At this sight, Lin Xiangxiu’s expression instantly became complicated.
The person standing beside her was none other than her scumbag ex-husband, Lin Shuping.
The first thought that crossed Lin Xiangxiu’s mind upon seeing Lin Shuping was: Could the person she saw earlier turning into the alley of selling oneself really have been Lin Shuping?
But upon second thought, she couldn’t be sure.
The man she saw earlier was wearing a blue work jacket and no glasses, only their builds were similar.
The Lin Shuping before her now was wearing a white dacron shirt with gray polyester pants, and a pair of thin-framed glasses on his face—the very picture of an educated person. Since the clothing was different, Lin Xiangxiu couldn’t confirm it was him.
“What’s it to you? A dog catching mice—meddling in others’ business.” Lin Xiangxiu rolled her eyes at him and asked reflexively, “What are you doing here?”
“Why can’t I be here? I live nearby. I’m here to buy groceries!” Lin Shuping’s voice suddenly rose.
“No need to shout. I was just asking casually. Why so defensive?”
“Since when am I defensive? Lin Xiangxiu, stop making false accusations!” Lin Shuping’s face flushed red with anger as he snapped, “We’re talking about you right now. Why bring me into it!”
Lin Shuping looked Lin Xiangxiu up and down, noting her decent clothing and the abundance of groceries she’d bought—clearly not short on money. He was so shocked he took off his glasses.
With Shencheng’s current high prices, even if he had given Lin Xiangxiu a thousand yuan, she shouldn’t be living so comfortably. How did this child bride suddenly come into money?
Staring at the food in Lin Xiangxiu’s basket, Lin Shuping snorted coldly, “You’re sure enjoying the money you swindled from me—already buying pork ribs. But I suggest you hurry back to your hometown. A thousand yuan is enough to rent a place and settle down. If you budget carefully, it could last two years. Then you can find a job to support the child. Better than staying in Shencheng and embarrassing yourself. Don’t come begging me when you run out of money later. We agreed back then—no support in life, no burial in death. You two have nothing to do with me.”
Lin Xiangxiu found his words irritating and sneered, “You know we have nothing to do with each other, so why the unsolicited advice?”
Lin Shuping’s face turned crimson, “For old times’ sake—even though we’re divorced, we’re still childhood sweethearts, aren’t we? I just think it’s shameful watching you haggle over a few yuan!”
“Lin Shuping, don’t insult the term ‘childhood sweethearts.’ Ours was an arranged marriage. If I can bargain for pork ribs now, it’s nothing compared to your mother making me marry you without consulting me—the biggest regret of my life. If I could do it over, I’d never marry you.” Lin Xiangxiu remarked indifferently.
“Being stubborn with me won’t help. A thousand yuan can last a long time back home, but in Shencheng it won’t last three months before you come begging.” Lin Shuping couldn’t resist taunting, “You’re not smart—turning down a comfortable life to suffer here.”
Lin Xiangxiu suppressed her anger, not wanting to engage further, but he kept pushing his luck. Finally losing her temper, she pointed at his nose and scolded, “I gave you face but you still won’t quit! I didn’t want to bother with you, yet you keep running your mouth. Lin Shuping, don’t think I don’t know what you’re really thinking!”
“Aren’t you just afraid that if I stay in Shencheng, your current wife will see me? Aren’t you just afraid your new wife will find out you abandoned your wife and child? Let me tell you—if you don’t want people to know, you shouldn’t have done such wicked things! Since you’ve done them, you’ll have to suffer the consequences—the constant fear and anxiety. This is what you deserve!”
“If you keep spouting nonsense here, I’ll tell everyone how Lin Shuping, a high school teacher, abandoned his rural wife and child after getting into university and landing a job. Not only that, but you even tried to trick me into taking care of your new wife during her postpartum confinement. Pah! What a damn disgrace of a teacher!”
These words were practically spat right in Lin Shuping’s face. Lin Xiangxiu felt exhilarated after venting, while Lin Shuping was genuinely terrified.
Not for any other reason, but because every accusation Lin Xiangxiu hurled at him was true.
Why was he trying to drive her and their daughter away? Wasn’t it precisely because he feared his new wife would find out? With his new wife’s shrewish temperament, he’d surely face hell if she discovered the truth!
To make matters worse, Lin Xiangxiu’s outburst had drawn the attention of half the people in the vegetable market. Every face wore the expression of someone eagerly anticipating drama, and Lin Shuping desperately wished he could gag her on the spot.
Lin Shuping: “What are you shouting about? What if someone hears?”
