Chapter 6

The little girl’s marble-like eyes were clear and bright and she had two little dimples on both of her cheeks.

Tong Xuelu couldn't help but lowered her head and gave her a peck on her cheek. “Our Mianmian is so pretty. Prettier than a little fairy.”Tong Mianmian looked at her with her big and limpid eyes like a startled deer. Her little face turned beet red right away. Tong Xuelu stopped teasing her and, for the first time, had a chance to look at her own reflection in the hand-held mirror. What she saw in the mirror was a face that was more eye-catching than a flower in the spring time. Curving her lips and two dimples appeared on both of her cheeks. There was a little birthmark that resembled a tear below her left eye, making her eyes seemed even more limpid than they already were. This was a very beautiful face, so beautiful that it was almost somewhat seductive. She wasn’t unattractive in her previous life but she also had work done on it. This, however, was a completely natural look. She almost didn’t want to benefit any man. Couldn’t she just date herself?After she had returned the mirror where she found it, she stood up to inspect the food situation in the house.It was disappointed. There was only a little bit over 10 jin of rice and half a bag of sweet potatoes left in the house along with a small jar of pickled vegetables. She did not see any fresh vegetables and there was definitely no sign of meats. Tong Xuelu’s lips twitched with that knowledge. This was poor as poor would have it. But, now that she had decided to live here for the time being, she had no intention to be mean to her own stomach. “Mianmian, big sister is going to head over to the CSMC (China supply & marketing cooperatives), do you want to come with?”Tong Mianmian blinked her long eyelashes a few times and shook her little head. “No, I can’t.”Even though this big sister was pretty, even more so than her big sister Zhenzhen, but her brother had warned her about leaving with strangers.Tong Xuelu did not force her to go with. She gave Aunty Cai a heads up, asked about the whereabout of the CSMC and the marketplace for vegetables, and left her with military backpack. The vegetable marketplace opened at 4 PM sharp every day. It was barely 3:30 PM now but there were already two long lines outside of its door. From what Aunty Cai had told her, this was the only vegetable marketplace in this area and they only provide one load of goods a day. When it ran out, it ran out. For sure she would not be able to get anything today. Tong Xuelu asked about it from an older lady there and went over to wait where the tricycle would pass. She waited for about 20 minutes before she saw a middle-aged woman coming toward her direction on a tricycle. She had roughly 700 – 800 jin worth of goods on her. Tis was August and the sun was baking down on the ground. The steam rising up from the ground made one felt like one was inside of a steamer. Liu Hungying was riding her tricycle with some 700 – 800 jin’s worth of goods on her. Sweat rolled down along her dark cheek and onto her neck, making her both sticky and uncomfortable. Her stray hair on both side of her stuck to her cheek and she was panting in the heat. Suddenly, a young girl came from the side of the road ran up to her. “Big sister, you are about to hit the uphill part. Let me help you!”Liu Hungying shook her head. “It’s alright. Women can prop up half the sky. I got this.”Tong Xuelu had a serious look. “Big sister, you don’t need to feel bad about it. Our comrade chairman had said that we should serve the people. We are all working class sisters. It’s only right for us to help each other out!”Having said that, Tong Xuelu did not give her another chance to decline before she ran over and started pushing from behind. With someone pushing from behind, it was much easy for Liu Hungying to go uphill. This had always been the most difficult stretch of her road and it was much easier today. When they were about to reach the marketplace, Liu Hungying stopped and said, “Comrade. Thank you so much for your help today. Take this bundle of vegetables with you. It will be my treat!”Tong Xuelu’s face was red from the heat. She walked up to the woman while wiping away the sweat on her forehead. Frowning, she said, “Big sister. What kind of a person do you take me for? I refuse to take little advantages like this!” She was one who wanted advantages in a much bigger magnitude.This woman worked at the vegetable marketplace. It would be much easier for her to buy things there if she had a good relationship with this woman. Liu Hungying smiled, “You look young but your attitude is correct!”Tong Xuelu gave her a very sincere look. “My name is Tong Xuelu. You can just call me Xuelu. I’ll pay you for this bundle of vegetable.”Liu Hungying’s smile became more genuine. “You can call me Big Sister Liu. Just come and look for me when you come to the market going forward!”“Thank you, Big Sister Liu!”That was exactly what she was waiting for. She went over to the market with two bundles of vegetables with Liu Hungying and handed both money and meal tickets over to the worker before leaving under the others’ envious looks. She then headed over to CSMC and purchased 1 jin of eggs and milk candies. They cost a total of 2.6 yuan. They were all out of pork since that morning so Tong Xuelu went home with what she was able to buy. When she reached the entrance of the compound, she saw half a head poking out from behind the door and the pig tails on the head waved along with it. Peeking.JPG. Tong Xuelu said, “Mianmian, why are you hiding behind the door?”Aunty Cai walked out right about now. When she saw that Tong Xuelu was back, she said in her loud voice. “Oh, good, you are back. Mianmian went and waited by the door right after you left and I couldn’t get her to come back no matter what!”Tong Mianmian, realizing that she had been exposed, walked out from behind the door, blushed. She looked at Tong Xuelu with her grape-like dark eyes and was both pretty and loveable. Her look melted Tong Xuelu’s heart. She handed the milk candies over to her. “Ah, was Mianmian waiting for her big sister here? Mianmian, good girl. Big sister bought some milk candies for you. Do you like them?”Tong Mianmian eyes immediately lit up like stars at night. She nodded her little head and said, “Yes, Mianmian likes!”She had thought that this big sister of hers, much like her parents and her big sister Zhenzhen, would never return after they left. She was so worried that she waited by the door the entire time. She hadn’t expected that not only did her big sister returned, she even brought her milk candies. She had these milk candies in the past. They were very, very sweet. Tong Xuelu rubbed her on her head. “Good. I am glad you like them. You let big sister know when you are done with them and want more.”“Let’s go inside. Big sister will cook you dinner,” said Tong Xuelu as she walked inside their unit. Tong Mianmian followed closely behind her on her short little legs. She followed behind Tong Xuelu like a tail. Tong Xuelu was pleased when she looked at the little girl who followed her around everywhere she went. The first battle had been concluded. This was much easier than she had imagined. Bringing the future actress onto her side – Done!