The scorching heat of summer made you sweat afresh as soon as you stepped out of the bath, yet, even in such sweltering weather, Qi Taiguo had not managed to enjoy the cool breeze from the fan in Cheng Su’s room or "share the fan" with her because...
Cheng Su had fallen asleep!
After his bath, Qi Taiguo hurried to Cheng Su’s room, only to see the woman emitting soft snores. He almost wished he could go up to her and pinch her awake.
He had scrubbed himself clean inside and out, and this woman, she just fell asleep like that!
Qi Taiguo gritted his teeth and, after a long struggle, decided to let her off once again. Today had really been too exhausting!
In the future, he would absolutely make her beg for mercy!
Qi Taiguo returned to his room in a huff, lay on his bed, and thought about the kiss Cheng Su had given him. He couldn’t help but touch his face where she had kissed him, snickering to himself for a good while.
When Cheng Su woke up from her sleep, she felt wonderfully refreshed. She didn’t rush to the restaurant that day, instead, she made breakfast and, in a good mood, brewed herself a cup of hard-earned coffee. In the afternoon, she would be able to deliver goods to the Huaiji Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
Without locking their door, Hualing walked out of the room and caught a whiff of a burnt-sweet aroma that stirred her nostrils.
Was that coffee?
Hualing could hardly believe it. She turned to look at the room at the end with an open door and took a couple of steps closer. Indeed, the scent grew stronger.
She couldn’t resist walking over to take a peek and saw a woman sitting under the window sill, sitting up straight with a small cup in hand. The sunlight filtered in from outside, casting her in a particularly soft and beautiful light.
It was Cheng Su, and Hualing’s eyes widened in amazement.
This version of Cheng Su, indescribably elegant and at ease, nothing like a country girl, right?
And to think, their family even had such a luxury as coffee!
"Hey, Sister Hualing, what are you doing at Commander Qi’s doorstep?" Guiying came out of the kitchen carrying a pot, saw Hualing peeking around, and couldn’t help calling out to her.
Hualing, annoyed at being caught, pretended to look at the ground and said, "I think I dropped an earring, I’m looking for it." She fumbled in a corner on the ground, "Found it!"
Guiying felt a bit puzzled.
"I’m off to work!" Hualing walked past her, her face a picture of calm.
Inside the house, Cheng Su heard the shout, looked towards the door, saw no one, and paid it no further mind.
After breakfast, she headed to the restaurant, humming a tune as she prepared for the lunch crowd.
The lunchtime business was getting steadier and more people were ordering individual dishes. Now that she had an extra source of income, Cheng Su was considering hiring someone else to help.
Once the lunch rush was over, she packed up the pineapple jam that had been chilled in the freezer and the well from the night before into boxes, then called for a tricycle to take them to the address Mu Yan had given her.
The Huaiji Supply and Marketing Cooperative was in Huai County, not too far but certainly not as close as the Central Market Supply and Marketing Cooperative in the city center.
So, by the time Cheng Su arrived with her pineapple jam at the Huaiji Supply and Marketing Cooperative, two hours had passed.
She informed the security guard of her purpose, and he quickly summoned Mu Yan.
"I was just wondering when you’d deliver, and it turns out today our manager is in the office. Would you like to come meet him with me?" Mu Yan said with a beaming smile as she led Cheng Su away.
The supply and marketing cooperative was a prime venue for merchandise sales. Establishing good relations there would benefit Cheng Su immensely – no harm could come from it, so Cheng Su was more than willing.
But first, she pulled Mu Yan aside, pushing a bag into her embrace, "I saved this special for you, three pounds worth. Eat it to your heart’s content. These days, we can’t let anyone suffer, least of all our children."
Mu Yan was somewhat taken aback. She opened the bag and sure enough, it was full of her favorite pineapple jam, several pounds of it.
"You always know just what to say. I’ll gladly accept this, and thanks on behalf of my kid, Auntie!" Mu Yan playfully tapped her hand with a teasing smile, thinking to herself what a smooth operator Cheng Su was.
"If you’re calling me Auntie, help yourself whenever you like," Cheng Su quickly added.
The two women shared a smile and walked together towards the cooperative.