“The dumplings are here.” The nanny brought two plates full of dumplings to the table.

Gu’s father looked at the dumplings and asked, “Did you make dumplings this afternoon too?”

The nanny smiled and said, “No, Zhenyuan packed them to bring back.”

Gu’s father glanced at his son, then invited his old friend to start eating. “Old Li, quickly try these dumplings. If Zhenyuan went out of his way to pack them, they must taste good.”

Old Master Li smiled and said okay.

Gu’s father picked up a dumpling and took a bite, then tilted his head and hummed thoughtfully.

“Where did you buy these dumplings?”

Gu Zhenyuan replied, “From a small stall near Yufeng Road.”

Gu’s father ate another dumpling, savoring it carefully. “A small stall can make dumplings with such skill—this vendor must be a descendant of a centuries-old restaurant.”

Gu’s mother also ate one, her face showing surprise and nodding. “They really taste good.”

“Yufeng Road, huh?” Old Master Li asked. “Next time, I’ll have someone buy a bunch to freeze in the fridge, so we can cook them for breakfast every day.”

Gu Zhenyuan nodded, “At the alley entrance of Lihua Lane, Yufeng Road.”

Gu’s father told his old friend, “No need to trouble anyone else. Next time, just have Zhenyuan buy them.”

Old Madam Yu said, “That would trouble Zhenyuan too much.”

Gu Zhenyuan shook his head, “It’s no trouble.”

Gu’s father instructed Shoujie, “After work tomorrow, go buy some more and give them to Uncle Li and Aunt Yu.”

“All right.”

Old Madam Yu smiled, “Thank you, Zhenyuan.”

---

The tricycle arrived at the courtyard gate. Li Shuping got off and started carrying things from the vehicle into the yard, item by item.

At this hour, everyone was having dinner. Some families sat inside eating; some carried bowls to sit at the door, chatting with neighbors while eating.

Cui Juanzi loved chatting while eating. She was talking with Yuan Dayan’s daughter-in-law, Huang Qionghua, when they saw Li Shuping carrying two buckets into the yard.

“Closing the stall so soon?”

They exchanged a glance, certain that business must be bad for the stall to close early.

Cui Juanzi asked, “Sister Li, closing so early?”

Li Shuping responded with a hum and put the buckets by the kitchen door, unlocking the kitchen.

“Sister Li, don’t get discouraged. Running a street stall isn’t easy,” Cui Juanzi said sarcastically. “At your age, with two married sons who have steady jobs, and each giving you five bucks for your pension, you have it pretty good. No need to embarrass yourself with a street stall.”

Li Shuping was silent.

“I’m not discouraged. My business is good—the dumplings all sold out. What’s there to be discouraged about?”

Sold out?

Huang Qionghua and Cui Juanzi’s eyes widened.

“Really all sold out?”

Could it be a lie?

Li Shuping didn’t answer but carried empty buckets into the kitchen and brought more things inside.

Seeing her empty basins finally convinced Huang Qionghua and Cui Juanzi that the dumplings had truly sold out.

They didn’t understand why anyone would spend money on roadside dumplings when there was always the state-run restaurant.

---

After bringing everything inside, Lin Xiaoyu started washing the dishes one by one. Li Shuping made a simple fried egg noodle dish to eat.

While they were eating, Lin Guodong arrived.

“B-Brother,” Lin Xiaoyu exclaimed in surprise upon seeing him at the door.

Li Shuping turned her head and saw her eldest son Lin Guodong standing with a stern face.

“Mom, come with me. I have something to tell you.”

Li Shuping frowned; his commanding tone was just like Lin Yongnian’s. He truly was Lin Yongnian’s son, resembling him both in looks and temper.

She didn’t move and kept eating.

Seeing her ignore him, Lin Guodong frowned, “Mom, didn’t you hear me? I said come with me.”

Li Shuping gripped her chopsticks tightly. This Lin Guodong wasn’t like before. In her previous life, when she was old and hard of hearing, she would ask him to repeat, and he would irritably snap, “Are you deaf?”

Back then, she never understood why he was patient with everyone else but so impatient and harsh with her, his mother.

She often reflected on whether she had neglected him when he was young, wondering if that’s why he treated her like this.

But this time, she knew it wasn’t her fault. It was because she was the easiest to bully, so Lin Guodong vented all his bad moods on her.

“You’re blind? Didn’t you see I’m eating?” Li Shuping snapped back irritably.

Lin Guodong was speechless.

Couldn’t he wait till she finished?

“I’ll wait for you at the courtyard gate. Come out as soon as you finish.” With that, Lin Guodong turned and left.

People in the yard were watching him. Just standing outside his mom’s room embarrassed him. He couldn’t wait there.

Li Shuping rolled her eyes and said to Lin Xiaoyu, who was watching, “Did you hear your brother’s tone? Like he’s ordering someone around.”

Lin Xiaoyu thought his tone was bad, but that’s how he always was, and mom never seemed to mind before.

Li Shuping finished her noodles but didn’t leave immediately. She washed a bowl, tidied the kitchen, and wiped the table.

Outside, Lin Guodong’s legs were numb from squatting. He stood up, crossed his arms, and paced to stay warm.

Though spring, the night was still cold.

“Why isn’t Mom coming out yet? Ah-choo, ah-choo,” Lin Guodong sneezed twice in a row.

Just as he was about to go in and call her again, Li Shuping, wearing a thin cotton jacket, came out.

“Mom, why did you take so long?” Lin Guodong frowned, complaining.

Li Shuping rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed, “Say what you need to say quickly. Don’t waste my time.”

She had no intention of standing in the alley blowing cold wind with him at night.

Lin Guodong was caught off guard by his mom’s attitude—it was his first time being treated like this and he didn’t like it.

What happened to Mom?

“Mom, please don’t be mad at Dad. Come back home and remarry him. I’ve talked to Dad. He said he won’t hold it against you anymore.”

Li Shuping rolled her eyes to the sky, mocking, “Should I thank him for his generosity?”

Lin Guodong didn’t catch her sarcasm. “No need to. Just live well at home and stop causing trouble.”

Got it. In the eyes of the third master of the Lin family, she was just being difficult.

“Thank your dad for me, but don’t expect me to remarry into your Lin family. Xiaoyu and I are doing fine. If you didn’t come to bother and upset me, we’d be even better.”

She had only been divorced a few days, and this was the third round of people bothering her already.

Lin Guodong’s eye twitched.

He thought his mom had listened to his advice but it turned out she was mocking him.