Chapter 100. The Lin Family Had Turned The Tide
Su Bing and Su Li were digging into some snacks together when Su Li stopped Gu Zi, dropping his guard from before.
"Stepmom, today I took the fruit preserves to share with my friends, and we had a great time!" He lowered his head after sharing.
Gu Zi walked over and sat down beside him, speaking gently, "That's great, sharing brings happiness."
"But, the other classmates also wanted some. So, I... I shared all the fruit preserves. And one of my female classmates really liked the jar, so I gave it to her too." Su Li sounded a bit remorseful.
He realized those fruit preserves were bought by his stepmom, and giving away the jar without asking seemed improper.
However, by the time he thought about it, the jar was already given away.
Gu Zi's lips curled up. "I asked you to bring it to school so that you can share it with your classmates. As for the jar, we have plenty at home, so don't worry." Su Li widened his eyes, surprised that stepmom wasn't upset.
And her tone was so gentle! This stepmom was actually very kind.
Gu Zi continued, "Today, I made twenty cans of fruit preserves at home. You guys can have some, just make sure to keep it clean. If you don't finish, cover it up and put it in the fridge, okay?"
"Okay!" Su Li nodded eagerly, and even Su Bing nodded along beside him.
Meanwhile, at Little Lin Village, a group had gathered in front of a red brick house at the village entrance. They looked envious.
Li Zhu and the truck driver were carrying a brand-new fridge into the house, taking some time before coming out again. They probably needed time to set it up.
Then they unloaded a hundred pounds of prepared pork from the truck into the Lin family's house.
The aroma of the cooking meat wafted through the air, making everyone almost drool.
"Hey, Old Lin, things are turning around for you! You're lucky to have such a good daughter!"
"It's good to have a daughter and son-in-law. The Lin family is different now. Congratulations!"
"So, when's your son-in-law throwing a party to celebrate the wedding? Don't forget to invite us, okay?"
Ever since they found out about the connection between the Lin and Su families, there was no shortage of visitors at the Lin house.
Now, things were different. The Lin family had turned the tide.
First, they moved from a remote mountain spot to the best location at the village entrance, settling into the best red brick house.
Now, their affluent son-in-law was sending in a fridge and a bunch of pork.
Seeing the Lin family, some were envious, some a little jealous. But on the surface, everyone engaged in conversation with them, to avoid any estrangement.
Papa Lin was chatting with the people outside but felt a bit overwhelmed. "Yeah, Su Shen and Xiao Zi are having a celebration next month!"
Mother Lin was also in high spirits. She and her daughter-in-law, Li Hua, chatted with the other ladies.
Lin Cheng was boiling water in the kitchen to make tea. He wanted Li Zhu and the others to have a cup of hot tea to drink before they left.
But he couldn't do anything alone. Whenever he tried to do something, Lin Hun was right there to help.
When he wanted to make tea, Lin Hun would rush to pass him the teapot. Wherever he went, Lin Hun would follow.
Lin Cheng was flustered, "Lin Hun, what are you doing?"
Lin Hun looked up, earnestly saying, "You're now Su Shen's big brother-in-law! You're doing better than me. I've told you before, I'll be your sidekick. Haven't I said it many times?"
Lin Cheng was exasperated, "You're not still into my wife, are you?"
Lin Hun shook his head vigorously, "Nope, just want to hang out with you, bro. "
Lin Cheng sighed, knowing what was coming.
After a moment's thought, he said, "As long as you don't pursue my wife, if you want to help out, go ahead."
Lin Hun immediately clasped his hands, "Bro, I'll remember that. I'll be good to you and Li Hua in the future."
When Li Zhu came into the kitchen and saw this scene, he found it a little funny. However, seeing that Lin Hun was now well-behaved, he did not make fun of him.
"Brother Lin, all the stuff has been unloaded. I'll go and check in with Brother Shen. Oh, and Brother Shen wants to know if you've found a job. If you haven't, do you want to help out at his pig farm?"
Lin Hun's eyes lit up when he heard that. He quickly grabbed Lin Cheng and said, "Brother Lin, say yes! Bring me along. I've been wanting to work there for a long time."
He had applied to work at Su Shen's farm but didn't get the job as they weren't hiring at the time.
Lin Hun always felt that working with men like Su Shen was the key to making something of himself..
...
Chapter 101. Lavish
Lin Cheng was thrilled to hear the news about the job at the pig farm. Having the chance to work there was definitely a good opportunity.
Although Su Shen had been particularly considerate of them because of his sister, Lin Cheng also wanted to earn a living and support Xiao Hua with his own hands.
He told Li Zhu, "Of course, I'll do my best!"
Lin Cheng felt he must work hard to repay Su Shen's kindness.
