“People just can’t help but talk about making money – even if other families sell pork buns too, they don’t have the same flavor as Qin’s, and their businesses can’t be as good.”
Li Guangyuan took a small bite of a pork bun, the taste of meat filling his mouth, and he gave up any hope.
No matter what they did, they couldn’t make pork buns like these. Maybe he was just meant to sell vegetables for the rest of his life.
Distracted, he responded to Lin Jiayi’s remarks, “Auntie does make tasty food.”
Immediately, alarm bells went off for Lin Jiayi. Forsaking the pork bun, she glared at him and demanded, “When did you eat her cooking? Have you been secretly meeting her?”
Li Guangyuan looked utterly baffled, “Why would I secretly meet her? Didn’t auntie cook two dishes during the homecoming banquet?”
Hearing this, Lin Jiayi’s anxiety abated slightly, but she still scorned, “You still remember something from the homecoming banquet? Li Guangyuan, I’d advise you to get rid of any inappropriate thoughts. My sister wouldn’t spare you a glance, otherwise, she wouldn’t have called off the marriage.”
Li Guangyuan knew her old issue was flaring up again, “What are you babbling about? How could I have any designs on her? You’re the one I married.”
Their voices weren’t loud but had caught the attention of Zhang Guilan, who’s expression subtly shifted.
She went straight to the front counter to find Qin Han, lifting her chin slightly, “Is that the elder sister of your sister-in-law?”
The two had visited the Lin Family when the arrangements for marrying Chuxia were settled. Probably because of the broken engagement, that elder sister wasn’t present at the time, only seen briefly when leaving due to the arrival of the Li Family.
Qin Han looked over, “Indeed, it is. Is my sister-in-law at the health bureau today?”
“Mm-hmm, I heard she also has to apply for some certificate; not sure when she’ll be back.”
Both understood Chuxia didn’t want the Lin Family to know about her business dealings.
Without her mentioning it, the fact that she only had one friend at home during the wedding, given the marriage swap fiasco, one could guess the attitude of Lin Chuxia’s parents towards her.
Nowadays, it’s pretty common for parents to favor one child over another when there are many children. But to play favorites to such an extent was indeed rare.
Before the marriage swap, they demanded 100 yuan as a bride price from the Qin Family. Once the second daughter was involved, the ask suddenly jumped to 300 yuan. What was the difference between that and selling their daughter?
“People are coming. I’ll have Chunhua bring them some things and hide in the back kitchen,” better safe than sorry.
Qin Han felt the same way.
Seeing that Li Guangyuan had only bought 5 buns, Lin Jiayi muttered in dissatisfaction, “I’m not even full yet. I was thinking of eating two more on the way, and you only bought 5 – how is that enough?”
“You’ll have two on your way, and there will still be three left.”
Li Guangyuan placated her, his heart bleeding at the thought.
At ten cents a bun, she had just devoured six while he’d only had two. Now they were buying another five, and that was more than a yuan in total – nearly enough to buy two jin (pounds) of meat.
Two jin of meat would have been enough to feed the whole family.
“Three won’t be enough – you know how much your son eats. I don’t care, buy another 5; I’m not eating dinner with your mother and them.”
Even though she felt like showing those women, Lin Jiayi knew that if she brought home pork buns, those people surely wouldn’t just watch.
Especially those two shameless sisters-in-law who always found ways to take advantage of her.
And Li Guangyuan’s mother was even worse, a real shrew who’d lose all face over some petty things.
Worn down by her nagging and not wanting to lose face in public, Li Guangyuan had no choice but to cough up the money for another five buns.
Chen Chunhua took the money, packed up the buns, and handed them over, then saw the woman who had entered.
A smile instantly crossed her face, “Mr. Lin.”
Lin Jiayi saw that the waiter who had been indifferent to them just now suddenly changed her face. Hearing her address, she knew for sure that the owner of the Bun Shop had arrived.
Turning her head to look, she couldn’t help but widen her eyes in surprise, “Lin Chuxia?”
Lin Chuxia? Mr. Lin?
“Is this Bun Shop yours?”
Lin Chuxia didn’t expect to see Lin Jiayi here and just replied indifferently, “Big sister thinks I can open such a big Bun Shop?”
Of course, she can.
Lin Jiayi almost didn’t need to think before such an idea popped up.
In her previous life, having done such big business with Li Guangyuan, she must have learned a thing or two.
But on second thought, that was her past life, and in this life, even Li Guangyuan was still a vegetable seller. How could she open a shop?
“But she called you Mr. Lin.”
It couldn’t be that she heard wrong, could it?
Taking another look at Lin Chuxia, dressed in a long black cotton coat, wrapped in a light grey cashmere scarf, her face already fair became more refined and radiant, hair tied up in a high ponytail, even wearing a pair of mid-heeled leather boots on her feet.
By contrast, she wore a coarse cotton-padded jacket with floral patterns, which was made for her by her mother before she got married. She had planned to make a new cotton-padded jacket before winter came, but either the fabric got stolen or the money did, and she still hadn’t managed to make a new one, so she could only wear the old one.
On her feet were a pair of old cotton shoes she made herself.
The checkered floral headscarf on her head looked utterly rustic compared to Lin Chuxia’s cashmere scarf.
Not to mention her skin, weather-beaten and now spotted due to pregnancy.
The Lin Chuxia before her almost overlapped with the Lin Chuxia she remembered from her past life.
Her heart suddenly skipped a few beats, giving her an inexplicable sense of panic.
At this moment, Qin Han came out from the back, speaking casually, “Little sister-in-law, you’re back. It so happens that your sister-in-law is looking for you for something.”
Lin Jiayi was once again astonished, “Qin Han?”
Qin Han seemed to notice Lin Jiayi just then, “Is this little sister-in-law’s sister? I’m sorry, there was some issue in the kitchen just now, I didn’t notice family had come. Have you had your meal? If not, I’ll waive your bill for today.”
Li Guangyuan didn’t know Qin Han, but hearing Lin Jiayi mentioning his name, he guessed it must be a relative on Lin Chuxia’s husband’s side, and politely responded, “We’ve already eaten, just about to leave.”
He didn’t know why Lin Jiayi had such a big reaction, although he too was surprised that the Qin Family owned a Bun Shop. But upon further thought, Qin’s Buns Shop had to be owned by someone with the surname Qin.
“Jiayi, it’s getting late, let’s go.”
Lin Jiayi shook off Li Guangyuan and grabbed Lin Chuxia’s arm, insisting, “Is this Bun Shop yours?”
Lin Chuxia looked back, seeing the madness in her eyes, and replied indifferently, “Big sister, this is Qin’s Buns Shop.”
Then looking towards Li Guangyuan, “Brother-in-law, what’s with big sister? Is she being mistreated at home? She seems in a bad mood.”
Li Guangyuan didn’t know why Lin Jiayi was reacting so strongly, and apologetically spoke, “Your sister is pregnant, and she has been feeling unwell these past few days, her mood isn’t very good.”
“Pregnant?” Lin Chuxia glanced at Lin Jiayi’s abdomen and smiled slightly, “Then brother-in-law, you have to take good care of big sister.”
“I will,” Li Guangyuan said, not sure why, but he felt uneasy under Lin Chuxia’s gaze.
Without saying anything more, he pulled Lin Jiayi away and left the Bun Shop.