Seeing her picking only a few things, Du Chunhua got anxious and shoved items into her arms.
"No need to save on my behalf. It's all for gifting to others."
The implication: She didn't mind giving them to Yi Chichi.
Yi Chichi, "...These two are enough for me."
"Are you dumb? Going back without gifts is not good."
Du Chunhua rolled her eyes at her. Yi Chichi felt a bit guilty, "Aunt, aren't you keeping anything for yourself to use?"
"I don't need them."
Giving them to this girl Chichi could at least get her national food coupons and money, but giving them to those relatives was purely a loss.
"Take them all."
She impatiently stuffed more things into her arms.
Unable to refuse the goodwill, Yi Chichi simply and generously accepted her kindness.
But in her heart, she thought about how she would repay her when she had the chance.
After settling the bill, she chatted idly with Du Chunhua for a few more moments before carrying the items to the door to wait for Bai Chen and the others.
These guys shopped even more than she did, and she waited at the door for nearly twenty minutes before they arrived, looking content.
Everyone bought quite a lot of stuff, except Zhou Qiuyu who was almost empty-handed.
Seeing the small package in her hand, Wu Yongfei, that attention-seeker, jumped out to make his presence known.
"We rarely come to the county. Why didn't you buy more stuff?"
This question made Yi Chichi and the others roll their eyes. Was Zhou Qiuyu not buying things because she didn't want to?
No, it was because she had no money and no coupons.
In a family that believed daughters shouldn't consume the house's food, it was clear she returned empty-handed from the countryside.
The little money she had was likely only for her rural allowance, not at all enough to spend on anything frivolous.
His endless chatter finally annoyed Zhou Qiuyu, who didn't want to engage with him, to the breaking point. She retorted, "Mr. Wu, I have no money or coupons. You seem quite well-off, how about lending me some, and I'll repay when I get my allowance?"
To defeat magic, only magic works.
The moment she said this, Wu Yongfei immediately changed the subject, "I'm hungry, shall we go eat?"
"Let's go."
Since he changed the subject himself, no one continued the topic.
Eating is paramount, especially since they were genuinely hungry.
On the way, they discussed what dishes to order, only to find out upon arrival that nothing but noodles was available.
Just plain noodles.
Upon asking, they were told that the state-run restaurant had only divided a pig's head and two pig tails, and even that was snatched away before they could get a piece.
Thankfully, the chef's skills were commendable; plain noodles with a couple of green vegetables and a bit of lard were delicious.
Yi Chichi and the others ate every last bite, soup and all, only wiping their mouths clean before leaving.
As they exited the restaurant, two young men dressed in the 1965 military uniform approached them.
Both were roughly the same height, about 185 cm.
Their appearance was equally outstanding.
The young man on the left had sharp brows and starry eyes, handsome like a model.
The young man on the right was of another type, not just handsome but beautiful, with an indistinct gender beauty.
Especially his eyes, they were extraordinarily beautiful.
When their eyes met, Yi Chichi was briefly stunned, then quickly looked away, thinking such a man was only worth appreciating from a distance, like a dog with soulful eyes.
She kept her eyes straight and walked away, and Wang Nan and his group did the same.
Once they were a distance away, Ge Sujuan couldn't help but look back and, seeing them enter the state-run restaurant, exclaimed as if discovering a new continent, "Hey, what do you think those two comrades do?"
"Their work has nothing to do with us. Don't forget we're sent-down youths."
Bai Chen solemnly reminded, "If you want to return to the city, remember to maintain decorum."
The implication: Don't get involved with the locals.
Wu Yongfei sighed, "But doing farm work is really hard. Sometimes, thinking about it, marrying a local isn't necessarily a bad choice."
Zhou Qiuyu seized the opportunity to jab at him, "From the sound of it, have you got someone in mind?"
He's also quite unreserved.
Wen Sheng showed a slightly shy smile, almost scaring Yi Chichi and the others to death.
But what he said next was even more shocking.
"I actually do. What do you think of Lanlan from Grandpa Liu's family?"
"Who?"
Yi Chichi and the others' eyes widened, wondering if they'd misheard.
Good lord, Wu Yongfei this guy really isn't afraid to die.
Of all people, he focused on that girl Liu Lan.
"Liu Lan, I think she's quite good."
He continued on his own, "I feel like she has a bit of interest in me too."
Before he could finish, Yi Chichi and the others distanced themselves from him as if they'd seen a ghost.
With a sudden space around him, Wu Yongfei was baffled, "What do you mean by this?"
Is he some kind of plague?
Why were they all moving away, as if being near him would bring bad luck?
No one replied, their steps silently quickening.
Yi Chichi smirked, it seemed everyone understood the situation.
But Wu Yongfei didn't seem to get it. He caught up, persistently asking what they meant.
Bai Chen, fed up with his antics, snapped, "I thought we'd made it clear. You can go looking for trouble on your own, just don't drag us into it."
"How am I looking for trouble?"
Wu Yongfei felt wronged, he was a decent, upright young man living well, not seeking trouble.
"You've set your sights on Lanlan from Grandpa Liu's family. If you're not looking for trouble, then who is?"
Wang Nan, another who didn't shy away from confrontation, didn't care if his words offended anyone.
"Liu Lan, the only daughter of three generations in Old Liu's family, with five brothers, sixteen cousins, and a mix of nephews and nieces numbering at least thirty or forty."
"Do you know what this means?"
"I do."
Wu Yongfei spoke firmly, but Yi Chichi felt he didn't understand, because his expression was too smug.
"Then tell us, what does it mean?"
She couldn't resist asking out of curiosity, and this question revealed Wu Yongfei's true talent.
Because he said—
"This is a good thing. It means if I marry Comrade Liu Lan, I wouldn't have to do anything and could live off Old Liu's family."
The world fell silent.
Yi Chichi was dazed. In this era where everyone was striving and passionate, Wu Yongfei's thought of being a freeloader was truly ahead of its time.
So advanced it was hard to accept.
Bai Chen and the others were the best examples.
A group of people quietly processed the emotions swirling within: wanting to speak but holding back, organizing thoughts, and eventually forgetting what they wanted to say.
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
Didn't know what to say.
"Do you think I can do it?"
Absolutely not.
The only daughter of three generations in Old Liu's family, doted on by her whole family, wouldn't even glance at someone like Wu Yongfei who couldn't shoulder any responsibility.
As if she's blind.
"I bought some sesame candy to give to Comrade Liu Lan."
Bai Chen and the others were shocked. Even Qi Yang, who had the least things, couldn't hold back. He jumped to his side, wrapped his arm around his neck, and whispered fiercely, "I warn you, eat the sesame candy yourself, don't give it away, or I'll beat you to death."