Lin Xiangxiu shook off his hand. “Let them hear! What does it have to do with me? I’m not the one who did something shameful!”
“Even if I end up destitute, I won’t come begging to you, so rest assured, Lin Shuping!” Having unleashed her anger, Lin Xiangxiu felt much better, a smile even gracing her face. “And I believe you’ll surely meet a bad end—just you wait! Someone like you, who eats from one bowl while eyeing the pot, then smashes the bowl behind you, will get their retribution sooner or later. Goodbye! Let’s pretend we don’t know each other if we ever cross paths again.”
Just then, the butcher handed her a newspaper-wrapped package of pork ribs from his stall and glanced curiously at Lin Shuping. “Hey, aren’t you the one who always shops at this market? I think I’ve seen you before?”
That single remark shattered Lin Shuping’s composure, making him wish he could vanish into the ground.
Lin Xiangxiu, however, paid no mind. Taking the ribs, she prepared to leave—she’d bought enough groceries for the day and had no intention of wasting more time on Lin Shuping.
Watching the young child bride about to depart, Lin Shuping’s heart raced with panic.
Ever since spotting Lin Xiangxiu in Shencheng, he’d been plagued by this sensation—as if something was slipping beyond his control. Now, that feeling grew increasingly palpable.
Anxious and unsettled, Lin Shuping hurried after Lin Xiangxiu as she reached the market entrance. He had to warn her to watch her tongue and stop spouting nonsense in public.
“Even if I wronged you regarding our child, my mother raised you. You can’t repay kindness with hostility… Wait, Lin Xiangxiu, where did you get that bicycle?” Lin Shuping stared in stunned silence as she wheeled out a brand-new bicycle.
“Move aside! Don’t you know a good dog doesn’t block the path?” Lin Xiangxiu snapped irritably.
She pushed the bicycle forward, but Lin Shuping seemed determined to pester her to the end, planting himself squarely in the middle of the path and refusing to budge.
When she veered left, he blocked the left; when she shifted toward the roadside, he barred that way too. Finally, losing patience, Lin Xiangxiu rammed the bicycle straight into him.
With a thud, Lin Shuping instantly clamped his legs together, feeling as though he’d nearly been castrated.
The moment they collided, a small wallet fell out of Lin Xiangxiu’s pocket. As she bent to pick it up, Lin Shuping had already snatched it first.
The moment the wallet landed in his hand, Lin Shuping sensed something was wrong—it was bulging, clearly stuffed with a considerable amount of money.
He acted swiftly, even opening it for a glance.
Lin Xiangxiu’s face darkened. “What do you think you’re doing? Robbing me?”
“Something’s not right, Lin Xiangxiu. This isn’t right. How could you have so much money?” Lin Shuping was dumbstruck, muttering to himself as if he’d lost his soul.
He was no fool—in fact, his mind was sharp. He had given Lin Xiangxiu a total of one thousand yuan. Renting a place in Shencheng and buying daily necessities would cost at least five hundred, and that was being extremely frugal. Yet, Lin Xiangxiu’s wallet contained at least three hundred yuan.
Knowing Lin Xiangxiu’s habits, she would never carry all her savings with her.
Where did she get so much money?
Lin Xiangxiu snatched the wallet back and mounted her bicycle, ready to leave. “Get lost! What’s it to you? Mind your own business!”
“You’re not going anywhere! Explain yourself—what have you been doing here? Are you involved in something shady?” Lin Shuping grabbed the bicycle’s rear rack, refusing to let go as he pressed her relentlessly.
“A new bicycle and all this money… Don’t tell me you’ve dragged Lin Xiao into gold-digging?” Suddenly, as if he’d caught her red-handed, he raised his voice, “I knew you were no good either. No wonder you suddenly came from the countryside to find me—you’ve set your sights on a better life, haven’t you? You came to the city to find a rich man, to be his mistress, didn’t you? And you had the nerve to say you were here for me.”
“Lin Xiangxiu, you’re heartless. My mother raised you, and you left her all alone in the countryside…”
The two of them argued right at the entrance of the market. Lin Shuping wore a smug expression, gripping the bicycle tightly as he hurled accusations at Lin Xiangxiu.
It was peak hours for shopping, and many elderly bystanders stopped to watch the spectacle. Some pointed at Lin Shuping, saying he was a high school teacher who had abandoned his wife and daughter. Others gestured at Lin Xiangxiu, claiming she was a gold-digger—despite her plain clothes, she was clearly rolling in money, her wallet stuffed with cash.
Unable to bear the harsh accusations and stares any longer, Lin Xiangxiu dismounted from her bicycle. Without hesitation, she slapped Lin Shuping hard across the face.
