Running a Food Stall to Support My Deceptive Omega - Chapter 5.1

Mu Jinyu dished out the “Knocked Fish Noodles” and extinguished the fire in the stove. After tucking some sweet potatoes into the embers to roast, she used her chopsticks to pick up a strand of noodle. She blew on it a few times and impatiently placed it in her mouth.

The taste was not as good as she had imagined.

The fishy smell was a bit heavy, the amount of sweet potato starch seemed insufficient, and the noodles weren’t chewy enough—instead, they felt a bit too fibrous from the fish meat.

It was a failure.

After a moment of silence, she picked up another strand, intending to taste it again. Just then, the closed door was pulled open, and Rong Heng’s head peeked through the gap.

Her eyes accurately locked onto Mu Jinyu, who was sitting by the stove.

Rong Heng was still a bit afraid of her. When their eyes met, her entire body shrank back a few inches, and she hid behind the door again.

Seeing that Rong Heng was awake, Mu Jinyu didn’t stop her movements; she continued to stuff the noodles into her mouth.

This strand had a different texture.

The fibrous feeling of the fish was less prominent, but the taste of the sweet potato starch was a bit heavy. Although the texture was sweet and pleasant, it ultimately lacked the meaty flavor and was no different from ordinary noodles.

The difference between the two strands was so large that she must have failed to “knock” the starch and fish meat evenly and cohesively when preparing them.

She finally understood the difference between “knowing how to do something” and being “proficient.”

It turned out that with just a little carelessness, it wouldn’t taste good.

She only knew how to make fish noodles, but her technique still couldn’t compare to those who were masters of the craft and relied on it for their livelihood.

She needed more practice.

However, the texture of the “Duobao” sweet potato starch was indeed good and suitable for making fish noodles. The fish, however, was the problem—ordinary crucian carp wouldn’t do. She needed to select a better variety of fish.

Thinking this, Mu Jinyu planned to finish the bowl of noodles and then take a noon nap.

After the nap, she would buy more sweet potato starch.

As for the fish, it was already noon, and the fish at the market wouldn’t be fresh. She would have to go to the meat market early the next morning to pick them out.

Rong Heng hid behind the door for a while. Seeing that Mu Jinyu wasn’t coming to grab her, she cautiously poked her head out again to watch.

She saw the other woman holding a bowl, picking up a white thing, and putting it in her mouth.

She already knew that this action was something that could make a painful stomach feel warm and a weak body feel strong.

It was a good thing.

Rong Heng stepped out from behind the door. She hid behind a flipped-over back basket for a moment, then behind a dark-colored water vat, and then behind the well.

She approached Mu Jinyu alertly and slowly.

She was being quite sneaky.

Mu Jinyu, of course, knew Rong Heng was approaching.

The girl didn’t know how to hide at all; half of her dirty white hem was always dragging on the ground, making her very conspicuous.

Mu Jinyu paused her eating, and her amber eyes shifted slightly toward Rong Heng.

She saw Rong Heng, dressed in her soiled white clothes, hiding behind the stove—only one step away from her.

The girl gripped the edge of the stove with both hands and slowly peered over. Her eyes never strayed from the bowl in Mu Jinyu’s hand.

It had to be said, Rong Heng was beautiful.

Even though her black, elegant hair was disheveled and draped over her back, it didn’t affect her beauty in the slightest.

The dark pigment in her eyes was very deep. When she stared directly at something, she didn’t look like a person of the mortal world, but rather like a demon from a misty realm.

Beneath her right eye, near the inner corner, was a red mole, and another near the outer corner, looking like two drops of blood.

It was eerie and strange.

Initially, Mu Jinyu had suspected that Rong Heng might be faking her amnesia because of those eyes; even when they were wide with surprise, they didn’t look innocent.

However, after spending time together, she realized Rong Heng really had lost her memory completely. Her mind could only process one thought at a time; it couldn’t hold much.

For example, right now, Rong Heng had again forgotten that the original host of this body had once harmed her. She even leaned in close, wanting to snatch the bowl from her hands.

Mu Jinyu shot Rong Heng a glare.

