Leng Hui had been reborn five days ago.
She had inexplicably returned from the year 2010, thirty years in the future, back to the present year of 1980.
After the initial shock, she felt more surprise than anything else.
Leng Hui believed that heaven had given her another chance, a chance to correct her mistakes and live a better life.
To be fair, in her previous life, Leng Hui’s life hadn’t been bad.
Her private kitchen restaurant had flourished, with branches opening in many cities across the country. At least in terms of material wealth, she had been very well-off.
But her family life had been far from happy.
Leng Hui believed that the root cause was her choice of marriage partner.
She felt that she had been too young and naive at the time, dazzled by superficial external conditions.
That had led her to do something terribly foolish, scheming against the honest and simple Ning Yi, seizing his family property, and using it to subsidize Qin Min!
Now that she had been given this chance to be reborn, Leng Hui naturally would not repeat the same mistakes.
In this life, she would treat Ning Yi well. She would never deceive him again, nor would she alter agreements or seize his family’s property.
She would marry him, start from the Ning family’s courtyard, and lead him in opening a restaurant.
As long as he could treat her well for the rest of her life and never despise her for being ill, Leng Hui was confident that she could change Ning Yi’s fate of dying in poverty and despair, and let him taste the feeling of having money to spare.
It was with this intention that Leng Hui had gone to the coal yard early three days ago.
In her previous life, on that day, because her family was unwilling to pay a single cent for moving fee, she had borrowed a cart and gone to the coal yard herself to haul coal.
But the cart had been too heavy for her to pull. In her desperation, she had sat down by the roadside and started crying.
She had been spotted by Ning Yi, who happened to pass by.
Unable to stand by and do nothing, Ning Yi had helped her deliver the coal to her home for free, and even stacked it neatly for her.
That was how the two of them had met.
But this time, Leng Hui sat by the roadside crying for a long time, her eyes swollen from weeping, yet Ning Yi never appeared.
At first, she thought she had misremembered the date. But after waiting for three days without seeing him, she began to panic.
Leng Hui wanted to inquire at the coal yard, but the moment she entered, she saw several people who looked like leaders conducting an inspection. She didn’t dare go any further. In her desperation, she recklessly came to the Ning household.
She knew this approach was risky. After all, Ning Yi didn’t even know her at this point, so showing up like this would be hard to explain.
But she felt that since she had lived two lifetimes, fabricating a lie shouldn’t be too difficult.
Besides, wasn’t she already familiar with the Ning family’s situation?
Other than Ning Yi, who was honest and simple, the only other person was his foolish sister, Ning Xin.
Back then, that girl had been so easily fooled that she’d followed someone without a second thought. Her brains couldn’t be all there.
It was with this mindset that Leng Hui had barged into the Ning home.
But once inside, she immediately realized that everything seemed different from what she remembered.
First of all, when had a grandmother shown up in this household?
She remembered that because Ning Xin had been beaten by relatives from their hometown, the siblings had cut off all contact with that side of the family.
Otherwise, when Ning Yi later went looking for his sister, he wouldn’t have preferred to trade the house for money rather than borrow from his uncles.
This sudden realization threw her off balance. Faced with the old lady’s questioning, Leng Hui found herself stammering.
Before she could recover and come up with a remedy, two more people walked through the gate.
She didn’t recognize the younger one, who seemed familiar with Ning Xin. But she recognized the older one!
That was Secretary Shi, the top leader of Xinnan City!
Back when she was opening her branch restaurant, she had gone through so many connections and sought introductions from so many influential people just to deliver an invitation to Secretary Shi’s office.
And even then, the leader hadn’t shown up on opening day.
How had the Ning family gotten connected with Secretary Shi?
Ning Xin had no idea what Leng Hui was thinking, nor did she care to find out.
After all, their courtyard was large, and many people came and went. There were no valuables left outside. If Leng Hui wanted to stand there, so be it.
At that moment, Ning Xin’s attention was entirely focused on the two newcomers.
Secretary Lin aside, the moment Ning Xin saw the bearing of the man he had brought, she knew she had gained another high-quality customer!
Ah, well, there was no helping it.
With her current limited funds and manpower, she couldn’t run advertisements or create any buzz. She had to rely on word of mouth. So when high-quality customers came knocking, she had to treat them well and hold onto them tightly.
