Best friends transmigrate into a book! They marry a high-ranking official! If you run, I run too!

Wen Tang only asked her, "Are you looking down on poor and lower-middle peasants?"

“…I,” Zhang Qingqing’s panic was visibly palpable.

She stopped standing and sat down abruptly, saying, "Stop being unreasonable."

Wen Tang crossed his arms and said, "I thought you working class looked down on us poor peasants!"

Even though Zhang Qingqing was so angry she was gritting her teeth, she didn't dare to utter a single word in response.

How can I possibly argue with that?!

If things go wrong, you could lose your job and be publicly criticized and educated.

This will become a major stain on his life in the future.

Tu Manman gritted her teeth and thought for a while before saying, "Comrade Wen keeps talking about the working class and the poor and lower-middle peasants. You want to go for coffee? Isn't that petty-bourgeois behavior?"

Wen Tang looked completely innocent. "What do you mean by that?"

"Am I a poor farmer? Do I really understand the nuances of coffee?"

"I just thought that place was high-end, and I wanted to take my friends to try some good food."

Zhang Qingqing said she didn't understand coffee.

Wen Tang used these words to shut Tu Manman up, and Tu Manman fell silent.

Wen Tang continued to mock, "I'm just a poor peasant, I toil in the fields from dawn till dusk, what do I know about the petit bourgeoisie?"

“I’m not like you guys, with your refined tastes and culture. You drink coffee with a discerning eye.”

Wen Tang tapped her forehead. "Is this how you people enjoy coffee... something to be called bourgeois?"

Tu Manman hurriedly sat down, saying, "You...you stop talking nonsense."

"We...we have no money and no time to drink that stuff."

Wen Tang was shocked. "A good woman should have ambitions beyond her hometown. Don't make a fuss about starving."

She then looked puzzled and asked, "Don't you guys save any money after you get your monthly salary?"

She earnestly advised, "This won't do!"

"You really should learn from us poor peasants!"

“We are very frugal on weekdays. Even though we eat communal meals, we can still save a lot of money in a year.”

"Occasionally, I can taste the good things you city people have."

Tu Manman and Zhang Qingqing both lowered their heads and remained silent.

They originally intended to attack and mock her by using her identity as a rural person from Wentang, but instead, she used that identity to ridicule them thoroughly.

But because she kept referring to herself as a poor peasant, they didn't dare say anything.

Otherwise, if Wen Tang were to make a scene, they would be considered to have improper thinking.

The two remained silent. Wen Tang scoffed and then took Su Xiuxiu's arm. "Let's go get some coffee."

"If you don't understand, let's buy a couple more cups and try them one by one." This was said intentionally for Zhang Qingqing and Tu Manman to hear.

But Zhang Qingqing and Tu Manman still didn't dare to say a word.

Wen Tang's mouth is too sharp.

Wen Tang and Su Xiuxiu left, and Tu Manman and Zhang Qingqing were so angry that they didn't want to eat anymore.

"This woman is absolutely disgusting," Zhang Qingqing said angrily, slamming her chopsticks down.

The restaurant staff were already eyeing them, and Zhang Qingqing's slamming of her chopsticks drew even more attention.

Moreover, with Wen Tang and Su Xiuxiu gone, all the attention fell on Tu Manman and Zhang Xiuxiu.

Tu Manman disliked it and said unhappily, "Why did you throw your chopsticks?"

Zhang Qingqing put the chopsticks back down. "I didn't throw them down for you to see."

She continued to complain, "That Su Xiuxiu is something else. Someone stole the man she liked, and she ended up dating him instead. She's so pathetic."

"Just because he said he'd buy her coffee?"

"Is it because you can't afford it or what?"

As Zhang Qingqing spoke, she kept glancing at Tu Manman, wondering if Tu Manman would say, "Come on, I'll treat you to a drink. It's not like only they can afford it."

Or, to put it another way, "Someone from the countryside is trying to show off?"

But Tu Manman only asked her, "Are you still going to eat or not?"

Zhang Qingqing silently picked up her chopsticks again; she hadn't eaten much just now!

Tu Manman didn't eat any more.

Zhang Qingqing took a few bites casually but lost her appetite, so she said, "I'm not eating anymore, let's go!"

After leaving the state-run restaurant, the two began to wander aimlessly along the roadside.

Until we reached the coffee shop.

The cafes in Haishi are all remnants from before; they are spacious and beautifully decorated.

The bright glass windows revealed people inside enjoying tea and coffee.

Wen Tang and Su Xiuxiu sat by the window.

In front of the two of them were not only coffee, but also small cakes with forks, which were beautiful and exquisite.

Wen Tang and Su Xiuxiu sat facing each other, smiling sweetly. They were laughing happily, though it was unclear what they were talking about.

Tu Manman and Zhang Qingqing watched this scene through the window.

It was already dazzling enough, but then, coincidentally, the waiter brought out two beautiful servings of ice cream, the kind that looked rich and sweet.

Zhang Qingqing couldn't help but ask, "Is she called a poor and lower-middle peasant?"

Just then, Wen Tang turned her head and saw the two of them.

Through the window, Wen Tang deliberately scooped up a bite of ice cream and put it in her mouth, then looked on with a look of enjoyment.

He even deliberately waved his blissful face at the people outside the window and made a funny face at them.

Zhang Qingqing's face was contorted with anger.

"That's disgusting, like they haven't eaten anything at all," Zhang Qingqing screamed helplessly.

That said, she had never eaten ice cream at a coffee shop before.

They usually just buy a milk popsicle from the convenience store.

After Zhang Qingqing finished speaking, she looked at Tu Manman, expecting Tu Manman to speak.

But Tu Manman didn't say a single extra word.

Because she didn't have any money either!

Her situation was different from Su Xiuxiu's. Su Xiuxiu was a local girl with parents who both worked, and her older brother and sister also had jobs. Su Xiuxiu could spend her money on herself each month, so treating others to meals and soft drinks was no problem for her.

She was different; like Wen Tang, she was from a county town under Haishi.

My father had a job at a supply and marketing cooperative, but my mother was unemployed.

There is a younger sister and two younger brothers in the family. They are all quite young, especially the two younger brothers who are still in school. They have a lot of expenses on a daily basis.

She has to contribute a portion of her monthly salary to support her family, so she can't afford to spend it recklessly.

Zhang Qingqing was able to take advantage of her every day simply because she had many suitors.

If she goes into a coffee shop now, she might not have enough money for living expenses this month.

That's why Tu Manman is so powerful despite being mute.

Seeing that Zhang Qingqing's face was still contorted, Tu Manman could only say, "Let's go, the sun is too strong."

Zhang Qingqing stomped her foot and left with her, "Pah, Su Xiuxiu is so heartless."

“We helped her all the way here, but she just went and started eating and drinking with other people.”

"Don't expect me to talk to her anymore."

After the two left, Wen Tang asked Su Xiuxiu, "Xiuxiu, how did you meet them?"

Su Xiuxiu watched the two figures walk away and smiled faintly, "They're from the same troupe. Manman is the mainstay of the show and she's also very kind-hearted. Everyone gets along with her."

"When I first arrived, she took good care of me, and we gradually became familiar with each other."

"Qingqing was initially close to Manman. Later, I asked Manman to go out with me, and she came along too. We got to know each other better and the three of us started hanging out together."