Back to the 1970s: Building My Fortune Through Time Trading-Chapter 369: Third Wheel

"Director Li?"

Su Xiaoxiao was a bit surprised to see the visitor—it was Director Li from the neighboring city’s meat processing plant.

"Comrade Su, long time no see."

Li Jianjun greeted her warmly, "I heard you were on a business trip to our city recently, why didn’t you stop by the factory? It’s perfect, I’m free today, let me treat you to a meal."

"No need, Director Li, I’ve already arranged to meet someone today, maybe another day I can treat you."

Su Xiaoxiao hurriedly refused, as she had things to do today.

Li Jianjun didn’t insist, they exchanged a few pleasantries before he bid farewell and left.

After he left, Su Xiaoxiao was about to go inside to find Chen Meilan, and as soon as she entered, Zhang Xiaohong spotted her from afar and enthusiastically called out to her.

"Sis, you’re here, what would you like to eat? Order whatever you want, it’s on me."

Zhang Xiaohong pulled her along with great enthusiasm, "That Lao Gan Ma you asked Tieshan to bring me yesterday was really good, today I must treat you to a nice meal, otherwise I’d feel bad always letting you spend money."

At this moment, Su Xiaoxiao already spotted Chen Meilan sitting not far away and quickly said to Zhang Xiaohong, "Sis, next time for sure, today I’m with a friend."

Zhang Xiaohong looked a little disappointed, "Alright, then next time don’t be polite with me, we’ve already agreed."

"Definitely, then you go ahead and get busy, my friend is over there."

She pointed to where Chen Meilan was sitting, "If you like that Lao Gan Ma, I’ll get you a couple more bottles next time."

"You little girl, that stuff doesn’t look cheap, don’t spend too much."

Zhang Xiaohong quickly waved her hands, thinking her little sister was too generous, sending things every few days.

Su Xiaoxiao pretended to be angry, "Sis, between us, if you keep being polite to me, it means you don’t want to recognize me as your sister."

"Alright, alright, I won’t be polite, you go ahead and take care of your things, come find me for a meal when you have time."

Zhang Xiaohong smiled.

When Su Xiaoxiao left, a nearby waitress spoke enviously, "Sister Zhang, you’re really lucky, your sister just became the sales manager at the department store, I heard."

Simply recognizing someone as a sister, not only are rare things sent every day, but she’s already a manager at such a young age—who wouldn’t envy Zhang Xiaohong’s luck?

"Of course, it’s my sister after all!"

Zhang Xiaohong felt proud upon hearing the news, initially it was just because she took a liking to the girl, realizing she hit the jackpot.

Thinking of Su Xiaoxiao meeting with a friend, she hastily looked over, worried her good sister might be tricked by some man, she wanted to keep a good watch.

Chen Meilan still unaware she was mistaken for Su Xiaoxiao’s "wild man," nervously fixed her hair and asked Su Xiaoxiao, "Xiao Su, do you think my hairstyle is alright?"

She styled her hair according to Su Xiaoxiao’s suggestion yesterday, with loose curls held with a yellow floral hairband, looking youthful and energetic.

Su Xiaoxiao sized her up for a moment, and exaggeratedly gave her a thumbs up, "Perfect, absolutely perfect, Director Chen, you look stunning even to someone like me, a girl."

Chen Meilan blushed deeply at her unreserved compliment.

The corner of her eye suddenly caught a glimpse of a man striding towards them, she quickly signaled Su Xiaoxiao with her eyes.

Su Xiaoxiao understood, soon noticing a tall male comrade approaching.

He seemed to be over 1.8 meters tall, quite rare in this era.

The male comrade nodded at her, cheeks flushed, and sat beside Chen Meilan.

"Comrade Chen, sorry, I was delayed by something with the team."

"No problem, no problem, we just arrived."

Chen Meilan responded with a blush.

Seeing them like this, Su Xiaoxiao felt like she was nothing but a glaring third wheel, the brightest sort.

Apparently, she wasn’t needed to ease the mood here, their eyes were practically interlocking.

No point for a single like her to remain.

With a few light coughs, she spoke, "Sister Chen, I just remembered something, I should get going."

Saying this, she secretly signaled Chen Meilan.

Chen Meilan nodded with a red face, "Okay, Xiao Su, go ahead if you have things to do, I’ll treat you to a meal sometime."

After bidding farewell, Su Xiaoxiao turned and left the state-run restaurant.

With still some time left, thinking of where to wander about, just as she mounted her bicycle, she suddenly heard a loud bang, nearly startling her off the bike.

What was that, an earthquake or an explosion?

Looking in the direction of the sound, she saw a group of excited kids gathered in a circle, eyes shining.

In the center of the crowd was a hunched old man.

The old man was bent over, pouring something out of a sooty, gourd-shaped contraption.

Su Xiaoxiao instantly realized it was a 1970s-style popcorn machine.

Kids had few treats in this era, and popcorn, an old school snack, was a favorite among them.

Typically, every household would come out when they heard the popping sound, without needing separate solicitation.

The cost was very cheap as well, buyers brought their own corn and bags, just one dime per batch.

This method of popping popcorn has been obsolete in recent times; people like Su Xiaoxiao’s generation had only seen it in videos.

She quickly went over, curious.

Watching the old man’s skilled hand rotating the popcorn machine over the fire, and when the moment was right, the bystanders stepped back in unison.

Soon, accompanied by a loud bang, the group of kids jumped around cheering brightly-eyed.

Su Xiaoxiao found it amusing, but then the corner of her eye caught a familiar figure.

She waved and called out eagerly, "Sister Zhang, Sister Zhang."

But the crowd was too noisy, and the person seemed too anxious to notice her.

What was Sister Zhang up to? Normally at this time, she’d be eating at the unit’s canteen, wouldn’t she?

Su Xiaoxiao felt a strong intuition that Zhang Yulan was facing something.

Thinking of the troublemaking aunt who once stormed the department store, she hesitated only a moment before chasing after on her bike.

Sister Zhang was on foot, no matter how fast, couldn’t outpace a bicycle, Su Xiaoxiao caught up soon.

Seeing her turn into a nearby alley, Su Xiaoxiao quickly followed suit.

She kept a not-too-far, not-too-close distance, soon arriving at the front of a vintage tube apartment.

Noticing Zhang Yulan heading into the building, she hurriedly parked and locked her bicycle, catching up fast.

Luckily, Zhang Yulan wasn’t ascending quickly, Su Xiaoxiao easily followed her to the third floor.

The stuff strewn across the hallway was chaotic; some households even had their pots and pans out on display, making the passage unusually cramped.

Zhang Yulan walked for a while, stopping at a door at the end of the third floor, not opening it immediately, but seemed to be listening closely to the inside.

Suddenly, whatever she heard made her face turn grimly pale.