Ancestors, I told you to seduce the villains, not to turn evil.

Xu Manman was even more surprised: "Mr. Bai Zi's comic books are sold in the county town?"

She remembered that the publisher she submitted her manuscript to was in Beijing. How could it have been sent from Beijing in such a short time?

Zhou Lei nodded: "Not only are they still available, they're all sold out. Those bookstores weren't doing well before, but because of Mr. Bai Zi's comic books, they're packed every day now."

"Many people went in and urged the shopkeepers to hurry up and restock, but it was no use. The Beijing Publishing House was also out of stock."

Xu Manman remembered that the editor had sent her several sample copies of the book so that she could give them away. She decided to go back and organize them.

Back at Grandma Bao's house, Zhou Lei went to help. Xu Manman opened the package and saw that there were six or seven sets of comic books inside.

The comic book she adapted last time consisted of four independent stories, but now they've been made into a set.

The set consists of four books, totaling twenty-eight books, with more than a dozen of them being sample copies sent to her by the editor for adaptation.

No wonder it's so heavy; there are quite a few books inside.

The sample books sent this time were no longer children's books, but some classic works, so it seems she'll be quite busy for the next while.

Fei Huainan returned before lunchtime. For lunch, she made fish. Grandma Bao is a good cook; everything she makes tastes delicious.

Grandpa Zheng took Fei Huainan's pulse and then took Xu Manman's pulse as well.

When Xu Manman was little, she was mistreated by her stepmother and had to do laundry even in the dead of winter, which made her somewhat weak. Grandpa Zheng told her to go back and eat something good to nourish herself.

Since they were eating well, Xu Manman quietly asked Zhou Lei, "I wonder if there's any fish or shrimp? If there is, I'd like some too."

Zhou Lei nodded: "Yes, my friend's village received quite a lot. I'll ask around for you later."

Xu Manman's eyes lit up, and just as she was about to say something more, Fei Huainan's tall figure stood beside her.

Seeing this, Zhou Lei wisely walked away.

Xu Manman looked at Fei Huainan blankly.

Fei Huainan looked a little uncomfortable. He felt inexplicably uneasy seeing Xu Manman and Zhou Lei getting too close, so he couldn't help but step forward.

However, he couldn't say that, so Fei Huainan made up an excuse.

"I'm just reminding you that you should go wait for the oxcart, otherwise you won't be able to get back."

The weather is strangely cold now, so the oxcart has to head back at three o'clock and will arrive home around five o'clock.

Xu Manman glanced at the time; it was almost two o'clock. It was indeed time to go to the meeting place.

As Xu Manman stepped out of the house, a gust of wind blew in her face, and she immediately buried her face in her scarf.

No wonder the winter here lasts so long; the autumn wind is already like a knife, stinging my face.

Xu Manman carried a large package back, and the people on the oxcart saw her and couldn't help but take a second look.

Xu Manman didn't explain much.

When they arrived at the village and returned home, Xu Manman's hands and feet were ice cold, so Fei Huainan immediately turned on the stove to warm up the house.

That evening, Zhou Lei and the friend who had delivered the grain last time brought over the meat that Xu Manman had requested.

A whole cart full.

Fei Huainan settled the accounts with the two men. They had collected all these items from the village, and the amount they paid Fei Huainan was the same amount they collected.

In addition, Fei Huainan gave another twenty yuan.

Xu Manman made ginger soup for the two of them and wanted them to stay overnight, but Zhou Lei refused.

They need to go back.

As Zhou Lei stepped out of Fei Huainan's house, his friend looked at him and asked, "What do these people do? Why did they buy so much meat? Is it because..."

He didn't explicitly say the words "speculation and profiteering," but that's what he meant.

Zhou Lei glared at him.

"Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask. Just focus on making your own money and don't worry about anything else."

Zhou Lei was also puzzled as to why the two of them had ordered so much meat, enough for two pigs, two sheep, a cow, and countless fish and shrimp.

These items cost over three hundred yuan.

They were given an additional twenty each.

It cost nearly four hundred yuan.

Ordinary people couldn't save up this much in several years, and no one believed that Xu Manman bought all this just to have a prosperous New Year.

But he knew he shouldn't ask questions he shouldn't ask.

Zhou Lei's friend had just started gossiping when Zhou Lei interrupted him.

Zhou Lei is a particularly good person in this respect; he never asks too many questions about Fei Huainan and Xu Manman's affairs.

For example, Xu Manman and Fei Huainan were dressed so poorly, yet they could still pull out several hundred yuan at once.

Last time they spent a lot of money on grain, and this time they're buying even more meat. Most people would have other ideas when they see this.

Even if they weren't really interested, they would at least try to find out what was going on, but Zhou Lei didn't ask a single question.

There was no probing.

He was an orphan from a young age, and having met many people, he became particularly adept at distinguishing between kindness and malice in people.

Xu Manman and Fei Huainan have secrets, but they are sincere to others, and there's nothing to say about him.

Every time he goes out to buy food, Grandpa Zheng and Grandma Bao get some, and he gets a share too.

Zhou Lei had never been treated like this before. In his heart, he regarded Xu Manman and Fei Huainan as his own brother and sister.

Therefore, he specifically warned his friend: "Pretend that what happened today never happened. Don't blab about it, or we'll all be in trouble."

My friend immediately chimed in, "Am I the kind of person who talks a lot? I'm just curious! Okay, okay, I won't say anything more, alright?"

Zhou Lei retorted: "Shut up, or you'll get cold air in your stomach."

The two of them came out to deliver something, and they were both wearing cotton-padded coats.

The temperature difference between day and night is too great, so I'm all bundled up. Even when I say a few words, the north wind keeps blowing into my mouth.

The next day, Xu Manman took out a set of comic books from the package, intending to give them to Lü Ming, along with some snacks that the children liked.

Li Wu's situation was largely thanks to Lü Ming; otherwise, she and Fei Huainan would have been in serious trouble.

When Xu Manman went out, she found that the road outside was covered with a layer of snowflakes.

It snowed last night? She had no idea.

Just then, Fei Huainan came in from outside, stamped the snow off his feet, walked to the kang (heated brick bed), and added some firewood to it.

The temperature suddenly dropped last night, so Fei Huainan lit the kang (heated brick bed) to prevent them from getting sick from the cold.

Xu Manman had no idea, no wonder she slept so comfortably.

Xu Manman gave Fei Huainan a thumbs up, and then was about to leave.

When Fei Huainan saw that she was about to leave, he immediately took his military overcoat from the shelf next to him.

"It's terribly cold outside, wear something warmer."

As he spoke, he put the scarf on Xu Manman as well.

Xu Manman thought this was too exaggerated.

But the moment she stepped outside, she knew it was no exaggeration.

It's incredibly cold here.

Luckily, I was wearing new cotton shoes made by Grandma Bao, which were very warm; otherwise, my feet would have frozen stiff.

When they arrived at Ding Huiying's house, Ding Huiying was not there; only Lü Ming was home.

She originally wanted to ask Ding Huiying about the cotton-padded coat, but seeing that Ding Huiying wasn't home, she left the comic book with Lü Ming and left.

Back home, Xu Manman felt alive again.