*Smack!”Are you awake now?””
“Before this, out of respect for your mother who raised me, I tolerated whatever you did. But now, any debt of gratitude has been repaid. From now on, you’re nothing but a dog to me. If you dare act shamelessly again, I’ll slap you even harder. Get lost!” Lin Xiangxiu pointed at Lin Shuping’s nose, her words sharp and unsparing.
Lin Shuping was stunned, holding his cheek without uttering a word—his mind reeling from the blow.
Having worked long years in the countryside, Lin Xiangxiu had stronger hands than he did. The slap was so forceful it nearly knocked his teeth out.
When he finally regained his senses, Lin Shuping flew into a rage. Since starting university, he had never been humiliated like this, especially not in front of so many people!
Lin Xiangxiu was nothing but a shrew!
“You’re a gold-digger, and you dare hit me? You’re asking for trouble!” Enraged, Lin Shuping spotted a stack of bricks nearby, grabbed one, and charged at Lin Xiangxiu.
“Hey! Watch out, pretty lady, look behind you!”
“Heavens! This is going to be fatal, someone quickly call a Public Security Officer!”
The elderly onlookers who witnessed this scene were terrified out of their wits, shouting and screaming. Some wanted to step in to help, but it was already too late.
By the time Lin Xiangxiu realized what was happening, it was already late. She turned around to see Lin Shuping holding a brick, ready to smash it toward her.
Lin Xiangxiu instinctively raised her arm to block it. As long as it didn’t hit her head, she would twist Lin Shuping’s worthless head off in a moment.
Lin Xiangxiu closed her eyes, bracing for the pain.
But after several seconds, nothing happened.
Lin Xiangxiu opened her eyes and saw the brick strike another person’s arm. That person’s hand was gripping Lin Shuping’s wrist, preventing him from continuing his assault, the knuckles turning white from the force.
She followed the line of the arm and looked up. “Mr. Lu?”
Lin Xiangxiu was startled and rushed forward to rescue Lu Xingzhi, anxiously asking, “What are you doing here?”
“Are you okay? Does it hurt? How could you just step in to block it for me!”
Lu Xingzhi had clearly been hit, clutching his wrist in pain as he frowned and said, “I couldn’t stand by and watch a lady get beaten in front of me. That’s violence.”
What nonsense!
Lin Xiangxiu was both anxious and furious—anxious for Lu Xingzhi, and furious at Lin Shuping.
“Are you alright? Did you hurt any bones?” She couldn’t stop worrying about Lu Xingzhi, unable to resist examining his arm.
Lu Xingzhi’s skin was very pale, almost sickly so. Now it was slightly broken, with bruises beginning to form.
Lu Xingzhi pressed his bones, assessing the injury, and breathed a sigh of relief himself. “It’s fine, no fracture. It’s just a soft tissue contusion.”
“So that ‘contusion’ thing means it’s just a flesh wound?” Lin Xiangxiu asked.
Lu Xingzhi nodded.
Lin Xiangxiu finally let out a huge sigh of relief, feeling as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her heart.
It was no wonder she was so worried—Lu Xingzhi was extremely important to her right now.
Mr. Lu was so generous, and aside from being a bit particular about cleanliness, he had almost no demands. If Lin Shuping had injured him, where would she ever find such a good employer again?
Was Lin Shuping hitting Mr. Lu? No! He was hitting her money god!
“Weren’t you at home sleeping? What are you doing at the market?” Lin Xiangxiu couldn’t help asking again.
Lu Xingzhi: “I couldn’t sleep. I came out to buy glue and saw that you seemed to be in trouble, so I parked and came over to help.”
“Parked?” Lin Xiangxiu asked, completely baffled. What on earth could possibly warrant the word “parked”? Wasn’t a bicycle just casually left by the roadside? If you were more particular, you might find a lock to secure it.
Lu Xingzhi pointed, and Lin Xiangxiu followed his gaze. She couldn’t help but gasp—it was a small car she had never seen back in her hometown. The emblem was a circular ring with a strange triangular arrow inside. She didn’t recognize the brand, but it was gleaming, shining under the sun like a mountain of money.
At the sight of the car, Lin Xiangxiu’s first thought was—I wonder how expensive this car is. It’s so impressive. If she ever had money in the future, she would buy one too, just to drive around her hometown and make all those who had mocked her and Lin Xiao green with envy!
“What about you? Why did you get into an argument with this person? Are you in some kind of trouble?” Lu Xingzhi waved his hand in front of Lin Xiangxiu’s face.
