Chapter 19

“I’ll go buy it. Take it out!”

It was rare to see him flustered. Jiang Ling had now found his weakness—he didn’t like physical intimacy with others.

Anyway, this man had a slim waist and long legs. Touching him a couple of times, Jiang Ling wasn’t at any loss.

Song Guanshu’s voice was tinged with both frustration and panic. “Have a little shame, will you? A young lady like you, how can you…” In all his years of life, it was the first time he had met such a shameless girl. He was unusually at a loss for words.

She replied with righteous confidence, “We’re a married couple, with a proper marriage certificate and all.”

Who could he blame for that? He was the one who insisted on registering the marriage with her.

Song Guanshu dropped her off near the steel factory’s family housing area and quickly rode off on his bicycle.

When Jiang Ling returned, she didn’t run into the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law who lived across the courtyard. Instead, she saw the little granddaughter of the Sun family. The child was quiet and reserved, and even when she saw a stranger in the courtyard, she remained calm.

“I’m Song Guanshu’s wife. We moved in a few days ago.” Jiang Ling pulled out two pieces of candy from her pocket. They were given out by Li Chunqiao at the office—she was young, so she had gotten five pieces.

Upon seeing the fruit candy, the little granddaughter’s eyes lit up. “Thank you.”

Jiang Ling sat at home waiting for Song Guanshu to return. The room grew darker and darker as chimneys all around the neighborhood began to release smoke for cooking.

She turned on the light. The dim glow lit up the darkness.

Just then, the sound of a bicycle bell came from outside the door. It was Song Guanshu returning home.

He was carrying something tightly wrapped in his hand. Jiang Ling leaned over to unwrap it and saw a piece of pork belly, with alternating layers of fat and lean meat.

Her eyes lit up. She enthusiastically followed behind him, bustling about, helping to pour hot water and hand over the soap. “Song Guanshu, you’re amazing. You even managed to get pork belly.”

“You’re the most capable man I’ve ever met. Marrying you is truly the greatest fortune of my life.”

Song Guanshu was speechless. This woman could really say anything just for a bite of meat.

But somehow, it didn’t feel all that bad.

In the darkness, there was a light waiting for him.

“Here, this candy is for you. Sister Li gave me five pieces today. I couldn’t bear to eat them, so I brought them all back for you.”

“Wasn’t it five pieces?” Song Guanshu assumed she couldn’t resist and ate two.

Then he heard Jiang Ling say, “On my way back, I ran into the little granddaughter from the Sun family, so I gave her two pieces. I gave her two, but I saved three for you.”

Meeting her bright eyes that sparkled like starlight, Song Guanshu looked away slightly. “Thanks.”

“No need to thank me,” Jiang Ling said. “Hurry up and make the braised pork.”

Song Guanshu thought to himself that Jiang Ling was full of tricks and had a silver tongue. No matter how things started, it always ended with him cooking. Since that was the case, he might as well save his breath.

He had never made braised pork before—it was a complex dish—but he had watched cooks prepare it before. The process for making braised pork was etched firmly in his mind.

“There’s rock sugar under the cabinet,” he instructed Jiang Ling, assigning her as his helper.

“Got it.” Without another word, Jiang Ling went to look for it.

Sugar and oil went into the wok first to stir-fry until it turned a rich caramel color. Then the pork belly, cut into mahjong tile-sized cubes, was tossed into the wok to be stir-fried and coated in color. It was only the first step, and already Jiang Ling could smell the aroma.

“Wow, that smells amazing. You’re definitely cut out to be a chef.”

With someone chattering away next to him, Song Guanshu found Jiang Ling quite noisy. He clearly preferred a quiet environment, yet he didn’t chase her out of the kitchen.

He poured in the prepared sauce all at once into the iron wok, then added enough cool water to completely cover the pork belly. He turned the heat to high and brought it to a boil for stewing.

The smell of cooking oil and smoke filled the house, so Song Guanshu casually opened the kitchen window to let it out.

Now the neighbors had to suffer. The front, back, left, and right, the entire courtyard was filled with the mouthwatering aroma of braised pork.

Especially the Liu family across the courtyard.

Yesterday, Liu Lei had thrown a fit wanting to eat meat. Granny Liu gave Li Jun a meat coupon and some money, asking her to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a piece of meat to satisfy her eldest grandson’s craving.

