The method was clear at a glance, so it wasn’t difficult to execute. Soon, she had made scrambled eggs and bone soup.
After picking up her chopsticks and taking a taste, she silently set them down again and let out a deep sigh.
It was cooked, but the flavor wasn’t good.
Even though it didn’t taste great, she still finished it all. Her mother and father had endured the period of starvation during the Apocalypse, so they were exceptionally attached to food.
From childhood to adulthood, they had always taught her: never waste food, or heaven would strike you down.
She wasn’t afraid of being struck by lightning, but she was afraid of forgetting her parents.
So whatever they said, she had to remember it firmly.
She didn’t plan to cultivate tonight. Tomorrow, that young man would deliver the coal briquettes, and cultivating would make her lose track of time.
So after eating, she took a shower and went to sleep.
Early the next morning, at five o’clock, she had just gotten up and finished brushing her teeth when someone knocked on the door.
It was the young man, bringing someone to deliver the coal briquettes.
The moment they met, the young man wore an apologetic expression. “Sister, I’m sorry. Yesterday I said I’d deliver them in the morning, but last night I suddenly got notice that I need to start work today. So I could only bring Uncle Wang here early to learn the way. Later, Uncle Wang will deliver the rest of the briquettes for you—I won’t be coming.”
The young man felt regretful. He had really wanted to help her get everything settled. Originally, he wasn’t supposed to start work this soon, but who would have thought a notice would come so suddenly.
Seeing his expression, Cheng Junyi smiled and comforted him. “It’s fine. Didn’t you find someone to help me?” She said, pulling open the large iron gate to let the flatbed cart in.
With the young man was a burly, dark-skinned man. His eyes were sharp, his expression stern, and he looked quite unapproachable.
The young man introduced him. “Sister, this is Wang Yong, Uncle Wang. He works at the coal station. Today, he’ll help you exchange all your vouchers for coal briquettes.”
Cheng Junyi greeted him amiably. “Then we’ll be troubling Uncle Wang today.”
The burly man said expressionlessly, “Where should the goods be unloaded?”
Cheng Junyi casually pointed at an empty spot in the yard. “Just put them there.”
Uncle Wang and the young man started unloading the goods. Cheng Junyi didn’t feel right just standing there watching, so she grabbed a pair of gloves and joined in.
Seeing this, the young man immediately stopped her. “Sister, we can handle this rough work. You go rest over there.”
Uncle Wang glanced over, his eyes clearly carrying a hint of disdain. “Don’t get in the way.”
Cheng Junyi: “…” She’d been looked down on.
Since they thought she was in the way, she might as well prepare some breakfast for them!
She took out steamed buns, steamed dumplings, and soy milk from her Spatial Dimension. To keep up appearances, she deliberately lit the stove, planning to heat them up.
One flatbed cart of coal briquettes wasn’t much, and unloading was truly fast—it took less than ten minutes to finish.
Looking at the water on the stove that had just started to steam, Cheng Junyi’s lips twitched. Fortunately, the buns and dumplings came out of the Spatial Dimension already hot; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been ready in time to eat.
“Sister, we’re leaving. Once work starts at eight, Uncle Wang will deliver them with a tractor. Pulling them by flatbed cart is too slow.”
“Wait, I’ve prepared breakfast. Come in and eat before you go.”
The young man pulled the empty flatbed cart, and Uncle Wang opened the iron gate, about to head out.
“Sister, no need.”
Cheng Junyi hurried over and urged, “Eat before you go! I prepared a bit too much, and it’s hot out—if it’s not finished, it’ll go bad.”
The young man hesitated, but Uncle Wang closed the iron gate he had just opened and walked toward the house.
Cheng Junyi smiled at the sight. This Uncle Wang was quite amusing. She went into the kitchen, drew some water, and fetched soap for them to wash their hands.
Then she brought steamed buns, steamed dumplings, and soy milk to the table.
The young man followed them inside and washed his hands along with Uncle Wang, but neither of them sat down.
The truth was, they were simply too dirty.
Cheng Junyi invited them to sit, but they declined. Uncle Wang picked up a steamed bun and crouched by the doorway.
He took a bite and froze for a brief moment, then quickly resumed his usual expression.
The young man followed suit, grabbing a bun and crouching by the door to eat.
