Tuesday.
The money from selling the stocks that day couldn't be transferred out until the next trading day, so at noon today, Dong Xuebin eagerly used the trading software to transfer all twenty thousand yuan into his bank card. Seeing that Zhou Changchun had gone to the hospital to get medicine and wasn't at the office, Dong Xuebin left work a little early, went to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to queue for a number, and transferred three thousand yuan into his mother's bank card. He wanted her to live a little more comfortably too.
Afterward, Dong Xuebin took out his phone and called Mom.
Beep, beep, beep. A woman's voice answered from the other end. "...Hello, Huitian Township Middle School."
Dong Xuebin said, "Hello, could I please speak to Luan Xiaoping?"
"You're looking for Teacher Luan? Hold on." Her voice paused, then grew louder. "Teacher Luan, it might be your son calling."
A few seconds later, his mother's voice came through the phone. "...Xuebin?"
Dong Xuebin sat down on a blue plastic chair in the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China lobby. "Mom, you're eating lunch, right? It's nothing. I just wanted to tell you that I got paid. I just sent you three thousand yuan, so go withdraw it from the bank when you have time. It'll be getting cold soon, so buy yourself a coat or something. Consider it a gift from me." Mom had lost quite a bit of money in the stock market before. Dong Xuebin knew that if he told her the money had come from stocks, she would definitely worry and lecture him. He also had no way to explain the rewind, so he simply didn't mention it.
Mom's reproachful voice came from the other end. "Mom doesn't want your money. I have money here. Why don't you keep it and buy yourself something?"
Dong Xuebin let out an exasperated sound. "I've already sent it, so don't say any more."
"Ah." Mom sighed in relief. "Then... all right. But just this once. Don't send Mom money next time. My salary is enough for me, I don't need yours. Save as much as you can yourself. Ah, our family has been poor all these years, and Mom never got around to buying you much clothing. Now that you've entered a government office, we can't let people laugh at you. Throw out those patched-up clothes when it's time, and buy a few new ones."
Dong Xuebin lowered his head and tugged at his faded T-shirt. "Uh, then I'll go buy some tonight."
Mom hated wasting phone charges, so after briefly asking about Dong Xuebin's work, she hung up.
After work that evening.
Squeezed onto the bus, Dong Xuebin sent Qu Yunxuan a text: "Working late today? I'll cook and wait for you to come home?" After sending it, Dong Xuebin couldn't help feeling a little happy. Oh my, why does that sound like something a married couple would say? Beep beep beep. Just as he was enjoying himself, Qu Yunxuan's reply came in. "No, Auntie will cook when I get back... Oh, right, I think there aren't any vegetables at home. I don't know what you want to eat either. How about this: come pick me up at work. I'm almost off too, and we can stop by the Vegetable Market on the way to buy some groceries." Dong Xuebin grinned and replied with a single word: "Okay."
North Second Ring Road.
Jingcheng Daily headquarters.
Although Dong Xuebin had gotten along quite well with Aunt Xuan these past few years, their relationship had been limited to ordinary neighbors. So he didn't know Qu Yunxuan particularly well. It was only after he saved Aunt Xuan last month that Dong Xuebin gradually entered her life and learned some things about her. For example, after graduating from university, Qu Yunxuan had started a company with a friend. It went bankrupt not long afterward due to poor management, and only then did she find a position in Jingcheng Daily's Advertising Department. She now seemed to be the supervisor of one of the teams below.
Ten minutes passed, and people gradually began getting off work.
It was Dong Xuebin's first time coming to pick Aunt Xuan up from work. He didn't know which building she would come out of, so he stared wide-eyed as he searched through the crowd.
Suddenly, Qu Yunxuan's mature, voluptuous figure emerged from a small Office Building in the distance. Her hair was pinned up, and she wore a white blouse, a brown office skirt, nylon stockings, and Black High Heels. Her capable outfit was something he could never get tired of looking at. Once again, Dong Xuebin was deeply captivated by Aunt Xuan's pretty face and figure. Why was Aunt Xuan so beautiful?
"Team Leader Qu, see you tomorrow."
"Mm, see you tomorrow." Qu Yunxuan nodded reservedly.
"Sister Qu, about yesterday's proposal?"
Qu Yunxuan turned her head. "Oh, Xiao Lü has already finished it. Discuss it with him tomorrow."
"Okay. Be careful on your way home. Bye."
