Feng Man instantly understood and felt surprised yet angry. “Because of Arlang’s dad, so…”
“Right. Many adults and kids said that with a dad who loved to steal chickens and dogs, it was possible he had a son who stole money. It must have been Arlang. Some told him to confess and hand over the money; some said to have the village committee search. Some villagers were unsure and raised a couple of questions, but others retorted, ‘Could it be you who stole it?’ and they could not speak up.”
“How old was Arlang that year?”
“Ten.”
In Feng Man’s mind appeared the image of a ten-year-old boy, eyes red with anger from the injustice, like a furious calf, powerless to refute the verbal attacks from all sides.
“Of course Arlang did not admit it. He nearly got grabbed and searched by Zhao Decai and the others. You should know Arlang’s temper; he could not stand that. He struggled and ran away. It was only two days later, when the village head led an investigation and asked around, that they got it from a kid’s mouth. Turns out, Zhao Gang had taken the money to buy food and hidden it. The village secretary’s son had done the deed. Since the loss was not big, Zhao Decai made up one yuan fifty and they went on to buy the urea and phosphate fertilizer. But no one said anything about Arlang being wrongly accused.”
Feng Man felt her blood boil as she listened. “That’s too outrageous! They said all sorts of things when accusing him, but once the truth came out, it was as if nothing had happened.”
Cheng Yulan patted the young hand resting on her arm: “A-Lang had a tough life before, with no one to protect him from a young age. But that’s all in the past now. Lately, I’ve seen that you’ve changed quite a bit. It shows your parents did one thing right, after all.”
Under the faint moonlight, Feng Man turned around and caught sight of that tall, slender figure in the darkness.
His sharp jawline was like the edge of a keen blade, mercilessly outlining the man’s cold and hard temperament.
When she first climbed onto the vehicle and saw Cheng Lang, Feng Man had been intimidated by his fierce appearance too. But at this moment, it was as if she had glimpsed the softness in his heart.
Just like now, Cheng Lang seemed to sense something and lifted his gaze toward her. The tenderness in his eyes was like water, even gentler than tonight’s moonlight.
……
After temporarily resolving a major crisis that night, everyone washed up and went to bed, each sinking into sweet dreams.
Feng Man had finished her bath and sat at the table wiping her face. The Pechoin pearl cream was white and exquisite, one of the better skincare products available in this era. A dollop of the creamy white paste was lightly dabbed onto her cheeks, then gently spread with her fingertips, gradually seeping into her skin and blending with her snowy complexion.
She smeared the remaining pearl cream from her palm onto her neck. As she tilted her head back, her slender neck curved gracefully like a swan’s.
“The thermos I brought today came in handy. I lent it to Deputy District Chief Li and let him take a bucket of milky white fish soup home.” Returning what was borrowed would allow for future connections, and Feng Man had confidence in her food.
If she could really borrow the influence of these leaders whom even You Jianyuan had to grovel to, it would naturally be much easier to protect herself.
Cheng Lang, however, seemed somewhat distracted and gave a perfunctory soft “Mm.”
After wiping down her body, Feng Man turned back, looking at the man with some dissatisfaction: “Are you tired? Your voice sounds listless.”
“You this afternoon in front of You Jianyuan…” A surge of unfamiliar emotions made it hard for Cheng Lang to find the right words, so he rephrased with difficulty. “He said I was playing dirty tricks by setting a dog on him, so why did you immediately step forward and say those things?”
It was an unfamiliar scene—someone even reacting faster than him, striding ahead. Her slender, delicate arm had clearly blocked in front of him.
Feng Man stood up and slowly walked toward the man. The story her little aunt had told her at night echoed in her mind again. She leaned down to gaze at Cheng Lang and pressed her soft, tender lips to his eyelid.
“You are my husband, so of course I have to protect you. You Jianyuan was talking nonsense—I wouldn’t let him slander or wrong you!”
A wave of warmth washed over his eyelid, gentle like a spring breeze. Cheng Lang closed his eyes, his hands gripping her slender waist tightly, veins bulging on his fingers as he pulled the woman firmly against him.
