The weather was sweltering hot, so even meat taken out from the refrigerator thawed quickly. By the time Lin Xiangxiu finished washing the rice, the meat had almost completely thawed.
There was quite a bit of leftover meat from yesterday, so she kneaded dough to make meat pies again. The remaining meat was marinated with soy sauce and oyster sauce, ready to be added to the pot once the rice porridge started boiling. With a handful of greens thrown in, a delicious and stomach-nourishing lean meat porridge could simmer slowly.
By the time the rice grains bloomed open, the meat pies were almost done pan-frying, their aroma filling the entire room.
Today’s meat pies were made extra large and thick, with finely minced filling. After taking them out of the pan, she cut them into wedges for easier eating. When sliced open, the meat filling inside even dripped with savory juices.
Taking a bite of the juicy meat pie followed by a sip of lean meat porridge finally soothed his stomach that had been empty all night, quieting its insistent protests. Lu Xingzhi eagerly devoured a meat pie before starting to slowly drink his porridge.
Unexpectedly, Yang Yong across from him was even more aggressive about snatching food than his cousin Lu Xiaoxia. In the brief moment Lu Xingzhi looked down, the plate was emptied.
Hearing that poaching remark immediately after, Lu Xingzhi nearly lost it.
He was so startled he dropped his spoon, turning to check Lin Xiangxiu’s expression.
Yang Yong, never one to miss stirring up trouble, eagerly continued: “I’m busy with work, my wife has her own career, and we have a daughter at home. We never get to eat hot meals when we return. Xiao Lin, if you’re willing, how about trying out at our place? Don’t worry about money – my salary isn’t high, but my wife earns quite well. She’d be very happy to hire a housekeeper.”
Poaching right to her face?
Lin Xiangxiu thought city folks were really blunt, attempting to steal someone right in front of them. Back in her hometown, this would get someone thrown out.
She glanced at Lu Xingzhi and saw he’d started drinking his porridge much faster, his fingers gripping the spoon turning white.
Lin Xiangxiu quickly poured him a glass of water, amused and exasperated: “No need, I’m quite happy working at Mr. Lu’s place. He’s not as picky as everyone says, really no need.”
“Our place is just upstairs,” Yang Yong still wouldn’t give up, half-joking and half-serious.
No sooner had he spoken than Lu Xingzhi finished his last mouthful of porridge and directed a reproachful look at him. “Leader, aren’t you going home to sleep?”
“Just joking, don’t get angry,” Yang Yong rubbed his nose. Looking at Lu Xingzhi’s slender frame, he felt too embarrassed to say more and quickly covered it up as a joke.
Claiming it was just a joke, Yang Yong prepared to head home after eating his fill. Before leaving, under Lu Xingzhi’s pained gaze, he secretly grabbed another meat pie and went upstairs satisfied.
Only after Yang Yong’s footsteps completely faded did Lin Xiangxiu suppress her laughter to ask Lu Xingzhi, “Are you really angry?”
“Letting a wolf in through the door,” Lu Xingzhi said just four words, his eyes full of regret. He was even mentally calculating posting a note by the door later: Yang Yong Not Permitted Entry.
What kind of person comes in and immediately tries to poach his housekeeper!
Lin Xiangxiu finally couldn’t hold back a burst of laughter. She never expected the expert returned from America to have such a childish side.
“Don’t worry, unless you agree, I won’t go anywhere,” Lin Xiangxiu said after laughing enough. “Besides, even if I did go, I couldn’t just abandon my work here. I’m not educated and don’t understand grand principles, but there’s one saying I did learn.”
Lin Xiangxiu’s expression suddenly turned serious. “One should never forget where one’s happiness comes from. You helped me when I was at my most difficult time—how could I just wipe my mouth and leave after eating my fill? I would never do such a thing.”
“One should never forget where one’s happiness comes from—that’s truly a profound saying,” Lu Xingzhi said sincerely. From today onward, he decided he would study history thoroughly; this saying was absolutely right.
After speaking, Lin Xiangxiu felt somewhat embarrassed. Thinking it was getting late and she needed to hurry with lunch preparations, she went to collect the bowls and chopsticks. After a moment’s thought, she added, “I noticed you work overnight when you overtime, skipping both breakfast and dinner. That won’t do. How about I bring meals to you when you work late from now on?”