Sure enough, Qu Yunxuan really had the air of a strong career woman. Dong Xuebin got to see her professional side.
Qu Yunxuan spotted Dong Xuebin, quickened her pace in her high heels, and walked over with a smile. "Have you been waiting long? Why didn't you go inside? There are seats in the reception area."
Dong Xuebin stopped letting his eyes wander and said, "I was too lazy to register."
Qu Yunxuan chuckled and pointed across the street. "Come on, let's go to the Vegetable Market first and buy some things you like."
After crossing the road, Dong Xuebin saw Qu Yunxuan constantly rubbing her shoulders and hurriedly asked with concern, "Tired? Want me to carry your bag?"
Qu Yunxuan led him into the Vegetable Market's covered stalls. "It's nothing. After all, I'm working for someone else. Being tired just wears on the body. Back when Auntie had just graduated and started her company, that was what real exhaustion felt like. My body was tired, and my heart was even more tired." In front of the stalls, Qu Yunxuan's strong career-woman aura was instantly replaced by that of a housewife. "How much are the eggs... Four yuan thirty? Then weigh out two jin... How much are your chicken wings... Oh, then I'll take some..." After speaking, Qu Yunxuan smiled wistfully and continued their earlier topic. "What a pity. I was young then and didn't understand anything. If someone gave Auntie a company now, I'd definitely run it better than I did back then."
"You still want to start your own business someday?"
"That's the idea, but I don't have the money. I'll earn for a few years first, then we'll see."
Dong Xuebin felt that their goals were rather similar. He wanted to become a high-ranking official, while Aunt Xuan wanted to make a lot of money.
North Entrance of Heping Street.
Dong Xuebin had wanted to help Aunt Xuan in the kitchen. He felt embarrassed always freeloading, but Qu Yunxuan absolutely refused and insisted on shooing him home, telling him to take a shower and come back to eat afterward. Unable to withstand her stream of nagging, Dong Xuebin could only return home with a miserable face to shower and change clothes.
Room 302, Qu Family.
After blow-drying his hair, Dong Xuebin rang Aunt Xuan's doorbell. The moment the door opened, the rich aroma of beer-braised chicken wings slipped through the crack and into his nose. He took a deep breath in enjoyment, sidestepped quickly into the apartment, and said, "Whew, that smells amazing. Is dinner ready?" Glancing at the steaming dishes on the dining table in the living room, Dong Xuebin's appetite flared. He rolled up his sleeves and was about to sit down and dig in.
Qu Yunxuan slapped the back of his hand irritably. "You little glutton, go wash your hands first."
Dong Xuebin said awkwardly, "I just took a shower."
"Didn't your hands touch the door when you opened it? Didn't they touch the door when you locked it?" Qu Yunxuan tapped his forehead. "You dirty little cat, hurry up."
Dong Xuebin rubbed his nose with an embarrassed grin and turned toward the kitchen.
Qu Yunxuan smiled despite herself, still wearing her apron. "Bring out two pairs of chopsticks when you come back."
"Got it."
Aunt Xuan's cooking was beyond reproach. She would have more than qualified as a head chef at Wangfu Restaurant. Dong Xuebin stuffed himself completely full. As he burped, he sat on the sofa rubbing his stomach and watched Qu Yunxuan, looking like an ordinary housewife, busily clearing away the dishes. He felt unbelievably happy and only wanted to close his eyes comfortably and curl up on the sofa for a blissful nap.
Ah, whoever got to marry Aunt Xuan would be happy to death for the rest of his life, wouldn't he?
Just as he was staring at Aunt Xuan's pale, shapely legs in the kitchen and letting his imagination run wild, two plump, fair legs suddenly walked over. Closer and closer, until he could clearly see every line on the bamboo slippers. "...What are you thinking about?" Qu Yunxuan stood in front of him.
Like a thief caught red-handed, Dong Xuebin instantly pulled his gaze away. "Ahem, well, I just got paid, and I want you to go buy a couple of outfits with me."
Qu Yunxuan smiled and pinched his cheek. "Sure. Auntie will give you some advice and dress my little Xuebin up into a handsome young man."
Dong Xuebin said awkwardly, "Can you stop making fun of me? With my looks, nothing I wear will make me handsome."
"Nonsense!" Qu Yunxuan unhappily smacked him on the head. "If Auntie says you're handsome, then you're handsome. Come on, let's go to the mall."
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