TPW – Chapter 4 The Street Vendor

A glimmer of surprise flashed in Qiao Yan’s eyes. Her interest was piqued, and her thoughts began to stir.

“He’s quite good-looking. What does he do?”

“He doesn’t have a proper job,” Sister Liu said regretfully. “He used to work in a clothing factory, but later quit to sell goods at a street stall.”

“A street vendor!” Qiao Lu’s eyes lit up with an almost blinding gleam.

“No way!” Qiao Yan objected immediately.

“I think it’s great!” Qiao Lu nodded in satisfaction.

Two voices rang out at the same time, leaving Liu Xiaohong stunned and unsure whom to listen to.

She studied the sisters’ expressions carefully. One had her brows tightly furrowed, looking bitter and grave, while the other looked animated and eager to try.

Liu Xiaohong turned to Qiao Lu and asked tentatively, “You really think it’s good?”

“Sure, why not? At least he has an income, right? With my situation, I’m in no position to ask for too much,” Qiao Lu replied matter-of-factly.

Qiao Yan shot her a sideways glance. “You were so picky before, and now you’re suddenly not?”

Qiao Lu grinned and winked playfully. “Sister, ever heard of the phrase adapting to local conditions? Or how about case by case?”

Qiao Yan: “…What kind of twisted logic is that?”

In any case, she didn’t agree.

“Street vending is unstable. To put it harshly, it’s borderline speculation and profiteering. Even if the country is more open now, just look at who’s selling on the streets—unemployed loafers!” She realized she might have gone too far and corrected herself: “Okay, even if there are decent folks doing it, they’re usually from poor families. Anyone with good family conditions has an iron rice bowl. We’re rural folks—we don’t ask for much, but living a stable, grounded life is more important than anything.”

Seeing Qiao Yan firmly opposed, Sister Liu seemed to realize she might have made a mistake introducing this man to the Qiao sisters and quickly withdrew the photo.

“She’s not wrong about the job being unstable. When it rains, who goes browsing at street stalls? If no one’s buying, nothing sells. If nothing sells, there’s no income—just a wasted day.”

“Mm, that’s true, but for me it’s not a huge issue,” Qiao Lu said, still feeling a kind of admiration for self-made first-generation entrepreneurs.

“Qiao Lu,” Qiao Yan said sternly, her brows tightening again.

Qiao Lu clung to her sister’s arm like a child. “Sister, you’re the one who told me to go on more blind dates. Now I finally want to give it a try, and you’re unhappy again.”

“Do you have to go against me on everything?” Qiao Yan frowned in displeasure.

Qiao Lu looked sincerely at her. “I’m not. I really think he’s pretty good.”

She knew very well—in ten years, the wave of layoffs from state-owned enterprises would hit like a disaster. By then, who’d be laughing and who’d be crying was still uncertain.

Seeing Qiao Lu’s growing interest, Sister Liu hurried to give her a warning: “Qiao Lu, let me tell you, although this young man looks decent, his conditions really don’t compare to the others I introduced. He only got that old run-down apartment thanks to dumb luck. As for his character… well, the neighbors don’t seem to have anything bad to say about him. If you really want to be with him, it’s possible to live a life together, but it might be tight financially. Think it over carefully!”

Dumb luck?

Dumb luck was great! As the saying goes, success is 1% luck and 99% sweat—and that 1% of luck is more important than the other 99%!

Thinking that, Qiao Lu couldn’t help but laugh. “We haven’t even met yet and you’re all panicking. Sure, I’m interested—but shouldn’t we also ask whether he would be willing to go on a blind date with a woman who already has a child?”

Qiao Yan smacked the table. “Still no! You’re too pretty—what if he actually falls for you?”

Qiao Lu: “…”

…Let’s just take that as a compliment.

“So what do you suggest we do then?” Qiao Lu asked.

“Pick someone else,” Qiao Yan said.

But Qiao Lu refused to back down. The sisters were deadlocked for quite a while, until Qiao Lu finally came up with a compromise.

“How about this, sister? We each take a step back—either I try selling at a street stall myself, or I go on a blind date with the guy who does. Pick one.”