Lin Xiangxiu snapped back to reality immediately, gritting her teeth angrily as she recalled the earlier scene. After confirming the God of Wealth was unharmed, she shot a sharp glare at Lin Shuping, making the dazed man feel a chill run down his spine.
Before anyone could react, Lin Xiangxiu rushed over to Lin Shuping and slapped him hard across the face twice!
“Smack!”
“Smack!”
Two consecutive slaps still didn’t satisfy her anger. She cursed, “Lin Shuping, have some shame! You’re the one shamelessly having an affair outside, yet you try to frame me!”
“Being shameless is one thing, but trying to hit people? If you want to hit someone, at least aim properly! Whatever grudge you have, take it out on me. Why hit someone else? I think you should just donate those eyes of yours since they’re useless anyway!”
Lin Shuping was genuinely stunned by the slaps this time. His glasses flew off, and he was so enraged he seemed about to explode, his eyes turning bloodshot. He roared, “You hit me again? Do you really think I won’t hit a woman? Let me tell you, Xiao Lan and I are legally married! She’s not the other woman, and I’m not a heartless scoundrel! You and I were never involved to begin with!”
Lin Xiangxiu actually laughed at this, letting out a cold sneer as she said sarcastically, “Right, we were never involved. We never held a wedding banquet or registered our marriage. All I did was take care of your mother in the countryside for several years, bore you a child, and lived with you for a few months. How could that possibly count as marriage?”
At this point, noticing many elderly spectators watching the commotion, Lin Xiangxiu turned and asked with a smile, “What do you all think? Does that count as marriage between us?”
A nearby auntie immediately spat and cursed in Shencheng dialect, rolling her eyes at Lin Shuping, “You bastard! I’ve seen plenty of scumbags like you who abandon their rural wives for pretty new ones. You’ll get your retribution sooner or later.”
“That’s right, young man. You can’t behave like this. The two of you even have a child together—how could you resort to violence?” Another uncle chimed in, “Even if you separate, it should be done peacefully. A man shouldn’t hit a woman comrade.”
“If this doesn’t count as marriage, then what does? You’re truly despicable!”
As all the contemptuous and disgusted gazes fell upon him, Lin Shuping couldn’t take it anymore. Pointing at Lu Xingzhi standing nearby, he retorted, “You’re criticizing me? That’s like the pot calling the kettle black! How are you any better? Didn’t you come here to latch onto a rich man too?”
“Do you think I can’t tell? You’re just this man’s mistress, his side piece. No! You might not even be the side piece—you could be the fourth or fifth!” Lin Shuping eyed the luxurious car with envy and jealousy, adding disdainfully, “Though he’s rich, his taste must be terrible to fall for a country bumpkin like you.”
“You know what I want to say? A dirty mind sees dirt everywhere.” Lin Xiangxiu curled her lips in mockery.
“Hah, so my mind is dirty, is it? I’ll expose you right now.” With his swollen face, Lin Shuping strode toward Lu Xingzhi.
When he arrived, Lu Xingzhi was still waiting by the roadside, occasionally glancing at his watch, clearly agitated.
Upon seeing Lin Shuping approach, he merely gave him a cursory glance and paid him no further attention.
Unexpectedly, Lin Shuping spoke up directly, pointing in Lin Xiangxiu’s direction and saying, “Sir, I don’t know how Lin Xiangxiu deceived you, but I can assure you, this woman is neither single nor from the city. She’s just a country bumpkin with a little girl in tow. Even if she has some cooking skills and makes decent food, she’s not someone to be trifled with. Don’t be fooled by her.”
“She’s extremely fierce—back in the countryside, she once chased someone with a cleaver.”
“You seem like a man of status and standing, so I advise you to stay away from her as soon as possible.”
As he spoke, Lin Shuping maintained a composed expression, as if he were merely offering well-intentioned advice without any ulterior motives.
Lin Xiangxiu rushed over to pull him away. “What nonsense are you spouting?”
“I’m not spouting nonsense. I’m just telling him the truth about you!” Lin Shuping shook off her hand.
As the two struggled, Lu Xingzhi slowly furrowed his brow. He even took off his thin-framed glasses in disbelief and rubbed his ears carefully.
He suddenly interjected, “Wait, I think I understand. You believe Miss Lin is my mistress, is that it?”
“Isn’t she?” Lin Shuping was baffled by his response.
What did he mean by “understand”? Had he only just grasped the situation? Was this man unable to comprehend Chinese or something?
Lin Shuping stared at Lu Xingzhi with utter bewilderment, thinking that the wealthy man Lin Xiangxiu had latched onto wasn’t very bright.
