“Little girl, although we don’t follow those rules around here, there are still some things you should be careful about. I saw your brother and Ru Xing from the restaurant hugging and cuddling together today. They’re both single, so even if they’re interested in each other, they shouldn’t do things like that in public…”
Aunt Zhang whispered in Su Xiaoning's ear, occasionally clicking her tongue in amazement.
She vividly recounted the scene of Ruxing falling into Su Qingcai's arms, as if the two were already deeply in love and their affection for each other had made them oblivious to the opinions of others.
Su Xiaoning listened with a blank expression. After Aunt Zhang left, she looked at Su Qingcai with a strange look.
After Su Qingcai felt uneasy under her gaze, she asked with a probing look, "You and Ruxing are together?"
Su Xiaoning's words were shocking, and Su Qingcai almost choked on his own saliva. He glared at Su Xiaoning and said angrily, "What nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean I'm with her?! Did Aunt Zhang say something to you? Ruxing and I have nothing to do with each other, don't think nonsense!"
"Is that so?" Su Xiaoning narrowed her eyes. Su Qingcai's righteous and indignant appearance seemed to her as guilty.
She patted Su Qingcai on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Don't be anxious, I'm not questioning you. Sister-in-law Zhang did tell me some things. She's an honest person and wouldn't lie to me. You don't need to deny it because you're shy. I won't laugh at you!"
"I've already said I have nothing to do with Ru Xing!" Su Qingcai clenched her fists, her face turning pale and then red.
Su Xiaoning was completely oblivious to the storm brewing in Su Qingcai's eyes. She was lost in her own imagination, and the words she uttered were like stepping on Su Qingcai's sore spots time and again.
"Don't take what Sister-in-law Zhang said too seriously. She just wanted you and Ruxing to be mindful of the impact, but I don't think it matters at all. When two people are deeply in love, how can they hold on to each other? Don't worry, I support free love. Although I don't particularly like Ruxing, I'll support you if you really do! A man grows up and leaves home, so be sure to invite me to your wedding banquet in the future..."
Su Xiaoning's words became increasingly outrageous, to the point that she was even planning to have Su Qingcai and Ruxing's future child recognize her as the godmother. With each sentence she spoke, Su Qingcai's face darkened further.
"Shut up!" Su Qingcai roared, unable to contain herself any longer. "Putting aside the fact that Ruxing and I aren't in the kind of relationship you're thinking of, how come you're not angry at all when you hear Sister-in-law Zhang talking about these things?!"
"Why should I be angry?" Su Xiaoning blinked, looking at Su Qingcai with some confusion.
"You..." Su Qingcai wanted to say something, but the words she wanted to say were stuck in her throat.
Yes, why would he want Su Xiaoning to be angry? Does he really want her to be jealous of him?
The strange feeling he had when he held Su Xiaoning in his arms returned, and Su Qingcai's heart ached suddenly. Looking at Su Xiaoning's indifferent appearance, he lowered his head in frustration and walked away.
Well, she doesn't understand, and he doesn't know how to explain it either. This matter will probably just be left unresolved.
Su Xiaoning stood there, staring blankly at Su Qingcai's departing figure. She tilted her head, thinking for a while, but still couldn't understand Su Qingcai's thoughts. She shook her head, put the matter out of her mind, and went back to her own business.
...
The next morning, Aunt Zhang was about to deliver another batch of fish to the restaurant, and Su Xiaoning called out Su Qingcai as usual. However, Su Qingcai just snorted and showed no sign of moving.
"Go by yourself if you want to go. I'm not going to that restaurant again."
"What's wrong with you all of a sudden?" Su Xiaoning looked at Su Qingcai speechlessly. "I know you might be a little embarrassed because Sister-in-law Zhang saw you, but how can a grown man be afraid of these things? You're too thin-skinned!"
"You! Who said I'm shy!" Su Qingcai immediately flew into a rage. He turned around and went back to his room, slamming the door shut with a deafening roar.
"Hey! You're really not going?" Su Xiaoning walked over and knocked on the door, but there was no response from inside. She sighed helplessly and left angrily. "Fine, I won't see you off. I'll just go by myself!"
Su Xiaoning temporarily put aside her accounting work and went to Qinghe Town with Aunt Zhang.
As they approached the restaurant, they saw Ru Xing running out shyly and timidly from afar. However, when she saw that the person who came was Su Xiaoning, her face instantly turned cold.
"It's you? Where is Young Master Su?"
Su Xiaoning snorted coldly and said irritably, "My brother isn't feeling well today and didn't want to come, so I came to deliver the fish in his place. What, is it so fussy about buying fish?"
Although Su Qingcai and Ruxing might be a couple, she still couldn't bring herself to like Ruxing and found her extremely annoying.
Seeing Su Xiaoning speak so rudely, Ru Xing stomped her foot angrily, feeling that Su Xiaoning was a thorn in her side.
No way! How dare a wild girl like Su Xiaoning talk to her like that? All she did was make a fish soup. How could her father spend a fortune to buy fish from that run-down village? No, she absolutely can't be allowed to get away with this!
Ru Xing secretly made up her mind. She went to the kitchen, took out a dead fish, and threw it into the pile of fish that Su Xiaoning had brought while Su Xiaoning was talking to the restaurant owner.
This entire operation was so smooth and seamless that no one noticed it at all.
Just before the inspection, Ru Xing pretended to look around the school of fish, then pointed at them with a look of surprise and shouted, "My God, how come there's a dead fish!"
Ru Xing's shrill voice quickly attracted the attention of others.
Seeing all eyes turn to her, Ru Xing picked up a dead fish from the school and threw it on the ground. Pointing at Su Xiaoning, she shouted with a pained expression, "My father trusted you and that's why he was willing to buy fish from your village. But I never expected you to have such bad intentions and use stale fish to pass off as fresh ones! How can you, you heartless wretch, do this to my father!"
The key to good cooking is freshness. Su Xiaoning had already checked the fish before delivering them to town to make sure they weren't stale. Seeing Ruxing suddenly pick out a dead fish from the school, a hint of surprise flashed in Su Xiaoning's eyes.
Ignoring the insults hurled at her, she ran over and picked up the dead fish from the ground. After examining it carefully, Su Xiaoning gave a cold laugh.
"This fish wasn't brought by us at all!"
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