Volume One, Chapter 12: Hurry Up and Give Him a Son

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Shen Sisi lay in bed, tossing and turning all night. Gu Chengfeng was deliberately mysterious, and her uncle was evasive and secretive. Her instincts told her that whatever they were discussing in the living room was not good. She had vague suspicions but couldn’t be certain, and her mind was restless. The noise of her turning over was a bit loud, and she accidentally woke Niu Niu.

Niu Niu, irritated, tossed and turned under the covers, burying her head and coughing violently, each cough wrenching her heart. “Mom… I feel bad…”

Shen Sisi’s heart ached instantly. She reached out and pulled her into her arms. Niu Niu curled into a small ball, desperately drawing warmth from her mother’s body. The familiar scent soothed her, and her tense, hunched back gradually relaxed.

Shen Sisi gently patted her back, humming a lullaby in a slow, calming rhythm: “Sleep… sleep… my dear baby…”

The child, easily lulled to sleep, soon drifted off again with the melody. But from her pale pink lips came a few murmured, confused words.

“I have a father now…”

“I’m not a wild child…”

“Hehe…”

Unconsciously, tears welled in Shen Sisi’s eyes. Her previously anxious heart was pulled by an unseen force, gradually becoming clear and resolute. No matter what scheme her uncle was hatching, no matter whether he agreed or not, she would take Niu Niu and leave Lin County, leave with Gu Chengfeng!

She would not only give Niu Niu a complete family but also find the best doctors to cure her illness!

After a night without dreams, Shen Sisi woke up to a bright morning. She got up, tidied herself and Niu Niu, then went to the kitchen to light the stove and start breakfast.

The kitchen was small, with a stove, a cupboard, and a chopping table cluttered with things Gu Chengfeng had bought. She looked at the two slabs of pork belly, streaked with fat and shining with oil, and swallowed hard.

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Niu Niu clung to her leg, standing on tiptoes and staring eagerly at the meat on the table, almost drooling.

“Mom, I want to eat meat.”

“All right, wait! Mom will fry minced meat and make minced meat noodle soup for you.”

Niu Niu responded with a happy hum, waving her arms excitedly. “Niu Niu loves mom’s minced meat the most…”

A smile curved Shen Sisi’s lips. With a flick of her knife, she easily sliced off a small piece of meat. She trimmed off the pork skin and set it aside, then finely chopped the pork, a perfect mix of fat and lean.

Because the minced meat contained fat, only a tiny bit of oil was needed for frying. Soon it sizzled, turning golden and fragrant. A pinch of salt and a few drops of soy sauce were added, and the aroma instantly filled the air, whetting the appetite.

After frying the minced meat, there was no need to clean the pan. She poured in a bowl of water, brought it to a boil, and cooked the noodles. When the broth was nearly dry and thickened, she added the minced meat and stirred it together. Once the noodles reached a dry, tossed texture, she scooped them out and sprinkled scallions on top.

A pot of delicious and visually appealing minced meat noodles was ready.

Niu Niu eagerly grabbed her chopsticks, mumbling about wanting to eat golden meat noodles.

Shen Sisi wiped the sweat from her brow and was about to blow on the noodles to cool them before feeding Niu Niu when Chen Jianguo stormed in, drawn by the aroma. Seeing the pork sliced and the minced meat noodles in front of Niu Niu, his face darkened, and he couldn’t help but scold.

“Eat, eat! People who are about to die, what meat are you eating, wasting food! If you ask me, you should just get rid of this burden, send her back to the countryside, and live a good life with Xiao Gu, have a son.”

Shen Sisi’s expression immediately hardened. She wished she could smack him with the spatula. “Who do you mean is dying? Try cursing my daughter again!”

“Someone’s got backing, so you dare to defy me, huh? Shen Sisi, don’t think you’ve landed a fool and can sleep easy forever. He’s just after your looks. When he’s constantly insulted and despised, you think he’ll still want you? You’re just waiting to be kicked out!”

Shen Sisi’s hand holding the chopsticks trembled. “Mind your own business.”

“Shen Sisi, don’t be shameless. I’m telling you this for your own good. Leave the child behind, marry him quickly, and have a son, or else…”

“Enough!” She felt sick even hearing another word. “I won’t leave Niu Niu, and I won’t rely on a child to trap a man. Bottom line, you just don’t like us. Fine, then we’ll leave.”

Without another word, she hugged Niu Niu and dashed for the door. She was so decisive because she knew Chen Jianguo wouldn’t let her go. If she left, his perfect plan would be ruined.

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Sure enough, before she reached the door, Chen Jianguo panicked. “Leave? Where do you think you’re going? Everyone in the courtyard knows you’re getting married. Do you want to make our family a laughingstock?”

Shen Sisi paused slightly. “If we don’t leave, we want to eat minced meat noodles.”

Chen Jianguo ground his teeth in anger. “Eat, eat…”

A sly smile curved Shen Sisi’s lips like a crafty fox. “Since I’m getting married, I want a good meal. For lunch, I want braised pork, mushroom soup, and eggplant with green beans…”

“Shen Sisi, don’t push your luck…” Chen Jianguo cursed loudly.

Shen Sisi pouted and shrugged. “Fine, I’m leaving! I’ll eat outside.”

She moved forward a few steps, the noise of putting on shoes loud. Chen Jianguo clenched his back teeth, face red with fury. Thinking that Gu Chengfeng might arrive anytime, he blurted, “Where are you going? Get back here! I’ll have your aunt make it for you.”

Shen Sisi exchanged a victorious glance with Niu Niu in her arms. Zhao Shilan leaned against the door, smiling, surprised that even old Chen could be controlled.

Feeling pleased, she worked with extra energy and had a table full of food ready by 11 a.m. Golden, tender braised pork filled the air with the scent of sauce and meat; eggplant and green beans stir-fried with garlic and chili were soft and stewed; there was also beautiful tomato mushroom soup, fried peanuts, and garlic bok choy—an abundant feast worthy of a festival.

Shen Sisi’s mouth watered uncontrollably, and Niu Niu was already sucking on her fingers.

Chen Jianguo, however, forbade them from touching the food, eyes constantly darting to the clock on the wall.

It was almost noon—why hadn’t Gu Chengfeng arrived yet? Could he have stood them up?

At first, Shen Sisi was not worried. She knew Gu Chengfeng was a man of his word; if he said he would come at noon, he would come.

But as the seconds ticked by, her heart involuntarily tightened. There was no news about the medicine he promised to bring. Could something have happened?