Hearing this accent, Yu Xiang’an turned her head and saw a fair-haired, blue-eyed foreigner. He looked at Yu Xiang’an with a hint of admiration on his face, saying, “Beautiful,” before switching to Chinese, “Ni hao.”
Yu Xiang’an smiled and stood up, “Hello.”
“Ni shou shang zhe ge, hao kan.”
Yu Xiang’an extended her hand, offering it to him, “If you like it, you can take a look. I just picked it up casually.”
The foreigner looked momentarily confused, as if he hadn’t understood. Yu Xiang’an repeated it in English, and his face immediately lit up with delight.
“That’s great! My Chinese isn’t very good, and often people don’t understand what I’m saying.”
“My foreign language skills are decent. If you like it, you can buy it—it’s only five yuan.”
“This is so beautiful, I love it! Five yuan? That’s so cheap!”
The stall owner, watching them converse in a foreign language, shrank his shoulders slightly, somewhat impressed. He wouldn’t dare—if foreigners came to his stall and spoke to him, he wouldn’t be able to respond, missing out on potential business.
Clayte happily took out the money to buy it and placed it in his backpack, which already contained a small vase with a carp swimming in water.
Lin Chuanbai noticed, “You really like porcelain?”
Clayte flashed a bright smile, “Yes, I was raised by a Chinese woman—my adoptive mother. She had two favorite vases with this exact pattern, and I love them too.”
Lin Chuanbai nodded in understanding, “I see. Did she come back to her homeland with you this time?”
Clayte shook his head, “She passed away. Since I just graduated from university, I took the opportunity to visit this country. I wanted to see the hometown she always talked about. On her deathbed, she kept reminiscing about her hometown. I promised her that after graduation, I’d bring her photo back to see it and help set up a memorial for her.”
Hearing this, one couldn’t help but feel a sense of goodwill toward him.
Yu Xiang’an spoke gently, “Do you know where her hometown is? We’re quite familiar with this area and can guide you.”
Clayte’s smile widened, “That would be amazing! My Chinese isn’t standard, and people don’t understand me. I’ve asked others, but no one knew the place. I just followed others to get here.” He took out an old photo from his pocket, and Yu Xiang’an recognized it immediately—wasn’t that Peking University in the background?
So her home was near Peking University.
“We know where this is. Let us take you there.”
“That’s wonderful! How should I address you?”
“I’m Lin Chuanbai.”
“Then I can call you Lin?”
“I’m Yu Xiang’an, his wife.”
“Then I’ll call you Yu.”
Clayte pointed at himself, “Lin, Yu, you can call me Clayte.”
Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai hadn’t bought anything yet, so they could always come back later.
Touched by Clayte’s sincerity, Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai became his guides.
He wandered around the area for a long time, taking several photos with his camera. “From her descriptions, I’m sure this is the place—this was her home.”
Now, it had become a home for many people.
Watching the children peeking out from behind doors, Yu Xiang’an fell silent.
Lin Chuanbai said, “My condolences.”
“I believe she will reach heaven under God’s guidance and reunite with her family.” Clayte was sad for a moment but quickly regained his composure.
“Thank you for guiding me.”
Yu Xiang’an, “You’re welcome. Where are you heading next?”
Clayte rubbed his stomach, “To eat. Do you have any recommendations?”
Yu Xiang’an smiled, “What a coincidence—I actually own a restaurant. The food is great. Would you like to try it?”
Clayte grinned, “It would be my honor.”
Then he asked curiously, “You didn’t mention you own a restaurant. I thought you were university students.” They both looked quite young.
Lin Chuanbai chuckled, “I’m still a graduate student.”
Clayte gave a thumbs-up, “You’re the best!”
Clayte followed them to Yu Xiang’an’s restaurant.
After hesitating between hotpot and braised dishes, he chose hotpot.
The moment he entered, the restaurant fell silent as everyone turned to stare. Yu Xiang’an was startled, “Everyone, please continue eating and drinking. Don’t mind us—this is a foreign friend here to dine.”