In the time it took to exchange a few words, Old Madam Ning had already brought out the herbal tea. In addition to the ever-present mint tea, there was also mulberry and chrysanthemum tea.
This tea was brewed with Hangzhou white chrysanthemums and mulberry leaves.
Its effects included clearing heat and reducing internal fire, as well as cleansing the lungs, soothing the throat, and benefiting the liver and eyes.
Ning Xin handed the mint tea to Secretary Lin.
Secretary Lin took it, glanced at it, and laughed. “Xiao Ning, my pimple is already gone. Could you pack some of this tea for me to take home? Let me tell you, I used to have mouth ulcers all year round without a break, it was pure torture. But after drinking your herbal tea for a few days, they’ve actually healed!”
Secretary Lin grew more excited as he spoke. Forgetting to explain himself to Secretary Shi beside him, he grabbed Ning Xin and went on and on.
Ning Xin hadn’t yet thought about selling tea bags, but since Secretary Lin brought it up, she quickly considered the idea in her mind.
Then she nodded and readily agreed. “Alright. Let me know before you leave, and I’ll prepare the tea bags for you.”
Her words made Secretary Lin beam with delight.
But Shi Zhengyi, standing beside him, frowned slightly.
After finishing with Secretary Lin, Ning Xin handed the mulberry and chrysanthemum tea to Shi Zhengyi.
“Uncle, this is mulberry and chrysanthemum tea. It clears the lungs, soothes the throat, and benefits the liver and eyes. Please drink this.”
Shi Zhengyi took the tea but, unlike Secretary Lin who downed his in one go, he examined it first before turning his gaze to Ning Xin.
He looked her up and down, then said with a half-smile, “Oh? Young Lady, you’re not very old, but you certainly have a silver tongue. What, have you studied medicine? Can you diagnose by observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking? Why don’t you take my pulse and tell me what’s wrong with me? A person should be down-to-earth. You can’t just look at someone’s face and decide what tea they should drink or what food they should eat. Don’t you agree?”
Ning Xin was taken aback. She glanced instinctively at Secretary Lin, wondering why the man he had brought was being so sarcastic.
Of course, she knew what was wrong with him.
His face was flushed, there were red veins in his eyes, and the veins on his forehead were throbbing, clear signs that he was suppressing anger. Even from a distance, she could smell a faint, unpleasant odor from his mouth. These were all symptoms of excessive liver fire.
Although he wouldn’t say it, Ning Xin knew that he had been experiencing frequent dizziness, poor digestion, and likely high blood pressure. If he didn’t take it seriously, it wouldn’t be long before he ended up in the hospital.
She had originally intended to offer him some advice and, if possible, have him order a few days of medicinal meals at her place. Setting aside everything else, Ning Xin believed she was more than capable of helping him improve his health.
But now…
Still, a guest was a guest. As long as he had walked through her door, she had to show him a certain amount of respect.
She smiled and said, “Uncle, you’re giving me far too much credit. Where would I get such ability? Brother Lin is used to drinking mint tea, and we add ice to that one. He’s young and full of energy, on a hot day like this, a bowl of iced tea is refreshing.
This mulberry and chrysanthemum tea, though called a cooling tea, is served hot. I thought, since you’re a bit older, you might not be accustomed to something too cold. Besides, your lips are chapped from the heat, and your voice is a bit hoarse. Drinking a tea that moistens the lungs certainly wouldn’t hurt.”
For the past few days, Shi Zhengyi had been searching everywhere for the old leader, waiting day after day at the guesthouse. But Secretary Lin had been stonewalling him, leaving him dizzy and unable to find anyone.
Only today had he learned that the couple was staying in this private residence. He had waited at the mouth of the alley early that morning to catch Secretary Lin.
Shi Zhengyi had no idea what the relationship was between the old leader and this family.
But hearing the young girl’s smooth, pleasant talk, his first impression was: the old leader’s wife must have been won over by these sweet words, and the old leader, feeling sorry for his wife, had moved in with her.
The moment this thought crossed his mind, he couldn’t help letting a hint of irritation seep into his voice.
But now, listening to the young girl explain in her crisp voice why she had given him this particular tea, without a trace of resentment at being unfairly treated—
Every word she spoke made him feel that she genuinely meant well for him, that she was putting herself in his shoes and thinking of his best interests.
This feeling was rather disarming.
It made Shi Zhengyi immediately realize that he had been in the wrong. A man his age, saying such things to a young girl!
