Volume 1, Chapter 19: The Target of Construction

"It's going very well. Brother Jianshe treats me wonderfully!"

At this moment, an elderly woman nearby seemed to have a realization and asked with surprise, "Xiao Yan, is your brother Su Jianshe?"

"That's right!" Xiao Yan replied.

Chu Yan was filled with confusion. How did Auntie Li know her brother, Su Jianshe, so well?

"Your brother's cooking is truly excellent. The dish my son snuck home at noon was incredibly fragrant!"

"Oh, so it was Su Jianshe? That dish tasted better than meat!"

In an instant, several middle-aged women were stirred by gossip-hungry curiosity. Since when had Brother Jianshe become such an outstanding cook? Chu Yan was puzzled, though she remembered that the braised pork Brother Jianshe made was indeed delicious.

"Who says otherwise? Xiao Yan's brother is such a great cook; even without meat, it’s still fragrant!"

"Xiao Yan, you must hold onto a man like Su Jianshe tight. Don't let him get away. Have you two set a date for the wedding yet?" one of the women asked sharply.

"The wedding..."

Chu Yan had never experienced anything like this. She blushed deeply, lowered her head, and dared not look at the women. "Isn't it a bit too early to talk about the wedding?"

An older woman immediately advised her with the tone of someone who had seen it all: "Early? It's not early at all! I was married at fourteen!"

"Xiao Yan, a man like Su Jianshe who can cook and is so considerate is a rare find!"

"You're too naive. You need to secure your man and not give outsiders any chances."

The women spoke with earnest concern. Having watched Chu Yan grow up, they knew she was a good girl and couldn't bear to see her miss out on such a great match. Auntie Li even leaned in to whisper in Chu Yan's ear, making her cheeks flush instantly.

"That's not right, it's too embarrassing!"

Just as the woman wanted to continue, Su Jianshe’s voice came from the doorway: "Auntie Zhang, is Xiao Yan here?"

Auntie Zhang, the most enthusiastic of the women and the person in charge of the cooperative, was someone Su Jianshe had met several times before.

"Oh, Jianshe is here? Xiao Yan is inside!" Auntie Zhang stood up, beaming as she looked at him.

Su Jianshe felt a strange sensation, as if he were a son-in-law being scrutinized by his future mother-in-law. Despite his confusion, he braced himself and stepped inside. The women in the room, whether sitting on stools or the heated brick bed, were all eyeing him with that specific look one reserves for a son-in-law. Several of them nodded in approval, their satisfaction evident.

"This young man is truly handsome. No wonder Xiao Yan took a liking to him!"

"He's excellent. Standing next to Xiao Yan, they really are a perfect match."

Hearing the chatter around her, Chu Yan blushed deeply and lowered her head, afraid to meet anyone's gaze. Su Jianshe, however, appeared much more natural, as if he hadn't noticed the scrutinizing stares at all.

"Haha, thank you for your kind words! You must all come to drink at our wedding when the time comes!" Compared to the shy Chu Yan, Su Jianshe was far more composed.

"So, what day is the wedding? We'll all come to join in the fun!" the women asked curiously.

"The date still needs to be carefully chosen."

"That's right, it's such an important day. You must choose carefully; don't wrong our little Yan!" The women had long since come to think of Chu Yan as their own daughter.

"The 18th of this month is a good day. Which one have you picked?"

Faced with such questions, Su Jianshe was left between laughter and tears. He hadn't even picked a date yet, nor had he discussed the wedding with Xiao Yan. Yet, these women seemed even more anxious than he was.

"Marriage is a big deal; I need to discuss it properly with Xiao Yan!" Su Jianshe said quickly.

"With the end of the year approaching and the weather getting colder, if you can arrange it, you should do it sooner rather than later—sometime this month." The women nodded in agreement.

Winter in the capital was no joke. People freezing to death happened from time to time, and one careless mistake could lead to tragedy. Many elderly people passed away precisely because of the winter.

***

After bidding farewell to the women, Su Jianshe led Chu Yan toward the supply and marketing cooperative.

On the way, Chu Yan asked curiously, "Brother Jianshe, you're a fitter, so how come you're cooking in the canteen?" She remembered that while her brother was a decent cook, the Rolling Steel Mill's canteen was massive, and cooking there was no easy task.

Su Jianshe laughed, "The canteen food was becoming increasingly inedible. If I didn't step in, we wouldn't have been able to eat at all!"

