“I have a very good friend who is also a great cook. She just mentioned to me a few days ago that I was craving pickled bamboo shoots and pork soup. I didn’t expect Uncle Tang Bao to make it, and it’s so delicious.”

Ye Qingqing said with a smile, her eyes crinkling.

Grandma Gu smiled even more kindly, "Eat more if you like it, there's a big pot of it. You and your friends are good children."

Ye Qingqing let out a burp and waved her hand in refusal, "I've already had three bowls, and I'm already this far. If I drink any more, I'll definitely spit it out!"

She tilted her head back and exaggeratedly gestured, which amused Grandma Gu again. She laughed more in one day than she had in the past ten years combined. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she had laughed.

Ten years or twenty years?

Or longer?

I remember she seemed to love to laugh when she was young!

Especially when she stayed at her cousin's house, she was always cheerful. Her cousin would always tease her, saying that she was far from being a lady, separated by the Huangpu River!

Grandma Gu couldn't help but twitch her lips. Her cousin and her family were doing very well now, and she, being dirty and unlucky, shouldn't drag them down.

Just like now, watching from afar, knowing that they are doing well, makes me feel content!

If Tang Bao's surgery could be completed, it would be even better if we could find Tang Bao's relatives, so that... she could go to the afterlife to be with her son in peace!

Grandma Gu and Tang Bao didn't eat much, and there was still a lot of food left. Ye Qingqing helped her clean up, while Tang Bao sat quietly. Grandma Gu wiped the table clean, set up a chessboard, and let him play Go by himself.

"The doctor said to encourage your Uncle Tang Bao to use his brain more, so I let him play chess by himself every day," Grandma Gu explained.

Tang Bao, holding black in his left hand and white in his right, was playing against himself with great enthusiasm. Ye Qingqing found it amusing, "You can play alone?"

Grandma Gu sighed, "I don't know how to play chess, so he'll have to play alone."

“My younger brother can play chess, and he’s quite good at it. He won’t be home until the day after tomorrow, so I brought him here to play chess with Uncle Tang Bao,” Ye Qingqing said.

Grandma Gu was very happy. "That's wonderful! How old is your little brother? Does he like snacks? Your Uncle Tang Bao makes delicious snacks too. Next time you come, ask him to make water chestnut cakes for you!"

Ye Qingqing's heart skipped a beat. Water chestnut cake?

She just ate some; it was made with glutinous rice balls, and it was quite delicious.

"Don't bother, my brother doesn't like to eat, don't make anything." Ye Qingqing refused. Grandma Gu earned her money with blood and sweat, and she couldn't eat it no matter how delicious it was!

Grandma Gu smiled. She could tell that Ye Qingqing was being considerate of her; what a kind-hearted girl!

Grandma Gu was going to set up her stall in the evening, and Ye Qingqing helped her prepare. Before setting off, Grandma Gu locked the door and blocked the power socket with books. After making all the arrangements and giving Tang Bao some instructions, she pushed her cart out to set up her stall.

"Where do you live? Grandma will take you home. It's getting dark, it's not safe!"

Grandma Gu and the old lady said the same thing: they insisted on taking Ye Qingqing home.

"My home is on Fuai Road, not far ahead. The streetlights are bright, so please don't see me off, Grandma. You'll be fine!"

Ye Qingqing pointed towards Fu'ai Road, not noticing that Granny Gu's eyes flickered, as if she had remembered something.

"Then you should go home quickly!"

Grandma Gu didn't insist any further, but she didn't go far either. She stood at the intersection watching Ye Qingqing go home, her longing growing stronger and stronger, but Ye Qingqing had her back to her and didn't see it.

When she was about ten meters away from her doorstep, Ye Qingqing turned around and waved vigorously at Grandma Gu, "I'm home!"

Grandma Gu waved her hand and pushed her cart to other alleys. Her hunched body cast a long, dark shadow under the streetlights as she walked further and further away.