Chapter 17:

Yu Xiang’an was momentarily confused by the situation, but Yan Yuzhen continued, “I already know what happened, Xiao An. Don’t be too upset—it just wasn’t meant to be. Although I haven’t known you for long, I can tell what kind of person you are. Don’t worry, Zhenjie knows plenty of people, and I’ll definitely find you someone who’s considerate and suits you.”

Hearing this, Yu Xiang’an realized what she was referring to.

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Zhenjie, I’m fine.”

Yan Yuzhen didn’t believe her for a second. How could she be fine? Some people with thin skin might never dare to show their faces in public again after something like this. The thought made her even more sympathetic.

Though Yu Xiang’an wasn’t particularly bothered, the genuine concern in Yan Yuzhen’s words still brought a sincere smile to her face.

She had already mentally prepared herself for the gossip spreading through the factory. Scandals, especially those involving two women fighting over a man, were the kind of juicy topics people loved to discuss. It was inevitable that she’d be the subject of chatter for a while, but as long as she endured this period, most people would gradually forget—except for a few who might hold onto it.

If she was lucky, another scandal might overshadow hers, speeding up the process.

After all, she hadn’t done anything outrageous or wrong.

Just as they were talking, Sun Qingchun arrived. When he saw Yu Xiang’an, his expression turned awkward, and his gaze flickered away. He muttered under his breath, “Comrade Xiao An, when faced with difficulties, we must strive to overcome them. Don’t let them defeat you!”

Yu Xiang’an chuckled, but her brief amusement was cut short when Deng Xiahong walked in. The moment Deng spotted Yu Xiang’an, her eyes narrowed, and a mocking smirk curled at her lips. The disdain in her gaze was enough to make anyone’s blood boil.

Seeing this, Yan Yuzhen’s expression darkened. *How old is this woman?* she thought. *She’s acting so immature, wasting all those years of life. Picking on a young girl like this—seems like she hasn’t learned her lesson from last time.*

Sun Qingchun also felt she had gone too far. Instead of offering comfort in such a situation, she was openly mocking the person involved.

When Li Jianguo from the cashier’s office arrived shortly after, they could hear loud laughter and chatter from next door.

“Did you see her just now? What do you think of her sister? I bet she’s a hardworking, persevering woman of the new era. That’s why he chose her over Xiao An. In my opinion, there must be something wrong with Xiao An herself. Otherwise, why would he make such a choice? It’s a good thing they found out in time—imagine if they’d already gotten married!”

The tone and words made it clear to the three of them that she was talking about Yu Xiang’an.

Yan Yuzhen immediately stood up, but Yu Xiang’an was faster. She strode toward the neighboring office with such intensity that Sun Qingchun hurried after her, afraid she might actually start a fight.

When Yu Xiang’an stormed in, Li Jianguo stiffened at the sight of her. He forced a nod in greeting before burying himself in the files on his desk, clearly trying to avoid the confrontation.

Deng Xiahong was startled by Yu Xiang’an’s sudden appearance, but she wasn’t afraid. Comparing their physiques, she figured she could take Yu Xiang’an down easily if it came to blows.

Yan Yuzhen rushed over and grabbed Yu Xiang’an’s arm. “What’s going on?” she whispered urgently. “Don’t do anything stupid. You can’t start a fight here.”

Yu Xiang’an smiled. “I wasn’t planning to.” Fighting would only put her at a disadvantage. She wasn’t here to throw punches—she was here to *reason* with them.

To persuade with logic.

“What were you all just talking about?” Yu Xiang’an asked Li Jianguo.

Li Jianguo twitched his lips. “I just got here. I don’t know anything.” He immediately denied everything.

Yu Xiang’an nodded. “Oh, really? I thought you were gossiping behind someone’s back. Some people, for whatever reason, are just petty, loose-lipped, and lack virtue. They don’t bother thinking things through—they hear something and immediately embellish it, spreading nonsense everywhere. No sense of decency.”

She paused, then continued, “Our country values respecting the elderly and cherishing the young—it’s one of our virtues. But some people don’t deserve respect. Why do we respect the elderly? Because they’ve experienced more, they think more deeply, and their words often guide the younger generation. But some people? They’ve aged, but time hasn’t made them wiser—it’s just been wasted on them. So, not every elder deserves respect. A bad person who grows old is still a bad person—unworthy!”

