Wu Shiren shot his daughter a displeased look.
Every single time he scolded Chen Feng, this girl would step in to stop him.
Did she really think her father was blind?
As her father, how could he not see what little thoughts were swirling inside her head? He simply chose not to tear open that thin layer of paper between them.
He let out two dry laughs and said perfunctorily,“You silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about? How could I treat him like a slave? It’s just that hiring help’s been difficult lately, that’s all.”
Wu Cuihua blinked. “Father, if you really intend to hire someone, why not leave it to me? I promise I can find a quick-handed worker. That way, Chen Feng can focus on learning from the chefs properly.”
Wu Shiren’s face stiffened. The meaning behind her words couldn’t be clearer — she was siding with Chen Feng. Like hell he’d let her get her way.
“Cuihua, just focus on managing the accounts,” he said coldly. “Leave the hiring to me. I know what I’m doing.”
“Father—”
Wu Shiren waved his hand impatiently. “Enough. We’ve got customers waiting. Go back to the front and take care of them.”
Chen Feng, seeing the tension between father and daughter, quickly tried to ease things. “Miss, thank you for your kindness. The shopkeeper is right — the kitchen isn’t that busy. I can manage just fine. You should listen to him.”
Wu Cuihua sighed helplessly. Hiring someone wasn’t hard at all, but her father always found excuses — clearly just to make Chen Feng’s life harder.
Turning to Chen Qingqing, she smiled sweetly.“You must be Qing girl, right? You’re really pretty. Come on, come with me to the front hall and wait there. Once your brother finishes, you two can talk properly.”
Chen Qingqing immediately took a liking to her. Wu Cuihua was poised and kind, and she had stood up for her brother — that alone was enough to earn her favor.
She smiled softly. “Thank you, Sister Cuihua.”
Wu Cuihua took her by the arm and led her toward the main hall, calling back over her shoulder,“Chen Feng, finish up quickly. Qing girl will be waiting for you in the front.”
“All right, I’ll come soon,” Chen Feng replied, wiping the sweat from his brow before bending back over his work.
The restaurant’s main hall was spacious and tastefully decorated. Chen Qingqing only cast a brief glance around before looking away.
She wasn’t the timid girl the original body had been.
In the modern world, she’d dined in countless five-star hotels, traveled for academic research across major cities — even overseas. Such a place hardly impressed her.
Wu Cuihua noticed her calm demeanor and couldn’t help feeling curious.
In the past, whenever this girl came looking for Chen Feng, she would hover timidly across the street, too afraid to even lift her head. But today, she was completely different.
Finding a quiet corner, Wu Cuihua gestured for her to sit, then poured her a cup of water. “Here, Qing girl, have some water. I’ll ask them to bring you something to eat in a moment.”
Chen Qingqing had been walking all morning; the bowl of millet porridge she’d eaten earlier had long since disappeared. Her stomach rumbled softly. Of course, she wouldn’t refuse food — and besides, since her brother wasn’t even being paid for his labor, one meal wouldn’t exactly bankrupt the place.
But still, Wu Shiren was a miserly man. If he got angry at Wu Cuihua over a single meal, Chen Qingqing would feel bad.
She quickly waved her hands. “Sister Cuihua, no need to trouble yourself. I’m not hungry yet.”
“How could you not be? You’ve come such a long way, and it’s already mealtime. You have to eat something,” Wu Cuihua said, then called out to a nearby waiter,“Waiter! Go to the kitchen and bring something to eat.”
“What would you like, Miss?”
Wu Cuihua thought for a moment. The restaurant was packed, and the kitchen was swamped — stir-fried dishes would take too long.
“Go see what’s ready right now and bring that out.”
“The fresh meat buns we just steamed — will that do?”
“Perfect. Bring two servings.”
“Got it! Two orders of our famous meat buns!” the waiter shouted before hurrying off.
Moments later, he returned with two steaming plates of buns.
Wu Cuihua pushed one toward Chen Qingqing. “Here, Qing girl. These are our signature buns — delicious. Try one while it’s hot.”
“Alright.”
The rich aroma made Chen Qingqing’s mouth water. She didn’t bother with politeness, taking a big bite right away.
The fluffy dough and savory, juicy filling burst with flavor — no wonder the restaurant did such good business.
She couldn’t help but exclaim, “So fragrant! These are amazing!”
“If you like them, eat as much as you want — don’t be shy,” Wu Cuihua said warmly.
Chen Qingqing was truly hungry; she devoured the first bun in just a few bites.
“Slow down,” Wu Cuihua laughed. “There’s plenty more where that came from. Qing girl, don’t take offense — my father just has a terrible temper. He always shouts, no matter how many times I tell him not to. He says that when he was learning to cook, he suffered even more than Chen Feng — and that hardship made him who he is.”
She gave a slightly embarrassed smile. “But don’t worry. As long as I’m here, I won’t let Chen Feng be treated too unfairly.”
Although Chen Qingqing thought Wu Cuihua was genuinely kind, she still didn’t want her brother to stay here, being scolded and overworked every day.
“Sister Cuihua, I believe you. But I still want to persuade my brother to come home. Your father doesn’t treat him like a person. If he stays, it’ll just be more beatings and curses. Our family can’t bear to see that.”
Wu Cuihua’s heart tightened. To tell the truth, she also wished Chen Feng could leave — yet the thought of losing him made her reluctant.
As long as he stayed, she still had a chance — a chance to persuade her father to accept him, to let him truly learn the craft.
“Qing girl, I understand how you feel. But I’ve heard a bit about your family situation from my father. If Chen Feng goes back, what can he do there? Surely not hard labor just to support your third uncle again. Here, at least he’s learning a trade. My father’s temper may be bad, but he’s never let Chen Feng go hungry. At your home, everyone in town knows your grandparents play favorites. Your second aunt, Madam Sun, is fierce — even your grandmother fears her. Your third uncle is her favorite son. Whenever there’s something good to eat, they get it first. But your branch of the family — you can barely fill your stomachs. Do you really want your brother to go back to that kind of life? Hungry and mistreated?”
Chen Qingqing was startled. Wu Cuihua seemed to know her family quite well — and she clearly cared deeply about Chen Feng.
No wonder her brother was reluctant to leave…
So that’s how it was.
If her brother became a live-in son-in-law here, wouldn’t Wu Shiren just exploit him even more?
No. Absolutely not.
Wu Cuihua was a good girl, and if Chen Feng truly liked her, Chen Qingqing wouldn’t stand in their way — but only after he had the means to stand tall, when no one could look down on him.
Right now, staying here only meant being treated like a servant.
She spoke frankly, “Sister Cuihua, thank you for thinking of my brother, but I really don’t want him trapped in your kitchen. If you truly care about him, you should let him go. When he makes something of himself and earns respect — even your father’s — that will be the best outcome for both of you.”
Wu Cuihua’s face flushed red; her hidden feelings laid bare. “Qing girl, you’re right. Whether your brother stays or leaves, I’ll respect his choice.”