“Yingying, is that your third brother?” Sun Lifang’s eyes sparkled with a greenish glow, brimming with excitement and mischief.
Xu Ying couldn’t help but laugh. “What, do you like my third brother?”
In her previous life, neither her second nor third brother had gotten married. Whether they had been dating anyone or not, she never found out. Still, if Lifang really did become her third sister-in-law someday, it wouldn’t be impossible—though marriage, after all, was a matter of fate.
“N-No, I don’t!” Sun Lifang’s ears turned pink with embarrassment.
Normally, she was the bold and carefree type, speaking her mind without a second thought. But when it came to matters of the heart, she was more bashful than the most delicate maiden.
Xu Ying teased, “Really? If you’ve fallen for him, I can help you ask if he’s seeing someone.”
She stood in front of the stove, bathed in warm firelight, with the kitchen window framing her perfectly. From where Xu Shengwu sat, he could see her silhouette, a spatula in hand, calm and confident—like a seasoned chef in her element.
Xu Shengwu paused mid-conversation, watching his little sister skillfully commanding the kitchen. Who would’ve thought she knew how to cook?
Sun Lifang followed his gaze, only to meet his eyes for a brief moment. His handsome face looked straight at her. Her heart skipped, and in a flash, her face flushed crimson.
“Lifang, help me serve the dishes,” Xu Ying called, breaking the moment.
Sun Lifang snapped back to reality, nodded quickly, and rushed over to take the plate. She ran to the table, dropped off the dish like she was fleeing a battlefield, and scurried back, flustered.
Xu Ying, now handling two stoves at once, moved with swift precision. Dishes flowed out one after another. The restaurant was soon brimming with the aroma of sizzling spices and fragrant stews, making mouths water.
Xu Shengwu watched in quiet astonishment. The colorful presentation, the texture, the alluring scents—each dish looked like it came straight from a five-star chef’s kitchen.
A massive plate of glossy, red braised pork sat at the center of the table. The meat was tender, succulent, and bursting with flavor, each piece glistening under the warm light, sending waves of hunger across the room. Its rich aroma wrapped around the diners, luring them in.
Around it, a feast had gathered: spicy boiled fish, creamy Mapo tofu, vibrant scrambled eggs with tomatoes, stir-fried greens, crispy bean sprouts with peppers, and cool cucumber salad. It was a spread fit for royalty.
And the men at the table—especially Huo Chen—had hearty appetites. He was a man of strength, and naturally, that came with a need for sustenance.
Worried he might not eat enough, Xu Ying made sure to give him an extra-large bowl of rice, setting it right in front of him.
Huo Chen glanced down at the unique bowl of rice—clearly different from the others. A subtle smile played at the corners of his mouth. He picked up a piece of braised pork, and the moment it touched his tongue, it melted like butter.
[Congratulations to the host, favorability +45, +45, +1, +1]
Xu Ying almost dropped her chopsticks. What the heck, why did I just get a wave of points?
“Why does Huo Chen’s favorability always spike like crazy?” she muttered in disbelief. “Everyone else gives me ones and twos, but this guy just rains down favorability like he’s printing it!”
[Due to insufficient system level, cause unknown. Upgrade to Level 2 to unlock advanced analysis. Current cost: 999 points.
Without system upgrade, host is limited to using era-appropriate items from the space. With upgrade, the trader function unlocks—anything you want, just name it.]
“Shut it,” Xu Ying grumbled and silenced the system. If she had that kind of money, she’d rather use it for real-world needs than get tempted by the system’s endless offers.
999 points—that’s 999 yuan! She only had 200 yuan in her bag right now. And her monthly wage? A meager 30 yuan. If she wanted to upgrade the system at that pace, it would take over two years… assuming she didn’t eat or drink during that time.
Xu Ying sighed deeply, her expression visibly gloomy.
“What’s wrong? Why the long face?” Sun Lifang had sneakily crept back to the window, resting her chin on her palm as she watched her friend.
Xu Ying shook herself out of her thoughts and changed the subject. “Oh, Lifang, my friend said he found a house for me. The location sounded pretty ideal. After work, he’s taking me to check it out. If it works out, I won’t need to trouble your mom anymore.”
