Chapter 51: The Storm Under the Big Locust Tree (Part 1)

“Okay, then come to my house. I’ll cook you a delicious meal at noon.”

She readily agreed.

“Great, I’ll bring a bottle of good wine.” Huang Shuying seemed even happier than she was.

Wen Yanyan rushed around the house as soon as she got home.

She wasn’t overly excited about the successful interview; it was just a normal performance, yet she was infected by Huang Shuying’s enthusiasm.

She originally just wanted to find a job to keep herself busy, not to spend her days idly.

She never expected that she would have the opportunity to perform in major military regions and see the beautiful mountains and rivers of her motherland.

Such a good thing! Time to celebrate with a feast.

Wen Yanyan was rummaging through her cupboards for ingredients when Xiaoqiuqiu ran out of the room and jumped around her feet.

“Xiaoqiuqiu, be careful! Don’t let me step on you.”

Wen Yanyan warned him.

“Woof!”

Xiaoqiuqiu quickly scurried away and sat in a corner of the kitchen.

Because the decision to have guests was rather sudden, she hadn’t prepared in advance, but she still had some supplies.

Wen Yanyan found a piece of cured chicken, a piece of cured pork, and a few eggs.

She had meat, but no vegetables.

She went to the yard and cut some chives, picked a few chilies, and pulled two pounds of spinach.

The vegetables she planted in the yard a month ago were ready to eat. They looked lush and green, growing beautifully.

…

Back in the kitchen, Wen Yanyan looked at all the ingredients, and a menu immediately appeared in her mind.

Stir-fried cured pork with chilies, scrambled eggs with chives, chilies stir-fried with cured meat, cold spinach salad, and yes, there were peanuts at home.

She’d find them later and stir-fry a dish of peanuts.

But… what to do with the cured chicken?

After a moment’s thought, she had an idea: she could make a dry pot cured chicken.

Wen Yanyan checked and prepared a total of six dishes. Enough for two people. She didn’t want to invite anyone else this time.

After all, only Huang Shuying knew about the interview.

She couldn’t be too ostentatious.

After finding the peanuts in the cupboard, she started chopping the cured chicken.

The clatter of the cleaver went up and down, and soon she had chopped a small basin full.

Xiaoqiuqiu, perhaps startled by her actions, scurried back to his room and didn’t come out.

Wen Yanyan didn’t have time to deal with him; she quickly soaked the chicken pieces in water and started washing and picking the vegetables.

At this moment, Huang Shuying arrived, carrying a bottle of wine and two wine cups.

“Yanzi, look, I brought a bottle of good wine! You’ve never seen this before, have you?”

Wen Yanyan was surprised.

“Sister, is this Fenjiu? This is my first time seeing it.”

She had heard the name in the new century; it was a famous wine. She never expected Huang Jie to have it in this era.

“Yes, Fenjiu. A fellow soldier of Old Xu’s gave it to me. Let’s finish this bottle between the two of us today.”

Huang Shuying was full of bravado.

Wen Yanyan looked embarrassed.

“Ah? Finish it all? But I don’t drink much, Sister. How about your drinking capacity?”

In her previous life, she hadn’t drunk white liquor; she only drank beer, and her maximum was five cans.

“I can drink a bit. It’s fine. Drink as much as you can.”

Huang Shuying chuckled.

“Okay, then I’ll go cook.” Wen Yanyan started with the dry pot cured chicken.

“I’ll help you.”

Huang Shuying put down the wine bottle and helped her in the kitchen. With someone to help, it was quick. In less than an hour, all six dishes were ready.

…

A small table was laden with delicious food.

Huang Shuying raised her wine cup.

“Come, Yanzi, let’s have a toast first. Congratulations on your successful interview today! May your future life be happy and fulfilling!”

The glass wine cups of the 1970s were small, only holding a small amount, but the patterns were exquisite.

“Thank you, Sister, for your blessing.”

