Chapter 25: Casual Conversation at the Dinner Table

Wang Shuning was spitting out a chicken bone. The chicken feet were delicious, cooked until tender; the bones came out easily with a single suck. “I don’t know. There were many good-looking boys in class, and with such heavy studies, who had time to date?”

Zhao Hu stared at Wang Shuning. They were high school classmates, yet they seemed so unfamiliar; they probably hadn’t spoken much in school. “You didn’t date in school, but now you’re in the countryside. I wonder how many aunties in the village will be vying to introduce you. Good-looking female educated youths are highly sought after in the village.”

Wang Shuning looked up. “My family doesn’t allow me to find a partner in the village. I’ll definitely go back eventually; it doesn’t matter if I’m a little older.”

The hearts of those present stirred, a hint of unease in the air.

Zhao Leyi tentatively said, “For us educated youths who came to the countryside, very few can return to the city each year. If you want to find a partner after returning to Beijing, it’s probably unlikely.”

Everyone present wanted to return to the city. The conditions in the village were so poor, and they had to do farm work every day. Once there was a chance to return to the city, they would swarm like flies to blood.

Lü Beichu looked at Wang Shuning and asked, “Are your parents planning to retire and have you take over their jobs?”

Wang Shuning neither confirmed nor denied. “My parents didn’t say anything; they only said not to find a partner in the countryside.” Wang Shuyi’s situation was a clear example; even if Song Guiying wanted to, she probably couldn’t do it.

But Wang Shuning’s indifferent attitude made others even more certain that her family would find a way for her to return to the city. Assuming she would take over her parents’ jobs, it meant Wang Shuning would probably only stay in Dafeng Village for two or three years. She was eighteen now; in two or three years, she wouldn’t be too old to find a partner in the city.

Zhao Hu suppressed his envy and looked at Lü Beichu . “Lü Beichu , will your family also have you take over their work?”

Guo Jingyi stared at Lü Beichu . If he wanted to return to the city and she didn’t have a chance, it meant they had no future.

Lü Beichu denied. “My father’s position is a bit sensitive; he needs to take a leading role, so I definitely can’t go back in the short term. Maybe there will be a way in the future.”

The higher the position, the less one could show favoritism, otherwise, others would easily find a handle. It seemed Lü Beichu ‘s family background was indeed good.

Wang Shuning had finished eating. Although several people were talking, their minds weren’t on the food, but the meat dishes on the table were already empty; they could gossip and eat at the same time.

Zhao He ping, who hadn’t spoken a word from beginning to end, had eaten until his mouth was greasy; he was practically about to use the remaining pig oil at the bottom of the plate to mix with his rice.

After dinner, it was getting dark. Lü Beichu walked beside Guo Jingyi, saying he would see her home. Zhao He ping followed like a clingy shadow, like a constantly burping invisible person.

At that moment, Qin Chuming followed and said, “I’m going to see Zhang Meili home. Jingyi and Meili live together; I’ll go with you.”

Zhang Meili’s face darkened. She bit her lip, glanced at Qin Chuming, and linked arms with Guo Jingyi. “No need. It’s not dark yet, and we can see the road clearly. Besides, the three of us are walking together in the village; what could happen? You don’t need to see us home.”

Saying this, she linked arms with Guo Jingyi and held Wang Shuning’s hand, walking towards the outside of the educated youth center.

Wang Shuning let her be pulled along. Qin Chuming was using Zhang Meili as a tool to get close to Guo Jingyi.

Women are naturally sensitive, especially towards rivals. How could Zhang Meili not see this? If this wasn’t handled well, Guo Jingyi and Zhang Meili’s shared living situation might have problems.

Along the way, none of the three spoke; the atmosphere was a bit awkward.

Wang Shuning looked at the two and found that they were both in a daze, looking absent-minded.

Passing He Zhuzhu’s house, Wang Shuning stopped. “Wait for me here; I’ll go get the meat.”

“Ah, oh.” Zhang Meili responded vaguely, looking at the house behind Wang Shuning. They had arrived so quickly?

A moment later, Wang Shuning came out carrying a piece of five-spice pork. “Here, the best piece.”

Guo Jingyi reached out to take it. It was dark, and the color couldn’t be seen. “Thank you. Then we’ll go back now.”

Wang Shuning nodded. As soon as the two took a step, she turned and went back to her room.

The next three days were sunny. Standing for two hours in the large square would make you sweat.

“The road to town is not easy to walk. Tie the bag tightly; don’t let it loosen halfway. You can’t fail to deliver it to town.” Village chief He Haiming personally supervised. Tomorrow they were going to town to deliver public grain. After delivering the grain, Dafeng Village would have nearly a month of free time; it wasn’t that they wouldn’t work, but the days would be much easier.

There were less than three months left in the second half of the year. They would leave half a month for preparations for the New Year, and the remaining two months would be spent planting next year’s spring wheat seeds and waiting for them to sprout. Fertilizing and weeding would be light work.

The rice was put into sacks, and the dust mixed in was pungent and made people cough.

“Guo Zhiqing, my family is having a wedding in two days. Could you please come and cook?” Since Guo Jingyi lived at He Pingping’s house, the aroma of her cooking could be smelled by several nearby households. After the dinner at the educated youth center, many villagers in Dafeng Village knew that Guo Jingyi was a good cook.

He Daniu’s son was getting married and was having a wedding banquet in a few days. He originally wanted to invite the village’s usual banquet chef, Mei Ming, but he had fallen and sprained his foot two days ago, and at nearly eighty years old, his family wouldn’t let him take on any more work.

He Daniu was worried about finding a chef, and Guo Jingyi’s name came up.

Guo Jingyi had never cooked large-scale meals and was a little hesitant. “About how many people will be at the wedding banquet? How many tables will there be? How many dishes per table?”

He Daniu replied, “Ten tables, ten people per table, twenty-six dishes per table, half meat and half vegetables.”

It was a big undertaking; she would have to start preparing the day before.

Seeing Guo Jingyi’s hesitation, He Daniu realized she didn’t understand local customs, so he stepped forward and whispered, “It’s not for free; you’ll get three yuan for your trouble, and you can take home any leftover food, saving you two or three meals.”

The head chef in the kitchen always got to eat first and usually got the most meat.

“Okay, what day is the wedding banquet?” After thinking for a moment, Guo Jingyi agreed. Besides her cooking skills, she had no other skills, and her family’s conditions were average; this might be a good way to make money. The wedding banquet was for villagers, and this was a chance to build her reputation, and people would actively seek her out in the future.

He Daniu smiled. “I asked the village chief; we’ll have a few days off after delivering the public grain in these two days. The wedding banquet is scheduled for the twenty-sixth of this month. You come to my house on the afternoon of the twenty-fifth to prepare. There will be people to help; just make your requests, and the villagers will follow them. The cooking will be done by the morning of the twenty-sixth.”

“Okay, I’ll be there on time,” Guo Jingyi nodded in agreement.

When Wang Shuning heard from Zhang Meili that Guo Jingyi was going to cook at the wedding banquet, she wasn’t surprised. In the original story, the heroine used her excellent culinary skills to quickly establish herself in Dafeng Village.

However, the fact that the village would have a few days off after delivering the public grain was good news.