Since it was a casual home-cooked meal, Bai Jiu didn’t prepare any extravagant dishes, settling for a simple four dishes and one soup. Considering the elderly man’s frail health, she stewed a mature hen, adding a ginseng root that was around ten years old. She had previously bartered for quite a few of these under-ten-year ginseng roots to keep at home, so using one now was no problem. Besides, she planned to restock soon, so she wasn’t worried about running out.
The other dishes included a stir-fried pork and a plate of scrambled eggs with chives. The chives at this time of year were thick and hearty; while they weren’t as aromatic as those in early spring, they still tasted quite good. She also made a seaweed and lean meat soup, adding cilantro and green onions for a rich, fragrant flavor. Lastly, she prepared braised fish. She had bought the meat and fish fresh that morning, meaning they would be eaten up completely without any risk of spoiling.
Soon, joyous laughter echoed from next door, reaching Bai Jiu as she busied herself in the kitchen. With Aunt Xu’s family watching them, she felt completely at ease.
Mr. Mu arrived with Gao Zhijun, accompanied by Chi. Chi was well accustomed to visiting Mr. Gao’s house by now. In fact, he sometimes looked forward to Mr. Gao inviting Mr. Mu over for dinner, as it meant he could reap the delicious benefits.
Of course, he didn’t freeload; he always brought his own rations. Mr. Mu did the same. In these times, simply having food on the table was a blessing. People rarely ate at others’ houses, and if they did, they always brought their own rations. Gao Zhijun and Bai Jiu hadn’t wanted to accept them, but under Mr. Mu’s stubborn insistence, the couple had no choice but to yield. Even so, the rations they brought were hardly enough to cover what they actually ate.
"It smells amazing, Mrs. Gao! I’m here to crash dinner again." Chi caught the scent the moment he walked in, sniffing the air eagerly, looking absolutely famished.
"You’re here! Hurry up and take a seat inside. It’s sweltering out there. Zhijun, quickly turn on the fan." It wasn’t quite autumn yet; this was the tail end of summer, the hottest time of the year. Bai Jiu was nearly finished in the kitchen and hurriedly ushered her guests inside.
"Let me help you, Mrs. Gao." Chi felt too embarrassed to just freeload. After all, in his mind, the meager rations he brought were virtually indistinguishable from freeloading, especially since she was always so generous, serving meat and fish every time.
The kitchen was stiflingly hot, and Bai Jiu didn’t need his help. "No need. Just go inside, brew some tea for Mr. Mu, and help me set the table with the bowls and chopsticks." She had already brought the tableware to the living room; she just hadn’t set them out before they arrived.
Hearing this, Chi didn’t stand on ceremony. "Got it." Good things came to those who listened, especially when listening to Mrs. Gao—he knew he definitely wouldn’t lose out.
Not long after Gao Zhijun had returned, Xiuxiu and Zhengyang came running back from next door.
"Grandpa Mu, Dad, Mr. Chi!" The two of them were sweating profusely, making it clear they had been playing wildly next door.
Mr. Mu’s expression, which had been stern just moments before, instantly softened upon seeing the two little ones. "Xiuxiu, Zhengyang, you’re back! Why are you both covered in sweat?" Like many elders who doted on the younger generation, he had just been lecturing Gao Zhijun but now turned a beaming, affectionate smile toward the children.
"Grandpa Mu, we were just at Grandma Xu’s house! The mooncakes there smell so good!" Xiuxiu was quite the little foodie; even though they hadn’t started baking yet, she felt as if she could already smell the sweet aroma of the mooncakes. Even though she had no idea what a mooncake actually tasted like.
"Is that so? Do you like eating mooncakes, Xiuxiu?" Mr. Mu happily pulled out his handkerchief and began wiping the sweat from their foreheads, asking her gently as he did.
"I’ve never had one, so I don’t know if they’re good." Xiuxiu looked a bit downcast at this admission.
Hearing this, Mr. Mu shot a glance at Gao Zhijun. A complex emotion flickered in Gao Zhijun’s eyes. But that was all in the past now. These were his children, and he was determined to pour all his effort into spoiling them. Things would never be like before.