Lin Hun, once again, pulled Lin Cheng aside and requested, "Brother Lin, take me with you. I don't need a wage; I just want to help you! "
Lin Cheng didn't know why Lin Hun wanted to go to the pig farm. But considering all the help Lin Hun had provided, he asked Li Zhu if it was possible to arrange for Lin Hun to join them.
Lin Hun was ecstatic upon hearing this, eagerly looking at Li Zhu.
Li Zhu helplessly said, "I can't make the decision, but you can both go to the farm together tomorrow and talk to Big Brother Jin Long; he can help you."
Saying that, Li Zhu drank two bowls of hot tea, and then left with the truck driver.
The truck driver dropped off Li Zhu at Su's house and headed back to the city.
Li Zhu knocked on the Su family's door, and it was Gu Zi who answered.
"Li Zhu, come in. Are you here to see Su Shen?" she asked.
Li Zhu walked in and said, "Sister-in-law, I just came back from the Lin's. I delivered a fridge and a hundred pounds of pork to your parents. Now I'm here to report to Brother Shen. Also, Brother Lin is planning to work at the pig farm."
When Gu Zi heard Li Zhu's words, her mouth almost opened into an "O" shape. Did Su Shen have to be so generous?!
A hundred pounds of pork plus a refrigerator—how much did that cost? And he arranged a job for her brother too.
She had been thinking of sending ten cans of fruit preserves to the Lin family to give them a taste.
In comparison, she seemed a bit stingy!
Li Zhu went straight to the kitchen to find Su Shen. When he caught sight of his boss, he could hardly believe his eyes.
The 1.9 -meter-tall man was wearing a flowery apron, skillfully cooking at the stove.
'Wow! Sis-in-law is so charming that Brother Shen willingly skipped work at the pig farm to come home and cook for his wife and child,' Li Zhu thought to himself.
Li Zhu hesitated for a moment before calling out, "Brother Shen, I've taken care of the things you requested."
Su Shen turned around and glanced at Li Zhu. "Okay. Ask your sister-in-law if she needs anything taken to the Lin's. You can help her with that tomorrow." Li Zhu went out and asked Gu Zi. She pointed at the ten cans of fruit preserves she had set aside, "These need to be sent over. Is it okay?"
"No problem, Sister-in-law," Li Zhu said. "I'll come early tomorrow to pick them up. If you need anything else taken there in the future, just tell me."
After saying that, Li Zhu prepared to leave, but Gu Zi insisted, "Stay for dinner and then go."
"Thank you, Sister-in-law! But my mom has dinner ready; if I don't go back, she'll scold me."
Though Li Zhu really wanted to taste Su Shen's cooking, he figured Su Shen wouldn't want him hanging around.
Seeing Li Zhu insist on leaving, Gu Zi didn't press further and gave him a jar of her homemade fruit preserves, which Li Zhu happily accepted before leaving.
During dinner, Gu Zi felt a bit overwhelmed seeing the table full of dishes.
Su Shen's cooking was generous in portions and meat. In short, lavish!
There was a big bowl of stir-fried bacon with scallions, another big bowl of sautéed fresh mushrooms with meat, a large bowl of braised tofu, a big bowl of sautéed vegetables with green peppers, and a large pot of pork rib and soybean soup.
He had prepared all the meals for the day! Although she didn't say anything, she was already silently planning how to manage the leftovers the next day.
Su Bing and Su Li also seemed a bit surprised. Su Bing sat down without saying anything, while Su Li exclaimed, "Wow, so much meat! Dad, can we skip dinner tonight?"
Su Shen told Su Li, "Have a bit more meat, but you need to have some rice too. It's not good for your health otherwise."
After saying that, he turned to Gu Zi and added, "I thought of making extra for you all. I have to go on a business trip tomorrow to another place. It might take two or three days before I can come back."
As the man spoke, his large hand touched Su Le's head. The man's rough fingers were not as soft as Gu Zi's hand.
This unfamiliar touch made Su Le raise her head and then furrow her brows. She turned around and pulled Gu Zi's hand over, placing it on the man's large hand.
As he was going on a business trip for a few days, he prepared a lot of food for them. Gu Zi found Su Shen's consideration particularly endearing.
While Gu Zi was feeling happy about this, she didn't anticipate Su Le' s reaction..
...
Chapter 102. Kiss
When Gu Zi's hand touched Su Shen's, her heart skipped a beat.
Su Bing and Su Li were engrossed in eating the generous portions of meat and didn't notice.
Only Su Le, the little one, cheered with joyful "babbling."
Gu Zi's face turned crimson, momentarily forgetting to retract her hand.
