On the table, shrimp and pork wontons were mixed together in a bowl, garnished with cilantro and scallions on the broth. Nan Sheng preferred a sour and spicy flavor, so chili oil and vinegar were essential.
Sizhong swallowed hard at the aroma. "Auntie, why make wheat-flour wontons? We could’ve just eaten something simple."
Normally, they only had wheat flour during the New Year—his aunt was being incredibly generous!
Sicheng didn’t care about any of that. He scooped a spoonful into his mouth, hissing from the heat but refusing to spit it out.
Nan Sheng chuckled. "Don’t stand on ceremony with me. Hurry up and eat, or your two younger brothers will finish the whole pot. See if you don’t panic then!"
Sizhong turned to look—sure enough, their bowls were already half empty!
Siqi stomped her foot in frustration, but Nan Sheng wouldn’t let her eat too quickly, insisting she blow on the wontons to cool them first.
Compared to his brothers, Sicheng was more articulate. He ate fast but still found time to praise Nan Sheng’s cooking.
"Auntie, I’ve never had wontons this delicious. The shrimp is so fresh, the pork so fragrant—it’s downright intoxicating. I could eat the bowl itself!"
Nan Sheng ladled him another generous portion. "No need to eat the bowl. I made a whole pot, enough to fill all of you up."
Sizhong envied his brother’s silver tongue, thinking it made him more endearing. But before he could finish his own bowl, Nan Sheng refilled it too.
Moved, he looked up and said, "Thank you, Auntie!"
Sizhe, being at home, didn’t hold back. He ate bowl after bowl—this was his first time trying shrimp-filled wontons, and he found them even tastier than the pork ones.
By the time everyone left the table, there was still one bowl left in the pot. The kids were so full they had to lean against the wall to walk.
Nan Sheng fetched a clean bowl and handed it to Sizhong. "Take this back for your grandparents to try." She hadn’t originally planned to send any to the elders, not wanting to give Lin Xue the satisfaction. But with one bowl left, it seemed like fate.
Wasting food was shameful!
Sizhong hadn’t eaten as voraciously as his brother, so he carried the bowl home first. Sicheng, on the other hand, would need to lie down and rest before he could move.
Sizhe noticed his mother looked tired and volunteered to clean the kitchen. Nan Sheng chatted idly with her nephew. "Sicheng, isn’t your mother arranging a match for Sizhong? How’s that going?"
The moment the topic came up, Sicheng couldn’t stop talking. "Auntie, you have no idea. My mother’s practically trying to marry my brother off to a fairy! She’s met several girls and hasn’t liked any of them."
"A fairy? So your mother wants a beautiful daughter-in-law? I thought she’d prioritize someone hardworking."
Sizhe chimed in, "You hit the nail on the head. She wants someone pretty, skilled at chores, and educated. She says since my brother graduated from middle school, his wife can’t be too far behind—at least elementary school."
With so many demands, it’s a wonder she doesn’t consider our family’s circumstances. After buying grain, we can’t even afford to build a separate house.
"At this rate, my brother and I will be bachelors forever."
Nan Sheng thought otherwise. If food ran short, families would be quick to marry off daughters—not only to reduce mouths to feed but also to collect bride prices.
Zhou Wei might just find the perfect daughter-in-law after all.
The next morning, knowing the kids would be heading up the mountain, Nan Sheng steamed a large batch of vegetable buns.
"Big Kid, take these with you. They’ll keep you full until I get back from work and cook something proper."
"Got it, Mom!"
At first, Sizhe thought his mother was ill-tempered. But as he got to know her better, he realized she was stern on the outside but warm-hearted.
Now? She was a bit naggy, but it made his heart feel full.
Nan Sheng barely noticed when the system notified her of another favorability increase. Lately, she’d been gaining a point every day for no apparent reason.
Her son's favorability had reached an astonishing 83, and she’d even accumulated five lottery chances. She felt like a wealthy treasure holder, ready to open a blind box whenever needed.
At the town government office, the visit record meant for the mayor’s review ended up with the secretary instead.
After asking Du Tang, she learned the mayor had been accidentally injured.
On the day the new village head of Xiaoguan Village took office, Old Huang had sent men to cause trouble. A well-aimed stone hit the mayor square on the head, nearly sending him to the afterlife.
"Such a big incident, and no one breathed a word?"
Du Tang looked exhausted—he’d been by the mayor’s side and only returned home the night before.
"We didn’t realize how serious it was at first. Later, we found out his scalp was split open. After emergency treatment in town, he was sent to the county hospital."
The injury was severe. Du Tang estimated the mayor would need at least a month to recover. Though it felt a little inappropriate, Nan Sheng’s first thought was: vacation time!
When she was summoned to the secretary's office, she was still baffled. What could Secretary Ma possibly want with her?
"Secretary Ma, you asked for me?"
Secretary Ma was unusually amiable, as if fortune had finally smiled upon him. Clerk Peng was also present, holding up the visit record that Nan Sheng had submitted.
“It’s about the poverty alleviation plan for Xiaoling Village. The secretary thinks your proposal is worth trying and wants to hear a detailed plan.”
Under Secretary Ma’s expectant gaze, Nan Sheng froze. She’d only mentioned it casually—she had no concrete plan.
But if she stayed silent now, the secretary might think she was unwilling to assist, which would spell trouble later.
Under their eager stares, Nan Sheng spoke slowly.
"Xiaoling Village is mountainous, with many wild fruit trees. It’s likely suitable for large-scale fruit cultivation. My suggestion is to invite agricultural experts to survey the land and determine which types of fruit trees would thrive there.
"The first few years will be hard for the villagers, but once the trees mature, they’ll provide substantial annual income."
Without hesitation, Secretary Ma picked up the phone to call the county. If Yu Feng could bring in experts, so could he!
