The next day, after the last class in the morning, those who lived in the city went back to their dorms to pack their things and prepare to go home. Chen Lishu specifically packed her pen holder into her shoulder bag, then stuffed a book inside. After saying goodbye to Zhang Xue, she left the dorm.
She didn't go straight home but first went to the wet market to buy groceries.
As the weather warmed up, the greens that farmers grew early in enclosed sheds also began to appear on the stalls, though the prices were considerably higher than during the peak season.
Chen Lishu bought some bok choy. As she walked further in, she saw a stall selling dried shrimp and couldn't help but go over to inquire about the price.
"Comrade, how much are the dried shrimp?"
"Eighty fen a jin."
"Give me two liang."
Because of its location in the north and issues with transportation and storage, it was extremely difficult for ordinary people to have a meal of large shrimp. Occasionally, small dried shrimp would be sold in the market, but to prolong their storage time, a lot of salt was usually added during processing. If you tasted one on its own, it would be so salty your tongue would go numb. They were basically only suitable as an ingredient.
Thinking that a little sprinkled into soup could enhance the flavor, Chen Lishu decided to buy some. When she was about to pay, she saw dried kelp was also for sale, so she bought some of that too. The total for both items came to one yuan.
As she walked out, she remembered they were out of eggs at home, so she spent another yuan to buy two jin of eggs, and finally, another jin of pork belly.
Taking the bus all the way home, Chen Lishu had just taken out her key to open the door when a black shadow suddenly darted out by her feet. Looking down, she saw that Chairman Cat had somehow appeared and was rubbing against her feet, looking up at her with its little head and meowing twice.
"Hungry?"
Chen Lishu knew it too well. This one usually spent the whole day roaming, and it wouldn't be back at this hour unless it was hungry.
Chairman Cat meowed twice again when it heard her question.
Chen Lishu shook her head helplessly. As soon as she opened the door, 'Chairman' impatiently slipped through the gap and into the house.
Chen Lishu entered the house afterwards, first placing the groceries in her hands into the kitchen, and then putting her shoulder bag in the room.
The room had been specially cleaned by Gu Xingdong and was very tidy, with no clothes needing washing. Chen Lishu glanced at the watch on her wrist. It was still early. After some thought, she turned and went to the Wu family's home.
"I knew you'd be back around this time," Lin Xiaoyue said, smiling and stepping aside to invite her in as soon as she opened the door.
"How's your studying been lately? Are you busy?"
"It's alright," Chen Lishu said with a smile, her gaze falling on the small figure on the bed. She said with some surprise, "He seems to have grown quite a bit more."
"Really?" Lin Xiaoyue leaned over to take a look and said with a laugh, "I don't really feel it. I just feel like he eats more than before, and he's heavier. My arm hurts after holding him for a while."
"Sister-in-law, you see him every day. I haven't seen him for a week, so the change is naturally more noticeable."
Lin Xiaoyue smiled, "Sister-in-law, could you watch him for me? I'll go wash this little rascal's diaper cover first."
Chen Lishu withdrew her gaze from the child and looked up at Lin Xiaoyue, saying, "Sister-in-law, you go ahead."
When Lin Xiaoyue came out after washing all the clothes, she found that Chen Lishu had already lulled the child to sleep.
"Sister Wei from across the hall gave birth last night too," Lin Xiaoyue suddenly said. Thinking back to the scene at the time, she still felt a lingering fear.
Chen Lishu was a bit surprised, "Wasn't she still some time away? Why so early?"
Lin Xiaoyue sighed, "I heard it was something about secretly saving money for her maiden family again. The old lady found out and started scolding. Then, somehow, things escalated. By the time they got to the hospital, it was too late, so she gave birth at home."
"A boy or a girl?"
"A girl. Because she was premature, she was as small as a kitten when she was born." Because of this, Old Mrs. Wei scolded for half the night, and their household was also disturbed by the noise.
"Then Brother Wei got angry, and that's how it finally ended."
Having to deal with such an old lady was truly unbearable. Both of them felt a bit melancholic for a moment.
"Bang! Bang!"
The door to the room was suddenly and forcefully knocked from the outside. The sudden noise startled the little Wu Yan, who had just fallen asleep on the bed. The little fellow pouted aggrievedly and was on the verge of crying. Lin Xiaoyue quickly picked him up to comfort him, while Chen Lishu got up to open the door.
"Wu family, my unlucky child hasn't started lactating yet. See if you can feed the baby some milk." As soon as Chen Lishu opened the door, Old Mrs. Wei glanced at her and walked straight into the room.
Her voice was loud, and even though she saw Lin Xiaoyue comforting the child, she didn't lower her voice. Little Wu Yan, who was already in a bad mood, immediately burst into tears with a "waaaa."
Lin Xiaoyue was displeased but, for the sake of politeness, said, "Auntie, please bring the baby over."
Old Mrs. Wei looked at Chen Lishu standing nearby and hesitated, saying, "Wu family, why don't you go over there then."
Lin Xiaoyue said with a difficult expression, "Auntie, my child is too young. I can't leave him alone." She couldn't exactly hold the baby while feeding someone else's child.
"Isn't there a living person standing right here? Helping her out for a bit won't take long."
Chen Lishu raised an eyebrow upon hearing her words: this old lady was quite decisive.
"Auntie, it's not that I don't want to go. You don't know how stubborn my boy is. No one can comfort him but me."
"What's the big deal if a child cries a little? Besides, you're a boy, you can't be too pampered." Old Mrs. Wei said dismissively, then glanced meaningfully at Chen Lishu, "Furthermore, there's someone with bad luck in this house. My child was just born and is still weak. It wouldn't be good if they were to clash."
There were only four people in the room, one of whom was an infant. These words, other than referring to Chen Lishu, could not have been meant for anyone else.
Chen Lishu looked at her with a half-smile, "Auntie, who are you saying has bad luck?"
Old Mrs. Wei's face stiffened, "Who else could it be? Of course, I'm talking about you."
Chen Lishu was amused and angered. Her tone sounded quite justified.
Old Mrs. Wei looked at her, pursed her lips, and said with a look of disdain, "My family worships 'immortal beings.' I've seen people from all walks of life and can read anyone's fortune. You were born with a face that lacks blessings, and weak fates will be killed by you."
"I didn't expect Auntie to know so much."
Upon hearing her words, Old Mrs. Wei immediately perked up, tilting her chin slightly. She said to Chen Lishu, "Of course. I've been practicing for over twenty years. You can ask around if you don't believe me. No one within ten miles of here doesn't know my name."
Chen Lishu smiled, "Auntie, isn't it coincidental? I also know how to read faces."
Old Mrs. Wei paused upon hearing her words.
Chen Lishu's smile vanished. "I see you have a narrow forehead, a short root of the nose, triple-white eyes, a shallow philtrum, ears that stick close to your head, and thin lips." She listed several flaws in quick succession, then tutted, "They say the face reflects the heart, and it seems this saying is absolutely true."
She really thought she was a soft persimmon to be squeezed at will.