Observing her reaction, Su Shen's eyes twinkled with a faint smile. He actually enjoyed her touch—her hands were petite and soft, quite comforting.
However, he realized it made her shy. So, he served her a piece of bacon and said, "Quick, eat it while it's hot."
Only then did Gu Zi realize and then withdrew her hand to fetch chopsticks, thanking him, "Thank you! It smells delicious."
Where did it come from?
Su Shen seemed to perceive her confusion and explained, "The bacon was bought from Li Zhu's home. His mother's homemade bacon is quite distinctive. If you want more, just ask him to deliver it."
Gu Zi nodded, finding the bacon indeed delicious, and indulged in several more pieces.
In her previous life, Gu Zi had a close female friend who taught her how to pickle vegetables. Using her method, the pickled vegetables had a golden color and a tangy fragrance, perfect for making fried rice or noodles.
Thinking about this, Gu Zi was almost drooling. She remembered tomorrow was market day and thought of visiting to see if they had those kinds of pickled vegetables.
After dinner, Su Shen went into the kitchen to wash the dishes. Gu Zi couldn't beat him to it.
She noticed a stack of files on the living room table and guessed that they were for his upcoming trip. Her eyes lit up, asking, "What do you need for your trip? Let me pack it for you."
Seeing her straightforwardness, Su Shen told Gu Zi that he needed toiletries, two sets of clothes, and the documents from the file pile.
Gu Zi found it simple enough and nodded, turning to take the file stack upstairs.
She opened it and took a look. The documents were organized quite well, but the order was a little messy.
But she didn't dare to touch these documents casually. After all, she didn't know if Su Shen had specially placed them like this. It was better to ask later.
She went to Su Shen's room. There was a blue cloth bag in the man's room. Gu Zi opened it and then neatly folded and arranged his clothes and pants from the wardrobe inside.
The travel toiletries were placed next to his clothes, and the files were neatly put on top.
Just then, Su Shen pushed the door open and came in. He saw that she had almost finished packing.
"Thank you," Su Shen said.
Gu Zi smiled and suggested rearranging the files to make them more convenient to read.
Su Shen allowed her to try, and once she reorganized them, it indeed made for easier reading.
He asked Gu Zi, "I've never asked you this, but do you regret staying home to take care of the children?"
Su Shen had thought for a long time; he didn't want to let go of Gu Zi, but he also didn't want to hold her back.
He understood her capabilities. If she had the time to pursue her own career, she'd also be very successful.
Upon hearing this, Gu Zi smiled and replied, "I'm not in a hurry, Su Shen. I can wait until Le Le is a bit older before doing something else."
She was quite satisfied with her current life, spending time at home experimenting with recipes, taking care of Le Le, and feeding Big Yellow.
She still had plenty of time to study and prepare for further education. She felt content.
However, when Su Shen asked her like that, she could feel that this man cared about her.
Su Shen, upon hearing her response, relaxed his previously tense expression. His stern face softened slightly.
"That's good, Gu Zi. If there's anything you need, just tell me, and I'll fulfill your wishes," because he wanted to treat her well.
Gu Zi looked up at him. Her eyes were bright and there was a hint of charm in them.
"Anything?" she asked. If she outright asked for his kiss, would he consider her too forward?
The intensity of her gaze made Su Shen's body stiffen, hormones racing through him.
He replied, "Anything."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Gu Zi tiptoed and placed a light kiss on his chin before turning around and escaping..
...
Chapter 103. Going to the Market
The man stood in place, touching the spot where he'd been kissed, unable to regain his composure for quite some time.
Her lips were so soft. In that instant of contact on his chin, he experienced a tingling sensation like never before.
He was glad she had fled after that one kiss. Even if it was a bit later, he couldn't guarantee he'd restrain his desires from kissing her.
In the room, Gu Zi lay in bed, hands on her cheeks, which were boiling hot. Her heart was beating so fast, unable to settle for a long time.
What had she just done? Oh my, Gu Zi, what were you doing?
She resolved not to wake up so early tomorrow. She didn't know how to face that man anymore.
Gu Zi regained her composure only after taking a shower. She cautiously peeked out after opening the door.
Once she ensured she wouldn't encounter Su Shen, she went downstairs to carry Su Le upstairs, while instructing Su Bing and Su Li not to sleep too late.
However, the next day, Gu Zi woke up very early; she had a particularly embarrassing dream.
She dreamt that Su Shen pinned her down on the bed, removed her clothes, kissed her lips, kissed her neck, kissed her chest, and panted heavily on her body...
She went to take a shower, hoping to wash away these memories with water. Otherwise, she really couldn't face Su Shen.
When she carried Lele downstairs, Su Shen had already gone out. Su Bing and Su Li were having breakfast.
