Xu Ying’s brows furrowed slightly, with suspicion flickering in her eyes. It had only been a few days—how could everyone already be missing her? It felt just a bit too eager. But as if sensing her hesitation, Gao Guihua quickly brought up Sun Lifang’s name, and Xu Ying’s guarded expression eased slightly.
“That girl Lifang talks about you every single day,” Gao Guihua chirped, her tone brimming with sincerity. “If I hadn’t run into you, she would’ve gone looking for you in the next few days herself. Since I bumped into you , I asked her to come to the restaurant after work to grab a bite with you.”
The mention of Sun Lifang—her blunt yet genuine colleague—brought a faint smile to Xu Ying’s lips. Lifang probably just missed her cooking.
“Alright, I’ll go after work,” Xu Ying agreed lightly.
Gao Guihua nodded, a glint of triumph flickering in her eyes, then turned and swiftly took her leave.
Back at the factory cafeteria, a subtle but unmistakable shift in atmosphere greeted Xu Ying. Lao Li—once her loudest critic—now met her with a warm, almost fatherly smile.
“Xiao Xu, if you need anything, just let your uncle know. I’ll take care of it,” he declared gallantly, positioning himself as her steadfast supporter.
Guilt weighed heavily on him. He had been so narrow-minded before, fearing she’d steal his role, when all this girl ever wanted was to cook and share her love of food.
After work, Lao Li had made a special trip to the state-owned restaurant, determined to uncover the truth. What he found astonished him: Xu Ying hadn’t been dismissed. She’d resigned voluntarily, just as she’d claimed. She genuinely loved food—and seeing others enjoy her cooking was her greatest reward. Having satisfied the palates of the restaurant’s regular patrons, she had simply sought new challenges, new people to feed. That kind of ambition and idealism was rare in someone so young. And now, knowing she would soon become the official Director of the R&D Department, Lao Li couldn’t help but admire her.
For Xu Ying, the kitchen had never felt so comforting. The heavy, scrutinizing presence was gone. No more eyes watching for flaws, no more sharp criticisms. She accepted Lao Li’s overtures with grace.
“Uncle Li, I’m not busy right now. I can handle things alone,” she said with a gentle smile.
Satisfied, Lao Li strolled away, hands clasped behind his back, casting a contented gaze over the bustling kitchen.
The factory was nowadays abuzz with a level of excitement it hadn’t seen in years. That morning, Xu Ying’s modest meal—just four simple dishes—had earned nearly 20,000 favorability points, unlocking sixty percent of her system’s space and ten brand-new recipes. She knew the remaining points would be crucial to upgrading the space mall once it was fully unlocked.
Dinner was another triumph. She swapped out the morning’s rice for fragrant millet porridge, added fresh steamed buns, and introduced five colorful stir-fried vegetable dishes. As the workers poured into the canteen, an air of anticipation thickened.
“I heard the new chef used to work at a state-owned restaurant. They say her food is even better than Chef Ge’s!” an excited worker exclaimed.
“I have no idea how our director convinced her to come here, but we’ve really hit the jackpot! No need to eat out anymore—we get all this for practically nothing!” another chimed in.
“That’s right! I had her cooking this morning—it was amazing!” someone else echoed, the dining hall filling with enthusiastic chatter.
Meanwhile, Xu Ying, lost in thought, remained blissfully unaware of the stir she had caused. Her mind was already racing ahead to the next possibility. She longed to unlock the secret to dipping sauces—especially those that paired perfectly with fried foods. The flavor combinations would be irresistible, particularly to foreigners, who adored such accompaniments.
Pizzas and ham sausages also swirled through her imagination. Ham sausage, a universal favorite, was sadly nonexistent in this era. If she could just unlock the recipe! Paired with instant noodles—still a luxury item due to high production costs—it would be revolutionary.
“Xiao Xu! Xiao Xu, it’s time to get off work!” Aunt Xu, one of the kitchen’s back cooks, called out a few times.
“Huh? It’s already time?” Xu Ying blinked, startled out of her musings. Looking around, she realized the cafeteria was nearly empty. She quickly gathered her things, bid Aunt Xu goodbye, and made her way out of the factory.
By the time she reached the state-owned restaurant, it was already closed. But standing at the entrance were Gao Guihua and Sun Lifang, their faces lighting up as she approached.
“Yingying!” they called out in unison.
Sun Lifang rushed over and wrapped her in a warm hug.
Gao Guihua beamed. “Yingying, we haven’t seen you in so long! Come over to my house for dinner—I already told your brother-in-law, and he’s probably preparing the meal right now. It’s a good chance for you and Lifang to catch up, too.”
Xu Ying glanced at Gao Guihua, a flicker of wariness in her eyes. They had never been particularly close. And while Sun Lifang was kind at heart, she often offended others with her blunt honesty. Now this sudden dinner invitation from Gao Guihua—it felt too… intentional.
Just as she was about to decline, Sun Lifang leaned closer and whispered, “I don’t know what’s gotten into Sister Gao lately. Ever since you left the restaurant, she’s changed. She barely talks, works really hard, and everyone’s praising her now. What do you think happened to her? What could’ve sparked this change?”
Xu Ying narrowed her eyes, studying Gao Guihua carefully. The older woman’s heart tightened under that gaze, her palms damp with nervous sweat, though she kept smiling cheerfully.
“Yingying, I was wrong before,” Gao Guihua said at last. “I shouldn’t have treated you like that. I know that now. Just… give me a chance.”
Seeing her sincerity, Sun Lifang softened. “Let’s just go have a look, okay?” she urged Xu Ying gently.
Maybe she was overthinking it, Xu Ying thought. She gave a small nod.
At that, Gao Guihua’s smile widened with visible relief, and she led them toward her home.
Gao Guihua lived in a courtyard house attached to a condiment factory where her husband and in-laws also worked. When the three arrived, the smell of home-cooked food greeted them, and Gao Guihua’s mother-in-law was already setting the table. Her kind eyes sparkled as she looked over Xu Ying and Sun Lifang, clearly pleased by what she saw.
“You must be Guihua’s colleagues. Come, sit down and eat while it’s hot,” she said warmly. “Guihua told me she made some mistakes and feels deeply sorry. She insisted on treating you to a proper meal to apologize.”
Xu Ying and Sun Lifang sat down. Once the final dish was served, the old woman took a seat as well. Gao Guihua, however, lingered at the doorway, peering left and right with a distracted air.
“Sister Gao, are you waiting for someone?” Xu Ying asked curiously.
Gao Guihua smiled faintly. “A relative from my mother’s side is staying with us. I’m not sure where she went this afternoon, but it’s already late. I’m a bit worried—she’s unfamiliar with the area and might get lost.”
“Yingying,” Sun Lifang murmured softly, leaning closer, “maybe Sister Gao really has changed. Let’s just give her a chance.”
Her home was nearby. With neighbors everywhere and a bustling family around, what could possibly go wrong over a simple meal?
But one question lingered in Xu Ying’s mind:
Who exactly was this mysterious “relative”? And why had Gao Guihua been so insistent on hosting this dinner tonight?