"Then how about I bring you some next time?" It would likely be in the next day or two that the Mid-Autumn Festival company benefits were distributed. Every year, he received mooncakes. Since he didn’t care for them, he usually gave them away to his subordinates. But this year, he had to keep them.
Although they had never eaten mooncakes before, the children knew they were expensive delicacies. "There’s no need! Mom is making mooncakes with Grandma Xu. We’ll get to eat them tomorrow when we come home from school." The two little ones were incredibly sensible—sometimes so sensible that it made the adults’ hearts ache.
"Those are from your mom, and the ones I give you will be from me," Mr. Mu said with a laugh.
In no time, the food was served. The brewed tea had also been set aside to cool, ready to be enjoyed right after the meal.
Looking at the spread on the table, Mr. Mu felt a pang of guilt. "Bai Jiu, when we come over for dinner in the future, don’t make so many dishes. One or two simple ones will be more than enough." Between the chicken, fish, and pork, the meal was lavish—most people didn’t even eat this well during the New Year. He couldn’t let his visits eat up all of Gao Zhijun’s salary.
"Alright, I won’t cook so much next time," Bai Jiu replied with a smile. Giving lip service to please the elderly was one thing; whether she actually followed through was entirely up to her.
"Don’t just say yes without meaning it, my girl; you have to actually do it. Your household registration hasn’t been transferred yet, so you’re relying solely on Zhijun’s salary. Supporting a family on that alone is still quite a strain.
"Tell you what, from now on, I’ll hand over half my salary to you to cover my food expenses." As an elder, Mr. Mu didn’t want to see the younger generation struggle. He had wanted to do this for a long time but had worried she might take it the wrong way. Fortunately, she had proven to be a good-hearted young woman. He was childless, meaning everything he owned would eventually go to Zhijun anyway. Giving it to them sooner rather than later made no difference.
Bai Jiu didn’t agree immediately; instead, she looked over at Gao Zhijun.
"Since my teacher insists, let’s just accept it. He doesn’t have anywhere else to spend his money anyway," Gao Zhijun half-joked.
Sure enough, Mr. Mu beamed at these words. "Exactly! I don’t even go out once a year," he said, chuckling happily. After laughing, he turned to tease Zhengyang. "How about Grandpa saves up his money so Zhengyang can marry a wife in the future?"
"No thanks! I’m going to earn my own money," the little boy declared with absolute seriousness. "But I won’t marry a wife. I’m going to spend it all on Mom, Grandpa, and my little sister."
Gao Zhijun frowned, immediately offended. "What about me?"
"Dad already has money."
Gao Zhijun was utterly exasperated.
Chi had wanted to offer up some of his own pay as well, but he never got the chance to speak. On their way back, he brought the matter up to Mr. Mu, only for the older man to reject the idea.
"How much could you possibly eat?" Mr. Mu said. He was quite fond of Chi and treated him like a student—even if the young man didn’t have much talent.
That night, Gao Zhijun clung to his wife, initiating intimacy over and over until Bai Jiu nearly lost her temper.
"What’s gotten into you these past few days?" Though the experience was highly enjoyable, who could handle such nightly marathons?
Afterward, Gao Zhijun held her close, gently stroking her back. "I just want to be with you. I want to make up for lost time. I’ve missed out for far too long."
Bai Jiu wasn’t an idiot. There was no way she believed that excuse. "Go fetch some water. I’m uncomfortable."
Proving to be completely obedient, Gao Zhijun threw on some clothes and went out to fetch warm water for her to clean up. But by the time he returned, she was already fast asleep. After calling her name a few times and getting no response, he had no choice but to gently wipe her down himself. Throughout the entire process, Bai Jiu didn’t stir once—a clear testament to just how exhausted she was and how unrelenting the man had been.
When Bai Jiu woke up the next morning, she was completely alone in the house. She checked the time and gasped—it was already ten o’clock! She hurriedly got up to freshen up, ate the breakfast Gao Zhijun had left warming on the stove for her, and then headed next door.