“Okay, you can take all of these back,” Xu Ying said generously, with a warm smile on her face. The food on the table remained largely untouched; Wu Qingsong, lost in his misery, had barely eaten, focusing instead on drowning his sorrows and Huo Chen, ever loyal, had stayed by his side. So Gu Fuying got a bargain today , still with a considerate heart, she took half of each dish, leaving the rest for Xu Ying and Huo Chen for later .
When Huo Chen returned, the room held only Xu Ying. And the moment their eyes met, an invisible spark ignited once more, slowly raising the temperature in the air between them.
“Why are you standing there frozen?” Xu Ying asked, her voice carrying a slight tremor. “Hurry up and eat your food’s already gone cold.” She turned her gaze away, adding more softly, “After you’re done, go check on Wu Qingsong.”
Huo Chen’s ears burned at her words. The way she fussed over him… it made him feel like a newlywed husband being looked after by a concerned young wife. Warmth bloomed in his chest at this moment , and he quickly nodded, moving to sit down and devour his dinner without another word.
But even as he ate, his mind wandered—to the promise Xu Ying had made to him before : that she will only married after two years.
Two years.
He clenched his chopsticks tighter, his jaw set with determination. He needed to earn money—fast. He would make sure that when the time came, his Yingying would know nothing but happiness by his side.
“Is the stove in your house out?” Huo Chen asked after finishing his meal, looking around the small dwelling. “I’ll help you light it before I leave. It must be freezing without anyone living in it for so long.” Xu Ying nodded.
Huo Chen rose, his tall, straight back like an unyielding mountain. Xu Ying felt an immense sense of peace and security in his presence. Perhaps it was a habit formed during the harshness of the last days, but Xu Ying was usually on high alert. Only with Huo Chen did her mind truly relax, her guard completely drop. It seemed that being with him brought a profound calm to her entire being.
After lighting thw stove Huo Chen turned, his gaze meeting Xu Ying’s.As she sat quietly, with a delicate hand resting against her cheek, her eyes soft with an inner glow, like a gentle ray of sunshine warming his heart. “Its all done ,” he said, his usually stern eyes softening with tenderness and adoration. “Then I’ll head back.” A hint of reluctance lingered in his voice as he looked at her before he leaves .
Xu Ying, though loath to see him go, watched him walk towards the door. Just as he was about to step out, she called out, “Huo Chen!” He turned, and in an instant, Xu Ying flew towards him, leaping into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pressing her delicate lips against his. The kiss was swift, like a breathless moment.
Then, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, Xu Ying turned and ran back inside, waving at him playfully. “See you tomorrow!”
Huo Chen chuckled helplessly, waving back. After she disappeared, he couldn’t help but touch his fingers to his lips, savoring the lingering warmth of her kiss. As he walked away, a sense of quiet triumph swelled within him.
Back in her room, Xu Ying washed up and slipped into her cold bed, but Huo Chen’s image remained vivid in her mind. Perhaps, she thought, this was what love truly felt like.
The next morning, Xu Ying was jolted awake by the insistent voice of her system.
[Host, if you don’t get up, you will be late. If you are late on the first day of work, the impact will be too bad.]
[Host, get up.]
[Host, it’s your first day at work. You can’t be late.]
“Shut up, you annoying nuisance!” Xu Ying muttered groggily, then suddenly sat bolt upright. “What? I’m going to be late?!” She scrambled out of bed, hastily dressed up , splashed water on her face, and raced out the door, pedaling furiously on her bicycle towards the food factory. She burst into the canteen kitchen just as the clock ticked over, breathless, her braids askew. “Good morning, everyone,” she gasped, smoothing her disheveled hair before rushing into the kitchen.
The kitchen staff had already been briefed by the factory director that the new girl had previously worked in a state-owned restaurant, she was from their R&D department, and she was even slated to become the director. Most importantly, she was an extraordinary cook, a true culinary artist. The director had tasked her with taking charge of the kitchen. Because of the popularity of the new fried and braised duck dishes, which Xu Ying claimed were ancestral recipes, still those who hadn’t experienced a state-owned restaurant had no idea of her true capabilities.
Old Li, who currently oversaw the kitchen, eyed Xu Ying with a disdainful sniff. He scoffed at the idea of a young girl achieving so much. If she was so good, why wasn’t she still at the state-owned restaurant? She was probably fired because of incompetence.Still due to workplace politeness he began “This is Master Xiao Xu, right?” Lao Li began, relying on his age to speak without inhibition. “I heard you used to work in a state-owned restaurant. That’s a serious establishment. Why did you quit? Were you fired?”
Xu Ying felt the palpable hostility but remained unfazed. She raised her head, with a sweet smile gracing her lips. “Uncle, what do you mean by that? State-owned restaurants are serious units, but are food factories not?” Her words, sharp and direct, instantly put Old Li in a bind. If he agreed, he’d be implying the food factory was somehow inferior, a slight that Director Sun would surely not tolerate.
Old Li’s face flushed with anger, but he quickly backtracked. “Girl, don’t talk nonsense! I merely said that state-owned restaurants are serious companies. If you don’t work there, you don’t work there. I didn’t say the food factory isn’t serious.”
“Oh, so you just don’t work there if you don’t want to,” Xu Ying said, feigning confusion. “Uncle, do you live by the seaside?”
Old Li looked utterly baffled, shaking his head. “If I lived by the sea, why would I be working here?” he muttered. Who would travel so far? The girl must be crazy.
Xu Ying tilted her head, her expression all innocence as she replied, “Oh, then why are you acting like the tides answer to you?”
Only then did Old Li realize—she was toying with him. His chest heaved with suppressed fury.
“You’re a sharp-tongued girl, aren’t you? Director Sun put you in charge of the kitchen because of cokking not to roast people. Now that you’re here, hurry up and cook!” Old Li fumed, seething with anticipation, eager to see Xu Ying fall flat on her face. He glared at the other workers, instructing them to stand down from their usual duties. He refused to believe that this young girl could manage alone, without anyone to wash, pick, or chop the vegetables.
Xu Ying changed into her work clothes and entered the kitchen, beginning her preparations. As she turned, she saw several people whispering, and a sudden understanding dawned on her. They were trying to make her a scapegoat. Young she may be, but she was never a pushover.
Xu Ying looked at them playfully. “What’s wrong? Now that I’m here, does all the work magically become mine? Did Director Sun give all of your wages to me ? Because if so, I’ll need to inform him in advance as to not have any mistakes in the accounts next month and collect all of it.”
The women, who moments before had been idly chatting and snacking on melon seeds, visibly stiffened. “Girl, what are you joking about?” one quickly retorted. “How could I leave this job to you? You’re the chef! Just cook well. We sisters were just chatting and got distracted. Our memories must be getting bad.” With that, she and the others quickly returned to their tasks.
Old Li watched the scene unfold, trembling with impotent rage. He was desperate to see how Xu Ying’s cooking would turn out. If it was bad, the factory employees would surely report it. Even with her connections and the director’s favor, she wouldn’t last long. He still refused to believe that his position could be snatched away by a mere girl.
The cafeteria workers here were different from those in state-owned restaurants. They worked in shifts—morning and evening. Because factory employees sometimes worked overtime, staying as late as eight, nine, or even ten at night, the cafeteria also had to remain open to cook their dinner.