Chapter 130: Pickles
"Shen Que is crippled."
Grandma Shen spoke with heartache, but still objectively said, "I consider you like my own granddaughter. If I were your grandmother, I would not agree to a cripple being my grandson-in-law, do you understand?"
Jiang Cheng certainly understood.
She pulled her chair a little closer to Grandma Shen, resting her head directly on Grandma Shen’s lap.
"Grandma..."
With just that one word, Grandma Shen looked up.
"I have a liking for Shen Que because of his character."
"Of course, I’ve considered what you mentioned, but I don’t need Shen Que to support the family or make money. I want a partner who matches me."
"Making money, I can do it myself."
Jiang Cheng spoke confidently.
She sat up, holding Grandma Shen’s hand, and coquettishly said, "Just pretend you don’t know anything. I haven’t made a final decision, and I don’t want you worrying with us."
Grandma Shen was silent for a while.
"Fine, I know nothing!"
Saying this, Grandma Shen thought of something.
"Pretending not to know is quite fun. That rascal Shen Que, normally so shrewd, becomes a fool in your presence."
"With his foolish look, it’ll be obvious to Shen Xing and Shen Yue in no time."
Jiang Cheng nodded in agreement, "He is a little adorably nervous."
Grandma Shen: Adorable? Shen Que?
Linking those two words, she couldn’t help but show a disdainful expression.
The elderly and the young continued chatting for a while, then Grandma Shen left.
Just as she entered the house, she saw Shen Que sitting upright and earnestly reading a book.
Suppressing her amusement, Grandma Shen asked calmly, "Still not asleep?"
"I slept a lot on the car ride. Auntie is back."
Grandma Shen: What a pointless question!
"Yes, she’s back. Jiang Cheng still has to write translation drafts, she’s up late every night."
"I’ll make some wontons later as a late-night snack for her."
Hearing this, Shen Que immediately offered to help.
Grandma Shen said there was no need, but Shen Que insisted.
In the end, somehow, Shen Que was left alone making wontons.
Normally, the clever Shen Que would notice something was up.
But being focused on doing something for Jiang Cheng, he simply felt happy and didn’t think of anything else.
At 10:30 PM, Jiang Cheng heard a knock at the door.
"Coming!"
Jiang Cheng, used to opening the door, found someone different this time.
She quickly realized what was going on and playfully teased, "Why is it you?"
"Auntie is tired, I’m not."
Shen Que handed the bowl of wontons to Jiang Cheng, "It’s not hot, I let it cool a bit before bringing it over."
Jiang Cheng took the bowl.
It was warm, just the right temperature to eat.
Shen Que’s thoughtfulness made Jiang Cheng quite pleased.
"Thank you."
"You’re welcome, just make sure the door is shut. You can return the bowl tomorrow."
Shen Que nodded at Jiang Cheng, didn’t enter, and turned to leave.
Jiang Cheng didn’t say much either, took the bowl, and went back inside, closing the door.
As she ate the wontons, Jiang Cheng thought she could give Shen Que another point, not just a zero point zero one.
Because his skills were really good!
Meanwhile, back in his room, Shen Que lay in bed thinking of one thing: the light in Jiang Cheng’s room wasn’t very bright.
Early the next morning, Shen Que kept his habit of exercising.
Though his running posture was limited, things like pull-ups and push-ups weren’t affected.
At 6:20 AM, Jiang Cheng came out with the washed bowl and placed it in the kitchen.
Shen Que returned from outside, sweaty.
Wearing a tank top, Shen Que showed off his great physique.
If the setting were different, Jiang Cheng would have wanted to throw a bunch of change at him.
"Morning, Jiang Cheng."
"Morning, Shen Que."
Both greeted each other seriously, but Shen Yue, sitting between them tending the fire, felt something was off.
She looked at one, then the other.
Both were so good-looking!
As a sucker for looks, she couldn’t think of much else.
Five of them had breakfast together.
After this meal, Shen Que seemed more natural around Jiang Cheng.
At least he could carry on a normal conversation.
"Jiang Cheng, I’ll take Shen Xing and Shen Yue to school."
"Sure! You can use my bike."
"Thanks."
Shen Que took the bike and went to drop off Shen Xing and Shen Yue at school.
Jiang Cheng and Grandma Shen exchanged a knowing smile without a word.
Jiang Cheng went back next door to continue translating, delivering finished pieces to Xinhua Bookstore.
Every time she went, she got new translation material.
Jiang Cheng didn’t mind; translation requires practice.
Revisiting and relearning was something she needed anyway, not to mention she got paid.
She spent the entire morning earnestly translating until Grandma Shen called her for lunch.
However, it was odd not to see Shen Que.
"Where’s Shen Que?"
Grandma Shen set the dishes and said, "He said he had to go out for something."
Jiang Cheng acknowledged it with an "oh" and didn’t ask further.
While they were eating, someone familiar appeared at the Shen Family’s door.
"Director Lu?"
"Please, come in."
Jiang Cheng stood up, inviting Director Lu inside to sit.
Director Lu had come purposely, so he didn’t refuse.
They all sat down, and after Grandma Shen served tea, she didn’t go far, sitting on a small stool by the door as a symbol of presence.
Director Lu took a sip of tea and then looked at Jiang Cheng with a bit of a soulful gaze.
This look made Jiang Cheng feel uneasy.
She hadn’t done anything recently, had she?
Could she have forgotten something?
As Jiang Cheng racked her brains, Director Lu spoke.
"Sigh... the textile mills are earning foreign exchange now."
"Our food factory... sigh..."
With two sighs, Jiang Cheng held back her laughter; she understood.
He felt she was being partial.
"Director Lu, your timing is perfect. I’ve been thinking about something recently."
"Oh? What is it?"
Director Lu became genuinely interested.
Jiang Cheng was like a golden asset to every factory director in S City.
An alchemist of sorts.
Jiang Cheng didn’t keep him in suspense and directly asked, "I wonder if our food factory could produce pickles?"
"What?"
Director Lu was truly puzzled. What are pickles?
"Director Lu, I spent some time abroad recently, and they have a local delicacy they adore, pickles."
Upon hearing it was related to foreigners, Director Lu’s interest was piqued.
Jiang Cheng continued.
"I asked around and learned that pickles are just small cucumbers, pickled to ensure a tart, crunchy, slightly sweet taste. Foreigners’ meals often have a lot of oil and sugar, so pickles are a delightful, refreshing side dish."
"They aren’t just served as a side but are used in hot dogs, hamburgers, and other foreign dishes."
Jiang Cheng explained a lot, emphasizing that cucumbers can be well-grown in Hua Xia, and starting a pickle production line might just earn foreign exchange.
After hearing this, Director Lu was deeply moved.
Although there was no current technology, equipment, or raw materials, he couldn’t help but be tempted!