Feng’s had been reborn, while the stall next to it stood empty. Ma Ji thus ended its brief but tumultuous life.
Not two days later, Lu Yongnian came back to buy milky white fish soup, just to satisfy his wife and child’s cravings. But as he approached, he saw a long line at lunchtime.
Feng Man spotted him from afar and specially set aside three bowls of fish soup and three sesame flatbreads for him. After the crowd thinned, they met up.
“Comrade Lu, thank you for praising us in front of the district chief last time. It really gave us face.”
Lu Yongnian had indeed just said it offhand back then, but he hadn’t expected Feng’s boss to be so good at handling people. He accepted the half-bucket of fish soup and three sesame flatbreads but still insisted on paying: “Your stuff is good. I wasn’t just saying that.”
“We still have to thank our regular customers for the praise.” Feng Man’s eyes darted around as she brought up something she had been thinking about for days. “Comrade Lu, could I ask you for a photo?”
“What photo?”
“The one from that day at the mine district, where District Chief Zhang paid for the fish soup.”
Lu Yongnian had indeed taken quite a few photos, but he hadn’t expected Feng Man to notice that detail. Thinking that a stall owner rarely got to see such a big figure as the district chief, it was only natural to want a memento.
“The photos aren’t convenient to distribute directly, but that one was sent to the Ink River Daily for a feature report. You should be able to see it in the newspaper then and keep it.”
With this firsthand news, Feng Man was even happier—it saved her a lot of marketing hype too. “Comrade Lu, not only do you take good photos, you pick good ones too.”
The next morning, the Ink River Daily was printed and distributed throughout the city. Newspapers were delivered by the postman to the bamboo tubes hanging on walls in every household, and Feng Man subscribed too, with one delivered daily.
But today was especially different.
Dong Xiaojuan and Fan You Shan heard about it and were even more excited than Feng Man. Hearing the bell ringing outside, they opened the door to greet it. The postman’s 28-inch bike had already sped off to the next house, but there was a newspaper right in their bamboo tube.
“Uncle, quick, look! Auntie is in the newspaper!” Fan You Shan jumped with excitement, calling to Cheng Lang who was brushing his teeth and washing his face in the yard.
Cheng Lang walked over to his nephew and saw the black-and-white printed newspaper filled with dense text that made one’s head spin. But in the small photo at the bottom left corner was half a familiar profile.
The subject of Lu Yongnian’s candid shot was naturally District Chief Zhang, the approachable leader amiably paying for fish soup. The profile of the woman across from him was elegant, her beautiful features discernible even in the hazy, blurred light and shadow as she held a bowl of milky white, fragrant soup that looked very enticing.
“Comrade Lu took a good shot! Sister-in-law, when you head out later, take this newspaper straight to the stall.” Feng Man came out from the room, leaned close to Cheng Lang to examine it, and nodded repeatedly.
“Got it!” Dong Xiaojuan rubbed her hands gleefully, holding the newspaper as if she were the one featured, full of pride.
That day, many who read the newspaper discovered that Feng’s had been specifically praised by a major district leader. The report in black ink stated that District Chief Zhang had praised the fish soup sold by mine district family members as fresh and delicious, suitable for young and old alike.
The bandwagon effect of a big shot was astonishing. District Chief Zhang had personally praised the fish soup, paid for it, and there were even rumors that Deputy District Chief Li had taken a bucket home too—who wouldn’t be curious or tempted?
In an instant, Feng’s name spread beyond the mine district and swept through the entire Yangping District!
But just as many came flocking, Feng Man had no intention of making a killing. Instead, she increased the rest days to match the times, changing from one day off to two.
Dong Xiaojuan and Yuan Qiumei were a bit stunned. Everyone else—whether working or studying—only got one day off a week, yet Feng Man was giving them two!
