Chapter 8: The Viral Wontons of Elm Village

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Chen Yubai replied: [Don’t pay him any mind. If he says anything that makes you uncomfortable again, just snap back at him. Some men only get worse the nicer you are to them. Or maybe he’s taken a liking to you and trying to catch your attention?]

Jiang Yuan: [Doesn’t look like it. The way he looks at me is full of disdain. Here he comes—I’m not going to chat with you anymore. I’ll play it by ear. If he really gets mouthy, I’ll slap him hard to show I’m not someone to mess with.]

Chen Yubai replied: [Good, I support you slapping him.]

After sending this message, Chen Yubai walked up to Jiang Yuan. Before he could speak, Jiang Lanfang came out of the kitchen and shouted to her daughter in the yard, “Yuan Yuan, we’re out of light soy sauce. Go to the shop and buy a bottle quickly. I’m waiting to use it; the fish is already in the pot.”

“Got it, I’m going right now.”

Those words were like a godsend to Jiang Yuan. She jumped up, stepped past Chen Yubai, and was about to rush out of the yard.

Unexpectedly, Chen Yubai said, “I’ll go with you.”

Jiang Yuan’s pupils dilated in shock. “What?”

Chen Yubai didn’t expect such a strong reaction, cleared his throat twice, and said, “Let’s go.”

Jiang Yuan wanted to refuse, but Jiang Lanfang laughed through the window, “Go ahead. Yuan Yuan, take your big nephew with you. He’s pretty bored alone in the yard. You young people should have fun together and talk more. Don’t just bury your heads in your phones—show some hospitality.”

Jiang Yuan: “I… guess okay!”

She swallowed her resentment and held it back.

Along the way, Jiang Yuan remained highly alert, ready to fend off any verbal attacks from Chen Yubai, her fighting spirit fully ignited.

Chen Yubai only thought that some things were inappropriate to say in the yard. Being alone outside would allow them both to relax. But Jiang Yuan quickened her pace, trying to leave him far behind, clearly showing she didn’t want to talk. He increasingly felt she was impervious to reason.

On the way to the village shop to buy light soy sauce, familiar neighbors greeted Jiang Yuan. She sweetly responded, calling them relatives and neighbors. In a village, if you start mentioning connections, half of them are practically kin. When young people come back to the village, everyone looks twice, waiting for you to call out to someone, then they gossip about who your family is, where you work, and whether you’re married. The topics are endless.

Fortunately, Jiang Yuan wasn’t socially anxious. For those who are, walking down the road becomes a disaster. She had heard classmates say that during Chinese New Year, they dreaded walking outside and would pretend to be busy on their phones to avoid greetings.

Just then, a cousin stood at her family gate and asked, “Yuan Yuan, who’s this? Brought a boyfriend home? That young man’s quite handsome.”

Jiang Yuan almost stumbled, barely steadying herself. She shook her head like a rattle and hurriedly explained, “No, no, he’s got nothing to do with me.”

The cousin said, “Still blushing and shy? What’s there to be shy about? It’s normal for young people to date. That young man is really nice. You’ve got good taste.”

Jiang Yuan covered her face with her hand and shot a fierce glare at Chen Yubai. It was all his fault.

The cousin spoke the local Tunxi dialect, which only Jiang Yuan understood. Chen Yubai had no clue what they were chatting about. Seeing Jiang Yuan glare at him, he asked puzzled, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Yuan replied in Mandarin, “Keep five meters away from me. Don’t stick so close. Please, can we pretend we don’t know each other?”

Chen Yubai was confused, “Why?”

Jiang Yuan took a few steps back and lowered her voice, “You don’t understand. In the countryside, when a girl like me suddenly appears with a handsome guy, the villagers start guessing. Within a day, they’ll think my marriage is settled and will be asking my mom for wedding wine. Do you want that gossip?”

Chen Yubai felt a bit embarrassed. “You can explain it.”

Jiang Yuan complained, “There’s a saying: the more you explain, the darker it gets. They’ll just think I’m trying to hide something. Please don’t get me tangled up in gossip.”

Seeing her so anxious was amusing. He said, “If you care so much about what others think, then you should also keep your distance from my second uncle.”

Jiang Yuan’s big eyes widened in confusion. “What? What’s wrong with your second uncle?”

Chen Yubai asked, “What do you think of my second uncle?”

Jiang Yuan said, “He’s pretty good. My mom doesn’t dislike him.”

Chen Yubai frowned, “You just said you care about others’ opinions. Now you don’t?”

Jiang Yuan thought to herself, what era is this? Could she stop her mother from finding love again? Her mom is only 45. Finding a new partner is nothing to fuss about—this isn’t the old feudal times when divorced women faced endless gossip.

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Jiang Yuan had to make her stance clear: “As long as my mom is okay with it, I don’t care what others say. People have mouths, but I have to live my own life. I just want to be happy. You come from a big city and can’t even accept that?”

Chen Yubai was shocked by her worldview and stayed silent for a long moment, not wanting to argue.

