“What styles do you have?”
Li Wuwei had money in his pocket. Even in such a high-end store, he could stay calm.
“We have many. This way, please.”
Chen Xue Ru, with a fragrant scent, led him inside and introduced the silk in the store.
Li Wuwei couldn’t tell the good from the bad, but he could tell the feel and the colors he liked. He soon picked one out.
“This one. Can you contact a tailor? I can pay a deposit first. I’ll bring my wife over to get measurements another day.”
He saw that the price was reasonable. Silk was expensive in any era, and he could afford it.
“Of course. Bring your wife over another day, and I’ll call the tailor to the shop. You won’t have to go back and forth.”
Chen Xue Ru saw that this man was so generous and good to his wife. She couldn’t help but want to chat more.
“Sir, what’s your name? I need to write you a receipt.”
“My surname is Li. Wuwei, like ‘rule without action’.”
He got this name from his cheap grandfather. It was full of resentment. He felt that his grandson was doing nothing, but it could also be interpreted as a Daoist philosophy, that the monarch should rule without action.
“Li Wuwei, what an interesting name. I’m Chen Xue Ru. I’m the owner of this silk store. It’s an ancestral business.”
Chen Xue Ru lowered her head to write the receipt. She could feel him staring at her. She couldn’t help but think that she was truly charming.
“There you go, Li Wuwei. Just bring your wife over whenever you have time.”
“Got it!”
Li Wuwei took the receipt and was about to leave. He still needed to buy some fabric, the kind he could wear out.
But Chen Xue Ru said, “Li Wuwei, why did you come all the way from Dongzhimen? Wangfujing Street is much closer.”
Li Wuwei thought about the troublesome public-private joint ventures that would come later. Even though he wasn’t running a shop, he wasn’t sure if he could keep those three large storefronts.
It was good to know a local merchant, so he could get information from time to time.
He said, “I have three shops on Dongliuliuchang Street up front, the old dried fruit shop. I rented it to the neighborhood last week. I’m going to see what they’re selling today.”
“Ah! You mean that dried fruit shop that sells plum juice? That’s yours?”
Chen Xue Ru was surprised. “No, I used to buy things there often, but I’ve never seen you, the young master. I remember that the owner was an old gentleman, surnamed Xiao, and you’re Li.”
“That was my grandfather. He’s passed away. He left his property to me.”
Li Wuwei pretended to be poor in the courtyard so that he wouldn’t be constantly schemed against. But it didn’t matter outside. Qimen Street was not close to Dongzhimen. It took over an hour to walk.
“I see. Why don’t you run the shop? This is the new society. Business is much better than before the founding of the country. My shop closed down before, and I started it up myself.”
Chen Xue Ru felt that this man had a similar experience to her, and it immediately drew them closer.
“I’m used to being free. I don’t want to do business. I rent out the shops, and the rent is enough to live on. I don’t need to be busy.”
Li Wuwei felt that he lived up to his name, Wuwei, meaning ‘rule without action’.
“You’ve got a great attitude.”
Chen Xue Ru added in her mind, “He’s just got no ambition. That old dried fruit shop is going to be ruined in the hands of this young master.”
“Well, yeah, that’s how it is. I won’t delay your business.”
Li Wuwei wanted to leave.
“Don’t go yet. It’s a work day, and there aren’t many customers in the afternoon. How about I pour you a cup of tea and we chat a little more?”
Chen Xue Ru genuinely found this man interesting. He was different from the men she knew before. Most importantly, he was really handsome.
“Alright, let’s chat for a while.”
Li Wuwei thought that if he could become friends with her, he would be able to understand the local market. If anything happened, he wouldn’t be completely clueless.
But to avoid any suspicion, he only stayed for less than half an hour before leaving. He did learn a lot, though. Chen Xue Ru was single, but her family had introduced her to a blind date named Hou Cheng. She was dating him, but she wasn’t sure if she liked him. She wasn’t repulsed either. She was just seeing where things went.
Chen Xue Ru’s thoughts were very different from those of people in this era. She made friends widely, and she even knew people from the Soviet Union. She had a bit of a business woman vibe, although her name had a ‘Ru’ in it, she was the opposite of Qin Huai Ru. Qin Huai Ru only cared about the gossip in the neighborhood, and her thoughts were old-fashioned. But he liked old-fashioned thoughts, because that’s how he could maintain his status as the head of the family.
“Li Wuwei, next time you come, I’ll treat you to a drink. There’s a nice little tavern in the alleyway up front.”
Chen Xue Ru couldn’t help but shout when she saw him reach the door.
“Got it. You’re supposed to treat me to a drink, since you made money off of me.”
Li Wuwei waved his hand without turning around. It was getting late. He then went and bought several bolts of cloth and some cotton. He couldn’t do without winter clothes, and he put them all in his space. By the time he returned to the courtyard, it was dinner time. He saw He Da Qing in the middle courtyard, pounding on an old stool.
This felt a bit out of place. Maybe the rickshaw driver was He Da Qing’s long-lost brother?
“You’re hopeless!”
He Da Qing muttered to himself when he saw Li Wuwei walk away. He ran around all day, and couldn’t find a satisfactory job. When he thought about Li Wuwei’s comfortable little life, he was envious and resentful.
“Brother, you’re back! Didn’t you go fishing today?”
Qin Huai Ru was diligently washing clothes by the pond in the back yard. Even though winter clothes wouldn’t need to be changed every day, they would still need to change underwear, right?
“How can I go fishing every day? I went to Qimen Street today to look around.”
Li Wuwei walked over and pressed his hand against Qin Huai Ru’s face, letting her feel the cold.
“Brother, stop it! We’re in the courtyard.”
Qin Huai Ru gave him a look. They had to pay attention to appearances.
“Got it!”
He saw a stool nearby and sat down. He watched Qin Huai Ru washing his underpants. That’s the kind of wife you need to find: attentive and considerate.
“Brother, are you hungry? Shall I go stir-fry some food now?”
Qin Huai Ru was embarrassed under his gaze.
“No rush. How was work today? Was it tiring?”
Li Wuwei had to show concern. Labor was honorable.
“It wasn’t tiring. There isn’t much work in the factory, and no one’s rushing us.”
Qin Huai Ru quickly took the washed underwear to drain. Li Wuwei smiled and walked over, splashing some water on her face, making Qin Huai Ru giggle.
“Ugh!”
Xu Damao saw this through the window and was furious. He couldn’t be the only one miserable, so he ran to the middle courtyard and tricked Jia Dongxu into going to the backyard. Who knew they would just happen to see Li Wuwei pulling Qin Huai Ru into the house in a hurry. Then the door closed.
A moment later, a creaking sound came from inside.
“That shameless guy. He can’t let our Sister Qin rest? She worked all day.”
Xu Damao said this on purpose, so Jia Dongxu could hear.
“Ah!”
Jia Dongxu growled, clenched his fists, ran out of the backyard, and went straight back home. He covered his face with the blanket and couldn’t help but cry.