He felt rather embarrassed.
He didn’t say another word. Instead, he raised the bowl of tea to his lips and took a sip. Then… he took another.
The warm tea slid down his throat, bringing an indescribable sense of refreshment. It was as if some sweet spring had soothed all the restlessness in his heart.
His furrowed brow relaxed involuntarily.
He looked up sharply at Ning Xin. “Young lady, what is this tea called?”
“Mulberry and chrysanthemum tea.”
Shi Zhengyi nodded, drained the bowl in one go, and then, looking somewhat sheepish, handed it back. “Um, could I have another bowl of this mulberry and chrysanthemum tea?”
“Certainly.” Seeing his softened attitude, Ning Xin gave him a bright smile, took the bowl, and promptly ran back to the kitchen to refill it for him.
Secretary Lin tugged at Shi Zhengyi’s sleeve and pointed toward the small corner where they usually discussed matters. The two of them walked over together.
Only when he was sure no one else was around did Secretary Lin complain, “Secretary Shi, that was hardly appropriate, the way you spoke just now.”
As the saying goes, one level of official rank can crush a person to death.
Although Secretary Lin was far younger and less experienced than Shi Zhengyi, the fact remained that he was the personal secretary of a high-ranking leader.
What’s more, it was precisely because Shi Zhengyi’s subordinates had tried to second-guess the leader’s intentions and angered Minister Hu that the inspection had changed from an open one to a covert one.
In the end, it was all due to mistakes on their side.
It was indeed frustrating not to be able to find the leader or know what he was thinking.
But perhaps it was because that bowl of herbal tea had suppressed the rising irritation in his chest. Now, hearing Secretary Lin’s words, Shi Zhengyi not only took no offense but became even more aware that his earlier outburst had been unwarranted.
He waved his hand awkwardly. “I’m just anxious.”
Then he widened his eyes and put on a show of bluster. “Give your old brother a break. Don’t tell the minister when he gets back!”
Secretary Lin chuckled. “Don’t worry, Secretary Shi. You and our minister are of the same generation. By rights, I should call you uncle…”
Shi Zhengyi waved his hand dismissively. “No need. We’ll each go by our own terms. During the revolution, we all called each other whatever, just call me old brother from now on.”
Secretary Lin laughed along with him for a moment, neither agreeing nor refusing, but the atmosphere had clearly lightened considerably.
Ning Xin soon brought each of them a cup of tea.
This time, the tea was served in a small white porcelain cup. Along with it came a small white porcelain dish holding two small pieces of freshly baked cake.
“Uncle, Brother Lin, don’t drink too much tea. Once Uncle Hu and Auntie Zhuang come back, we’ll start the meal. Save some room, I’ll bring out something delicious for you later.”
Her smile was sweet, her tone warm and considerate. Even Shi Zhengyi couldn’t help but smile back at her.
He instinctively lifted the cup and took a sip. Then he paused, slightly taken aback.
Although this tea also tasted good, it was clearly different from the bowl he had before.
That smooth, refreshing sensation was gone.
After all, Shi Zhengyi was a man of forty. He wasn’t so dense as to miss this.
He knew perfectly well that the young girl was still upset with him.
He gave a wry smile and said, “Young Lady, I’m sorry about earlier. Uncle here is getting on in years, and I’ve been anxious and irritable these past couple of days, my temper got the better of me. Don’t be upset. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
Ning Xin smiled and quickly waved her hand. “Why would I be upset? A guest is a guest. Once you’ve walked through our door, you’re a guest of this family. There’s no reason to be angry with a guest. Everyone has bad days. It’s nothing.”
Although Ning Xin’s words were polite, her repeated use of “guest” stood in stark contrast to the warm, familiar tone she had used when speaking with Secretary Lin.
How could Shi Zhengyi not notice the difference?
He realized that if he wanted to drink the specially made tea from this family again, he might have to put in some effort.
He couldn’t help but feel a bit sheepish.
Leng Hui shrank into a corner, silently watching all of this, her heart filled with shock.
Although she couldn’t hear what was being said, she could clearly see the expressions and tones.
She could intuitively sense Ning Xin’s social agility, as well as the respect and courtesy the others showed toward her and her family.
This was something she had never expected.
Seeing Old Madam Ning glance her way countless times, clearly about to come over and chase her out, Leng Hui had no choice but to leave the Ning household in a daze.
