“Drink up,” Grandma Huang said kindly as she looked at Jiang Lianyue. “You’re so thin. Eat more nutritious food and take good care of your body. That way, everything will go smoothly for you in the future.”
Jiang Lianyue paused slightly. After a moment, she understood what Grandma Huang meant. Taking care of her body so childbirth wouldn’t be so difficult later on.
She gave an awkward smile. “Mm.”
Zhou Jiajing held his teacup. Hearing Grandma Huang’s words, he couldn’t help glancing at Jiang Lianyue. Seeing her lower her head as if to hide something while drinking the malted milk, an inexplicable feeling rose in his chest.
Grandma Huang continued asking in detail about when and where Jiang Lianyue set up her stall, whether it was tiring, and whether it made money.
Jiang Lianyue answered each question patiently.
Zhou Jiajing listened intently, his gaze fixed firmly on her.
If he hadn’t come with her today, he wouldn’t even know what she’d been doing lately.
Running a snack stall?
No wonder she got up before dawn every day.
Thinking about how he might come home a little late one day and not even see her, Zhou Jiajing felt a bit uncomfortable. If she wanted a job, why hadn’t she asked him?
Even though he was just a small clerk, he still had some connections in Hengzhou. Finding her a lighter job wouldn’t be difficult.
At worst, he could even arrange for her to work at the machinery factory.
While he was thinking, he heard Grandma Huang say, “Setting up a stall sounds fine, but if you want something easier, tell Grandma. I’ll help you find a job. Even though I’m retired, I still know some people. Finding work won’t be a problem.”
“Mom, I already asked her,” Mo Xiuli interjected. “She said she doesn’t want to work a fixed job. Running a stall is more flexible. She can open and close whenever she wants. It suits someone like her who grew up free in the countryside.”
“Is that so?” Grandma Huang asked Jiang Lianyue.
Jiang Lianyue nodded. “That’s part of it, but more importantly, I want to open a jasmine tea factory in the future. I’m using the snack stall to gain experience first.”
“A jasmine tea factory?” Grandma Huang looked at her son, daughter-in-law, and daughter in confusion.
She knew Hengzhou had tea factories, and Nanshan’s white-hair tea was considered a local specialty. But jasmine tea, she hadn’t heard of that.
Liang Zhenhua shook his head. “I’ve never heard of any jasmine tea being produced in Hengzhou County.”
Liang Zhenhua was in charge of industry and commerce in Hengzhou County. If he said there wasn’t any, then there truly wasn’t.
Liang Zhendong also shook his head. “Neither have I.”
Mo Xiuli waved her hand as well, saying she didn’t know.
“I’ve heard of jasmine flowers, but aren’t they just for decoration?” Mo Xiuli asked.
Jiang Lianyue nodded. “In the past, jasmine flowers were mainly for viewing. Now the Hengzhou Tea Factory is growing double-petaled jasmine, which can be used for tea. I’ve loved flowers and plants since I was young. I know jasmine can be used to make tea. Fujian already produces jasmine tea, and the fragrance is strong. It’s very popular on the market. I’ve spoken with Director Liao from the tea factory. He plans to develop new products and has cooperated with farmers to grow a large amount of jasmine. After meeting the factory’s needs, the excess jasmine can be allocated to me. I’ve taught myself how to stir-fry tea leaves, so I’m confident about running a tea factory.”
Jiang Lianyue didn’t hide her plans. In Hengzhou, she was unfamiliar with everything. Grandma Huang and her family were among the few people she knew who had the ability to help her. If they could offer some support, that would be ideal. If not, she wouldn’t lose anything.
Listening to her clear and logical explanation, and seeing that she knew to start small with a snack stall, Grandma Huang nodded slowly. “It’s good for young people to have ideas.”
“I thought you genuinely didn’t like being tied down. Turns out you’re planning something this big,” Mo Xiuli said with emotion. “Youth is wonderful. You dare to think and dare to act.”
Wasn’t she daring indeed?
Zhou Jiajing thought that nowadays, factories were either state-led or cooperative-run. Yet she wanted to do it herself. Wasn’t she afraid of being labeled as speculation?
“Director Mo, that’s actually why I came today,” Jiang Lianyue said as she looked at Mo Xiuli. “I can’t run this tea factory alone. It’s impossible by myself. I was thinking, there must be many women in Hengzhou like me who don’t have jobs. Could we bring them together and run this factory together?”
Mo Xiuli slapped her thigh. “That’s a great idea. I’ll bring it up at tomorrow’s meeting and have everyone discuss it. If it’s feasible, the Women’s Federation can help gather people.”
This was solving an employment issue for the state. Liang Zhenhua also became interested. “Xiao Jiang, do you have any other ideas? Let me see if I can support you from my side.”
Jiang Lianyue revealed a row of white teeth. “Deputy County Chief Liang, I’ll definitely need your support when it comes to choosing the factory site.”
Liang Zhendong said, “As long as the materials are complete and procedures are followed, I can handle the approvals.”
“Then I’ll thank you in advance.”
Grandma Huang watched her children help Jiang Lianyue plan things out, smiling kindly. “Girl, go ahead and do it boldly. If you need help, talk to your brothers and sisters. If they can’t help, come to me. I’ll help you.”
“Alright, thank you, Grandma,” Jiang Lianyue replied with a smile and a nod.
Zhou Jiajing stared at her bright smile, hardly believing his own eyes.
Just two minutes ago, he thought she was being overly bold. Two minutes later, she already had the support of several leaders, and the tea factory suddenly seemed feasible.
