Xu Ying offered Xiao Zhang a sheepish smile, then pressed a cigarette into his hand. “Brother Zhang,” she said, her voice laced with deference, “thank you for your hard work.”
Zhang Caiban’s sour expression vanished, replaced by a grin. “Oh, sister, why are you so polite? It’s just a trip to another county! Just wait, I’ll get what you want right now.”
“Wait a minute, I’ll go with you!” Xu Ying interjected.
Zhang Caiban’s jaw dropped. “What’s wrong? You’re not working in the kitchen anymore?”
“No, no,” Xu Ying quickly waved her hand. “The main thing is that the selection of duck products is a bit strict. When we cook, we pay attention to the freshness and suitability of the ingredients. So, I discussed it with Chef Ge, and I’m going with you.” This trip would also allow her to gain more experience and possibly complete some of the system’s odd tasks, especially those involving her sister-in-law’s family. If another opportunity arose, she had no choice but to take it, and she could bring her sister-in-law home to visit her parents.
“Okay, then tell us when we’ll set off,” Zhang Caiban said, no longer daring to underestimate Xu Ying. She had bypassed Chef Ge to purchase ingredients, a clear sign that she was on the verge of taking over his duties.
“Tomorrow. I’ll go back tonight, clean up, and then we can leave,” Xu Ying replied.
Zhang Caiban nodded. “Then where shall we meet tomorrow?”
“Directly at the train station,” Xu Ying instructed. She had promised Director Hong that the new product would launch next week, leaving her five days to prepare.
Fortunately, she hadn’t kept her culinary skills a secret. Liu Guohua, with his innate talent for cooking, had secretly absorbed many of her techniques in just a few days. Chef Ge, who had initially been reluctant to take him as an apprentice, now saw Liu Guohua’s potential and was intrigued. Xu Ying had been persistently urging Chef Ge to accept Liu Guohua, realizing in the process that Chef Ge had once wanted her as an apprentice. But her increasingly sophisticated cooking skills had eventually made him abandon the idea. Hearing this, Xu Ying swelled with pride. It simply confirmed her exceptional talent.
That afternoon, Chef Ge announced Xu Ying’s impending journey to another county. Sun Lifang immediately felt a pang of reluctance at her departure. Gao Guihua’s face darkened. With Xu Ying gone, there would be one less person, increasing the workload in the restaurant. Her face was a mask of resentment. “She’s a cook; why is she going shopping? There are so many things to do!”
Chen Chunfeng, struggling to embody the role of a manager, explained, “The purchasing office is buying something we’ve never bought before. The cooks have strict requirements for the freshness and suitability of the meat. A slight mistake and the taste will be off. Chef Ge is old and tired of all the fuss, so he sent Xu Ying. If you think you understand this, then go ahead, but you will be responsible for anything that happens.”
At the mention of responsibility, Gao Guihua’s expression instantly changed, and she vehemently declared she wouldn’t go. With the matter settled, everyone left for the day.
Xu Ying first ran home, extinguished the stove, and then swiftly placed all the vegetables and meat from the kitchen into her space. This time, she rode her bicycle home.
When Xu’s mother heard her daughter was embarking on a long journey, worry consumed her. “Why are there so many things going on? You said you went to live in the county town, and I couldn’t even see you. I was worried to death. You’re such a young kid, and you have to take a train to another county. What if something happens? No, Mom will go to your leader to discuss it and let others go.” In such a large restaurant, why send her daughter? It could only be because her daughter was young and easily bullied.
Xu Ying stopped her mother, a helpless sigh escaping her lips. “I’m the only one suitable to go. Besides, I can ask my sister-in-law to go with me. It just so happens that she can go back to her parents’ home to visit.” At these words, Sister-in-law Xu’s eyes lit up, filled with anticipation as she gazed at Xu Ying.
Xu’s mother hesitated, still reluctant.
Xu’s father, however, was more open-minded. “My daughter has grown up and has her own job. How can you let your daughter grow up and become outstanding if you keep blocking her?”
Xu Ying smiled at her father. “Thank you, Dad.” Father Xu returned her smile.
Early the next morning, Xu’s mother began preparing things for her daughter’s journey. Although it wasn’t a long trip, she couldn’t shake her worry. She rose before dawn to pack her daughter’s belongings. Before Xu Ying left, she specifically reminded Xu’s father to check the dam if he had nothing else to do. Xu’s father, always diligent, was a man of his word. After seeing his daughter off, he immediately headed to the dam. What he found there was a significant problem.
Meanwhile, Xu’s mother escorted her daughter to the train station. Watching her daughter board the train, tears streamed down Xu’s mother’s face. Xu Ying’s heart ached in the train carriage, and even after the train pulled away, a knot of discomfort remained in her stomach.
Zhang Caiban was surprised. Most country folk favored boys over girls, not just in the countryside but even in the city. Yet, Xu Ying seemed quite favored at home. Zhang Caiban had brought a subordinate with him, making them a group of four. The two counties were not far apart, an hour’s ride by train.
Upon arriving in the other county, Xu Ying first accompanied her sister-in-law to her parents’ home. Zhang Caiban and his subordinate had not had breakfast, so they planned to eat during this time. There was no rush. Sister-in-law Xu’s family home was near the station, a mere ten-minute walk.
As they approached the courtyard, Sister-in-law Xu’s eyes filled with a familiar pain, and a headache began to throb. “Sister-in-law, go back quickly. They must miss you,” Xu Ying said, holding her arm, a gift basket in her other hand. You couldn’t arrive empty-handed. These were the provisions Xu’s mother had prepared: mushrooms and wild game.
Noticing Sister-in-law Xu’s unresponsiveness, Xu Ying turned to look at her. She gasped in alarm. Her sister-in-law’s face had turned pale, contorted in pain. “Sister-in-law, what’s wrong with you?”
“He, he,” Sister-in-law Xu stammered, before collapsing to the ground in a faint.
Frightened, Xu Ying screamed into the courtyard, “Mother, I am Xu Ying! I have brought my sister-in-law Ling back!”
“What’s going on?” A woman, emerging to buy groceries, was shocked by the scene.
Xu Ying quickly called for help. “My sister-in-law Zhao Ling, her mother is Xia Shuxiu, she’s not at home! Please help me send my sister-in-law to the hospital, thank you!”
Upon hearing this, the woman swiftly ran back into her house, shouting loudly, “From the Fugui family, your daughter has fainted! She’s at the door! Go and have a look!” Soon, many people rushed out to gawk.
When Zhao’s mother heard her daughter had fainted, and not at her husband’s house but here, she initially disbelieved it. But the woman pulled her, urging her outside. As soon as she saw the figure on the ground, Zhao’s mother panicked. “Why did such a healthy person faint? Eldest son , come out quickly! Your sister has fainted! Carry her to the hospital quickly!”
Zhao Shubo, hearing his mother’s frantic words, rushed out. Seeing his unconscious sister on the ground, he quickly lifted her and carried her to the hospital. Xu Ying and Zhao’s mother ran alongside them.
On the way, a chilling thought gnawed at Xu Ying’s heart. Could this be why her sister-in-law had succumbed to an early death in her previous life—a serious illness that had gone undetected?