Hearing her father would take her for a big meal, Tongtong jumped with excitement, shouting, "Wonderful! I'm almost starving! Tongtong wants to eat lots and lots!" Lu Changqing happily scooped Tongtong into his arms. "Let's go, Daddy will carry you to eat a grand feast."
Xiao Qingzhu, however, wasn't as delighted as Tongtong. A grand feast? The most expensive clothes? Living in an apartment? A car? She couldn't help but say, "Don't daydream! Never mind a big feast. Just having enough money for steamed buns would be enough. I just want to ask you one thing, do you have any money?"
Lu Changqing shrugged it off. "Just because we don't have money, does that mean we should starve? It's New Year's Day. Other people's daughters get to eat big feasts, and my daughter should too!" As he spoke, he buttoned up Tongtong's collar tightly to prevent the biting wind from chilling her neck.
Xiao Qingzhu listened, shaking her head. Anyone could talk big. But there was no money! If grand words could fill their bellies, she wouldn't have been worried for so long.
Lu Changqing, still holding Tongtong, said to the stunned Xiao Qingzhu, "Come on! Let's go have a big meal!" Xiao Qingzhu's face was gloomy. She really didn't want to go out with this kind of man, but her own stomach was rumbling. There wasn't a single grain of rice at home, so she could only follow along. At worst, they'd beg for food. Thinking this, her heart sank even further.
Heavy snow fell. The biting wind howled. Lu Changqing shivered from the cold, and Tongtong in his arms trembled even more, so he held her tighter. As they trod through the accumulated snow, their footsteps made soft crunching sounds.
A few mischievous children, snot dripping from their noses, were setting off firecrackers. Seeing Lu Changqing approach, they immediately ran off. Once they were far away, they still yelled a few curses: "Hooligan! Convict! Shameless! Big bad guy!" Tongtong, enraged, tried to argue with them. "My dad isn't a bad guy! You're not allowed to say that about my dad!"
It was at this moment that Lu Changqing truly felt the sting of being mocked for his crime. This era was like that; never mind committing a crime, even divorce was extremely rare and something that made people unable to hold their heads high. How much more so for "hooliganism," which was the most despised of all. He guessed that the stone that hit him was thrown by one of them. He had no time to waste on them and quickened his pace, heading straight for the nearby market.
Today was New Year's Eve, and the streets were filled with people busy buying New Year goods. Men wore suits, women wore thick cotton jackets, and some even wore wool overcoats with fluffy, wide lapels, standing out like cranes among chickens, particularly eye-catching.
People's Market was a fresh produce market, and across the street was People's Department Store. A large speaker was set up outside the department store, playing popular music. The era-defining songs drifted through the air, carried by the falling snow.
"In the village, there's a girl named Xiaofang, pretty and kind-hearted, with a pair of charming big eyes, and long, thick braids. The night before I returned to the city, you and I came to the riverside..." Lu Changqing felt as if he had stepped through a time warp. He had only seen this song on a TV show called "Golden Years." The host had said it was hugely popular across the country in the nineties, a household name. At the time, he thought it was an exaggeration; how could such a song become so popular? Now he truly experienced it firsthand. The song was indeed very popular; a dozen people stood in the snow, listening to the music, utterly captivated! He had seen people "leeching" Wi-Fi before, these people were "leeching" music! But they were so dedicated! It was freezing cold, standing in the snow, such suffering!
Lu Changqing walked along, watching as everything seemed strange and new, while also pondering how to make money.
At the market entrance, there happened to be a restaurant. The sign was a red-painted wooden board, with "Happiness Restaurant" written on it in calligraphy. The sign was simple, and the name also had a strong sense of the era. The interior was very ordinary, with a cement floor and white walls with a green dado rail. There wasn't a single soul inside. In later generations, no one would enter such a restaurant; primarily, the hygiene would be a concern. But at this moment, he couldn't afford to worry about such things. As long as his daughter could fill her belly, that was all that mattered. He carried Tongtong and walked in.
Xiao Qingzhu reached out and grabbed his arm. "Are you really going to eat in a restaurant? The food here is very expensive."
Lu Changqing glanced at the prices on the wall. "Not expensive. A plate of braised pork is only four yuan, and sweet and sour pork ribs are five yuan. Let's eat here."
Xiao Qingzhu held his arm tightly. "A catty[1] of meat is only two yuan. Four yuan can buy two catties of meat, and we could eat that for three days if you give me the money. "
This... two yuan for a catty of meat? Lu Changqing was shocked. Having experienced price hikes in 2021, a catty of meat had sold for twenty-eight yuan, and that was in a small city. He heard it was sixty in big cities. This was incredibly cheap. But looking at the small, red, frozen hand outstretched, Lu Changqing was dumbfounded. He was penniless and truly couldn't produce those four yuan. He had already spoken, and now he had to deliver. At worst, he'd figure something out. "You don't need to worry about the money; just eat." As he spoke, he tried to walk into Happiness Restaurant.
Xiao Qingzhu tugged Lu Changqing's arm and pulled him towards the market. "If you don't have enough money, just buy Tongtong two steamed buns. A basket is one yuan, and Tongtong will be full." At this point, Xiao Qingzhu thought Lu Changqing actually had money, otherwise, he wouldn't have headed straight for the restaurant. A little bit of the worry on her face eased.
Seeing his wife pull him along, Lu Changqing, afraid she'd slip on the snowy ground, reluctantly walked towards the market. Halfway there, Lu Changqing suddenly clutched his stomach. "Wait for me, I need to go to the toilet." He handed Tongtong to Xiao Qingzhu and quickly ran off.
