It was Chu Yifeng’s first time rolling dumpling wrappers, so his movements were clumsy at first. But the task did not require much technical skill. After two wrappers, he was already noticeably more practiced by the third. Mama Wang even praised him for learning quickly. Wang Cheng secretly laughed at him and finally got a knock on the head.
With two people helping, the work went much faster. Eventually Mama Wang could not keep up by herself, so Wang Cheng sent Chu Yifeng over to help wrap the dumplings. That part required a little more technique.
Chu Yifeng clearly had no talent for it. Mama Wang showed him several times, but he still could not do it properly. Either he tore the wrapper or somehow pinched the dumpling into something resembling a steamed bun, each one about the size of a fist. Filling ended up scattered all over the table. Wang Cheng finally could not stand watching and switched jobs with him.
“Boss Chu, I thought you were good with your hands.” Wang Cheng teased as he shaped dumplings.
Chu Yifeng had taken off his coat long ago. The house was warm, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, making him look nothing like his usual lofty self. He flipped over a wrapper he had rolled thin and passed over it once more with the rolling pin. Hearing Wang Cheng’s remark, he smiled. “Haven’t I always been very good with my hands?”
At first Wang Cheng did not understand. Then he caught the smile on Chu Yifeng’s face, and somehow his imagination bolted completely out of control. Mama Wang was sitting right there, so he could only wait until she was not looking and glare silently at Chu Yifeng. Was he asking to die?
Chu Yifeng gave a light cough.
Mama Wang instinctively looked up.
Wang Cheng immediately pulled his gaze away and put on an innocent expression. Internally, he had already cursed Chu Yifeng several hundred times.
With the three of them working together, all three jin of wrappers had been used up within an hour.
Mama Wang carried the trays into the kitchen and lit the stove to begin frying the dumplings. They had made each dumpling fairly large, so three jin of wrappers had produced only a little over a hundred.
Wang Cheng sent Chu Yifeng to wash his hands while he wiped the living-room table and cleaned and put away the rolling pins. By the time he entered the kitchen, Mama Wang had already finished the first batch. Only around thirty fit in one wok. They were fried golden, and the smell was especially fragrant.
“Chengcheng, take a few out for Mr. Chu to taste,” Mama Wang told him.
Wang Cheng immediately picked up the chopsticks and put four on a plate. Just as he was about to carry them out, Mama Wang suddenly stopped him.
“Wait. Mom has something to ask you.”
Wang Cheng turned around. “What is it?”
“Is this how you and Mr. Chu usually get along?”
Mama Wang did not look at him. Her eyes stayed on the dumplings frying in the wok.
Wang Cheng was a little surprised. He knew she meant the way the two of them had interacted while making dumplings, so he nodded. “Pretty much.”
“Even when you first started dating?”
“Yeah. Is something wrong?”
Mama Wang opened her mouth, then eventually shook her head. Before Wang Cheng found his biological family, she had always felt the relationship between the two men was badly unequal. She constantly worried that her son would be the one suffering in it. But after watching them today, she realized they interacted much like an ordinary couple. Hearing his answer confirmed that her son had not been wronged at all, and at last she felt reassured.
“Go on out. Don’t make Xiao Chu wait too long.”
“Okay.” Wang Cheng turned and walked out of the kitchen. Only after reaching the living room did he react. Had he heard correctly? His mother had just called Chu Yifeng “Xiao Chu.” Did that mean Mama Wang had finally begun to genuinely accept him?
“What’s wrong?” Chu Yifeng asked.
Wang Cheng set the dumplings in front of him and grinned. “Nothing. My mom just told me to bring these out for Xiao Chu to taste.”
Chu Yifeng paused, then smiled too. “Why so sudden?”
“Maybe she finally figured things out and thinks the two of us actually suit each other, so she’s preparing to accept you from the bottom of her heart.” Wang Cheng picked up a dumpling and bit into it with a crisp crunch. This trip home had definitely been worthwhile.
After Mama Wang’s attitude changed, Chu Yifeng was no longer in a hurry to leave. He stayed for dinner as well. Papa Wang did not think much of his presence, but Wang Ziyu found it strange. Since when had Second Brother become so close to his boss? Yet since neither of their parents said anything, she kept her doubts to herself. Perhaps they had become close while she was away.