Chu Yan nodded as if she understood, her cheeks still flushed, a hidden smile lingering on her lips. The sunset reflecting on her face made her look even more adorable, causing Su Jianshe to drift into a daze.

*I don't know when it started, but Brother Jianshe's cooking has become so delicious. Life is truly good!* Chu Yan thought to herself.

Just as Su Jianshe was intoxicated by the beauty of his sister and future fiancée, Chu Yan hesitated for a moment and suggested softly, "Brother Jianshe, how about we skip the wedding banquet?" Fearing he might disagree, she quickly added, "I think it would be fine not to hold one, just to avoid those people in the courtyard coming to freeload. They were already sticky-fingered during Mother's funeral."

Chu Yan said this with a pout. Su Jianshe affectionately patted her head and gently agreed, "Alright, I'll listen to you." With such a considerate wife, how could he not be happy?

When they returned to the courtyard entrance, several children were trimming dead branches under the great locust tree. With winter approaching, every household was busy storing fuel. Chu Yan, dressed in her new clothes, moved shyly through the gaps between the children; her dark gray coat perfectly outlined her graceful figure, adding a touch of mature charm.

Su Jianshe was dressed sharply, his deep blue jacket complementing his gray trousers, showcasing the style of a talented youth. As he watched the children busy with firewood, he couldn't help but frown, contemplating the purchase of coal.

*Money isn't the issue, but coal coupons are hard to find. It seems I'll have to pay that person another visit.*

Back home, Qin Huairu happened to be stepping out to pour water. She caught a glimpse of the newly dressed Su Jianshe and Chu Yan and gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with jealousy.

*They have money for new clothes and are still so greedy, yet they refuse to write a letter of forgiveness for Bang-geng. Hmph! Once Sha Zhu gets out, I'll see how he handles you! If he finds out you stole his position, he'll definitely make you regret it. I'll let that guy take advantage of you again and see how you deal with it!* Malicious thoughts festered in Qin Huairu's mind.

Little did she know, all of this was being witnessed by Jia Dongxu through the window crack.

"Qin Huairu, you slut! No wonder you didn't bring back any food, only these leftovers. So you had your eyes on Su Jianshe all along, just hoping I'd die!" Jia Dongxu was burning with rage, nearly losing control.

But remembering that he still needed to rely on Qin Huairu, he suppressed his fury, the bloodshot look in his eyes slowly fading.

*Mother is right. Once this woman gives birth, I'll have her fitted with an IUD! I can't touch her yet. Once she gets the letter of forgiveness from Su Jianshe, I'll deal with her properly.* Thinking of his mother and Bang-geng still at the police station, Jia Dongxu silently put down the broom.

Inside, Chu Yan happily took off her coat, placed it carefully aside, and looked at Su Jianshe with a radiant smile.

"Brother Jianshe, let's go register the day after tomorrow!"

"It's the weekend, so we'll give some candy to our close neighbors."

"After that, let's have a fun day out!"

As she spoke, her cheeks turned red; even though she had adapted to her new identity, she couldn't hide her shyness.

Su Jianshe looked at her with pure indulgence and agreed repeatedly, "Everything as you wish. We'll register on the weekend, and I'll ask the factory manager for a week off to take you to taste all the delicacies and see everything in the city!"

Chu Yan was immersed in happy anticipation. Suddenly, a thunderous knock echoed at the door.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

The warmth in the room instantly evaporated. Su Jianshe frowned slightly and quickly opened the door. Outside stood Qin Huairu, her eyes filled with tears and a look of grievance.

"Jianshe, I've scraped together a hundred yuan. Please, I beg you, write a letter of forgiveness for Bang-geng and my mother!"

She wiped the corners of her eyes, clutching the loose change tightly, looking pitiful—a far cry from the malicious jealousy she had displayed moments before.

Su Jianshe felt nothing for her, wondering: *Why should I write a letter of forgiveness for her? The Jias have apologized and then turned around to bite back...*

Suddenly, a cunning glint flashed in Su Jianshe's eyes, and his lips curled upward. He nodded at Qin Huairu: "Fine, wait a moment. I'll write it now."

He snatched the money from her hand and slammed the door shut. Chu Yan came out from the back room, looking at Su Jianshe with confusion.

"Brother Jianshe, why write a letter of forgiveness for her family?"