Afraid that the constant staring would ruin his appetite, she led Clayte to a private room. There, he became a broken record, exclaiming repeatedly, “This is amazing! What is this? It’s so delicious!”
“I’ve never had this before—it’s so good! I love it!”
Yu Xiang’an smiled proudly, “Thank you for the praise.”
One thing about foreigners was admirable—their honesty was refreshing.
Because of the fair-haired, blue-eyed foreigner, people kept “passing by” the private room, trying to catch a glimpse through the door crack.
Clayte was used to it. During his first two days in the country, he felt like a zoo animal, but now he had learned to ignore it.
Lin Chuanbai had to get up and close the door firmly, telling the onlookers to back off.
Fortunately, no one pointed at him and called him a “monster.” That would have been unbearable.
But even if someone had, Clayte probably wouldn’t have understood—he only knew simple Chinese words.
Clayte had excellent table manners, making others feel hungrier just watching him.
After they had eaten their fill, Yu Xiang’an asked, “Clayte, after graduating, will you start working when you return?”
Clayte took a satisfied sip of the broth, “Yes, I’ll be helping my uncle.”
“Does your uncle own a company?”
“No, no, my uncle owns a supermarket.”
“The kind that sells all sorts of things—food, daily necessities, clothes, etc.?”
“Yes, exactly that kind.”
Yu Xiang’an nodded. Watching him dip a slice of beef into the sauce she had prepared, she had a sudden idea. “Do you think this sauce could sell in supermarkets back in your country?”
Clayte chewed the beef and answered without hesitation, “Yu, of course it would sell! It’s so delicious—it’d be strange if it didn’t sell.”
Then he had an idea too. After swallowing, he gave a thumbs-up, “Yu, where did you buy these seasonings? I’d like to take some back for my uncle to try.”
Yu Xiang’an grinned, her eyes narrowing, “I made these myself. If you want some, that’s easy—but I’ll need time to seal them properly.”
Clayte’s eyes widened, his heterochromatic pupils even more striking, “You made these yourself?! God, your skills are incredible.”
“This restaurant is mine, and I’m also the head chef here.”
Clayte exclaimed, “Yu, there’s a Chinese saying—’shi de tai shan’?”
Yu Xiang’an laughed, “Do you mean ‘you failed to recognize Mount Tai’?”
“Yes, yes! That’s the one. My adoptive mother used to say it.” He looked at Yu Xiang’an with sparkling admiration.
Lin Chuanbai interjected, handing him a bottle of soy milk, “Try this.”
Modesty didn’t work on foreigners. Yu Xiang’an said, “My cooking really is good. As you can see, business here is decent, but the scale is still small. I want to expand slowly. If your uncle likes my seasonings and wants to import them, I’d appreciate your help.”
Clayte also thought about his own situation. His uncle’s business was his uncle’s, but if he could bring in a popular product, it would help him establish himself faster. “Dear, do you have any other samples I could take back? I’d love to let my uncle try them. Of course, you know, international trade isn’t easy.”
Yu Xiang’an nodded, “I understand. I’m just exploring possibilities. If you asked me to supply goods right now, I couldn’t do it.” She had nothing prepared yet.
Lin Chuanbai, “…”
Alright, these two were either thinking about food or business—nothing else.
Yu Xiang’an and Clayte exchanged contact information, agreeing on when to deliver the goods. Then they dropped the topic and continued enjoying the meal.
When Clayte left, Wei Funi approached, “Boss, you know that foreigner? You were speaking English? Your foreign language skills are amazing—I couldn’t understand a word.”
Lu Xiao also came over, “Boss, how did you meet? You seemed so familiar with him.”
Granny He, “That foreigner is so tall—almost six feet, right?”
The other customers also pricked up their ears. Yu Xiang’an chuckled, “We met while shopping. He wanted to go somewhere but didn’t know the way, so we guided him. Then we asked if he wanted to try local food, and he came along.”
Wei Funi gasped, “So this was your first meeting? I’m impressed!” Utterly impressed—they hit it off so well on their first meeting.
