Chapter 204: Hiring Someone
The next day, Su He received a phone call from Sister Wu of the Huaihua Commune.
“Little Su, I heard your third uncle and third aunt are getting divorced!
It was your third uncle who brought it up!
He says your third aunt was disrespectful to his parents, egged him into doing a lot of bad things, and now he’s suddenly repented and doesn’t want to live with her anymore.
Yesterday, your third uncle went back to the old Su family home, but your grandfather kicked him out.”
Su He thanked Sister Wu, asked her to keep an eye on things, and hung up the phone.
With just a little thought, she already knew what Shen Ruyi was trying to do!
She wanted Su Yongzhen and Zhang Lianxiang to divorce, then have Su Yongzhen use the Zhang family as leverage to shed his “married-into-the-wife’s-family” status and bring Zhang Lianxiang back to the Su household.
As long as they moved back into the old Su home, everything else would be easy.
Whether it was sowing discord or scheming, everything would be more convenient.
No matter how angry Old Su was at the couple, there was still the little grandson, Zhang Xiaohu!
Oh, maybe the couple would even change Zhang Xiaohu’s surname to Su Xiaohu.
For someone as concerned with face as Old Su, that would be a windfall.
Don’t be fooled by him driving them away; after a few days, if Old Third brings Xiaohu over crying, Old Su might just soften.
Of course, as long as Su He said a word, Old Su wouldn’t let them back in no matter how he felt.
But this was still a hidden danger. She needed a once-and-for-all solution.
One that would make Old Su and the old lady completely give up hope.
No rush—let the third uncle and aunt hop around for a few more days.
In the meantime, Su He slowed her pace. Each day she clocked in at her side-job “fish ponds,” collected her pay, checked it off in her little notebook, and enjoyed her comfortable days.
The only annoyance was Secretary Yang from the machinery factory, always up to petty tricks.
Su He couldn’t be bothered, treating her antics like a circus act.
Every other day, Sister Wu from the Huaihua Commune would call with updates.
Just as Su He expected, Old Su was dead set on kicking them out at first—even raised a shovel to strike Third Uncle.
But as Third Uncle kept coming back, especially with Zhang Xiaohu calling “Grandpa” nonstop, Old Su’s stance began to soften.
In the end, what really bothered him about Third Uncle was his status as a son-in-law living with his wife’s family.
Now that issue was gone, and the son looked sincerely repentant, his father’s heart naturally softened.
Especially after Third Uncle even changed Zhang Xiaohu’s surname to Su Xiaohu—Old Su’s pent-up resentment finally eased.
Su He didn’t even need to guess the next step: Zhang Lianxiang would surely come over to apologize, maybe even kowtow, then the couple would move back into the old Su home together.
Even if there was no place to live, they could squeeze into the little storeroom.
Shen Ruyi’s scheme was clever indeed!
This was basically cutting off the firewood at the root.
At this point, Su He began to suspect Shen Ruyi might have been reborn. Otherwise, how could a little country girl have such scheming ability?
The reason Song Xian feared her was probably because Shen Ruyi had learned the truth about the baby-swap in her past life and used it to blackmail her.
Su He sneered. Rebirth or resurrection, it didn’t matter—our debts will be settled, one by one!
As for Third Uncle and Aunt, no rush—let the matter ferment.
Meanwhile, news came from the Shanghai food factory: the production line was already being dismantled and would be transported soon.
It was time to visit Master Jin at the state-run restaurant.
That afternoon, Su He strolled over to the restaurant.
As soon as she entered, the waitress surnamed Lu beamed, “Little Su, long time no see! You’re such a busy person these days!”
After some polite words, Su He went to the back kitchen to find Master Jin.
It was quiet in the afternoon, and Master Jin was sipping tea from a big mug.
When he saw Su He, his eyes lit up, “Little girl, have you thought it through? You want to learn cooking from me after all?”
Su He: “……”
All this time, and he still hadn’t given up!
She smiled sweetly, “Sir, I’m really not cut out for that! I came today to invite you out of retirement!
Our An County Food Factory is introducing a new instant noodle production line from Shanghai. You know the factory used to make only rice cakes and canned fruit, so when it comes to seasonings, they’re total outsiders.
Director Tian asked me to find a seasoning consultant, with the same treatment as the head of the technical department.
And I thought, who else but you could do the job?
I’m not exaggerating—even the chefs at the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Hotel can’t match your cooking!”
After her rainbow-flavored flattery, Master Jin took a sip of tea and said, “Girl, I like hearing you talk, but I’m not interested in being some consultant. I just want to stay by the stove, not meddle in other things.”
Su He kept at it, chattering on, but not only did she fail to convince him, the old man’s face darkened.
“No means no! Say it however you want, I’m not going! Got anything else? If not, get out—I still have work to do!”
Su He thought, no wonder Sister Lu said Old Jin was like a stubborn donkey—he really was!
With people like this, you couldn’t use conventional methods.
She sighed and said, “Alright then, if you’re unwilling, so be it! Anyway, instant noodles were invented by the Japanese. Even if we study them, we’ll never make them taste better…”
Master Jin, already in a foul mood, slammed his big mug onto the table, “Who says instant noodles were invented by the Japanese?!
In the third year of Emperor Gaozu of the Western Han, during Han Xin’s campaign, someone in the army invented xue noodles.
Know what those are?
Big flat noodles, boiled till 80% cooked, then cut into wide strips—just add water to cook them and they’re ready to eat. Isn’t that instant noodles?”
Su He said weakly, “But I meant fried instant noodles…”
Master Jin sneered, “Fried, is it?
During the Qing Dynasty, when Prefect Yi Bingshou of Yangzhou held a birthday feast for his mother, the kitchen got flustered and mistakenly dropped cooked egg noodles into a vat of oil. They had no choice but to fish them out and serve them in broth.
The guests loved them, and inspired by that, Yi created a kind of quick-cook noodles: first boil the egg noodles, then fry, then dry them for storage. When needed, just add boiling water. Called Yi noodles or Yi mansion noodles.
How’s that any different from your so-called instant noodles?”
Su He nodded, “True, there’s not much difference. But we didn’t industrialize it early enough, so now the overseas market recognizes the Japanese version more, and thinks instant noodles originated there.
Only if we sell high-quality instant noodles abroad and promote our traditional food culture can we reclaim its name.
Master Jin, whether instant noodles can be vindicated or not—it all depends on you!
Of course, if you’re not confident about seasonings, then forget it. We wouldn’t want to tarnish our ancestors’ reputation.”
Master Jin snorted, “Not confident? It’s just a bowl of noodles!
Whatever kind they are, they’re still noodles with broth!
If the noodles are chewy and the broth flavorful, how could it possibly taste bad?
That ‘consultant’ thing you mentioned—I’ll do it!
What a joke, I can handle a full Manchu-Han Banquet, and you think I can’t manage one bowl of noodles…”
