Cheng You went home with Qi Chengan after finishing her meal.
A cold wind blew in the night, making her shiver uncontrollably.
Qi Chengan reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, pulling her into his embrace.
The temperature difference between day and night was significant now. It was fine during the day with the sun, but it got much colder at night.
"Come over tomorrow. Uncle Li will prepare an extra coat for you at his place."
Cheng You nodded, "I'll remember tomorrow."
As usual, Qi Chengan walked her to her doorstep. After watching her go inside, he turned and left.
Cheng You glanced at Song Yulian and Cheng Tao in the yard before heading into the house.
Cheng Tao watched the closed door, her eyes growing cold.
"Mom, is she really dating that educated youth, Qi?"
Cheng Tao had no strong impression of Qi Chengan. That book focused primarily on Zhao Yunlin's path to wealth, with little mention of others.
However, the villagers said Qi Chengan's leg injury led to his retirement from the military, and now he was sent to the countryside, so he likely wouldn't achieve much in the future.
If Cheng You were with him, it wouldn't pose much of a threat to Cheng Tao.
But Qi Chengan looked good in terms of both appearance and character, and he was from the city. The thought made her feel unbalanced.
Zhao Yunlin was still a country bumpkin.
Combined with the money Cheng You had, it twisted her heart with jealousy.
"Mom, tell Dad to have Yunlin accompany him to visit that deputy director the day after tomorrow."
Song Yulian was flattered, "Will it be handled then?"
"If I say so, it's a small matter. The reason I didn't agree before was because I wanted to help you have a child."
Cheng You's expression soured. Who knew that it wouldn't make Cheng Tianhua agree, but instead, it would bring up the matter of Cheng Wenyu and those thugs.
Song Yulian beamed, "I knew you could do it! I'll tell your dad tonight and have him prepare some cigarettes and liquor to take with him."
"Get good ones, don't embarrass us," Cheng Tao instructed.
"Got it, got it. Just you wait and see."
Cheng Tianhua would certainly not let go of such a hard-won opportunity.
To climb higher, one had to be prepared for bloodshed.
That evening, Song Yulian told Cheng Tianhua about it.
They had been giving each other the cold shoulder due to Cheng Wenyu's previous incident, but this news began to thaw the ice.
Cheng Tianhua's expression turned excited, and he grabbed her, asking, "Really?"
Song Yulian chided, "Would I lie to you? Cheng Tao said to buy some good cigarettes and liquor and go with Yunlin. Isn't your daughter as good as Cheng You?"
Cheng Tianhua laughed, "What are you saying? In my heart, Cheng Tao has always been better than Cheng You."
At least her belly was promising, and the child in it played a significant role in convincing Zhao Yunlin.
The next day, as Cheng You emerged from her room, before she could even wash up, she heard Cheng Tianhua say, "Dad is going to see the commune's deputy director tomorrow."
Cheng You mumbled an "Oh," as if it had nothing to do with her.
"You know, Dad is already forty. If I miss this opportunity, it's highly unlikely I'll have another chance to be promoted."
Cheng You yawned with her hand covering her mouth, "Then make sure you seize it."
After all, whether Cheng Tianhua got promoted or not, she wouldn't be the one to benefit in the end.
Cheng Tianhua didn't know if she truly didn't understand or was pretending, and his expression showed displeasure.
"But Dad gave most of the money he had to you. Now I don't have money to buy things to give to the commune, so Dad was thinking..."
He hadn't intended to shamelessly ask Cheng You for money, but Song Yulian said it was what she owed.
Cheng Tao had already helped him so much; shouldn't Cheng You contribute something?
She had taken eight hundred from home before, and then one hundred yuan of Cheng Tao's betrothal gift. No unmarried daughter would do such a thing.
After Song Yulian's words, he felt they made sense.
Cheng You clearly understood his intentions but didn't respond to his words.
"Is breakfast ready? I need to go to Uncle Li's place."
Cheng Tianhua's face darkened as she changed the subject.
"Let me be direct, Dad. Give me back the money you have. I need to use it for important matters."
Cheng You asked, "Dad, if I don't give it to you, what can you do?"
Cheng Tianhua was choked with anger, a look of helplessness appearing on his face.
There was nothing he could do. He had no hold over Cheng You.
"Then you are unfilial!"
"Unfilial? I work at Uncle Li's place every day and earn eight work points. You call me unfilial, but what have you contributed to our family?" Cheng You retorted.
She would never admit to being unfilial at this point.
After all, she hadn't done anything to Cheng Tianhua yet.
Cheng You washed up by herself and wiped her face.
"Since the family doesn't even have food to eat, then forget it. I'm going to Uncle Li's to work."
Cheng Tianhua clearly wasn't listening to her. Arguing was pointless.
She wasn't without money; quite the opposite, she was quite wealthy now.
The eight hundred she got from Cheng Tianhua was deposited into her savings book, and she hadn't finished spending the hundred yuan betrothal gift from the old Zhao family to Cheng Tao.
Working at Uncle Li's, besides the eight work points, she also received five yuan each month, and she got half the profit from selling medicine.
Like the Yin Qiao San she made before, one bottle cost two mao, and she received eight fen for each bottle sold.
Cheng You left the house on an empty stomach. Not eating breakfast was indeed bad, and she felt a bit nauseous.
She clutched her stomach with a pained expression, looking like a pitiable child.
She deliberately took a detour to the educated youth dormitory, slowing down as she passed the entrance with a pout.
Fortunately, Duan Liping spotted her, "Cheng You, why are you here so early?"
Her exclamation drew the attention of everyone at the dormitory.
They were all eating breakfast.
Cheng You pouted and said, "I didn't eat breakfast, so I left early. I still have to go to Uncle Li's to work. I won't chat with you all anymore, I'm leaving now."
Though she said this, her movements were anything but quick, dawdling like a snail.
Sun Xiaowan glared at her, "Your stepmother won't even give you breakfast!"
Cheng You sighed faintly, "Don't blame her, it's not her fault. It's just because Dad asked me for money and I didn't give it, so I didn't have breakfast."
Qi Chengan couldn't stand it any longer. If he didn't speak up, this little drama queen would keep going.
"Do you want to come and eat something?"
Cheng You's expression brightened, and she said verbally, "Would it be too much trouble?"
But her feet were honest, already stepping inside.
It wasn't that she coveted a meal; if she went to Uncle Li's, she could eat better.
But she just wanted to eat with Qi Chengan.
Oh my, although some things were embarrassing to say, she truly felt she was liking him more and more.
Sun Xiaowan already felt she was a little cabbage, driven out by her stepmother and starving.
She got up and fetched a clean set of bowls and chopsticks, making a space for Cheng You.
"Our food here isn't that great, don't mind it."
Cheng You's eyes curved into a smile, "I don't mind at all. This is already very good, thank you, Xiaowan!"
Sun Xiaowan looked at her and suddenly felt something strike her heart.
She seemed to understand why Qi Chengan liked her.