The Zhou Family Was Truly Blessed

Xia Yao rode on her aunt's bicycle to eat noodles. Zhou Erwa Restaurant was easy to find, right at the main entrance of the Textile Factory.

When the bicycle stopped, Xia Yao jumped down and immediately spotted a little girl in a floral padded jacket sitting at the restaurant entrance.

The little girl was simply adorable. Her round little face was delicately carved, her skin rosy and fair. She had candy in her mouth, and when she looked up at Xia Yao, she froze for a moment before blurting out in a soft, adorable Sichuan accent—a compliment, no less.

"Little one, you're so cute." Xia Yao felt her heart melting. She fumbled around in her pocket, but she had not brought any snacks with her.

"Here, baby, have some candy." After parking the bicycle, Meng Anhe took out two White Rabbit Creamy Candies from her handbag and smilingly held them out to Zhou Momo.

"Big bunny!" Zhou Momo's eyes lit up. She took the candy, then looked up at Meng Anhe with a broad smile. "Thank you, pretty auntie!"

"Mm, what a good girl." Meng Anhe was equally taken with the little girl's crescent-eyed smile. She could not help sighing to Xia Yao, "Daughters are still better. Unlike those two little devils of mine, who only know how to make me worry."

"My cousins are pretty well-behaved." Xia Yao laughed. "At least they're quiet when they're asleep. Ha ha."

"Are you two here for noodles?" Zhao Tieying came out with a smile when she heard them.

Zhou Yan, who had been about to count up the day's earnings, also looked toward the door, and his eyes brightened.

The young woman on the left had a beautiful oval face, distant-mountain brows, cherry lips, and skin so fair it seemed to glow.

She was tall and slender, with long black hair falling over her shoulders. Her white dress was cinched at the waist, showing off her slim figure, while a light beige cardigan draped over her shoulders. In her hand was a bulging handbag.

As she looked down at Zhou Momo, her eyes curved in a smile. Shallow dimples appeared at the corners of her lips, making her look bright and gentle.

The woman on the right looked to be in her early thirties. Her hair was styled in large curls, and she resembled the young woman beside her by sixty or seventy percent.

She wore a white pointed-collar blouse with an exquisite gold button pinned at the collar tips, slightly flared trousers covering black mid-heeled shoes, and a red knitted cardigan over it all.

She wore light blush and lipstick. She looked imposing, radiating boldness and fashionable flair from head to toe.

As Zhao Tieying looked at the two women standing outside, amazement flashed in her eyes. Instinctively, she drew back her feet, hiding her old patched cloth shoes.

Among the middle-aged women of Zhou Village, she was considered fashionable.

But standing before these two women, she looked like a country bumpkin.

She had only ever seen those big curls, bell-bottoms, and high-heeled shoes in movies. This fashion had not yet reached the village, and it was rare even in town.

"Auntie, my name is Xia Yao. I came to thank Comrade Zhou Yan for saving my life." Xia Yao smiled at Zhao Tieying.

Her tone was gentle, carrying the soft lilt of Jiangnan's water towns.

"Oh, it's you." Zhao Tieying suddenly understood. So she was Deputy Factory Director Lin's niece. Then the other woman had to be Deputy Factory Director Lin's wife. No wonder she was so fashionable. Zhao Tieying hurriedly turned and called out, "Zhou Yan!"

Zhou Yan had already heard their conversation and put the money away in the drawer.

The light at the doorway dimmed as a tall figure stepped outside.

Xia Yao looked up and froze for a moment. She unconsciously tilted her head back. He was so tall!

At 1.82 meters, Zhou Yan was definitely tall for an era of scarce resources. He was even a few centimeters taller than Lin Zhiqiang, who came from the north. Among the people of Bashu, he stood out dramatically.

Then there was his face—sharp features, deep-set eyes, open brows, and a clean, handsome look. Yet he had a pair of peach blossom eyes, smiling at the corners, the sort that could make even looking at a dog seem affectionate.

He wore the white cotton shirt commonly worn by chefs in large restaurants, sleeves rolled to his elbows and one button undone at the collar. A dark blue apron was tied around his waist. The same clothes looked exceptionally clean and well-fitted on him.

Xia Yao felt that even the basketball team captain at her art academy, the most popular boy among the female students, was not as good-looking as him.

Meng Anhe sized Zhou Yan up and nodded slightly as well. For a moment, she felt as though she had been transported back to the first time she had seen Lin Zhiqiang in Moscow. Back then, he had been the campus heartthrob among the international students. In the blink of an eye, he had developed a beer belly. Men's prime really was too short.

"Comrade Zhou Yan, I'm Xia Yao. Thank you for risking your life to jump into the river and save me the day before yesterday." Xia Yao held out her hand to Zhou Yan with graceful poise.

"You're welcome." Zhou Yan lightly shook her hand. Her hand was fair and slender, her skin especially smooth, like warm jade, though it was slightly cool.

But Xia Yao found Zhou Yan's hand unusually rough. Thick calluses covered his fingertips. Though he was still young, he had clearly not slacked off in honing his cooking skills.

"Are you from Zhejiang Province?" Her accent sounded strangely familiar to Zhou Yan, and his heart stirred.

Xia Yao nodded in surprise. "I grew up in Hangzhou, though my ancestral home is Zhoushan. Have you been to Zhejiang Province?"

Zhao Tieying looked at him in confusion as well.

