Feng Mingshu saw Uncle Li’s expression and knew she couldn’t make the decision herself. She turned pleading eyes to her mother, clasping her hands together in supplication.
Yu Jingqiu gave her mischievous daughter a mock-stern look before smiling graciously at Li Yanzhong. “We’ve troubled you these past few days, Comrade Li. If it’s convenient, please stay for a simple meal.”
Li Yanzhong nodded with pleasant surprise. “It’s no trouble at all. I have nothing else to do. Let me go to the kitchen and prepare some of my specialty dishes for you.”
Wang Ma: “…”
With her job taken away, what was she supposed to do now?
Li Yanzhong was an orphan adopted by the Feng family. Since childhood, he had been eager to learn everything he encountered, and cooking was one of his skills. Later, Old Master Feng, recognizing his cleverness, assigned him to be the young master’s study companion. While the young master didn’t learn much, Li Yanzhong picked up nearly everything, and he never neglected his culinary skills either.
Seizing this opportunity, Li Yanzhong devoted himself to preparing four dishes and one soup, all perfectly presented and aromatic, earning cheers from the twins.
Just as the dishes were being served, the doorbell rang with a clear, tinkling sound.
“Madam, I’ll get the door,” Wang Ma quickly volunteered, having been idle and restless. Shortly after, she returned with a handsome young man carrying a military-green backpack. He was slightly out of breath, as if he had come in a hurry.
Feng Mingshu found the backpack somewhat familiar and was about to take a closer look when the young man suddenly bowed deeply to Yu Jingqiu.
“Aunt Yu, hello. I apologize for this unannounced visit. My name is Zhang Yunxiao, and I’m Feng Mingshu’s classmate. She left her backpack in the classroom, so I brought it over for her.” The young man’s voice carried a hint of nervousness. After speaking in one breath, he turned his gaze to Feng Mingshu, seemingly hoping she would say something.
Feng Mingshu was momentarily stunned. It really was her backpack—no wonder the hidden golden pig embroidery on the inner strap looked familiar. It represented her zodiac sign.
“So it’s Classmate Zhang. Please, come in,” Yu Jingqiu greeted him with a warm smile before turning to instruct, “Wang Ma, prepare some tea.”
Her mother’s voice snapped Feng Mingshu out of her daze and pulled the name “Zhang Yunxiao” from the depths of her distant memories. She quickly interjected, “Mom, my classmate doesn’t drink tea.”
Amid the surprised glances around her, she swiftly retrieved her backpack and handed it to her younger brother standing nearby. Then, she tugged at Zhang Yunxiao’s sleeve. “I’ll walk you out.”
Zhang Yunxiao’s initially joyful expression dimmed, but he said nothing, merely bidding Yu Jingqiu a polite farewell.
Once they left the small Western-style building and reached the gate outside the courtyard, Zhang Yunxiao asked anxiously, “Mingshu, are you angry with me?”
Feng Mingshu felt somewhat disoriented. Her mind hadn’t fully returned from the perspective of fifteen years in the future, leaving her slightly disconnected.
Her silence led Zhang Yunxiao to mistakenly believe she was truly upset. He hurriedly apologized, “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I should have discussed it with you before coming to your home. But you left this morning without signing the intention form, and I was afraid it would be too late, so I brought it over. Could you sign it now? I still need to rush it to our homeroom teacher…”
As Zhang Yunxiao pulled out a form from inside his military-green coat and unfolded it, Feng Mingshu’s eyes fell on the two bold characters at the top: College Entrance Exam!
Those two words ignited her sealed memories. She remembered now—she had once made plans with this young man to take the college entrance exam together and had even felt a faint, budding affection for him.
But that shallow emotion had been easily shattered by the tides of the era.
“No need. I won’t sign it, and I won’t take the exam,” Feng Mingshu interrupted him, pushing away the fountain pen he offered.Zhang Yunxiao immediately grew anxious. “Why won’t you participate? Is it because of those gossiping tongues? Mingshu, you shouldn’t pay them any mind. My uncle works in the Education Bureau—I told him about your situation and your excellent grades. He said as long as we don’t choose majors with confidentiality restrictions, you’ll be admitted once your scores meet the requirements…”
There won’t be any college entrance exams—not for the next ten years!