“How much extra do you want?” Lu Xingzhi asked.
Lin Xiangxiu: “No need for extra pay. My current salary is already very high. I asked around, and no other housekeeper earns more than me. This should be part of my duties.”
Lu Xingzhi was tempted, but after careful consideration, he decided against it.
Just today, Yang Yong had tried to poach her. If he brought the meals made by his housekeeper to the office, wouldn’t his colleagues devour everything like hungry wolves?
“Forget it, it’s too much trouble. No need,” Lu Xingzhi said, yawning and rubbing his eyes as he stood up. He was exhausted and needed to catch up on sleep.
Hearing noises, Lin Xiangxiu came out from the kitchen. “I’m going grocery shopping soon. What would you like to eat?”
“What options are there?” Having busy parents since childhood, Lu Xingzhi knew nothing about Chinese cuisine. Since returning to China, his pickiness had prevented him from enjoying good food, leaving him utterly clueless.
Lin Xiangxiu narrowed the choices down to three dishes. “White Cut Chicken, Tangcu Paigu, or Guobaorou—which would you prefer?”
After waiting for a response with no answer, she looked closely and saw Mr. Lu staring at her with curious, childlike innocence. Lin Xiangxiu guessed, “You haven’t tried any of them?”
“No,” Lu Xingzhi admitted.
Lin Xiangxiu took off her apron. “No problem. I’ll make them one by one. Let’s start with Tangcu Paigu today—sweet and sour flavors. I doubt anyone would dislike it.”
When heading out, she was about to ask Lu Xingzhi for grocery money but found a stack of cash on the shoe cabinet. Counting it roughly, she realized it was two hundred yuan.
She took the money to ask Lu Xingzhi and learned it was for groceries.
How extravagant.
With an unprecedented amount for food expenses, Lin Xiangxiu felt much more confident while shopping at the market.
Mr. Lu owned a Fenghuang Brand Bicycle, an Er Ba Da Gang model. Lin Xiangxiu rode it effortlessly, reaching the market in just ten minutes.
The ride was exhilarating—the cool morning breeze was refreshing, and the road was smooth, unlike the bumpy paths in the countryside.
No wonder Lin Shuping was so determined to settle in the city. Urban life was convenient with more opportunities; she too wanted to put down roots in Shencheng.
Lost in thought while cycling, perhaps because Lin Shuping crossed her mind, Lin Xiangxiu spotted a figure by the roadside that looked strikingly like Lin Shuping just as she approached the market.
She immediately squeezed the brakes, the bicycle screeching to a halt. Leaning on the bike, she peered in that direction.
The figure moved furtively, constantly checking if anyone was following, glancing back repeatedly before turning into a corner.
The man wore a pair of glasses and had a crew cut. His build and clothing style closely resembled Lin Shuping’s, but unfortunately, he was too far away for Lin Xiangxiu to be certain it was him.
If it was Lin Shuping, what was he doing here?
Lin Xiangxiu couldn’t figure it out. The area around this wet market was full of single-story residential zones and Urban Villages, with no teacher dormitories in sight. Why would Lin Shuping appear here?
If he was here to buy groceries, why did he turn into the narrow alley? Was he shopping for vegetables in there?
The more Lin Xiangxiu thought about it, the more suspicious she became. After a moment’s hesitation, she got back on her bicycle and followed him.
She stopped near the alley entrance and peered inside. A row of dilapidated single-story houses stood there, so shabby they seemed completely out of place in this modern, trendy city.
From a distance, she could see that these small houses appeared to be operating as businesses. Large glass windows were embedded in the walls, emitting a warm pink glow from within.
As soon as she approached, Lin Xiangxiu was hit by a strong, overwhelming fragrance of face powder that stung her eyes. She started coughing uncontrollably—the closer she got, the more unbearable it became, forcing her to dismount and step back.
Having lived in the countryside all her life, where such establishments didn’t exist—not even in the towns—Lin Xiangxiu was puzzled. This place didn’t look like regular shops or proper residential areas. What exactly was it?
Was that really Lin Shuping who just passed by? If so, why would he come here?
Lost in these thoughts, Lin Xiangxiu found herself pushing her bicycle into the alley, curious to see what kind of businesses these small storefronts were running.
Before she could take two steps, someone grabbed her bicycle. Turning around, she saw an elderly woman clutching her bicycle seat tightly.
