Video Editor

Chapter 2565 Oddball

【ding dong】

[Female lead He Wenhui is about to appear]

To avoid the unpleasant plot points in the original drama "Home-Style Dishes," the host needs to sabotage the meeting between Liu Hongchang and He Wenhui.

[Mission Reward: Host's memory restored by 2%]

At this moment, Su Ning, looking utterly dejected, was squatting by the back door of the kitchen, munching on a cucumber, still pondering the system notification she had just received.

What kind of ridiculous mission is it to sabotage Liu Hongchang and He Wenhui's meeting?

Let Liu Hongchang be a sycophant if he wants to; what business is it of his?

But the system's reward is too tempting. It restores 2% of the memory, which, combined with the previous 8%, will bring the total to 10%.

Su Ning still doesn't know his true past, only guessing that it was anything but simple.

As for those fragmented memories, they can't piece together a complete picture of yourself.

With each bit of recovery, one gets one step closer to the truth.

Suning simply couldn't resist this temptation.

"Fine! For the sake of remembering, I'll do it even if I have to." Su Ning threw the cucumber tail into the trash can, then stood up and patted his pants.

Liu Hongchang was chopping vegetables in the kitchen. His knife skills were excellent; he cut the potato shreds into uniform thickness, as thin as matchsticks.

He hummed a song as he chopped, it sounded like a model opera, he was way off-key, but he hummed it with great enthusiasm, completely unaware that he was singing off-key.

Su Ning glanced at Liu Hongchang and thought to himself that this guy was still having a good time, unaware that he was about to meet the woman who would cost him half his life.

Su Ning watched a few episodes of the TV series "Home-Style Dishes" in the real world, and it made her feel uncomfortable all over.

Liu Hongchang is a good person in every way—he's skilled, has good character, and is incredibly devoted to his family. But he's stubborn; once he sets his mind on someone, he won't look back.

He Wenhui's family was dirt poor. She had a lot of younger siblings and was unloved by her parents. She herself was also clueless. She wanted to act like a big shot even though she had no money. She borrowed money to entertain guests, but couldn't pay it back. In the end, she dragged her whole family down and burdened Liu Hongchang for half his life.

The most bizarre thing is that after He Wenhui married Liu Hongchang, she was unwilling to consummate their marriage.

Even if Liu Hongchang just glanced at He Wenhui washing her hair, he would be scolded and complained about by the eccentric He Wenhui.

Suning was so engrossed in watching it that he wanted to jump into the TV and shake Liu Hongchang awake.

Now that I'm actually here, I'm not here to wake Liu Hongchang up, but to get to know He Wenhui before Liu Hongchang does.

It's frustrating to think about, but I've decided to put up with it for the sake of the system rewards.

……

Just then, footsteps came from the cafeteria entrance, clearly the sound of a woman.

Suning peeked out and saw two young girls standing outside the food window. They looked to be about eighteen or nineteen years old, wearing floral dresses and with their hair braided and hanging over their shoulders. They were clean and tidy, and didn't look like factory workers at all. Instead, they looked like students from a school.

The girl walking in front was very pretty, with an oval face, big eyes, and fair skin that seemed to glow. Standing on the dusty cement floor of the cafeteria, she looked like a white lotus flower blooming in a pile of coal.

The girl was clutching a cloth wallet in her hand, and it was obvious that she was extremely nervous, completely being supported by her friends.

Hearing the commotion, Liu Hongchang poked his head out of the kitchen. When he saw the two girls, his eyes lit up instantly. He quickly put down the cleaver in his hand and walked out without even taking off his apron.

However, Su Ning cursed inwardly, but his feet moved faster than his brain. He darted out and stood in front of the food window before Liu Hongchang could speak.

"Comrades, is there anything I can help you with?"

Liu Hongchang was blocked at the back. He paused for a moment, scratched his head, and without thinking much about it, turned around and went back to the kitchen to continue chopping vegetables.

