Xu Ying’s trip wasn’t in vain. She successfully got Accountant Xu’s request for her brother from Qiu Ye.
Afterwards, she hopped on her bicycle and started pedaling home. Just as she was nearing the village entrance, the system’s notification suddenly rang in her ears:
[Favorability +1, +1. Congratulations to the host for unlocking a new recipe: Level 2—Mandarin Duck Chicken. You’ve also received a random reward: a large piece of red fabric, a bag of women’s hygiene products, five jin each of white sugar and brown sugar, and a bottle of Apocalypse Marrow-Cleansing Pills.]
“…Why did my favorability go up when I didn’t even do anything?” Xu Ying muttered, puzzled.
She thought for a moment—the only explanation was that Gu’s father must have come home from work.
Sure enough, just as she guessed, Gu’s father had returned from work and was sitting at home tasting the dishes Xu Ying had made earlier. His expression shifted from surprise to amazement as he chewed.
“You went out to a restaurant at noon?” he asked suspiciously.
Gu’s mother shook her head, knitting needles clicking as she continued working on a sweater. “Every restaurant I’ve been to—none of them taste like this. It’s all that girl, Yingying. Pretty good, right?”
She beamed proudly. “I’ve decided—when our eldest son gets married, she’ll cook the wedding banquet! It’ll be spectacular.”
Then, Gu’s mother hesitated a little. “But I’ve been paying her twenty yuan a day… do you think that’s too much?”
If it were just a normal hired cook, twenty yuan would be more than enough. But this girl was their daughter’s savior.
Gu’s father’s brows furrowed slightly. “Did Fuying bring her over? What’s she like?”
“I think she’s pretty decent. Humble but not servile, confident but not arrogant. Her family seems to like her too. But compared to our Fuying, she’s definitely a force to be reckoned with—clever, but not scheming,” Gu’s mother praised.
“She went straight to the kitchen when she arrived, didn’t wander around the house at all. It rained last night, so there was mud on the roads, but when she left, I saw there were no footprints anywhere but the path to the kitchen. That’s proof she’s well-behaved.”
“And you know I’m a teacher. I love students who are eager to learn.” Gu’s mother smiled, reminiscing. “She even talked to me about education, saying the country needs talent, and that it’s only a matter of time before the college entrance exam is reinstated. She said she wanted to study hard to serve the country.”
But Gu’s mother frowned slightly at the memory. “Of course, I scolded her. I told her to keep those kinds of thoughts to herself, not to blurt them out recklessly. Who knows what could happen in times like these—a slip of the tongue could cost her everything.”
“But if she dared say that to me, it shows she trusts Fuying too.”
In short, after one meal, Gu’s mother was thoroughly won over by Xu Ying. The more she thought about her, the more satisfied she felt.
After hearing this, Gu’s father chuckled. “Then no need to raise her pay and make her feel awkward.”
Since the girl was such a good kid and their daughter’s savior, he was already thinking ahead—he’d introduce her to the manager of a state-run restaurant. Even if she couldn’t be a head chef right away, she could start as an assistant. The old chef was retiring in a few years, and he had no heir. If Xu Ying was smart enough, she could easily take over.
Meanwhile, Xu Ying had no idea her future was already being quietly arranged by Gu’s father. She was still thinking about that new Mandarin Duck Chicken recipe—the first time she’d unlocked a second-level recipe. She was itching to find out what made it so special.
Just as she was lost in thought, pedaling along, a figure suddenly appeared in front of her.
“Move, move—get out of the way!” Xu Ying shouted.
But it was too late. She was barely a meter away—there was no way to brake in time. And when Xu Ying saw clearly who it was… she didn’t bother trying to stop.
Bang!
“Ahhh!” Chen Yanran’s shriek startled a flock of birds from the mountain woods, sending them flapping into the sky.
Huo Chen stood nearby, carrying a large basket on his back. His mouth twitched at the sight.
Chen Yanran sat on the ground, tears brimming in her eyes as she glared accusingly at Xu Ying. “Do you even know how to ride a bike?!”