“Auntie, is there something you need?” Lin Xiangxiu asked.
The fashionable perm-sporting woman looked Lin Xiangxiu up and down, her face full of gossipy curiosity. “Don’t go in there yet. If you go in now, all the flirty girls inside will shut their doors, and you won’t find out anything. First, tell me why you’re here today—are you trying to catch your husband?”
“Catch my husband? What kind of place is this?” Lin Xiangxiu grew more confused.
The auntie was taken aback. “Huh? You don’t know?”
“I just wanted to go in and see because I don’t know what it is,” Lin Xiangxiu explained.
No sooner had she spoken than the auntie’s expression changed completely. She immediately pulled Lin Xiangxiu and her bicycle away from the alley entrance, insisting, “Then you can’t go in! This isn’t a place for someone like you!”
“What exactly is inside?” Lin Xiangxiu was utterly baffled, feeling like the auntie was speaking in riddles.
The elderly woman didn’t answer but kept dragging Lin Xiangxiu to the side. Only then did she lower her voice and say, “That place is full of working girls—prostitutes sitting in parlors waiting for customers! See those small storefronts? At night, they all come out in spaghetti straps to solicit customers, acting all seductive and making our area feel filthy. All sorts of shady men come here to pay for sex.”
“I could tell right away you’re a decent person. I thought you were here to catch a cheating husband. If you’re not, why would you go in?”
“This isn’t somewhere you should be. Even we who live nearby avoid walking through here—we’d feel dirty just stepping inside. You should leave, quickly now. Go on, get out of here.”
The elderly woman was quite warm-hearted. Seeing that Lin Xiangxiu wasn’t there to catch someone cheating, she quickly pulled her outside, all the way to a spot far from the alley, then waved her hand dismissively. “Remember not to go into such places in the future, or it’ll sound terrible if word gets out.”
Only then did Lin Xiangxiu realize she had nearly stumbled into a den of vice. After thanking the elderly woman several times, she hurriedly turned her bicycle around and continued toward the market.
How dangerous!
The thought of those clients and sex workers immediately brought venereal diseases to Lin Xiangxiu’s mind—she’d witnessed such cases back in her hometown village. There was a young man who went out for migrant work, fell into bad company, and returned covered in sores from venereal diseases.
Many villagers went to gawk, including her adoptive mother, who came back and vividly described how the young man’s tongue was covered in cauliflower-like growths, probably all over his body too.
Cauliflower-like sores—how disgusting.
Lin Xiangxiu shuddered and quickened her pace. By now, she couldn’t even be bothered to wonder whether that figure had been Lin Shuping or not.
After all, he was Xiao Xiao’s biological father. It would be best if it wasn’t him. If it was, then he was truly beyond redemption.
Soon she reached the market, a place where Lin Xiangxiu finally felt at ease—down-to-earth and bustling with life. She moved through it like a fish in water.
The household seasonings were running low and incomplete, so she first went to the grain and oil shop to buy a large bottle of peanut oil—the most fragrant for stir-frying—along with soy sauce, vinegar, and spices like star anise and cinnamon. She also bought ten pounds of flour.
Southerners don’t usually eat much wheat-based food, so the shopkeeper looked puzzled at her purchases.
Lin Xiangxiu smiled slightly without explaining.
She was earning a good salary and wanted to do her best to make Mr. Lu’s life more comfortable. She planned to make some buns to freeze—starting with pork buns, tasty and filling, bursting with juicy meat when you bite into them. But it would be better to make them smaller; oversized buns could be too greasy. Small ones, just two bites each, would be perfect.
Lin Xiangxiu carefully considered her options: vegetable and mushroom buns were essential too, especially with some cracklings mixed in for extra flavor. She even thought of thin-skinned soup dumplings and leek-and-vermicelli buns, dipped in vinegar and chili oil. She wasn’t sure if Mr. Lu would like them, but she certainly did.
Unsure of his preferences, she only bought flour for now, planning to ask him later before deciding on the fillings.
Anyway, with a freezer at home, they could store them for a long time. That way, Mr. Lu wouldn’t have to go to work on an empty stomach in the mornings.