“What?” Qiao Yan nearly lost it. “Seriously, what is it with you and street vendors?!”

Qiao Lu’s eyes curved into a bright smile. “I’m just interested in these two options. Pick one—no backing out!”

Qiao Yan’s eyebrows shot up. “Qiao Lu, street vending isn’t as easy as you think!”

“How would I know if I don’t try?”

Whatever Qiao Yan said, Qiao Lu had a comeback. Neither sister would budge, and neither had the upper hand.

“Sister Liu, why don’t you help me choose?” Qiao Lu turned to Liu Xiaohong for advice.

Sister Liu let out an awkward laugh, hurriedly gathered the pile of photos on the table, and stood up to leave. “You sisters can decide. I’m staying out of this. Weiwei’s school is about to end—I need to get home and make dinner.”

She was afraid if she stayed any longer, she’d end up witnessing World War III.

“Alright, take care on your way down,” Qiao Lu offered to walk her downstairs, but Liu Xiaohong quickly backed away, almost bumping into the table corner in her rush.

“No need, no need! I’ll go myself. You two keep discussing. I’ll go home and ask the young man. If he’s willing, then you two can meet. If not, then you can pick someone else from the divorced candidates, alright?”

Qiao Lu nodded, pleased. “That’s a good plan. Sister, let’s do that. We’ll make a bet—if he agrees to date a woman with a kid like me, you won’t stop us. But if he’s not interested, I’ll choose someone else from the divorced guys. Deal?”

With the conversation at that point, Qiao Yan couldn’t bring herself to outright reject it anymore.

In the end, she just watched as Liu Xiaohong walked farther and farther away.

That night, the air was as cool as water. A light drizzle fell in fine threads onto the moss-covered blue bricks and stone slabs of the alleyway. Sparrows flitted through the night sky, their black shadows flashing past, adding to the winter’s desolate feel.

The matter of Qiao Lu’s blind date was temporarily on hold, but Qiao Yan, the elder sister, couldn’t feel happy no matter what. From dinner through bedtime, she barely said a word to Qiao Lu.

Qiao Yan had heated water early, washed her face and feet, and tucked herself into bed. On the other side, Qiao Lu helped her son wash up and only began taking care of herself afterward.

By the time she finished her nighttime routine and climbed into bed with her son in her arms, Qiao Yan already had her eyes closed, seemingly asleep—though whether she actually was or not remained uncertain.

Tonight was unusually cold. The three of them shared one quilt, which wasn’t quite enough. Qiao Lu got up and pulled a thick cotton quilt from the wardrobe, spreading it over all three of them.

But in just the blink of an eye, Qiao Yan suddenly stuck out a hand and flipped the quilt off.

Qiao Lu froze for a second, then quietly pulled it back over her.

Qiao Yan reached out again and tossed it off once more.

Back and forth it went—until Qiao Lu finally understood. Her sister was throwing a little tantrum.

She couldn’t help but laugh. A tough-as-nails iron lady acting all sulky—how is she this cute?

Qiao Lu patted her son on his little bottom and gave him a meaningful look. “An’an, go comfort your second aunt.”

The little guy was lying between the two women. Upon hearing his mom, he wriggled over to Qiao Yan, his small hand gently patting her shoulder with the lightest touch. “Aunty~”

Qiao Yan turned her shoulder away and curled closer to the wall. “Shoo. I’m not your aunt. And your mom isn’t my sister.”

“Mom…” Qiao Yan’s cold rejection pricked the sensitive little Qiao An. Thinking his second aunt didn’t like him anymore, he pitifully twisted back toward Qiao Lu. “Mama…”

He darted into her arms and hugged her neck, nuzzling close.

Qiao Lu reached out and pulled the light cord. The room was instantly plunged into darkness.

“It’s okay. Second Aunt is just teasing you,” Qiao Lu whispered, hugging her son tightly. Then she stretched her right hand toward Qiao Yan and poked her back with her index finger. “Alright, Sister, enough with the doom and gloom. We don’t even know if that guy’s willing to date me. Even if he is, I might not even like him.”

