Chapter 122: Buying a Camera

After a quick shower and wash, Chen Liang carried a half-filled basin of water back into the room for Xiaoyu to freshen up.

"Don't you dare peek, or I won't have any ice cream tonight," Xiaoyu warned, her little face stern and feigning a fierce, adorable expression.

Chen Liang, who had been harboring some impulsive thoughts deep down, immediately extinguished those desires upon being threatened. Hmph, this fickle woman—she truly turned on him in a heartbeat. Who was it, just a moment ago, whispering sweet words of love against his back?

However, once Xiaoyu finished washing and emerged, Chen Liang practiced selective amnesia, completely forgetting his earlier grievances. There was no helping it; his wife was simply too alluring. Who could resist the temptation of Xiaoyu in a cheongsam? Chen Liang certainly couldn't!

"Brother, I'm done!" Seeing Xiaoyu leaning toward him, Chen Liang took a few rapid strides to the chest of drawers, pulled out a wine glass, filled it to the brim, and downed it in one go.

Xiaoyu watched, pale and terrified. "Hey! That’s clearly over the limit, Brother!"

It was just a simple sparring match; did he really have to "purchase" top-tier gear before even starting? He was trying to crush her! Tonight, the Diaochan of the game was bullied mercilessly by Lu Bu. She hadn't even reached level four before Lu Bu had already secured an eight-kill streak. By the time she finally saved up enough cooldown reduction to attempt a comeback, Lu Bu had already equipped four magic-resistant items.

He was leaving her absolutely no room to breathe! Who played games like this? Was it even possible to have a fair match anymore?

With Lu Bu having equipped his four magic-resistant items, he once again pinned the full-cooldown Diaochan to the ground. She eventually logged out in tears—it was just too bullying!

When Chen Liang woke up early the next morning, Diaochan—still exhausted from his bullying—was fast asleep with tear stains on her cheeks. He kissed her forehead gently before getting out of bed.

"Morning, Auntie Zhang!" While heading out to wash up, he bumped into his neighbor coming out to empty her chamber pot and greeted her with a smile.

Auntie Zhang, dark circles under her eyes and looking as though she hadn't slept a wink, gave a listless, perfunctory reply before muttering to herself. What was wrong with these young people today? Why were they so obsessed with making others call them "Daddy"?

Alas, one must accept the passing of time. He recalled his own youth, when he was just as energetic. Time is truly a cruel blade—it darkens the grapes and softens the bananas. Age spares no one!

Returning to the room, Chen Liang dampened a towel and wiped Xiaoyu’s face. Once she was awake, he busied himself helping her get dressed. Don't mistake this for being henpecked; this is the mark of a true man. A real gentleman knows when to yield and when to stand tall. Is serving one’s wife shameful? Not at all; it only deepens the bond between them!

Because he was so exhausted from the night before, Chen Liang polished off five large steamed cornmeal buns with Liubiju pickled cucumbers, followed by a massive bowl of cornmeal porridge, before patting his stomach in satisfaction.

After seeing Xiaoyu off to work, she—still sleep-deprived—adamantly refused to let her flirtatious, clingy husband into her small office. She had finally learned a hard lesson after all this time: as long as Chen Liang was around, she could never get a proper night's sleep.

Hearing Xiaoyu slide the bolt shut, Chen Liang knew he wouldn't be getting in. He strolled out of the library, deciding to wander the streets instead. As for work? Hmph, his uncle had personally told him to get lost. If he went back now, wouldn't he just be offering a hot face to a cold backside? He wasn't that desperate.

(Well, honestly, he was just looking for an excuse to slack off. Don't be so blunt! Doesn't he have his pride?)

Chen Liang wandered the streets for a long time before stopping in front of a consignment store. Even though it was early, the place was bustling.

These consignment stores were essentially the successor to old-fashioned pawn shops, though they were now proper state-run enterprises. While not as grand as large department stores, working there was considered a top-tier job at the time. They bought, sold, and consigned valuable second-hand items. Unlike pawn shops, prices were fixed and fair—you bought it if you liked it, or you left it. There was no coercion.

They sold everything from everyday essentials like pots, pans, and furniture to valuables like used bicycles, sewing machines, watches, cameras, and gramophones. If it could be traded on the market, you could find it here.

The 1960s and 70s were the golden age for these stores. Since goods were rationed and hard to come by even if you had the money, people didn't mind buying second-hand as long as the items were functional.

Even a "hidden tycoon" like Chen Liang had to shop at the consignment store.

Standing at the entrance for only a moment, Chen Liang had already shooed away three bold scalpers. Where there was profit, there were always people looking to cut in. These enterprising scalpers loitered around the entrance, approaching anyone buying or selling to try and earn a commission on the price difference. On a good day, they could make a decent bit of pocket money.

It was a lucrative but risky job; whenever the police cracked down on speculation, a few of these scalpers would inevitably end up behind bars for a while. It was rumored that the unluckiest among them had been locked up over a dozen times—a legendary figure in his own right!

Watching them skulking around, Chen Liang sighed at this unique feature of the era. He stepped into the store with a clear goal: a camera.

He had been regretting not capturing the beautiful moments of their trip to the lake, and he wasn't about to let that happen again. Taking advantage of this rare break from Xiaoyu and his uncle’s demands, he had come to make his purchase.

Confident in his photography skills, Chen Liang cleared his throat. Please, everyone, call me Director Chen or Teacher Chen from now on!

Just kidding, don't take it to heart!