Chapter 28: Never Seen Such a Thick-Faced Person

Gu Yunchi returned at 1:30 PM, having sold all the remaining cold noodles. She was still a little unsatisfied, “If I had another hundred portions, I could have sold them all.”

She hadn’t rested all afternoon, her face sunburnt red, and her lips dry. Jiang Yiyi poured her some water, and Gu Yunchi drank most of the enamel mug in one go.

“It’s still early, let’s make some more this afternoon, and I’ll go out to sell them tonight.”

“You got up at midnight and haven’t rested until now. If this continues, your body won’t be able to take it. Eat your fill and take a nap first. Money isn’t earned all at once.”

Gu Yunchi wasn’t sleepy or tired at all; her mind was full of making money selling cold noodles.

But Jiang Yiyi didn’t give in. Zhou Fen brought over some noodles, and Jiang Yiyi watched Gu Yunchi finish them before forcing her to take a nap.

Gu Yunchi lay in bed but couldn’t fall asleep. Hearing Jiang Yiyi, Zhou Fen, and the widowed Zhou woman start mixing and washing the noodles, she got up and joined them.

Seeing her high spirits, knowing that forcing her to sleep again wouldn’t work, Jiang Yiyi didn’t make her sleep anymore.

They finished around 5 PM. Gu Yunchi said, “I’ll stay here tonight. I’ll go home after Auntie Zhou gets the hang of it. I’ll leave Tiantian and Yueyue to Big Sister-in-law.”

Although the two children hadn’t left her side since birth, they were very well-behaved. She had told them this morning that she wouldn’t be able to go back for the next two days because she needed to earn money to buy them delicious food.

Jiang Yiyi also wanted her to take over the stall quickly so she could go to the city to develop. She bought a pound of pastries for the family at the supply and marketing cooperative and stopped by the village shop to buy four popsicles.

The shop owner handed them over while secretly watching her. The village was buzzing with rumors that Jiang Yiyi had made a lot of money selling cold noodles, but nobody knew if it was true.

Jiang Yiyi paid and returned home. The two little ones were playing under the shade of a tree, with Gu’s mother sewing clothes beside them.

“Auntie!”

“Auntie!”

Seeing her, the two little ones immediately stood up and ran towards her on their short legs.

“Slow down, don’t fall.”

Gu’s mother smiled.

The two little ones ran up to her, and Jiang Yiyi gave them the popsicles. But they didn’t eat them. After she propped up her bicycle, they held them up to her simultaneously, “Auntie, you eat first.” “Auntie, you eat first.”

“Auntie won’t eat, Tiantian and Yueyue eat.”

As she spoke, Jiang Yiyi squatted down and asked, “Mama isn’t coming back tonight. Tiantian and Yueyue, will you sleep with Auntie tonight?”

“Okay!”

The two little ones answered in unison.

Jiang Yiyi patted their heads, “Tiantian and Yueyue are so good.”

Praised, the two little ones’ beautiful big eyes curved happily.

Gu’s mother watched with a smile on her face.

Jiang Yiyi put the pastries and popsicles in the house, brought a small stool back and sat down. Before she could speak, someone walked into the yard.

“Sister-in-law, niece-in-law, are you home?”

Jiang Yiyi seemed to have seen this person on the road, but she wasn’t very familiar with the villagers and hadn’t greeted her.

Gu’s mother, however, seemed to tense up and quickly stood up, “It’s your aunt, come in and sit!”

The visitor didn’t stand on ceremony, walking straight over and sitting on the stool Gu’s mother had just been sitting on. She looked at Tiantian and Yueyue, “Oh, these two girls are so pretty. When they grow up, they’ll definitely be like Yunchi, very attractive to young men. By the way, where’s Yunchi? Why doesn’t she come out to talk to me? Does she look down on her aunt?”

“She’s not home.”

Jiang Yiyi replied coldly and indifferently; her unwelcoming attitude was clearly written on her face.

In the past, the aunt would have lost her temper, but today she came with a request. Not only could she not get angry, but she also had to put on a smiling face, “Yiyi, I heard that your cold noodles sell very well. Can you teach me? I also want to sell them.”

Having seen thick-faced people, she had never seen someone this thick-faced. Jiang Yiyi coldly curled her lips, “Okay.”

The aunt was overjoyed.

But before her joy could reach her face, Jiang Yiyi continued, “But it won’t be free. Considering our close family relationship, you’ll pay ten thousand yuan.”

“Ten thousand yuan!”

The aunt’s voice suddenly rose, “Are you crazy for money?”

“I wanted to say the same to you. Are you crazy for money? I painstakingly figured out this cold noodle recipe, why should I teach you for free?”

The aunt was speechless, looking at Gu’s mother, “Sister-in-law, are you letting her talk to me like this? Don’t forget, when Big Brother had his accident, it was my husband who helped bring him back.”

“I haven’t forgotten. I also remember you throwing a tantrum and saying it delayed your husband’s work, forcing me to compensate you two yuan.”

Gu’s mother experienced firsthand what it meant for people to leave after drinking the tea. When her husband was alive, these so-called cousins came to curry favor, occasionally getting some benefits, and calling her sister-in-law affectionately, calling her husband brother warmly. But after her husband passed away, none of them came to ask if they were having difficulties or needed help.

“Don’t be greedy. If it weren’t for the sake of family, I would have asked for at least five yuan. It was a death, very unlucky.”

“I find you unlucky too…” Jiang Yiyi said coldly, “If you don’t want me to kick you out, leave yourself.”

“You, you…”

“Do you want me to kick you out?”

Seeing that she wasn’t joking, the aunt stood up abruptly, “You’re so ruthless. Don’t ask us for help in the future.”

“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”

The aunt left angrily.

Gu’s mother quickly went to close the door.

Tiantian and Yueyue were scared, clinging to Jiang Yiyi. They didn’t even eat their popsicles, their little faces full of fear.

Jiang Yiyi comforted them by stroking their heads, “Tiantian, Yueyue, don’t be afraid. Auntie chased her away. She won’t come again. Auntie promises you.”

The two little ones’ fear gradually subsided, but they still clung tightly to Jiang Yiyi.

Jiang Yiyi coaxed them for a while before the two little ones regained their liveliness, chattering about what they had done at home today.

When Gu Yunyang and Gu Yuncan returned from school, the two little ones ran to play with them. Jiang Yiyi went to the vegetable garden, picked some vegetables, washed them, and made stir-fried green peppers with pork, stir-fried loofah with eggs, cold cucumber salad, sugar-mixed tomatoes, and millet porridge.

After the family had eaten their fill and taken a bath, Jiang Yiyi took Tiantian and Yueyue to her room and told them stories.

The two little ones listened with wide, curious eyes, and only slowly closed their eyes after several stories.

Jiang Yiyi let out a sigh of relief, just about to move them to sleep more comfortably, when there was a gentle knock on the door, “Yiyi.”

Jiang Yiyi gently got up to open the door.

Gu’s mother stood at the door, whispering, “Are they asleep?”

Jiang Yiyi nodded.

“I’ll take them back. You can sleep more comfortably tonight.”

“No need.”

“They need to get up at night, they’ll disturb you, you won’t rest well, and you won’t have the energy tomorrow. Don’t argue with your mother.”

As she spoke, Gu’s mother entered the room. Jiang Yiyi really didn’t have any experience in taking care of children at night, so she didn’t stop her, and together they carried Yueyue back to Gu’s mother’s room.