Chapter 8

Speaking of it, Xu Niannian, such a young girl, has really had a hard life. She lost her mother to illness at a young age, her father remarried, and her maternal grandfather’s family had to go to a farm for re-education. 

If she could really arrange a successful introduction for her, it would count as a good deed. With this thought, Aunt Liu’s gaze softened even more.

After Xu Niannian left, Aunt Liu unwrapped the oil paper, revealing that the meat bun was still warm. Taking a bite, her eyes lit up; indeed, it was the right decision to keep the meat bun.

Back on Xu Niannian’s side, after she got home, she entered the space again. She was full of enthusiasm for it, having realized she’d need to get a few new outfits ready for any upcoming matchmaking. 

She checked the original owner’s money and found only eighteen yuan. Not much, and the original owner hadn’t even visited the department store, so she had no idea how much a quality outfit might cost. She could only be thankful she’d arrived in summer and not winter, where clothes would be even pricier.

She scooped a bowl of rice from the space, added three times the water, and started cooking to see if the rice grown there had any special qualities.

Once she’d set that up, she repeated her earlier routine in the space — tending to her crops, pouring more spring water.

After a while, she happily harvested more plump white rice. She re-sowed the seeds, then remembered the porridge cooking outside.

She entered the kitchen, where the unique, sweet aroma of the porridge was already wafting through the air, making her mouth water. She lifted the lid, and inside was a pot of thick, rich porridge, each grain plump and whole.

It was worlds away from the thin rice porridge she had at noon, which lacked flavor and even had a bit of grit.

She wasn’t the only one who thought this rice was something special; that evening, Aunt Liu discovered its excellence while cooking dinner. Though she felt a bit reluctant to finish it off, she knew that if she successfully matched Xu with someone, she’d have two full pounds of that rice to enjoy. Her little notebook practically moved on its own — she’d have to work hard for this rice!

At dinner, Aunt Liu divided the remaining five buns among her family. Her second son, who was 25, eagerly took a bite of the white, fluffy bun, unable to contain his excitement. 

“Mom, where’d you get this meat bun? My goodness, it’s delicious!”

The taste was unmistakable: strong flour and a wonderfully delicate texture. Aunt Liu smiled, as she, too, was enjoying the buns immensely.

“A girl brought them over; she’s hoping I can help her find a good match.”

Since nothing was finalized, she kept the girl’s name to herself for now. Watching her family savoring their portions of the bun, she felt deeply satisfied.

“You should also try this rice; it’s excellent,” she said.

Since there were ten people at the table, Aunt Liu had mixed in a little millet with the rice from Xu to make it stretch. Each family member took a sip and was amazed — it tasted incredible. The rice grains held their shape, even after a long simmer, giving a pleasant bite to every spoonful.

Her second son couldn’t help but ask, “Did that girl bring the rice, too? If so, that’s really something.”

Though he could identify the flour in the bun, the rice was beyond him. But he ate each mouthful with care, savoring the taste. Seeing Aunt Liu nod, he sighed with a bit of regret, “I was just born in the wrong era…”

He quickly corrected himself after a glare from his wife. Meanwhile, his older brother quietly agreed with him.

Only Aunt Liu’s youngest son, eyes bright, looked at her intently. At 19, he asked, “Mom, she’s got such good skills — what does she look like?”

Knowing what he was up to, Aunt Liu shot him a look. “Don’t even think about it. She wants someone taller than 175cm, and look at you, barely reaching 170cm.”

But she continued, “She’s truly beautiful, though — the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen, as lovely as a fairy. She went all the way through high school, too, and she’s got a capable, straightforward character.”

Her son’s hopeful look faded as he resumed eating his porridge in silence.

On Xu Niannian’s end, she enjoyed a bowl of porridge and a large meat bun, pleasantly surprised to find that the bun was as fresh as when she put it away. The space seemed to preserve freshness, which would be quite convenient.

She patted her satisfied belly, stretching with contentment. Her first day in this new world was going well — she’d fed herself and embarked on a new life.

That evening, Xu Niannian’s stepmother, Xu Xiuhong, returned and noticed a faint aroma of meat in the air. Was someone sneaking meat? But everything in the kitchen looked exactly as she’d left it, with nothing missing from the seasonings.

She inspected the lock, but it showed no signs of tampering. She placed a strand of her own hair on the lock as an extra precaution.

After yesterday’s incident, she decided to cook dinner for Xu Niannian as well. Shortly after, Xu Niannian’s father returned, and seeing Xiuhong cooking, he frowned.

“Where’s Xu Niannian? Why isn’t she cooking? You’ve been working all day, and she’s just relaxing at home.”

Xiuhong replied gently, “Oh, don’t be too hard on her. I’ve gotten used to doing this, so it’s no big deal. She’ll soon be married and enjoying the good life at home, just for these few days. Speaking of which, I saw the factory director’s wife today. She was carrying two pounds of meat and a pack of cigarettes home.”

“When she saw me, she even offered me a portion, but how could I accept? Their family has a good life indeed.”

Her husband nodded, lost in thought, having overheard a bit of news at the factory.

I heard that the salary is going to be adjusted soon, and the boss is leaving. After he leaves, it will be interesting to see who gets promoted to his position.