Chapter 91: Educated Youth Who Abandoned His Wife and Child – 22

Shen Xiuyan bought another yuan’s worth of braised chicken and placed it in an enamel tea mug. Su Mingyue hugged the mug like she was flying home.

She snuck a glance at Brother Shen and couldn’t help but giggle foolishly inside.

But he noticed. Their eyes met, and her face flushed red again.

Touching her burning cheeks, she felt like she’d used up all the shyness of her entire life in just these past few months.

The gathering point was loud and bustling.

“Brigade Leader, you’re back!”

“Yeah, how many are we still waiting on?”

“Old Wang’s family, Second Sister’s family, and Guoye’s household haven’t returned. The rest are all here.”

“Alright, let’s wait a bit more. They should be back soon.”

Suddenly, an arm slung around Brigade Leader Su’s shoulders. “Old Su! How was lunch?”

Brigade Leader Su turned and saw his old buddy grinning at him with envy.

Before he could respond, someone nearby chimed in, “Old Cheng, why are you suddenly so interested in the Brigade Leader’s lunch?”

The man sighed. “You don’t get it, do you? I saw it. Today Old Su had lunch at the state-run restaurant!”

“What!!!” A chorus of shocked voices rang out.

Everyone crowded over, making for quite the commotion.

“You went to the state-run restaurant? Was it good?”

“What kind of question is that? Of course it was good! Brigade Leader, did your son-in-law take you there again?”

Brigade Leader Su nodded with difficulty.

The look in everyone’s eyes grew even hotter, glancing back and forth between Shen Xiuyan and Brigade Leader Su.

Shen Xiuyan shivered, then quickly said, “Brigade Leader, looks like everyone’s almost here, so Mingyue and I will head off first.”

“Go on, go on.” The Brigade Leader waved his hand. Just as they were about to leave, he called out again, “Wait! Mingyue, give me that basket. I’ll carry it for you—don’t want you dropping it.”

He saw his daughter carrying such a big basket, with no hand left to hold onto Shen Xiuyan. What if she dropped it with all the jostling?

Su Mingyue clutched the basket tightly. She looked at her father, then at Brother Shen, clearly torn.

There was malted milk powder in that basket…

She hadn’t had time to tell her father yet.

While she was frozen in place, Brigade Leader Su urged her again. “Why are you just standing there? Give it to me.”

Su Mingyue called softly to Shen Xiuyan, hoping he would save her.

Shen Xiuyan turned back with a teasing smile. “Brigade Leader, are you sure you want to carry it?”

Brigade Leader Su was confused—what was there to be unsure about? Sitting in the mule cart and holding it would be way easier than them carrying it on the bike.

“Don’t regret it later.” Shen Xiuyan suppressed a grin and turned to Mingyue. “Go ahead, give it to the Brigade Leader.”

Seeing Brother Shen say that, Su Mingyue obediently passed the basket over.

“Oof, that’s pretty heavy,” Brigade Leader Su muttered as he took it.

The basket was covered with a cloth, and he didn’t look inside.

He waved them off. “Alright, you two be careful. No need to wait for us.”

“Got it~” Shen Xiuyan mounted his bicycle.

A short ride later, Su Mingyue gently poked the soft flesh at his waist. “Was that really okay? What if someone sees it?”

Shen Xiuyan’s voice drifted back with a laugh. “It’s not like we stole the malted milk powder, or snatched it from someone. Why can’t people see it? And your dad might not even open the basket.”

But this time, Shen Xiuyan guessed wrong.

As the mule cart rattled along, the rich aroma of the chicken in the enamel mug began wafting out. The very air smelled of meat.

Someone sniffed the air. “Where’s that smell coming from?”

The person beside Brigade Leader Su looked down. “I think it’s from the Brigade Leader’s basket.”

Brigade Leader Su glanced down at the basket in his hands and froze. Oh no—he completely forgot about that…

Was it too late to have his daughter take it back?

Everyone was staring at him. He forced a sheepish smile. “Uh, uh, it’s just that Xiuyan bought some groceries to take home for Yanyun…”

The more he said, the weaker his voice became. He even considered jumping out of the cart and running.

“Oh my god, not just eating but buying too? From the state-run restaurant?” someone exclaimed, clapping him on the shoulder. “Wuwuwu, what a good son-in-law! I’m so jealous.”

The Brigade Leader clutched the basket, trembling, unable to respond.

That person pressed on. “Brigade Leader, I’ve never even seen food from a state-run restaurant. Since you bought some, have a kind heart and let me take a look, won’t you?”

Another piped up, raising a tentative hand. “I want to see too.”

“Me too…”

Unable to withstand the pressure, Brigade Leader Su had no choice but to open the basket and pull out the enamel mug.

As he lifted the lid, the rich meat aroma grew even stronger, making everyone’s mouths water uncontrollably.

Everyone stared, dazzled, unsure what to focus on first.

An enamel mug???

Full of meat???

“Wait a minute, Old Su, you even bought the mug? That’s not very practical.”

Brigade Leader Su gave an awkward smile and was about to respond, but the man quickly covered his mouth.

“Say no more. I get it. Shen Xiuyan bought it.”

Brigade Leader Su muttered pitifully, “Mingyue’s future mother-in-law asked him to buy a little gift for her. I couldn’t exactly turn down her kindness, could I?”

“……”

Tired. He didn’t want to talk anymore.

Where do people find in-laws like that? They wanted one too…

Some of the women cursed silently—same world, different fate. Their mothers-in-law wouldn’t even spend a penny on a piece of candy, let alone a fancy enamel mug.

And this? This was not a “little gift”!

It was already quite valuable.

“Alright, everyone’s had a look. I’m putting it away now.” Worried the food would get cold, Brigade Leader Su quickly covered it back up.

As he placed the mug back in the basket, the person next to him caught a glimpse of a tin.

“Hey—!”

Everyone looked over and saw him pointing a trembling finger at the basket.

Brigade Leader Su was startled by the shout and glared at him, hand over his thudding heart. “What now? Why are you always jumping like that?”

The man was so excited he could barely speak. “Mai… mai… mai…”

Someone teased, “What’s being sold?”

“Malted milk powder!!!” he finally shouted.

The one who’d just mocked him froze in disbelief.

But as he glanced toward Brigade Leader Su’s basket, his smile stiffened.

No way. No way. No way that’s really what he thinks it is…

Everyone stared at the basket as if it might sprout legs and run away.