The subject of the gossip had appeared, and everyone's interest was peaked. However, the mother and daughter duo of the Sheng family was in no mood to watch the situation unfold. On their way back, they bumped into Sheng Third, who just so happened to be looking for them.
"What's wrong, Daughter?" Sheng Third asked. "Who provoked you?"
Sheng Third had treated Sheng An all these years as if she were his own daughter. Because his eldest daughter was so spoiled and willful, he had always harbored a sense of guilt toward his younger daughter.
After Sheng Ning left for the General Union, he treated Sheng An like a pearl.
"Did someone say something nasty to you?"
"No, Father. What are you doing out here?" Sheng An had assumed that since Sheng Ning was back, her father would be busy fawning over her. She had been feeling dejected at the thought, but seeing her father out looking for them put a huge grin on her face.
Shen Luhua could read her daughter's thoughts and wanted to reprimand her, but she couldn't help but giggle to herself instead when she recalled how her stepdaughter had just called her Mom.
"Third, how could you leave Ningning alone at home? It's almost lunchtime! Let's hurry back."
"All right! Let's go." After all, he had come out in the first place to get his wife to come back home and prepare lunch.
Once Sheng Ning familiarized herself with the kitchen, she steamed a pot of rice and washed a radish before cutting it into smaller pieces. Then, she scooped out the last bit of lard left in the oil jar and prepared her signature dish of radish with meat gravy.
Although she didn't have any meat, the lard was a sufficient enough substitute.
She stewed the dish over firewood, and before long its delectable fragrance was in the air.
The leeks were easy to prepare. She simmered it in water before sautéing it in hot oil. Finally, she added a pinch of salt, and the dish was ready to be served.
Because she had good control of the flame, the dishes cooked quickly, and she transformed the common dish of sautéed leeks into a mouthwatering entrée.
But when she finished it, she felt like it wasn't enough, so she ran out to the garden to pluck two cucumbers. She chopped them up and ground some garlic into a paste. Then, she mixed them together with a dash of vinegar and made a cold dish of pickled cucumber.
The hotel Sheng Ning used to work at was famous for its Sichuan and Huiyang cuisine. Every dish was exquisitely prepared by the Southerners and was a feast for the senses.
As a result, while she wasn't very good at Northeastern cuisine, she could whip up a mean Southern spread.
"Third, are you home?" a hoarse voice rang out from the yard. Sheng Ning wiped her hands on her apron and stepped outside.
A man in his fifties was standing in the yard. He was big and burly, and very intimidating. He was a typical aggressive-looking Northerner.
The moment the visitor saw Sheng Ning, a grin broke out across his face. It was a pity his features were so ferocious; his smile could have made a child cry.
Sheng Ning watched him calmly, and then asked with an expression of curiosity, "May I ask who you are?"
"Wait a minute! You're not afraid?" Xu Xianxiong's eyes were filled with surprise, but his heart bloomed with approval for Sheng Ning.
He had chosen Sheng Ning as a wife for his son solely because of her rumored beauty. His son was a man after all, and all men love beautiful women. His son was so focused on his career that he was nearing thirty and still unmarried. He was out on the battlefield a few years ago, so it was inappropriate to discuss his marriage then, but now that he was finally able to settle down, the bride naturally had to be beautiful. Although his decision had been met with derision, Xu Xianxiong remained firm with his choice.
All that talk about marrying a woman for her virtue was bullsh*t.
Unfortunately, his son wasn't willing to cooperate. Xu Xianxiong wanted nothing more than to rush over to the rescue troops and beat his son to a pulp!
He was going to severely regret giving up such a beautiful wife one day.
Sheng Ning was speechless. Was she supposed to look scared? Was it too late to do so now?