CHAPTER 220: CHAPTER 220: MEETING AN ACQUAINTANCE

"Oh? Xiao Xue can cook?" Grandma Zhang asked.

"Yes! Girls our age in the countryside can do everything!" Lin Xue replied without holding back, unashamed of being a girl from the countryside.

"Alright, if you’re not tired, Grandma will be waiting to try the late-night snack you make! Just perfect, I didn’t eat much earlier because I wasn’t feeling well," Grandma Zhang brightened up.

This allowed Mr. Zhang Sr. to breathe a sigh of relief, noticing how well his wife got along with their granddaughter-in-law, seeing how happy she was made by her granddaughter-in-law.

After chatting with the old couple for a while, Zhang Yuan escorted Lin Xue back to the room prepared for her to rest.

Lin Xue rested in the room for a while. Remembering her promise to make a late-night snack for her grandparents, she washed up, changed clothes, and went downstairs to the kitchen, feeling refreshed.

She was taken aback as soon as she entered the kitchen. It was as large as her family’s, bright and spacious with various cooking utensils and ingredients in abundance.

In these times of scarcity, the privileged were rarely affected, unless they were educated individuals sent down to rural areas by the era.

Seeing Lin Xue enter the kitchen, Sister-in-law Zhang hurriedly followed her inside.

"Young Madam, shall I assist you?" Sister-in-law Zhang said with a smile.

"No, no, I’ll handle it myself! The late-night snack doesn’t need to be too much. I’m planning to make porridge for Grandpa and Grandma, soft and mushy, easy to digest," Lin Xue waved her hand dismissively.

Sister-in-law Zhang was an old hand with Grandpa and Grandma, and also the housekeeper, usually very busy.

"Then I’ll find someone to assist you!" Sister-in-law Zhang was also busy, so she didn’t insist on helping Lin Xue personally.

Lin Xue had no choice but to accept help when Sister-in-law Zhang mentioned getting assistance.

Fortunately, all the ingredients were available here, and she’d already prepared the main ones.

She intended to make century egg and lean meat porridge for the two elders, primarily because she liked it.

Not knowing the two elders’ preferences, it was best to make what she liked. About to sleep soon, it’s not advisable to eat large fish and meat or hard foods; this was most suitable.

She took the century eggs out from her stash; Zhang Yuan also enjoyed her century egg and lean meat porridge, so she’d make more for him as well.

Sure enough, at this time, he must be working on his research, having not eaten much dinner, he must be hungry too.

Thinking about it, just as she was about to get the items she needed, someone spoke behind her.

"Young Madam, just tell Sister-in-law Kang what you need!" Sister-in-law Zhang’s voice rang out, bringing someone along.

Lin Xue turned around and agreed, surprised to see that the person Sister-in-law Zhang referred to as Sister-in-law Kang was Kang Chunmei, who had traveled with her on the train.

"Sister Kang! Why are you here?" Lin Xue blurted out, but then realized they had come together, and Sister Kang had arrived a day earlier, while they had only come now, making any explanation difficult, so before Kang Chunmei could speak, she told Sister-in-law Zhang.

"Sister-in-law Zhang, I’ll handle things myself here, you should go take care of Grandpa and Grandma!"

"Alright! I’ll leave first then, Young Madam!" Although Sister-in-law Zhang was curious about how Lin Xue knew the newly arrived Sister-in-law Kang, since Lin Xue told her to leave, it wasn’t appropriate to linger and listen, so she obediently left.

Once Sister-in-law Zhang left, Lin Xue turned back to speak with Kang Chunmei.

"Sister Kang, is your husband working here as a service soldier?" Lin Xue was puzzled, thinking Grandpa had retired, so shouldn’t need a service soldier.

"Yes, he’s driving for Mr. Zhang Sr., and they arranged a job for me once we arrived, it’s really wonderful. I didn’t expect you, Xiao Xue, to be the Young Madam!" Kang Chunmei felt exhilarated.

"Why didn’t you rest for a couple of days before rushing to work?" Lin Xue asked, worriedly.

She had suffered a lot on the journey, with only a standing ticket; when tired, she could only sit on the floor, and at night, she could only sleep sitting, leaning on her luggage.

Her husband clearly didn’t show much concern for her; he immediately had her work upon arrival.

"Isn’t it that the kitchen was short-handed? Actually, your brother-in-law... Shu’er’s dad wanted me to rest a few days before starting work, but I was staying in the accommodation provided here, seeing the shortage in the kitchen made it impossible to rest well, so I rushed over. The work isn’t tiring, every day I get to eat plenty, it’s not exhausting at all!" Kang Chunmei explained, "I was afraid if I didn’t quickly start the job, it would be gone! Now it’s better, I initially thought I’d never find you again, unable to repay you even if I wanted. If Shu’er knows you’re here, she would definitely be very happy."

"Where’s Shu’er? You’re working, is anyone watching over her?" Lin Xue asked, recalling the well-behaved little girl, only five years old, who had traveled closely with her, eliciting feelings of affection.

"She’s at the residence, there are several children there, they can play together, and once I finish work, I can go check on her. Her dad is off work now and can be with her!" Kang Chunmei explained.

"Then let’s get started! You can finish up and return to rest earlier," Lin Xue said, heading to find ingredients.

Making porridge really didn’t require assistance; she wasn’t some delicate young lady incapable of carrying a rice bowl.

The two worked for a while, finishing the task quickly, waiting for the porridge to be thoroughly cooked and ready to serve.

Meanwhile, they chatted casually, with Kang Chunmei sharing her experience of finding her way here and stories of her relationship with her husband.

It turned out the two had a strong relationship, but after her husband joined the military, she had struggled for years with her daughter, unbeknownst to her husband, and he was thrilled to see his daughter again.

Kang Chunmei admitted she hadn’t told her husband about being kicked out by her in-laws or how her sister-in-law from her maternal family treated them. She said it was unimportant now that she had emerged successfully.

Lin Xue felt there was more to come; her husband’s family might not release them upon learning their son was successful. As a son, without knowing his wife and daughter were driven out, he would certainly honor his parents.

After chatting for a while, Lin Xue knew it wasn’t her place to dictate others’ lives. Seeing the porridge was cooked, Kang Chunmei quickly helped serve it up.

Kang Chunmei and Lin Xue assisted in bringing it to the elders’ room.

The elders had been waiting for the late-night snack made by their granddaughter-in-law, still awake.

Once it was served, Grandma couldn’t wait to try it.

Since the passing of her daughter-in-law, this was the first time the old woman enjoyed a meal of filial devotion.

Lin Cuifen’s usual pleasing attempts didn’t count, Grandma never ate what she cooked, so indeed it was the first time.

The soft and fragrant century egg and lean meat porridge entered her mouth, and the old woman widened her eyes, quickly chewing with her few remaining teeth before swallowing, then going for another mouthful, nodding with delight.

Initially, Mr. Zhang Sr. thought his wife was just being polite, saying it was tasty.

He later realized it might truly be delicious; the porridge was hot, yet the old woman was halfway through her bowl, prompting him to pick his own bowl and eat heartily.

He couldn’t stop, it was genuinely tasty. Despite usually not liking porridge, being a man who lived a life of risk and struggle, thinking porridge was women’s food and unfitting for a man, he couldn’t help but enjoy this porridge.