Chapter 9

Teacher Wang and Auntie Liu, along with other kind neighbors, helped Ling Chuxia move her belongings to the dilapidated house behind the family dormitory.

This row of old houses had seen better days. The one Yang Yu had secured through her connections was the fourth from the left, a single room of about ten square meters.

The rectangular room had a wooden door at the front, flanked by two windows. Two more windows at the back provided decent natural light.

The only drawback was the need to use a public toilet nearby or a chamber pot at night.

The room was bare but relatively clean, with only a few scraps of paper on the floor and some old newspapers pasted on the walls, which made it seem less bleak.

After all, Ling Chuxia wouldn’t be staying here forever. Once she earned enough money, she could move out.

Auntie Liu, however, felt quite sorry for her. “You don’t even have a bed,” she said. “Where will you sleep tonight?”

Ling Chuxia smiled. “It’s still early. I’ll go to the secondhand shop near the market and buy one. I’ll ask them to deliver it.”

Teacher Wang said, “The secondhand shop doesn’t offer delivery. I’ll borrow a tricycle and go with you.”

Ling Chuxia hadn’t expected Teacher Wang to be so kind. She gratefully accepted his offer, saying, “Thank you so much, Teacher Wang. Please let me know if there’s anything I can help with in the future.”

As the saying goes, a close neighbor is better than a distant relative. Living alone as a high school student, Ling Chuxia knew it was important to build good relationships with her helpful neighbors.

Auntie Liu smiled. “You’re just a kid. Focus on taking care of yourself. We don’t need your help.”

Ling Chuxia didn’t argue. After putting her luggage away, she followed Teacher Wang to the secondhand furniture store.

The store owner recognized Teacher Wang, so Ling Chuxia didn’t need to haggle. The owner automatically offered a very favorable price.

She bought a 1.2-meter wooden bed, a square dining table, two wooden chairs, and an old wardrobe. Seeing her large purchase, the owner even threw in a small bamboo stool as a gift—it looked quite charming.

At a nearby general store, Ling Chuxia also bought a bamboo mat, a water bucket, a large plastic basin, and a thermos.

Other necessities, like a coal stove, kettle, pots, pans, and dishes, would have to wait until tomorrow.

Teacher Wang made two trips to move everything over. After arranging the furniture, he got someone to help Ling Chuxia change the door lock and install a bolt. He worked for hours, sweating profusely.

“The neighbors here are all old friends from the factory,” Teacher Wang said, giving her careful instructions. “I’ve already told them to keep an eye out. Since you’re living here alone, make sure to lock the door tight at night.”

Ling Chuxia nodded earnestly. “I will, thank you, Teacher Wang.”

After Teacher Wang left, Ling Chuxia gazed around her suddenly fuller room and smiled genuinely.

She hadn’t expected to move out so quickly. Though the place was run-down, it was finally her own private space.

From now on, she could do whatever she wanted without worrying about anyone going through her things.

After resting briefly, Ling Chuxia started cleaning. She wiped down all the furniture and borrowed hot water from next door to scald the bamboo mat—otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to sleep on it that night.

The communal washbasin was just outside the row of flat-roofed houses, with over a dozen faucets. Ling Chuxia carried a ceramic basin over and filled it with water. As she walked back inside and set the basin down, a knock sounded at the door.

“Who is it?” Ling Chuxia turned to see Grandma Ling standing outside, laden with bags and bundles. Auntie Liu and her son and daughter-in-law stood behind her, each carrying heavy items.

Auntie Liu huffed, “After you left, your grandma couldn’t stand it anymore. She confronted Ling Dagang, arguing that he couldn’t just kick you out. Yang Yu shoved her to the ground. Then your grandma declared she was moving out too.”

Ling Chuxia quickly ushered them inside, helping them set down their belongings.

“Grandma, sit down first,” Ling Chuxia said, guiding the dazed old woman to a chair. “Doesn’t Ling Dagang object to this? She’s his own mother! How could he let her move into a place like this?”

Auntie Liu replied, “I asked Ling Dagang the same thing. Guess what he said? ‘If Mom insists on leaving, I can’t stop her. She’s moving out on her own, not because I’m kicking her out.’ Oh, I was so furious I nearly slapped him!”

Her daughter-in-law chimed in, “Exactly! Master Ling always seemed so honest, but who knew his heart was so dark? They were the ones who couldn’t stand Grandma Ling, and now they’re making it look like she brought this on herself.”

Grandma Ling forced a bitter smile. “Moving out is for the best. I was always worried about Chuxia living here alone. She’s a young woman of eighteen, and she’ll be getting married someday. With me here, at least her reputation will be safe.”

“You’re so wise, Grandma,” Auntie Liu agreed. “It’s true, a young woman living alone could easily ruin her reputation.” Her expression darkened. “This just proves how rotten Yang Yu is! She’s a woman herself—how could she not understand how important reputation is? Even if they hadn’t lived together before, Chuxia is still their own flesh and blood! How could her heart be so twisted?”

