Beep, beep, beep…
“Hello?”
“…Mom, can you lend me some more money? For Dad’s funeral… I don’t have enough…”
“Jiang Ling, it’s not that I’m being heartless, but I just gave you fifty thousand a few days ago! When your father was making money, he never thought about sharing any with me. Now I’m even supposed to pay for his funeral?”
“…After the factory explosion, the creditors took that fifty thousand as soon as I got it. We still owe tens of millions…”
“You were granted to your father’s custody. Technically, I’m not responsible for you anymore. I’ll give you five thousand more at most. Don’t come to me again after this. My money doesn’t grow on trees.”
Beep, beep, beep…
Alipay notification: Five thousand yuan received.
At the same time, a message came from her university counselor: “Jiang Ling, regarding the explosion at your father’s factory, public opinion is getting quite intense. I suggest you take a leave of absence for now, handle your family affairs, and come back to study later. You don’t need to come to campus to process the leave; I’ve already handled it for you.”
While checking the message, Jiang Ling inadvertently glanced at the active class group chat.
“The Jiang family’s fireworks factory exploded, lots of people died…”
“I heard Jiang Ling’s dad died in the accident too…”
“The Jiangs deserve it. If they hadn’t skimped on safety measures, the explosion wouldn’t have happened. It’s the workers who died who are the real victims.”
“I heard the Jiangs are bankrupt now and can’t afford compensation. The victims’ families won’t let this go, right?”
“Isn’t there still Jiang Ling? A daughter inheriting her father’s debts is only natural. That’s what she gets for being a Jiang.”
“A few days ago, Jiang Ling was still the high-and-mighty Miss Jiang, the undeniable campus belle. Now, she’d probably get pelted with rotten eggs if she walked down the street.”
“Campus belle? More like a laughingstock. Bet she doesn’t dare show her face at school. Heard she secretly took a leave of absence a few days ago…”
Jiang Ling had no more tears left to cry; she had run dry these past few days.
She wanted to hurl her phone away, but thought better of it and pulled her hand back. If she broke it, she truly had no money to buy a new one.
After her father’s funeral ended, Jiang Ling packed her bags and returned to her hometown.
She picked up a yellowed map, carefully comparing it before confirming that the shabby-looking grocery store before her was her only remaining asset.
“Thank goodness Grandpa left this grocery store. Otherwise, I’d really have nowhere to go.” Jiang Ling looked up at the sky. “Thank you, Grandpa.”
With a creak, the old wooden door opened.
The shop covered about a hundred square meters, with twenty or thirty square meters partitioned off as a storage room. There was also a second floor above.
Jiang Ling looked around. It was exactly as she remembered it from years ago.
A few years back, the shop had been rented to an out-of-towner who ran a grocery store, but business was poor, and he lost money.
Unable to pay the rent, the tenant had offered the store’s stock as compensation.
Back then, the Jiang family was wealthy and didn’t care about such a small amount, so they let it slide.
Now, gazing at the store filled with grains, oils, rice, noodles, and daily necessities, Jiang Ling felt like she had found a lifeline.
The once-pampered Miss Jiang was now reduced to having less than a thousand yuan to her name.
It took Jiang Ling three or four hours to clean the grocery store thoroughly. As she cleaned, she checked the expiration dates on the goods.
She cleared out about a quarter of the expired products and also sorted out the items nearing their expiry date.
By the time she finished, it was already dark.
Completely exhausted, Jiang Ling sat behind the counter and made herself a pot of instant noodles that were nearing their expiry date.
It had just rained. The early summer night breeze was cool and gentle, and everything around was quiet.
Whenever Jiang Ling settled down, her mind was immediately flooded with those thoughts…
The overhead light suddenly flickered, dimming slightly. It seemed a bit old.
While cleaning earlier, she had seen some light bulbs.
Where were they…
Knock, knock. “Excuse me, is the shopkeeper here?” The open door was tapped twice.
Jiang Ling looked up from behind the counter.
She saw an old man with a carrying basket on his back standing hesitantly at the doorway.
His clothes were somewhat worn, with patches in several places. His graying hair was tied back in a long ponytail.
