Time-Travel: The Tragic Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Makes a Comeback

CHAPTER 53: The 1960s Marriage Swap: Marrying a Cook (7)

　　Ye Su nibbled on her malt candy while Hao Wenfang held tightly to her hand, afraid she might get lost in the crowd.

　　They walked for quite a while before finally spotting an empty space. Ye Xiuli hurried over to claim it, setting down the basket he had been carrying. He spread a layer of straw mat on the ground, then neatly arranged their goods on top.

　　“You three go ahead and have a look around if you want. I’ll stay here and keep watch,” Ye Xiuli said with a smile.

　　Markets like this might look crowded, but that didn’t mean things would sell. Sometimes, an entire morning could pass without a single customer.

　　“Alright, you stay here then. Lunch is in that jar, and there’s still some warm water in the kettle. There are also two pears under the clothes. If you get hungry, just eat first,” Hao Wenfang reminded him.

　　After giving her instructions, she decisively led her daughter-in-law and Ye Su deeper into town.

　　Selling goods at the market was only part of the plan. More importantly, she wanted to take Ye Su around, see what she might need, and maybe arrange for the two youngsters to get to know each other a bit better. After all, their last meeting had been rushed.

　　The three of them walked up to the entrance of the state-run restaurant just in time to see a staff member hanging up a sign at the counter.

　　Today’s Lunch Menu:

　　Braised pork ribs, 0.3 yuan.

　　Stir-fried pork liver with garlic, 0.3 yuan.

　　Tofu skin and vermicelli soup, 0.2 yuan.

　　Rice, 0.1 yuan per bowl.

　　Ye Su couldn’t help but marvel a little. In this era, the food was made with real ingredients and still so cheap. With just one yuan, a person could eat their fill.

　　Hao Wenfang, meanwhile, stepped forward with a warm smile and asked, “Comrade, is Chef Duan here?”

　　The person putting up the sign was a woman in a green military-style uniform. She looked Hao Wenfang up and down with a hint of arrogance, her tone turning impatient. “Who are you?”

　　“You could just tell me whether he’s here or not. It’s just one sentence.”

　　“Heh, no can do. Who knows what kind of person you are.”

　　With that, she turned and walked straight back into the restaurant.

　　Hao Wenfang rolled her eyes in annoyance and followed her right inside.

　　Afraid her mother-in-law might get the short end of the stick, Tian Daniu hurried after her.

　　Ye Su went in as well.

　　Seeing Hao Wenfang follow her in, the woman immediately planted her hands on her hips and snapped, “Are you here to cause trouble? Open your eyes and take a good look. Do you think this is a place for you to make a scene?”

　　“Pah! You’re just throwing your weight around like you’re somebody important. The state-run restaurant is open for business, so why can’t I come in? Believe it or not, I’ll file a complaint with your superiors!”

　　Hearing the commotion outside, several people from the kitchen came out.

　　Among them was Duan Ziyu. When he saw it was Auntie Wenfang and the others, he quickly walked over and gave a polite nod in greeting.

　　Seeing that Duan Ziyu actually knew them, the woman’s expression turned a little awkward. She quickly tried to explain first, “This auntie came in shouting right away, saying she wanted me to help find someone. I just asked a couple more questions and she got upset.”

　　Hao Wenfang immediately shot back when she heard the blatant lie. “Don’t try to pin this on me. I only asked you to help find Chef Duan, and you looked down on me so much you practically tried to chase me out.”

　　Two more cooks stepped forward from behind.

　　One of them, a thin older chef, approached with a smile, trying to smooth things over. “Alright, alright, everyone calm down. No need to argue. It’s just a small misunderstanding, let’s talk it out properly.”

　　Duan Ziyu’s refined face showed clear displeasure. He knew Auntie Wenfang’s personality well. She was easygoing and cheerful, not the type to make things difficult for others.

　　He took out the small notebook and pen he carried with him and quickly scribbled something down.

　　Another chef leaned over to take a look, then hurriedly shot the female server a look, signaling her to stop making a fuss.

　　The notebook was passed over, and written on it were the words: “Apologize! I will report this to the management.”    