Xu Ying rolled her eyes. “Why the hell were you standing in the middle of the road? This is the main road, not a sidewalk. If you hadn’t been blocking it, I wouldn’t have crashed, and I wouldn’t have fallen either. You should be the one paying me!”
The louder one talks, the more right they sound.
Chen Yanran was momentarily speechless. She had purposely stood there, thinking Xu Ying wouldn’t dare hit her. She just wanted to scare her into falling—but she never expected she’d get dragged down with her!
“What’s going on here?” Aunt Zhang, always quick to join the fun, was the first on the scene, munching melon seeds as she approached with interest.
Chen Yanran felt embarrassed but, relying on her usual tricks, burst into tears. “I was just walking, and Xu Ying crashed into me on her bike! Now my legs won’t move, but she’s asking me to pay her—waaah!”
Aunt Zhang smirked, unimpressed. “Got any witnesses? If not, I can’t take sides.”
Xu Ying looked around and spotted Huo Chen hiding behind a big tree. “He saw it! Huo Chen saw the whole thing! Chen Yanran ran into the road to frame me.”
All eyes turned to Huo Chen. Seeing Xu Ying’s hopeful gaze, Huo Chen hesitated… then slowly stepped forward. “Chen Yanran… ran out suddenly,” he confirmed.
The crowd’s expressions shifted immediately. They all turned toward Chen Yanran, their faces filled with disdain.
Chen Yanran’s jaw dropped. She hadn’t expected him to side with Xu Ying! Furious, she shouted, “You wolf bastard! You must like Xu Ying, that’s why you’re lying for her! You’re slandering me! No wonder people call you a little wolf cub—”
Before she could finish, Xu Ying slammed her bike down and stormed toward her, face dark.
“Smack! Smack! Smack!” A flurry of quick slaps landed on Chen Yanran’s head, leaving her dazed and dizzy.
“Apologize! Apologize to Huo Chen!” Xu Ying’s voice was cold and sharp.
She hadn’t expected Huo Chen to stand up for her. Since he’d helped her, she couldn’t let him be humiliated because of it.
That nickname—“wolf cub”— might sound harmless, but who would want to be called that over and over? Even if Huo Chen looked indifferent on the surface, it had to hurt inside.
Chen Yanran trembled, terrified. She felt like Xu Ying might kill her if she didn’t apologize.
Huo Chen had been about to walk away, but stopped in his tracks when he heard Xu Ying shout. He watched as she forced Chen Yanran to apologize, a strange warmth blossoming in his chest.
“I… I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have called you a wolf cub! I’m sorry!” Chen Yanran sobbed, lying sprawled on the ground.
“Call him by his name—Huo Chen. He has a name,” Xu Ying ordered coldly.
At her words, everyone seemed to remember: yes, he had a name—Huo Chen.
Huo Chen’s eyes widened, a mix of shock and emotion flickering in them. For the first time, someone had spoken up for him like this… and it was a girl.
Standing under the big tree, he gazed at the girl in the golden sunset, feeling something stir deep in his heart.
“…His name is Huo Chen,” he murmured.
His eyes turned red.
“…Huo Chen… I’m sorry…” Chen Yanran whispered.
“…Mm.” Huo Chen nodded, saying no more, but inside, a fire slowly ignited, warming his long-cold heart.
“Sun Zhiqing, help Chen Yanran home. And Chen Yanran—don’t pull stunts like this again. Luckily you tried to scam me, someone from the same village, so I won’t press charges. But if it’d been someone else riding that bike, you’d be dead by now.”
Xu Ying glared at her. “You’re pretty, but it’d be stupid to lose your life over nothing.”
As Chen Yanran staggered to her feet, she tripped again with a thud.
She lay there, face twisted with hatred, fists clenched, seething with resentment toward Xu Ying.
“…Tsk. Can’t believe she managed to fall on a flat road.” Aunt Zhang spat on the ground, shaking her head.