Chapter 33

Chapter 33: The Third Watch
Qian Qing and Zhou Hao went to watch a movie but couldn’t get tickets, so they decided to stroll around the streets instead, lingering especially near the vendor stalls. Qian Qing dragged Zhou Hao along to examine the styles and prices of various items. Though Zhou Hao’s sense of fashion was utterly hopeless—he could call even the most bizarrely shaped clothes “good-looking”—he possessed one remarkable talent: he could judge fabric by touch alone.
At some stalls selling identical styles of clothing, Zhou Hao could instantly tell by feeling whether the fabrics were the same, which one felt more comfortable, and even point out subtle differences in tailoring.
As they walked, Qian Qing calculated silently in her mind: the street stalls here in Y City mostly sold small trinkets.
Hair ties, clips, decorative flowers for hair, hats—there were clothes too, but in Qian Qing’s opinion, their styles were utterly ordinary. Nothing distinctive, merely differing in patterns and fabrics.
Qian Qing had many clothes: some she bought herself, some were gifts from Zhou Hao, and others were tailored after styles she spotted on television.
She knew nothing about sewing; her greatest skill was merely mending socks with needle and thread. Yet, blessed with impeccable taste and naturally striking looks, almost anything she wore turned out flattering. In fact, some of her outfits were so admired that people went home to replicate them themselves.
But Qian Qing had no intention of starting with bulky items.
She had limited capital, and summer was already coming to an end. Sourcing autumn and winter clothing would require higher upfront costs; if those items failed to sell, she might never recover her investment.
On the other hand, dealing in hair flowers and barrettes yielded meager profits. Moreover, once the market officially opened, she would surely face fierce competition from others selling the same goods.
Qian Qing thought to herself that she still needed to explore other possibilities. With a few days left before departing, she decided to wander around and investigate further, even visiting the local township markets to see what opportunities might arise.
****
On the other side, things at Wang Hua’s home were far from peaceful. With a swollen face, Wang Hua dared not bring Wan Zhenzhen back until after sunset.
Wan Zhenzhen had been thoroughly scolded by her mother and finally realized she had spoken out of turn. She wished she could travel back a few hours just to slap herself twice!
As a man, Wang Hua wouldn’t face much criticism from gossiping neighbors, but for a woman, it wasn’t so easy. Although Wan Zhenzhen knew these things wouldn’t matter in a few years, they still sounded terrible right now.
Just as the two were leaving, they happened to run into Sister Sun. Before getting married, Wan Zhenzhen had been closest to Sister Sun. But this time, upon seeing her, Sister Sun rolled her eyes, spat on the ground, and turned away without a word.
Wan Zhenzhen trembled with rage, yet dared not rush forward to tear at her. For if she did, Sister Sun could defeat her with a single accusation: “loose woman.”
Wang Hua had fallen silent. Since the day Wan Zhenzhen married him, he had not known a single day of peace.
This woman was one who remembered only the treats and forgot the beatings, yet insisted on playing the fool.
Having already suffered twice at the hands of Zhou Hao and Qian Qing, she still offered up her face for a third humiliation. She had dragged him into the fray, getting him beaten as well, yet he could not speak of it. The grievance festered within him, wordless and unbearable.
The force behind Zhou Hao’s punches could hardly be called a “misunderstanding”; it was clearly an excuse to vent his anger!
Wang Hua pedaled the borrowed bicycle with seething resentment, acknowledging that this time, he had met his match.
Zhou Hao said nothing, leaving him to guess what was on his husband’s mind. He certainly couldn’t admit outright that Zhou Hao was the one who had beaten him. Wan Zhenzhen also needed to be kept in check to ensure she never crossed Qian Qing again. And as for his own mother, she must refrain from spreading rumors around the building about Zhou Hao living off Qian Qing’s earnings!
Wang Hua felt pain radiating through every inch of his body, so intense it seemed to pierce straight into his heart.
In all his twenty-plus years of life, he had never suffered such losses as he had today!
Beaten for no reason, humiliated, and forced to endure it in silence, his heart was filled with dread, terrified that Zhou Hao might expose the whole affair.
