Chapter 25 I want to open a fruit shop

Zhao Yipeng felt like the sky was falling—this was basically a death sentence. A 30-kilometer weighted run? No way he could finish it in under six hours. Even if he did, he’d probably be half-dead afterward. He might not even be able to walk back to the dorm. If he’d known, he never would’ve messed with Lu Huaijin. But what could he do now? Rank has its privileges. All he could do was obediently go run…

After finally finishing the run, Zhao Yipeng collapsed on the ground, completely spent. He waved the white flag internally—he was done messing with Lu Huaijin. The guy was seriously out for his life!

Meanwhile, after eating in the cafeteria, Lu Huaijin returned to his dorm, leaned against the headboard, and read the letter from Jiang Peiyu again. That smile hadn’t left his face the whole time—his heart was overflowing with happiness. This was the first letter he’d received from “home” in twelve years… and it was from his future wife.

As Fang Zhi Ting returned and opened the door, he saw his roommate/comrade/best friend grinning like a fool at a letter.

“Old Lu, what’s this? Spring fever? Missing your fiancée already?”

Lu Huaijin nodded with a soft “Mm.”

Fang Zhi Ting blinked. What?! Did he really just admit that?

“Wait, what? You… you’re serious?”

“Actually… I got engaged last time I went home,” Lu Huaijin said quietly.

Fang Zhi Ting’s jaw dropped. Oh my god, did I hear that right?

“You serious? You actually got engaged?”

“Yeah.” Lu Huaijin nodded again to confirm.

“Damn, Old Lu! And you didn’t tell anyone? That’s huge news! So? Is she pretty?”

“She’s really pretty,” Lu replied with a rare softness. “Kind-hearted, good personality, generous and straightforward. I really like her.”

What he liked most was how honest and pure she was—whatever she felt, it showed on her face. Not like those fake, manipulative women.

Seeing Lu’s love-struck expression, Fang Zhi Ting knew it was real.

“Congrats, man! When’s the wedding?”

“Not sure yet. The commander said I have to wait until the new recruits finish their initial training before I can take wedding leave.”

“Ah, then you’ve still got a while—at least another month.”

“Mm.” Lu nodded.

Then he carefully slid the letter back into the envelope and tucked it under his pillow. Hands behind his head, he lay back and started daydreaming about Jiang Peiyu’s adorable little face. After a bit, he got up again to write her a reply, telling her that he might not be able to return until after National Day. He hoped she wouldn’t be upset. Just thinking about her pouting made his heart melt again.

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A few days later, Jiang Peiyu received Lu Huaijin’s second letter.

In it, he told her how busy he had been lately and that he might not be able to return home to marry her until after National Day. He asked her to wait for him, to stay sweet and patient at home.

This silly man, she thought with a smile. We’re already engaged—who else would I marry?

---

September. The sky was bright blue, and the sun burned hot.

During this time, Jiang Peiyu and Jiang Yanwen had made quite a bit of money selling melons. Peiyu also had some personal savings. She began to consider renting or even buying a storefront to open a fruit shop.

She decided to talk to her second brother, Jiang Yanwen, and discuss the idea with him.

She walked over and knocked on his door.

“Second Brother, are you asleep?”

Jiang Yanwen opened the door and let her in. “Nope. What’s up, little sis?”

“Second Brother, I’m thinking of renting a storefront to open a small fruit shop and make some extra money. Want to do it together? If the price is right, maybe even buy a place.”

Jiang Yanwen rubbed his chin, thinking it over. It’s not a bad idea. The country is just starting to open up the economy and allow private businesses. I’ve been thinking about doing something like this too, just never had the money or the connections.

Sure, farming was enough to survive—never starving, but never thriving either. But this new era brought new opportunities. Fortune favors the bold, after all.

He wasn’t married yet. He didn’t want to spend his whole life buried in the fields, back bent to the soil. And now, with his smart and capable little sister around—educated, brave, and ambitious—maybe this was the time to take a chance.

Seeing the look in her brother’s eyes, Jiang Peiyu knew he was tempted.

“Second Brother, well? Can we do it?”

“I think it’s doable,” he said. “But… we’ll have to talk to Mom and Dad first.”

Starting a business in the city was no small thing. Their family hadn’t split off yet, and a big decision like this had to be approved by the parents.

“Then… can you talk to them?”

“No way. Dad would beat me half to death.”

“Then what do we do?”

“You talk to them. You’re their favorite.”

“Huh?”

“Huh, what? Don’t you want to start the shop?”

“I do,” she nodded.

“Then go talk to them.”

“Alright… but you’re coming with me.”

She didn’t dare go alone. Sure, Mom and Dad wouldn’t beat her, but she was still nervous.

Together, they went to the main house to talk to their parents.

“Dad, Mom, I want to open a fruit shop with Second Brother.”

Jiang Fugui and Li Shuzhen were stunned. Their daughter wanted to open a store?

“What kind of fruit shop?” Jiang Fugui asked.

“Well, we’d rent or buy a storefront, buy fruit from villagers around here and nearby villages, and sell it all in one place. We could even wash and cut the fruit, plate it nicely, and deliver it for free if they spend a certain amount.”

“For bigger fruits like watermelon or Hami melon, some people can’t finish a whole one. So we can sell by portion—cut and sell as much as they want.”

“We could also sell fruit platters,” Jiang Peiyu continued. “Like, three kinds of fruit for 1.8 yuan a plate. If it’s six kinds, we can give a discount—just 3 yuan.”

Jiang Fugui listened with a serious expression, silently puffing on his dry tobacco pipe without saying a word.

Jiang Peiyu couldn’t figure out what her father was thinking, so she glanced over at her second brother. Jiang Yanwen knew their father was still processing everything—this might be a good sign—so he gave her a look, signaling her to keep pushing.

“Dad,” Peiyu continued, “Second Brother and I can’t be driving the ox cart into town every day to sell melons forever. It’s summer now—hot, sure—but at least it’s not raining.”

“Once October comes and the weather turns cold, it’ll rain every ten days or so. How are we supposed to sell the melons then?”

“If they get soaked in the rain, they won’t last long, and no customer will buy waterlogged fruit. By then, our family income will dry up, and the unsold melons will just rot in the fields and end up as chicken and duck feed.”

After she finished, Jiang Fugui still said nothing—just kept puffing on his pipe.

Not knowing what to make of her father’s silence, Jiang Peiyu looked back at her second brother again.

Li Shuzhen noticed their little exchange. She immediately picked up the shoe insole she was working on and smacked Jiang Yanwen with it.

“This was your idea, wasn’t it? You’re the one who put her up to this, right?!”

“I ought to beat you, you little spendthrift! Always ready to blow money the moment you get a few coins in your pocket!”

Back in those days, only a proper state-assigned job was considered a “real” job. Though the government had started allowing private businesses, being self-employed still wasn’t seen as respectable.

People would look down on you for it. Selling your homegrown melons here and there was fine—it was just seen as side income—but opening a real business, no matter how much you made, would draw gossip and judgment.

In the village’s eyes, it was like you were undermining socialism itself.