Running a Food Stall to Support My Deceptive Omega - Chapter 16

Rong Heng stood in place for a long time. Only after hearing the sound of Mu Jinyu closing the door did she spin around abruptly, staring at the tightly shut dark wooden door.

The expression on her face was no longer a blank void; instead, she wore a look of utter disbelief.

She felt so angry that she felt as if every strand of her hair was standing on end.

Mu Jinyu really was a bad person!

Not only did she lock Rong Heng in the courtyard, but she wouldn’t even let her eat her fill!

Even that cat that came later was fed until its belly was round and was carried around by Mu Jinyu at all times.

On what basis?

Consumed by rage, Rong Heng paced back and forth in the courtyard, her feet unceremoniously kicking at the dirt on the ground several times. She eventually arrived at the stove, deciding to take matters into her own hands to satisfy her hunger.

Sitting on the stool where Mu Jinyu usually sat, she picked up the fire starter and turned it over and over, inspecting it, but she had no idea how to use it.

Since she didn’t know how to use it, she simply wouldn’t use it.

She tossed the fire starter behind her and picked up the two sweet potatoes Mu Jinyu had just bought. After comparing them, she tucked the larger one into the stove chamber, which still held some lingering warmth.

Then, she waited with full anticipation.

Mu Jinyu, who had headed out, had no idea what Rong Heng was doing at home.

Carrying the knocked fish noodles in one hand and cradling the kitten in the other, she arrived at the fishmonger’s stall.

People in business like theirs rarely ate at regular times. Furthermore, in the Great Rong Kingdom, it was customary to eat only two meals a day; even if one felt hungry at noon, they would usually only eat a few snacks to pad their stomachs.

When Mu Jinyu arrived, the fishmonger was busy processing fish for another customer. Her Qianyuan wife was helping a customer scoop fish.

Seeing this, Mu Jinyu didn’t disturb them much. She set down the knocked fish noodles and explained clearly that she had brought them specifically because she had promised the fishmonger a taste earlier.

The busy fishmonger gave Mu Jinyu a smile. “Thank you for thinking of me, Jinyu. I’ll be sure to have a good taste once I have a free moment!”

Previously, Mu Jinyu had said she would let her try her cooking, but she hadn’t brought anything that day. The fishmonger thought she had perhaps forgotten and didn’t feel right asking. However, having her expectations let down had left her feeling a bit uncomfortable.

Seeing today that Mu Jinyu hadn’t forgotten, the fishmonger was naturally delighted. Even before she started eating the noodles, she felt the aroma was exceptionally fragrant.

After finally making it through the rush, the fishmonger could finally sit down and catch her breath. She immediately picked up the bowl of knocked fish noodles, which had nearly gone cold.

She took a slurping bite.

Even though the noodles were cold, the texture hadn’t suffered in the slightest. The fresh, savory flavor that had long been locked within the noodles bloomed across her taste buds. It swept away the fishmonger’s exhausted spirit and tired body, bringing a wave of refreshment.

“Hooo~~”

The fishmonger let out a long, winding exclamation of wonder. She lowered her head and began eating the noodles with a rhythmic hiss-hiss-huff-huff of her chopsticks, never pausing.

As she ate, she couldn’t help but praise in her heart: Delicious! This is simply too delicious! I never expected Mu Jinyu to have such skill! Even if eighteen generations of fish ancestors died at the hands of the Mu family, it wouldn’t be a loss—they’d have to wag their tails and say it was well done!

After a good while, the fishmonger suddenly remembered that her wife hadn’t tasted the noodles yet. She forced herself to look up, smacking her lips as she handed the bowl over.

Only a bit of soup and a few pieces of noodles floating on top remained in the bowl.

The fishmonger’s Qianyuan wife feigned a look of disdain and shook her head, only to receive a sharp glare in return. Finally satisfied, she took the bowl.

She hadn’t expected the knocked fish noodles to be this good. After just one bite, she finished the remaining noodles and soup like a whirlwind clearing the clouds.

This prompted the fishmonger to give her a few playful shoves. After some light-hearted bickering, the two ended up in each other’s arms, laughing at how they were scrambling over a single bowl of noodles.

When Mu Jinyu returned home and saw Rong Heng sitting behind the stove, she didn’t think much of it. Instead, she went into the house, preparing to take a nap.

She placed the kitten on the inner side of the bed, right next to the pillow, so she could see it the moment she opened her eyes.

