Chapter 20: Can’t Sit and Eat Away the Family Fortune

Because of that handful of candies, Uncle Niu’s affection for Su Taotao increased significantly. Seeing this pleasant mother-son pair early in the morning put him in a much better mood.

Chenchen tilted his small head, his round, large eyes fixed on Uncle Niu.

There were many rumors in the production team about Chenchen. It was said that he couldn’t speak at the age of two and might be mute, that his eyes were vacant and he might be a fool…

The aunties and uncles who spread these rumors probably didn’t mean any harm; they were just bored and looking for something to gossip about. But as gossip spread, it became more believable, turning falsehoods into truths. Uncle Niu looked at the delicate child before him and thought about the rumors, silently regretting the child’s fate.

He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a double happiness candy, handing it to Chenchen while looking at Su Taotao. “I still haven’t finished the candies you gave me last time. Here, Chenchen, take this.”

Chenchen had been in this world for over seven hundred days, but this was the first time he had received candy from someone outside his family. He stared at the double happiness candy for a moment, unsure of what to do, then looked up at Su Taotao with wide, curious eyes.

Su Taotao bent down and smiled at him. “Chenchen, do you want to eat it?”

Chenchen tilted his head and thought for a moment before nodding. “Yes, I do~~”

Su Taotao rubbed his little head. “Go ahead and take it, and remember to thank Grandpa Niu.”

Chenchen reached out for the double happiness candy, his big eyes smiling as he said in a childish voice, “Thanks.”

Not mute? Not a fool? Uncle Niu held the candy, staring at Chenchen’s face for a long time, forgetting to let go. He was so surprised that he couldn’t even release the candy.

When Chenchen couldn’t pull the candy away, he pursed his lips and turned to look at Su Taotao, wondering if she had changed her mind about giving it to him.

Seeing Uncle Niu’s shocked expression, Su Taotao guessed what he was thinking and called out, “Uncle Niu?”

“Oh, oh, oh,” Uncle Niu snapped out of his trance. “I’m sorry, Chenchen is just too cute; I got distracted for a moment.”

Only then did Chenchen happily take the candy, again saying in his childish voice, “Thank you.”

Uncle Niu felt like telling off those gossiping aunties and uncles. Such a clever child, yet the rumors had twisted him into something else. He was determined to defend Chenchen the next time he heard someone badmouthing him.

Chenchen, with his eyebrows bent in a smile, looked at the double happiness candy in his hands for a long time before offering it to Su Taotao. “Mommy~~”

Su Taotao rubbed his little head, feeling incredibly fond of him. “Do you want to eat it now, Chenchen? Mom will peel it for you.”

Chenchen shook his head and, with great care, put the small double happiness candy into his pocket. “I’ll save it for Little Uncle, together~~”

Such a young child, and yet he didn’t eat alone. He always thought of his little uncle when he had something good.

Su Taotao hugged the child tightly, feeling a warmth in her heart that she couldn’t describe. She was even a little jealous of the bond he had with Fu Yuanhang and Zhou Linglan.

Of course, Fu Yuanhang and Zhou Linglan also placed him at the top of their hearts.

The little guy had only just begun to accept her. If asked to rank his family members now, this “birth mom” would probably be last. After all, it was the original owner’s actions that had caused this distance.

But Su Taotao wasn’t in a hurry. Slowly, she would build a relationship with him. As his real mom, she would eventually become the most important person in his heart.

The tractor rumbled along the dirt road, heading towards the county town. Along the way, Su Taotao pointed out and explained things to the little boy. She showed him green trees swaying in the breeze, red flowers blooming by the roadside, birds soaring in the sky, and large stones jutting out from the earth—whatever they passed, she would explain, trying to include colors and numbers.

Seeing a bird fly, she said, “This grayish bird has a pair of wings, so it can fly into the blue sky.”

The little boy tilted his head, thinking hard. “But chickens and ducks have wings too,” he said, pointing at the ground.

Su Taotao smiled softly, knowing that with time and patience, she would become the most important person in Chenchen’s heart. Together, they would build a future filled with love and understanding.

Su Taotao rubbed her chin gently against Chenchen’s head. Are two-year-olds really this smart?

She could only patiently explain, “This question is a bit complicated. Maybe you’ll understand it when you’re older, Chenchen. It’s okay if you don’t understand right now.”

Chenchen nodded, his big eyes following the bird’s flight without blinking.

Su Taotao continued, “Chenchen, do you often see the chickens and ducks at home flapping their wings and flying a little bit? Actually, chickens, ducks, and birds are all part of the bird family. Chickens and ducks used to be able to fly very high and far, just like birds. But after we started keeping them at home, their wings gradually weakened. Plus, you and your little uncle work hard to dig up earthworms to feed them, so they’ve grown heavier and can’t fly high or far anymore.

They can still fly up to the height of the fence. Doesn’t Grandma sometimes trim their wing feathers a little? That’s to prevent them from flying over the fence.”

Chenchen tilted his head and thought for a moment, then nodded seriously.

It was unclear whether he really understood.

Chenchen was a quick learner with great focus. No matter what Su Taotao said, he listened intently. He was also very observant and would sometimes ask questions when he was puzzled.

Whether or not Chenchen understood, Su Taotao would always patiently answer his questions.

It’s often said that parents are a child’s first teachers. At two years old, children have the strongest desire to explore the world. Chenchen was slowly opening up his world and beginning to explore it bit by bit. Su Taotao had never raised a child before, so she could only feel her way through, starting from the basics like grass, trees, leaves, and flowers.

