After the rush at the small restaurant, Cheng Su and her husband, Qi Taiguo, finally headed home on their bicycle, side by side. They chatted and laughed along the way, their joyful laughter making the pedestrians along the road envious.
Meanwhile, at the compound, Platoon Leader Lu quietly pulled his wife aside and said, "I think something’s off with Qiulan’s mood, her eyes are red. She couldn’t have been given a hard time at Cheng Su’s place, could she?"
Li Qiumei was playing with their son when she heard this and was taken aback, "Really? She’s been going to work for several days now and hasn’t mentioned anything bad, and she’s even put on weight."
"Who knows? Commander Qi’s wife can be unpredictable. If she suddenly blows her top, who knows what kind of unpleasant things she might say? Didn’t she end up pulling Qiulan’s hair and cursing at her over a simple disagreement?" Platoon Leader Lu was somewhat skeptical.
Li Qiumei glared at him, "You always assume the worst in people. I think Cheng Su isn’t like that. Wasn’t it all a misunderstanding at first?"
These days, Li Qiulan had been going to work just fine, sometimes even bringing home some food, saying it was from Cheng Su, who had too much to eat. Surely she hadn’t been treated badly, right?
Despite saying that, Li Qiumei couldn’t help feeling worried. She handed their son over to Platoon Leader Lu, "You take care of the kid; I’m going to see what’s going on."
Li Qiulan was in her room, wiping away her tears.
Li Qiumei pushed the door open and entered. Qiulan quickly wiped her tears and, somewhat flustered, asked, "Sis, what’s up?"
"Your brother-in-law noticed your red eyes. Are you really dropping gold beans here? What happened? Did you do something wrong at work and got scolded?" Li Qiumei closed the door and sat down on the bed to ask.
Li Qiulan smiled, "Nothing like that, just a bit homesick is all."
Li Qiumei looked at her skeptically, "If you are really not happy there, you have to speak up. Don’t keep it all inside. Cheng Su, she..."
"Sister, it’s really not that. Sister Su is very nice, truly nice. She’s generous with us too. Just tell her what dish you want for lunch, and she’ll make it. Whenever she buys fruit or anything, she lets us have our fill," Qiulan reassured her quickly.
"No problems then," said Li Qiumei, relieved by her sister’s words.
"Sister, Sister Su is really amazing. She’s not old, but she’s top-notch smart. Look at how successful her restaurant is! Remember the pineapple jam I let you try? Do you know how much she sells it for?"
Li Qiumei wondered, "Didn’t you say it was one yuan per jin?"
"Hmm, but what’s even more incredible, you don’t know yet. There was a food company that approached her to buy the recipe. Do you know how much they offered?" Li Qiulan continued.
"How much?"
Li Qiulan held up two fingers in a ’V’ sign, "Twenty thousand."
Twenty thousand startled Li Qiumei so much she stood up; that was an astronomical price.
"Really?"
Li Qiulan nodded, "Sister, don’t tell anyone, but it’s true. And Sister Su didn’t sell it. She wants to make it herself. I think Sister Su will definitely be something great in the future."
Li Qiumei was shocked by her sister’s words. Twenty thousand, and she chose not to sell, but to produce it herself. Was Cheng Su a fool?
"She’s not a fool. With her talent, you see, she’s even planning to start studying again and go to university," said Li Qiulan, sharing what she had heard and seen, and added dreamily, "Sister, do you think if I studied too, I would also become as smart and capable?"
Would that make him look at her differently?
"Study?" Li Qiumei looked at her sister and said, "Qiulan, at home, your three younger brothers are all waiting for their tuition fees."
"I was just saying, I don’t have that kind of talent," Li Qiulan forced a smile and dropped her gaze, no longer speaking.