She gently pulled the quilt back over Qiao Yan again. This time, at last, she didn’t toss it off.

“Qiao Lu.” Her voice sounded low and heavy. “Let me tell you—if you two really end up together, you’re bound to suffer once you marry into that family.”

Qiao Yan wasn’t really angry at Qiao Lu. The truth was, she was angry at herself—for not protecting her little sister six years ago, and now, six years later, for watching helplessly as she walked straight into another fire.

Qiao Lu understood the unspoken meaning behind her sister’s words. The bond between them was so close that there was no need for many words—what mattered was already shared in silence.

“Even if I suffer, it’s my own choice.” Qiao Lu stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her sister’s shoulders, letting out a sigh. “Sister, you don’t need to blame yourself. Whether it’s the past or now, none of it was your fault. Everything that happened was on me. You’re a good sister—you’ve always been a good sister.”

“Sister, don’t carry that guilt. I was already so grateful just to be brought from the countryside into the city.”

“Sister, without you, there wouldn’t be me.”

“Sister, I will live well—I’ll repay everything you’ve done for me.”

Their bond had long since gone beyond that of mere sisters. It was a kind of love not even a mother could replace.

As her words fell, Qiao Yan’s body trembled violently.

The room fell completely silent. You could hear a pin drop.

Only after a long while—so long that Qiao Lu began to wonder if she’d already fallen asleep—did she hear the muffled sound of sobbing near her ear.

“Qiao Lu… I really don’t want to see you suffer anymore.”

A pang shot through Qiao Lu’s heart. She wasn’t Qiao Yan’s real sister, just someone who had transmigrated into this body—yet she was still moved by Qiao Yan’s love.

“I know, sister. I know.” She hugged her from behind, rubbing her cheek affectionately against Qiao Yan’s shoulder. “I won’t be hurt again. Trust me.”

That promise wasn’t just for Qiao Yan—it was also an answer for the original owner of this body.

After all, since she now lived in someone else’s body, she bore a responsibility to live well.

And she would—she definitely would.

In winter, the days are short and the nights long.

At dawn, the sky was still gray and misty. It had rained again the night before, and the plane tree leaves—half-yellow, half-green—had been washed clean and glistened under the morning light. As the wind passed through, fallen leaves rustled and scattered all over the ground.

Around noon, the State-Owned Xiangqian Restaurant in Lian’an City was bustling with guests. Sister Liu arrived there with Xu Haizhou.

“Don’t let the fact that she has a child fool you. She’s actually the same as you—this would be her first official marriage! She was tricked by a man before and had a child, but they never registered the marriage.” Liu Xiaohong spoke as she pulled out a photo of Qiao Lu. “I’m telling you, I’ve lived in Lian’an all these years and have never seen a girl as pretty as her. You’re really lucky, you know that?”

The tall and upright man beside her merely nodded calmly. “Mm. I understand. I’ll meet her first and see. If it feels right, we can talk more.”

“Hey, that’s fine by me! I was just worried you’d look down on her. As long as you don’t, that’s good.” The more Liu Xiaohong looked at him, the more she felt he and Qiao Lu were a good match—a talented man and a beautiful woman. As long as they could get past the hurdles of “second marriage” and “rural background,” nothing else would matter.

“She’ll be here soon. If you like her, make a good impression. She’s a great woman—diligent, capable, perfect for building a life with, not a single flaw to pick at…”

In the middle of all that praise, Qiao Lu appeared at the restaurant entrance, holding her son in her arms.

She looked up at the sign—State-Owned Xiangqian Restaurant. This was the place.

Qiao Lu had made a special effort to dress up for the blind date. She had swapped her old cotton-padded coat for a blue floral one, and little Qiao An had on a new padded jacket too—both ready-made garments that had cost a lot of money. They were the ones Qiao Yan had bought for them on their first day in the city, and they usually hadn’t had the heart to wear them.

Although the coat was a bit loose, it still showed off her slim figure. Her delicate features and calm, composed aura made her stand out even more among the plainly dressed women nearby.

