The Seductive Pretender: Sister-in-Law is Turning Gay - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: “What are you crying for?”

She knew that Lin Yuqing’s shop was only open for two hours tonight, closing at nine o’clock, leaving plenty of time in the evening.

Zhong Manjing wore a white dress, leaning against the doorframe like a living painting. She looked entirely out of place next to the kitchen counter. Lin Yuqing had brought her inside only because she was afraid the girl might actually try to “eat a bratty kid” out there.

Technically speaking, every bowl of noodles or vermicelli for the diners was hand-boiled by Lin Yuqing herself.

“Alright, tell me, what do you want to eat?” Lin Yuqing frowned at her, finally compromising. “There’s only tossed noodles, stir-fried noodles or vermicelli, and soup noodles. For toppings, I have some bean puffs with wood ear mushrooms left over from the tasting and a tiny bit of shredded pork with green peppers. I can mix them for you. I really don’t have pickled ginger, only sweet and spicy ginger.”

That was something she had bought for herself to eat with congee.

Zhong Manjing didn’t say a word; she just watched the other woman. She made no attempt to hide the way her gaze lingered on Lin Yuqing.

The Lin Yuqing of this moment didn’t yet possess the crazed ruthlessness that would later make the entire Yibei social circle tremble in fear. Aside from being beautiful, she even seemed a bit lazily decadent.

Zhong Manjing also knew that there was a wound on the back of Lin Yuqing’s head.

She liked this version of Lin Yuqing—free from those painful memories. Although she was a bit distant with strangers, she wasn’t terrifying.

She understood that Lin Yuqing was not a common creature bound for a small pond.

She, Zhong Manjing, simply had the advantage of starting over.

At this point, Lin Yuqing was quite destitute, with only three hundred yuan left for her living expenses, surviving on white congee and steamed buns with pickled mustard tubers. Zhong Manjing had learned this during a dinner party in her past life, when someone had jokingly asked her brother, Zhong Suyuan, if he had gone too far.

Zhong Suyuan had laughed and said: “Isn’t Lin Yuqing living a better life now that she’s following me? Back then, she was running a shop in some backwater place and couldn’t even make ends meet. When I found her, she was counting her pennies—three hundred yuan a month for living expenses! Now I give her good food and clothes; what does it matter if I slap her a few times in public?”

In truth, if Lin Yuqing had stayed here and never been taken back to Yibei City, she probably could have slowly built a decent life for herself.

“Is that okay?” Lin Yuqing frowned and asked again. Zhong Manjing tilted her chin slightly. “I want scallion oil tossed noodles. Add all your remaining toppings, plus your ginger and pickled mustard tubers. Pile it all up in the bowl until it looks like a small mountain.”

Lin Yuqing didn’t know how she knew about the pickled mustard tubers. Her brow didn’t unknit: “Can you finish all that?” With those slender arms and legs, she didn’t look like someone with the appetite of one and a half grown men.

Zhong Manjing moved to walk further inside, but Lin Yuqing stopped her: “Wait, don’t come in any further. It’s not hygienic. I’ll make it for you now.”

“Sister, don’t look down on me. I’m very good at eating noodles.” Zhong Manjing smoothed her hair with one hand. The industrial fan in the kitchen was powerful, blowing her hair into a mess, but she didn’t care; she just stood there waiting.

Only she knew how much she had sacrificed to be able to stand before Lin Yuqing again. The temper of a spoiled young lady had been exhausted during the flights and hiddings of her previous life; all she had left was tenderness for Lin Yuqing.

However, she couldn’t show it too openly, for fear of scaring her away.

Lin Yuqing warned Zhong Manjing not to enter the kitchen area; if she wanted to stand, she had to stay where she was. Zhong Manjing nodded in agreement, her gaze still glued to Lin Yuqing.

Boiling the noodles and adding the toppings—Lin Yuqing did it all in one smooth motion. She worked quickly, and Zhong Manjing’s staring didn’t make her feel awkward at all.

The oily bean puffs with wood ear and the shredded pork with green peppers rested atop the smooth soup noodles, creating beautiful ripples of oil.

Zhong Manjing pointed her pretty fingers toward the condiment station: “Extra minced garlic, chopped scallions, and ginger slivers, please, Boss Lin.”

Her voice was dainty and natural. Lin Yuqing found herself keeping a straight face and saying nothing, yet she followed every instruction.

When the bowl of noodles was brought out, Zhong Manjing asked, “What about the pickled mustard tubers?”

She still remembers that? The bowl was already piled so high you could barely see the noodles. That was her private stash! Lin Yuqing looked at her speechlessly. “…Wait here a moment.”