At eight that evening, a fine drizzle began falling outside, the first light rain of Shanhai City’s winter.
Wang Ziyu looked at Chu Yifeng sitting in the living room chatting comfortably with their parents, then secretly dragged Wang Cheng upstairs.
“Why are you acting so mysterious? What is it?” Wang Cheng asked.
“Second Brother, why did Mom and Dad ask Mr. Chu to stay the night?”
Wang Ziyu looked genuinely confused. Because of the rain, Papa Wang had just invited Chu Yifeng to sleep over, and Mama Wang had not objected.
“Because it’s raining.”
Wang Cheng had not expected his little sister’s instincts to be so sharp. He pretended not to understand what she really meant.
“But it’s only a light rain.” Wang Cheng looked her up and down. “And aren’t you Xiao Yu?”
Wang Ziyu froze for a second. Once she realized he was making a pun on her nickname and “light rain,” she clenched her little fist and thumped him twice. “Stinky Second Brother, I’m asking you something serious. Stop changing the subject.”
“All right, all right.” Wang Cheng caught her fist and patted her shoulder. “Boss Chu has been to our house before. It’s perfectly normal for Mom and Dad to ask him to stay. Don’t worry. Second Brother absolutely won’t let him step into your room.”
“That’s not what I mean!”
“Then there’s no problem, right? Hurry up and go shower.” Wang Cheng pushed her toward her room.
“Wait, I have something else to tell you. It’s about Uncle Liang and his wife.” Wang Ziyu grabbed the doorframe.
“What did they do now?”
“Today, a customer buying fruit told Dad and me that Uncle Liang’s wife has started talking nonsense again. She says Second Brother looks down on Uncle Liang. She also says Uncle Liang has worked hard ever since he started working for our family, and even if he has no major achievements, he’s put in plenty of effort. But you supposedly held a few little things against him and denied all his hard work. She also says you let two younger employees gang up on him and exclude him.”
The truth was even worse than Wang Ziyu’s retelling. A person like Madam Qi would never stop unless she was taught a real lesson.
Wang Cheng knew Uncle Liang had been dissatisfied, but he had not expected the man to go this far. He had obviously told Madam Qi about the new-shop issue deliberately, probably hoping she would spread it around. As for the claim that younger employees were excluding him, that had to mean Song Hai and Guan Ying. Wang Cheng knew those two well enough to be certain they would never do such a thing. Something must have happened after he left. After sending Wang Ziyu away, he called Guan Jiahe.
“Chengcheng, why are you calling so late? Did something happen?”
“I heard there’s been some trouble over there. What exactly happened?” Wang Cheng had barely finished asking when a door slammed loudly on the other end of the phone.
Guan Jiahe sighed and explained, “It’s Uncle Liang and Song Hai. They had an argument on the very first day.”
Song Hai had decided to share Uncle Liang’s room, but Liang Youshan said he was not used to sleeping in the same room as a stranger. They had worked together for several months already and could hardly be considered strangers. What Liang Youshan really wanted was the whole room to himself. Song Hai was not angry at first. He only explained that the room was larger, which was why he wanted to squeeze in with him. If Liang Youshan preferred sleeping alone, he could switch rooms with Guan Jiahe, and Guan Jiahe and Song Hai would share the larger room instead. Liang Youshan refused.
Guan Jiahe’s room was even worse than Guan Ying’s. Besides, Liang Youshan had already exchanged barbs with Guan Jiahe earlier that day and was even less willing to switch with him. In the end, nothing changed. When Guan Ying suggested calling Wang Cheng and asking him, Liang Youshan finally compromised and let Song Hai move in.
The next day, trouble began.
For some reason, Liang Youshan left his belongings scattered everywhere when he went out in the morning. When Song Hai returned after work, there was not even a clear spot to sit. He moved Liang Youshan’s things onto the bunk bed across the room. When Liang Youshan came back and discovered his belongings had been touched, he flew into a rage and accused Song Hai of moving things without permission. Song Hai explained, but the older man only scolded him more fiercely and eventually even insinuated that Song Hai might have sticky fingers. That finally angered Song Hai. He snapped that he now understood why Brother Cheng had refused to let Liang Youshan manage the new shop. The jab hit Liang Youshan’s sore point so badly that his face turned green. The two nearly came to blows.