Next, she went to the dried goods store for items like dried bean curd sticks, preserved eggs, and red dates. Lin Xiangxiu had noticed Mr. Lu quite enjoyed soups and broths. Since he had a weak stomach, she wanted to prepare more nourishing soups to boost his energy and blood—hopefully helping him gain a little weight. That would be ideal.
The other day, Lu Xiaoxia had offhandedly mentioned she should fatten Mr. Lu up. Maybe Xiao Xia Jie said it casually, but Lin Xiangxiu took it to heart.
Her reasoning was simple: when people are too thin, their immunity drops, they get sick easily, and they can’t handle the cold. Being a bit plumper and well-proportioned means better health.
This was a large market with an incredible variety. Lin Xiangxiu wandered around, reluctant to leave. Fortunately, Mr. Lu’s home was short on everything. If not for the limited space on her bicycle, she would have loved to take the entire market home with her.
After browsing the dry goods store, Lin Xiangxiu turned to buy the ingredients for today’s meal. From afar, she spotted fresh lettuce—tender, emerald green, and still glistening with dew. She picked two bunches, bought some scallions, ginger, and garlic, and finally made her way to the butcher shop.
“Do you still have fresh ribs? How much are they?” Lin Xiangxiu asked the butcher, who was holding a cleaver.
The butcher wiped his cleaver while sizing up the customer. Hearing Lin Xiangxiu’s noticeably northern-accented Mandarin, he raised his eyelids slightly. “Fifteen. If you want them, I’ll start chopping.”
“Wait!” Lin Xiangxiu frowned, displeased. “I asked about the price just yesterday, and ribs were only twelve yuan. How did it become fifteen after just one day? Are you taking advantage of me because I’m not from around here?”
“Pretty lady, you must’ve asked for twelve back in your hometown, right? This is Shencheng, not your hometown. Prices are naturally higher here,” the butcher sneered.
Lin Xiangxiu smiled and pointed in a direction. “It’s not my first day in Shencheng. I bought them at the market up north, just a few dozen minutes away. Are the things in your market more expensive than elsewhere? If so, I’ll make sure to spread the word when I go back.”
“Hey, wait! It’s twelve here too. I was just joking with you earlier!” The butcher grew flustered and quickly called Lin Xiangxiu back. “I really was just joking, pretty lady. Ribs, right? I have some excellent spare ribs here. Shall I chop them for you now?”
“Then don’t make such jokes in the future. If I catch you doing it again, I’ll stand at your door with a loudspeaker and announce that you discriminate against outsiders,” Lin Xiangxiu retorted.
Although the butcher’s attitude was far from ideal, his meat was indeed the freshest in the entire market. While others used red lights to make their meat appear fresher, his needed no such tricks—it still retained the moistness of freshly slaughtered meat.
Lin Xiangxiu pointed to a large rack of ribs. “I want two ribs, the ones with cartilage in the middle.”
With swift, precise cuts, the butcher chopped off two ribs. “Want them sectioned?”
“Yes.”
After a series of thuds, the ribs were chopped into segments. The butcher fetched a sheet of newspaper to wrap them, but as she watched, Lin Xiangxiu noticed something amiss.
“Wait! Why did you sneak a few pieces of Back Ribs into my ribs? Back Ribs cost six yuan, while ribs are twelve—there’s a huge price difference. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
This was clearly cheating the customer! A poor attitude was one thing, but deceiving customers was another. Lin Xiangxiu had had enough. She turned and walked away. “I don’t want these ribs anymore! You’re blatantly cheating your customers.”
The butcher had initially assumed Lin Xiangxiu was a country bumpkin and thought he could pass off inferior cuts as premium. He never expected to run into someone who knew better. Panicking, he quickly picked out the Back Ribs and tried to call Lin Xiangxiu back.
But this time, no matter what he said, Lin Xiangxiu refused to listen. She picked up her basket and headed straight to the butcher shop next door.
She had already put the unpleasant incident behind her and was now haggling with the neighboring butcher.
Unexpectedly, someone suddenly appeared beside her.
The person snorted coldly, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Haven’t gone back to your hometown yet? You talked big on the day of the divorce, saying you’d give your daughter a better life. But here you are, haggling over a couple of ribs and pinching pennies.”
Lin Xiangxiu heard the voice and turned her head to look as if she had seen a ghost.
Author’s Note:
The next chapter will be available for VIP access. Please continue your support [owl emoji][owl emoji]. The update will be released at midnight on the 8th.