Sun Lifang nodded readily. “Okay. But if you’re short on cash, just tell me. I can lend you some.”
Xu Ying had been working with them for a month, but payday hadn’t arrived yet. Lifang worried that she might not have enough for rent.
“It’s fine. I’ve got it covered.”
Suddenly, a shadow moved silently behind them. Zhang Quanquan appeared, his footsteps as light as a cat’s. Hearing Xu Ying mention renting a house, he interjected nosily, “Xu Ying, are you looking to rent a place in the county? Where at?”
Sun Lifang rolled her eyes at him. “Why do you care where she lives? That’s none of your business!”
Zhang Quanquan looked embarrassed. “I was just asking. You don’t have to bite my head off.”
“Hmph.” Lifang turned her head with a cold snort. She didn’t trust him one bit—always lurking with questionable intentions.
“You’re a married man. Why are you so interested in a single girl’s private life?”
Zhang Quanquan flushed. “I’m just concerned as a colleague, that’s all.”
Xu Ying didn’t buy it for a second. She smiled politely but firmly. “Brother Quanquan, men and women shouldn’t be too familiar. As a girl, it’s not proper for me to share such details with you.”
Later, as the last customers trickled out and closing time approached, the restaurant began winding down. Xu Ying cleaned up and packed her things, slinging her army-green crossbody bag over her shoulder.
“Third Brother, Huo Chen—let’s go!” she called out, walking toward them.
As she took off her hat, her twin braids fell over her chest. She had worn tight-fitting clothes under her work jacket, and now, without it on, her figure was unmistakably outlined.
Huo Chen happened to glance over at that moment—and his ears instantly turned red.
“You… You’re not cold?” he asked, his voice slightly husky. “Here, put this on.”
Xu Ying blinked, then quickly took the jacket and slipped it on. She had been in such a rush she forgot her coat. Now that they were outside in the cold evening air, she felt the chill immediately and pulled it close without protest.
This time, Xu Shengwu drove his work vehicle and parked right outside the restaurant.
“I’ll take Xu Ying to see the house,” Huo Chen offered. “If it looks good, we’ll rent it on the spot.”
Xu Shengwu hesitated. After a pause, he nodded. “Alright. Qingsong and I will wait here.”
Huo Chen gave a short nod and ran over to the bicycle.
But after her last experience, Xu Ying was wary. “Huo Chen… How about I ride and you sit?”
The light in Huo Chen’s eyes dimmed a little. He looked pitiful. “I’ll walk beside you. I won’t let you fall.”
“Are you sure?” She remembered the crash vividly. Her legs had hurt for days.
“I promise. Just get on,” he coaxed softly.
Reassured by his tone, Xu Ying got on the bicycle. As she did, he reached out and gently wrapped his coat around her again.
From behind them, Xu Shengwu’s eyes darkened. He instinctively moved forward to stop them—but Huo Chen, as if sensing his intent, quickly pedaled away.
Watching the two of them disappear into the distance, a wave of regret swept over Xu Shengwu’s heart.
Did I just push my little sister into the fire pit with my own hands?
He was torn. On one hand, Huo Chen seemed like a reliable man. If Yingying had to rely on someone… he wasn’t a bad choice.
But the thought of her being “taken” by an outsider—it made him deeply uncomfortable.
He turned to Wu Qingsong beside him, frowning. “When did Huo Chen get so close to my sister?”
Wu Qingsong, oblivious to his mood, started chatting away. “Oh, you didn’t hear? Your sister’s amazing. Last time, Brother Chen and Old Hui got surrounded by wolves in the mountains—it was your little sister who saved them.”
Xu Shengwu’s brows rose in surprise.
Wu Qingsong continued, “Then another time, your sister wasn’t feeling well but still ended up running into a herd of wild boars. Huo Chen saved her that time. The two of them have saved each other’s lives more than once—honestly, they’re fated or something!”
Xu Shengwu’s face darkened further. “Why wasn’t she feeling well? What was she doing in the mountains?”