“Su Xi, it’s not that the Fang family is heartless. It’s just that no one dares to take over the mess your family is in!”
The matchmaker’s shrill voice pierced through the house, showing no concern for whether outsiders could hear.
The crowd of villagers gathered outside grew larger, each wearing a smirk, eager to watch the drama unfold.
Su Xi froze, her body stiff. Before she could address the faint pain throbbing in her forehead, her mind went blank, ringing with noise.
Two days ago, she had been a modern-day food blogger with over four million followers. Who could have guessed that after one night’s sleep, she would wake up as a young village girl in the Great Xia Dynasty, a fictional era.
What was worse, she had been hit with a “misfortune buff”: both her parents had just died, leaving behind a massive debt of fifty taels of silver and two younger brothers who were essentially “baggage.”
Thinking of this, Su Xi turned her head to look at the child clinging to the dirt wall, his face covered in grime.
One thing was for sure: the original Su Xi’s parents had good genes. Although her “cheap younger brother” was small, he had a lovable appearance.
As for the older one…
Just as she was thinking, a commotion broke out outside. The crowd parted to make way for a handsome young boy carrying a worn-out book basket.
“Su Ting.” Seeing him appear, Su Xi frowned. “Didn’t I tell you to go back to the academy to study? Why are you back again?”
Indeed. This young boy was the original host’s elder brother, Su Ting.
“Sister, I’m not studying anymore. I want to come home to earn money and support the family.” Su Ting was clean-cut and handsome, and he spoke with more maturity than other children his age.
Some things didn’t need to be said; the reason was obvious.
“Did the master stop letting you study?” Su Xi asked, getting straight to the point.
Hearing this, Su Ting—still just a child after all—couldn’t control his emotions. His eyes reddened, and he didn’t say much else, only whispering, “The master said the tuition payment has to be increased.”
The villagers outside naturally overheard this conversation.
“Isn’t the master Su Ting studies with the one found by the Fang family?”
“The Su couple just passed away, and the Fang family breaks the engagement one moment and kicks Su Ting out of the private school the next. That’s truly a bit dishonorable.”
“The Fang family’s son just became a xiucai. His status has risen, so naturally, he looks down on Su Xi. Not to mention the Su family is a total mess right now. Who would want to take that on? Anyone who did would be a fool.”
The villagers’ gossip drifted into the house.
The matchmaker’s expression grew impatient. She pointed at the betrothal annulment letter on the table and spoke again. “Su Xi, accept this betrothal annulment letter and these five taels of silver are yours. Whether you use it to pay the tuition payment or settle your family’s debt, it’s up to you. Why waste everyone’s time here?”
Hearing this, Su Ting clenched his fists and said angrily, “The Fang family is going too far!”
Su Xi’s brows knitted together. She looked at the haughty matchmaker in the room and said directly, “You may leave. I will accept the betrothal annulment letter. However, tell the Fang family that what they owe is far more than these five taels.”
The villagers outside erupted into a clamor.
“So, please tell the Fang family to return what belongs to my family within ten days, or we shall meet at the magistrate’s office.” Su Xi’s voice was as cold as ice, devoid of emotion.
As dusk approached, the villagers dispersed in pairs once they saw the excitement had ended.
Su Xi toyed with the coin purse for a moment, deep in thought. She instructed Su Ting to go find the village head to discuss the debt. Standing at the door, she watched his figure disappear, then felt a little tug at her sleeve.
“Sister, what are we eating tonight?” Su Cheng asked in a milky voice, looking up with his dirty little face.
“Eating…” Su Xi hadn’t checked the kitchen since she woke up, and for a moment, she didn’t have an answer.
But what could she do?
She could only lead Su Cheng into the kitchen to see what food she could scrounge up.
The kitchen was very old, with cracks in the dilapidated dirt walls. A blackened pot sat on the stove, and a cloth bag containing coarse rice lay discarded beneath it.
Su Xi crouched down, opened the bag, and found a small bundle of wild vegetables, two dried-out steamed buns, and two eggs inside.
These were leftovers from when they held the funeral rites for their parents.
Su Ting reached out, pointing at the dried-out buns whose original color was hard to distinguish, and said, “Sister, those are very delicious.”
That innocent remark suddenly made Su Xi’s heart ache.
The original host’s parents had been honest and hardworking. They had initially built up a decent family estate; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to arrange a betrothal with the Fang family, who came from a farming and studying background.
But fate is unpredictable. A year and a half ago, both of the original host’s parents fell seriously ill one after another. To pay for medical treatments, they racked up debt after debt, only for it all to end in tragedy.
Sensing the glimmer of tears in Su Xi’s eyes, Su Cheng quickly hugged her leg and said nervously, “Sister, A-Cheng isn’t hungry.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a loud growl came from his stomach.
In an instant, the little fellow’s ears turned bright red. He hurriedly explained, “Not hungry, really. It’s the stomach that’s hungry, not A-Cheng.”
Su Xi suppressed the bitterness in her eyes, reached out to pat the little guy’s head, and said to him, “Sister will make something delicious for you. Wait here obediently.”
Su Cheng nodded obediently.
Su Xi calmed her emotions, briskly washed her hands, added firewood to the stove, and poured all the remaining lard from the crock into the pot. Once the oil was hot, she cracked in the eggs. The savory scent of the lard merged with the aroma of the eggs. As the eggs soaked in the lard, they turned a vibrant golden hue. The dish was a feast for the senses, and the kitchen was instantly filled with a wonderful fragrance.
Su Cheng stood there, unable to stop himself from licking his lips.
Su Ting, who had hurried back through the night, smelled the aroma at the front gate. He paused, then walked into the kitchen. Seeing the scene inside, his Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.
Just as the eggs were setting, Su Xi tossed in a handful of chopped Chinese toon. As soon as the toon hit the heat, it melded with the eggs, its unique fragrance fully released.
Once the stir-fried eggs with Chinese toon were out of the pot, she didn’t let the remaining lard go to waste. She sliced the two dried-out steamed buns and fried them directly in the leftover oil. When they were golden brown on both sides, she took them out. The crust was crispy and the inside was soft—the task was complete.
Su Xi carried a plate of stir-fried eggs with Chinese toon and a plate of pan-fried steamed bun slices. She turned around to see two handsome little faces staring blankly.
The only difference was that one looked blank out of pure hunger, while the other looked blank with a hint of suspicion.
“Sister, since when did you know how to cook?” Su Ting asked, not forgetting to take the two plates from her.
Su Xi was well-prepared for this question. She took Su Cheng’s hand and led him outside, saying to Su Ting, “I saw the Fang family’s cook doing it before.”
Su Ting found this explanation acceptable.
The Fang family had been farming and studying for generations; they were the only ones within a few miles who could afford a cook. His sister used to visit the Fang family often, so it wasn’t hard to understand that she might have watched and learned.
Seeing that he accepted the explanation, Su Xi pressed on. “That cook said I have a talent for cooking, so I’m planning to set up a food stall in town.”
“A stall?” Su Ting was astonished.