Chapter 304 - 290
Tian Sangsang fished out a key from her pocket—it was a key to Xu You’an’s place. Xu You’an had given her one before.
With a creak, the door opened, and a familiar scent rushed to greet her. It felt like those memories from the past, so vivid that with a mere touch, they would repeatedly rise to the surface of time.
Xu You’an’s rented room was right next to the construction site where he worked—just a three-minute walk away. Most of the tenants here were workers from the same site. The building had three floors, with small rooms stacked one next to another. Xu You’an’s room was on the first floor, farthest to the right. The courtyard here was communal, the balcony was communal, the washing area was communal, the well was communal, the bathhouse was communal, even the toilet was communal—nothing was convenient. Naturally, in Yu Qixiu’s eyes, this place was filthy, chaotic, and poor. So when she first learned Xu You’an lived here, the thought genuinely pained her.
Though simple, Xu You’an’s room was clean. It had only a wooden bed, a wardrobe for clothes, and a table for meals. The rest of the space was cluttered with miscellaneous items, making it feel cramped. The room was divided by a long curtain; outside was the area for cooking meals, and inside served as the bedroom.
Tian Sangsang knew there was a little over an hour before Xu You’an finished work. She had to prepare the meal beforehand and then head to Xu You’an’s construction site—otherwise, he might immediately head to the bus stop after work and go to their school, leading to them missing each other.
The so-called kitchen barely deserved the name—it contained cooking tools and a coal stove. A dark iron pot, a white pot, various ladles and bowls... Xu You’an had rice at home, but only brown rice. Qingxiu rinsed the rice, scooped water from the tank to wash it, and began preparing steamed rice.
Afterward, Tian Sangsang brought out a couple of heads of bok choy, three potatoes, four eggs, two tomatoes, some fresh bamboo shoots, half a chicken, and a carp. With these, she planned to make a few dishes: stir-fried bok choy, spicy shredded potatoes, tomato and egg stir-fry, braised carp, and bamboo shoot and chicken skin soup. That would suffice.
Tian Sangsang placed the ingredients into a basin, closed the door properly, and carried the basin outside, only to bump into the landlord.
The landlord was a woman in her fifties, dark-skinned and sturdy, with an aura of sharpness. Since Sangsang had visited this place before—and given the fact that she seemed so out of place—the landlord recognized her. Some of the tenants nearby also knew who she was.
"Sangsang!" The landlord approached her with a smile. "Is it really you, Sangsang? Why haven’t you been around for so long? Come again to cook for You’an?"
The landlord eyed the contents of her basin enviously. Everything looked so fresh. Then she glanced at Tian Sangsang—a delicate little beauty with an air of youthful vitality. Internally, she marveled at Xu You’an’s good fortune to have found someone like this. Word had it she was even a college student!
"Yes, I’ve been busy studying lately and haven’t had time to visit You’an. Has he been doing well recently?" Tian Sangsang tried to get some information from the landlord.
"I thought you two had a falling-out." The landlord replied, "You’an hasn’t been doing so well. He never smiles—looks at people all cold and distant, doesn’t even bother talking. I’ve been wondering what’s up between you two. But now that you’re here, he’ll surely be over the moon. Oh, wow, where’d you get such fresh vegetables? These eggs are huge, too—you can tell they’re packed with nutrition!"
Tian Sangsang smiled modestly and didn’t bother explaining further. She took out two eggs and handed them to the landlord. "Auntie, you don’t need to say that. These are just from the supply co-op. I bought too many, and we won’t finish them—here, take these two for your grandson, Gou Dan." Gou Dan was the landlord’s little grandson.
"Oh, I shouldn’t—it’s too generous of you..." The landlord tried to decline, but her hands were already clutching the eggs tightly.
"It’s no big deal, Auntie."
"Then thank you very much!" The landlord burst into a grin, her face transforming with delight. "You’an is lucky to have such a kind and virtuous partner. Truly wonderful!"
Listening to the landlord’s words, Tian Sangsang’s gaze grew increasingly dim. How could she be a good partner? At least now she could take on this reputation. In this lifetime, it was the only thing she aimed for.
Once the food was washed clean, Tian Sangsang returned to the kitchen. The tomato and egg stir-fry blended the redness of the tomato juice with the yellow and white of the eggs, creating a fusion of both their aromas. The stir-fried bok choy showcased vibrant greens intertwined with tender whites. The potato shreds were golden and crisp on the edges, soft on the inside. The braised carp bore no trace of fishiness, exuding a tantalizing smell that made people’s mouths water. Sangsang hadn’t been meticulous about cooking in the past, but after years of being a homemaker, she had developed excellent cooking skills.
The bamboo shoot and chicken skin soup was wonderfully tangy and fragrant. Sangsang left it simmering on the stovetop without serving it right away. For the other dishes, she covered them with lids. After finishing everything, she adjusted the coal in the stove and turned down the fire before stepping outside.
Tian Sangsang walked absentmindedly toward the construction site, feeling deeply uneasy. Would Xu You’an still resemble the man etched in her memory?
She gently touched her belly. "Baby, we need to win your father back first. He’s angry now—his heart might have turned cold. Will he forgive Mommy?"
Back then, Tian Sangsang had been from Zhe Nan, assigned to Wu City to do rural outreach. Now she was attending college in Wu City, while Xu You’an lived in a nearby town called Youfang Town. The area surrounding the town consisted of sprawling villages, one of which was Youyang Village, their rural outreach location.
The town’s only construction site required laborers to haul bricks and wood—gruelling work that often led to injuries. Yu Qixiu was fairly familiar with Wu City. Situated between central China and coastal cities, in later years it would be known for its furniture and household goods industries.
Tian Sangsang arrived at the place from her memories but couldn’t summon the courage to approach. She stood in place, her eyes searching for Xu You’an. Perhaps it was the weight of time and distance rendering everything distant—she looked for a while but couldn’t spot him.
The workers on the construction site noticed the delicate young woman standing there and couldn’t help but let their gazes linger on her.
"Sis, why are you here? Looking for Brother An?"
A skinny, small-framed man suddenly emerged in front of her. He had an ordinary appearance—small eyes, a small face, a slender form—and his clothes were worn and tattered while his face bore smudges of dirt. It took Sangsang a while to recognize him. "You’re Wang Qiang?" Wang Qiang worked on the same site as Xu You’an. Most of the workers didn’t know Tian Sangsang, as she had only visited the site once before, silently observing before leaving in tears. Her familiarity with Wang Qiang came from visiting Xu You’an’s residence once and overhearing him chatting with two men—one of whom was Wang Qiang, and the other Lin Jianbin. The three had a close friendship. Wang Qiang and Lin Jianbin were locals who didn’t rent rooms but lived in their own homes.