"No. I just met someone from Zhejiang Province before, and I thought the accent sounded a little like yours." Zhou Yan smiled and shook his head, casually brushing it off.

"You're quite perceptive, then. Xia Yao's accent is actually very faint already." Meng Anhe smiled. "I'm Xia Yao's aunt. Thank you for saving her. My Lin praised you endlessly when he got home yesterday. He left on a business trip yesterday afternoon, so I brought Xia Yao here today."

"You're too kind. I didn't think much about it at the time. Anyone who came across that situation would have done the same." Zhou Yan hurriedly said.

Lin Zhiqiang's wife did not look like a housewife at all. She radiated the air of a powerful career woman, clearly the kind of person who had the final say at work.

"Ordinary people do not have that kind of courage. You are a true hero." Meng Anhe praised him.

The workers had gone to work, and the vendors outside the factory gate had also become idle. Seeing two fashionable women arrive at Zhou Erwa Restaurant, they all pricked up their ears and craned their necks to listen to the gossip. Some particularly curious ones even came closer to watch.

When they learned that the two were Deputy Factory Director Lin's wife and niece, and that they had come to thank Zhou Yan, they began whispering among themselves.

"Didn't Deputy Factory Director Lin just give him a Twenty-Eight Bicycle yesterday? Why are they thanking him again today?"

"City people are particular about these things. The young lady must have come to thank him in person today. But she really is beautiful, prettier than the female workers at the Textile Factory."

"She and Zhou Yan actually look pretty well matched. A handsome man and a beautiful woman."

"What do you mean, well matched? Zhou Yan is just a self-employed man. Would a college student from the city even look twice at him?"

"This is a small token of my appreciation." Xia Yao opened her handbag and began taking things out one by one.

Shanghai Malted Milk, Friendship Snow Cream, Pechoin Cold Cream, a whole carton of Yuxi cigarettes...

The watching vendors' eyes went wide. The more they looked, the more envious they became. These were all rare things. Who among them would normally be willing to buy such items? City people really were generous!

"Sweetie, this malted milk is for you." Xia Yao handed the Shanghai Malted Milk to Zhou Momo.

"Thank you, pretty sister." Zhou Momo held the malted milk in her arms, her eyes shining. She had tasted this at her eldest uncle's home during the New Year. It was so, so sweet!

"Auntie, this snow cream and cold cream can prevent chilblains and cracked skin in winter."

"These are too precious. I can't accept them. We usually just use clam oil. Why would we need these?" Zhao Tieying waved her hands repeatedly.

"These work better than clam oil. When it gets cold, you can put some on Little Treasure's face too. The cigarettes are for Uncle. My uncle said these taste good, though I don't know whether he'll be used to smoking them. Oh, and this is yesterday's lunch box." Xia Yao directly stuffed the items into Zhao Tieying's hands.

"This... how could I accept this?" Zhao Tieying said, but the corners of her mouth could not stop lifting.

This city girl really knew how to conduct herself. She said she had come to thank Zhou Yan, yet she had brought gifts for all of them. She was generous, spoke pleasantly, and had such good manners. It would be wonderful if she could find a daughter-in-law like this.

Xia Yao took out a peacock-blue fountain pen from her bag and offered it to Zhou Yan. "My father gave me this pen. I hope you'll accept it."

Looking at the Parker Pen with its 24K gold-plated clip and cloisonné cap jewel, Zhou Yan shook his head. "This imported pen is too valuable. I already feel undeserving of the bicycle. I can't take something you cherish too."

She really was a little rich girl. Her family's circumstances might not even be worse than Lin Zhiqiang's. Her upbringing was simply excellent.

Meng Anhe looked at Zhou Yan with some surprise. He knew his stuff. This Parker 45 cost forty-five yuan, and one needed foreign exchange coupons to buy it. It had been a birthday gift from Xia Yao's father.

"You saved my life. If my father were here, he would absolutely want you to accept it." Xia Yao looked at him, firm in her resolve.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Yan finally accepted the pen and nodded. "Then I'll accept it. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Xia Yao smiled again. "I had the Spare Rib Noodles you made yesterday. They were so delicious. My aunt and I haven't had breakfast yet. We came here especially for noodles."

"Sweetie, hurry inside and sit down. Zhou Yan will make them for you right away." Zhao Tieying quickly said with a smile.

"Okay." Xia Yao answered softly, the dimples at her lips deepening. The way Sichuan and Chongqing aunties addressed people always felt so warm and familiar.

"The menu is on the wall." Zhou Yan followed them inside.

After Zhou Yan and the others entered the restaurant, the vendors began talking again.

"Friendship Snow Cream and Pechoin Cold Cream—those are things only wealthy city women use. She just gave them away like that."

"She gave away a whole carton of Yuxi cigarettes. One carton costs thirty yuan!"

"The Zhou family is truly blessed!"

"Did you see that fountain pen? The factory director usually has one like it clipped to his breast pocket, just a different color. I heard Director Liu call it a Parker Pen before. American goods. One costs forty-five yuan!"

"Oh my God! Forty-five?!"

The crowd immediately sucked in a collective breath, everyone too stunned for words.

A tiny fountain pen cost more than a Textile Factory worker's monthly wages! And that young woman had just given it away!

Zhou Yan had truly struck it rich this time.

Wang Laowu and his wife turned green as they listened. Not only had their business been stolen, they now had to watch Zhou Yan come into a windfall. They simply could not bear it!