Chapter 102 : Feed Your Wife

Yu Xinzhen had been busy all day and was utterly exhausted. When he entered the house, hunger gnawed at him.  

Hearing Yu Xiaopang exclaim that he had brought something delicious, Yu Xinzhen’s face lit up.  

“My dear son, you finally remembered to bring some good food for Dad!”  

Then, a bowl of noodles and a bowl of stew were placed on the table.  

Yu Feixu added, “Xiaopang and I thought you must be starving, so we hurried back. It’s still hot, eat up!”  

As Yu Xinzhen approached, a strange smell wafted to his nose. Something felt off, but he shrugged it off, grabbed the bowl and chopsticks, and took a big bite.  

Yu Feixu and Yu Xiaopang watched nervously.  

Yu Xinzhen chewed twice, frowned, and forced himself to swallow.  

“Am I really your biological father?” he asked, his tone equal parts amused and exasperated. “What made you suddenly think of bringing food to me today?”  

Yu Feixu quipped, “How would we know? Ask yourself and Mom.”  

Before Yu Xinzhen could retort, Han Weiping walked in and kicked Yu Feixu lightly. “If you weren’t my biological children, I’d have left you at the foot of the mountain long ago.”  

Yu Xinzhen sighed, resigned, and quickly finished the remaining noodles. Then he grabbed another bowl and gulped it down in one go.  

Yu Feixu rubbed his sore backside while Yu Xiaopang gaped in amazement.  

“Dad, you eat noodles almost as fast as Uncle Shen! Are your tongues different from ours?” Xiaopang asked in astonishment.  

Yu Xinzhen stood up and said, “This is food, we don’t waste it. Besides, the trick with bad-tasting food is to eat it fast enough that it goes straight to your stomach before your tongue can even register the taste. It’s all strategy.”  

He added, “But don’t compare me to Shen Zheng!”  

—

Meanwhile, Fang Xiaoluo, while tutoring Shen Haifeng, prepared a treat: a bowl of milk powder for each of the three children, along with some sandwich biscuits.  

The kids were overjoyed, and Shen Haiping’s cheerful smile returned.  

After checking Shen Haifeng’s homework, Fang Xiaoluo asked, “Where’s your dad?”  

Shen Jinxia replied, “Dad went out. I don’t know where.”  

When the tutoring was done and the children went to there room, Fang Xiaoluo noticed Shen Zheng standing outside the window, waving at her.  

She stepped outside, and Shen Zheng handed her two lunch boxes.  

“What are you up to? Are you sneaking a special meal?” she teased.  

Shen Zheng smiled and said, “Let’s go eat.”  

He led her to a quiet forest, where they found a large rock to sit on. Squatting down, Shen Zheng opened the lunch boxes, revealing one serving of braised pork and one serving of braised tofu.  

Then, from his pocket, he pulled out two neatly wrapped steamed buns.  

“Here,” he said, handing her one.  

Fang Xiaoluo accepted the bun and asked, “Did you sneak out just to buy food for me?”  

Shen Zheng sat down beside her. “I know you’re not used to my mom’s cooking. I can’t let you go hungry.”  

Fang Xiaoluo smiled. “You seem pretty used to it yourself.”  

Shen Zheng replied, “I’ve been eating it since I was a kid. I get used to anything.”  

He handed her the chopsticks. “Eat up.”  

Fang Xiaoluo picked up a piece of braised pork and offered it to him. “You eat, too.”  

They took turns sharing the food. Halfway through her bun, Fang Xiaoluo hesitated and said, “Isn’t it a bit wrong for us to eat like this, sneaking away without telling the elders or the kids?”  

Shen Zheng said, “It doesn’t matter. Although my mother’s cooking isn’t great, she must have eaten enough. Plus, her stew is quite nutritious. As for the kids… they’re still young, they’ll have plenty of opportunities to eat well in the future. I have to make sure my wife is fed first.”  

Fang Xiaoluo chuckled, “Exactly. You need me to eat well otherwise, I won’t have the energy to take Haiping and Xiaxia to Jiangcheng tomorrow.”  

“Tomorrow?”  

Fang Xiaoluo nodded, “Yes. You ate the cucumbers I grew, they turned out great. I want to see if I can find a good market to sell them at a high price.”  

Shen Zheng said, “That’s a good idea. But can you go the day after tomorrow instead? I’ll go with you.”  

“Are you free the day after tomorrow?” Fang Xiaoluo’s face lit up. Having Shen Zheng accompany her would be wonderful. “Alright, we’ll go together the day after tomorrow.”  

—

When that day arrived, Shen Zheng and Fang Xiaoluo helped Shen Haiping and Shen Jinxia get dressed, packed their things, and set out.  

Fang Xiaoluo had a clear goal in mind. With luck, one of the large private hotels in Jiangcheng might be interested in her produce.  

The trip was a delight for Shen Jinxia, who was thrilled to have both parents accompanying her. Shen Haiping, though quieter, seemed more curious than before, eagerly looking out of the car window, a significant improvement in his demeanor.  

For both Fang Xiaoluo and Shen Zheng, this was a reassuring sign that Shen Haiping’s condition was gradually improving.  

—

Upon arriving in Jiangcheng, Fang Xiaoluo said, “Let’s try the Peace Hotel first. If that doesn’t work, we’ll go to Dongfeng.”  

Shen Zheng readily agreed. “Whatever you say.”  

They reached the Peace Hotel early. Shen Zheng took the children to explore a small park across the street while Fang Xiaoluo went in alone.  

Inside, the restaurant staff were busy cleaning.  

Before she could speak, a waiter dismissed her. “We’re closed.”  

The tone was curt and dismissive.  

“I know,” said Fang Xiaoluo calmly. “I just want to ask if your boss is here.”  

The waiter gave her a once-over before replying, “Do you think you can just meet our boss whenever you want? If you don’t have business here, leave. Can’t you see we’re busy?”  

Fang Xiaoluo glanced around, noting the poor attitude of the staff.  

Every establishment has its own culture, she thought. If the staff were like this, she didn’t expect much from the owner.  

Still, she decided to try her luck. Ignoring the waiter, she walked further inside and spotted someone who seemed to be in charge.  

“Excuse me,” she began, “I’d like to know if your restaurant buys fresh produce. I have excellent quality—”  

Before she could finish, the manager cut her off impatiently. “I told you, leave! We don’t need your food.”  

Undeterred, Fang Xiaoluo simply smiled and left, concluding she wasn’t meant to work with the Peace Hotel.  

As she exited, she crossed paths with a man entering the restaurant.  

The staff immediately perked up. “Hello, Boss!”  

So this was the owner of the Peace Hotel.  

The boss glanced at Fang Xiaoluo and was struck by her appearance. “Miss, it’s too early, we’re not open yet,” he said politely.  

Fang Xiaoluo took a cucumber from her basket. “I was just wondering if your restaurant buys fresh vegetables.”  

The boss gave a friendly but dismissive smile. “All the vegetables we use are the freshest available. There’s no produce better than what we already have. We don’t buy from external sources. Your cucumbers may be fine, but ours are fresher. You’re in the wrong place, Miss.”  

Without arguing, Fang Xiaoluo put the cucumber back in her basket and left.  

—

She returned to the park, where Shen Zheng and the children were waiting.  

“How did it go?” Shen Zheng asked.  

“They don’t recognize good produce,” Fang Xiaoluo replied with a calm smile. “Let’s try somewhere else.”