She placed the bowl on the stove and, using a single finger against the rim, slowly pushed it in front of Rong Heng.

As the bowl drew closer, Rong Heng’s eyes crossed inward to focus on it, making her feel a bit dizzy as she swayed her head twice.

Her balance failed, and she plopped down onto the ground.

Seeing this, Mu Jinyu’s eyelids jumped, and she leaned forward, not expecting Rong Heng to trip herself up.

She stood up, intending to help Rong Heng up.

Instead, she found the girl simply stayed sitting on the ground, quickly picking up the chopsticks and the bowl to shovel the noodles into her mouth.

Mu Jinyu froze in place, her arms propped against the edge of the stove as she leaned over.

She looked at Rong Heng a few more times.

To be honest, she had bought very little starch and the fish was small; there were only a few strands of fish noodles in total.

She hadn’t intended to make much, just enough to test her technique.

Now, with those few strands divided between two people, it was obviously not enough.

Moreover, she was a bit worried that her cooking was poor and would be disliked.

She watched as Rong Heng poked around with the chopsticks twice, and the noodles in the bowl vanished, eaten clean.

The girl poked around twice more, a look of confusion appearing on her face. She couldn’t understand why this action had made her stomach feel full before, yet now her belly felt nothing.

“What do you think of the noodles? Does the taste seem strange?” Mu Jinyu asked impatiently, eager to know.

If possible, Mu Jinyu didn’t want to talk to Rong Heng.

Her feelings toward Rong Heng were currently very complicated.

On one hand, she knew that once this person recovered her memory, she would hold the power of life and death over her, so she should be currying favor now.

On the other hand, she didn’t want to forgive this person who had almost strangled her so quickly.

The most crucial thing was that she knew Rong Heng wasn’t wrong. She knew the original host had struck first, and Rong Heng had only retaliated.

So, even if she didn’t want to forgive Rong Heng, she couldn’t blame her.

Even if she didn’t want to be too nice to her, she couldn’t bear to neglect her.

An ill-fated relationship—it was simply a curse.

Mu Jinyu waited for a few breaths after asking, but Rong Heng only tilted her head up and stared with wide eyes, not replying.

What was wrong? Was it too disgusting? So bad she was speechless?

Or was she still on guard and simply didn’t want to speak?

After thinking it over, Mu Jinyu said, “You finished all the noodles, so you’re not allowed to think they’re bad.”

“Are you still not full?”

“I know you’re not full. Wait a little longer. You can eat when the sweet potatoes are roasted.”

“But you aren’t allowed to think my noodles were bad.”

Rong Heng tilted her head, confusion in her eyes, unable to understand what she was saying.

Mu Jinyu stepped out from behind the stove and walked toward Rong Heng while saying, “Do you know what a sweet potato is? It’s a kind of food. It’s delicious when roasted—sweet and soft. Once the skin is peeled, the inside is golden and honey-like.”

She wanted to help the seated Rong Heng up, but when Rong Heng saw her approaching, the girl bristled again.

She gave her a fierce glare, turned around, and hid behind the well.

Mu Jinyu’s footsteps stopped. Being so clearly disliked made her feel a bit awkward. She shuffled her feet on the ground and muttered softly, “You only think of me when it’s time to eat.”

Since Rong Heng had run away, she turned back to the stove, sat on the stool, and used the fire tongs to poke at the firewood in the hearth.

She stirred up a few sparks of light.

For a moment, the courtyard was quiet, save for the occasional crackle of the wood.

Inside the hearth, the sweet potatoes lay on top of the embers. The searing heat gradually transformed their insides; the originally raw and astringent potatoes became soft, their skins splitting to reveal a glimpse of pale gold.

The aroma wafted out, drifting through the air like an invisible thread, winding around and lingering at the tip of the nose.

Mu Jinyu poked the firewood again, and the scent of the sweet potatoes grew stronger. They were almost ready.

Rong Heng, sitting behind the well, smelled the aroma. Her stomach growled a few times, and she silently returned to the side of the stove.

Waiting for Mu Jinyu to give her something to eat.

Watching her, Mu Jinyu suddenly wasn’t sure if Rong Heng had lost her memory or simply become a fool.

