The portion provided by state owned resturants was already generous but because XuYing was an employe they made their plates packed to brim .Part of it is also because Chef Ge always makes hearty meals with lots of flaovor and warmth.
That is why Xu mother found it hard to clean her plates , unable to finish no matter how much she tried.
“Qiuye, come sit over here,” she called, eyes softening as she looked at Xu Qiuye.
Surprised and a little flattered, Xu Qiuye quickly walked over. She wasn’t unfamiliar with Xu’s mother’s usual demeanor—it wasn’t easy to get on her good side—but this kindness delighted her. If her future mother-in-law liked her now, it would make marriage a lot smoother down the line.
“Thank you, Auntie,” she said sweetly.
Xu Ying brought out the menu and passed it around. “See what you want to order.”
The Gu family was well-off and never needed to watch every penny. Xu’s mother was used to living simply and often just ate whatever was left over. But Gu Fuying, generous by nature, didn’t hesitate to splurge. She ordered two more meat dishes, earning a few “tsk-tsk” glances from Xu’s mother.
“This girl from a rich family really doesn’t hold back, huh?” she muttered under her breath. Such extravagance—just for lunch!
By contrast, Xu Qiuye was far more modest, ordering only a single portion of meat dumplings.
Now this, Xu’s mother appreciated. No matter how wealthy someone was, they couldn’t build a home with wasteful habits. Qiuye, she thought, was practical—sensible—a girl who knew how to live.
“Qiuye, eat more,” she urged warmly. “Girls who are too thin don’t look good. It’s lucky to carry a bit of flesh.”
Xu’s mother had always liked plump girls, but her own daughter had a frame that stubbornly refused to gain weight. All the good food in the house had ended up in Yingying’s hands, yet her figure remained unchanged—just a hint of baby fat on her cheeks and nothing more.
“Auntie, you should eat too. Here, have some meat to nourish yourself.” Qiuye beamed as she added a piece of braised pork to her bowl. Then, thoughtfully, she split her dumplings in half and placed them into Xu’s mother’s bowl. “These dumplings were invented by Yingying herself. This restaurant never had them before. Just try one—they’re delicious.”
Xu’s mother had already eaten her fill, but she was momentarily stunned by the dumplings in her bowl. Still, upon hearing they were her daughter’s creation, she didn’t hesitate. She rolled up her sleeves and got to work. No matter how full she was—she had to taste what her daughter had made.
“Mmm! These are really good. Who would’ve thought fish meat could make such tasty dumplings?” she exclaimed between bites, surprised and impressed.
“Hiccup~” Xu’s mother suddenly burped, clearly overstuffed, the dumplings threatening to rise back up her throat.
Xu Ying quickly poured a glass of water. “Mom! Are you okay? Don’t eat so much!”
Waving her hand, her mother chuckled. “I’m fine, I’m fine. I just couldn’t help myself. I’ve never had dumplings like these before—made by you, no less. They’re really something special.”
She paused, a thoughtful look in her eyes. “You have to teach me how to make them. I’ll cook a batch for your father and the others when I go home.”
“Of course, I’ll show you a few more recipes too,” Xu Ying promised.
As her mother and Qiuye chatted happily, Gu Fuying leaned over toward Xu Ying, her eyes full of quiet emotion. “Thank you, Yingying,” she whispered.
Xu Ying blinked, puzzled. “What are you thanking me for?”
But then, she noticed the redness in Fuying’s eyes, and her heart skipped. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Gu Fuying gave a soft smile, eyes misting. “It’s actually a good thing. Wu Yu and I… broke up.”
Xu Ying paused—then smiled. It was about time. That man had always been a scumbag. He didn’t deserve someone like Fuying. “There’s a long road ahead of you. You’re still young. One day, you’ll meet someone a hundred times better than him.”
Tears welled up in Gu Fuying’s eyes again, but this time, they weren’t from sadness. Knowing Xu Ying felt like a stroke of fate. She’d dodged so many bullets just because she had Yingying by her side.
Only recently had she discovered the truth: the time she was nearly assaulted by thugs hadn’t been a random accident. No—it had all been orchestrated by Wu Yu. The entire incident was a cruel act meant to humiliate her, damage her self-esteem, and force her to break up with him.
To think she had dated this man for over two years.
“So all his affection was fake?” she whispered, voice trembling.
She remembered what had finally made things clear: just a few days ago, her mother and sister-in-law had taken her to the movies, and there—among the crowd—she saw Wu Yu with another girl. They were watching a movie with their factory colleagues, talking and laughing like old lovers. They looked even closer than she and Wu Yu had ever been.
Gu Fuying gritted her teeth. “My mom lost it. She went straight to Wu Yu’s textile factory to confront him. She was the one who helped him get the job. And now this? She let loose in front of everyone.”
Wu Yu had tried to talk back, but her mother was having none of it. She ripped off his carefully maintained facade in front of all the factory workers.
“Wu Yu,” she had shouted, “I found you that job out of kindness because you were with my daughter. And now you’re cheating on her with your colleague? Is this how you repay my daughter’s love?”
The scandal spread like wildfire.
People started pointing fingers. The man had no shame, and worse, he was arrogant about it.
“I got in here because of my own ability,” he snapped.
“Ability? What ability? The ability to trade your face for favors?” someone shot back.
He’d only been in the factory for a month and had already offended half the workforce with his condescending attitude. After the truth came out, no one spoke in his defense.
Even the girl who had been flirting with him avoided eye contact, pretending to be busy with paperwork.
The air turned hostile. “Kids these days, always looking for shortcuts,” someone muttered.
“If my son ever behaved like that, I’d break his legs,” another growled.
Humiliated and exposed, Wu Yu was dismissed by management on the spot.
Gu Fuying hadn’t known all the details. All she knew was that she was finally free of him.
Xu Ying felt her heart ache for the girl. So naive. So much like herself in her past life.
“Wu Yu is human garbage. Stay far away from him. And if you ever see him again—run.” Xu Ying warned, eyes serious.
Fuying nodded. “My mom said the same. She said men like him crave wealth and status, and when they lose it, they hold grudges. She’s been picking me up from work every day lately, just in case.”
And sure enough, Wu Yu had already come by a few times, but each time, he’d left empty-handed.
“Yingying, Auntie, we should head back. It’s almost time to work,” Gu Fuying said, glancing at the clock. She gave Qiuye a gentle nudge.
Qiuye stood, politely said goodbye to Xu’s mother, and hurried off on her bicycle.
Meanwhile, Xu’s mother, who had eaten herself into a stupor, slowly got to her feet, her stomach feeling uncomfortably full. She paced a few rounds to ease the discomfort before saying, “I’m heading over to your aunt’s house. Your fatherr asked me to drop off some food.”
Only then did Xu Ying realize what her mother had been carrying in that heavy bag all this time—no wonder it felt like a sack of bricks. It was filled with food.
“I’ll go with you,” she offered immediately. She couldn’t bear the thought of her mother lugging such weight alone.
Besides, now that she was working in town, it was time she paid a visit to her aunt’s place anyway.
After all, they hadn’t seen each other in a long while—not even once at the restaurant.