However, Lu Xingzhi’s expression was even more astonished and incredulous, as if he had just heard the most absurd tale.
He couldn’t help but retort, “With Miss Lin’s exceptional culinary skills and her dedicated work ethic, why would you assume she’s my mistress?”
“Have I done something inappropriate to give you the wrong impression?” He immediately began reflecting on his own behavior.
These blunt remarks made Lin Xiangxiu blush with embarrassment. She tugged at Lu Xingzhi’s sleeve. “That’s enough, Mr. Lu. There’s no need to waste words on someone like him. He’s nothing but a dung beetle—ignore him.”
“No, no, this is slander and defamation. I cannot accept it,” Lu Xingzhi insisted. “Our relationship is purely professional. Why would he describe it in such a disgraceful manner?”
“If she’s not your mistress, why did you hire her?” Lin Shuping blurted out in shock.
Lu Xingzhi frowned at him, his expression akin to studying why a monkey would suddenly start speaking.
After a long pause, he gave up on communicating with this foolish “monkey.” He put his glasses back on with exasperation. “Forget it. I just want to make it clear that Miss Lin and I have an employer-employee relationship. If you continue to speak disrespectfully, I will sue you for defamation. You are tarnishing our reputations.”
Lin Xiangxiu suddenly asked, “Defamation? Can what he said really be considered defamation? What kind of charge is that?”
“He fabricated stories about our relationship, damaging our reputations. With so many witnesses here, we can absolutely sue him,” Lu Xingzhi explained.
Lin Shuping, having at least attended university, was naturally aware of defamation laws and felt his legs weaken slightly. “Who are you trying to scare? Who knows what your relationship really is? I was just speaking offhand.”
“Mr. Lu, I think we should file a joint lawsuit. This person’s mouth is simply too vile,” Lin Xiangxiu said deliberately.
Lin Shuping’s face turned even paler, but he forced himself to say, “If you dare sue me, I’ll call my mother over and let her teach you a lesson.”
After all, his adoptive mother had picked up Lin Xiangxiu as a wailing infant and raised her to adulthood—this was an immense kindness.
The debt of upbringing outweighs the debt of birth—this was an undeniable fact no matter where one went.
Lin Shuping knew that only by invoking his mother could he win an argument against Lin Xiangxiu.
Sure enough, as soon as he mentioned his mother, Lin Xiangxiu fell silent on the other end.
Just then, someone seemed to recognize Lin Shuping and began pointing at him. Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, Lin Shuping decided not to linger. He quickly picked up his glasses from the ground and scurried away.
As he ran, he kept glancing back, clearly resentful, his eyes gleaming with malice.
But when Lin Xiangxiu shot him another glare, he nearly stumbled in fright and hurried off.
With that, the dramatic scene came to an end. One of the three main characters had fled, and the remaining two clearly didn’t seem to have any illicit relationship, so the onlookers lost interest and went back to buying groceries.
Lin Xiangxiu glared helplessly in the direction Lin Shuping had disappeared before turning to Lu Xingzhi and saying, “Mr. Lu, let’s head back.”
“Aren’t you going to hold him accountable for slander?” Lu Xingzhi asked.
“You’re serious about that?” Lin Xiangxiu looked puzzled, shaking the bamboo basket in her hand. “But I bought some tender, delicious ribs today, with crunchy cartilage attached. They’ll make amazing Tangcu Paigu—the cartilage will crunch in your mouth, so tasty! The weather’s hot now, and if we don’t cook the meat soon, it’ll spoil. What a shame.”
“Well, if you insist on pursuing this, let’s hurry to the Public Security Bureau. Even if the meat goes bad, there’s nothing we can do. You’ll just have to wait another day for Tangcu Paigu.”
Just hearing her description made Lu Xingzhi’s mouth water; every cell in his body seemed to be clamoring for Tangcu Paigu.
He immediately said, “I suppose pursuing responsibility isn’t that urgent. Let’s go back and cook first. Wasting food is a shame.”
“Right, wasting is a shame. Let’s hurry back—your arm still needs medicine.” As she spoke, Lin Xiangxiu picked up her bicycle.
One drove a car, the other rode a bicycle, yet they arrived home almost simultaneously.
It was already past eleven when they got back. Worried about Lin Xiao at home, Lin Xiangxiu worked even more efficiently.
“If these ribs had been soaked in advance to remove the blood, we could fry them directly, and they’d turn out especially tender. Too bad there’s no time today, so we’ll have to blanch them first,” Lin Xiangxiu remarked as she cleaned the ribs.
After blanching the ribs, she fried them in oil along with garlic cloves until golden brown, added various seasonings, poured in water, and let it all simmer.