She went upstairs to get it. When she came back down, there were beads of sweat on her forehead. It was a jar with less than half of the side dish remaining. Zhong Manjing watched her pick up a chopstick-full and said, “One more.”

Lin Yuqing couldn’t help herself: “Can you really finish this?”

Zhong Manjing smiled. “I love pickled mustard tubers the most. I skipped lunch just to wait for this meal.”

The customer is God, Lin Yuqing muttered to herself. Though it pained her, she added another chopstick-full.

Zhong Manjing was satisfied; Lin Yuqing was fuming as she set the bowl on the table.

Zhong Manjing finished the meal, even drinking half the soup. Most of the other customers had finished, paid, and left. Meng Luo was outside playing on her phone, and her eyes widened when she saw Zhong Manjing’s “luxury edition” scallion oil noodles.

“Give me a bite, just one bite.”

“No.” Zhong Manjing feasted greedily. A mouthful of fragrant scallion noodles mixed with toppings went down—salty, savory, sour, and spicy. She squinted her eyes in pure bliss.

This was the taste.

After Lin Yuqing had arrived at the Zhong household, she had once made her a simple bowl of scallion oil noodles; Zhong Manjing’s stomach had never forgotten it. However, the Lin Yuqing who cooked for her that day was as cold as an iceberg, watching her cry in grievance and harshly saying she deserved it. She was far more vibrant today.

She owed Lin Yuqing so much—a debt that could never be repaid. The best way Zhong Manjing could think of to “default” on the debt was to turn the creditor into one of her own.

Seeing Zhong Manjing eating with her head down, Meng Luo tried to sneak a bite, but stopped and stared. “Manjing, what are you crying for? I just wanted a bite, don’t be so protective of your food, you’re scaring me.”

“Mom, Sister Manjing is crying!” Su Xiaodong leaned in to look and shouted, “It must be because Sister Manjing feels guilty for stealing other people’s noodles!”

Lin Yuqing, who was frying sauce inside, heard the child’s shout again. She looked out and met the tearful eyes of Zhong Manjing in mid-air.

“No, it’s because the boss’s food is just too delicious.” Zhong Manjing grinned at her, took another sip of soup, and called out to someone else, her lip color still intact: “Xiao Ying, check please.”

Lin Yuqing looked away, but a few minutes later, Xiao Ying ran in looking conflicted and asked: “Boss, Little Sister Zhong gave ten yuan extra. She said she wants to take two flowers back, is that okay?”

“Up to her,” Lin Yuqing took a deep breath, then added, “Don’t take the extra money from her.”

Zhong Manjing had bought the flowers herself; it wouldn’t be right to make her pay to take them back.

The flow of customers didn’t stop until the end of business at nine. Business was much better than Lin Yuqing had imagined. She had been busy in the kitchen and hadn’t come out.

Xiao Ying packed up and left work, leaving Lin Yuqing alone. She finally came out and saw the massive opening flower basket.

Tiers upon tiers of blooming pink Lychee Roses stood nearly half a person tall, with matching wrapping paper styled like a tiered cake skirt, making the bouquet look exceptionally vivid and fresh.

These were very delicate flowers—far too extravagant for an opening flower basket.

But this fit Zhong Manjing’s style perfectly.

The image of that dazzling face flashed through Lin Yuqing’s mind. From the smooth, glowing strands of her hair to her polished fingernails and her tone of voice, everything screamed: “I am a young lady, you have to pamper me.”

She moved the bouquet inside, calculated the revenue, and noted down the names of the neighbors who had left congratulatory cards on the basket. The last name was: Zhong Manjing.

So, it was these two characters.

It was ten-thirty by the time she finished everything. The street outside was silent. Just as Lin Yuqing was about to close the door, a familiar figure came running over.

“Wait a second!”

Zhong Manjing rushed in, placing a watermelon and a transparent food container on the table.

“I took two flowers tonight, so I’m returning some fruit to you so you don’t feel like I’m taking advantage. This is an opening gift! You can’t refuse.”

Lin Yuqing could only say: “Thank you.”

Zhong Manjing smiled. “You’re welcome. I should also thank you for helping me with my clothes at the lakeside today. Are you open tomorrow morning? I want to eat minced meat with mashed potatoes.”

Lin Yuqing understood now. The young lady brings gifts, and the very next second, she’s ordering food.

“I don’t have minced meat with mashed potatoes.” With such a tight schedule, she couldn’t prepare six toppings.

Zhong Manjing looked at her expectantly: “Then I want rich tomato soup.”