It wasn’t until she had walked a good distance away that she slowly came to her senses.
She also realized how dire her situation was.
Leng Hui’s family conditions were poor, in fact, very poor.
Her father had contracted pneumoconiosis while working at a factory. He was perpetually unwell and had to rely on medication to get by. Although the factory reimbursed part of the cost, he could no longer do heavy labor and could only earn a very low wage. After covering the remaining cost of his medicine, there was almost nothing left.
Her mother had worked at a textile mill. The family’s basic living expenses had been mostly covered by her mother’s salary.
She also had an older brother and a younger sister.
Her brother had contracted polio as a child and had mobility issues. Her younger sister was only fifteen.
The previous year, her mother had suffered a work-related injury, severing the ring and little fingers of her left hand. She could no longer work. So Leng Hui, who had just returned to the city, had taken over her job.
The three hundred yuan in injury compensation her mother received was given to her brother for his future marriage.
Although she now had a steady job, Leng Hui had also taken on the heavy burden of supporting the entire family.
Her mother went to the factory to collect her wages every month. Leng Hui never saw a single cent of her own salary.
If she needed money, she had to ask her family for it.
The truth was, Leng Hui’s rise in her previous life was largely thanks to Ning Yi.
According to the trajectory of her past life, it wouldn’t be long before Ning Xin ran away from home.
Then Ning Yi would start trying to raise travel money to follow the leads and go find her in another city.
Back then, Leng Hui had gone to buy coal again and heard Ning Yi say he wanted to borrow three hundred yuan, willing to use his family’s house as collateral, but he didn’t know who to ask. That was when she got the idea.
At that time, Leng Hui had been at the point of utter despair over her situation.
She felt like nothing more than a money-making machine for her family. No matter how many more years she worked, she would never see a single penny of what she earned.
She realized that Ning Yi’s house presented her with an unparalleled opportunity, one that might never come again.
By then, many people had already started doing business, and quite a few had made money.
Leng Hui felt she had no future ahead of her. She decided to take a gamble.
She ran home, threatened to kill herself, and finally, in exchange for agreeing to let her future sister-in-law take over her job, she got the three hundred yuan back from her brother and lent it to Ning Yi. In return, she obtained the right to use the house for one year.
Grateful, Ning Yi also gave her the recipe book his father had left behind.
A year later, Ning Yi hadn’t returned.
Another half year passed, and Ning Yi still hadn’t come back. But his relatives from his hometown showed up at her door.
They insisted that the house belonged to their family and demanded that Leng Hui return it.
By then, Leng Hui had already made money. How could she bear to give up such a good thing?
So she destroyed the original agreement she had signed with Ning Yi and drafted a new one.
She changed the terms from borrowing the house for three hundred yuan for one year to buying the house outright for three thousand yuan. With the help of her then-boyfriend Qin Min, she found an acquaintance and, using the new agreement, successfully transferred the house into her name.
With an agreement and a property deed in hand, the Ning family’s protests went nowhere, and the matter was eventually dropped.
How did Leng Hui dare to alter the agreement so casually?
The original agreement had been written by her own hand. All Ning Yi had done was sign his name at the bottom.
Over the course of that year and a half, Leng Hui had practiced that signature countless times. She could imitate it perfectly, down to the last stroke.
Although the agreement was made in duplicate, Leng Hui felt that with Ning Yi’s trusting, unsuspecting nature, after years of wandering away from home, he might not even have kept his copy.
And even if he had, once the house was legally transferred, who could say which was real and which was fake?
At worst, if Ning Yi ever came back, she could just compensate him with some money.
…
Leng Hui had earned her first pot of gold precisely with that house and the Ning family’s recipe book.
But looking at the situation today, she suddenly realized that things were not looking good.
Although she hadn’t yet found Ning Yi, Ning Xin showed no sign whatsoever of running away from home.
And now there were elders staying in the house.
Not only would it be difficult for Ning Xin to make any questionable moves with people watching, but even if she did run away, Ning Yi would no longer be able to use the house as collateral to borrow money, would he?
Even more terrifying, their family had already started doing business on their own!
The more Leng Hui thought about it, the more panicked she became. Her footsteps grew increasingly erratic.
She told herself over and over to stay calm, that she would surely come up with a way to deal with this, but she only grew more helpless and flustered.
Meanwhile, back at the Ning household, things had become lively.
Hu Yuanping and Zhuang Wenxia had returned from their walk.