Many rural folk preferred wearing old clothes for work. Jiang Ling herself had put on a simple hemp garment for today’s chores, so she didn’t find it strange.
As for an elderly man with long hair, while uncommon, it wasn’t unheard of.
“Elder, this shop hasn’t been open for business for a long time. Please try somewhere else.”
Jiang Ling hadn’t yet considered reopening the grocery store to make money. Even if she were to start the business, she would need to plan carefully.
The old man waved his hand. “No, I’m not here to buy. I was hoping to ask the shopkeeper for a bowl of water. My home is still five li away, and I’m terribly thirsty. I wonder if you could help an old man out.”
Jiang Ling turned and got him a bottle of mineral water nearing its expiry date. “Here you go, elder.”
The old man gave a slight bow and accepted the water bottle with both hands. “Thank you, shopkeeper.”
“It’s just a bottle of water, no need to be so polite.”
The old man looked at the transparent plastic bottle, feeling the coolness transmitted through its surface.
This… has water inside?
What a strange container.
He carefully turned it over and over, squeezed the bottle, and examined the cap, unsure how to open this container.
He swallowed anxiously, getting more flustered.
“…Shopkeeper, may I ask, how does one open this container?”
Jiang Ling hadn’t expected anyone in this day and age not to know how to open a water bottle.
But she didn’t dwell on it. She walked over, unscrewed the cap, and handed the open bottle back to the old man.
Only then did the old man clearly see the water rippling inside the small opening—so clear you could see the bottom, without a trace of impurity.
He swallowed, carefully holding the bottle with both hands, bringing his mouth cautiously to the opening, and taking slow, tiny sips, afraid of wasting even a single drop.
So sweet! Not a hint of strange taste!
No earthy smell from well water, no murkiness from river water. Purer than he could have ever imagined!
He didn’t dare drink too much, stopping once his thirst was quenched.
He tightly screwed the cap back on and returned the bottle with both hands.
“Thank you, shopkeeper.”
Jiang Ling had never seen anyone return a half-drunk water bottle. She said vaguely, “Elder, no need to return it. You can take it back to drink.”
The old man looked down at the bottle, which resembled glass. There was only one shop in town that sold glassware. He had been fortunate enough to glance inside once. The quality there was far less transparent than this, yet the prices were enough to feed his family of eight for a year.
Such an expensive item—he truly didn’t dare accept it.
Just as he was about to return it again,
Jiang Ling lifted the lid of her instant noodles. The assertive aroma of the noodles wafted through the air.
So fragrant!
It was a scent he had never encountered in his sixty-plus years of life!
The old man’s stomach growled uncontrollably.
The sound was quite loud, reaching Jiang Ling even from several steps away.
The old man flushed, but before he could speak, his stomach beat him to it again.
Jiang Ling looked at the freshly made noodles, then at the old man who kept staring at them and swallowing.
The old man said sheepishly, “This old man has never smelled such a fragrant aroma before. I’ve been terribly impolite.”
“You’ve already had water. If you’re not in a hurry, elder, why not stay and have a bowl of noodles?”
Jiang Ling smiled slightly, brought out the freshly made instant noodles, and placed them on the table and chairs near the door.
“This… this is too much! Shopkeeper… to be honest, I… I didn’t bring any money…”
“It’s fine, it’s not worth much. I just moved back. Consider it a housewarming gift from me.”
After saying this, Jiang Ling walked back behind the counter, picked another flavor from the pile of near-expiry goods, and went to the kitchen to make another bowl.
The old man very much wanted to refuse, but his eyes never left that bowl of fragrant noodles.
It was truly so fragrant! It made his mouth water uncontrollably!
In the end, instinct triumphed over reason.
He still sat down.
The bowl was strange. It looked like it was made of paper, yet it could hold soup.
The noodles were strange too—golden and curly in shape. A thick layer of oil floated on the broth, and the aroma wantonly drifted into his nostrils.
Urged on once more by his stomach, he finally couldn’t resist picking up the chopsticks on the table and lifting a mouthful of noodles.
As soon as the noodles entered his mouth, the savory flavor instantly took over his entire palate!
It was truly delicious! He had never tasted such delicious food before!