The room, less than 10 square meters, contained a bunk bed and a rotting wooden table. All sorts of items were crammed around: rice barrels, discarded electrical wires, wrenches, and pliers.
It was called a room, but it would be more accurate to call it a storage room.
Vu Zhaodi sat at the table, concentrating on her studies.
She sat up straight, trying to solve a math problem. With only two days left until school started and entering her final year of high school, she didn't dare slack off for a minute, even on holidays. All her free time was dedicated to studying.
Although she didn't have much free time, her textbooks had been flipped through so many times that some pages inside were starting to come loose.
Her books and notebooks were neatly stacked on the wooden table.
The door was pushed open forcefully. Jiang Xiuli, Vu Zhaodi's mother, paid no attention to her studying and ordered loudly, "Zhaodi, go buy a bottle of soy sauce! What's the use of studying? You'll just get married anyway!"
Vu Zhaodi stopped writing and immediately stood up, holding out her hand to Jiang Xiuli for money. "Mom, give me money for the soy sauce."
Jiang Xiuli yelled angrily, "All you know is how to ask for money, you money-grubbing ghost! I shouldn't have given birth to you!"
She took a ten-yuan bill from her pants pocket and gave it to Vu Zhaodi, not forgetting to warn her, "Don't forget to bring back the change, and don't even think about taking an extra penny from this house!"
Vu Zhaodi mumbled an assent and went downstairs to buy soy sauce.
Normally, she cooked all three meals a day, but Jiang Xiuli said they had guests tonight. She wasn't confident in Vu Zhaodi's cooking, so she decided to cook herself today.
Their home was on the second floor, an apartment provided by her father's factory.
The building had five floors in total and was a bit old; the white cement on the walls had started to peel off.
There were two convenience stores in the village. One was very close to her house, just a few dozen steps away, while the other, run by Grandma Lin, was a bit further, about a three-minute walk.
She usually went to Grandma Lin's store because she was very fond of her.
"Grandma Lin, a bottle of soy sauce please!" Vu Zhaodi called out loudly as soon as she arrived at the convenience store, her voice sounding somewhat cheerful.
She glanced around the store but didn't see Grandma Lin anywhere. She must be in the back storage room.
Vu Zhaodi walked straight into the small storage room inside the store. Before she reached it, a deep voice rang out from behind her.
"What do you want to buy?"
Vu Zhaodi turned around. It was a tall young man.
He was wearing a black tank top and carrying a large cardboard box.
The box seemed very heavy; veins were bulging on his arms.
This was the first time she had seen this person. She knew everyone in the village, except for him.
He was very tall, probably around 1.8 meters. Although his face was fair, his arms were muscular, and he had a slightly unruly air about him, looking like someone from the city.
"You are?" Vu Zhaodi opened her mouth.
"What do you want to buy?" The young man repeated his earlier question.
"Soy sauce." Vu Zhaodi had no choice but to answer.
She wanted to ask where Grandma Lin was and who he was, but seeing his impatient gaze, she held back.
"Excuse me, I need to take this inside first."
Vu Zhaodi quickly stepped aside to let him pass.
Lin Sheng carried the box into the storage room, then walked over and asked, "Soy sauce, right? Large bottle or small?"
"Small bottle." Vu Zhaodi saw that he didn't seem to know where the soy sauce was, his eyes darting around. So she proactively walked to the shelf on the left and took a small bottle of soy sauce from it. "It's here, I can get it."
Lin Sheng saw that she was familiar with the place, probably a regular customer. He said casually, "Okay, then pay up."
Huh… settle the bill? Vu Chiêu Đệ felt a little unfamiliar with the word.
People in town rarely used the word ‘settle the bill’; they always just said ‘pay’.
Moreover, who was he? Why could he take money on behalf of Grandma Lin? Was he a temporary employee Grandma Lin had just hired?
Vu Chiêu Đệ still handed him the ten-yuan note.
Lin Sheng put the ten yuan into the drawer, looked at Vu Chiêu Đệ, and asked, “How much is a bottle of soy sauce? How much do I need to give you back?”
“Chiêu Đệ, you’re here? Did your mother send you to buy something again?” Grandma Lin returned from outside, a gentle smile on her face.
When Vu Chiêu Đệ saw Grandma Lin, she immediately grinned broadly, “Grandma Lin.”
“This is my grandson, his name is Lin Sheng.
Today is his first day here; he doesn’t know the prices yet, so don’t be surprised.
Sheng, this is Chiêu Đệ. Quickly give Chiêu Đệ seven yuan back. A small bottle of soy sauce costs three yuan, remember that!”
Chiêu Đệ? Who would name their child this? It means ‘attracting a younger brother,’ doesn’t it? What were her parents thinking?
Lin Sheng secretly scoffed in his heart, then, obeying his grandma, returned seven yuan to Vu Chiêu Đệ.
Vu Chiêu Đệ took the seven yuan and the bottle of soy sauce, then said goodbye to Grandma Lin.
When she got home, as she handed the soy sauce and money to Jiang Xiuli, the woman scolded her again: “Why did you take so long? Can’t you be faster? Don’t you know I’m waiting for the soy sauce to stir-fry the vegetables? Go look after your younger brother!”
“Yes.” Vu Chiêu Đệ nodded and walked to her younger brother’s room.
Her younger brother – Vu Chengcai – had a room all to himself, a room twice the size of hers.
In the room was an old desktop computer, and Vu Chengcai was sitting in front of it, playing games.
It seemed Vu Chengcai had lost a game; he angrily threw the mouse, turned his head, saw Vu Chiêu Đệ standing at the door, and furiously yelled, “What are you doing standing at my doorway, making me lose?
Don’t you know you carry bad luck? Get out, quickly!”
Vu Chengcai was twelve years old, five years younger than her, and all day long, he did nothing but play games.
He was terrible at school, yet he surprisingly knew how to use the two words ‘bad luck’.
Vu Chiêu Đệ secretly rolled her eyes.
“Mom told me to come watch you,” Vu Chiêu Đệ said calmly.
Did he think she wanted to stand here? She still wanted to go back and study.
But she knew very well that if she didn’t watch Vu Chengcai, when he got thirsty or hungry, Jiang Xiuli would definitely blame her.
“I don’t need you to watch me. Get out quickly, I want to play games,” Vu Chengcai glared at her.
Vu Chiêu Đệ remained very calm, leaned to the side, and said, “You keep playing. I’ll just stand at the door; I won’t look at you.”
Vu Chengcai glared at her fiercely again and continued playing his game.
Vu Chiêu Đệ silently recited English vocabulary in her head.
At six o’clock, it was already dark outside, and Vu Guoxiang brought a guest home.
Jiang Xiuli immediately put on a fawning smile and asked the guest about his well-being with great care. Vu Guoxiang was also extremely respectful towards the guest.
She knew the guest’s surname was Zhou, and Vu Guoxiang and his group often called him Leader Zhou, so he was probably Vu Guoxiang’s superior.
He was slightly bald, looked to be over forty, and was younger than Vu Guoxiang. All leaders had a beer belly, and Leader Zhou was no exception.
The house walls weren’t soundproof, and sometimes at night, Vu Guoxiang and Jiang Xiuli would talk in the workshop. She heard that the workshop was recently preparing to appoint a new foreman.
Vu Guoxiang had been a team leader for many years and had always yearned for this foreman position. He couldn’t miss this opportunity, which was why there was this dinner today.
The food on the table was very abundant, with fish and meat.
Giang Tú Lệ also brought out the bottle of liquor she had long kept safe in her house.
End of Chapter 1.
——oOo——