But Li Jun was a stingy miser. Once money went into her pocket, there was no chance it was coming back out.

She strolled around the supply and marketing cooperative for a bit and eventually came back to tell her mother-in-law and son, “I went too late. The meat at the cooperative was already sold out.”

Liu Lei was quite upset. Before dinner, when he saw only cabbage and potatoes on the table, he cried loudly for a while. It wasn’t until Granny Liu fried him an egg in sesame oil that he finally turned his tears into joy.

Just after finishing the egg, with oil still smeared around his mouth, he caught a strong whiff of braised pork.

Everyone’s stomach was already craving something oily. A dish like braised pork, rich and savory, was the number one delicacy in everyone’s heart. The only thing that could rival it was probably a pork knuckle.

“It’s braised pork! I want to eat braised pork!”

Jiang Ling was sitting by the stove, tending the fire. When she heard the commotion outside, she silently got up, closed the window, and locked the door from the inside.

She didn’t want to run into a beggar at the happiest moment of her day.

Her series of actions was smooth and fluid. As she turned around, she noticed Song Guanshu watching her. Jiang Ling asked, puzzled, “What is it? Is something wrong?”

Song Guanshu gave a slight shake of his head. In his impression of her, he added one more trait—never suffers a loss.

It wasn’t just the neighbors across the courtyard who caught a whiff of that domineering aroma. Even the family of Section Chief Liu in the front yard could smell it.

The Liu family was having dinner—cabbage stewed with tofu. It was already considered a dish they usually wouldn’t splurge on, but under the contrast of the braised pork aroma, it instantly became worthless. In a flash, the tofu in their mouths no longer tasted good.

Section Chief Liu was sitting beside his wife, Han Ruixue. Across from them sat her younger brother and sister. Han Qingzhu, her younger brother, smacked his lips twice. “Sis, let’s have braised pork at home tomorrow too.”

That smell was truly irresistible.

Although Section Chief Liu earned a decent salary and received various subsidies, supporting his wife and her younger siblings made for considerable expenses. Life at home wasn’t exactly easy.

Before Han Ruixue’s parents passed away, she lived a privileged life and spent money freely, without any thought for thrift or budgeting. Without even thinking, she replied, “Sure, I’ll go to the supply and marketing cooperative tomorrow to get some meat. You and Xuemei haven’t had meat in a while—we’ll get you both something to nourish yourselves.”

When Section Chief Liu heard Han Ruixue’s words, his brows furrowed slightly.

It wasn’t until after dinner, when only the two of them were left, that he pulled her into his arms. He recalled what his mother had said the night before.

“Xue’er, let’s have a child.”

Han Ruixue sprang out of his arms. “When we got married, you promised we wouldn’t have kids for a few years. I’m still young. We agreed to wait a few years. It’s only been a few days, and now you’re going back on your word!”

The young wife’s willow brows were raised in anger. Section Chief Liu instantly softened, his tone deflating. “It was thoughtless of me. We won’t rush into having a child. Please don’t get upset. Don’t harm your health over this.”

“Did someone say something bad about me in front of you? Let me guess—was it your mother, or your ex-wife?”

Of course Section Chief Liu couldn’t admit it. He instinctively denied it. “No, nothing like that. Don’t overthink it. I’m just not that young anymore. I’m worried that if we don’t try now, we won’t be able to later.”

Han Ruixue gave him a playful glare. “You seem plenty capable to me right now. No need to worry.”

When a man is praised in this area, he can’t help but feel a little smug. Still, he was thinking about having a child. “It’s just that I’m getting older and feeling a bit lonely. I want to have a child by my side.”

“Your son and daughter live right in the back courtyard. Isn’t that close enough?” Section Chief Liu gave a sheepish smile. “I’ve already done as you asked and cut off contact with them.”

Han Ruixue snorted coldly. “Do you take me for a fool? Why do we go through food so quickly every month? You hand over your full salary to the household, but what about your bonuses and allowances?”

So she had known all along. Section Chief Liu had no choice but to explain himself. “My mother lives in the back courtyard. She raised me and my younger brothers alone after my father died. I can ignore Li Jun and the two kids, but I can’t ignore her!”

