Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Delivering Lunch, Selling Watches

Gu Qinghuan found a secluded spot and slipped herself and her bike into her space.

The porridge in the pot was already soft and thick. She added a bit of salt and chopped scallions for flavor, and it was ready to serve.

But porridge alone wouldn’t do, so Gu Qinghuan steamed a basket of frozen buns—nine in total. She’d been eating these frozen buns for days now, and her stock was running low.

She rummaged through the fridge, pulled out two cucumbers, and made a quick smashed cucumber salad. All in all, it was a pretty decent lunch.

She didn’t make too much, though—after all, the hospital had also ordered meals.

As usual, she packed everything into a thermal container and lunchbox, then carried them out.

Gu Qinghuan rode her bike to the inpatient ward of the county hospital.

As luck would have it, just as she arrived at the ward, the cafeteria staff were delivering the hospital meals downstairs.

Seeing her carrying a thermal container, they even praised her for being such a filial daughter.

Gu Qinghuan felt a bit embarrassed.

After sending them off, she finally set down the food she’d brought.

“Mom, Grandma, I made some lean pork congee, buns, and smashed cucumber. Take your pick—eat whatever you like.”

With the hospital meals added in, there was more than enough for the three of them.

“How come you’re here so early? Mmm, this congee smells amazing—just the scent makes me hungry,” Zhong Zijun said with a smile as she leaned over.

Made with spiritual spring water, how could it not smell good?

Gu Qinghuan hoped that eating food made with the spring water would help her mother’s arm heal faster.

She ladled half a box of congee and set it in front of Zhong Zijun.

“If you like it, eat more. Grandma, you should try my cooking too.”

The old lady in the next bed eyed the food enviously. “Zijun, you’re really blessed—your daughter is so filial, and this congee smells heavenly.”

Zhong Zijun didn’t bother with polite words. She nodded seriously. “Huanhuan is very filial.” Her daughter was the best.

“Not only is she filial, she’s a great cook, and so pretty too. Just look at that face—like a flower! I wonder which lucky young man will marry her in the future.”

The old lady’s casual comment made the three of them fall silent.

Gu Qinghuan thought to herself, This old lady really knows how to hit a sore spot. She was already worried about her marriage to Xu Huai’an—sooner or later, her grandparents would find out.

Just thinking about the tragic ending in the book sent chills down her spine.

Because her family were only minor characters in the story, their fate was only mentioned in passing. She didn’t know exactly when the truth would come out.

She absolutely couldn’t let them hear about it from someone else. That would be a devastating blow.

And outsiders always exaggerated things.

Gu Qinghuan decided she would tell them herself—it was safer that way.

She just needed to find the right time.

As for Zhong Zijun and Cheng Shuying’s silence, it was because this was a heavy burden in their hearts too.

Huanhuan was already twenty—prime age for marriage. She’d once had a childhood sweetheart as her fiancé, but after the family’s downfall, the boy broke off the engagement to protect his own future.

Now, trapped in this small world, what kind of family could she possibly marry into?

In the past, there had been plenty of promising young men to choose from. Now, aside from the educated youth, there were only farmers.

And with their current awkward status, they were dragging Huanhuan down.

Zhong Zijun had once received a good education and seen a wider, better world. How could she bear to see her daughter waste her life like this?

She’d even considered asking her daughter to beg that heartless man for help, to find a way back to the city. That would be better than staying here.

Even a tiger won’t eat its own cubs—surely he wouldn’t be so cruel as to ignore his own daughter’s life and death.

Seeing the look on her mother and grandmother’s faces, Gu Qinghuan quickly changed the subject.

“Grandma, why don’t you try some of my congee?” Please, let’s drop this.

The old lady sensed the awkwardness and quickly steered the conversation back to the food. “Alright, thank you, little girl.”

What should have been a warm, cozy lunch became uncomfortably silent, each person lost in their own thoughts.

But wasting food was out of the question—they finished every last bite.

Afterwards, Gu Qinghuan volunteered to wash the lunchboxes.

When she was done, she went to find Zhong Zijun’s attending doctor for an update.

The old doctor was quite responsible. He explained Zhong Zijun’s current condition and all the details of her aftercare.

She’d been recovering well these past two days, thanks to careful attention, good rest, and the added boost of spiritual spring chicken soup. Her nutrition was on track. As long as she kept this up, she should make a full recovery in two or three months.

Gu Qinghuan took careful notes, just in case she forgot anything.

The old doctor nodded approvingly—what a filial child.

That afternoon, Zhong Zijun still had a few IV drips left. Gu Qinghuan couldn’t sit still in the ward, so she used the excuse of going out to buy something and went for a walk.

She’d thought that with her space, she wouldn’t have to worry about making money and could just coast to the top.

But reality was, she still had to worry about money. Even though she had some cash on hand and had just earned another four hundred today, expenses were high. She had so many elders and sick people to support, plus she had to help out friends and relatives from time to time. She needed to find a way to make more money.

Gu Qinghuan thought of the Plum Blossom brand watches she’d gotten before.

She could act as a middleman—buy them for ten yuan each, sell them for two hundred. That was a huge profit.

The only problem was, she hadn’t figured out exactly how to sell them yet.

She wandered the streets aimlessly and somehow found herself near the grocery store.

There, she spotted the middle-aged man directing workers inside. Suddenly, inspiration struck.

Isn’t that the son of the old lady from the hospital ward? She’d seen him once before. Maybe he’d be interested in this business.

She quickly found a spot, entered her space, and placed an order for a Plum Blossom watch.

With the watch in hand, Gu Qinghuan went to find the old lady’s son, Lu Jianye. Maybe because they were sharing a hospital ward, Lu Jianye greeted her warmly.

He even invited her to his office for tea.

Gu Qinghuan didn’t beat around the bush and got straight to the point.

“Uncle, sorry to bother you. I have a business proposition. Whether you’re interested or not is entirely up to you.”

Though Gu Qinghuan was dressed simply, she carried herself with a certain poise and spoke with confidence, making her oddly convincing.

Lu Jianye was sharp enough not to agree or refuse right away. He just looked interested and waited for her to continue.

Gu Qinghuan took the watch she’d prepared from her bag and placed it in front of him.

Lu Jianye opened the box and immediately recognized it. He used the exact same Red Plum brand watch himself.

“A Red Plum watch. What’s this about?”

“Uncle, how much did you pay for the one you’re wearing?” Gu Qinghuan replied with a question.

“A little over three hundred. Why?”

“What if I told you I have a friend who can get a batch of these Red Plum watches for just two hundred each—no ration tickets needed. Would you be interested?”

After she finished, Gu Qinghuan watched Lu Jianye nervously. Honestly, she was gambling—gambling that Lu Jianye was a shrewd businessman.

Her words caught Lu Jianye off guard.

As the manager of the grocery store, he had a keen business sense.

Gu Qinghuan’s meaning was clear: she had a batch of Red Plum watches for two hundred each, no tickets required.

If he could get them, he could easily sell them for two hundred and fifty each—plenty of buyers.

Fifty yuan profit per watch—almost as much as his monthly salary.

Others might not have the connections, but he did. Selling them wouldn’t be a problem. The only question was how many there were, and whether he could handle the whole batch.

Lu Jianye gave a businessman’s smile. “Niece, how many watches does your friend have? Are they all in this condition?”

Gu Qinghuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She knew she’d won her bet."

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