When the aroma wafted from the pot, Lin Xiangxiu turned the Mei Qi Zao down to its lowest setting.
“Mr. Lu, do you have any wound medicine or something at home? That injury of yours needs tending to,” Lin Xiangxiu said, taking off her apron and washing her hands with soap.
Watching her actions, Lu Xingzhi raised an eyebrow imperceptibly, a smile unconsciously spreading across his face.
He glanced at his wound. “No need.”
“But we should, what if it gets worse?” Lin Xiangxiu expressed concern.
After all, the person sitting before her wasn’t just Mr. Lu—he was also a wealth god who could spit out money.
Back in the countryside, Lin Xiangxiu wouldn’t have batted an eye at such a minor injury, but when it came to the God of Wealth himself, she had to take it seriously.
The little housemaid now frowned, her worried gaze drifting over, none of the ferocity she’d shown at the market entrance remaining. She looked entirely aggrieved and distressed.
It seemed if he didn’t tend to his wound, she’d immediately turn off the stove and drag him to the hospital.
Lu Xingzhi had no choice but to roll up his sleeve, pointing at the drawer beneath the TV. “Alright, the first aid kit is there. Do you know how to use it?”
“This is Ziyaoshui, these are bandages, this is gauze—I basically recognize them all. I even learned a bit from a Chijiao Daifu back in the countryside. If you trust me, let me give it a try,” Lin Xiangxiu volunteered eagerly.
The moment Lu Xingzhi nodded, she couldn’t wait to pull out the first aid kit and began treating the wound.
“Does it hurt?” Lin Xiangxiu couldn’t help muttering, “Why did you have to step in and block it? It was just a hit—I would’ve been fine. What if you got seriously injured?”
“I can’t stand by and watch someone in danger, especially when it’s someone I know, and a friend at that,” Lu Xingzhi said solemnly.
Lin Xiangxiu’s hand trembled slightly as she cleaned the wound, her heart feeling as if it had been scalded by something—sour and tingling.
This Mr. Lu, back from abroad, sure knew how to lay it on thick.
Then, Lu Xingzhi added, “Besides, I assessed the situation. He clearly had no training—zero signs of it—so he was no match for me.”
Lin Xiangxiu glanced at his slender frame, then recalled Lin Shuping’s exceptionally frail build, and couldn’t help feeling Mr. Lu was a bit overconfident.
You two are practically six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Prudently keeping that thought to herself, Lin Xiangxiu nodded instead. “Thank you for considering me a friend. Is your injury really okay? Does it still hurt?”
Lu Xingzhi was about to say it didn’t hurt at all, that it was nothing, but before he could speak, he heard Lin Xiangxiu murmuring to herself.
“Still, you got hurt protecting me—I can’t just ignore it. How about I make you an extra nourishing soup these next few days to help you recover? Pigeon soup, Wuhong Tang, Laomu Ji Tang… and if you’re open to pig trotter soup, I could stew some pork knuckles too,” Lin Xiangxiu mused.
“Pig trotters… as in pig’s feet?” Lu Xingzhi shook his head in extreme resistance. “N-no, I don’t eat offal, or animal claws.”
“Are you worried about hair or improper cleaning? Don’t worry, I’ll clean them thoroughly—absolutely nothing that would disgust you,” Lin Xiangxiu hurriedly assured him. “Animal claws are delicious! Hongshao Zhuti, Hongshao Jizhua… I even learned how to make Liangban Jizhua. It’d be a shame if you didn’t try them.”
“You can really get them clean? Don’t you find them… terrifying to look at?”
Even as he called them terrifying, Lu Xingzhi couldn’t help swallowing.
“Terrifying?” Lin Xiangxiu looked puzzled. “Why terrifying? What’s scary about chopping them up? How about I make some for you to try in a couple of days?”
“Alright,” Lu Xingzhi nodded. “And those tonic soups you mentioned earlier…”
“If you’d like, I can make those too. You really need to nourish your body,” Lin Xiangxiu quickly added.
Lu Xingzhi couldn’t help but admire, “Miss Lin…”
“You don’t need to call me Miss Lin. You can call me Xiao Lin or Xiuxiu. That’s what everyone called me back in my hometown,” Lin Xiangxiu said with a beaming smile.
Lu Xingzhi: “Xiao Lin, have you studied traditional Chinese medicine? How do you know so much about medicinal cuisine?”
“You mean those nourishing soups?” Lin Xiangxiu hesitated.
Lu Xingzhi: “Exactly.”
“Haha…”
Lin Xiangxiu wanted to say those were for women during postpartum confinement, but after glancing at Lu Xingzhi’s expression, she held back.
