Ning You caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye of the instant noodles that had hit her forehead last night. A faint smile curved her lips.
Good thing there was still a cup of instant noodles left.
She tore it open, took out the noodle cake, and broke off a small piece to hold in her hand.
Crouching slightly, she peered through the keyhole toward the outside—
Only Ning Yu, that dumb foodie, was left.
She opened the door and began crunching the noodles loudly.
The sound reached Ning Yu’s ears, and he looked up.
His eyes locked onto the noodle cake in Ning You’s hand. The crackers in his own hand suddenly didn’t seem tasty anymore, and his legs moved on their own toward her.
“What are you eating?”
As he spoke, he swallowed hard.
If this were before, he would have already snatched it.
But children were the most sensitive to danger.
After seeing Ning Hong being “taught lessons” repeatedly, how would he dare act recklessly now?
Ning You looked down at the chubby boy in front of her, a faint smile on her lips, “You want it?”
“Mm mm mm!” Ning Yu nodded frantically.
“Easy.” Ning You smiled sweetly, almost like a wicked old witch, “Tell me what your dad and mom were just talking about?”
Ning Yu’s brain was empty except for food. He hadn’t listened at all and could only recall fragments.
After glancing at the noodles in her hand, he strained his brain hard.
“…They said you should get married!”
He blurted it out.
Then he looked at Ning You. Seeing she wasn’t satisfied, he scratched his head and tried again.
Suddenly his eyes lit up.
“…Steam turbine factory… factory director… son…”
Then he stared longingly at the noodle cake.
Ning You smiled meaningfully. So the scumbag father and stepmother were changing tactics.
The chubby kid was probably talking about the son of the steam turbine factory director.
…So eager to marry her off already?
Seeing Ning You still not giving him anything, Ning Yu grew anxious, “Are you going to give it or not?!”
Before he could even finish venting his frustration, Ning You shoved a small piece of noodle into his mouth.
Ning Yu bit down crunchily—and it tasted so good his eyes narrowed in bliss.
Ah!
Ahhhhh!
How can it be this good?
Even though it was just a small piece, he still had to swallow it eventually no matter how slowly he chewed.
He was so greedy he was practically drooling, eyes fixed on the remaining noodles in her hand.
“I want more!!”
“You want more?” Ning You’s smile deepened, “I can give it to you. But what will you trade for it?”
“You know, I don’t have any sibling affection with you. That piece I just gave you was payment for the information you provided. If you want more, you need to exchange something for it. Otherwise, why would I give it to you?”
“Exchange?” Ning Yu muttered, thinking quickly, “I’ll trade biscuits!”
He was tired of biscuits. He only wanted this crispy noodle cake.
Ning You shook her head, “I don’t like biscuits.”
Hearing that the kitchen was probably about to finish cooking, and to avoid alerting the adults, she said, “You can think about it slowly.”
“But if anyone finds out about our deal, it’s off…”
“I won’t say anything! I swear I won’t!” Ning Yu quickly agreed, “Just don’t eat my noodle cake!”
Ning You: …It’s not even yours yet.
“Alright.”
After agreeing, she closed the door.
She hoped this kid would be useful. Any clue about Ning Dan’s whereabouts, or the treasures left by Grandpa Wen—anything would help.
Just after she closed the door, she heard Ning Hong ask from outside, “Ning Yu, what are you doing standing there? Time to eat!”
Ning Yu, still racking his brain for what he could trade for more noodles, was suddenly interrupted. Furious, he glared at her.
“Mind your own business!”
…
That night, Ning Zhongyi, He Meili, Ning Hong, and Ning Yu sat eating dinner. None of them thought to call Ning You.
Ning You had already eaten a bowl of pork noodle soup at the state-run restaurant, so she didn’t care.
Thinking about Ning Dan, she rested for a while, then went out of her room, planning to go next door.
Hearing the door open, Ning Hong, who was clearing the dishes, immediately made a sour face and rolled her eyes.
But when she saw her stepsister looking completely different from usual, she pulled her eyes back down to look properly.
“…You cut your hair!”
She stared at Ning You’s new hairstyle, finding it strangely beautiful. She couldn’t stop looking.
She almost wanted to take Ning You’s head and sew it onto her own neck.
Even though she didn’t want to admit it…
It was really, really pretty.
Ning You didn’t even glance at her, treating her like air.
Ning Hong snorted. Since no one else was around, she didn’t dare provoke Ning You, who sometimes acted like she was unstable. She muttered under her breath, “What’s so great about it? It’s not like I don’t know where to get it cut.”
She was almost twenty now, already at marriageable age.
Seeing that a simple haircut could make Ning You look so good, she was immediately tempted.
She didn’t even take a nap. Grabbing her small wallet, she happily went out.
Before leaving, she even said, “Hmph, just you wait!”
Ning You: …Wait for what? Stop adding drama on your own, okay?
…
Ning You took a packet of brown sugar and went to the Zhou family’s house.
The door opened, revealing a middle-aged woman.
When she saw Ning You, a flash of dislike quickly crossed her eyes, though her tone remained polite and distant.
“Little You, what brings you here?”
Ning You’s smile faded slightly, becoming more perfunctory, “I’m here to see Auntie…”
Before the woman could say she wasn’t in, Aunt Zhou’s energetic voice came from inside.
“Who is it?”
The woman quickly put on a fake smile and stepped aside, “It’s Little You.”
“Come in,” she added.
Ning You noticed the woman’s dislike, though she didn’t know the reason and didn’t particularly care.
Aunt Zhou came out quickly and greeted her warmly, her face full of smiles.
“Little You is here! Sit, sit! You haven’t come to Aunt’s house in years.”
She pulled Ning You down to sit and instructed her daughter-in-law, “Go boil a cup of malted milk for Little You!”
Ning You quickly said, “No need, Auntie. I just came to thank you…”
Aunt Zhou cut her off, “What do you mean no need? Of course there is! You haven’t been here for years. What’s wrong with having a cup of malted milk? Don’t be so polite with me.”
She was extremely enthusiastic, and her gaze toward Ning You was genuinely fond, making it hard to refuse.
“Then thank you, Auntie and Aunt-in-law,” Ning You smiled.
Seeing that she even brought something, Aunt Zhou’s smile deepened.
“You came and still brought gifts?”
She wasn’t greedy for such things, just genuinely happy that Ning You was unlike the Ning family—more like Comrade Wen Ya: generous, polite, and clear-minded.
Ning You smiled lightly, “You helped me a lot, Auntie. It’s only right I bring a thank-you gift. Just some brown sugar, I hope you don’t mind.”
“Mind? Why would I mind?” Aunt Zhou patted her hand, her eyes full of warmth and heartache.
“Our little You has suffered…”
Those damn Ning Zhongyi and He Meili would get their karma sooner or later!
Ning You felt a little uncomfortable, so she smoothly changed the topic.
“Auntie, I actually want to ask you something…”