Chen Lishu’s smile froze when she saw him throw the money out. At the same time, she quickly thought of an excuse: "Manager Nan, you misunderstand. My younger brother is getting married, and the woman insists on a sewing machine as a betrothal gift, otherwise, she won’t marry. My family is forced into a corner, so I had no choice but to resort to this. I apologize for any offense."
As Chen Lishu spoke, she reached for the money on the table. Seeing that this path wouldn’t work, she realized she had to think of another way.
"So that's how it is," Nan Haitao said, taking the money from the table before she could and putting it back into his pocket. "Marriage is a big event. Regardless, as fellow comrades, I will definitely help you."
Chen Lishu was stunned by his series of actions and couldn't react for a long time. By the time she understood what had happened, she felt like cursing.
He seemed like a refined person, but he was actually a cunning old fox. Fearing she had ulterior motives, he first reprimanded her sternly. Then, seeing that she genuinely wanted to buy a sewing machine, his attitude did a complete 180-degree turn. He was quite something.
"Thank you for your understanding, and thank you, Manager Nan, for being willing to help," Chen Lishu said with a strained smile.
No matter what, the final outcome was good.
Chen Lishu bought a 'Feiren' brand sewing machine for one hundred and forty yuan. Including the fifty yuan given to Nan Haitao, the sewing machine ultimately cost her one hundred and ninety yuan.
"Sister-in-law, you're amazing. Manager Nan's words just now almost scared me to death. What if he really pursued the matter? What would we do?" Gu Xingye carried the sewing machine, still feeling a lingering fear even after walking quite a distance from the department store.
Chen Lishu smiled, "At most, we would lose fifty yuan. What else could happen?"
If Nan Haitao had been a rigid stickler for the rules and exposed their seeking him out, she would have been considered ‘attempted.’ The worst that could happen was having the money confiscated on the spot.
As the uncle and sister-in-law walked slowly home, the sky suddenly began to sprinkle with light snow. The first snow of winter usually didn't last; it fell on people and the ground, melting quickly and silently.
At first, it was just a few scattered flakes. As time passed, the snowflakes in the sky gradually increased. By the time the two arrived home, their heads and clothes were already damp.
Gu Xingye placed the sewing machine against the wall in the living room and then proceeded to light the stove. Soon, the room began to warm up.
Chen Lishu changed into another set of clothes, opened a nylon bag, and took out fabric to start cutting.
After a simple lunch, she continued to be busy. When she looked up again, the snow outside had stopped at some point. Through the door, she could faintly hear the sound of the radio from Gu Xingye’s room. Chen Lishu glanced at her watch and realized it was almost time for Gu Xingping to get out of school. She got up and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
Because of the snow, the weather had suddenly turned cold. Chen Lishu specifically made cornmeal flatbreads and simmered potato and cabbage soup. A little chili powder was sprinkled into the soup, and a sip of it chased away the chill from her entire body.
After dinner, Gu Xingping brought her the exam questions she had painstakingly copied for Chen Lishu. At the same time, she excitedly asked, "Our teacher said these are real past exam papers. Sister-in-law, do you know what score I got this time?"
Chen Lishu took the papers and was looking at them seriously. Hearing her question, she withdrew her gaze. "What score?"
"Eighty-five in Chinese, seventy-nine in math, and all other subjects passed." Back in the countryside, her math and Chinese scores were barely passing, and her other subjects were consistently below the passing line.
Chen Lishu was also very happy for her upon hearing this. "Little sister, you've improved so much this time. Your Chinese is even excellent."
Gu Xingping smiled coyly at first, then urged her, "Sister-in-law, try doing them quickly. I've already memorized the answers. Just like a formal exam, I'll grade them for you later."
Upon hearing that she would be graded, Chen Lishu became a bit timid. "Why don't we forget it? I'll just do them myself to know where I'm stuck. There's no need for such trouble."
She was truly afraid of producing a disastrous paper. Not to mention Gu Xingping laughing at her, she herself would want to disappear into the ground.
"Sister-in-law, what are you afraid of? Your Chinese is even better than mine. Besides, after studying for so long, don't you want to know how much you've actually learned?" Gu Xingping's last sentence piqued Chen Lishu's interest. She really did want to know how much she had learned during this time.
"Sister-in-law, start now, and I'll time you." Seeing that she was no longer refusing, Gu Xingping directly opened her tin pencil case, took out a fountain pen, and handed it to Chen Lishu.
In addition to politics, Chinese, and math, Gu Xingping had also copied the history and geography exam questions for her.
Due to limited time, Chen Lishu first did Chinese, math, and politics. By the time she finished these three subjects, it was almost nine o'clock in the evening.
"It's so late today. Why don't we wait until you get out of school tomorrow to grade them?" Chen Lishu looked at the papers already in Gu Xingping's hands with great trepidation.
"The answers are ready, and it won't take long to finish grading them all," Gu Xingping said without looking up, immediately beginning to mark the scores with her pen.
The waiting time was long and agonizing, like waiting for a verdict. Chen Lishu couldn't focus on anything else; she could only sit aside and wait, listening to the rustling sound of Gu Xingping's pen on paper, her heart constantly pounding.
"Alright." Gu Xingping, who had been concentrating, finally looked up. Seeing Chen Lishu beside her so tense, as if facing a formidable enemy, she couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Sister-in-law, it's just a regular quiz. Why are you so nervous?"
How could Chen Lishu not be nervous? This was the first time she had taken an exam in so many years.
"What are you laughing at? I know I didn't do well. Hurry and give them to me so I can see." Chen Lishu snatched the notebook from her hand. The first page was math. When she saw the fifty-three points in the upper right corner, Chen Lishu wasn't too surprised. She had always found math a bit challenging, so this score was normal.
Then, she flipped to the politics section and found that not only had she passed but also scored sixty-two points. A smile crept onto her lips. She had diligently memorized everything she could recite, and she was very satisfied with passing.
"Are you that happy with sixty-two points? Look further," Gu Xingping urged, seeing her staring at the scores in front of her without turning the page.
Hearing her words, Chen Lishu turned the page. When she saw a large number forty-two in the upper right corner, all her anticipation instantly turned into a basin of ice water poured over her head.