Feng Mingshu couldn’t bear to listen further and interrupted, “Thank you for your kindness, but it’s truly unnecessary. Please leave. Goodbye.”
After speaking, she turned and entered the courtyard, raising her hand to close the gate. But suddenly, a figure rushed over and forcefully pushed against the door.
“Cousin, how can you be like this? Yunxiao went out of his way to bring you the application form and even pleaded with others to help you. If you had any conscience at all, you shouldn’t treat him this way!” The newcomer angrily defended Zhang Yunxiao, though a closer look at her eyes would reveal hidden glee.
Zhang Yunxiao was momentarily stunned, then frowned. “Chu Xuanxuan, don’t speak about Mingshu that way. I know she has her difficulties.”
The newcomer was none other than Chu Xuanxuan, Feng Mingshu’s cousin. She pouted and stamped her foot. “Yunxiao, we grew up together, yet you always favor cousin. I’m going to get angry!”
“Don’t talk nonsense. We just lived in the same compound,” Zhang Yunxiao urgently defended, his expression tense as he glanced at Feng Mingshu.
After watching this drama unfold, Feng Mingshu laughed. “Growing up in the same compound does count as childhood friends. You two get along well and stop bothering me.”
With that, she pushed Chu Xuanxuan aside, forcefully slammed the wrought-iron gate shut, dropped the latch, and walked inside without paying any attention to the calls and pleas from outside.
“I heard Xuanxuan’s voice. Is there some trouble? Does Mother need to step in?” Yu Jingqiu stood at the doorway, adjusting her shawl as she glanced toward the courtyard gate.
Yu Jingqiu knew that her niece Chu Xuanxuan, who was the same age as her daughter, had always enjoyed competing with her daughter—just as her elder sister enjoyed competing with her. She didn’t mind it herself, but she didn’t want her daughter to suffer.
Seeing the concern in her mother’s eyes, Feng Mingshu shook her head. “No need. Those people are irrelevant. Mom, let’s go in and eat.”
She affectionately linked arms with her mother and led her inside. Yu Jingqiu tapped her daughter’s cute little nose but didn’t press for details.
Feng Mingshu breathed a quiet sigh of relief, having successfully dodged further questions.
Since her rebirth, she had told her mother many things but had kept much to herself—such as her mother’s death and the two people lingering outside the courtyard gate.
In her previous life, shortly after her mother’s funeral, Chu Xuanxuan had gleefully come to boast that she and Zhang Yunxiao were together. Zhang’s parents were extremely pleased with her, and the two were soon to marry. Unfortunately, they couldn’t invite her, the cousin, to the wedding because she was scheduled to be sent down to a farm the next day, with no telling when she might return…
“Zhuzhu, what are you thinking about? Eat your food.” Yu Jingqiu’s gentle voice brought her back as she placed a piece of braised pork in her daughter’s bowl.
Feng Mingshu snapped out of her thoughts and met the concerned gazes of her family at the table. The unease she felt instantly dissipated.
She was back. With six months left, she would surely find a way to ensure her family’s safety through the coming turmoil.
She stuffed the braised pork into her mouth, chewing heartily. “Thanks, Mom. It’s delish.”
Her manners were somewhat rough, contrary to her usual upbringing, but Yu Jingqiu didn’t scold her. Instead, her eyes held only tenderness as she placed another piece of braised pork in her bowl.Feng Mingyu widened his eyes in amazement. “Sister, you eat so fast! I want to eat like that too.” He quickly picked up a piece of braised pork and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing vigorously as he grinned at her, his little mouth glistening with oil.
The youngest, Feng Mingxue, blinked. She didn’t like braised pork, so she scooped a spoonful of her favorite pine nut corn into her mouth, her cheeks puffing up instantly like a greedy little squirrel.
Feng Mingshu was amused and took out a handkerchief to wipe her younger siblings’ mouths. “No need to copy me. Eat slowly so you don’t choke.”
After the lively lunch, Wang Ma cleaned the kitchen and was given the rest of the day off. Feng Mingshu was tasked with supervising the twins’ nap.
The younger siblings were too energetic, and it took her a quarter of an hour to complete the task. As she left their room and passed by the study, she saw her mother handing a box to Uncle Li.