Chapter Seven: Can't go back? Then what about my two-hundred-square-meter luxury mansion?

“Besides steak, I can also prepare other Western dishes. The menu can be adjusted according to the nationality of our foreign friends,” Lin Xiang said, trying hard to sell herself.

She wanted to earn money—more and more.

Chef Shen, of course, sensed the undertone in Lin Xiang’s words. “Our state-run restaurant has a reception task at the beginning of next month. The guests will be foreigners, though I don’t know exactly from which countries. Preparing Western food is an order from above—to make foreign friends feel the warmth of being at home here in Huaguo.”

“But we’ve never prepared Western food before, let alone know how to make it. That’s why we’re looking for someone to help. Young comrade, your arrival couldn’t have been more timely!”

If they failed this reception task, the entire staff of the state-run restaurant would be in trouble.

“So this job…”

“It’s yours!” Chef Shen smiled warmly. “The pay is clearly stated on the notice outside: settled daily, one yuan per day, with a minimum of preparing three dishes. If you make more dishes, you’ll get additional subsidies accordingly. How does that sound?”

The state-run restaurant was a lucrative place. Staffing was already complete, and they wouldn’t just recruit anyone casually. Earning one yuan a day was already the best job available at the moment.

Today was already the 29th, with only a couple of days left until the start of the month.

“Deal. But my home is in the countryside, and there’s no phone in the village. I won’t be able to receive notifications or know exactly when to come.”

“Come on the second, then. Come early so we can prepare the ingredients in advance.”

Lin Xiang agreed. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the few pieces of steak left on the plate.

She wasn’t craving it—after all, hadn’t she eaten every delicacy imaginable in her past life?

But Lin Yun was still sick. If he could eat some high-protein food to help him recover faster, it would be good.

She needed to work hard to raise his favorability, so she could return to her 200-square-meter mansion as soon as possible!

Chef Shen couldn’t give Lin Xiang the steak—he needed it for the leaders to taste—but he also didn’t want her efforts to go unrewarded. So he gave her four large meat buns and half a pound of pork.

“Can’t let you work for nothing. Consider this a hardship allowance.”

The large meat buns at the state-run restaurant cost fifteen cents each, and pork was eighty cents per pound. Shen handed over a full yuan’s worth of food. Lin Xiang had no room to be picky.

Carrying the meat and buns, she left the state-run restaurant.

She had already spent a dime to ride a cattle cart coming here, so she had to walk back.

Fortunately, the weather was kind. Just as she arrived home, a torrential downpour began.

---

Lin Xiang’s mother had gone visiting somewhere, so Lin Xiang didn’t pay it much mind and dove into the kitchen to cook.

Lin Yun was still ill and couldn’t eat greasy food, so Lin Xiang picked a loofah from the garden and made loofah and pork slice soup to reduce internal heat and dryness.

Just as she placed the large meat buns warming on the stove, her mother returned.

“The moment I walked in, I smelled something delicious. What are you cooking?”

Lin Xiang’s mother lifted the pot lid, eyes sparkling at the four large meat buns stuck to the pot’s edge and the bubbling meat soup inside. “Where did these buns and meat come from? Did Liu Zhiqing bring them?”

Lin Xiang felt helpless. “Mom, please stop trying to set up my brother with Liu Zhiqing.”

The male protagonist already had his destined partner—not Liu Pei.

Liu Pei was a devoted supporting female lead, but also a good girl. It wouldn’t be fair to let her waste time and money on Lin Yun.

Her mother scoffed, “So what? I’ve worked hard raising him for over twenty years. This is what he owes me!”

Knowing her mother was stubborn, Lin Xiang gave up on arguing. “Mom, could you watch the pot for me? When it boils, bring a bowl to my brother. He’s a man with a big appetite; give him two meat buns. I’m going to the restroom.”

When Lin Xiang returned, only a small bowl of soup remained, and just one meat bun.

She assumed her mother had given Lin Yun some food. Coincidentally, she was quite hungry herself, so she sat at the doorway with her bowl and chopsticks to eat.

The Lin family was poor, and there was no electricity in the house. The dim candlelight flickered weakly, so sitting outside was brighter.

Just as Lin Xiang settled on the stool at the main room’s entrance, she saw Lin Yun, trembling and leaning against the wall, staggering out.

Lin Xiang quickly put down her bowl and chopsticks, eager to raise his favorability. “Brother, where are you going? Let me help you.”

“No need,” Lin Yun said, slightly turning away to avoid her outstretched hand and headed to the outhouse.

Ah, he needed to relieve himself.

Knowing Lin Yun was prideful, Lin Xiang didn’t insist and resumed eating her dinner.

When Lin Yun came out, he saw Lin Xiang enjoying her meal heartily. Swallowing hard with difficulty, he quickly averted his eyes and hurried back to the firewood shed.

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That night, after washing up, Lin Xiang lay wrapped in her quilt, exhausted from the day. Just as she drifted into sleep, she heard the familiar male voice roar in her ear.

“Wasn’t it to gain the male lead’s favor? Keep this up and you won’t be able to return!”

Won’t be able to return?

What about her 200-square-meter mansion?

Startled awake from her sleep, Lin Xiang muttered, “No way… I bought him anti-inflammatory medicine and made pork slice soup for him, and he doesn’t like me at all?”

Was the male lead really that hard to win over?

In the original story, it was because Liu Pei bought him anti-inflammatory medicine that Lin Yun remembered her kindness for many years. After Liu Pei got married and encountered trouble, Lin Yun even helped her.

So why was there no favorability at all with her?

Lin Xiang blamed the original self’s many misdeeds, making Lin Yun despise her so much that going from hatred to affection was a long and arduous journey.

“Why are you muttering in your sleep?” Lin Xiang’s mother asked, having overheard her but not catching the words clearly.

“Nothing. Must be sleep-talking,” Lin Xiang answered.

Her mother narrowed her eyes. “Do you think I’m stupid or blind? Your eyes were wide open when you were ‘sleep-talking’!”

Lin Xiang was too angry to retort.

Her mother then launched into conversation. “Tomorrow, have your brother visit Liu Zhiqing again. Seeing how sickly he looks, she’ll surely bring back more meat. Girl, when there’s meat tomorrow, make that pork slice soup again for me. I couldn’t resist eating so much today—I only left you a small bowl. Don’t get mad at your mother!”

Her mother was essentially selfish—she loved her daughter but always put herself first.

Lin Xiang suddenly sat up, eyes wide, and loudly questioned, “You didn’t give my brother any of the pork slice soup I made today?”

“He’s a grown man. Why does he need to eat so well?”

“And no meat buns either? You ate three by yourself?”

“I wanted to save two for you, but I was so hungry!”

Hungry and greedy.

Lin Xiang couldn’t help but shout, “That soup was for Lin Yun! I knew he was sick and couldn’t eat greasy food, so I specially made pork slice soup for him!”

No wonder the male lead’s feelings hadn’t changed. So that was the problem!