Chapter 32: You Are My Grandfather

"You’re here for dinner too?" Lin Jingyue was surprised to see the two of them; she hadn’t expected them to come to the county town as well.

"Yes," Jiang Xun replied, settling down beside her, while Zhou Yan sat on the opposite side.

A square table, four people, each occupying a corner.

Lin Jingyue... Something felt off.

Cai Jinzhou looked somewhat tense, turning his head to meet a pair of indifferent eyes. His heart skipped a beat.

"Number thirty-one, your meal is ready," called a staff member from the window.

Lin Jingyue quickly stood up, and Jiang Xun followed her.

Seeing the server hand her several lunch boxes and two paper-wrapped parcels, Jiang Xun hurried to help carry them.

"You’d better order quickly, or there’ll be nothing left," Lin Jingyue said, placing everything on the table and pulling out a cloth bag to pack it.

Zhou Yan was already ordering food, and Jiang Xun assisted her.

"You don’t want to cook?" Jiang Xun’s lips twitched as he watched her packing so much.

"Don’t let it slip," Lin Jingyue replied with a playful wink.

Jiang Xun… He didn’t rashly promise to cook for her in future, only smiled, thinking he’d bring her meals more often.

The girl was quite pampered.

As they chatted together, Cai Jinzhou was completely ignored—unsurprisingly, as he wasn’t familiar with them. He didn’t even know their names.

He ate his meal quietly, but somehow it tasted bland.

Lin Jingyue didn’t deliberately wait for Jiang Xun and Zhou Yan. She ate quickly, but her movements were elegant.

After finishing, she stood up with her bag. "I’m heading to the post office to mail a letter. Shall we meet at the station later?"

Jiang Xun nodded, "Alright, I’ll wait for you at the station."

"Mm." Smiling, Lin Jingyue turned and left.

Leaving the state-run restaurant, she wandered through two streets, found a secluded spot, tucked the cloth bag into her space, and retrieved the equipment from last time.

Once she was properly disguised, she slung a basket over her back and headed to the spot she’d scoped out.

There wasn’t much in her basket—three chickens, two ducks, and twenty medium-sized apples.

She didn’t bring out the best ones, afraid of attracting attention.

Outside the county hospital, Lin Jingyue observed the passersby until a hurried, joyful-faced aunt emerged. Only then did she approach, "Auntie…"

The sudden approach startled the woman, but the moment she saw the plump, butchered chicken revealed in Lin Jingyue’s basket, her annoyance vanished.

She glanced around warily, then grabbed Lin Jingyue’s hand. "Ah, isn’t this Rotten Egg? What brings you here? Didn’t even send word!"

Lin ‘Rotten Egg’ Jingyue, "...Third Aunt, my father sent me to check on you. I came in a hurry and didn’t have time to send a letter."

The aunt gave her a look of approval, pulling her toward a nearby alley and lowering her voice, "Let’s trade in that alley over there, kiddo."

Just as Lin Jingyue didn’t like casually visiting others’ homes, the aunt preferred not to bring people home either. Who knew what kind of person she might be?

The woman was clearly familiar with the area, leading Lin Jingyue through several twists and turns to a deserted alley.

"How much for these chickens, kiddo?" She had just had a new addition to the family, and adults needed nourishment.

"I’ll take a duck too, and these apples look good."

Lin Jingyue had chosen her target well; the aunt’s clothes were neat and tidy, with no patches—obviously well-off.

Such people were willing to spend.

"I weighed the chickens, each is over five pounds, four yuan apiece; same for the ducks. Apples are forty cents a pound, three apples make a bit over a pound," Lin Jingyue whispered.

The aunt often shopped for groceries and could tell if Lin Jingyue was lying.

The prices were fair, no need for ration tickets, just cash.

"Make it cheaper and I’ll take everything," the aunt said briskly.

Half for the family, half for gifts.

Lin Jingyue considered, "If you take it all, I’ll knock twenty cents off each chicken and duck. Any more, and I can’t do it."

The aunt calculated—she’d save a yuan—and grinned with delight. "Throw in a cloth bag for me."

Lin Jingyue handed one over without hesitation; her warehouse was full of bags.

After trading with the aunt, she hurried off with her money, wandering to other spots.

She made two more trades, selling fruit and poultry, earning a total of seventy-one yuan and thirty-five cents that day.

She tallied her funds in her space: over three thousand, with a hundred or so set aside.

Three thousand yuan grouped together.

All future seed money.

She emerged from her space, now dressed in her original clothes and little leather shoes.

She carried a cloth bag toward the scrap collection station.

She’d promised to chat with the old man and needed to talk for a few yuan.

At the scrap station, the old man sneezed twice, muttering to himself—who was thinking of him now?

Soon, Lin Jingyue stood prettily at the door.

Golden sunlight dazzled; her eyes sparkled with laughter, her brows curved, pure and beautiful.

Yet, for some reason, the old man felt a chill.

"I thought you weren’t coming," he grumbled. How many days had it been?

Lin Jingyue approached with two apples and two peaches. "Don’t say that, sir. I’m a sent-down youth, I can’t come to town every day."

"Hmph, and I went to the trouble of preparing something good for you." The old man snorted, rubbing an apple on his shirt before biting into it.

Lin Jingyue: … Honestly, your shirt might not be cleaner than my apples.

"So, what did you prepare for me? Should I go in and buy some old newspapers?" Her eyes sparkled.

The old man saw right through her, giving her an unimpressed look. "Go on inside, maybe you’ll find something you like."

"Really? Then I’m going in. Take your time eating." Lin Jingyue dashed into the room.

The old man chuckled quietly.

About forty minutes later, Lin Jingyue emerged, covered in dust, hands on her hips, fuming. "Old man, you tricked me on purpose!"

There was nothing inside.

"Hahaha, you figured it out! I won’t hide it—I was messing with you!"

Lin Jingyue: …! She was exasperated.

She glared, took out a handkerchief to wipe her face, and turned to leave in a huff.

The old man suppressed his laughter, "There’s some junk over there. See if it catches your eye."

He acted indifferent.

Lin Jingyue paused, looked back, and spotted a blue-and-white porcelain platter in the corner. Good heavens! That’s junk?!

The old man saw her stunned, scoffed, "Look at you, so easily impressed. Take it away, it’s an eyesore."

"Are you sure you’re giving it to me?" Lin Jingyue pointed to herself uncertainly. "If I take it, I won’t give it back."

"Once I give something away, I don’t ask for it back!"

"I just don’t want you to regret it later, not knowing its worth."

"Hmph, don’t worry about me. I’ve got plenty of junk like that."

Lin Jingyue grinned obsequiously, "Grandpa, you really are my true grandpa!"

"Ahem, ahem..."

[Aside] Lin Jingyue: If there’s milk, there’s a mother!

Old man: Aren’t you afraid your grandpa will climb out of his coffin?

Lin Jingyue: To be fair, the grandpa of this body hasn’t been buried yet.