At that moment, a woman in her fifties came out of the kitchen and said respectfully, “The food is ready.”
“This is Sister Liu,” Grandma Huang said to Jiang Lianyue, then turned to the woman. “Sister Liu, this is Xiao Jiang, my lifesaver. Treat her the same way you treat me.”
Sister Liu said respectfully, “Hello, Comrade Xiao Jiang.”
Jiang Lianyue nodded with a smile. “Hello, Sister Liu.”
“You must be hungry. Let’s eat,” Grandma Huang said warmly.
She then nodded to Zhou Jiajing. “Xiao Zhou, come eat.”
Jiang Lianyue supported Grandma Huang at the dining table. Sister Liu and Mo Xiuli followed, bringing out dish after dish until the table was full.
“It’s just a home-cooked meal. Eat casually, Xiao Jiang,” Grandma Huang said, then added, “Xiao Zhou too. Don’t be polite.”
Steamed tilapia, taro braised pork, white-cut chicken, lemon duck, pork rib and lotus root soup…
Looking at the dishes, Jiang Lianyue joked, “Grandma, you’re being too generous. We don’t even eat this well during the New Year at my place.”
Six solid main dishes already counted as very high-level hospitality, especially with taro braised pork, which usually only appeared at banquets or during the New Year.
Making braised pork wasn’t complicated, but it was troublesome. The pork belly had to be blanched and boiled until soft, drained, salted, pricked with toothpicks, then deep-fried until golden. After cooling, it had to be sliced, layered with taro in a large bowl, seasoned, and steamed until done. A good cook could fry the skin until it blistered evenly, known as “beautiful bubbling.” Sister Liu’s braised pork was beautifully bubbled.
Jiang Lianyue’s family wasn’t poor. They ate meat once or twice a month, but taro braised pork was usually only made during New Year, and even then just a small portion.
Mo Xiuli said, “Mom was thinking about the menu all night. She even had someone specially buy ingredients today. You have to eat more.”
Liang Zhenhua added, “This chicken was bought from a relative this morning. It’s a free-range chicken. Very nutritious. Eat more.”
“Then I’m really lucky today,” Jiang Lianyue said with a smile.
Grandma Huang said dotingly, “Eat more. You’re so thin. A gust of wind could blow you away.”
She picked up her chopsticks and placed a chicken leg in Jiang Lianyue’s bowl. “Here, eat a drumstick.”
“Xiao Zhou, you eat too,” she called to Zhou Jiajing.
Jiang Lianyue also picked up a chicken leg for Grandma Huang. “Grandma, you eat as well.”
Seeing how considerate Jiang Lianyue was, Grandma Huang smiled so broadly that wrinkles spread across her face. “Alright, alright, I’ll eat.”
“Mom, your daughter is sitting right here,” Liang Zhenhua said deliberately, sounding sour. “You’ve never given me a chicken leg in my entire life.”
“Deputy County Chief Liang, I’ll give you a duck leg,” Jiang Lianyue said with a laugh, placing one in Liang Zhenhua’s bowl.
Grandma Huang glanced at her daughter. “Do you need someone to serve you food? Your chopsticks would’ve already reached out long ago. If you don’t fight your brother for food, that just means you’re in a good mood that day.”
Liang Zhenhua laughed. “If I don’t fight, I won’t get any. My brother would’ve eaten it all.”
Liang Zhendong, hit out of nowhere: “When have I ever taken your food? Don’t you always pick first before it’s my turn?”
Liang Zhenhua placed a duck head into his bowl. “Here. I won’t fight you.”
Liang Zhendong looked at the duck head and laughed helplessly. “You hated eating duck heads the most when we were young.”
Grandma Huang couldn’t stand seeing Liang Zhendong teased and gave him a piece of fish. “Eat.”
Then she gave Liang Zhenhua some chicken. “You too. You’re already grown up and still acting like a child, dumping what you don’t eat on your brother. Right in front of Xiao Jiang. Don’t you find it embarrassing?”
She scolded them endlessly, but her tone was cheerful. She knew perfectly well they were just joking around to make her happy.
Jiang Lianyue also understood and played along. “I think Deputy County Chief Liang is great like this. My family is the same when we eat. My brothers all fight over the good food. Seeing siblings fight like this feels very familiar.”
Those words made Grandma Huang beam with joy. She picked up another piece of braised pork for Jiang Lianyue. “Ignore them. Let’s eat.”
“Alright,” Jiang Lianyue replied, biting into the braised pork.
The pork was beautifully layered with fat and lean meat. One bite was soft, flavorful, rich but not greasy, truly top-tier braised pork.
“Sister Liu’s cooking is amazing. This braised pork is delicious,” Jiang Lianyue praised generously.
Sister Liu smiled. “Then eat more.”
After sitting at the table, the phrase Jiang Lianyue heard most was “eat more.” She laughed. “I’ll eat so much I’ll have to leave leaning against the wall.”
Her exaggerated tone made everyone laugh.
“Just eat until you’re full,” Grandma Huang said with a smile. “Overeating isn’t good for your health.”
“Okay, I’ll listen to you, Grandma,” Jiang Lianyue nodded obediently.
Hearing Jiang Lianyue call her “Grandma” over and over, Grandma Huang felt slightly uncomfortable. Seeing how pretty, kind-hearted, intelligent, capable, and well-integrated she was with the family, a thought formed in her mind.
“Girl, I don’t know how to repay your lifesaving kindness,” Grandma Huang said. “Why don’t we become godmother and goddaughter? I’ll treat you like my own daughter. Would that be alright?”