Chu Yan was deeply puzzled. That family had a history of misdeeds—not only stealing but also turning around and making false accusations. If Su Jianshe hadn't reported them, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Su Jianshe smiled, his expression meaningful. "It's for Bang-geng's future~"

*If Bang-geng and Sha Zhu get into a conflict, who will Qin Huairu side with? Will Sha Zhu suffer the consequences of his own actions? It's really something to look forward to~*

Qin Huairu left with the letter of forgiveness, her face beaming, no trace of her previous sorrow, never once looking back.

***

Watching Qin Huairu's retreating figure, Chu Yan puffed out her cheeks and muttered with slight displeasure, "Why is that person like that? She didn't even say a word of thanks!"

Su Jianshe remained calm, indifferent to such trifles, and said softly, "The best part is yet to come."

After breakfast, Su Jianshe sent Xiao Yan off. While petting his dog, he waited for the sign-in moment.

"Notification: Would you like to sign in?"

"Confirm."

"Congratulations to the host for receiving ten 'Big Black Ten' banknotes and a secret recipe book!"

Su Jianshe felt his pocket grow heavier. He took it out and saw a secret recipe book with a cover written in ancient characters, the words "Secret Recipe" particularly prominent.

Flipping through the book, names like "Eight-Treasure Bear Paw" and "Secret Braised Fawn" caught his eyes, leaving Su Jianshe stunned.

"Not bad, today's sign-in gains are quite decent."

Arriving at the Rolling Steel Mill, Su Jianshe didn't head straight for the canteen but went to the factory manager's office first.

"Ah, Little Su, come in, please sit. If you have any difficulties or needs, just say so!" Factory Manager Yang valued the newly hired canteen chef highly, as he would need his help to secure important orders in the coming days.

"Manager, I'm planning to get married and would like to request a week off."

"What?!" Manager Yang was shocked.

"Little Su, could you postpone this? We have several important clients visiting the factory soon, possibly as early as tomorrow." The manager tried to persuade him.

But Su Jianshe remained unmoved. To him, no matter how big the client was, it had nothing to do with him; getting married was the top priority. How could he give up his wedding just to cook for others? Not even for the manager.

"Manager Yang, I'm truly sorry. Perhaps you could make other arrangements? Or, I could train a few cooks to stand in for me?"

Hearing this, Manager Yang's anxious expression eased slightly.

"Little Su, your suggestion is quite insightful. However, there's no need to form a new department. From today on, you are the Canteen Director!"

"As for Director Li, the factory will arrange a more suitable position for him."

"With a young man like you joining the canteen, it will surely be revitalized!"

Seeing the manager compromise, Su Jianshe didn't press further. He had deliberately projected an uncompromising attitude just to secure the position of Canteen Director sooner. As for cooking, he could handle it in half an hour of spare time. With his master-level culinary skills, cooking a few dishes by himself was more than enough.

As the appointment letter was handed to Su Jianshe, he instantly became the Canteen Director. As for the former director, Su Jianshe didn't give it another thought.

"Thank you, Manager. I will ensure the work the day after tomorrow is completed perfectly!"

Su Jianshe was in a good mood. Manager Yang was also relieved; the orders were secure, and he had deep faith in Su Jianshe's craft.

In the canteen, Liu Dazhuang was scrubbing every corner diligently, and the prep cook looked on with envy. Only Ma Hua stood to the side, his face showing disdain.

"Hmph, acting like a dog for someone else and still so happy."

"You think Su Jianshe really values you? He's just using you as a menial laborer."

Liu Dazhuang finished cleaning and retorted calmly, "Aren't some people acting like a dog for someone else, too? And doing a poor job of it at that—getting their own master sent to the police station, and only learning to cook by stealing techniques!"

"What 'secret skills' did your master teach you? Tell me, let me be jealous too?"

Ma Hua couldn't tolerate this and stood up abruptly. "Liu Dazhuang, say that again if you have the guts!"

"What's wrong? Want to throw a punch like your master? Let me tell you, I'm not afraid!"

The atmosphere turned tense, but before they could fight, a shadow appeared at the door. Seeing Su Jianshe, Ma Hua’s bravado immediately collapsed, and he hurried to a corner.

"Ma Hua, you can leave now. You don't need to come back in the future!"

Ma Hua, who had intended to endure it until his master returned to settle the score, was stunned. Then, a look of mockery appeared on his face.