Wan Zhenzhen felt a flicker of fear, yet her heart settled considerably. Her pregnant belly served as an impenetrable shield; surely Wang Hua wouldn’t dare lay a hand on her?
Upon arriving home, Wang Hua swallowed his anger and meticulously went over everything with Wan Zhenzhen right there at the foot of the building.
Since he couldn’t resort to violence, and given that previous scoldings had simply gone in one ear and out the other, Wang Hua spoke with earnest patience. He broke down every argument, explaining it piece by piece, terrified that her stubborn streak might spark another disastrous scheme.
“So you’re saying we can’t ask the leadership to fire Zhou Hao? On what grounds! He beat you to this state!”
Wan Zhenzhen had been plotting the entire journey on how to deal with Zhou Hao. He had beaten someone without cause; wouldn’t Wang Hua report him?
Wang Hua rubbed his brow. “I’ve already said it: the assault didn’t happen inside the factory. Even if we reported it, the factory wouldn’t intervene. Besides, if anyone asks Zhou Hao why he hit me and he tells the whole story, what kind of reputation would either of us be left with?”
Wan Zhenzhen couldn’t grasp this logic. “Do you think the factory would care about what happened between us? Since the beating occurred outside the premises, why don’t we just go straight to the police? They’re bound to take action.”
Wang Hua’s brows knotted tightly. Wan Zhenzhen always thought only of herself. If this matter came to light, she might merely suffer a tarnished reputation, but he would lose his job and end up behind bars.
This is precisely the time of the crackdown; flirting before marriage still counts as hooliganism. As long as no one keeps an eye on him, he’s fine, but if someone reports him to the factory, his life will be over!
Even now, this cannot fully shield them from the watchful eyes of those with ulterior motives; after all, Wan Zhenzhen’s growing belly will inevitably become apparent in time. Yet herein lies the distinction: as long as Wan Zhenzhen refrains from specifying the exact month of her pregnancy, who could possibly storm their doorstep to accuse her of miscalculating her due date?
Losing face was inevitable, and gossip would surely follow, but it was still better than him losing his job.
“If you report this, I’ll lose my job. It’s up to you.”
Then Wang Hua watched Wan Zhenzhen with a heart grown cold and chilled, as if she were truly hesitating for a moment!
I’ve made it so clear, yet you still need to hesitate!
Wang Hua found it both unbelievable and entirely expected.
Because this was Wan Zhenzhen; nothing she did ever seemed particularly strange.
By now, Wang Hua no longer dwells on the tenderness and sweetness they once shared before marriage; what purpose would there be in speaking of it?
Wan Zhenzhen’s motives were always baffling, and the things she did were equally bizarre.
The faint stirrings of emotion and affection from before their wedding had long since worn away.
The only thing binding them together now was the child growing inside Wan Zhenzhen’s womb.
Wan Zhenzhen nodded reluctantly in agreement, and the two of them headed home together.
As soon as they stepped through the door, Old Lady Wang greeted them with a face crinkled in smiles, radiating a brightness Wan Zhenzhen had never seen before.
“Oh, my dear grandson is finally back! Zhenzhen, come, come, sit down quickly. This is chicken soup I specially bought and stewed for you—hurry up and taste it!”
Wan Zhenzhen was overwhelmed by the unexpected kindness. The soup in Old Lady Wang’s hands steamed gently, clearly kept warm on a small stove all along.
She had never been treated this way in nearly twenty years at her parents’ home!
Old Lady Wang slapped her forehead: “You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Just wait, I’ll make something for you right now! What would you like? We have noodles and rice at home. Noodles are quicker; rice will take a bit longer.”
Wan Zhenzhen ventured cautiously: “I’ve been vomiting these past few days. I’d like something soft.”
Old Lady Wang beamed with joy: “Vomiting is good, very good! Early vomiting means you’re carrying a son! Just wait, I’ll make you some guochuliu!”
No one knows who first brought the method of making “Guo Chuliu” to the oilfield. It involves a batter made from eggs and flour, poured along the edges of a hot wok and gently cooked over low heat. Once done, it’s scraped out. Then, scallions are fried in oil at the bottom of the wok until fragrant, water is added, and the pan-fried egg-flour cake is placed in to simmer. Two spoonfuls of the leftover batter from earlier are stirred in, and just before serving, a spoonful of sesame oil is added.
