Shu Ning bundled all the vegetables together with straw and hoisted them onto her back.
“Educated Youth Shu, you’re not heading back to the dormitory. Where are you going?” the villager asked, hurrying after her when he saw how unsteady she looked carrying the mustard greens.
“I’m going to Gu Zhao’s house,” Shu Ning replied, wiping her sweat, her face flushed red from exhaustion.
“Oh~” The villager responded, then quickly added, “Put it down, I’ll carry it for you.”
“How can I trouble you like that?”
“It’s no trouble at all!”
“Then thank you very much.” Shu Ning didn’t refuse.
When the villager delivered the vegetables to Gu Zhao’s house, Gu Zhao wasn’t there.
Gu Kai and Gu Yao were playing in the yard, holding half-burnt sticks and using the remaining charcoal to write numbers.
When they saw Shu Ning enter, both of them stood up and moved aside stiffly.
They didn’t like this pretty educated youth.
Whenever people saw her before, they would mock their brother, saying he was like a toad lusting after a swan.
Yesterday, it was also because of her that their brother had just slaughtered a chicken, and Old Madam Gu came again to cause trouble.
“Where is your brother?” Shu Ning asked with a faint smile, sensing their hostility.
The two exchanged glances, then turned around at the same time, their backs facing her, ignoring her completely.
Instead, the little yellow dog ran out from somewhere the moment it saw her, jumping up and hugging her leg, wagging its tail enthusiastically.
It still wore the scarf, though after a day of rolling around, it was as black as charcoal.
Shu Ning gently patted its head, smoothing its fur. “Good boy. I’ll make you breakfast later.”
Before she even stepped into the kitchen, she heard resentful voices behind her.
Gu Kai grabbed the dog by the neck, his little face fierce. “Xiao Huang, you traitor!”
Gu Yao poked the dog’s head. “Exactly! Little traitor! Wagging your tail at just anyone!”
“No integrity at all! Just because of a scarf you can’t even use, you switched sides!”
“You little rascal!”
“…”
Shu Ning turned her head, and the two children immediately let go of the dog and squatted down again, pretending to write numbers.
The dog lay on the ground, whining pitifully, not daring to move.
“…” Shu Ning couldn’t help but laugh and walked into the kitchen.
Gu Zhao’s kitchen was extremely simple. Apart from a sturdy earthen stove, there were only a few bowls in a bamboo basket and a chopping board with a knife on a stand. Everything else was practically nonexistent.
There weren’t many things, but the kitchen was clean. The chopping board was spotless, and the knife was sharp and clean.
What surprised her was that under the lid of the large pot were three or four jin of pork.
Top-quality pork shoulder.
Gu Zhao’s financial strength was quite something.
Pork shoulder was the best cut—tender, with a perfect balance of fat and lean.
No wonder she couldn’t buy any meat—he had bought so much by himself.
On the table in the main hall were some leftover pastries.
The pork hadn’t been touched.
In the rice pot, the rice was still soaking—clearly, breakfast hadn’t been made.
“Gu Kai, Gu Yao, have you eaten breakfast?” Shu Ning asked.
The two froze but didn’t respond.
Seeing their reaction, Shu Ning immediately understood. Gu Zhao often went out at night to catch loaches and usually didn’t come back until he sold them.
They definitely hadn’t eaten.
“Since you haven’t had breakfast, how about I make you some noodles?”
The two children still ignored her, continuing to play with their sticks.
Shu Ning smiled lightly and got to work.
She cut a portion of the lean pork Gu Zhao had bought into slices.
She boiled a pot of water, scooped out some to soak dried fungus.
Then she cooked all the noodles she had brought. Once done, she cooled them in water.
She heated oil in the pan, added ginger and garlic, stir-fried minced meat, then poured in well water. Once it boiled, she ladled it into a large bowl.
Next, she washed and shredded the soaked fungus, sliced the meat, and stir-fried them together, adding chili powder, salt, MSG, and soy sauce—a rich topping was ready.
She took out three bowls, placed the cooled noodles inside, poured in the broth, added a generous spoonful of topping, and placed blanched greens on top.
Three beautifully presented bowls of noodles were ready.
“Gu Kai, Gu Yao, come inside and eat,” Shu Ning called.
The two children secretly turned their heads—and saw the bowls on the table.
The noodles were piled high, topped with minced meat and fungus.
Dishes like that usually only appeared at banquets.
The broth smelled fragrant, the noodles were white and smooth, dotted with red chili and green vegetables—beautiful and appetizing.
They swallowed, but neither moved.
Their brother had told them—not to take or eat other people’s things casually.
Clutching their hungry stomachs, they lowered their heads and continued writing.
In their hearts, only one thought remained:
Brother, come back quickly.
If you say we can eat, then we will eat.
Shu Ning hadn’t expected them to be so resolute. The noodles she made were of top quality—restaurant level.
Yet they didn’t come over.
But she wasn’t in a hurry. She had time.
Before Gu Zhao returned, she would stay and watch over them.
On this same day in her previous life, Old Madam Gu had come again while Gu Zhao wasn’t home, smashed their dishes, and beat Gu Kai and Gu Yao.
Gu Yao had been so frightened she developed a high fever for ten days, turning Gu Zhao from a rough young man into a hardened one.
This time, she would never let Old Madam Gu succeed.
“Hurry! Hurry! Gu Zhao isn’t back yet! Get inside!” A sneaky voice sounded from outside.
“…” Shu Ning was speechless. Speak of the devil—Old Madam Gu had arrived.
“Smash everything in his house and take back our pot!”
“Yesterday I went to the captain, and he said he wouldn’t interfere. Since he won’t, we’ll deal with it ourselves! I’ll smash his things and make him pay!”
“He doesn’t have money.”
“He doesn’t, but Educated Youth Shu does! She’s rich, and she’s engaged to him—shouldn’t she compensate me?”
“If she won’t pay, then sell Gu Kai and Gu Yao! They should be worth something!”
Gu Kai and Gu Yao heard her voice and were so frightened they immediately ran inside, desperately trying to hide.
Behind the door—unsafe.
Under the bed—also unsafe.
After running around in panic, they still hadn’t hidden when Old Madam Gu had already entered the yard.
The children turned pale, trembling uncontrollably.
Shu Ning’s heart burned with anger.
Old Madam Gu was inhuman—even her own grandchildren, she wanted to sell them!
“Don’t be afraid! I’m here. Stay behind me!”
Shu Ning shielded the two children behind her, holding a long stick, and pointed it straight at Old Madam Gu’s chest as she stepped into the yard.