novellhall Chapter 13: Shopping Spree with the Money Huo Yanchuan Gave Me
Chapter 13: Shopping Spree with the Money Huo Yanchuan Gave Me
With her gentle skills, she could have easily tripped the man and subdued him.
Shen Qingshuang never expected that Wenrou would let him go so easily.
She glanced at Shen Qingshuang with gentle eyes, as if she were looking at a fool.
This idiot not only swaggered into the black market, but also chased after the thief all by himself. Isn't he afraid that the thief might be connected to human traffickers?
Who knows, if she chases them to a secluded spot, she might get kidnapped by human traffickers?
Not only that, she also wants my help?
She's not just being nosy and meddling in other people's business.
Besides, it wasn't her who lost the money. Shen Qingshuang's outfit was practically telling that thief how rich she was.
Being robbed was to be expected; who knows if the thief had accomplices? She didn't want to get involved in this mess.
She came to the black market this time fully covered up, just in case she got caught.
Anyway, she had already bought the cotton ration coupons, and this matter had nothing to do with him anymore, so she turned around and left gently.
Seeing that Wenrou had just left, Shen Qingshuang screamed angrily, "Wenrou, come back here!"
When Wenrou heard Shen Qingshuang calling her by her name, she walked even faster.
She's not stupid. If she were to reveal herself now and let her recognize her, wouldn't it be impossible to hide the fact that she came to the black market?
After leaving the black market, Wenrou went directly to the supply and marketing cooperative, bought two catties of cotton, and then bought some soybeans, oat noodles, cornmeal, millet, and yellow millet.
Although white flour and white rice are very expensive here and ordinary people can't afford them, Wenrou didn't skimp on herself and bought a little of everything, including a pound of eggs, which she put in her basket.
The variety of vegetables here is even smaller, so she bought some cabbage and potatoes that are easy to store, as well as some pork fat to render into lard when she got home.
She still had the daily necessities industrial coupons given to her by Huo Yanchuan, so she bought a toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as a washbasin, towel, kettle, and soap.
She didn't bring any of these things with her when she came. Since it's not easy to come out, she might as well bring everything she needs.
After buying everything, Wenrou packed it all together in a fishing net, hung it on her body, and then, carrying a basket and her things, prepared to go home.
She was naturally strong, so she didn't feel the weight of these things.
She hadn't eaten lunch yet, and was already starving.
The food sold in town was expensive, so she simply didn't buy any, thinking she would cook it when she got home.
Soon they arrived at the place she had come from that morning. Shen Qingshuang and Sister Chen were still at the black market and couldn't make it over, so the donkey cart on the way back only had her, Sister Wang, and her daughter.
Sister-in-law Wang had also heard about what had happened in the past few days and knew some of Wenrou's affairs, so she simply nodded to her as a greeting.
Wenrou noticed that there was some bean flour, eggs, and a few pieces of steamed egg cake wrapped in oil paper in Wang's basket.
On the way back, the little girl kept staring at the sponge cakes in Sister Wang's basket, licking her lips. Finally, she couldn't resist any longer and cautiously asked, "Mom, can I have a piece of sponge cake?"
"This sponge cake was bought by your grandmother. If you eat it and then go back, I won't be able to explain it to her," Wang's wife sighed.
The little girl nodded understandingly, then could only clutch her rumbling stomach and take one last long look at the chicken cake.
Sister-in-law Wang glanced at all the things Wenrou had bought—cotton, fabric, and even lard—and a hint of envy appeared in her eyes.
These things would cost more than ten yuan each, which is something she wouldn't even dare to dream of.
After arriving at the family compound, Wenrou and Aunt Wang entered the compound one after the other.
The two weren't very familiar with each other, so they didn't have much interaction.
Just as she reached the door, she heard a series of shouts, curses, and cries coming from behind her.
"You've been ignoring everything I said, haven't you? What did I send you to town for? Why did that good-for-nothing come back with you?" Wang's mother-in-law, whom everyone in the courtyard called Aunt Zhu, was tearing at Wang's ear, and the sounds of her beating and cursing echoed throughout the courtyard.
"Mom, Xiaoya is my daughter. I can't listen to you. No matter what, I will raise her well." Even after being beaten, Aunt Wang still said stubbornly.
Aunt Zhu knew that this matter couldn't be blown out of proportion, so she grabbed Sister Wang with one hand and pinched the little girl with the other and went home.
The little girl cried out in pain from being pinched, but Aunt Zhu didn't stop. Instead, she pinched her cheek and yelled, "Cry, cry, cry! You good-for-nothing! You've killed your little brother, and you still know how to cry? I'll beat you to death!"
Aunt Zhu took the broom from the doorway inside and slammed the door shut.
Then came the little girl's pitiful cries and pleas for mercy from inside: "Grandma, I was wrong, I'll never do it again, please don't hit me."
The others were used to this scene. Although they all lived in the same compound, it was their private matter, and they couldn't interfere.
"That little girl is really pitiful. She was the one who killed her own grandson, but she insists that the little girl killed him."
"That's right, the baby in her belly hasn't been born yet, who knows if it's a girl or a boy? Aunt Zhu insists it's a grandson."
Wenrou could tell from their words that Old Lady Zhu was a sexist. Thinking about what they had just said, she suddenly had a guess.
Could it be that Aunt Wang took Xiaoya to town today because she wanted to sell her?
Later, probably out of a change of heart, he brought her back.
Although this is just her guess, it shouldn't be taken lightly.
She still needed to talk to Huo Yanchuan about this matter; a military wife colluding with human traffickers was a serious matter.
After Wenrou returned home, she brought the cotton and fabric into her room and then went to the kitchen to start cooking.
She was planning to make some pork crackling and cabbage buns later, and just thinking about the taste made her mouth water.
Just after she had prepared all the ingredients, there was a knock at the door.
She walked over and opened the door, and saw several people in military uniforms standing at the door, with Shen Qingshuang and Sister-in-law Chen behind them.
"It's her! She went to the black market today too. I saw her!" Shen Qingshuang shouted, pointing at Wenrou.
Wenrou never expected that Shen Qingshuang, that idiot, would actually go to the police station, and now she's even bringing police officers to her door to identify her.
However, she was not flustered at all. She was wrapped up tightly and did not show her face, so she was not worried that anyone would recognize her.
"Officer, I'm innocent! I just went to the town's supply and marketing cooperative today to buy some things and came back. What black market? I never went there."