Pretending not to have heard, she let the topic naturally fade away. She carefully tended to Lu Xingzhi’s wound before standing up satisfied. “The Tangcu Paigu should be ready. Let me check.”
Entering the kitchen and lifting the lid, she found the timing was perfect. Poking with chopsticks revealed the pork ribs were already tender and falling off the bone. Lin Xiangxiu immediately turned up the heat to reduce the sauce, thickening the savory brown glaze until each rib was evenly coated in the sweet and sour sauce before plating.
She had originally planned to sprinkle some sesame seeds for garnish to make it more visually appealing, but having forgotten to buy sesame seeds today, she had to abandon the idea.
While carrying the Tangcu Paigu to the dining table, Lin Xiangxiu noticed Mr. Lu sitting in the study, head bowed, writing something.
After a moment’s thought, she decided not to disturb him and returned to prepare the next dish.
By the time the next dish—oyster sauce lettuce to cut through the richness—was served, Lu Xingzhi was already seated at the dining table, looking ready to start eating immediately.
Sweet and sour ribs, braised until tender and flavorful—who wouldn’t love them?
Lu Xingzhi ate with intense focus, as if savoring some divine delicacy. After the first bite of ribs, he immediately gave his highest praise.
“This is the most delicious pork I’ve ever tasted,” Lu Xingzhi declared solemnly.
Lin Xiangxiu loved hearing diners say this most. As a cook, this was her most fulfilling and happiest moment.
Her eyes curved into crescents. “Is it really that good?”
“If you’ve tried pork abroad, you’d know it’s not an exaggeration at all,” Lu Xingzhi said.
By the end of the meal, not a single rib remained—even the sauce had been mixed with rice and finished—though half of the lettuce was left.
Lin Xiangxiu sensed that Mr. Lu might be a bit picky, preferring meat over vegetables.
But given how thin he was now, eating more meat wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
After finishing the last mouthful of rice mixed with the remaining sauce, Lu Xingzhi was finally satisfied. His gaze inadvertently fell on the clean plate before him, and it struck him that he might never have eaten his fill in the first half of his life.
It was the first time he realized he could eat so much—he was even a bit stuffed.
Just as Lu Xingzhi was thinking this, Lin Xiangxiu brought over a cup of brownish tea.
A flicker of confusion appeared in Lu Xingzhi’s eyes, but before he could ask, Lin Xiangxiu explained with a smile, “It’s a digestion tea, a recipe from my hometown. Drinking it will help your digestion and ease stomach discomfort.”
“Mr. Lu, your stomach often hurts, right? You shouldn’t have eaten so much just now.”The young nanny’s eyes held a hint of reproach, but it was just the right amount of concern conveyed without being the least bit offensive.”
Perhaps because the food was too delicious or he had eaten too much, Lu Xingzhi even felt somewhat moved.
In the over a year since returning to China, this had been his most comfortable day.
Lin Xiangxiu said softly, “Have a drink. This way your stomach won’t hurt when you go back to sleep.”
Lu Xingzhi picked it up and took a sip. It had a slightly sour taste, like diluted hawthorn juice. He smacked his lips, thanked Lin Xiangxiu, and then walked into the bedroom.
After working overtime all night, his exhaustion vanished the moment he finished eating. Now he was going to sleep comfortably.
After tidying up the kitchen, Lin Xiangxiu checked the time—it was only one o’clock. She had plenty of time to clean up the house a bit more.
She thoroughly cleaned up the “masterpieces” left by the previous “Burglar Auntie,” including the broken enamel mugs and rotten soap. Lin Xiangxiu figured Lu Xingzhi wouldn’t want them anymore, so she gathered everything into a large sack and placed it by the door.
She stored all the unnecessary items from the house in drawers, wiped the dust off the television until it was spotless, cleaned the dust off the leather sofa, and finally mopped the wooden floor until it almost shone. Only then did Lin Xiangxiu stop, satisfied.
She looked left and right, but it still felt like something wasn’t quite right.
After scrutinizing for a long time, she finally realized what was wrong.
The arrangement of the furniture in the room was particularly haphazard and awkward, as if the furniture had just been thrown in wherever there was space after being moved in.
This made living in the space very inconvenient—watching TV required tilting your head, and walking from the dining area to the sofa meant navigating around two chairs.
Lin Xiangxiu stood with her hands on her hips, surveying the room for a while, and then began moving the furniture. The strength she had developed from doing farm work in the countryside came in handy now—she could move everything without needing to call Lu Xingzhi.