They were eating the dumplings she had specially wrapped and placed in the fridge. They only needed to boil them themselves in the morning.
However, she noticed a bowl of dumplings placed opposite the two children, seemingly prepared for her.
Seeing her, Su Li said, "Stepmother, you should eat too. Brother prepared them for you and Lele."
Gu Zi thanked Su Bing, and his cheeks turned slightly red as he responded, "You're welcome."
Gu Zi picked up the chopsticks and placed five dumplings in a small bowl. These were for Su Le; she wanted them to cool down before feeding her.
Since Su Le was still too young and couldn't eat very hot food, Gu Zi started eating her dumplings.
She noticed Su Bing and Su Li were heading to school, so she asked them to take some snacks to school.
After breakfast, Gu Zi promptly washed the dishes, cleaned the kitchen and dining room.
Once Li Zhu came to take away the canned fruits, she used the bamboo cart she bought last time to take Lele out.
She hadn't been to the market in Daqing Village before but heard it was on the west side of the village.
While walking, Gu Zi asked for directions. In times before smartphones were common, the mouth was the best navigator.
When she was nearing the market, she met a few familiar faces.
Gu Zi vaguely remembered seeing them at Su Shen's pig farm before; they were also delivering meals to their men.
They greeted her, and Gu Zi responded with a smile on her face.
"Oh, Little Le Le is so well-behaved today, riding in the little cart looks so fun!" someone teased Su Le.
Su Le happily responded, "Yes, yes!"
"Sister-in-law, I heard Chu Xi went to your kitchen to poison it and stole things. Is your second child alright?"
"That Chu Xi is too malicious. She even wanted to match her daughter with the boss!"
"She deserves it! Hasn't she done enough wicked things? And that Chu Banxian is also not a good person! They should have been arrested long ago." The group harshly criticized Chu Xi's actions.
Gu Zi replied, "The second child is still recuperating, but it's not a big issue anymore. Chu Xi has already been dealt with by the law, let the legal system handle her."
After chatting briefly with them, Gu Zi bid farewell and continued toward the market.
In her mind, she thought of making pickled vegetables with cabbage, spinach, radishes, kale, and mustard greens.
However, she wasn't sure what kinds of vegetables were available here, so she decided to buy whatever she saw.
As a result, as soon as Gu Zi entered the market, she saw an aunt selling green vegetables, precisely the type Gu Zi thought would be best for pickling.
She walked over and asked the aunt, "Auntie, how much are your vegetables? I'll take them all."
The aunt looked up and saw a very beautifully dressed woman before her, fair-skinned and lovely.
She asked, "Are you Mrs. Su, the Big Boss Su's wife?"
Gu Zi wasn't surprised; there were only a few villages around here, and Su Shen was a well-known figure. So, it wasn't unusual for the woman to ask.
Upon hearing Gu Zi's confirmation, the aunt hurriedly said, "If it's for you, I won't take any money, just take them all."
The aunt stood up and started putting the green vegetables into Gu Zi' s small cart.
As she put them in, she teased Su Le, "Little Lele is living a good life now.. Beautiful Mommy is treating Little Lele so well!"
...
Note: 💕Another Book 💕
Taking Part in a Survival Game with My Brother
Synopsis:
Lu Yang, the big-shot of a post-apocalypse world, has transmigrated back to her original world. She soon found out that she was cannon fodder in a novel about showbiz. Her own brother, Lu Mingyu, is one of the many people in love with the female lead. After Lu Mingyu took part in a survival variety show, he became insomniac and paranoid about food every day, becoming widely infamous because of it, with their family falling apart soon after. To avoid that fate, Lu Yang decided to participate in the survival game show with her brother.
***Before recording began...Lu Mingyu: My younger sister has been sickly since she was a child, making her weak and dependent. Please take care of her, everyone. But on the first day of the game show, Lu Yang picked up a dart, and with a rushing sound, it shot through a camera, shattering the lenses. Netizens: Please play that again, director! The next day, Lu Yang showed her reflexes by catching hold of a snake's head and tail with perfect, ruthless precision without batting an eye. Netizens were left gaping: you call that sickly, weak, and dependent?! More days passed since, and they realized that Lu Yang was good at everything from scouting a new area, undersea fishing, and processing animals she caught... if survival skills were an exam, she would score full marks!
***Paparazzi caught photos of Lu Yang making out in a car with an unidentified man, who turned out to be the heartthrob of local showbiz, Jiang Yanzhou. The entire internet was screaming: Come home already, Lu Mingyu! Your brother from another mother is becoming your brother-in-law! Lu Mingyu, who was sent to a training camp by a certain scheming man: ?!!
* If Interested, Do check It Out *