Song Nian really couldn't afford to delay, with so many people around, he probably would be off work by the time he finished registering, so he told Song Yunuan to wait obediently and, with a pang of pain, took out a dime for Song Yunuan to buy some candy from the department store across the street, while he hurriedly rode off on his bicycle.
Song Yunuan stood at the end of the line, and before long, another group of people gathered behind her.
Song Yunuan simply decided not to queue anymore.
She started to ponder over the Song family's crisis.
Whether in books or out of them, no one wants to die if they can help it.
But now, their Song family, lacking people as well as money.
Just like fish on a chopping board.
Yesterday afternoon, Old Man Song went to the Nanshan County Town to call a former cadre who had once worked in the village but, unfortunately, the person was not in, and the one who answered the phone only said they would relay the message once the cadre returned.
How could they possibly return the message?
The person on the other end didn't even ask who Old Man Song was...
Song Yunuan felt the pocket, which contained the twenty cents given to her by Old Mrs. Song and the dime just given by her younger uncle.
The thirty cents nowadays could buy four strings of candied hawthorns and a packet of orange slice candies.
The large steamed dumplings of Nanshan County Town were the most famous, each only costing five cents, without need for food coupons, and thirty cents could buy six.
Having only had a bit of rice porridge that morning, she was already hungry.
Song Yunuan decided to try the large steamed dumplings first.
They were sold in the state-run restaurant just across the street.
As for the catastrophe of being wiped out, that could wait until after she was full!
Just at this moment, a black car pulled up in front of her.
One of the car doors opened, and a young man holding a leather bag headed for the Nanshan Post Office by the side of the road.
Song Yunuan took two steps back and glanced at the car, which just happened to be the one she had encountered on the road earlier, the one in the middle of the convoy.
Looking further back, the other two cars were following behind.
[It really is the ZH001 model produced by Su National, the Hunter III, only ten in the world, exceptional performance, truly lives up to its reputation.]
A faint voice sounded by the ear, Gu Huai'an in the car was startled, putting down the documents in his hand, he looked around.
People were bustling about, nothing seemed out of place.
Only a young girl, standing by the curb on the right, her skin white and luminous like jade, with a pair of eyes as clear as water, stood there looking innocent and lively, about sixteen or seventeen years old.
Gu Huai'an's brow furrowed slightly; he rolled down the window and lazily looked forward, his noble features unusually prominent and elegant, though his expression was somewhat cold and indifferent.
A hint of amazement flashed across Song Yunuan's eyes.
[Oh my, whose young brother is this, he's so handsome! Such an enticing noble bearing, if it's not practiced deliberately, then it must be natural.]
Gu Huai'an paused in his actions.
His deep eyes accurately fixed on the young girl in front of him.
She seemed docile and gentle, with eyes that were innocent and clear, like a deer in the woods.
But how could such a brazen voice come from her?
Gu Huai'an pushed the car door open and stepped out after a few seconds of stillness.
[Wow, that physique, those long legs, surely must be around one hundred ninety centimeters.]
[Study for the rejuvenation of China, and strive for men with broad shoulders and narrow waists!]
[Which unit's uniform is he wearing? It looks absolutely stunning on him.]
[Remembering how the ancients described it, 'dragon's grace and phoenix's bearing, like a willow standing in the breeze,' it must be referring to a presence like his.]
[Wow, the large steamed dumplings are ready, let's go!]
Gu Huai'an: ...
He was certain that the voice came from the young girl who had just rushed towards the state-run restaurant across the street.
At the same time, he was also sure that the young girl hadn't opened her mouth!
Seeing Gu Huai'an get out of the car, the doors of the two cars behind him opened simultaneously, and a few young men who seemed ordinary but had sharp eyes got out, followed by the secretary, who hurriedly got down, looking surprised at the Commander-in-charge Gu who had suddenly alighted.
Gu Huai'an glanced at him and silently walked towards the other side.
With long legs, she walked quickly and soon crossed the street.
Secretary Xiao Wu reacted swiftly, waving his hand immediately, and a few young men blended into the crowd and followed.
Xiao Wu didn't move; Xiao Fei had gone to send a package, and he had to wait for him.
But he stared intently across the street, stunned to discover that their Commander-in-charge Gu was actually... actually getting in line!
The secretary's eyes widened in disbelief.
Then, he rubbed his eyes vigorously.
No mistake, he saw it right—Commander-in-charge Gu was lining up in front of the state-run restaurant.
That's where they sold the big steamed dumplings.
Rumored to be a major specialty of Nanshan.
But...
With unrivaled elegance, Commander-in-charge Gu stood there, like a phoenix amid a flock of crows, attracting many gazes.
Xiao Wu said a few words to the driver and hurriedly walked toward the other side.
Song Yunuan in the line suddenly felt a sense of pressure.
Glancing back.
[Wow, a handsome young man!]
[Heavens, the young man is also in line; could he be here to buy big steamed dumplings too, does the young man also need to eat?]
Gu Huai'an, finally confirming that he could hear the young girl's thoughts, raised an eyebrow.
He too was human, of course he needed to eat.
[The young man is so neatly dressed, the buttons done up so tight, @#￥%...&&...***]
Gu Huai'an stood straight behind the young girl.
He frowned slightly; the first part of what she thought was loud and clear, but the rest was just noise—the multi-lingual core brain of Dragon Aviation Command Headquarters couldn't guess what the young girl was saying.
Of course, he didn't understand.
The latter part was a bit racy, censored by the river crab.
But at this moment, Song Yunuan, who had already turned her head back, didn't realize that she abruptly stopped as her mind caressed the young man's abs, as she was up next in line.
[Alas, the young man is truly in line, I hope he doesn't go inside to eat, seeing the young man eat will break my heart!]
In the corner of his eye, Gu Huai'an saw the young girl's side profile, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
No matter how he suddenly managed to hear the young girl's thoughts.
He just wondered internally how she could say such wild things with such a calm face.
And why would it pain her if he went into the restaurant to eat?
Then, the young girl began to speak.
She was speaking to a waitress.
Her voice was delicate and soft, carrying the distinctive cheer of a young girl: "Sister, I've heard that Nanshan's big steamed dumplings are even tastier than those at First Steamed Dumpling Shop in the provincial city, is that true?"
The pretty and cute young girl, even if the waitress was usually stern-faced, smiled at being called sister: "Of course it's true."
Song Yunuan took out the letter of introduction Song Liang had arranged as a backdoor favor that morning, her voice gentle: "I grew up in the provincial city, so I'm not sure if we need an introduction letter to buy steamed dumplings in Nanshan, but I've prepared one just in case. Here, let me show you."
The sly young lass deliberately held up the letter of introduction.
Even Gu Huai'an couldn't see what was written on it.
The waitress: "No need for an introduction letter, five cents each, how many would you like?"
"I'll take four, one of each filling if that's possible?"
"Certainly, certainly."
The waitress placed the big steamed dumplings on a plate and handed them to Song Yunuan, who accepted them without moving. The one behind her, Gu Huai'an, naturally wouldn't hurry her.
Song Yunuan sniffed them and exaggeratedly widened her eyes: "Wow, they smell so delicious, even more fragrant than what I had at the First Steamed Dumpling Shop. Sister, I'm so lucky to have been switched at birth, but fortunately I was returned, or I wouldn't get to enjoy such tasty big steamed dumplings. Thank you, sister, and thank you to the master chef who made these!"
While the waitress was momentarily taken aback by the abrupt and strange comment—switched at birth, returned?
What does that mean?