Why was she so dazed?

She would come as soon as there was food. If Mu Jinyu really wanted to hurt her, wouldn’t it be incredibly easy?

Using the tongs to pull the sweet potatoes out of the stove, Mu Jinyu’s movements were gentle, fearing she might accidentally crush them.

“Wait a bit before eating; it’s too hot right now,” she said, placing a sweet potato in front of Rong Heng and warning her.

However, Rong Heng probably didn’t take the words to heart. she reached out and touched the charred, black sweet potato.

Burned, she retracted her hand with a “shiu” sound and glared fiercely at the sweet potato.

From that look, she likely thought the sweet potato was a “bad person” too.

Mu Jinyu turned her head away, covering the lower half of her face with her hand to hide her laughter.

She felt that Rong Heng wasn’t quite so terrifying anymore.

The aroma was too enticing. Mu Jinyu herself couldn’t wait long; she picked up the scorching potato, tossing it back and forth between her hands as she peeled the skin.

With great effort, she peeled half the skin off and handed that potato to Rong Heng, picking up Rong Heng’s potato to peel instead.

Rong Heng, of course, wasn’t polite; she took a huge bite!

Instantly, her mouth was filled with the sweet, soft, and glutinous potato, which tasted like a pastry. Her eyes lit up with surprise and joy.

She didn’t even have time to chew properly before swallowing it whole and hurriedly taking another bite.

The potato was so sweet it made her forget the pain of her injuries, making her feel very comfortable.

Infected by her gluttonous eating, Mu Jinyu also couldn’t wait and took a bite of her own potato.

That wonderful taste truly amazed her. She marveled at how there could be such a cheap yet delicious food like the Duobao sweet potato in this world.

The two of them ate like a whirlwind, and in no time, the battle was over.

With their stomachs filled once more, both were satisfied.

After eating, Mu Jinyu wiped the ash off her hands and said to Rong Heng, “Go play by yourself for a bit; I’m going to sleep.”

Since the courtyard gate was locked, she wasn’t worried about Rong Heng escaping.

Entering the house, she tidied the bedding on the bed, took off her outer robe, and lay down.

She felt exhausted.

Between staying up late to study and then suddenly being transported to another place, experiencing a life-and-death crisis, and being busy without a moment to breathe—it was a double torment for both mind and body.

If she didn’t rest now, she feared she might die of exhaustion again.

The moment her head hit the pillow, Mu Jinyu lost consciousness and fell into a deep sleep.

Her sleep quality was excellent!

Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Rong Heng stared at the house for a long time. When she saw that Mu Jinyu wasn’t coming out, her body slowly relaxed, and she began to curiously touch things on the stove.

One moment, she was pressing the edge of a bowl against the stove, making it clatter as she played. The next, she picked up a seasoning jar and shook it, pouring out all the moldy salt.

After touching everything on the stove, she sat on the stool and, imitating what she had seen, took the fire tongs and began poking the firewood in the hearth.

The charred wood and black ash were flipped out together. Rong Heng rummaged through the black ash with her hands, seemingly looking to see if there were any more sweet potatoes left…

The soft, cotton-like clouds drifted away, the sun shifted its position, and the sky gradually darkened.

Mu Jinyu slept for a long time, until the sky turned gray and the rolling clouds were illuminated in orange-red.

She slowly opened her eyes, rubbing her flushed cheeks against the soft pillow. Her eyes were still hazy as she raised a hand to block the last rays of the sunset.

After lingering for a while, she finally got up, stretched, and walked into the courtyard.

It must be said, the golden courtyard, the lush persimmon tree, and the houses with blue-tiled roofs… every inch of it held a unique charm that made one relax unconsciously, immersing themselves in this ancient atmosphere.

In modern times, this was the kind of idyllic pastoral life many people dreamed of.

But for Mu Jinyu…

Her gaze met Rong Heng’s, who was standing by the well, tugging at the rope.

The previous leisure was shattered. Mu Jinyu froze, her mouth agape in shock.

Rong Heng’s white clothes had turned completely black, and her face was covered in dark soot, making her features indistinguishable.