Tongtong sniffed. "Mama, I smell something delicious! So fragrant!"
Xiao Qingzhu frowned. "Let Daddy buy it for you."
Soon, Lu Changqing ran back. "Come on, let's go eat steamed buns." There was a row of food stalls in the market: roujiamo[2], small steamed buns, fried dough sticks—many varieties, but not many people eating. They walked to a steamed bun stall, and Xiao Qingzhu asked cautiously, "Are you sure you have money?"
Lu Changqing coughed. "You don't need to worry about the money."
Xiao Qingzhu's gaze lingered on Lu Changqing's face for a long time, as if trying to judge the truth of his words. After a while, unable to discern anything, she gave up. "Alright, if you have one yuan, then buy a basket of buns for the child."
Tongtong sniffed again, excited by the fragrant scent wafting through the air. "Daddy, it smells so good! Tongtong wants to eat buns! Daddy, Mama, let's eat buns together!"
Lu Changqing hooked Tongtong's cheek with his finger, then said to the vendor, "One basket of buns."
Hearing that Lu Changqing only ordered one basket, Xiao Qingzhu felt a bitter taste in her mouth. She had gone to her mother's house early that morning and hadn't even had a sip of water. Now it was past ten o'clock, and she truly felt both cold and hungry. He was only buying one basket, yet he had bragged about eating big feasts. She was instantly extremely disappointed in Lu Changqing. However, she forced a smile and sat down with Tongtong. "Tongtong, you have buns to eat. Are you happy?"
The vendor, seeing that the family of three only ordered one basket, deliberately asked, "Is one basket of buns enough for your family of three?"
Lu Changqing caught the hint of mockery. "How can buns compare to a grand feast? It's just that the child likes them. I ordered a big feast at Happiness Restaurant."
The vendor pouted. He had seen too many parents who were reluctant to spend money, and there was nothing wrong with buying one basket to appease a child. But this one was too shameless! Reluctant to spend money yet still bragging!
A customer overheard Lu Changqing's words and turned to look, exclaiming in surprise, "Lu Changqing, how did you get out?"
Lu Changqing looked down, and his anger immediately flared. It was Li Fulin, the workshop director, the one who had an affair with Zhang Hongxia. He pounced, grabbing Li Fulin by the collar. "Li Fulin! You and Zhang Hongxia framed me! I was just about to look for you!"
Li Fulin, however, was completely unfazed, as if he had long anticipated this day. "Let go! If you don't want to go back inside, you'd better release me. Otherwise, I'll call the police right now and have you locked up for New Year's."
Dare to threaten me? Lu Changqing raised his fist to strike. Xiao Qingzhu, in her desperation, threw her arms around Lu Changqing, pleading, "I'm begging you! Don't hit him! If not for me, think of our daughter. Do you want us to die in front of you on New Year's Day?"
Lu Changqing remembered the scene of seeing Tongtong at home, and Xiao Qingzhu saying she didn't want to live. He knew Xiao Qingzhu wasn't joking. He took a deep breath. For the sake of these two, he would endure it today. "I'll let you off today! Don't get cocky. I've noted this debt down."
Li Fulin smiled, completely unconcerned. "Suit yourself. If you're not afraid of going back inside, you can come find me anytime. But I see you can't even afford a basket of buns for yourself. You're quite pathetic. How about you call me Big Brother and beg me to buy you a basket of buns? I wouldn't mind that one yuan."
Lu Changqing snorted. "You think I can't afford a basket of buns?!"
Li Fulin mocked, "Can you really afford a basket of buns? You went to jail, your wife hit walls trying to find work everywhere, I even heard your wife's stomach rumbling, yet you only want one basket of buns. Hahahaha..." Li Fulin knew Lu Changqing's family situation inside out; they were so poor they couldn't even keep food on the table. He had been behind Xiao Qingzhu losing her jobs several times. He had only one goal: after Lu Changqing got out, he wanted him to roll out of this city and return to his rural hometown forever, so he wouldn't have to worry about Lu Changqing seeking revenge.
Lu Changqing glared at Li Fulin, seemingly losing all reason. "What if I can afford another basket of buns?"
Li Fulin sneered. He had heard their conversation clearly. Xiao Qingzhu had just asked, "Do you really have money?" and also said, "If you have one yuan, then buy a basket of buns." The implication was clear: Lu Changqing had no money, or at most, only one yuan. Feeling he knew the truth, his tone left no room for retreat. "If you have money to buy another basket of buns, you can slap my face! But if you can't afford another basket of buns, you have to stand at the market entrance and loudly declare that you're a pervert and a convict! Say it for an hour. Do you dare?"
Flames of rage burned in Lu Changqing's eyes. "I advise you not to be so ruthless!" This was outright humiliation, in front of his child and wife, in public! So malicious!
Li Fulin looked triumphant. "I'm just asking if you dare to gamble? If not, then admit defeat!"
A trace of madness appeared in Lu Changqing's eyes. "Gamble then, I'll gamble! Today, I'm going all out!"
Li Fulin slammed his hand on the table. "Good, then let's gamble. On New Year's Eve, I'll make you lose all face! Hahahaha..." No sooner had he finished speaking than a waiter approached Lu Changqing with a tray. "Your steamed fish, braised pork, sweet and sour pork ribs, and original flavor chicken are ready. Where would you like them?"
[1] A catty (or cattie) is a unit of weight equal to approximately 500 grams.
[2] Chinese hamburger