“Xiao Nannan, do you look down on your sister? Then have dinner at home tonight and watch how I dazzle you with my cooking skills.”
Shen Shujiao had already served the rice while speaking and placed it in front of Zhou Hong and his wife. “Uncle Zhou, Aunt Zhou, please sit down and eat. Don’t be polite.”
“Ah, Sister Jiaojiao, you didn’t serve me any rice! You don’t love me anymore!” Zhou Jianan pretended to be hurt and upset.
“I’m someone who couldn’t even tell green onions from chives, yet I’ve learned to make a whole table of dishes. And you, someone who knew how to help Mom wash dishes at three, now can’t even serve a bowl properly?” Shen Shujiao teased.
“Who said I can’t serve rice? I’m the best at it!” Zhou Jianan said as she scooped herself a huge bowl from the pot.
Seeing the rice piled high in Zhou Jianan’s bowl, Shen Shujiao realized belatedly that she was supposed to be eating alone—so why had she cooked so much?
It was as if someone in her mind had guided her, as if someone were coming to eat the first meal of her life. Unconsciously, she had made more than enough.
It must have been her little “koi fish” baby in her belly giving her guidance.
Just as Shen Shujiao marveled at the magic of her baby, Zhou Jianan’s exaggerated crying broke out.
“Waaah… this is too delicious! I’ve never eaten anything this good!”
“Pfft…”
Seeing Zhou Jianan crying tears of joy, Shen Shujiao couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Xiao Nannan, don’t exaggerate so much.”
“Jiaojiao, it’s really too delicious. I thought my mom was the best cook in the world, but your dishes are even better than hers,” Zhou Jianan’s mother said, her eyes red.
“They really are good. I’ve never eaten such delicious food,” Zhou Hong also said, his eyes glistening.
Seeing the usually strong man Zhou Hong with red eyes, Shen Shujiao was stunned.
With her koi-baby’s magical help, her cooking was indeed very tasty—but to make people cry from deliciousness? That seemed a bit much.
“Uncle Zhou, Aunt Zhou, actually my cooking isn’t that amazing. Maybe you were both interrogated by the police for several days, feeling tense, not eating or resting well. Coming here, feeling more relaxed, makes my dishes seem extra delicious.”
Being a man, Zhou Hong quickly restrained his emotions.
The flavors reminded him of his mother’s cooking. After enduring such a shock, tasting his mother’s flavors inevitably brought tears to his eyes.
“Jiaojiao is right. These past few days have been tough, but you truly have a talent for cooking. These dishes are both beautiful and delicious,” Zhou Hong praised.
“Let’s eat first; we can talk after we finish.”
After being locked up for a week, Zhou Jianan, an 18-year-old girl, had barely eaten anything out of fear. Now tasting such delicious food, she ate three bowls of rice in one go, her belly round and full.
The entire table of dishes was devoured by the four of them.
After the meal, Shen Shujiao wanted to wash the dishes, but Zhou Jianan’s mother insisted she go to the living room to chat.
Walking into the living room, Zhou Hong noticed there was only a single sofa. Looking around at what was once a tastefully decorated living room, it now looked empty and bare, which felt odd.
“Jiaojiao, what happened? Why is the house emptied out?”
“Uncle Zhou, I handed over all the family property and this house to the state…” Shen Shujiao summarized the events of the past few days.
“Sister Jiaojiao, you’re pregnant! What if your military officer fiancé goes to the battlefield and doesn’t return?” Zhou Jianan asked, her eyes full of concern.
Zhou Jianan had seen Huo Zhoubai before and thought he was stunningly handsome—a perfect match for Sister Jiaojiao.
Such a man dying in battle would be heartbreaking.
In the previous life, Huo Zhoubai had gone to the front lines for three months before even dating her, killed countless enemies, and returned safely.
This life, Huo Zhoubai still had to go to the front lines.
But Shen Shujiao trusted that with his determination and ability, he would return safely.
“He’s a man chosen by my parents and also my choice. I believe he will definitely come back safely,” Shen Shujiao said with absolute certainty.
“Love in the Republic era often ends in tragedy, but now it’s a new society. I pray the heavens that Jiaojiao’s fiancé comes back safely. Both you and the baby are waiting for him,” Zhou Jianan said, hands clasped in prayer.
Seeing her pray so sincerely, Shen Shujiao’s heart melted.
Though this girl was still innocent and lively, Shen Xueman, who knew the story, said Zhou Jianan would grow up to be a formidable and impartial female judge.
In the previous life, to gain Zhou Jianan’s favor, Shen Xueman had advised Zhou Hong to also hand over his property to the state to have them assign him work.
Following Shen Xueman’s advice, Zhou Hong and his family avoided the crisis of political purges and were very grateful to Shen Xueman.
Especially that year, the university entrance exams were banned. Zhou Jianan, just turned 18, started at a low-level position in the judicial department assigned by the state, progressed in two years, and was promoted, eventually sending a thank-you letter to Shen Xueman.
Shen Xueman proudly said Zhou Jianan would later become a strong ally in her business empire.
Later, Shen Xueman’s soul followed Huo Zhoubai to the remote countryside, so she never knew how Zhou Jianan turned out.
But knowing Shen Xueman’s ruthless methods, Shen Shujiao assumed Zhou Jianan, being targeted by Shen Xueman, would not have an easy path.
“Jiaojiao, after your parents passed and your eldest uncle’s family took you in, I worried they’d destroy you. I thought if they tried anything, I’d warn you. But you had already prepared yourself. Not only did you deal with your eldest uncle’s family, you also chose the right path for yourself.”
Hearing this, Shen Shujiao said, “Uncle Zhou, you think I did the right thing? So what do you plan to do next?”
Zhou Hong, a private lawyer, had high prestige in Shanghai at a time when the judicial system was still imperfect.
Over the years, he had amassed a significant fortune, making him a target for opportunists.
“You handed over your property and requested the state assign you work—that was very wise. I’ve decided to do the same for Jianan and have the state assign her a job.”
His daughter was smart. She would have taken the university entrance exam this year and could have entered Shanghai University—the same as Shen Shujiao—but with the exam banned, she couldn’t go to college.
So Zhou Hong wanted to secure a stable future job for her daughter.
They could choose not to work, but their daughter had to have a future.
At that moment, Zhou Jianan’s mother finished washing the dishes, and upon hearing her husband’s words, her face was full of guilt.
“Jianan, I’m sorry. I held you back. With your education, if you had taken the exam last year, you wouldn’t have missed going to university.”
This year, the university entrance exam was banned, but students who had already been admitted could continue their studies.
Zhou Jianan regretted it, but she didn’t blame her mother at all.