　　The woman’s face went pale on the spot. Regret flickered in her eyes as she bit her lower lip and glanced at Duan Ziyu.

　　They were just a bunch of villagers, weren’t they? Did it really have to go this far, risking her job?

　　If it were anyone else saying that, she might not have taken it seriously. But Duan Ziyu was a head chef personally assigned from higher up. She didn’t dare offend him.

　　Her arrogance vanished in an instant. Nervous and uneasy, she hurried over to Hao Wenfang and the others, bowing as she apologized.

　　“I… I’m sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have spoken like that. Please be generous and forgive me.”

　　Hao Wenfang paused, caught off guard. She had a sharp tongue but a soft heart, the kind who softened when others lowered themselves first. Since the girl had already apologized, she replied in a firm tone, “Alright, just watch your attitude next time. You’re a young lady, don’t be so harsh.”

　　The woman nodded repeatedly, sneaking a glance toward Duan Ziyu as if asking whether that was enough.

　　Unfortunately, he didn’t even spare her a look. Embarrassed, she retreated to the counter to busy herself with other tasks.

　　Duan Ziyu stood there in his work clothes, an apron tied around his waist. His features were delicate and refined, but when he was displeased, his single-lidded eyes carried a faint chill, giving him a firm, unyielding air.

　　Ye Su raised an eyebrow at this scene, a slight smile playing on her lips.

　　He looked gentle and obedient at first glance, just like the elders had described, as if he had no temper at all. But she hadn’t expected this side of him. Decisive, efficient, not a hint of hesitation.

　　Duan Ziyu noticed her gaze but didn’t dare meet it. Instead, he found an empty table and gestured for the Ye family to sit.

　　A moment later, he brought over a few bowls of freshly made soy milk from the kitchen.

　　Hao Wenfang quickly stood and pulled him aside, lowering her voice. “We’ve already eaten. Don’t trouble yourself, Ziyu. We won’t keep you from your work.”

　　Duan Ziyu shook his head and took out his notebook, writing quickly: “It’s not busy right now. It’s still early before lunch. I have time.”

　　Seeing that, Hao Wenfang relaxed a little. “Alright then, Auntie won’t take up too much of your time.”

　　She pulled her daughter closer and introduced her, “This is my daughter, Susu. You two only met briefly last time and didn’t properly introduce yourselves. Let’s do it properly today.”

　　Ye Su stood up politely and, out of habit, extended her hand. “Hello, Comrade Duan Ziyu. My name is Ye Su.”

　　Duan Ziyu grew a little flustered. He quickly wiped his hands on his apron before gently reaching out to shake hers.

　　Her hand was small and soft. That brief touch felt like a tiny electric shock.

　　Duan Ziyu pulled his hand back almost immediately, then belatedly remembered to respond with his notebook: “Hello, Comrade Ye Su. My name is Duan Ziyu. Nice to meet you.”

　　His handwriting was strong and steady, neat and pleasing to the eye.

　　Noticing the tips of his ears turning bright red, Ye Su couldn’t tell if it was from shyness or nerves. She smiled and gave a small nod.

　　Duan Ziyu felt his heart thumping wildly in his chest. He hadn’t expected her to really come looking for him.

　　He had never been in a relationship before and had no idea what to say to a young woman.

　　Clutching his notebook and pen, he hesitated for a moment before writing something down and handing it to her.

　　Ye Su took it and saw written on the page: “Comrade Ye Su, we’ve only just met and don’t know each other well yet. We can start by getting to know each other first. If we feel it’s a good match, then we can think about the next step. What do you think?”

　　The reason he wrote that was simple. Deep down, he felt a bit insecure. He was worried that if they truly tried to spend time together, things might fall apart because of the difficulty in communication. More than anything, he didn’t want to hold her back.

　　After reading it, Ye Su handed the notebook back and nodded. “That works.”

　　Duan Ziyu pressed his lips together, then quickly wrote another line and passed it over: “Everyone, have some soy milk. It’s freshly made with sugar. It tastes good.”

　　After reading it, Ye Su smiled and called her mother and sister-in-law over to drink.