Good heavens! It was all meat! The young man stared at the glistening, oil-slicked meat inside the bun, his joy plain to see. This was the first time he’d ever eaten such delicious buns.
His family had made buns before, but they were always vegetarian. When they made dumplings, they’d only put in a tiny bit of meat, with everything else being vegetables. This was his first time eating a bun stuffed entirely with meat—it was pure bliss.
Cheng Junyi poured soy milk for them and added a generous amount of white sugar.
That sugar was also made by her mother.
Uncle Wang ate six buns and seven steamed dumplings in total, while the young man had three buns and five steamed dumplings.
After finishing his soy milk, the young man let out a satisfied burp and looked at Cheng Junyi with sparkling eyes. “Sister, this is the best breakfast I’ve ever had.”
Uncle Wang downed his soy milk in big gulps and headed toward the door, not forgetting to call out to the young man, “Let’s go.”
The young man frowned. Uncle Wang was so rude—he hadn’t even said thank you after being treated to breakfast.
“Sister, Uncle Wang doesn’t talk much. He didn’t mean to…”
Cheng Junyi raised her hand, her voice gentle. “No need to explain. I understand.”
There are all kinds of people in this world. As long as they bore her no ill will, she wouldn’t take it to heart.
Seeing that she truly wasn’t upset, the young man felt relieved. After all, Uncle Wang would still be delivering coal briquettes to her later, and it wouldn’t do for there to be any bad blood between them.
“Well then, Sister, I’m off!”
Cheng Junyi figured the young man needed to get to work, and after she received the coal briquettes, she’d be heading out to collect her treasure. In a couple of days, she’d be going back to the countryside. They probably wouldn’t see each other again for a long time. He’d helped her quite a bit, yet she still didn’t even know their names.
So she asked, “What are you and your younger brother called?”
The young man was thrilled—she’d actually asked for his name! His face flushed red as he stammered, “I’m Li Youchang, and my younger brother is Li Yousheng.”
“Chang and Sheng—prosperity and growth. Those are good names!” Cheng Junyi praised sincerely.
The young man scratched his head and grinned foolishly. He’d been complimented! Then, as if something occurred to him, he looked up and asked, “What’s your name, Sister?”
“Cheng Junyi. Cheng as in the character with the ‘he’ radical and ‘cheng’ on top, Jun as in ‘gentleman,’ and Yi as in ‘meaning.'”
“Hehe, your name is beautiful too, Sister.”
Uncle Wang lit a cigarette at the doorway, his sharp eyes watching them quietly.
When the cigarette burned down to the butt, he tossed it away and called out, “Aren’t you leaving yet?”
The young man glanced at Uncle Wang, who looked thoroughly impatient, then said to Cheng Junyi, “Well then, Sister, I’m off.”
Cheng Junyi nodded and saw them to the door, then closed it and went back inside.
On the road, Li Yousheng complained, “Uncle Wang, you were so rude. Sister treated us to breakfast—how could you not even say thank you?”
Uncle Wang didn’t bother acknowledging him, his gaze fixed ahead, lost in thought.
Li Yousheng sighed. Uncle Wang’s temperament was far too cold. No wonder he didn’t even have a wife.
At 8:40 in the morning, the sound of a tractor rumbled outside the door. Cheng Junyi knew it was Uncle Wang delivering the coal briquettes. She opened the door before he even had a chance to knock.
Uncle Wang backed the truck into the courtyard and, without a word, began unloading the goods.
Seeing this, Cheng Junyi immediately went inside, brought out a glass of juice, and handed it to him.
Uncle Wang looked at the juice offered before him, took off his gloves, accepted it, and downed it in one gulp.
After drinking, he said not a single word and simply handed the glass back to Cheng Junyi.
Cheng Junyi didn’t mind his attitude at all. She took the glass and went back inside.
Uncle Wang paused in his unloading for a moment, tilting his head to watch her figure disappear into the house.
Only when she was out of sight did he withdraw his gaze and continue moving the coal briquettes.
Cheng Junyi had no idea how much the coal briquettes cost. She had only told Li Yousheng to exchange all the coal ration tickets for briquettes—though even with the tickets, she still had to pay for them.
She counted out five hundred yuan, planning to ask Uncle Wang shortly how much was needed and pay him directly.