The next day, Cheng Su got up early to prepare breakfast and ate before taking Ning Ge to the restaurant. Qi Taiguo, having a rare day off, also went along.
"Heading out so early?" Platoon Leader Chen made breakfast himself early in the morning to please his wife.
"I have the day off, so I’m going to help at my sister-in-law’s restaurant," Qi Taiguo said with a smile.
"Restaurant?" Platoon Leader Chen was taken aback.
So that was it. No wonder their house was getting renovations and buying fans. Platoon Leader Chen felt somewhat resentful. If it hadn’t been for this, Hualing probably wouldn’t be so envious.
"Sister-in-law is really capable," Platoon Leader Chen said with a forced smile.
Cheng Su smiled, pulling the yawning Ning Ge along, while a lethargic Platoon Leader Chen returned to his room, pondering over how to bring home the fan Hualing wanted that very day.
"Who are you talking to?" Hualing was in front of the mirror, putting on earrings and checking her reflection from side to side.
Platoon Leader Chen responded with a smile.
Turning around, Hualing snorted, "Being a petty trader, look how proud she is. A village woman will always be a village woman, truly reeking of money."
Platoon Leader Chen didn’t reply, thinking to himself that he wished he could reek of money, but not even a single yuan could he find!
"You remember what you’re supposed to do today, don’t you? You promised me last night," Hualing glared at Platoon Leader Chen.
Platoon Leader Chen quickly replied, "How could I forget? Rest assured, you’ll be in front of a big fan tonight."
Hualing finally smiled, walked over to him, hugged his face, and gave him a hard kiss before grabbing her bag and heading to work.
After his wife left the house, the smile on Platoon Leader Chen’s face collapsed.
A fan cost seventy to eighty yuan; where would he get the money?
Even though he was a platoon leader, his monthly allowance was just a handful of yuan. Hualing, who had been spoiled since childhood, always wanted the best clothes and products. He had to hand over a significant portion of his monthly allowance to her, and that was an understatement.
Why?
To marry Hualing, her family demanded a bride price of five hundred yuan. Coming from a poor hollow in the hills, to marry off their son to Hualing, his parents had sold the family cow and collected the money for him, even borrowing more than two hundred yuan to hold a wedding that satisfied Hualing.
Yet, because of that wedding, the family had been left with debt. He had no choice but to skimp on his monthly allowance and send it home without letting Hualing know, to repay the debt as soon as possible.
But last month, his mother fell ill again, and he had already sent an advance from his allowance home. In two months, his younger siblings’ school fees would also be due, and he was already worried about it. Now, he couldn’t find a single yuan in his pocket; where was he going to get the money for Hualing’s fan?
Platoon Leader Chen let out a long sigh, took out a pack of Da Shengchang cigarettes from his pocket, only one cigarette remained. He lit it, taking a deep breath.
Without money, life was difficult; this truth he felt deeply.
Leaving the family compound, Platoon Leader Chen walked towards the street. He thought for a moment and headed towards the location of the small restaurant Qi Taiguo had mentioned. Approaching, he saw from a distance Taiguo and his wife had set up a folding table at the entrance.
If he asked them for a loan and Hualing found out, would it cause another fight?
Platoon Leader Chen was quite hesitant. Looking at Taiguo’s vibrant young face, he felt extremely unbalanced. They were of similar age, and he was even a few years older, but while the other man was already a company commander, what about himself?
Platoon Leader Chen turned away, defeated with a sigh, his eyes scanning a small advertisement on the wall. He pursed his lips and tore it down.