Chapter 71: You Are Truly Extravagant
When Qin Hongfei looked up, she found herself meeting the gaze of the other woman, whose eyes carried a faint smile. She nodded calmly and greeted, “Aunt Li.”
Aunt Li also lived on Qinhuai Street. Her mother-in-law had been close friends with the Qin family’s elder generation. The Li family had two sons and a daughter, and when they were children, everyone used to run wild together on the same street; their relationship was quite good.
Xia Shangxu got along well with the Xia family and often visited, so he and Aunt Li had met before. He greeted her, “Sister-in-law Li.”
Aunt Li smiled, curiosity glinting in her eyes. “What are you two doing here?” Her gaze swept over the items on the stall.
Qin Hongfei answered simply, “Collecting some spare parts.”
Aunt Li sensed the child seemed a bit distant and chuckled uncertainly. “Collecting spare parts?” She didn’t know much about parts, but she recognized the words—second-hand computer parts. “What do you want these for?”
Qin Hongfei replied evenly, “My uncle wants to open an internet café and needs parts to assemble computers.”
Aunt Li was deeply surprised. She might not understand computers, but she knew a little. With a concerned, almost mocking laugh, she said, “Shangxu, you’re being far too irresponsible. Computers aren’t good things, and kids should stay away from internet cafés. If Aunt Xia finds out, you’ll be in for it. Once you’re addicted, it’s all over. Do your family know you’re up to this?”
Qin Hongfei responded one by one, “My mother knows.”
Aunt Li thought to herself that it didn’t matter if her mother knew, since her mother was just as unreliable. Did Old Aunt Qin know? She kept those thoughts to herself.
Instead, she offered a few words of advice with a smile. “Hongfei, you shouldn’t follow your uncle’s nonsense. Are you anxious because Wanwan has done so well? You can learn from your cousin, but don’t mess around. You’ve barely studied, and now you’re getting involved with computers—makes your aunt worried.”
If this had been the Qin Hongfei from before she crossed over, she might truly have felt that Aunt Li was concerned for her, and would have been grateful and embarrassed. But having already experienced a stint in society, seeing all kinds of people, Qin Hongfei could immediately sense the faint condescension in Aunt Li’s eyes, subtle but unmistakably present in her words.
The Qin family’s eldest branch used to be closest with the Li family, but after her father’s accident, their relationship faded. In contrast, the fifth branch of the Qin family, who hadn’t gotten along well with the Lis before, grew much closer. If Aunt Li truly cared for her, she wouldn’t have stayed away when trouble befell the eldest branch, nor would she have drawn so close to the fifth branch. There was even a time when Qin Fei and her sister greeted Aunt Li as she was chatting with neighbors near the fifth branch’s house, but were simply ignored.
Qin Hongfei was well aware of all this, but said nothing, only smiled and thanked her, “Thank you, Aunt.” She said nothing more, lowering her head to continue eating her steamed bun.
Aunt Li, feeling rebuffed, glanced at the cousins’ meager lunch and couldn’t help but shake her head, finding an excuse to leave.
Xia Shangxu, already an adult, could see clearly that Aunt Li looked down on them. He didn’t mind for himself, but worried that Qin Hongfei might feel embarrassed. Yet, she finished off two buns with ease, then met his gaze, as if she saw right through his concerns. She didn’t mention it, only said, “Uncle, I’m thirsty. Buy me a soda, will you?”
Xia Shangxu pressed down lightly on her head. “A fifty-cent bun with a two-yuan soda? You’re really living it up!” Though he grumbled, he went off to buy it anyway. Qin Hongfei opened the can, carefully inserted a straw, and drank.
One bottle yesterday, another today.
This child truly loved soda; she’d had nearly one a day for the past few days. Xia Shangxu said, “Don’t tell your mother I’m buying you drinks. I’m afraid she’ll kill me.”