Qiao Yu was so scared that she only stopped running when she was a block away. She ran too fast and kept panting heavily. The cold air hurt her throat and she felt pain all over her body with every breath she took.
She had found Li Gui's residence but she still did not have any evidence of her selling things. She did not know if Li Gui did her trade at that alley every day. She had to continue to observe for a while longer and could not act rashly.
Qiao Yu carried the bamboo basket and made a detour to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy her groceries. She spent money freely and behaved completely different from when she came earlier. Those who did not know better would think that Qiao Yu had struck it rich.
Su Liang waited at home for an entire morning. When he saw Qiao Yu return home, the anger that he had accumulated for a long time completely erupted.
"Where the hell did you go! Why do you need an entire morning to buy groceries! Are you trying to starve me to death!" Su Liang roared.
Qiao Yu was so frightened that she dropped the bamboo basket on the ground and the vegetables and meat inside dropped out. Qiao Yu looked at Su Liang shakily. She wanted to squat down to pick up the groceries, but she was afraid that Su Liang would punch and kick her. If she did not pick them up, that was such a waste of such nice meat.
"Why are you looking at me! Pick it up!" Su Liang pointed at the ground and shouted.
Qiao Yu quickly picked up the groceries from the ground and ran to the kitchen to cook. As she washed the vegetables, she recalled how she was bullied by Qiao Zhuang and the others in Foshan Village. The situation now was no different from back then. Qiao Zhuang used to beat and scold her every day. She had enough of living a life like this.
Su Yang was still in prison and she did not know what was going on. Qiao Yu could not go against Su Liang's wishes for now as she still had to rely on Su Liang's money to survive.
She decided to make do with the situation and endure it for a few more days. As soon as she found conclusive evidence against Li Gui, she would be able to turn her life around. At that time, she would ask Su Liang to kneel down and wash her feet! She would make Su Liang drink the water she used to wash her feet! She would make everyone who bullied her bow down to her!
The more Qiao Yu thought about it, the happier she became. Her hand shook twice when she put the salt in. This dish was going to be very salty. Qiao Yu did not cook multiple dishes. She just threw all the pork, cabbages, vermicelli and potatoes into the pot. After she added a thick spoonful of lard, the fragrance instantly filled the entire courtyard.
Su Liang's anxious mood also eased. It was indeed not bad to have a woman serving him at home. She seemed to cook better than Old Madam Fan.
Not long after, Qiao Yu brought the food into the room. Unexpectedly, Su Liang did not reprimand her and just ate quietly. He was used to salty food, so he did not notice Qiao Yu's mistake and even praised her culinary skills.
Su Liang's desire to make Qiao Yu his became even stronger and he silently praised Qiao Yu in his heart. After eating and drinking to his heart's content, Su Liang put on his jacket and went out to gamble with his scoundrel friends. Qiao Yu finally had time to rest. Su Liang placed some money, food stamps and meat coupons on the table. She reckoned that it was probably the money for tomorrow's meal.
"Just you wait… One day, I'll make you address me respectfully! Pfft! What kind of nice man will bully a woman!" Qiao Yu muttered as she held the money in her hand.
Even by the afternoon, Xia He still could not figure out where she was headed early in the morning. Could it be that she had really bumped into a ghost?
Qiao Mei looked at Xia He's distracted expression and said, "What's wrong with you? You're like a walking corpse. Why are you in a daze in the middle of the day?"
"Qiao Mei… I think I bumped into a ghost… Really… I'm not joking with you! It was a black shadow. It was at the door just now and disappeared with a whoosh! I really saw it!" Xia He said to Qiao Mei nervously as she gestured wildly.
Qiao Mei never believed in such things. These were all feudal superstitions and had no scientific basis at all. However, just because she did not believe it did not mean that she did not have respect for such beliefs. She just felt that one should not think about it.
"Is it because you did not sleep well yesterday? Do you want to go somewhere else and take a break for the next two days? I'll get Mother to quickly find me a helper. If this continues, you'll become too exhausted," Qiao Mei said worriedly.
Xia He jumped up agitatedly and said, "It's not that! I really saw it! I still can't remember what I want to do. I'm not usually like this. I hold a record for having a super memory and no one has broken that record till date!"