“Hello!” Tang Ximian smiled slightly.
“Sis-in-law!” Dacong glanced at Sheng Nan: “Sheng Nan, have you been talking nonsense again?”
Sheng Nan turned and walked away.
Dacong rolled his eyes at her and said, “Brother Chu, Sis-in-law, we haven’t had much going on lately. Everyone wanted to visit you, but we were worried too many people would make you uncomfortable, so they sent the two of us!”
“You’re all so busy, while I’m just idling around now!” Chu Jiangchuan looked at the meat skewers: “We’ll grill them later, you should have some too!”
“Grill? Is Sis-in-law making grilled meat?” Dacong took the small stool handed by Chu Jiangrong and familiarly sat down to help: “Thanks, sis!”
“Grilled meat skewers. I wonder if you’ve had them before!”
“Definitely not, we’ve been barely scraping by!” Dacong praised enthusiastically: “Sis-in-law, I can see Brother Chu is walking much better than before! Thank you for taking care of our boss!”
Tang Ximian looked at Chu Jiangchuan and patted his leg: “Not everyone in your army is like that!”
Dacong glanced at Sheng Nan who seemed to want to speak but hesitated, and said: “Sis-in-law, actually we all feel really bad for Brother Chu, but some things are unavoidable! Sheng Nan isn’t a bad person, she just doesn’t know how to express herself properly! Sorry, Sis-in-law, please don’t let her cause any more trouble between you and Brother Chu. Once Brother Chu sets his mind on something, he never changes!”
Tang Ximian smiled and nodded.
Chu Jiangchuan casually hit him with a skewer: “You know everything, don’t you!”
“Hehe!” Dacong still grinned foolishly.
After all the meat was skewered, the charcoal still needed to be lit. Just as Tang Ximian was about to squat down, she saw Sheng Nan approaching with lit wood: “…Sis-in-law, um, let me do it…”
“Thanks for your help.”
Tang Ximian didn’t bring up what happened earlier.
Young girls always think their idol is too good for anyone.
The oily meat sizzled as it grilled to a fragrant crispness. Tang Ximian crushed the nearly dried Xiao Huixiang and sprinkled it along with Ziran over the meat, releasing an extraordinary aroma instantly.
“So fragrant!” Dacong could hardly resist eating it raw: “It smells amazing even before tasting!”
“Darling, what should we drink later?”
“It’s still early, go make some sugar water.” Tang Ximian then looked at the old lady: “Mom, where are our cucumbers?”
“None left, I’ll go pick some from the garden.” Before leaving, Xu Guangfen gave Sheng Nan an extra glance, worried her daughter-in-law might be bullied in her absence.
Tang Ximian found it amusing: “Sis, Mom still doesn’t feel reassured!”
“Well, I wouldn’t be either in her position!” Chu Jiangrong smiled and pointed to her room: “Your clothes are ready, go take a look!”
Tang Ximian returned shortly: “They look great! I’ll wear them after we finish grilling!”
Chu Jiangrong had excellent sewing skills. Though Tang Ximian couldn’t make clothes herself, this reminded her that making new clothes might be a viable path!
The prerequisite was that the family needed a sewing machine!
Thinking about it, the family was still lacking so many things!
The skewers gradually became more and more aromatic, the scent spreading throughout the entire street!
“What’s that smell!”
“Yeah, what delicious food is the Chu Family making now?”
“Who knows! It smells incredible!”
After sprinkling the Ziran powder, the aroma of the grilled meat reached new heights.
Half were sprinkled with chili powder, while the other half only had Ziran powder.
“Auntie, when can we eat this meat!” Nana squatted nearby, unwilling to leave: “It really smells so good! I really want to eat it!”
“It’ll be ready soon.” Tang Ximian smiled and ruffled Nana’s head.
Seeing the timing was about right, Tang Ximian first took two skewers and handed them to Chu Jiangchuan: “Try these first. I’m not sure if our chili peppers are very spicy!”
Chu Jiangchuan’s eyes sparkled brightly.
What didn’t she know?
She simply wanted him to have the first bite!
“You all eat first. I’m going to bring some to the Village Chief’s house!” Tang Ximian took twenty skewers for the chief’s family.
It wasn’t much, but they’d go well with drinks.
“We’ll wait for you to come back before eating the fresh ones. I’ll handle the grilling.” Chu Jiangchuan’s voice carried unusual tenderness. Sheng Nan felt somewhat discontent but could do nothing about it.
Halfway there, Tang Ximian encountered Fang Juan returning home hungry.
Seeing the meat in her hands, Fang Juan’s eyes turned greedy: “Tang Ximian, give me half of those meat skewers you’re holding!”
Tang Ximian stepped around her and continued walking.
“Stop!” Fang Juan grabbed her clothes, “You’re earning fifty yuan a month now, why be so stingy!”
“Fang Juan, what are you doing!”
Someone came running from nearby—it was Xia Wenbo.
Tang Ximian: “…”
Great, the trash is coming in pairs.
Xia Wenbo put on a gentle expression: “Mianmian, are you alright? Where are you going? Let me accompany you?”
“Get lost, both of you!”
How could Tang Ximian possibly show any kindness to the man who’d used her money to support other women?
The only reason she hadn’t slapped him was because she was holding the meat skewers!
“Mianmian!”
Xia Wenbo shouted: “Didn’t you say you would divorce Chu Jiangchuan and marry me?”
Ears perked up instantly among the surrounding villagers.
When did this happen?
How come nobody knew about this!
Wasn’t Tang Ximian already committed to building a life with Chu Jiangchuan?
“You look like a plain steamed bun, yet you’re quite confident!” Tang Ximian turned around, her gaze as if seeing garbage stained with feces: “I like men with masculinity, not men who want me to have masculinity!”
Xia Wenbo froze momentarily, then plastered a tragic expression on his face that looked slightly forced: “It’s true… I’m not as handsome as Chu Jiangchuan, but does that mean your previous promises don’t count anymore?”
“I was foolish back then, but I’m smart now! Besides, I can support myself with a job now—why would I need someone to provide for me? Can you give me fifty yuan per month?”
Tang Ximian gathered the skewers closer: “If you’ve got nothing important, stay away from me. I have megalophobia—the sight of huge idiots makes me nauseous!”
Xia Wenbo was utterly stunned.
Tang Ximian wasn’t joking or throwing a tantrum—she was serious!
Did that mean he couldn’t get any of her money anymore? And those food coupons and cloth coupons were gone too!
No, he couldn’t just let her walk away like this…
Fang Juan had already moved further away, but her gaze at Tang Ximian’s retreating figure was equally venomous.
Since she couldn’t take over Tang Ximian’s job, she’d find a way to defeat her! If all else failed… she’d ruin her!
Tang Ximian naturally knew they’d be targeting her—to be precise, more than just those two were watching her.
But what did it matter?
Arriving at the Village Chief’s house, Tang Ximian placed the meat skewers on the table: “Uncle, Auntie, I just made these. They taste great and go perfectly with drinks!”
The Village Chief’s Wife immediately looked at the Village Chief.
The Village Chief wore an ingratiating expression: “Look, Mianmian brought snacks to go with the drinks. Get me some wine!”
Tang Ximian raised both hands in protest: “This has nothing to do with me! I don’t know anything about it!”
Watching her run off into the distance, the Village Chief’s Wife sighed helplessly: “That child!”
Mianmian had finally learned to reciprocate kindness and show courtesy, but ironically, this change made her feel somewhat uncomfortable instead.