When Lu Xingzhi stumbled out half-asleep to use the bathroom, he almost thought he had walked into the wrong house.
He stopped abruptly, his drowsiness vanishing halfway.
“Xiao Lin, what happened?”
Lin Xiangxiu was about to remove the small pillowcase from the sofa to wash it when she heard the noise and looked up. She said apologetically, “I thought the arrangement in your room was a bit odd, so I decided to rearrange it to make it more comfortable to live in. Look, the position of this TV stand was really awkward—it was easy to stub your toe on it when going to the bathroom at night.”
Following the young housekeeper’s gesture, Lu Xingzhi nodded in agreement.
That protruding cabinet had indeed stubbed his toe in the middle of the night, leaving it bruised the next day.
But at the time, he hadn’t thought of a solution, as there was simply no other place to put the TV stand, so it had to stick out like that.
“Now I’ve moved the cabinet next to it to the entrance, where it can be used for shoes and keys. That freed up space here for the TV stand. Why don’t you sit down and see if it feels much more comfortable?” Lin Xiangxiu enthusiastically invited.
Before Lu Xingzhi knew it, he had already plopped down on the sofa.
Just as Lin Xiangxiu had said, the repositioned sofa and TV were like a toothbrush and toothpaste—seemingly made for each other. Sitting on the sofa, he only needed to tilt his head slightly to see the elevated TV, without straining his neck or forcing his spine into an uncomfortable position. It was a very comfortable posture.
Lin Xiangxiu placed a cup of warm tea on the small table in front of him. “How is it? If you’re not satisfied with this arrangement, I can move everything back.”
“No need, this feels really comfortable.” Lu Xingzhi had lost count of how many times he’d expressed gratitude today, each word spoken with genuine sincerity.
“Thank you, I’m truly happy,” he said earnestly.
Lin Xiangxiu breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m glad you like it. No need to keep thanking me – this is just part of my job.”
Suddenly remembering something, she quickly glanced at the wall clock. “It’s already 2:05! I need to hurry home. I promised my daughter I’d be back by two o’clock. She gets scared when she can’t see me.”
Having eaten his fill, Lu Xingzhi was completely uncomplaining and exceptionally easy-going. “You can ride my bicycle. From now on, you can leave as soon as you finish your work – no need to wait exactly three hours every time.”
“That’s not necessary. Business and personal matters should remain separate. I’ll only use the bicycle for grocery shopping.” Lin Xiangxiu waved her hand dismissively as she began gathering her belongings.
Just as she was about to leave, Lu Xingzhi called out to her again.
“Xiao Lin.”
Turning back, she saw Mr. Lu sitting on the sofa, looking somewhat uneasy.
“What’s wrong? Is there something you want to tell me?” she asked.
Lu Xingzhi nodded, anxiously picking at the leather sofa before finally blurting out, “How about I give you a raise?”
Remembering how Yang Yong had tried to poach her earlier that day filled him with unease, making him desperately want to increase Xiao Lin’s salary.
Lin Xiangxiu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Why?”
“Your work is outstanding – you deserve higher pay,” Lu Xingzhi said without hesitation. “At the very least, you’re the best housekeeper I’ve ever had.”
It had to be said that praise brought joy and pleasure. Lin Xiangxiu felt sweeter than if she’d eaten honey, happier than hearing sweet nothings.
She tried to maintain her composure, not letting her delight show too obviously. “There’s really no need for a raise. You’re already paying me very well – I doubt there’s any housekeeper in all of Shencheng earning more than me. Plus, the working hours here are short. I’m already very satisfied.”
“But… what if Yang Yong offers you more money?” Mr. Lu was clearly very conflicted, filled with distress and anxiety.
Lin Xiangxiu burst out laughing. “Why don’t you believe me? I really won’t jump ship! At least not in the short term. Even if I wanted to work for him, it would only be part-time, and I’d get your permission first. It wouldn’t affect my work here. Does that reassure you?”
Lin Xiangxiu loved money and was short of it – she couldn’t guarantee she’d never take on side jobs. But she could at least promise that any part-time work wouldn’t interfere with her main job.
“Goodbye, I really have to go now.” She waved at him.
With a bang, the door closed. Lu Xingzhi picked at the sofa leather a couple more times before finally taking a piece of paper from his study and posting it on the main door.
“YANG YONG FROM 302 – NO ENTRY!!!”
Three enormous exclamation marks.
Author’s note:
We’re going VIP la la la~ Can update freely now! Seeking author collections, please check out the works in my column! Finally, random red envelopes will be dropped in this chapter. Red envelopes will be dropped daily for the first 4 days after going VIP [hugs]