Feng Man reassured them: “Wages stay the same, no impact. Now everything’s running smoothly. In the future, you two can handle the kitchen, and one person can manage the stall sales occasionally. On Saturdays and Sundays, one of you mans the stall each day, and the other rests—you coordinate. I’ll drop by now and then to help. You’ll rotate those two rest days. As for daily sales volume, keep it the same for now. Getting the name out there, suddenly ramping up could backfire if we chase quantity over quality. Quality first.”
This was great news— one less workday a week with full pay. Their enthusiasm soared.
Lately, Feng Man hadn’t been too busy, mostly just helping out and overseeing the stall. After months, from raw materials to food prep to sales, the whole process was stable, letting her relax more.
Cheng Lang’s mine district also benefited greatly from You Jianyuan inviting the big leaders.
That day, during the leaders’ mine inspection, the experienced Cheng Lang far outshone You Jianyuan’s half-baked scripted performance. A few words showed he had real skill.
Especially when he submitted the report on potential rare metal deposits at Red Mountain Mine District—once District Chief Zhang spoke, the Development Office completely shifted direction.
Huang Zhiyi even took the initiative: “Whatever support Red Star Mine District needs, just say it.”
Cheng Lang requested a batch of advanced equipment. The workers’ skills were fine; they just lacked funding and modern gear.
“Master.”
As he reported the equipment request to the Development Office staff, Cheng Lang suddenly heard He Chunsheng burst into the office excitedly.
“What’s so urgent?”
“Just now, I heard—Grandmaster is being transferred back! Old Meng from Liberation Mine District tipped me off. Deputy Mine Chief You Changgui personally approved it!”
Master Chen, who had been posted to the deep mountains for a year, was returning. Cheng Lang paused with his pen in hand, a flash of joy in his eyes.
That evening, Feng Man heard from her cousin Fan Zhenghua that Cheng Lang’s master was being transferred back.
Fan Zhenghua was thrilled: “Master Chen coming back is huge! No one beats him at mining.”
Feng Man had vaguely heard that this Master Chen was a big name in the field—top technical skills, vast experience. He had broken his no-apprentice rule for Cheng Lang, truly his benefactor, guiding the newbie who arrived six years ago to now stand on his own.
But…
Thinking of the benefactor of the Baby Betrothal target in the book made Feng Man’s emotions complicated. Cheng Lang was the Baby Betrothal partner in the book, so Master Chen was naturally the villainous bigshot who helped him.
That was a villainous bigshot!!!
From her fuzzy memories, Feng Man recalled that this villainous bigshot rose in the mine district, a coal industry titan with excellent skills and experience, lifelong bachelor with a quirky temper.
Every trait matched Cheng Lang’s master.
That night in the room, Feng Man sat on the bed’s edge deep in thought, while Cheng Lang still held his economics book.
“A-Lang, is your master easy to get along with? What does he like usually? What should we prepare as a meeting gift?” Feng Man was wary of this villainous bigshot—one of the top figures in the book, even the male lead was lesser in his presence!
As a transmigrator small fry, she definitely needed to leave a good impression. And given their relation, as his disciple’s wife, she had to make a good showing no matter what.
“Master doesn’t have particular likes. Meeting gift… even if prepared, he probably won’t accept it.”
“Whether he accepts is one thing; preparing is another.” Feng Man pondered—gifts were usually smokes, liquor, or tea. The first two weren’t healthy, so tea first. “Tomorrow’s your day off. We’ll go to the Department Store together, pick some good tea, and grab nutritional supplements to have on hand.”
“Mm.” Cheng Lang responded absentmindedly.
Feng Man glanced at the man in the chair, truly puzzled: “You really get into this stuff?”
Cheng Lang really knew how to surprise people.
There was even a little illustrated booklet tucked in the economics book. Cheng Lang had finished one and gained quite some understanding of a dozen or so positions, but…
“Learn too much, and you start thinking about practice.”
Feng Man nodded: “You learn it, you practice it. No matter how much theory, without practice it’s worthless.”
Cheng Lang nodded, put away the book, and walked toward the woman by the bed: “You’re right. Time to practice.”