She was pointing at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust—who couldn’t do that?

Deng Xiahong’s earlier remarks had essentially blamed Yu Xiang’an, suggesting she was lazy, lacking perseverance, and flawed—that’s why Zhou Boyang had chosen her sister instead. If Yu Xiang’an stayed silent, Deng would think she was an easy target. Had her previous workplace provocations made Deng think she was too timid to stand up for herself?

If she let this slide, it would only escalate. Since Deng wanted to stir trouble, Yu Xiang’an was ready to play along. She wasn’t afraid of making a scene.

Li Jianguo’s jaw dropped at her words. This young woman had a sharp tongue—not a single curse word, but Deng Xiahong’s face flushed red with anger.

Deng pointed at Yu Xiang’an, sputtering, “Y-you dare insult me?!”

Yu Xiang’an raised an eyebrow. “When did I insult you? Did I mention your name?”

Yan Yuzhen quickly composed herself and tugged Yu Xiang’an back. “Xiao An, it’s getting late. Time to work.” It was best to quit while they were ahead. She had seen Wang Yunlai heading their way—if he caught all three of them from accounting gathered here, he might assume they were ganging up on Deng.

As for whether Yu Xiang’an’s image would seem too aggressive… Yan Yuzhen couldn’t care less. She herself had once been called the “Iron Lady” in her youth—it was only with age that she’d mellowed. She admired women who were decisive and stood up for themselves. Without such women, how could they claim that “women hold up half the sky”?

“Xiao An, what did you see when you went to the city yesterday? Is it very different from here?” Sun Qingchun asked, clearly unfazed by her earlier outburst. His question was genuine—he had never been to the city himself.

Yu Xiang’an smiled as if nothing had happened. “Most of it is similar—same kind of people, same factories. But it’s bigger, with more people. On the way there, we were riding in the back of the truck when it broke down halfway. I was so worried—there wasn’t a village or a shop in sight. What if we were stranded? But the driver just laughed, grabbed his tools, and fixed it in no time. I couldn’t even follow what he was doing…”

Next door, Li Jianguo pricked up his ears, listening with interest. He had never been to the city either. But he had underestimated Yu Xiang’an—listening to her now, she was clearly a force to be reckoned with.

Wang Yunlai glanced at Deng Xiahong, who was angrily tapping away at her desk, and then at Li Jianguo, who was eavesdropping on the conversation next door. He cleared his throat. “It’s still early. Have you finished your work?”

Deng Xiahong had no choice but to swallow her anger and quiet down.

She didn’t dare cause trouble now—not after being reprimanded recently. Another scolding would humiliate her in front of everyone after all these years of working here.

She’d bide her time for now. She had eaten more salt than Yu Xiang’an had eaten rice—how could she possibly lose to her?

For the rest of the day, Yan Yuzhen kept Yu Xiang’an inside the office, minimizing her contact with others to shield her from gossip.

Yu Xiang’an sat quietly at her desk, her mood surprisingly good.

That evening, after dinner, Yu Qingshan mentioned that the next day was Yao Cuifen’s birthday and that the whole family would go over for a meal.

Yu Xiang’an agreed. “Dad, when I was looking for work, Grandma and the others helped a lot. Now that I have a salary, I’ll buy a chicken or duck to make soup for her—something nourishing.” She planned to add some of her stored spiritual spring water to the dish. Though its effects weren’t miraculous, small doses over time would benefit everyone’s health.

Yu Qingshan thought for a moment and nodded. “It’s good that you’re filial. But if you run short on money, let me know.”

Yu Xiangju, who had been listening, asked, “Dad, did you tell Big Brother and the others?”

“I did. I ran into him at the factory and told him. He agreed to come.”

Yu Xiangju cheered. “Then I’ll make Grandma a big red flower! Dad, do you still have the red paper you brought last time? I’ll cut one out for her.”

Yu Qingshan smiled. “Go look for it. I gave it all to you.”

Yu Xiangju rushed off to rummage through his room.

Zhao Qiaoniang’s movements as she wiped the table grew slower and slower.

After the lights were turned off and everyone had gone to bed, she finally spoke to Yu Qingshan. “Maybe… I shouldn’t go this time.”