Han Ruixue jabbed him in the chest with her finger. “That ex-wife of yours is banking on this. Your mother dotes on her grandkids, and you’re the dutiful son who can’t turn your back on your mother.”

***

The braised pork at dinner had been a bit too salty. Jiang Ling couldn’t sleep soundly, kept thinking about getting up for a drink of water, but didn’t want to leave the warmth of the bed.

Hearing movement beside her, she was stirred awake and asked sleepily, “Where are you going?”

As soon as she asked, she regretted it. Song Guanshu was the villain—where else would he be going in the middle of the night if not to cause trouble?

She didn’t hear any more sounds. Uncertain of what he was up to, Jiang Ling quietly turned over to take a look, only to meet a pair of dark, unreadable eyes.

She was nearly scared to death, but he flipped the blame on her. “Why aren’t you asleep?”

She replied speechlessly, “Because you woke me up.”

Jiang Ling ordered him, “If you’re not sleeping, go get me a cup of hot water.”

Obediently, Song Guanshu got out of bed and poured her a cup of warm water. Jiang Ling sipped it slowly, finally easing the dryness in her mouth and throat.

Without even needing to leave her bed, warm water was brought right to her lips. Jiang Ling couldn’t help but sigh with feeling, “It’s so good having you around.”

Song Guanshu let out a cold laugh. “Yeah, having a free live-in servant must be great, huh?”

“No.” He wasn’t just a free servant—he was one who paid to go to work.

“How can you call yourself a servant? I won’t allow it. You’re the other half listed on my marriage certificate. We’re family registered on the same household booklet, we’re each other’s support.”

“In the cold and dark of night, you poured a cup of warm water for your only support. Your only support will remember this moment.”

“Rest assured, if you ever end up paralyzed or disabled, I’ll definitely be the one to bring you tea and water, and even handle your bedpans.”

Song Guanshu replied firmly, “That day will never come.”

“There’s no such thing as certainty in life. No one can predict the future.”

For the first time, Song Guanshu leaned in closer to her. “What I meant was, if the day ever comes when I’m paralyzed or disabled, I ask the other half named on my marriage certificate to help end that suffering for me.”

His voice was soft, and in the darkness, Jiang Ling touched her arm, where fine goosebumps had risen.

Unusually, it took her a long time to fall asleep. Right up until she lost consciousness, she never heard the sound of Song Guanshu getting up.

She didn’t know whether or not Song Guanshu had gone out that night.

The next morning, perhaps out of fear that his breakfast would be snatched, Song Guanshu prepared breakfast for both of them.

Jiang Ling and Song Guanshu didn’t speak to each other that morning. In silence, they arrived at the daily chemical factory.

As Jiang Ling jumped down from the back seat of the bicycle, someone greeted them, “Jiang Ling, Brother Song!”

“Here to investigate another case?” Jiang Ling stood outside the bike shed, waiting for the two of them to lock up their bikes.

While locking his bike, Xie Lang didn’t forget to look up and chat with them. “Yesterday afternoon, we found a stub of a Zhonghua cigarette at the scene. Thinking it might be related to the case, my mentor sent me to the factory to investigate how many people here smoke Zhonghua.”

The scope of the investigation was relatively small. A pack of Zhonghua cigarettes cost two yuan—far too expensive for ordinary workers. Only the factory leaders could afford to smoke them.

Zhonghua?

Jiang Ling raised her hand. “In our section, there’s Wei Ming—Deputy Section Chief Wei. He smokes Zhonghua. Hope that helps with your investigation.”

Xie Lang nodded approvingly. “Jiang Ling, you’re truly a warm-hearted and helpful comrade. That’s a valuable lead. I’ll report it to the higher-ups.”

Xie Lang was headed off to find his biggest connection at the daily chemical factory—his mother, Director Bai.

The Personnel Section and the Accounting Section were in the same direction. After the three of them entered the office building, they went their separate ways from Song Guanshu.

Facing his former crush alone, Xie Lang was a little flustered. “Last weekend we had a case at the substation. Someone came to report it, and we really couldn’t spare any time. Sorry about that.”

Jiang Ling was very understanding. “It’s fine. Serving the people is what matters most.”

Just before parting ways with Xie Lang at the entrance to the Accounting Section, Jiang Ling added, “If there’s anything I can help with during the investigation, please be sure to come find me.”