Their boss’s social skills were truly remarkable.
Lu Xiao, “What did you talk about inside?”
Yu Xiang’an, “I explained our country’s culinary culture to him, and he was amazed. He said he’d come back next time and asked me to prepare some seasonings and broth bases for him to take home.”
“Wow!”
Everyone got excited.
“He thinks our food is delicious too!”
“Of course! Otherwise, why would he want to take it all the way back? They’d have to fly it back.”
“Or take a boat.”
“Either way, it’s our ancestors’ legacy that attracted him…”
Though Clayte had left, word spread that a foreigner had visited and praised the food. Business boomed again.
The attitude toward foreigners had changed. Before, they were avoided like the plague—overseas connections were hidden. Now, it was a point of pride. Foreigners eating here meant the food must be good, so others wanted to try it too.
Yu Xiang’an watched the bustling crowd, “…”
An unexpected boon.
The “foreigner advantage” would last another decade or two.
Maybe she could find a way to brand her business as foreign-invested.
Because of Clayte’s little detour, Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai picked another day to visit the antique street, buying many items—porcelain, ancient paintings, brush holders, and curios.
This time, they didn’t hide the purchases but displayed them at home—some in cabinets, others in the bedroom.
The twins, now old enough to understand, were curious and touched them carefully. They liked the pretty ones too.
“Which ones do you like? Next time we go, we’ll buy more.”
Lin Yihong pointed at a flower-and-bird painting, “I like this one.”
Lin Yining preferred a vividly colored vase, “I like this one.”
“Got it.”
Yu Xiang’an wanted to create the impression that they had been collecting antiques over time. Otherwise, suddenly producing them later would seem suspicious.
If the twins grew up seeing their parents buy these things, they wouldn’t question future additions.
When Yu Xiangyan and Wen Ruzhen visited, they whispered, “I’ve also bought some things. As the saying goes, ‘gold in troubled times, antiques in prosperous times.’ If peace continues, their value will rise. I’ll leave them as heirlooms for my three kids.”
Seeing the new additions, he gave a thumbs-up, “That’s my sister for you—decisive!”
In such a short time since starting her business, she had already amassed so many antiques—almost like wholesale.
He never asked how much she earned, but judging by this, it must be substantial. It eased his mind—if their father found out, he might get off with less of a scolding.
Yu Xiang’an laughed, “You’re not bad either, Second Brother.” Foresight indeed.
The siblings exchanged praises while Lin Chuanbai shook his head.
Wen Ruzhen giggled.
The five kids, oblivious, were glued to the TV.
After more chatting, Yu Xiangyan asked, “Xiao An, when are you planning to tell Dad?”
Yu Xiang’an waved it off, “No rush.”
Yu Xiangyan sighed, “The longer you wait, the higher the chance of exposure. If Dad hears it from someone else, it’ll only make things worse.”
Yu Xiang’an paused, then smiled at him, “…Take that back! Don’t jinx it!”
*
Lin Houpu received letters from both Lin Chuanbai and his old comrade-in-arms, and the contents left him furious. He couldn’t comprehend why his daughter-in-law would make such a choice—and it wasn’t even a matter of seeking opinions. She had already resigned from her job.
He had always known his daughter-in-law was strong-willed, but this was beyond reckless. This wasn’t some trivial matter. Her job had been respectable, with good benefits—why on earth would she choose to become an *individual entrepreneur*?
Sure, self-employment could earn money, but was money more important than power?
When Lin Duzhong heard the news, he sighed at Lin Houpu’s frustration. “Alright, stop fuming. Children have their own paths. They’re grown-ups now, not kids needing your guidance. Let them do what they want. If they hit a wall, they can always turn back.”
Lin Houpu wasn’t satisfied. “Dad, how can you say that? They’re not fresh-faced youngsters anymore. This isn’t something we can just ignore!”
Lin Duzhong countered, “Then how do you plan to intervene? She’s already resigned. Just wait and see. If she thrives and does well, you won’t have to worry about them struggling. Your daughter-in-law isn’t someone without a plan. Besides, this is what the country is encouraging now. We should support it.”