The half-hour journey was neither long nor short, just enough time to share a few bits of knowledge.

Upon arriving in the county, Su Taotao wasted no time and headed straight for the meat processing factory.

After finding Chen Sihai and explaining her purpose, Chen Sihai immediately gave her a pair of pig ears, two pig tails, and two pig trotters without hesitation.

Chen Sihai refused to accept any money, but Su Taotao insisted on paying.

Chen Sihai finally relented and accepted the money, saying, “I thought you wouldn’t be back until next month.”

Su Taotao didn’t hide anything and briefly outlined her plan before adding, “This is just a spur-of-the-moment idea. These items are to test the waters. It’s not certain if it will work out.”

Chen Sihai was greatly surprised by her plan. Ever since he had met Su Taotao, he had realized this comrade was extraordinary, but he hadn’t expected her to be so clever.

“Is it because of the household expenses?” Chen Sihai thought he had asked the question tactfully.

Su Taotao smiled and said, “We can’t keep living off our savings forever. My child is still young, so I need to plan ahead.”

Chen Sihai nodded and said, “If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”

Su Taotao interrupted, “Uncle Chen, you’ve already helped me a lot. If this works out, I’ll need your help again in the future.”

Chen Sihai waved his hand and said, “It’s no trouble at all. I’m just selling things that would be sold to anyone. It’s nothing.”

Su Taotao didn’t stand on ceremony. After updating him on Guohua Cao’s recent situation, she quickly left with the items, carrying Chenchen on her back as they headed to the government-run restaurant.

Chenchen was very well-behaved, not crying or fussing as he lay on his mother’s back, observing the people and things around him with his own thoughts.

Qinglian County was a relatively large county. There were three government-run restaurants in total. The one Su Taotao chose was on the east side of the city, on a street lined with arcade-style buildings. The restaurant had yellow bricks and gray tiles, a three-story brick-and-wood structure. Behind the arcade street was a small stone forest of karst landforms, a picturesque scene. In front, two rivers converged, one clear and the other murky, creating a unique natural landscape. Many people came to admire the scenery. When people mentioned the government-run restaurant, they usually meant this one by default.

At that time, the scale of the government-run restaurant in this small county might not have been as large as a later-era small, unassuming restaurant. The restaurant had a big red sign but a modest entrance. The brick walls were painted with various slogans characteristic of the era, exuding a strong sense of the times.

Among the three government-run restaurants, this one had the best location and environment, but it had the least foot traffic. People only came here if they were in a rush or had no other options. During meal times, the other two restaurants would often be packed, while this one would be deserted, a stark contrast.

No need to ask why—the chefs just weren’t very good.

Even so, the service staff remained lackadaisical. Since fewer people came to eat, they had less work to do but still received their wages. When Su Taotao asked to see the chef, one of the servers gave her a dismissive look. If it weren’t for the fact that Chenchen was dressed decently, the server might have thought Su Taotao was a poor relative looking for a handout.

In the end, Su Taotao finally met the chef after offering a handful of White Rabbit candies.

I really didn’t expect that, these days, White Rabbit milk candies are also hard currency.

“Chef Xu, hello. May I speak to you in private?”

They say you can’t refuse a smiling face, but Chef Xu looked at the young woman in front of him, who was smiling and carrying a little child on her back, and who looked unusually young and pretty. He really couldn’t figure out what business she had with him.

Chef Xu had a stern face, and his brows were deeply furrowed. It was said that before he retired, he was the head cook in the military kitchen, had fought against the Japanese invaders, and earned a first-class merit. After retiring, he stayed to work at the state-run restaurant, which might explain why he managed to keep his job despite his less-than-stellar cooking.

“We’re not hiring. No short-term, long-term, or temporary workers.”

Su Taotao smiled and said, “Chef Xu, I’m not here looking for a job. I’m here specially to help you regain your customer flow.”

Chef Xu gave Su Taotao a once-over, his eyes suggesting that he thought she was a fool, with a hint of pity for someone so young with a malfunctioning brain.

Chef Xu waved his hand, “Ma’am, go back where you came from. I’m busy. Don’t waste my time.”

Su Taotao held up the items she was carrying, “Please give me a chance to cook a dish, Chef Xu. After you’ve tasted it, if you think this dish can keep the customers coming, then we can talk further. If you find it unsatisfactory, you can do whatever you want with the ingredients, and I’ll only use one stove and one pot. I’ll bring my own seasonings and won’t touch anything else of yours.”

Chef Xu looked at the pig feet, pig ears, and pig tails in her hand, his brows furrowing even more, “How can these scraps keep customers? Isn’t braised pork much more delicious?”

Su Taotao said, “Exactly. These are inexpensive leftover parts with low procurement costs. It won’t take long to see results. Let me try?”

Chef Xu was silent for a moment, “You’re going to use all these ingredients to make just one dish?”

Su Taotao nodded, “Yes.”

These days, the state-run restaurants offered the same limited menu, and people still came, regardless of how the food tasted. However, while other chefs had bustling crowds, Chef Xu’s place was deserted. Even the leaders avoided dining here, which made him feel a little embarrassed.

“Alright, come in then. Just don’t waste my time.”

Su Taotao had braced herself for more convincing, but this gruff-looking chef turned out to be quite reasonable.

“Thank you, Chef Xu. Rest assured, I won’t take up too much of your time.”