The group continued their condemnation, finally ending with Grandma Ling’s sigh.

Ling Chuxia spoke up, “Grandma, that house was assigned to you and Grandpa by the factory. If you talk to the manager, you won’t have to move out.”

Grandma Ling patted Ling Chuxia’s arm and said softly, “No, I don’t want to be a nuisance there anymore. Yangyang’s mother’s third sister is moving in, and there’s no room for me anyway. I’ll stay with you. When you go to school, I’ll cook for you. It’ll be much easier cooking for just the two of us. You’re a child of the Ling family, and no matter what, I can’t just abandon you.”

Seeing that Grandma Ling was determined to stay, Ling Chuxia said, “Don’t be sad, Grandma. This house looks old, but if we clean it up properly, we can make it comfortable.”

Grandma Ling looked at Ling Chuxia’s features, which reminded her of her late husband in his youth, and felt a sense of peace settle in her heart. “Alright, let’s fix up this house together.”

Over the next few days, Ling Chuxia and Grandma Ling worked hard to tidy up the house. They bought essential items like a coal stove, a washstand, a shoe rack, and kitchenware. They also added a narrow single bed, an old wooden sofa, and some discounted white paper to cover the walls, instantly brightening the entire room.

Though the room was small, it was divided into a bedroom area and a living room area. The cooking space was on the corridor outside the door, simple but functional enough for daily life.

Now that her basic living arrangements were settled, Ling Chuxia was ready to move on to the next step.

Summer vacation had just begun, and she intended to make the most of this valuable time.

Without hesitation, Ling Chuxia went straight to the market to buy the supplies she needed for her stall.

“Hey, Ling! I found that smaller used tricycle you wanted. It’s a bit old, but does that bother you?” Boss Feng, the owner of the secondhand shop, greeted her with a smile. They were already quite familiar with each other.

“Age doesn’t matter, as long as it works,” Ling Chuxia replied. “When can I pick it up?”

“Tomorrow afternoon. Come by then,” Boss Feng said. “What’s a girl like you doing with a tricycle anyway? Why not just get a used bicycle?”

“I’m going to set up a stall to sell things. A bicycle won’t do.”

Boss Feng was surprised. “A stall? Do you think you can handle that?”

“Why not? That girl selling clothes outside is a year younger than me,” Ling Chuxia pointed out. “Boss Feng, I also need two folding tables and some cheap stools. Do you have any?”

“Yes, I have those. If not, I’ll get them for you. Are you planning to sell snacks?” Teacher Feng asked, surprised. “You look so refined, I wouldn’t have guessed you knew how to cook.”

“I’m not much of a cook, but I can make snacks,” Ling Chuxia replied confidently. “Once I open, I’ll invite you over to try them.”

“What’s your snack called?” Boss Feng asked, curious.

“Cold Pot Skewers.”

“Cold Pot Skewers? Never heard of it!”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Ling Chuxia said. “I’ll take those bamboo skewers I asked for earlier now.”

Ling Chuxia might not have cooked much before, but she was experienced with Cold Pot Skewers.

In her previous life, she had made them many times with her mother. As long as the broth was good, anything dipped in it tasted delicious.

With summer approaching, this novel snack was sure to be a hit.

After leaving the secondhand shop, Ling Chuxia bought some vegetables and seasonings, planning to try making the skewers at home that evening.

Back home, she immediately washed the pork bones and put them in a large pot to simmer.

Grandma Ling quickly protested, “There are only two of us. We can’t eat all this bone broth!”

Ling Chuxia smiled sweetly. “Don’t worry, Grandma. I have a special use for the broth.”

A pot of bone broth simmered on the coal stove for hours, its rich aroma drawing curious glances from neighbors.

After removing the broth, Ling Chuxia placed an iron wok on the stove to stir-fry the base ingredients.

Since she couldn’t find beef tallow, she used regular soybean oil, supplemented with homemade lard that Grandma Ling had brought from the countryside. It should still be quite fragrant.

Once the oil was hot, she added dried chili peppers, star anise, cinnamon bark, peppercorns… then scallions, ginger, garlic, rock sugar, and fermented broad bean paste. After stir-frying for a while, an intense aroma filled the air.

Each family’s lengguo chuanchuan (cold pot skewers) tastes different due to variations in the base ingredient recipes. Ling Chuxia was using her mother’s treasured recipe, ensuring a guaranteed delicious flavor.

Grandma Ling watched from the side, clicking her tongue in surprise. “Chuxia, what dish are you making? Why are you using so much oil and spices? How much is all this costing?”

“I’m making something really delicious,” Ling Chuxia replied with a mysterious smile.

An hour later, Grandma Ling tasted Ling Chuxia’s lengguo chuanchuan and her eyes widened.

“Is it good?” Ling Chuxia asked.

Grandma Ling ate another skewer of lotus root slices, her mouth hanging open in astonishment. “It’s amazing! This is so much better than the fried skewers they sell outside!”