Seeing Shi Zhengyi, Hu Yuanping showed no sign of displeasure. Instead, he took the initiative to ask Ning Xin if the family could accommodate two more people for lunch.
After receiving an affirmative answer, he simply took Shi Zhengyi and Secretary Lin to their room to discuss work while waiting for the meal.
By then, people had already started coming to buy herbal tea.
The old lady was handling the business outside, while Ning Xin stayed in the kitchen preparing breakfast. Zhuang Wenxia had come over on her own to help.
Breakfast that day was not complicated. The day before, Ning Yi had bought a piece of lamb while he was in the mountains buying grain, and Ning Xin had made a large pot of lamb soup.
So the main course for breakfast was hand-pulled lamb noodles with tsaoko, accompanied by two vegetable dishes: stir-fried three shreds and celery with dried tofu.
The lamb noodles with tsaoko helped strengthen the spleen and warm the stomach, while the two vegetable dishes helped clear heat and calm the liver, offering some relief for menopausal syndrome.
As Ning Xin busied herself in the kitchen, she explained the medicinal properties and effects of each dish to Zhuang Wenxia in a gentle, unhurried manner.
Zhuang Wenxia’s eyes filled with emotion and a hint of reluctance.
When she saw that Ning Xin had finished cooking the vegetables and put the noodles in the pot, leaving her with a moment to talk, Zhuang Wenxia finally asked the question that had been on her mind for days.
“Xiao Xin, Auntie wants to ask you, is your family planning to open a restaurant? I’ve noticed you’ve been busy fixing up those two rooms outside these past few days.”
“Yes,” Ning Xin didn’t hide it, answering frankly. “I want to open a medicinal food kitchen, selling medicinal meals that ordinary people can afford. Not too expensive, good for the body, and with auxiliary effects for some common ailments. I think people would like that kind of food.”
“I’m sure they would.” Zhuang Wenxia nodded.
“But,” she hesitated for a moment, then couldn’t help asking, “Xiao Xin, aren’t you thinking about taking the college entrance exam again? When I talked with your grandmother before, she said you had good grades in school. You just didn’t perform well this time. Don’t you want to try again?”
As the editor of the Beijing Daily, Zhuang Wenxia naturally had a longer-term perspective.
She knew that with Ning Xin’s abilities, opening a small restaurant wouldn’t be too difficult.
But after spending these days together, she had genuinely grown fond of the two Ning children. Ning Yi’s simple honesty and Ning Xin’s intelligence and brightness had both left deep impressions on her.
What she liked most was that despite their very different personalities, the two siblings loved each other and both kept a kind, benevolent heart.
In her eyes, that was truly rare.
So before she left, she wanted to have a talk with both of them. If possible, she would share her own thoughts, hoping to help them walk a better path in the future.
Hearing Zhuang Wenxia’s words, Ning Xin turned to look at her, her gaze now even more sincere.
“I definitely want to try, Auntie Zhuang. To be honest with you, I not only want to take the exam, I’m determined to get in. But it might have to be a little later.”
“Why?”
Zhuang Wenxia grew a bit anxious. “Why later? Xiao Xin, do you realize that the college entrance exam gets harder every year? More and more people are valuing knowledge and academic credentials. In the future, it will only get more difficult!”
She paused, as if finally making up her mind. “Xiao Xin, if you’re not willing to take the exam right away because of financial difficulties, then Auntie…”
“Auntie, I’m not short of money.”
Sensing where Zhuang Wenxia was going, Ning Xin quickly interrupted her before the words could leave her mouth.
“Auntie, thank you. But it’s really not just about the money.”
Ning Xin lifted the pot of cooked noodles off the stove.
She didn’t start serving immediately. Instead, she looked at Zhuang Wenxia sincerely and said, “Auntie Zhuang, thank you so much. Although we haven’t known each other long, my brother and I truly appreciate how good you’ve been to us. I’ll be honest with you, I will definitely take the college entrance exam, and I’ll work hard to get into a university in Beijing. But given my family’s current situation, I need time to take care of things at home first.”
Ning Xin smiled, her tone calm but resolute.
“You’ve probably gotten a pretty good idea of our situation by now. Neither my brother nor I have a steady job. Although we’re both doing a little business now, it’s still small-scale, nothing significant yet.
