Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Sister Has Money
Meng Jingfen had just arranged to meet Wu Yuanchun in the small grove at the head of the village that night.
She lied to Wu Yuanchun and told him that she, as the matchmaker, would bring Meng Chuyue there.
In reality, she planned to go alone and then coerce Wu Yuanchun into having an affair with her and becoming lifelong lovers.
That way, even if Meng Chuyue ended up marrying Wu Yuanchun, she could make Meng Chuyue suffer for a lifetime.
The kindly Fu Hongfang mentally recited a prayer and said gently, "She's sick, she fainted twice today and needs to rest."
Meng Jingfen was shocked, "Is her illness that serious?"
"Yes, it is quite serious."
"She's not going to die, is she?"
If she died, Aunt Meng Wanhua wouldn't send any more living expenses or pretty clothes and shoes.
Fu Hongfang shook her head, "No, she'll be fine after some rest."
She thought Meng Chuyue had gone out to see a doctor earlier.
Meng Chuyue returned looking calm, apparently all right.
Thinking about her own plans that night, Meng Jingfen didn't want to make a fuss and nodded honestly, "Then let's let her off today, but the food you make is really unpleasant, how about cooking me a couple of boiled eggs?"
Fu Hongfang agreed readily, "Okay."
Her daughter is fortunate, talking about the wealthy families in Hu Town, she couldn't afford to offend them.
...
At one in the afternoon, when her grandfather's family was all napping, Meng Chuyue changed into more fitting clothes and went out.
"Fitting" meant clothes that actually fit her.
Her figure differed from Meng Jingfen's; she was 165 cm tall and slim.
Meng Jingfen was 158 cm, stocky and robust.
Every time Meng Wanhua sent clothes, Meng Jingfen would take them and have Fu Hongfang alter them.
After Meng Jingfen wore them, the following year they would be swapped for her new ones.
Consequently, most of the clothes Meng Chuyue received didn't fit well.
She was skilled at sewing, but what could be done about old clothes?
Usually, she only altered the newer ones to wear to school or out, and at home or in the fields she wore the ill-fitting ones.
Of course, with her attractive face and fine figure, even ill-fitting clothes didn't look ugly on her.
She didn't wear an old straw hat, but instead carried an old umbrella.
And she didn't carry a small basket, but held a cloth bag.
Inside the bag were food items she brought for Fu Song.
Certainly not the ones made by Fu Hongfang, but meat buns she had secretly made in her "space".
And two bottles of freshly squeezed orange juice, filled in old soda bottles of that era.
Hu Song seemed to have been waiting there already.
The little boy had also changed into decent clothes, albeit very old and somewhat short.
Meng Chuyue handed over two meat buns wrapped in clean lotus leaves to him and whispered, "You go first, wait for me under the tree next to the police station."
It was a safer location, and also close to the trading market.
Fu Song nodded, about to leave when Meng Chuyue stopped him and handed him two one-dollar coins, "Buy some soda or ice cream. Don't be reluctant to spend, your sister has money."
Fu Song's eyes reddened as he smiled and bit eagerly into the warm meat bun.
It wasn't his first time eating a meat bun.
Several kind-hearted older boys in the village had also given him meat buns before, but none tasted as good as the ones Meng Chuyue gave him today.
He wasn't sure if it tasted genuinely better, or if it was just because he was in a better mood.
Their village was very close to the town, only just over three kilometers away.
That was also why Fu Song dared not run away from home.
Fu Peng had many friends and cronies in the town, and it was all too easy to run into them.
...
Upon reaching the town, Meng Chuyue first went to the central trading market.
Even in this era the trading market in the town was bustling.
Few who rented stalls there didn't make money.
Though chaotic, the market had defined areas for different goods—clothes, shoes, vegetables, meat…