As she walked from the entrance into the restaurant, Qiao Lu immediately drew the attention of quite a few men. But the moment they saw the timid child in her arms, they all sighed in disappointment and looked away.

“Qiao Lu! Over here!” Liu Xiaohong waved at her.

Qiao Lu quickened her pace, and on the other side, Xu Haizhou also stood up politely to greet her.

The steam rising from the soup dishes gave the entire restaurant a hazy, dreamlike quality. Walking through the swirling mist, everything felt unreal.

Except for him—he stood there, solid and clear before her eyes.

He truly was a strikingly handsome man.

Tall—about 1.8 meters—with sword-like brows, starry eyes, a straight nose, and thin lips. He wore a lamb-fur hat and a stiff, dark green overcoat that gave him a clean, upright look. His features were sharp and resolute, radiating a sense of strength and security.

Compared to the usual blind dates she’d seen, Xu Haizhou was undoubtedly the most eye-catching.

But by all logic, a man who looked like this should be highly sought-after—how had he ended up going on blind dates?

…

Before she could think too much, Liu Xiaohong enthusiastically ushered them to their seats.

“Come on, sit—don’t just stand there!”

Qiao Lu sat down across from Xu Haizhou with her son still in her arms. In this unfamiliar environment, the little one clung tightly to her neck, unwilling to let go. Helpless, she had no choice but to keep holding him.

But the man across from her looked more and more familiar. It wasn’t just her imagination—she had seen him before. But where?

“Comrade, have we met before?”

The weather was freezing. Her breath fogged up her scarf, leaving it damp and uncomfortable. Qiao Lu unwrapped it, finally breathing in some fresh air.

Xu Haizhou’s gaze shifted away from Qiao An’s face, and for a fleeting moment, there was a hint of surprise in his expression.

Before he could speak, Qiao Lu suddenly realized something and exclaimed, “I know! Do you run a street stall in Qingteng Alley?”

Xu Haizhou raised his brows in surprise. “Mm, I have a stall in Qingteng Alley selling small accessories.”

“That’s it! No wonder you looked so familiar—I’ve been there several times.” Lately, she’d often wandered the free market with nothing better to do. But her focus had always been on the goods, so she hadn’t paid much attention to the stall owners.

Xu Haizhou nodded with a smile. “Yes, I’m usually there every day.”

“Even when it rains?” Qiao Lu asked.

Xu Haizhou: “Even when it rains.”

Qiao Lu: “That must be tough.”

Xu Haizhou lowered his gaze to look at her. The shadows of his lashes fell lightly on his lower eyelids, casting a delicate outline. “You get used to it. It’s not so bad.”

Qiao Lu squinted her eyes and smiled. Her posture was calm and natural as she studied him without shyness.

“You’re really impressive,” she said.

Xu Haizhou glanced away from her beautiful eyes and smiled lightly. “Thank you.”

Seeing the two of them chatting comfortably, Liu Xiaohong realized her presence was no longer needed. She stood up and excused herself. “You two go ahead and talk. Here—give me the child, I’ll take Qiao An for a walk.”

As she reached out to take him, the little boy clung to Qiao Lu in panic, as if glued to her lap. No matter how hard she tried, he wouldn’t budge an inch.

Qiao Lu gave an apologetic smile and gently patted Qiao An’s back, about to say something—when a gentle male voice suddenly spoke behind her.

“It’s all right. If the child doesn’t want to go, don’t force him.”

His smile was warm, and his voice deep and mellow. It was unlike any male voice Qiao Lu had heard before—one of the few she could truly describe as “pleasant.”

Sister Liu glanced at Qiao Lu in awkward hesitation. When their eyes met, both women could see the helplessness in each other’s expressions.

In the end, she had no choice but to give up, releasing her hand with a dry chuckle. “All right, then. I’ll be going. You two continue talking.”

As she turned to leave, she added to Qiao An, “An’an, be good—don’t make trouble for your mom!”

Qiao An squirmed nervously, his tiny teeth biting his lower lip as he hugged his mother even tighter.