Poor Jian Zhiqin, being born into the Jian Family was truly a hardship. From a young age, she had to do housework on her own. It absolutely doesn’t seem like she’s their biological child, but rather like someone they picked up from a trash heap. She had to wash her own clothes and study on her own. If she didn’t perform well in filial piety exams, she would get spanked. Even if she managed to stand out this one time, once back home, she couldn’t reduce her household chores by even a bit. Therefore, women who marry into the Jian Family must have burnt some serious incense in their past lives.
Qin Xiangnuan came over, picked up Taotao, and then fetched a small stool.
"Let’s move to another place, Mr. Tao."
Taotao blinked his bright eyes and then broke into a smile, causing even Qin Tongnuan to start laughing alongside him.
The cleanup of the shop was quick; it took just half a day to tidy everything up. Chun Xiangnuan had prepared the dough, and the vegetables were ready, so they could open for business tomorrow.
"Why not rest for a few more days?" Jian Zhiqing asked Qin Xiangnuan, "Are you in such a hurry?"
"I’m eager to make money; I’ve got dollar signs in my eyes," Qin Xiangnuan arranged all the items in the shop one by one. "Also, there’s nothing to do at home, and it’s still a good ten days before school starts. I don’t want to sit around and grow mold," she spoke the truth. However, what seemed like a short period to others flew by in the blink of an eye, but to Qin Xiangnuan, time could pass more slowly if she wished. A day inside the system was only about 2 hours in the outside world.
Jian Zhiqing slightly lifted the corners of his lips, imparting a youthful and somewhat dark vitality to his eyes, much like the fresh green leaves in the breeze.
Autumn winds sweep the fallen leaves.
Spring breezes make the flowers bloom.
The next morning, Qin Xiangnuan opened the shop early. Since it was the first day, she didn’t prepare too much dough, uncertain about the business. In the end, all went well; only one pancake was left, which she took home to eat.
Thank goodness Jian Zhiqin was good with kids, making it easier for Qin Xiangnuan. Otherwise, she would truly be overwhelmed.
The Jians and the Ye Family had once again dumped their kids here.
Taotao had only stayed at his own home for a few months. Upon his return, whether it was a growth spurt or something else, he had gotten thinner, resembling Conghua. His originally chubby cheeks had now vanished, which was quite heart-wrenching for Qin Xiangnuan.
She was determined to bring back the plumpness to Little Taotao’s face, and of course, Conghua’s as well. After Conghua had become thin from hunger, he seemed lethargic and disinterested in people, as if he felt that he was no longer attractive because of his weight loss.
Several days later, Teacher Wang visited, wearing new clothes and looking much livelier than before, no longer as listless as he used to be.
"Did you get paid for the Spring Festival couplets?" Teacher Wang asked Qin Xiangnuan with a smile. Both had made quite a profit this time—more than 2000 yuan, equivalent to his yearly salary. Thanks to this money, his family’s situation had improved. Even his child’s baby formula was now affordable, and the baby had become calmer and no longer cried at night.
"Yeah, got it. More than I expected," Qin Xiangnuan had actually thought 4000 yuan would be about right because there were many sellers and it wasn’t certain that they would sell out everything. But to her surprise, Teacher Wang had managed to sell them all, so she thought he must be quite good at business and have an active approach, even more forward-thinking than Aunt Hua’s family by a great deal. She was certain that after the bus station was completed, Aunt Hua would definitely not be buying any shop. As Aunt Hua herself had said, a shop cost several tens of thousands of yuan. Even if she could afford it, she would not be determined enough, not to mention buying a house in the city, which she would be even less likely to agree to.
Yet decades later, owning a home in the city would become the dream of many. However, the property prices in the city center were so steep they were practically devouring people.
In fact, Qin Xiangnuan had considered inviting Teacher Wang to live here, but she ultimately decided not to ask. Mainly because Teacher Wang had a child, and the child was young. She didn’t mind, but Jian Zhiqing was sometimes extremely busy at work and always on edge. If the child cried at night, it would keep him awake. Plus, Jian Zhiqin and Taotao were also staying here. One young and one small child were both in school and couldn’t be disturbed, so she didn’t mention it.
However, she planned to have Teacher Wang continue tutoring her in English. Fifty yuan a month was enough for them to rent a better place and improve their meals. Once she graduated from high school, Teacher Wang’s child would have grown up too, and his spouse would be able to start working. Whatever the job, at least there would be another income for the family. If he still couldn’t find a place to stay at that time, they would be welcome here. Of course, she didn’t say this out loud. Empty promises were not to be made.
Truly, it was too far away.
No one knew what might happen tomorrow, let alone next year, the year after, or even... many years from now.
The business of scallion pancakes was going well, much thanks to the patronage of Jian Zhiqing and customers like Mr. Sun from the park. She didn’t face any troubles, and in a few days, it would be time to return to school.
Her final exam results were quite good; now the teachers were even more friendly towards her. Qin Xiangnuan knew that at this school, academic performance literally meant everything. Anybody’s moment to shine came in college. As long as you got into college, it almost meant securing a job for life, with work placements being quite readily available, often in government institutions.
Thus, the students of that era were generally well-behaved and a lot more down-to-earth.
Qin Xiang presented the pancakes she brought to Li Li and Mao Xiaomei, who clumsily shared them between themselves.
"During the New Year, I really missed your scallion pancakes," Li Li said, biting off a big chunk. "Now that I’ve got them, it’s truly a delicacy."
"Yes," Mao Bumei’s mouth never stopped moving either, "the food my mom makes at home is not as delicious as yours, Xiang Nuan. How come you’re so skilled? How is it that you can do everything?"
"Poor kids grow up fast," Qin Xiangnuan said with a laugh, but a sourness lingered within her, dyeing streaks of light scars on her heart. Even after two lifetimes, these scars remained unhealed. She had never seen her mother. Every time someone mentioned "mother," her heart ached. These were perpetual regrets of two lifetimes, which is why she harbored such resentment towards Qin Guohua, and found it impossible to forgive, not only because in her previous life, he took away her life and her brother’s life, but also because he caused her and her brother to grow up without a mother, never having seen their mother’s face, not even having a single photograph from that era.