Suning breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like a thief.

The girl standing in front was none other than the female lead, He Wenhui. "Master, I'd like to treat my classmates to a meal, about a dozen of us. I heard your cafeteria can host such meals, could you help prepare a few tables of food?"

He Wenhui's voice is very pleasant, soft and gentle, with a slight Nanjing accent, and the ending notes rise slightly.

But while speaking, his eyes kept darting away, not daring to look at Su Ning, like a primary school student admitting his mistake to the teacher.

Looking at He Wenhui's expression, Su Ning understood that this girl wasn't there to treat him to a meal, but rather to suffer.

She had little money in her pocket, but couldn't let go of her pride, caught in a dilemma, and in the end, she was the one who suffered.

The round-faced girl next to He Wenhui was much more outgoing. She took He Wenhui's arm and added with a smile, "Master, Wenhui got into university and wants to treat her classmates to a celebration. Your place is affordable, so we thought we'd hold the event here."

Su Ning leaned against the window, elbows propped on the counter, and glanced at He Wenhui.

This girl comes from a poor family; you can tell at a glance.

Suning sighed and asked, "What's your budget?"

He Wenhui blushed slightly. "Could you... give me twenty yuan? I only have twenty yuan."

Suning almost burst out laughing.

You think you can treat more than ten people to a meal for just twenty yuan?

Back in 1979, twenty yuan was not a small amount; an average worker's monthly salary was only thirty or forty yuan.

But if you need to host a banquet for more than ten people, with fish, meat, wine and dishes, twenty yuan is definitely not enough.

This girl either doesn't know the ropes, or she's just putting on a show.

Suddenly I remembered what Liu Hongchang did in the original drama.

The kind old man not only refused He Wenhui's money, but also subsidized her with his own money, adding dishes and serving her wine, which moved He Wenhui to tears.

From then on, He Wenhui became entangled with Liu Hongchang and couldn't shake him off.

Su Ning didn't want to be the sucker; he wasn't Liu Hongchang, and he didn't have such a kind heart.

But he couldn't buy it at the normal price now, because He Wenhui wouldn't have the money. If he turned to Liu Hongchang, the system task would be ruined.

"A dozen or so people, two tables of dishes, fish and meat." Su Ning quickly calculated the cost in her mind, then held up two fingers, "Then just give me twenty yuan."

He Wenhui's eyes lit up instantly, unable to believe her ears, "Twenty...twenty yuan? Master, you're not kidding me, are you?"

Su Ning nodded expressionlessly, "I'm not lying to you. Twenty yuan for two tables of food, I guarantee your classmate will be satisfied."

So that's pure fabrication. The twenty yuan wasn't even enough to cover the cost; he had to pay for the rest himself.

Suning didn't care about that little bit of money; the system tasks were more important.

Compared to the reward of recovering two percent of one's memories, a few dozen yuan is nothing.

He Wenhui's eyes reddened with excitement. She grabbed Su Ning's hand and shook it repeatedly. "Master, you are such a good person! I don't know how to thank you! I went to three restaurants, and each one was more expensive than the last, with the cheapest costing at least eighty yuan. I was so worried, but I didn't expect your cafeteria to take such good care of us students."

"No need to thank me, just order the menu. Tell me what you want a day in advance so I can prepare."

He Wenhui nodded vigorously, took out a crumpled ten-yuan note from her cloth wallet, then a five-yuan note, a two-yuan note, a one-yuan note, and a fifty-cent note, making up twenty yuan, which she handed to Su Ning with both hands.

Su Ning looked at the loose change, some in whole bills and some in small denominations, some a dollar and some a few cents. Some of the banknotes were worn and frayed, clearly indicating that they had been saved for a long time.

Su Ning suddenly felt a little uneasy. This girl had a tough life, but that wasn't a reason for her to act like a big shot.