The family only has those meager savings. If I said I wanted to take the college entrance exam, do you believe that from today on, my brother wouldn’t touch a single cent of that money? Auntie, my brother is twenty-five years old. I can’t use the money meant for him to get married to pay for my schooling, can I?”
Her words left Zhuang Wenxia speechless.
“I could…”
“Auntie, no need.” Ning Xin waved her hand.
“It’s not entirely about the money, either. If I don’t have my brother and grandmother settled, I can’t rest easy no matter where I go.”
She gave a wry smile. “To be honest, Auntie, don’t laugh at me, but with my brother’s trusting, good-hearted nature, if I can’t change that, I might just have to take him with me when I go to school!”
Her words made Zhuang Wenxia laugh.
“Don’t say that about Xiao Yi. He’s simple and kind, not stupid.”
Ning Xin chuckled along, treating her words as a joke and not arguing.
But in her heart, she couldn’t help thinking about Leng Hui’s visit earlier.
Until the matter of the former heroine was resolved, she wasn’t going anywhere. Although her words just now had sounded like a joke, after saying them, Ning Xin thought that maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all!
If it came to it, when she did leave home, she might just take her simple-minded brother along. That would be better than leaving him here and giving Leng Hui an opportunity.
Who knew if that woman had some kind of halo or other that Ning Xin wasn’t aware of?
Her brother was already a bit too trusting. What if Leng Hui managed to sweet-talk him again?
Their family’s perfectly good house, her perfectly good shop, she couldn’t let that woman get her hands on them the moment she turned her back.
At that thought, Ning Xin straightened her back, pointed toward the kitchen door, and said with unwavering confidence, “My family has a house, and I have my skills. Auntie, do you believe that I can save up enough for my education on my own? I’m not even eighteen yet. I have time. I’m going to pay for college with my own money!”
Looking at the radiant young girl before her, Zhuang Wenxia felt as if she were being infected by her energy. She couldn’t help but take Ning Xin’s hand and nod emphatically. “Yes, Auntie believes in you! Auntie believes that our Xiao Xin will earn money through her own abilities and get into the college of her dreams through her own efforts!”
The conversation in the kitchen seemed to bring Ning Xin and Zhuang Wenxia even closer.
Later, during the meal, when Secretary Lin mentioned that Ning Xin had agreed to prepare tea bags for him and suggested she also prepare some for the minister and his wife, Zhuang Wenxia spoke up on Ning Xin’s behalf, something she rarely did.
She glanced at her husband and said, “Old Hu, Xiao Xin’s family is planning to open a restaurant. They’re going to use those three rooms at the entrance. Xiao Xin wants to open a medicinal food kitchen, specializing in all kinds of medicinal meals, just like the ones we’ve been eating. I think this is a wonderful thing for the people!
As for their medicinal meals, we’ve personally experienced their effects. They really work, and they’re affordable and good value. The state is currently encouraging unemployed people to find their own ways to make a living and lighten the burden on the state. Aren’t these two siblings a perfect example of that? I’m planning to submit this as a story proposal when I get back. If it’s approved, I’ll send someone to do a proper feature interview.”
After Zhuang Wenxia finished speaking, the room fell momentarily silent.
Although she was usually low-key, her professional competence and ability were beyond question. Since she had said this, it meant she had a way to make it happen.
After all, Zhuang Wenxia was the chief editor of the Beijing Daily!
A proposal submitted by her would undoubtedly receive attention from above. If this actually came to fruition, it wouldn’t just bring fame to a small medicinal food kitchen or the Ning family, it would also bring recognition to Xinnan City and even their entire province.
For the leaders of Xinnan, this would be no small political achievement!
Understanding the implications of Zhuang Wenxia’s words, Shi Zhengyi’s hands trembled with excitement. He tried hard to maintain a calm exterior, but his eyes had grown noticeably brighter.
Hu Yuanping glanced at his wife, initially wondering why she had chosen this particular moment to say such a thing.
Then his gaze fell on the bowl of hot noodle soup in his own hands.
The noodles were springy and smooth. The lamb soup was rich and flavorful, with a hint of medicinal fragrance hidden within. Although it looked like just an ordinary bowl of noodles, the thoughtfulness and care that had gone into it were unmistakable.
He also thought back to the rare days of peace and comfort he and his wife had enjoyed here, and a touch of reluctance rose in his heart.
He nodded and replied simply, “I think that’s a good proposal. Go ahead and try it.”
