Chapter 19

Mother Li entered the room and emerged moments later, clutching a handkerchief in her trembling hands. With obvious reluctance, she offered it to Zhang Tieshan, her shaking fingers betraying her heartache.

Zhang Tieshan snatched the handkerchief and opened it. Inside were several silver coins, totaling about twelve or thirteen taels—not the full fifteen.

Mother Li quickly explained, “We truly don’t have any more silver. This is all we have. Tieshan, please, for the sake of our families’ long-standing ties, let’s end this here.”

Zhang Tieshan remained silent. After pocketing the coins, he finally said, “Fine. I don’t need the rest. We’ll take the furniture as compensation. Qingshan, Xiao Er, smash it!”

Obeying instantly, Zhang Qingshan and Luo Er grabbed hoes from the corner and began smashing everything in sight. The thunderous crashes echoed through the house, drawing curious villagers to gather outside.

“Zhang Tieshan, what are you doing? Stop this! Didn’t we agree to settle things?” Madam Li cried out in despair.

Li Changfu’s wife joined in, screaming, “Ah—stop it! Stop it right now!”

Seeing the two men continue their destruction, Li Changfu’s eyes turned bloodshot with rage. “You’ve gone too far!” he roared, lunging at Zhang Qingshan. Li Changshou followed, trying to restrain Luo Er.

Zhang Tieshan’s eyes flashed with anger. With a swift kick, accompanied by a gust of wind, he sent Li Changfu and Li Changshou sprawling to the ground, writhing in pain. Lotus Lady and Li Changfu’s wife screamed in terror.

With their belongings smashed and their sons beaten, Mother Li burst into tears, collapsing onto the ground. Sobbing and pounding the earth, she wailed, “My life is so bitter! The Zhang family has gone too far! They divorced my daughter, robbed us, and now they’re destroying our home! Someone tell me, is there no justice left in this world? Waaah…”

Li Changfu’s wife followed suit, pounding the ground and crying loudly, begging the villagers for sympathy. But everyone knew the Li family’s reputation, and no one stepped forward to defend them.

While the two women wailed, the house was nearly completely wrecked. Zhang Tieshan raised his hand to signal a stop. “This is the price you pay for bullying my family while I was away,” he declared. “If anyone has a problem with it, come find me.” With that, he led Zhang Qingshan and Luo Er out of the Li family’s gate.

The villagers gathered at the entrance automatically parted, watching the trio leave the village.

…….

On their way home, Zhang Qingshan was overjoyed. “Brother, today was so satisfying! Did you see how cowardly the Li family looked? They were so arrogant before!”

Zhang Tieshan remained silent, his face expressionless.

Undeterred, Zhang Qingshan continued excitedly, “Now that we’re getting our money back, we’ll finally have some to spare! We can buy everything we need for the house. Brother, I want meat—braised pork! That woman’s cooking was so delicious last time—”

He suddenly realized what he’d said, awkwardly scratching his head and glancing at Zhang Tieshan.

Seeing no anger on his brother’s face at the mention of “that woman,” he breathed a sigh of relief and continued, “Did you hear what the Li family said earlier? She went back to her parents’ home but was kicked out! Serves her right—evil deeds bring evil consequences. Now even her own family won’t take her in. What’s she going to do?”

Zhang Tieshan’s eyes flickered, and his lips tightened slightly.

…….

Li Hehua was completely unaware of the events unfolding at the Li family. At that moment, she was sitting down to lunch with Cao Simei and her family.

Li Hehua had cooked today’s meal herself. Cao Simei’s family was overjoyed, their eyes gleaming as they gazed at the fragrant dishes spread across the table. While farm families rarely ate meat, their intense craving wasn’t just for that. The aroma alone was enough to make their mouths water—this meal was far from ordinary.

Cao Simei clasped Li Hehua’s hand in gratitude. “Hehua, thank you so much! I can tell this meal is going to be delicious just by the smell.”

Li Hehua quickly waved her hand. “Don’t mention it, I should be the one thanking you. If your family hadn’t taken me in, I’d have nowhere to stay.”

Cao Simei chuckled and patted her hand. “Enough with the thanks. Let’s eat—everyone’s starving!”

At her words, the family lit up. The children grabbed their chopsticks and dove in. Even Cao Simei’s husband, He Da, joined in with the same eagerness.

The eldest son was the first to swallow his mouthful of meat. He gave Li Hehua a big thumbs-up. “Aunt Li, this food is amazing! Your cooking is incredible! I’ve never tasted anything so delicious!”

The eldest daughter echoed him, her eyes bright. “Aunt Li, no wonder you can prepare such a feast! My brother used to catch fish, but Mom’s fish always tasted fishy. None of us liked it.”

The children all nodded. Even He Da showed his approval. Cao Simei pretended to be angry, “You ungrateful lot! I cook for you every day, and you dare criticize my food?”

Laughter burst around the table.

Cao Simei’s youngest son, just eight and full of energy, wasn’t scared. “Mom, your cooking really isn’t as good as Aunt Li’s! This fish is so delicious. You should learn from her. Then when my brother and I catch fish again, we can eat this every day!”