Lin Houpu: “…”
Perhaps it was because his son hadn’t grown up under his care, and he hadn’t fulfilled much of a fatherly role, so he lacked the authority to interfere. Their bond wasn’t deep to begin with, and he feared making it even more distant. And now, with an additional layer—his *daughter-in-law*—he, as the father-in-law, couldn’t very well confront her directly. Should he ask Tian Dong’s mother to step in?
No, that wouldn’t work either.
Lin Houpu sighed in resignation. “Fine, I’ll wait and see.”
And what he saw was a booming business, raking in money hand over fist.
Lin Duzhong chuckled. “See? I told you. Your granddaughter-in-law has a good head on her shoulders. Stop worrying. Success comes in many forms.”
Lin Houpu: “…”
Why did he feel so unsettled?
Would his daughter-in-law ever regret this?
Zhang Ying had already left for the military. Lin Tiandong, now a sixteen-year-old young man with his own opinions, saw no issue. “Dad, to each their own. You know how skilled my sister-in-law is. She wants to take her craft to the next level. And even if she fails, there’s my brother. Once he graduates, even if she hits a snag, he can support the family.”
His perspective was quite progressive for the time.
But not everyone shared such open-mindedness.
Wang Haiwen and Liu Mingyue hadn’t proactively told their old classmates about Yu Xiang’an quitting her job to start a business. But eventually, word got around.
When Ke Manyun heard the news, she was so shocked she dropped her cup, spilling water everywhere—yet she barely noticed. Gripping Wang Meng’s hand, her voice rose in disbelief. “You’re serious? She quit to go into business?!”
Wang Meng hesitated, realizing Ke Manyun hadn’t known. She’d assumed she did, given how often she used to see Ke Manyun with Liu Mingyue and the vice class monitor.
“You’re not joking, are you?”
When Wang Meng didn’t respond immediately, Ke Manyun pressed again.
Wang Meng sighed and nodded. “It’s true. Why would I lie? The shop’s near our school. Someone saw it bustling with customers when they went back to visit. Even foreigners eat there.”
Ke Manyun’s voice turned distant. “I can’t believe it. What was she thinking?”
Wang Meng couldn’t fathom it either. “I didn’t dare believe it at first either.”
Not many had the courage to voluntarily give up an iron rice bowl.
Ke Manyun murmured, “Even if business is booming, so what? It’s unstable. If the authorities ever ban it, that’s it. Who knows if labels like ‘capitalist’ might come back? Even if they say class status doesn’t matter now, who can guarantee it won’t in the future? If it does, all this effort would be for nothing…”
A faint smile flickered at the corner of Ke Manyun’s lips before she suppressed it. “Since we didn’t know before, let’s go see for ourselves now. We should’ve sent congratulations when she opened. We’re supposed to be good friends.” She sounded regretful, but Wang Meng rolled her eyes internally.
Good friends?
Please. They were just ordinary classmates—no closer than Wang Meng herself. If they’d been close, Yu Xiang’an would’ve told her. The fact she hadn’t spoke volumes.
Among their classmates, Yu Xiang’an hadn’t made any formal announcements. Only Wang Haiwen, Liu Mingyue, and Xu Keke knew—Wang Haiwen and Liu Mingyue because they lived nearby, and Xu Keke due to work connections.
Others found out gradually, and when they asked, Yu Xiang’an never denied it.
She was running a legitimate business, not breaking the law. Why hide it?
Once companies were permitted, she even planned to expand into manufacturing.
After learning this “unbelievable” news, Ke Manyun arranged to visit with Liu Mingyue and Wang Meng to “support” Yu Xiang’an.
She confronted Liu Mingyue about not telling her earlier.
Liu Mingyue shrugged. “I’ve been busy. Did I need to take time off just to tell you? You’d find out eventually.”
Ke Manyun: “…”
She felt slighted.
It had taken her so long to learn.