Then Hu Yuanping turned to Shi Zhengyi. “Xiao Ning’s medicinal meals are truly unique. I recall your father isn’t in the best of health. If you have the time, you might bring the old gentleman here and let Xiao Ning have a look at him. Don’t be fooled by her age, her skills are considerable.”
With these words, Hu Yuanping had, in effect, given the Ning family’s medicinal food kitchen his stamp of approval. He was saying that it wasn’t just for show, it had real substance. And he was also signaling that opening this restaurant was a good thing, something worth encouraging and supporting.
Although he didn’t say it explicitly, how could Shi Zhengyi fail to understand?
He immediately nodded. “Yes, I drank the tea that Xiao Ning made for me earlier, it was truly delicious. I was thinking the same thing. In a few days, I’ll bring my father here and have Xiao Ning take a look at him. These past two years, his health has indeed been declining year by year…”
Ning Xin didn’t expect Auntie Zhuang to say such a thing at the dinner table.
Or to give her family such an enormous favor!
This gesture left her both moved and shocked, and for a moment, even a bit bewildered.
Part of the reason she had been so good to the Hu couple was that she genuinely felt a connection with Auntie Zhuang.
The other part was that she saw them as her restaurant’s first major clients, people who needed special attention.
With her past life experience of navigating the circles of high-ranking officials and nobles, reading people and catering to them had become second nature to Ning Xin, beyond just her medical skills.
She didn’t see it as shameful.
After all, in that era, if she couldn’t do these things, her life would have been forfeit hundreds of times over.
Compared to survival, vanity and misplaced pride meant nothing.
But now, when her purposeful, measured efforts were met with such genuine reciprocation, Ning Xin found herself feeling a little embarrassed.
And that embarrassment led her to make a decision from the heart.
After the meal and tea, Ning Xin looked around the table at the people seated there.
Because there were new guests today, Old Madam Ning had chosen not to socialize and had stayed outside to attend to the neighbors buying herbal tea.
At the table were the Hu couple, Secretary Lin, the new guest, and herself.
Although Ning Xin still had no idea what official positions these people held,
she could tell that among them, Uncle Hu held the highest rank, and he was from Beijing.
She thought for a moment, then asked bluntly, “Uncle Hu, may I ask, are you a high-ranking official from Beijing?”
Her question left everyone at the table stunned.
They exchanged glances, utterly baffled as to why this young girl would suddenly ask such a thing.
She usually seemed so quick-witted!
Hu Yuanping smiled. “Xiao Ning, what brings this up? Is there something you need help with?”
Ning Xin nodded calmly. “Yes, Uncle. I have a treasure I’d like to give to the state. I was wondering if you could help me with that?”
The room fell silent once more. Everyone’s eyes were on her.
Zhuang Wenxia frowned. She wanted to offer some advice, but looking at the sincere expression on the young girl’s face, she was afraid that anything she said might crush the child’s spirit.
So she turned to her husband, hoping that he would speak in a way that protected the girl’s self-esteem.
After all, she had been staying at the Ning household for days now, and she didn’t believe this family could possibly have any kind of treasure.
Hu Yuanping’s thoughts were similar to his wife’s. He gave Zhuang Wenxia a reassuring look.
Then, in a tone one might use to soothe a child, he said to Ning Xin, “Xiao Ning, what treasure do you have? Could you show it to your uncle and aunts first?”
Ning Xin looked around at everyone, but this time, she didn’t follow Hu Yuanping’s suggestion.
She looked at him with a serious expression. “Uncle Hu, I think it would be better if I spoke to you about this alone. Why don’t we step outside?”
Ning Xin had chosen to mention giving a treasure to the state in front of so many people because she wanted witnesses, just in case something came up later.
But when it came to actually discussing the matter, naturally, it was better to be more cautious.
Author’s Note:
Let me clarify: Ning Xin transmigrated from the year 2020 to ancient times, while Leng Hui was reborn from 2010 back to 1980. So although both have modern memories, compared to Ning Xin, Leng Hui’s perspective and the things she has been exposed to are not as advanced or forward-looking.
Also, Ning Xin, whether in modern times, ancient times, or the 1980s, has never been over 19 years old (her specific age will be revealed gradually in the story). So even though she has experienced a lot, her mindset is still that of a young girl. She has a naive side and is not particularly calculating.
Since I can’t explain all of this at once in the story, I’m mentioning it here in advance. Happy reading!