“I think Uncle Liang has completely lost his head. Guan Ying says he hasn’t been nearly as hardworking these past two days. When customers come in, he barely reacts. He just sits there eating. Guan Ying has to handle everything by herself. When she asks him to help, he ignores her.”
“I understand, Cousin. I’ll deal with it. Tell Song Hai and Guan Ying to bear with it a little longer.” Wang Cheng narrowed his eyes. Since Liang Youshan had decided he no longer cared about preserving his dignity, Wang Cheng saw no reason to keep sparing it for him.
Chu Yifeng came upstairs looking for him and immediately noticed his expression. It was obviously the face Wang Cheng wore when he was preparing to scheme against someone. “Who were you talking to?”
Wang Cheng put his phone away and looked at him lazily. “Are you trying to scare me to death?”
Chu Yifeng pinched his right cheek. “Is that the face of someone who’s frightened? Who made you angry?”
Wang Cheng slapped at his hand, but Chu Yifeng dodged. “Some self-important idiot with no sense. He’s already old enough to know better, yet he still thinks he’s playing house. I’m not his father. Does he really think that just because the tiger hasn’t shown its claws, I’m some sick cat?”
“I like sick cats too.” Chu Yifeng played with his hand.
Wang Cheng opened his mouth, then suddenly yanked his hand back.
Chu Yifeng turned and saw Wang Ziyu standing at the top of the stairs holding her clothes. Neither of them knew how much she had heard. Her expression looked dazed and a little confused.
“Second Brother, what were you saying about a sick cat?” Wang Ziyu asked after a moment.
“Nothing. We were just talking about cats. Boss Chu likes raising cats. His favorite kind is sick cats because then he has somewhere to spend all his money.” Wang Cheng lied with a perfectly straight face.
“You’re messing with me, Second Brother. Forget it. I’m going to wash my clothes.” Wang Ziyu rolled her eyes at him.
Wang Cheng smacked his forehead. “I have no idea how much she heard. I hope it was only the last sentence.”
He had the feeling she might have heard more.
“It doesn’t matter even if she did. Tell your mom about it and have her talk to your sister,” Chu Yifeng said, completely unconcerned.
Wang Cheng thought about it and realized that was probably their only option. While Papa Wang was still upstairs watching television and Wang Ziyu was in her own room, he quietly called Mama Wang into the courtyard and told her that Xiao Yu might have overheard something about his relationship with Chu Yifeng. Mama Wang responded by unleashing her finger-flick technique, snapping him several times on the forehead. Wang Cheng covered his head and did not dare cry out. Mama Wang said nothing at all. She merely glared at him and went back inside.
Chu Yifeng opened the door and came in. Fresh from the shower, he carried a clean, refreshing scent. Before Wang Cheng could say anything, Chu Yifeng noticed the red spots on his forehead. “What happened to your forehead?”
Wang Cheng scrunched up his face. “My mom flicked me. Her fingers are ridiculously strong.”
Chu Yifeng could not help laughing.
Perhaps because Wang Ziyu’s room was next door, Chu Yifeng behaved himself that night and did not fool around with Wang Cheng. The next morning, Wang Cheng told Papa Wang about Liang Youshan.
Papa Wang sighed again. “I think Uncle Liang’s heart isn’t in the jam shop anymore. But would it be inappropriate to fire him at a time like this?”
“He doesn’t even want to work anymore. What are we still worrying about?” Wang Cheng was not afraid of rumors. Madam Qi had spread enough of them lately. If they continued indulging the couple, Liang Youshan and his wife would only conclude that the Wang family was easy to bully.
“Chengcheng, do whatever you think is right. Mom supports you.” Mama Wang was not as hesitant as Papa Wang. Liang Youshan had come to work at their shop, not to be treated like an emperor. They did not have to hand him whatever he wanted. He could keep dreaming.
Wang Ziyu supported Wang Cheng’s decision as well.
Madam Qi might have been spreading rumors constantly, but very few people believed her now. Liang Youshan was hardly the only person employed by Wang Cheng’s family. None of the others had complained. Some even said the wages were better than elsewhere. If everyone else was fine, why did Liang Youshan alone have endless grievances?