Wen Yanyan bravely took a sip. Wow, this wine is so strong! She quickly ate some food to ease the burn. The taste of white liquor was different.

“Yanzi, after this drink, we’re good friends. Don’t be a stranger. You can use the bicycle whenever you want; no need for any gifts.”

Huang Shuying finished her drink in one gulp.

“Okay, I understand, Sister. Eat your food. This dish is called Dry Pot Cured Chicken. It tastes good; eat more.”

Wen Yanyan didn’t dare to drink much, taking only another small sip. She still had to go to the town post office to send money in the afternoon.

“Good. Yanzi, your cooking is really delicious. Before, I thought you weren’t good enough for Nan Tuan, not at all. Now I don’t think so. Nan Tuan is lucky to have found you. It’s his good fortune.”

Huang Shuying, perhaps a little drunk, had tears welling up in her eyes.

“You saved my child. If it weren’t for you, my Mingming would have… Yanzi, you’re a good person. From now on, if anyone in the compound dares to say anything bad about you, I’ll settle the score with them. Drink your wine; this is good wine. I haven’t even let Old Xu drink it.”

“Thank you, Sister.”

Wen Yanyan was deeply moved. These words were worth more than ten thousand polite phrases.

Her efforts had finally been recognized. Although it was only Huang Jie’s voice, she was still touched!

She finished her drink in one gulp, her ears burning from the alcohol.

Wow, this wine is potent.

After a few drinks, Huang Shuying got quite drunk and slumped onto the dinner table.

Wen Yanyan was also a little dizzy. Seeing that they had almost finished eating, she stood up and supported Huang Shuying’s arm.

“Sister, I’ll take you home.”

“No… no need. I can… I can walk myself…”

Huang Shuying’s tongue was thick, her words slurred. She stood up, swaying slightly.

“Sister, I’m not comfortable letting you walk home alone. Let me take you. Slowly.”

Wen Yanyan personally escorted Huang Shuying to her doorstep before heading back.

Although she hadn’t drunk much, she was also a little dizzy; she never had much of a tolerance for alcohol.

Wen Yanyan didn’t hurry home; she wanted to find a cool place to get some fresh air and let the alcohol dissipate. She felt like she was on fire.

She remembered that there was a centuries-old locust tree at the bend of the alley ahead, its roots deep and leaves lush, ideal for taking a break.

She went there in a daze. From a distance, she heard people gossiping.

Wen Yanyan opened her eyes slightly and saw five or six military wives sitting on a large stone under the locust tree.

Some were knitting sweaters, others were cracking sunflower seeds, talking animatedly.

Wen Yanyan decided not to leave; she hid behind the wall at the corner of the road and eavesdropped.

“Hey, have you heard? Nan Tuan’s wife is going to work for the art troupe.”

Nan Tuan’s wife?

Her heart skipped a beat. These people were talking about her.

Wen Yanyan instantly sobered up. She was no longer dizzy or confused; she was clear-headed.

“Ah? Really? Who said so?”

“She said it herself. She went for an interview this morning.”

When Wen Yanyan heard this, she immediately peeked out to see who had said it and understood.

It was the woman with the shifty eyes who had spoken to her outside the art troupe.

“Tsk, what can she do? Didn’t she get into the art troupe through connections?”

“Possibly. Who dares not give Nan Tuan face?”

“It’s not bad. Nan Tuan is a national second-class hero. Who has greater merit than him?”

“I also heard that six people participated in the interview for the art troupe this time, and only she was accepted.”

“Oh my, were the other five not as good as her?”

“There must be something fishy going on. Who doesn’t know what Wen Yanyan was like before? Fat and stupid like a pig. How could she get into the art troupe? What could she perform? Could she perform how to curse people in the street or how to steal things?”

Wen Yanyan could no longer hide. She left the corner and walked towards the locust tree.

“Hahaha… You talk too… shhh… don’t say it.”

A military wife discovered her and quickly tried to stop her, but it was too late.

She had heard everything.