Xu Ying arrived at work bright and early the next morning, blissfully unaware of the drama unfolding in the village. She was busy in front of the stove, spatula in hand.
“Yingying, someone’s looking for you outside,” Chen Chunfeng announced, running over. “Says it’s your third uncle.”
Xu Ying’s brows furrowed in curiosity. “Why is he here?” Just as she spoke, Uncle Xu appeared at the ordering area. “Yingying, come out for a moment. Uncle Xu needs to talk to you.”
Xu Ying put down her shovel, took off her apron, and walked out. “What’s going on?” she asked, sensing something mysterious.
Uncle Xu led her to a corner, his head lowered, looking utterly downtrodden. “Yingying, your third aunt has a job now. When will I get one?” Ever since his wife started working, she’d changed. Now, she didn’t take him seriously, running around all day and barely cooking. He, a dignified seven-foot man, was reduced to a housewife, cooking for his daughters every day. What kind of man stayed in the kitchen all day?
Xu Ying found her third uncle’s predicament amusing. Then, a thought of Tong Yingzi sparked in her mind, and her eyes lit up. “Third uncle, people in your village say you know everything. There’s nothing you don’t know. I want to ask you about someone. I wonder if you can help me. If you can, I guarantee you’ll be successfully hired within one month.”
Here we go again, Xu Ying thought. Uncle Xu looked pitiful, but he had no choice but to agree.
“Who do you want to ask about?” Uncle Xu inquired.
“Tong Yingzi. Have you heard of this person?” Xu Ying asked.
Uncle Xu shook his head. The name sounded unfamiliar. “Don’t just give me a name; give me some other useful information. Our county is so big, I can’t find her with just a name!”
Xu Ying nudged her system. “Gouzi, how old is Tong Yingzi this year, how tall is she, and what does she look like?”
[According to the plot development in the previous life, Tong Yingzi is three years younger than your uncle. When your uncle and Tong Yingzi got married in the previous life, Tong Yingzi was already an orphan. I don’t know what she looks like now, but Tong Yingzi is not far from your uncle’s house.]
“Seventeen years old. And she seems to live near my uncle’s house. I don’t know the rest. Third uncle, it all depends on you. If you can help me find this person, I’ll treat you to dinner!”
At the mention of food, Uncle Xu licked his lips, missing Xu Ying’s cooking. “The information you mentioned is too little, and it’s hard for me to find her. But don’t worry, you’re my niece. Even if I have to climb mountains of swords and seas of fire, and search the whole county, I will find her for you. Yingying, if Third Uncle finds her, don’t just invite me to dinner. Third Uncle will buy the vegetables and meat himself. You can just come to Third Uncle’s house and cook a few meals for me!”
If she could genuinely find someone and cook a few meals, Xu Ying immediately agreed. Uncle Xu was so delighted that he completely forgot he had originally come to ask Xu Ying about work. Uncle Xu hurried off, looking for the girl. Xu Ying went back to the kitchen to work.
Zhang Quanquan had just taken over her spot, helping with the cooking, but he only stirred a few times. Xu Ying still had to do the seasoning. “Xu Ying, you’re back. I was worried the vegetables would burn, so I stirred them a few times for you. You can taste it now.”
Something had been off with Zhang Quanquan these days. Not only Xu Ying felt it, but also Sun Lifang. When it was time for lunch, Sun Lifang called Xu Ying aside to eat. “Yingying, have you noticed that something is wrong with Zhang Quanquan?”
“It seems like he’s been very enthusiastic towards me these days and wants to help with anything,” Xu Ying muttered. Sun Lifang, like her third uncle, was a know-it-all. Sun Lifang glanced left and right, then lowered her voice, muttering to Xu Ying, “You don’t know yet, but there’s a new apprentice coming to the kitchen. Zhang Quanquan will be fired, mainly because he’s too stupid. He’s been here for several years and he can’t even fry shredded potatoes.”
“But what does this have to do with me?” Xu Ying asked, confused.
Sun Lifang ate her eggs and speculated, “Maybe he wants to please you and have you teach him cooking skills!”
Xu Ying didn’t think so. She never hid her cooking techniques. Zhang Quanquan had watched her cook. If his skills were still like this, it could only mean he had no talent for cooking. But these past few days, she felt a strange unease when he was around her. All in all, it was important to be guarded against others. She should pay more attention recently.
As Xu Ying and Sun Lifang sat eating, Xu Ying felt a strong gaze on her. When she turned her head, she met Zhang Quanquan’s eyes. Xu Ying felt goosebumps all over her body. This Zhang Quanquan is definitely going to harm me.
After work that afternoon, Xu Ying was the first to rush out of the restaurant. As she was pushing her bicycle home, she was stopped by a man.
Dong Wenqiang looked at Xu Ying, almost desperate to talk to her. Dong Wenzhong had no ability and had squandered the chance to pursue Xu Ying. Now, he’d given up after being beaten.
“Hello Xu Ying, my name is Dong Wenqiang, nice to meet you.” Just like the two brothers, they made the exact same gestures. Dong Wenqiang smoothed his hair with his palms, slowly raised his eyelids, and looked at Xu Ying, thinking he was very handsome.
Xu Ying was so disgusted she just said, “Get out of the way.”
“No, I haven’t talked to you properly yet.” Dong Wenqiang looked at Xu Ying with greasy eyes.
“Go away, I have nothing to say to you. Did Chen Yanran ask you to find me?” Xu Ying raised her eyes, her gaze full of anger.
Dong Wenqiang quickly shook his head and began a dramatic confession. “Xu Ying, I want to tell you that I’ve fallen in love with you since the last time we were together. Can you be my girlfriend? I won’t be as irresponsible to you as my brother.”
“Well, sorry, I have mysophobia!”
“What’s the meaning?” Dong Wenqiang was confused. What was “mysophobia”? Her partner? Impossible, I’ve never heard of Xu Ying having a partner.
“Xu Ying, I will definitely treat you better than mysophobia!” Dong Wenqiang’s eyes were sincere.
Xu Ying almost couldn’t help laughing. This man must be sick. “Dong Wenqiang, you’ve had enough time with Chen Yanran. You’ve had your fun, so now you want to come to me? I don’t pick up trash, and I’m not interested in you either.” After Xu Ying finished speaking, she got on her bike and sped away.
Dong Wenqiang was much more timid than Dong Wenzhong. When he saw Xu Ying riding away, he was so scared that he ran away immediately, fearing Xu Ying would hit him.
Just then, Dong Wenzhong arrived, fresh from the hospital. He looked at Dong Wenqiang’s bruised nose and swollen face. He remembered what Xu Ying had just said: “You’ve had enough time with Chen Yanran, so you want to come to me…” He looked furious and rushed over. “Dong Wenqiang, did you sleep with Chen Yanran?”
“Who are you? It’s none of your business if I sleep with Chen Yanran.” After speaking, Dong Wenqiang looked at Dong Wenzhong in shock. “Are you Wenzhong? How did you end up like this?”
Dong Wenzhong’s face twisted with shame and anger. He felt like his head was turning green. Chen Yanran, that manipulative woman, how could she be with Dong Wenqiang behind his back?