　　Duan Ziyu then added another quick line beneath it: “Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

　　There were a lot of things Ye Su wanted to eat. Sweet and sour pork, chopped chili fish, hotpot, braised ribs…

　　But who ordered dishes on a first meeting? Better to keep a little restraint. Besides, there would be plenty of time in the future.

　　With a gentle smile on her delicate face, she said softly, “Thank you, but I’m not hungry right now. Don’t trouble yourself. We’ll be heading off soon.”

　　Hearing her soft voice, Duan Ziyu suddenly felt a flush rise to his face. He quickly wrote: “Then next time. If there’s something you like, when I have a day off, I can cook it at home and bring it to you.”

　　Seeing how earnest he was, Ye Su couldn’t help but smile.

　　As the two chatted off to the side, Hao Wenfang and Tian Daniu exchanged glances and quietly watched.

　　They couldn’t understand what was being written, but seeing how happy Ye Su looked, it was clear enough. Both of them seemed satisfied. Today’s visit hadn’t been for nothing.

　　After finishing their soy milk, the three women from the Ye family took their leave.

　　Duan Ziyu returned to the kitchen, where the other cooks had already prepped the ingredients. He took over the stove and demonstrated the cooking himself.

　　When Duan Ziyu was fifteen, his mother had taken him to the capital to study. They rented a single room in a courtyard house. The landlord was a retired old man living alone.

　　The old man would often drop by for meals, and over time, they became familiar with each other. Later, through the old man’s recommendation, Duan Ziyu met a chef by chance.

　　That chef saw his talent for cooking, took him in as an apprentice, and even brought him along to help with important banquets.

　　Cooking could earn money and didn’t take up too much time, so he followed his master, learning while working in the kitchen.

　　It wasn’t until one time, when they were preparing a banquet for high-ranking national leaders, that he learned the truth about his master from others in the field. The man was actually an imperial chef, from a family that had cooked for royalty for generations.

　　Later on, his mother’s health declined, and she wanted to return to their hometown. He said goodbye to his master and went back with her from the capital.

　　However, his mother suddenly arranged a marriage for him, which became a hindrance.

　　Duan Ziyu later passed the assessment and entered the state-run restaurant.

　　At first, he didn’t rely on his master’s reputation. He let his cooking speak for itself. Only later, when people recognized the distinctive style of his dishes, did word spread that he had once cooked for state banquets.

　　He was paid at the top chef level, earning seventy-five yuan a month. His main role was to develop new dishes, maintain the restaurant’s overall flavor standards, and help attract more customers. For important local meetings and banquets, he would also be specially invited.

　　Duan Ziyu had an exceptionally sensitive palate and precise control over seasoning. With that natural gift and his strong foundation, anyone who tasted his cooking had nothing but praise.

　　The other three chefs had been learning from him for half a year and had only grasped about twenty percent of his skill, but even that was enough to boost the restaurant’s performance. Ever since he joined, the place had been packed with customers every day, and monthly sales had multiplied several times over.

　　A talent like him was naturally valued highly by those above.

　　……

　　The three women from the Ye family returned to the market stall.

　　Ye Xiuli and Ye Bai were enthusiastically introducing their goods. Ye Bai was practically running his mouth nonstop, sweet-talking customers into laughter while they paid.

　　“You little rascal, you’re really good with words. My son is the deputy director of the factory in town. If this doesn’t work out, I'll give you a piece of my mind next time I see you.”

　　“Alright, if I’m not good enough, you can beat me up. I can’t guarantee anything else, but you can trust my dad’s carpentry skills. It’s solid enough to be passed down like a family heirloom…”

　　The woman chuckled and happily bought two items, paying without hesitation before leaving.

　　Hao Wenfang glanced at her talkative son and lowered her voice. “Where are your things? Why are you over here with your father?”

　　Ye Bai grinned. “Sold out, of course. I came to help Dad wrap things up faster so we can pack up early and head home.”

　　Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out two hair ribbons, handing them to his little sister with a grin.

　　“Here, little sis. Second brother bought these for you. They’ll look great in your hair.”

　　For once, Hao Wenfang didn’t scold him for spending money. Instead, she looked quite pleased. Now that’s how a proper older brother should be.

　　“Thanks, second brother.”

　　Ye Su took them and examined them. Her second brother did have decent taste. 

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