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Gu Weicheng could only steer the conversation in another direction to calm himself down. “The battalion commanders under me, ever since they found out you’re my wife, have all been ridiculously envious. Some of them even want to come over and freeload a meal.”
Li Xia squinted her eyes in comfort and asked, “When would that be? Now that I’m working, if we’re inviting guests, it’ll have to be on my day off.”
Gu Weicheng scoffed, “No need. They’re dreaming. If they want to eat your cooking, they can line up at the cafeteria. If they can’t get a spot, then tough luck. You only get one day off a week, and that’s for you to rest properly—not to cook for them. They wish.”
Then there was Hu Songlin, who, relying on the years of camaraderie between them, even had the audacity to want to drop by for meals every day.
Gu Weicheng turned him down flat.
Wishful thinking.
An An chimed in from the side, “Last time, Aimin even asked me if I wanted another big brother. He said he could come to our house and be my brother, but I turned him down. I think he just wants to come over and freeload meals.”
The father and son exchanged a look—his wife (mommy) was just too popular!
Hearing their conversation, Li Xia couldn’t help but laugh.
It had only been a few days since Li Xia started working, but word about her had already spread.
…
All of a sudden, the private cooking window at the Military Family Cafeteria became exceptionally lively. People who normally wouldn’t splurge on private cooking, after hearing everyone rave about the skills of the new chef, couldn’t resist giving it a try.
Once they had tasted it, they couldn’t forget that delicious flavor.
Fortunately, the private cooking dishes were limited in quantity each day, with a set amount prepared. Plus, once the workday ended, that was it—whether people still wanted to buy or not, the window would close on time.
Li Xia found this arrangement quite ideal—it completely eliminated the possibility of overtime.
Unlike decades later, when bosses would treat employees like workhorses, demanding overtime without even offering extra pay.
The evils of capitalism!
Colleagues in the future would compete relentlessly, but Li Xia’s current coworkers were nothing like that. The moment the clock struck the end of the workday; they would pack up without hesitation. They even reminded Li Xia to shut the window quickly to avoid anyone trying to sneak in a last-minute order.
In less than a week, Li Xia had already built a good rapport with her colleagues.
She found the atmosphere in the cafeteria truly pleasant—so much for that she even thought working there long-term wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
Of course, that didn’t mean she never encountered unpleasant people.
Like Su Wenyen, who was standing before her now.
With a meal container in hand, it was clear she had come to the cafeteria for food.
Upon seeing Li Xia, Su Wenyen covered her mouth in exaggerated surprise. “Sister Li, when my brother told me you started working at the cafeteria, I could hardly believe it. But you’re really working here?”
She wrinkled her nose. “The cafeteria is such hard work, and the smell of grease is so strong. Brother Gu actually lets you work in a place like this?”
Li Xia glanced at Su Wenyen’s overly dramatic expression and affected tone. She was certainly putting on quite a show.
“I chose to work here myself, and Weicheng respects my decision. I don’t see anything wrong with working in the cafeteria. There’s no such thing as a job being superior or inferior. If we cafeteria workers weren’t here cooking meals, what would the people who don’t have time to cook eat?”
“My colleagues are all great, much better company than some other people. If I had stayed at the broadcasting station, I might have actually regretted it.”
Su Wenyen immediately picked up on the insinuation in Li Xia’s words. Her face darkened. “You… What do you mean? Are you saying that ‘some people’ refers to me?”
Li Xia’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Well, at least you’re self-aware.”
“You!” Su Wenyen was so furious she could hardly speak. She glanced around quickly, then suddenly lowered her voice and said, “Li Xia, don’t think no one knows your secret. You’re nothing but a shameless woman! You don’t deserve to be here at all! The only reason Gu Weicheng treats you well now is that he doesn’t know what you’ve done in the past. If he ever finds out, he’ll dump you in an instant!”
Oh? So, Su Wenyen was finally laying all her cards on the table?
Li Xia sneered. “Su Wenyen, if you actually had any sense of shame, would you be coveting a married man with a wife and child? You’re clearly driven by self-interest, yet you try to act like some kind of moral guardian. Do you really think you deserve that title?”
“If I were you, I’d seriously reconsider my strategy. If you set your sights on someone else now, you might still have a chance. But if you keep playing these petty, underhanded tricks, you’ll end up with nothing in the end. That would be the real loss.”
With that, Li Xia had said all she needed to say.
The old madam shoved Su Wenyen aside, leaving her fuming with anger. She quickly squeezed her way back and snapped at the old lady,
“Why are you pushing? Who said I wasn’t buying? If I weren’t, why would I even be at the cafeteria? Here’s my money and meal coupons—I want a serving of sweet and sour pork too!”
But Li Xia didn’t take the money or coupons. Without even looking up, she said flatly, “Sorry, the old madam just got the last serving—it’s sold out.”
Su Wenyen refused to believe it. “How could it be sold out so quickly? I bet you’re just refusing to sell it to me!”
Before Li Xia could respond, the old madam rolled her eyes.
The old madam huffed, “Young lady, are you deliberately picking a fight, or do you just have bad eyesight? Can’t you see that there’s no food left in the pot? How do you expect her to cook with nothing? And what’s wrong with Li Xia’s work attitude? I think she’s doing a great job! It’s you who’s the problem. If you really wanted to order, you should’ve come earlier. If you’re not ordering, then stop standing here getting in the way—so annoying!”
She spoke loudly, not bothering to spare Su Wenyen any face.
At this point, the cafeteria was bustling with people. Hearing the commotion, many turned their heads to watch the scene unfold.
Su Wenyen’s face instantly flushed red. She glanced at Li Xia, lips pressed together as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she swallowed it down and left.
After she was gone, the old madam turned to Li Xia and asked, “Li Xia, who was that? She’s awfully irritating. Seemed like she had it out for you—you’d better be careful around her.”
Li Xia answered truthfully, “She’s my husband’s comrade’s younger sister.” Then she smiled at the old madam and said, “I know. Thank you for looking out for me.”
To be honest, Li Xia didn’t take Su Wenyen’s petty schemes to heart.
Su Wenyen had her eyes on Gu Weicheng, but Gu Weicheng only had Li Xia in his heart and mind—he couldn’t even be bothered to spare Su Wenyen a glance.
The only thing Su Wenyen had actually managed to snatch from her was the job at the broadcasting station.
But Li Xia had already submitted her article to the newspaper, and it wouldn’t be long before it got published. When that happened, whether Su Wenyen could even keep that job would be another matter entirely.