Chapter 99 Always Hungry

The next day, Wu Peng rode his bicycle alone to distribute wedding candies in the alleys and courtyards. He had a wide grin on his face the whole way.

He still brought Grandpa Yao a soft cake. He also brought back a box of milk powder from Shenzhen.

In the alley, Wu Peng delivered candy to each household. The elderly men and women chatting at the alley entrance each received a handful.

When they arrived at the courtyard, Old Master Yao was watching several children play. Seeing Wu Peng, he laughed, "That rascal, he's finally fallen for his granddaughter's charms." Years had passed in a flash; who would have thought he'd become in-laws with the Wu family? Years ago, he'd never dared to dream of becoming in-laws with the old man's family.

Wu Peng looked a little awkward, but his words were anything but. "Hua Hua was exhausted yesterday, so I came by myself. We'll come back to see you together later."

Grandpa Yao glared at him, thinking, "That brat has no shame."

Wu Peng chuckled. He gave each of the children who gathered around a bag of candy, filling their pockets to the brim. The children jumped and danced with joy.

Besides the old man and Aunt Zhong washing clothes in the courtyard, there was also Yao Weiguo behind the window, engrossed in reading.

Wu Peng was disgusted by Yao Weiguo's feigned diligence in studying, wondering if it was genuine. Zhong Er said it was true; he sat there all day long without moving. Tsk, he really could sit still; he wondered if he'd developed sores on his buttocks.

Wu Peng ignored his brother-in-law and went straight to hand out wedding candies to Aunt Zhong. "Aunt Zhong, you must come for dinner on the 8th. It's at Minfu Dumpling Restaurant. Zhong Er knows the place; have him take you there. Bring the children along for a lively atmosphere."

"Okay, okay, I'll definitely go." Wu Peng is really impressive to her now. Even when Hua Hua was in trouble, he didn't back down. He's clearly a good person, capable, and makes a lot of money running a factory. He dares to spend 2200 on a ring—who would dare? Even selling her wouldn't be worth it! No wonder her son always talks about "Brother Peng," with such adoration, almost like he idolized his father when he was little. He's such a spendthrift! There are so many other things he could do with that money; eating and drinking would be much better than buying a ring.

After handing out the candy, Wu Peng glanced at the steamed bun shop from afar. He saw that Li Chunying, apart from having slightly red eyes, still had the energy to glare at people, so he figured she was alright. He quickly ran off. He figured he could explain it to his wife if she asked him about it when he got back.

Li Chunying cried half the night under the covers. This morning, she got up early to set up her stall, but she couldn't smile. She just kept a long face as she collected money and steamed buns.

Normally, people would chime in when buying steamed buns, but today not a single one dared to speak.

Seeing Yu Chengwen glance at her a few times before looking down to buy steamed buns, Li Chunying grabbed the money and threw it into the cupboard. She then grabbed three steamed buns with tongs and shoved them into Yu Chengwen's lunchbox.

Yu Chengwen held the lunchbox and steadily caught the force.

Seeing that she still wouldn't leave even after being given steamed buns, Li Chunying couldn't help but glare at her.

Yu Chengwen smiled and handed over a dollar. "Leave me a few meat buns and a bowl of porridge tonight. I also want to eat meat pies. I was starving last night."

Li Chunying glared even more. What business is it of mine if you go hungry all night? Having taken the money, she started shooing people away, "I know. Don't block the way."

Yu Chengwen smiled slightly and finally left.

Li Chunying breathed a sigh of relief and continued selling steamed buns with a cold expression.

When Wu Peng returned, Yao Fanghua was already up. "Why didn't you sleep a little longer? Why are you up so early?"

Yao Fanghua looked at the sun outside; it was almost noon. "I'm so hungry if I don't get up."

Wu Peng came over to help Yao Fanghua up. "It's my fault, it's my fault. I should have fed you something this morning before letting you go back to sleep. Go lie down, grab a snack and have a couple of bites, I'll go cook."

Yao Fanghua twitched her lips; it seemed this man had indeed had a satisfying meal last night.

Yao Fanghua moved slightly and felt a bit of pain down there, so she readily accepted the pampering and continued to lean back on the bed. "Make something hot, cook some porridge. Ah, I really want to drink the preserved egg and lean pork porridge from Shenzhen. Oh well, I'll just make plain porridge. Didn't you get a few steamed buns from my mom?"

"It's our mom."

"Oh, you didn't get a few steamed buns from your mom?"

Wu Peng chuckled, "Don't worry, I saw that Mom was fine. She was selling steamed buns as usual this morning. I was afraid of upsetting her, so I just glanced at her from afar and didn't dare to show myself."

"Hmph, otherwise Comrade Li Chunying wouldn't only have eyes for you, she would at least take a look from afar. How thoughtful of her."

Wu Peng started cooking porridge and then began beating eggs. He wasn't a great cook, but he knew how to fry eggs. After frying the eggs, he started frying steamed buns.

"Comrade Li Chunying, well, how should I put it?" Across the living room, the eggs were being fried again, and since he couldn't hear very clearly anyway, Wu Peng decided not to say anything. After all, she was his own mother; if she said it was fine, it would definitely cause trouble if he said it.

Yao Fanghua was listening intently for Wu Peng to comment on her mother, but all she heard was the sizzling sound of stir-frying.

Once the food was on the table, seeing that Yao Fanghua was still staring at him, waiting for him to speak, Wu Peng had no choice but to talk about his biological mother. "I've never told you this before, but every family has its own problems. You know Wu Kun, right? My mother was so good to him back then, no less than to me, her own son. You know, if we were siblings, it would be fine, but we weren't. At the time, I was quite resentful, thinking that my mother should be even better to me, or only good to me."

However, my mother's health deteriorated, and all I felt was worry. After she passed away, all I felt was longing and remembrance.

Yao Fanghua's expression darkened; she didn't know how to comfort Wu Peng. She had never experienced the death of a close relative, the pain of losing a blood relative forever, and any words of comfort seemed pale and powerless.