The kitten, which had been on high alert all last night, was now exhausted. One second it was sitting upright, looking at Mu Jinyu; the next, its eyes snapped shut, and it tumbled onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep. It wasn’t worried about its little life at all.

Watching the rise and fall of the kitten’s round belly, Mu Jinyu couldn’t resist the drowsiness either and closed her eyes.

In the courtyard, Rong Heng was still sitting by the stove. After waiting for a long time and feeling that enough time had passed, she finally pulled the sweet potato out.

The skin of the sweet potato wasn’t as burning hot as she imagined; it was lukewarm and hard. When she peeled the skin away, the surface of the sweet potato was indeed cooked, but the inside was still raw. There was no golden, honey-like sweetness at all.

Though Rong Heng felt puzzled, she still took a bite.

Crunch!

A crisp sound echoed. Rong Heng chewed a few times and found that the texture wasn’t soft and dense like usual, but it was still tasty. It was crunchy and sweet, like eating some kind of fruit.

She didn’t feel there was anything wrong with the sweet potato in her hand. Crunch, crunch—she finished an entire sweet potato that was larger than her hand. Still not quite satisfied, she ate another large raw sweet potato.

Only then did she rub her belly contentedly and let out a full burp.

Now that she was full, drowsiness washed over her. She silently entered the room where Mu Jinyu was. Seeing the kitten curled up by Mu Jinyu’s pillow, she gave the kitten a glare.

She lay down at the very edge of the foot of the bed, curled her body, and drifted off into a hazy sleep.

When Mu Jinyu woke up and saw Rong Heng sleeping on her bed again, she didn’t wake her. She only pondered in her heart whether she should buy a lock to lock the door.

However, she quickly dismissed the idea. She didn’t want things to get too tense with Rong Heng. If Rong Heng wanted to sleep in the same bed, then so be it.

The little colorful calico cat lying on the innermost part of the bed realized Mu Jinyu had gotten up and woke up immediately. Just as it was about to howl at the top of its lungs, Mu Jinyu dashed to the bedside in one stride and pinched its mouth shut, preventing it from crying out.

If it screamed, it would surely wake Rong Heng.

Carefully, Mu Jinyu cradled the little calico and brought it out to the courtyard.

It was already afternoon. She placed the little calico on the stove and lightly washed all the lettuce she had bought, leaf by leaf, before beginning to wash the pots, bowls, and ladles left over from yesterday.

These items were for the customers’ use, so Mu Jinyu naturally didn’t skimp on the soapberry. She whipped up plenty of foam in a large basin and meticulously washed every single bowl until they were clean. After washing, she scalded them several times with boiling water before setting them aside to drain.

Afterward, she went out and brought back the remaining half of the fish meat from the fishmonger. As the weather was gradually getting colder, the fish wouldn’t rot or spoil even if slaughtered early.

It wasn’t until then that Mu Jinyu finished all her chores. Standing in the courtyard, she massaged the muscles in her arms and legs. She had been so busy these past few days that these areas felt sore and swollen, which was very uncomfortable.

After kneading them for fifteen minutes, Mu Jinyu began performing various stretches to relieve the ache in her waist and back. The most important thing when working was to protect one’s body; only with a healthy body could one earn more money.

The little calico followed at her feet, jumping and pouncing at her legs as she moved. Unfortunately, because its back leg was injured, it couldn’t really jump; it could only wave its two paws wildly in the air. Still, it played with great joy.

By the time the Shen hour was more than halfway through—around four in the afternoon—Mu Jinyu cooked some rice and fried a plate of eggs, intending to have her evening meal.

Surprisingly, though Rong Heng had slept all afternoon, there was still no movement from her. Thinking that Rong Heng didn’t have anything to do anyway, Mu Jinyu didn’t wake her, letting her sleep to her heart’s content.

She kept Rong Heng’s rice and side dishes warm in the pot. After finishing her meal, Mu Jinyu set off for the night market with her tools and ingredients.

She went early today, so she didn’t have to be in a panic like yesterday. Walking through the bright orange glow of the sunset and feeling the flower-scented breeze on her face, an unconscious smile appeared on Mu Jinyu’s face. She looked forward to how her business would do tonight.

It should be quite good, right?

She walked toward her stall with a grin, but the moment she saw the stall, the smile on her face froze.

She found it hard to believe.

What happened? Where were the small tables and stools she had left behind her stall?!