, with the brigades’s things and the two of us, there’s no room left. It seems you’ll have to walk back, Zhu Wanqin.” 

Zhu Wanqin smiled stiffly as she watched the ox cart disappear down the road. She clenched her hands, unable to understand. Lin Miaoyin was still the rude, impolite woman, yet Meng Yuanzheng was no longer the man who only had eyes for her, who would rush to flatter her when he saw her. 

What went wrong? 

The ox cart stopped by the roadside, and the two got off. Meng Yuanzheng followed her into the house, carrying his things. Lin Miaoyin threw the keys on the table and sat down. Seeing Meng Yuanzheng standing at the door with the look of a trained young husband, she barely held back her laughter and spoke in a fierce manner. 

“What are you standing at the door for? Come in.” 

Meng Yuanzheng carried the things, put them on the table, and stood in front of her. She glanced at the chair across from her, “Sit down.” 

He obediently sat. 

“Now tell me, where did you buy these?” she asked. 

“From the supply and marketing cooperative.” 

“Stop talking nonsense. I went to the supply and marketing cooperative this morning. There was hardly anything left, and I didn’t see you. Besides, you don’t have any ration tickets, so how could you buy it?” 

“…” 

Seeing his silence, Lin Miaoyin sneered, stood up, and unwrapped the cloth bag unceremoniously. “Let me see what you bought.” 

A large piece of pork belly, a packet of seasonings, a pack of eggs wrapped in multiple layers of soft cloth, and a large bag of flour. 

Even though Lin Miaoyin was from the modern era, she was still frightened. If she used tickets to buy these things, it would probably cost the family’s expenses for months. 

She quickly closed the yard door and came back, pointing at the items. “Tell me the truth. I know you went to the black market, but where did you get so much money?” 

Pork in the supply and marketing cooperative costs 50 cents per pound, but on the black market, it costs more than one yuan. This piece of meat weighs at least three or four pounds, not to mention the eggs and flour. 

Meng Yuanzheng answered while avoiding the question, “You were the one who wanted meat, right?”  

“I’m asking where you got the money from?” She slammed the table. 

“I sold something for it.” 

“What did you sell?” 

“Clothes.” 

“…” 

Selling clothes for meat—how pitiful.  

Lin Miaoyin sat back on the chair and asked seriously, “Why did you tell me not to go to the black market last night, but you went there today? How did you find the black market?” 

Meng Yuanzheng smiled faintly and stretched out his wrist, revealing the watch that Lin Miaoyin had seen yesterday. 

She looked at his watch and then at his clothes and realized that he was pretending to be rich so that business would naturally come to him. 

The meat vendors knew that those who could afford expensive meat must be wealthy, so when they saw such people, they would take the initiative to approach and strike up a conversation with them. 

“You don’t understand the market. It’s dangerous to go.” He withdrew his hand. 

“So, you did it for my own good?” she raised an eyebrow. 

“Mm.” 

“Don’t look down on me; I know more than you do.” After all, she came from the 21st century. 

Meng Yuanzheng didn’t say anything, his look saying, “Say what you want, I won’t expose you.” 

Forget it, I won’t bother with him. I’ll just be nice to him since he’s willing to share his meat with me, Lin Miaoyin convinced herself. 

“It’s hot now, and there’s still a snake that we haven’t eaten. Should I put the meat in the well to keep it cool?” 

“Mm.” 

“What do you want to eat? I’ll make it.” 

“You decide. I’ll eat whatever you cook.” 

Oh, Lin Miaoyin’s heart softened. Is this really the villain? Why is he so obedient? 

She reached out to take the meat, but Meng Yuanzheng suddenly said, “Wait.” 

She stopped, confused. 

“You just said you grabbed chicken manure?” 

Author’s note:

Meng Yuanzheng: You grabbed chicken manure, don’t touch my meat! 🐔💩 

Lin Miaoyin: Say that again? Then I’ll touch your face with my hands! 😠