Refined flour paired with eggs and sesame oil was considered a delicacy just a few years ago. Many families reserved it as special meals for the sick; children could only enjoy it a couple of times when they were ill.
Wan Zhenzhen watched Old Lady Wang bustling back and forth, and finally felt a flicker of awareness befitting a pregnant woman.
She straightened her still-unseen belly—it had to be a son!
So thoughtful, arriving just in time, changing her life and giving her new hope.
It must be my son!
****
A few days later, Qian Yu arrived with the introduction letter, his face etched with exhaustion when he came to see Qian Qing. It was easy to imagine the turmoil that must have erupted in the Huang family over his decision to join Qian Qing in becoming an individual business owner.
“Just enroll Qianqian at the Oilfield Children’s Primary School. I don’t have much money on me, so if we can’t get her in right away, waiting is fine. The only trouble is for our mother; at her age, she still has to help me look after the child.”
This time, Qian Yu was determined to see it through. Her younger sister had provided the funds to support her, and her mother had taken direct responsibility for caring for Qianqian. If she were to shrink back now, it would be an unforgivable act.
Thus, her stance was unwaveringly firm. Her husband, heeding her words, stood by her side and agreed to let her venture out first to forge her own path.
Qian Qing waved her hand. “If it’s too expensive, we’ll just ask if we can postpone the payment. Mom is running a business right at the entrance, and with both of us working so hard, we’ll have the full amount in no time.”
She didn’t offer to pay on behalf of Qian Yu, knowing her older sister’s pride would never allow it.
The two sisters went together to see the principal of Zidi No. 1 Primary School. Given that Qian Qing had previously helped disperse a crowd there, Principal Guo of Zidi No. 1 generously waved his hand. “No problem. Let the child take an assessment; as long as she can keep up with the first-grade curriculum, she’s welcome. The non-resident tuition fee is two hundred yuan. Please settle it within a month, before our accounting review next month.”
Qian Yu hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly and immediately thanked the principal profusely.
Principal Gu laughed heartily, “Comrade Xiao Qian is such an outstanding person; your children are surely no less remarkable. However, you should keep in mind the matter of your child’s transition to junior high school. Since we have accepted non-resident students here, she won’t be able to advance to the oilfield’s middle school when the time comes. At that point, you’ll either need to continue paying the non-resident tuition fees for her junior high education or transfer your household registration to the city so she can attend schools within the designated district.”
Qian Qing wasn’t worried about this at all. In five years, couldn’t her older sister surely earn enough to secure an urban household registration?
After expressing their gratitude, the couple spent the remaining days bringing Mother Qian over and renting a ground-floor apartment situated between the Staff Primary School No. 1 and Qian Qing’s corridor-style building.
The two-bedroom apartment had been allocated to a young technician. Since he wasn’t married yet, he rarely stayed there, preferring instead to live at his family home outside the oilfield compound.
Qian Qing paid the rent to secure the place, and her mother was settled there for the time being.
With the train tickets booked for two days later, Qian Qing spent those remaining days keeping Zhou Hao company.
Last time, it was Zhou Hao who had left on a business trip for over half a month; this time, she was the one departing, with no idea how long she would be gone.
Taking the opportunity, Qian Qing also went to chat with Chen Xinran, who had attended university in a major city and surely knew far more about such matters.
When Chen Xinran heard that she planned to take a hard-seat train to the provincial capital to purchase goods, she immediately said, “Pickpockets are rampant on trains. Tell me your train number, and I’ll see if I can board and secure you a sleeper berth upgrade.”
Given the short notice, sleeper berths would certainly be sold out. However, on every train journey, some passengers inevitably miss their departure or have last-minute changes in plans. If a sleeper berth becomes available, it depends on who manages to claim it first.
Just a few days prior, Chen Xinran had confronted her stepmother and stepsister, throwing the household into chaos, and now she was in unusually high spirits.
“By the way, you must be short on cash for stocking up. Here’s one thousand yuan; take it and use it for now.”