Cao Simei tapped his head. “You think cooking’s easy? It takes talent! Otherwise, everyone would be a chef.”

The little boy pouted.

Li Hehua chuckled. “Cao jie, you saw how I prepared the fish. Just follow those steps and practice. It’s not hard. If you run into trouble, just ask me.”

“Then, Hehua, I thank you in advance. If I mess up, I’ll be running to you for help,” Cao Simei said, determined to improve her skills.

The meal was devoured clean. Even the broth was mixed into the children’s rice. Everyone patted their full bellies in satisfaction. Cao Simei’s youngest asked if Aunt Li could cook again tomorrow, earning him a handful of roasted chestnuts.

…….

The next day was Old Wang’s celebratory feast. Li Hehua went from Cao Simei’s house to the Wang residence.

The Wang family greeted her warmly. They still remembered the suan cai yu (pickled fish soup) she’d made—it had been so delicious, they nearly bit their tongues off. They had been dreaming of it ever since.

“Can you make that Pickled Fish dish again today?” Old Wang asked. “We bought ten fish and some pickled cabbage.”

Li Hehua happily agreed and planned to make all ten into suan cai yu.

With that settled, she turned to the rest of the ingredients: chicken, duck, pork belly, ribs, and beef. After some thought, she decided on: big plate chicken, braised duck, sweet and sour pork, braised ribs, beef stew, and slow-cooked hen soup. For vegetables: tofu soup, veggie stir-fry, mushrooms with greens, dry-fried cauliflower, yu xiang shredded pork, and mapo tofu—twelve dishes total.

When she recited the menu, the Wang family stared in astonishment. Most of the names were unfamiliar. It was just like the first time they’d tasted suan cai yu—surprising and new.

In rural villages, banquet dishes were always chicken, duck, fish, and pork—braised or stewed. The variety Li Hehua proposed was unheard of.

Old Wang waved her off. “Just do as you see fit. We trust you completely.”

Li Hehua threw herself into the work. She lit two large woks, one in each hand—left for big plate chicken, right for braised ribs. She sprinkled salt into one and poured soy sauce into the other. Her movements were precise and fluid.

The Wang family and kitchen helpers stared in awe. Some even forgot what they were doing until Li Hehua reminded them.

Village banquets often ran slow. One main cook meant dishes came out one at a time. Not today. Li Hehua cooked faster than guests could eat. Every dish was served hot and fresh. Soon, the entire table was filled with steaming plates.

Guests were stunned. “How many chefs did you hire? The food’s coming so fast—and it’s amazing!”

“This isn’t Old Zhou’s work—his food never tasted like this!”

“Who made these dishes? I want to hire them next time!”

Old Wang puffed with pride. “We only hired one chef—and she’s better than any restaurant cook I’ve ever known.”

After a bit of teasing, he finally revealed it was Li Hehua. Many guests took mental note of her name.

…….

After the banquet, Li Hehua shared a meal with the helpers. Aunt Wang paid her generously and gave her vegetables, melon seeds, and candies. Li Hehua accepted it all and brought it back to Cao Simei’s. She gave most of it to them, keeping just half the treats for the little one.

She couldn’t shake her concern for him. Since learning he was her body’s biological son, something had shifted. She couldn’t stop thinking about him, constantly hoping he’d grow up healthy and happy.

Let’s just call it compensation—for the original owner and that poor little boy.

The next day, she planned to sneak over after selling pastries. She knew the men were often in the fields or the mountains, and Madam Zhang wasn’t always home. If the child was alone, she could slip in unseen.

But first, she needed to find her own place. She couldn’t stay with Cao Simei forever, no matter how kind they were.

That afternoon, Li Hehua used their kitchen to bake more pastries. She made extra for Cao Simei’s family and wrapped a small bundle in oiled paper—for the little one.

Early the next morning, she returned to town. Regular customers greeted her eagerly, asking why she’d been away. She smiled and explained, then quickly sold out—leaving only the hidden package in her basket.

Instead of going home, she went to the Zhang residence. She hid until Madam Zhang left, then slipped in.

In the kitchen, she found the little one behind the stove. He looked even thinner than before. His face was gaunt, his limbs bony. The sight made her chest ache.

In modern times, all children were plump and rosy… but this child—

She stopped herself. Technically, this child was hers now.

She approached slowly, knelt, and opened her basket. “Sweetheart, look what I brought you. Do you remember these? Cakes and red bean pastries—you’ve had them before.”

She opened the candy packet. “Look—sweet, yummy candies. Save them, eat slowly. Don’t have too many in one day, and never before bed. The tooth bugs will come.”

When the child didn’t respond, she gently held the candy in front of him. To her surprise, his eyes moved. After a moment, he slowly reached out and took a piece of cake, putting it in his mouth.

Li Hehua nearly cried from joy.

But time was short. She set down the food and said softly, “Sweetheart, I have to go. I don’t want to be seen by your grandmother or father—they’ll think I’m here to hurt you.”

She gave him one last look. “I’ll come see you again soon. Eat well, okay? Don’t get any thinner.”

She peeked out the door, confirmed it was clear, and slipped away from the Zhang family.

Little did Li Hehua know, every one of her actions had been observed by someone.