As evening fell, Factory Director Yan left work and went home, carrying a briefcase made of artificial leather.
Before I even stepped inside the house, I heard my wife's cheerful voice, "My little darling, how about I give you some candy? Oh my, you're such a good girl, my little girl!"
Factory Director Yan was puzzled, so he quickly stopped and checked his house number. Sure enough, this was his house!
That voice was also his own wife's voice.
Pushing open the two wooden doors, I saw a tall, thin young man with fair skin chopping wood with an axe, while his wife stood beside him holding a cute little girl with big, pink eyes.
"east?"
"Uncle, you're back." Li Xiangdong put down his axe and wiped the sweat from his face.
How did you know my home was here?
Factory Director Yan felt a little uncomfortable for a moment.
"You old geezer, come inside!"
As soon as Director Yan's wife saw her husband's expression, she knew that his petty jealousy had flared up again, so she quickly called out to Li Xiangdong, "Xiangdong, good boy, take a break. The firewood you chopped is enough for me to use for more than half a month."
She turned around and went back into the house, put her younger sister on the kang (a heated brick bed), and then made a bowl of sugar water for Li Xiangdong and her husband.
"Thanks to Xiangdong today, otherwise I would have died out there."
Factory Director Yan's wife placed the sugar water in front of her husband and gave him a disapproving look.
“I went to the street to buy some sugar this afternoon, but my old problem flared up again and I fainted on the roadside. Luckily, Xiang Dong took me to the county hospital, gave me glucose, and brought me back. I asked the two kids to stay for dinner, but they absolutely refused. Then they saw our photo together and said they knew you, so they finally stayed.”
"Guimei, are you alright?"
Factory Director Yan quickly grabbed his wife's hand and looked her up and down.
He and his wife have no children, and they have a very good relationship.
My wife suffers from hypoglycemia, and she faints whenever it flares up. I can't even imagine what would have happened if we hadn't met Li Xiangdong today.
"What are you doing? Are you targeting the child?!"
Factory Director Yan's wife, Huang Guimei, quickly pulled her hand away and playfully slapped her husband.
"Xiangdong, we really owe you a lot today! Your uncle will remember your kindness in saving your aunt."
"Uncle, you're too kind. I would have done the same to anyone else today. But, Uncle, the doctor said Auntie is malnourished..."
"Hey, have a seat. We'll eat at home today."
Factory Director Yan gestured for Li Xiangdong to sit down, not wanting to say much about his wife.
Li Xiangdong wisely refrained from asking further questions. He took out a two-pound piece of pork belly with three layers of fat and lean meat from the two-wheeled cart, along with a packet of yellow rock sugar wrapped in straw paper, a packet of granulated sugar wrapped in white paper, and a packet of honey-glazed pastries, and placed them on the table in the main room.
"What are you doing?" Factory Director Yan asked with a stern face.
"Uncle, it's fate that we met, and it's fate that I saved Auntie. Think about it, what kind of fate is this deep? You're an upright person, and I understand that you don't want to take my money, but please don't stop me from buying things for Auntie. If you don't let my auntie accept these things today, my little sister and I will leave right now, and I won't dare to eat at your house!"
"You little rascal!" Director Yan knew Li Xiangdong meant well, pointed at him with his finger, and then laughed.
"Guimei, I'll cook today to properly treat your savior."
"Oh, that's great! Xiangdong, your uncle doesn't cook very often. Today you'll have to see what delicious dishes he's made," Huang Guimei teased, raising an eyebrow.
Factory Director Yan was busy in the kitchen for half a day, and Li Xiangdong was tending the fire for him.
Before long, a bowl of glistening, tender, and fragrant braised pork was served, accompanied by bright green smashed cucumber and yellow brown rice. Li Xiangdong couldn't help but start drooling.
"Ah, the meat smells so good, I want to eat it."
The little girl stretched out her tiny hand, ready to pounce on the braised pork.
"You can't eat this, sweetie. Your auntie made you some eggs."
Huang Guimei quickly stopped her younger sister and fed her a small spoonful of cooled egg custard.
"Let me feed the little sister, you eat first."
Li Xiangdong went to hug the little sister in Huang Guimei's arms.
"Go have dinner with your uncle first, and don't try to take my little darling from me."
Huang Guimei hugged her younger sister tightly and coaxed Li Xiangdong to hurry up and eat.
"Come on, Xiangdong, let's eat first. Let your aunt have some fun with your little sister." Director Yan called out to Li Xiangdong.
Li Xiangdong had no choice but to sit down at the table, pick up the liquor bottle and fill Director Yan's small wine cup, then poured some liquor into his own small wine cup.
"Xiangdong, I want to thank you! Your uncle has no children of his own and lives with your aunt all his life. If anything were to happen to her, I wouldn't be able to live..."
Factory Director Yan's voice choked with emotion as he finished speaking and downed the liquor in one gulp.
"Please drink slowly!" Li Xiangdong refilled his glass.
"Try the meat your uncle makes, it's a genuine imperial chef's recipe."
Factory Director Yan picked up a glistening, plump, and trembling piece of meat with his chopsticks and placed it in Li Xiangdong's bowl.
Li Xiangdong noticed the words "Imperial Chef's Legacy," his mind raced, but he didn't show it on his face. He smiled and picked up a piece of braised pork to eat.
One bite reveals tender and chewy lean meat, smooth and glutinous skin, and a slurp of the fat with the tip of the tongue, which is soft and tender like tofu.
Li Xiangdong ate his meal with gusto, taking bites of meat and rice at the same time.
By the time he came to his senses, he had already eaten half a bowl of rice. Director Yan, holding a small wine cup, looked at him with a smile.
Li Xiangdong was a little embarrassed. He put down his chopsticks, his fair face flushed. "I'm so sorry to have made you laugh, Uncle and Aunt. It's been so long since I've had such delicious meat..."
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