Surely Liu Mingyue could’ve spared a moment?
When they arrived, Ke Manyun was stunned by the crowd. Liu Mingyue, unfazed, said, “It’s always packed like this. Only slows down between meal rushes. Let’s go in.”
Ke Manyun glanced around. “Where to?”
“The hot pot section. We’ll try the braised dishes next time.”
As they entered, a cheerful “Welcome!” greeted them.
Wei Funi recognized Liu Mingyue and gestured warmly. “Comrade Liu! Would you like a private room? There’s one available.”
Liu Mingyue nodded. “Private room it is.” Most customers opted to wait for regular tables since private rooms cost extra.
As Ke Manyun walked past the diners, she scrutinized their tables and expressions.
Most had multiple plates—some with pork blood, others with offal, some with skewered meats and vegetables.
Some had shed their coats in the heat, eating with gusto.
Their satisfied expressions and decent clothing suggested they were well-off.
Inside the private room, Yu Xiang’an joined them. “What’ll you have today?”
Liu Mingyue answered instantly. “Spicy broth!”
Yu Xiang’an grinned. “We just got fresh fish and shrimp. Want some?”
Liu Mingyue: “Absolutely. And a non-spicy broth too.” She turned to Wang Meng and Ke Manyun. “What base do you want?”
Wang Meng deferred to Yu Xiang’an. “Chef’s recommendation?”
Yu Xiang’an: “How about beef brisket? It’s excellent today—not always available. You’re in luck.”
Ke Manyun’s mood soured. Yu Xiang’an radiated confidence, her smile effortless. She was clearly thriving.
Ke Manyun couldn’t understand it. How could someone be so happy after ditching a secure job to become a lowly entrepreneur?
“I’ll bring some appetizers first. And as a treat, pear juice for everyone.”
Yu Xiang’an left, leaving the three in the room.
Wang Meng marveled, “This place is huge. The crowd’s insane—must be making a fortune. Has she mentioned her monthly earnings?”
Ke Manyun perked up.
Yes, how much?
Liu Mingyue: “I never asked. Probably a lot. She mentioned wanting to go to the southern special economic zone after New Year’s.”
Wang Meng sounded envious. “Must be substantial. My cousin went to the zone mid-year. He never said how much he made, but when he visited recently, he brought two tape recorders—one for his parents, one for our grandma.”
Ke Manyun blinked. “A recorder costs over a hundred. How long’s he been there? What’s he doing?”
“Right, over a hundred. Been a few months—something with clothes. See this outfit? He gave it to me. Back here, he was a temp earning under twenty a month, barely saving. That money’s definitely from there.” Wang Meng was certain.
Ke Manyun fell silent. If her cousin could afford two recorders, he must be making triple digits monthly—more than her salary.
Was business *this* lucrative?
With a storefront, profits must dwarf street stalls. Could Yu Xiang’an be pulling in hundreds a month?
Ke Manyun’s breathing quickened. Her earlier smugness evaporated, replaced by icy realization.
Soon, Yu Xiang’an returned with appetizers. Wei Funi followed with the spicy and beef brisket broths, then the rest of the dishes.
“Since you’re here, 20% off today.”
Liu Mingyue laughed. “Sweet. Never turn down a discount.”
Wang Meng thanked her. “Thanks, An-jie. Next time, I’ll bring my family. They’ve got to try your cooking.”
But Ke Manyun’s mind was elsewhere. Biting her lip, she ventured hesitantly, “I heard you’re planning to go to the special zone. Is it true?”
Yu Xiang’an didn’t commit. “Considering it, but nothing’s set. We’ll see.”
Ke Manyun lowered her voice. “I think you should reconsider.” Her tone turned earnest. “Business is good now, but don’t get complacent. It’s winter—people won’t want hot pot in summer. Plan ahead. And the south’s too far. It’s unsafe for a woman. If something happens, how would you face your husband and child? Women should stay grounded.”
Liu Mingyue and Wang Meng: “…”
*Awkward.*
The words sounded reasonable at first glance, but the implications were jarring.
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