Lin Yuqing: “I don’t have that either. Tomorrow morning, I only have bean puffs with wood ear and braised beef brisket.”

“Huh? None of them? Then I’m not coming tomorrow morning. I’m going to the Eight Immortals Noodle Shop. They have pickled cabbage and pickled ginger there.” Zhong Manjing turned and walked to the door, waving back. “Remember to eat the fruit. Goodnight.”

Once she left, her fragrance lingered in the room. Lin Yuqing sat alone and finished the chilled watermelon. In the food container were plucked green grapes and two slices of toasted buttered bread.

They were golden and fragrant; when she touched them, she realized they were still warm.

Lin Yuqing had stood all night without eating. This snack perfectly soothed her hungry stomach and tired feet, and it saved her from a meal of pickled mustard tubers.

After washing the container, Lin Yuqing finally went upstairs to shower and rest.

At four o’clock, before dawn, she went out the back door and rode her electric scooter to the vegetable market by the port.

After buying live crabs, bean products, pork, and spices, Lin Yuqing was ready to leave. Just then, the seasoning shops along the street opened. A dozen red buckets were lined up, and the owner shouted: “Selling pickles! All kinds of pickles! Pickled cowpeas, pickled ginger slivers, pickled radish! Also, the special pickled cabbage for the Eight Immortals Noodle Shop! A secret recipe made fresh daily—if it’s not good, it’s free!”

Lin Yuqing was about to leave, but the owner’s voice was as loud as a bell, ringing in her ears. For some reason, the electric scooter didn’t move.

She had spent almost all her procurement money today, with only twenty yuan left.

The owner noticed her and shouted: “Oh! Isn’t this the new boss of Xiao Ying’s Noodle Shop? Come and buy some! The first customer of the day gets a discount!”

Lin Yuqing walked over and asked: “Is the special cabbage for Eight Immortals Noodle Shop really that good?”

“Of course! Eight Immortals has been open for fifteen years and uses my pickled cabbage. Customers fight over it; it sells like crazy every day. I supply thirty pounds to Eight Immortals daily, and the rest is sold individually. Do you want some?”

Lin Yuqing smiled. “Since the recipe is already out, is it for sale?”

The owner: “?”

In the end, Lin Yuqing bought three pounds to try, and used the remaining money to buy local tomatoes from an old woman selling them nearby.

Once she got back, tasks like simmering crab roe sauce, peeling leg meat, and making toppings were endless; two hours passed in a flash.

When everything was ready and Xiao Ying came to work, she saw Lin Yuqing boiling rich tomato soup.

“Didn’t you say we wouldn’t have this today?”

Lin Yuqing said, “I bought them on a whim since the tomatoes looked fresh today. I can only make a few portions.”

She used the container Zhong Manjing had brought last night to pack a full portion in advance and put it in the fridge, setting the rest outside.

Service began at 6:40, but by 8:40, that person still hadn’t shown up. Lin Yuqing was boiling vermicelli in the back when she saw Su Xiaodong at the window.

“Sister Boss, please hurry, I want this to go! Please close the lid tight.”

Lin Yuqing asked casually, “Are you taking it home?”

Su Xiaodong shook his head and said, “No, I’m taking it to Eight Immortals Noodle Shop to eat with Sister Manjing, hehe! It’s right diagonally across!” He was supposed to eat at Eight Immortals too, but Sister Manjing insisted he come here to buy a bowl of soup noodles to go.

Lin Yuqing smiled. “What topping do you want?”

Su Xiaodong: “The new rich tomato one.”

There was only a little left in the pot, so Lin Yuqing simply took out the portion she had reserved for Zhong Manjing and cooked it. Not long after Su Xiaodong left, Zhong Manjing arrived.

She went straight to the window, leaned in, and said, “Boss Lin, you have what I want to eat, why didn’t you notify me? Last night I dreamed that tomatoes were dancing in the pot with me.”

Lin Yuqing shook her head at her. “Go out and order; it’s too greasy in here. Didn’t you say you were going to Eight Immortals? The tomatoes were a spontaneous purchase this morning; I didn’t prepare much and they’re already sold out.”

Zhong Manjing looked at her aggrievedly, then noticed the pickled cabbage on the counter. She said gloomily, “Tonight I’ll probably dream of being a DJ with the pickled cabbage.”

“…” Lin Yuqing said, “The dishes are random. My place is very casual and not fixed, so it’s hard to notify you.”

“That’s easy to fix. If you have something in the future, just send me a message. So, let’s add each other on WeChat? I want to come and eat every day.” Zhong Manjing took out her phone and handed it to Lin Yuqing.

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