After all, she had no real ties to the Qin family.

They had gotten along well enough before, but now, because of Minshui’s actions, she couldn’t face them with her head held high. For Yao Cuifen’s birthday, she thought it might be better to skip it to avoid awkwardness.

But Yu Qingshan disagreed. “If you don’t go this time, what about next time? Will you never go again?”

Zhao Qiaoniang murmured, “…It’s not like it matters if I don’t.” But her voice grew quieter.

If she never went, what if they said things to influence Xiao Ju’s feelings toward her while she wasn’t there?

After a pause, she muttered, “…Fine. I’ll go.”

Yu Xiang’an had suggested buying a chicken or duck for Yao Cuifen’s soup because, if she couldn’t find one for sale, she could always take a plump duck from her farm.

In the original host’s memories, the family had always been close to her maternal relatives. That was why Yu Qingshan had gone straight to the Qin family to discuss things when he learned of her situation.

Before, it hadn’t been a big deal since she didn’t have a job. But now that she did, and with it being her grandmother’s birthday, Yu Xiang’an wanted to prepare a proper meal to show her gratitude.

When Yu Qingshan saw the hefty duck Yu Xiang’an brought home at noon, he hefted it in his hand, impressed. “Where did you trade for this? It’s so plump—haven’t seen one this fat in years.”

Yu Xiang’an smiled. “Just luck.”

Yu Qingshan nodded. “The water’s already boiling. I’ll prepare it now, and you can start stewing it. Xiao Ju will keep an eye on it at home.”

Tasks like slaughtering chickens or fish had always been handled by the men in the family. When the boys were home, they did it; otherwise, Yu Qingshan took care of it.

He believed such bloody work wasn’t suitable for women—he didn’t want them frightened. Today, he had come home specifically to help.

It was a father’s protective love.

The duck was indeed fat—the rendered fat alone weighed over half a pound.

By the time they left for work, only Yu Xiangju remained at home, guarding the pot of duck stew in the kitchen.

It was torture—the aroma was irresistible, but he had to obey and not touch it.

That evening, after work, they returned home to fetch the duck before heading to the Qin residence.

When they arrived, Qin Qiang and Yao Cuifen had already prepared most of the meal, waiting for them to start dinner.

Yao Cuifen hadn’t originally planned to celebrate her birthday, but when she heard her grandchildren were coming, she decided to cook the large fish she had been keeping in the water tank.

The fish head, tail, and bones were used for soup, while the flesh was mixed with starch and turned into fillings for stuffed tofu and bitter melon. With the addition of taro and pumpkin, one fish became four dishes.

Along with the braised pork Qin Fengmao had brought from the state-run restaurant, the table was already as lavish as a New Year’s feast.

But when Yu Qingshan and Yu Xianghai each brought out a basket—one containing a pot of soup, the other a whole fat duck—Yao Cuifen’s eyes widened.

“You spendthrifts! You cooked a whole duck like this in one go?”

Yu Xiang’an grinned. “Grandma, I was just lucky to trade for it. With so many of us, do you really think we won’t finish it?”

“Trade” was a euphemism for “buy”—private sales weren’t allowed, but exchanges were, so people used the term loosely.

Yao Cuifen scoffed. “Even if you had ten more, it wouldn’t be enough!”

She had three children—two sons and a daughter (Qin Fenglan, the youngest). The sons had long since split from the main household, though they still lived together.

Her eldest son had died in battle, and his widow worked as an army nurse. They had two sons—the eldest grandson’s family of three lived on the military base, while the second grandson’s family of three lived nearby.

Her second son, Qin Fengmao, had taken over Qin Qiang’s job at the state-run restaurant. He and his wife had three children—two daughters who had already married, and a son who had recently started a family. His wife was now pregnant.

In total, there were nine people in the household.

With the seven from the Yu family added, they needed two large tables to seat everyone.

One fat duck? They could easily devour three.

Qin Fengmao brought the duck into the kitchen. After being stewed for so long, the meat easily fell off the bones with just a gentle tug.

It was mouthwatering. As soon as it was served, Yao Cuifen divided the duck legs into the bowls of Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie, while the two duck wings went to her little granddaughter and Yu Xiang’an, who couldn’t refuse even if she tried.

