"Fragrant shredded pork and vegetable noodles are here!"
Chen Yang's cooking skills weren't exactly top-notch, but he wasn't stingy with ingredients. These hand-pulled noodles, paired with fresh garden bok choy and finely sliced shredded pork, with a swirl of sesame oil floating on the broth.
The taste was absolutely divine.
"Daddy, yummy."
"Yanyan wants some."
Smelling the overwhelming aroma, the little milk baby's mouth was watering. She quickly scrambled from Shen Xue's embrace, her little hands reaching out for Chen Yang to hold her.
In just two days, she was already accustomed to her daddy feeding her.
"Xue'er, eat it quickly while it's hot. The noodles will get mushy and won't taste good."
"After you finish, have a mountain egg. Your body needs to be replenished."
Chen Yang placed a large bowl of shredded pork and vegetable noodles in front of Shen Xue, then set a boiled mountain egg on the low table beside the bed.
Immediately after, he quickly picked up the little milk baby, who was eagerly waiting to be fed, and scooped a small bowl of noodles.
"Yanyan, does it smell good? Daddy's noodles are delicious, right?"
Chen Yang blew on the noodles, making sure they weren't too hot, before feeding them to the little milk baby.
"Slurp."
The little one slurped the long noodles, accidentally splashing noodle soup all over herself. But she didn't stop, her mouth full and bulging.
"Delicious."
"These are the best noodles Yanyan has ever eaten."
The little milk baby mumbled happily, clearly finding them delicious. Shen Xue also felt that the soft noodles and slippery shredded pork seemed to burst in her mouth.
The warm broth sent a wave of heat through her stomach, and after finishing the bowl of noodles, she instantly felt a surge of strength.
"You little ungrateful thing. How many meals has Mama made for you, and only a few by Daddy, and you say his are the best?"
Shen Xue pinched the little milk baby's nose, a little bit jealous, though not truly angry. Her daughter, who had always been clingy to her, was now practically glued to Chen Yang after only two days.
As a mother, she couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
"Mama's cooking is the best in the world."
Upon hearing Shen Xue, the little one immediately tried to squirm into Shen Xue's arms. She was a clever girl, knowing she had to please both her daddy and mama.
"Of course, Daddy's cooking is also the best in the world."
However, after nestling into Shen Xue's arms, she looked at Chen Yang still holding the bowl, slurped her saliva, and with a foolish grin, prepared to please Chen Yang again.
"You little clever one, you know how to offend no one."
"I'm done eating. I'll feed Yanyan. You go eat too."
Shen Xue took the bowl from Chen Yang and urged him to eat. These past few days, she had seen him visibly lose weight.
Chen Yang hadn't said anything, but Shen Xue had noticed his every action. She wasn't foolish; she could see that her man truly put her and their child first.
The family of three ate heartily.
Chen Yang smacked his lips. He never imagined that after eating so many delicacies, he would find such a simple bowl of shredded pork and vegetable noodles so incredibly fragrant. He even finished every last drop of the broth at the bottom of the pot.
Just as he finished washing the dishes after the meal, there was a commotion outside.
"Niece Shen Xue, are you feeling any better?"
Hearing the voice, Shen Xue immediately sat up straight, quickly checking if Chen Yang had hidden the items he had taken out earlier.
Since the visitor was the village Party secretary, Shen Xue naturally didn't want him to know that Chen Yang had not only gone to the county town but had also done business.
"Uncle Fuguo, thank you for your concern. Xue'er has just begun to recover."
"She definitely can't work this afternoon. How about this, I'll work in her place this afternoon, and after finishing work tonight, I'll go to the threshing ground to collect grain for another hour. That should make up for Sister Chunying's work today, and also compensate for her lost work time."
Before Shen Xue could say anything, Chen Yang, holding a porcelain bowl from home filled with cool boiled water, went to greet the old Party secretary, Shen Fuguo, who had come to visit Shen Xue at noon.
Although the old Party secretary was traditional, his character was impeccable. At the very least, the three educated youths sent down to the countryside in Shenjiaba Village didn't suffer from hunger as much as others.
He was hardworking and willing to endure hardships for the sake of all the villagers. He was fair in his dealings.
However, at that time, productivity severely limited the village's development. If he had lived to see the future, he would have at least prevented the whole village from going down the wrong path, if not made them all rich.
It was a pity he passed away early. Otherwise, Shenjiaba Village wouldn't have become a notoriously poor village in the entire Liuhe County in later generations. If not for Chen Yang's help, this place would likely have remained a barren and rugged land even after he was reborn.
"You brat, stop trying to show off. The policy for returning to the city has come. Liu Mao Sheng and Zheng Wei Guo won't stop you. Being city dwellers is much better than our life, toiling in the fields from dawn till dusk. I won't ruin anyone's future."
"But you, unless you promise to take Xiao Xue'er and their child back with you, don't blame this old man for speaking frankly."
"If you dare to abandon them and want to return to the city alone, you'll have to wait until this old man is dead."
Shen Fuguo said without politeness, taking the cool boiled water from Chen Yang and drinking it all in one go.
However, his words were not at all pleasant towards Chen Yang. He had seen what kind of person Chen Yang had been in Shenjiaba Village these past few years.
If Shen Xue hadn't stopped him, he would have long wanted to give this unpromising junior a good beating.
As a man, if he doesn't strive to take care of his wife and child and support the family, making Shen Xue, a woman, go out to work every day – is that the behavior of a man?
"You, you silly girl, you just spoil him."
"If one day this heartless fellow abandons you and runs away, let's see if you cry."
Shen Fuguo glanced at Shen Xue lying on the bed and sighed deeply. Looking at this scene, Chen Yang's mind conjured up an image of Shen Xue kneeling and begging Shen Fuguo to let Chen Yang return to the city with divorce papers.
A foolish woman, an elder who cared for his juniors. Perhaps in his past life, the old Party secretary's departure without looking back was also filled with heartache and anger!
"Old Party Secretary, please don't worry. I, Chen Yang, am a man after all."
"My own wife and child, I would rather die of exhaustion than abandon them. I swear, if I dare to abandon them and return to the city alone, may lightning strike me dead and I die a terrible death."
Before Shen Fuguo could speak, Chen Yang gritted his teeth and made a fierce oath.
He didn't want anyone else to look at Shen Xue with pity and sympathy, or even to mock her for being blind and choosing a scoundrel.
He would prove to everyone with his actions that Shen Xue's judgment was not wrong at all. She had chosen a man who would be her most steadfast support for life.
He wanted everyone to see Shen Xue living a good life, envying her for finding a good husband!
"Hmph, it's easy to say, but you need to show it with action."
"Since you've said so much, then come with me to work."
Shen Fuguo snorted coldly, naturally not believing Chen Yang's transformation so easily. After all, Chen Yang's performance over the years made it difficult to believe he would change so quickly.
But Chen Yang was not discouraged at all. He would show Shen Fuguo, and everyone in Shenjiaba Village, that Chen Yang kept his word!