Twenty yuan should have been enough for the He family to eat for a month. It's really not worth it to waste it on just one meal.

But Su Ning didn't say it out loud. He wasn't her father, so he didn't need to get involved in these trivial matters.

……

Liu Hongchang came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of shredded potatoes and saw He Wenhui handing money to Su Ning. When he heard Su Ning say that it was 20 yuan for two tables of food, he couldn't help but show a surprised expression.

He glanced at Su Ning, his mouth moved as if he wanted to say something, but then he swallowed it back. Finally, he scratched his head, probably thinking to himself, "Has this kid gone mad? Twenty yuan for two tables of food? That doesn't even cover the cost. Isn't he just throwing money away?"

But Liu Hongchang wasn't one to meddle; how Suning did things was their business, and he didn't need to interfere.

Then he poured the shredded potatoes into the pot. With a sizzle, oil smoke rose up, covering up Liu Hongchang's doubts.

He Wenhui left with profuse thanks, turning back every few steps with an expression that conveyed a shift from despair to hope, making Su Ning feel extremely uncomfortable.

Soon the two girls disappeared at the entrance of the cafeteria, probably thinking to themselves that they had finally met a fool.

Su Ning stood at the window, watching them walk away, feeling a mix of emotions.

This is just the beginning of the task, but there's a whole mess of other things waiting for me.

If anything goes wrong on the day He Wenhui hosts the dinner, I'll have to take the blame; after all, he took the job.

……

On the day he hosted the dinner, Suning finally witnessed what it meant to put on a brave face when you're not.

He Wenhui originally said there would be a dozen or so people, but four tables were not enough. Later, more than a dozen more people, men and women, arrived one after another, chatting and laughing, taking up a large part of the cafeteria.

They all came empty-handed; it's obvious they're here to take advantage of the situation, not to celebrate He Wenhui's birthday.

Suning roughly counted, and there were at least thirty people, more than half as many as had been agreed upon.

Su Ning was furious inside! But she still had to put on a smile. After all, the customer was a guest, and she was a cook running a business. There was no reason to turn away a customer.

Furthermore, his motives were impure; he was only after the mission rewards.

When He Wenhui saw so many people arrive, a hint of panic flashed across her face.

Then she glanced furtively at Su Ning, then at her classmates, gritted her teeth, and braced herself to invite everyone to sit down.

He Wenhui's smile was forced, but there was no smile in her eyes, only unspeakable anxiety.

Su Ning could tell that He Wenhui was doing mental calculations, figuring out how much extra money these extra people would cost, and how much money she had left in her pocket.

Her twenty yuan wasn't even enough to feed the original dozen or so people, and now that there are another dozen or twenty people, it's even less enough.

……

Liu Hongchang is off today and not in the cafeteria, so Su Ning is the only one working in the kitchen.

He put on an apron and a hat, and single-handedly prepared four tables of dishes.

Braised pork belly, sweet and sour fish, stir-fried greens, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and pork rib soup were served one by one from Suning, each dish a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

He Wenhui's classmates ate with gusto, giving a thumbs-up and praising the cafeteria chefs' excellent skills.

A bespectacled boy even ran to the kitchen door and shouted to Su Ning, "Master, your braised pork is amazing! It's much better than the state-run restaurant downstairs from my house!"

Suning smiled but didn't reply, instead flipping the spatula in her hand even faster.

The dishes were all served, and quite a bit of wine was drunk. The students, having eaten and drunk their fill, wiped their mouths and left in twos and threes.

Some said thank you, while others didn't even say thank you and just left.

Su Ning stood at the kitchen doorway, watching the departing figures of those people, and sneered inwardly.

This is what classmates are all about: they eat other people's food without feeling the pinch, drink other people's drinks without feeling obligated, and then they just pack up and leave, not caring where He Wenhui's living expenses will be next month.

Soon, everyone had left, and the cafeteria became quiet, leaving only He Wenhui sitting alone in a corner.