Yu Xiang’an sat beside Yao Cuifen, eyeing the duck leg and quickly picking out the meat for her grandmother. If she hesitated, the meat would be gone.

On Yu Xiang’an’s other side was Yu Qingshan, and next to him was Zhao Qiaoniang. She was even quieter than usual at home, only greeting Qin Qiang and Yao Cuifen when she arrived and then falling silent.

She listened to the conversation beside her: “Are you really doing fine at the factory? Don’t lie to your grandma. If anything’s wrong, don’t hide it. I may not have connections at the food factory, but your uncle knows a few people here and there. They might be able to help a little.”

Though her granddaughter spoke confidently, Yao Cuifen knew there must be some challenges. Jobs in the city were fiercely competitive—some parents even retired early just to secure positions for their children.

An extra job opening could spark a scramble, let alone a coveted office job like her granddaughter’s—comfortable, well-paid, and respectable. Envy was inevitable.

Yu Xiang’an thought of Deng Xiahong, whose hostility stemmed from this very job. She smiled. “Don’t worry, Grandma. I’m not lying. Do I look like I’m in trouble?”

She wasn’t truly eighteen—she’d already graduated from university and had managed her own private restaurant single-handedly. Her family had opposed the idea, preferring she take an easier job.

“That’s good.” Seeing her granddaughter’s healthier complexion, Yao Cuifen relaxed. “You’re blossoming.” She added a piece of braised pork to Yu Xiang’an’s bowl. “Eat more. Right now, I don’t know any promising young men, but in a year or two, I’ll find you a perfect match.”

Had her own daughter been alive, she’d have handled this. But with a stepmother involved, tensions could arise. To avoid complications, Yao Cuifen took charge herself, ensuring Zhao Qiaoniang wouldn’t interfere.

Yu Qingshan chimed in, “Then we’ll trouble you, Mom.”

Yao Cuifen waved him off. “Don’t leave it all to me. You two should also keep an eye out at the factory. Our Xiao An deserves the best—no compromises.”

“She has a stable job, so her partner must too. Ideally, he’d have his own place, even if it’s small. Living separately avoids conflicts. And it’d be best if his family isn’t too far, so we can stay informed.”

They enthusiastically discussed criteria for Yu Xiang’an’s future partner. She listened, feeling surreal: “…”

She was eighteen, not twenty-eight! Internally, she groaned. Romance was the last thing on her mind.

Yao Cuifen had three granddaughters. The eldest had passed away during rural labor, the middle one was settled with her childhood sweetheart, leaving only the youngest—Yu Xiang’an—needing her help. With little else to occupy her, Yao Cuifen threw herself into the task with gusto.

Yu Xiang’an tried to interject but found no opening. She shot Yu Qingshan a pleading look, hoping he’d change the subject, but he either missed it or ignored it.

She sighed. This was the generational gap. In her past life, parents would’ve discouraged dating at her age, fearing it’d distract from studies. Times were incomparable.

Noticing her discomfort, Qin Qiang coughed and shifted the topic. “This soup is excellent. Who made it?”

Yu Xiang’an perked up. “Grandpa, I did! How does it taste?”

He glanced at her, surprised. “You made this? Impressive.” He’d assumed it was Zhao Qiaoniang’s work.

Yu Xiang’an returned the praise. “Your longevity noodles were delicious too. Teach me the secret?”

Zhao Qiaoniang drifted into a daze.

Birthdays, longevity noodles… Minxiu’s birthday was approaching. Last year, she’d promised to make her a small bowl of noodles. Now, that was impossible—she didn’t even know where her daughter was.

Was she doing well? Given her pregnancy, she must be…

While the family enjoyed their meal, in Shangshui Commune, Ding Fahai was furious.

He’d held back his anger at the brick factory to avoid ridicule, but once off work, he exploded at home. “Where are you all? Do you think I’m dead? My daughter got married, and no one told me! She’s my flesh and blood! I’m her father!”

After raising her, he deserved the bride price! That Zhao Qiaoniang dared hide this—she and the Yu family must’ve pocketed it!

If not for overhearing at work, he’d still be in the dark. Were they waiting until he became a grandfather to tell him, making it a done deal?

No. He’d go to town and teach them a lesson. They’d learn: Ding Fahai was Ding Minxiu’s father. Without his approval, she wouldn’t marry peacefully!