Her face was very red at this moment, it was hard to tell whether it was from drinking or from being anxious.

Suning walked over, took the last soup away, and asked, "Shall we settle the bill?"

He Wenhui looked up at him, her eyes reddening. "Master, I...I don't have that much money. I only have twenty yuan. I thought only twenty people would come, but thirty or forty showed up. I don't have enough money..."

As she spoke, tears began to fall.

Su Ning couldn't stand seeing women cry, but he couldn't be soft-hearted right now, or the mission would be ruined.

Su Ning stood there expressionless, waiting for He Wenhui to continue.

He Wenhui wiped away her tears and took out a fountain pen from her pocket. "Master, this fountain pen was left to me by my father. It's a Hero brand and worth a lot of money. I'll leave it with you as collateral and redeem it when I've saved enough money. Please, don't make things difficult for me. I really have no other choice."

Su Ning glanced at the pen; it had a black barrel, a gold clip, and the words "Hero 100" engraved on the cap.

This pen was indeed a good thing in 1979; an average worker could only afford one with a month's salary.

He also recognized the pen; in the original drama, He Wenhui used this pen as collateral to pawn to Liu Hongchang, and Liu Hongchang never asked her to repay the money. The pen then became a token of their love.

Su Ning was thoroughly fed up. He didn't want to be the good guy, and he didn't want to get involved with He Wenhui over anything about tokens of trust.

After all, it's not just He Wenhui who has problems; her younger siblings are the real oddballs.

With the task ahead and the reward behind, Suning couldn't just give up because of his own petty annoyances.

"Okay, leave the pen with me for now." Su Ning took the pen, weighed it in her hand, and put it in her pocket. "The debt isn't urgent. You can pay me whenever you have the money."

He Wenhui was stunned, probably not expecting Su Ning to be so easy to talk to. "Master, you are such a good person! A really good person! I, He Wenhui, will never forget your kindness in my life!"

"No, no, no, I'm just a cook, not that great. You should go home now, it's getting late, it's not safe for a girl to go home so late."

He Wenhui said thank you several times before turning and leaving.

He stopped at the door, turned back to look at Su Ning, his eyes filled with complex emotions—gratitude, guilt, and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Su Ning felt a chill run down her spine under He Wenhui's gaze, and quickly lowered her head to clear the dishes, pretending not to see anything.

After He Wenhui had walked away, Su Ning took the pen out of his pocket.

The pen is quite new; the nib is unworn, and the barrel is polished to a shine, showing that the owner takes good care of it.

Then he held the pen up to his eyes and looked at it under the light, and found that there was a small "惠" character engraved on the nib.

Su Ning sighed, put the pen away, and went back to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Suning was the only one in the kitchen. The tap was running and the dishes were clattering together in the sink.

While washing the dishes, I thought to myself, "This task has finally completed the first step."

But the system hasn't responded yet, and there's definitely a lot more trouble ahead.

He Wenhui is a troublemaker; once you get involved, you can't get rid of her. You have to find a way to complete the task without getting yourself involved.

As for Liu Hongchang, let him continue being a happy bachelor and not bother crossing this river of women.

The tap was turned off, and the kitchen became quiet.

By the time I left the cafeteria, it was already completely dark.

The streetlights in the factory area were on, and the roar of machines could be heard in the distance, mixed with the night wind, muffled, like a giant beast panting in its sleep.

Su Ning walked slowly back to the dormitory with his hands in his pockets, his mind a jumble of thoughts. One moment he was thinking about the system task, the next about He Wenhui's tear-stained face, and then about the Hero fountain pen.

After walking for a while, Su Ning suddenly laughed, laughing at himself for what he was doing, cooking for people in a factory canteen, having to pay for their meals, and accepting a broken pen as collateral, acting like a pawnshop owner.

Life is getting more and more interesting.

...(End of this chapter)