Seeing him quiet, Jiang Yuan happily enjoyed the peace, striding ahead to widen the distance. They soon arrived at the village shop, where she bought a bottle of light soy sauce and two bottles of Sprite, paying by scanning a QR code on her phone.

Chen Yubai caught up and grabbed two bottles of Yibao mineral water.

Jiang Yuan offered to pay for him, but Chen Yubai said, “No, I’ll pay.”

She didn’t insist.

Next to the convenience store was a stall selling steamed buns and fried dough twists. Jiang Yuan liked the village’s fried dough twists—they were a traditional recipe, different from elsewhere. They were exquisite when added to soup. She bought a bag of freshly fried twists from the vendor, who joked, “Yuan Yuan, when are you coming home for good? Bringing someone back with you? Your mom must be grinning from ear to ear.”

Jiang Yuan explained again, “He’s not my boyfriend.”

The vendor laughed, teasing, “Still denying it, but you’ve got good taste.”

Jiang Yuan wished she could dig a hole and hide.

Chen Yubai followed. Beside the bun shop was a wonton stall, filled with the rich aroma of scallion oil. A simple wonton cart had a steaming copper pot over burning firewood on one side, and a small workstation with seasonings, fillings, and wrappers on the other. Nearby was a small table with stools. Above hung a prominent sign: [Yucun Village Famous Wontons], along with a banner that read: [Li’s Xiling Wontons].

Chen Yubai said, “Another viral spot. You folks have quite a few of these.”

Jiang Yuan didn’t want to seem rude by ignoring him, especially since he was a guest. She softened her tone and asked, “Want to try some wontons? It’s truly a handed-down recipe. Many come just to eat a bowl of authentic Yucun wontons. We add crushed fried dough twists and pork cracklings—I love that. Everyone here likes that flavor.”

Chen Yubai, unusually calm, said, “My grandmother also made wontons. She learned from my great-grandmother. Very delicious, and she liked adding pork cracklings made from her own rendered lard. My great-grandmother was from Yucun too.”

Jiang Yuan was surprised. “Your ancestral home is really Yucun? What’s your great-grandmother’s name? Maybe the elders still know her.”

Chen Yubai suddenly went quiet.

Jiang Yuan guessed, “You don’t know your great-grandmother’s name?”

Chen Yubai was a bit embarrassed, which made Jiang Yuan burst out laughing.

But Jiang Yuan said, “It’s normal. Before my grandmother was hospitalized, I didn’t know her full name either. When I cared for her in the hospital, nurses asked for the patient’s name every time they changed her dressing. That’s when I memorized it. My grandmother has had diabetes for years and needs daily insulin now.”

Jiang Yuan asked, “Want a bowl? I can pack it for you. It’s on me.”

Chen Yubai wanted to try, to see if it tasted like his grandmother’s. His grandmother passed away during the 2019 pandemic. Usually, he was okay, but sometimes he missed her cooking—the kind of ache that never fades.

He nodded, “Okay, one bowl.”

Jiang Yuan asked, “Can you handle spicy? People from Shanghai usually like sweet flavors, right? No sweet soy milk here, and no sweet wontons either.”

Chen Yubai’s voice was cool, “I only accept salty or spicy soy milk. I can eat spicy, but not too spicy. Mild spice is okay.”

Jiang Yuan: “What about your second uncle? Can he eat spicy?”

Chen Yubai didn’t want to talk anymore. Why was she suddenly asking about his second uncle’s tastes? So interested in older men? So young, yet such questionable taste.

Jiang Yuan muttered, “You can only be friends if you can eat together. Tell me about it?”

She wanted to subtly learn her mother’s suitor’s preferences. If they couldn’t get along, better to keep distance early.

Unfortunately, Chen Yubai kept his cold expression and refused to answer.

Jiang Yuan felt bored, huffed twice, and headed toward the wonton stall. She ordered two bowls to go, eager to return and deliver the soy sauce without waiting. After paying, she told Grandma Li, who made the wontons, “Grandma, my mom’s in a hurry for the soy sauce. I’ll come back for the wontons later, or I’ll ask him to wait here.”

She pointed to Chen Yubai following behind and said, “He’s from Yucun too. Give me one bowl and one for him. Put extra pork cracklings in mine.”

Grandma Li said, “Go ahead, go ahead.”

Jiang Yuan said to Chen Yubai, “Wait here. Do you know how to get back to my house?”

Chen Yubai had good direction sense, “Yes.”

Jiang Yuan: “Then I’m off.”

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Jiang Yuan returned home first. Before stepping inside, she heard her parents arguing. Her temples throbbed. Entering the yard, she saw her father pointing at Uncle Cheng and demanding, “Who is this man?”

Jiang Lanfang snorted, “None of your business. Luo Zhenyong, don’t blow up in front of me. Count how many years we’ve been divorced. You can manage the heavens and earth, but this little patch is mine. Don’t meddle in Yuan Yuan’s affairs. I won’t harm her.”

Jiang Yuan rushed in to see her father red-faced with anger. She quickly handed the soy sauce to her mother and pulled her father out of the yard. Outside, she said, “Dad, you really came? I know what I’m doing. Don’t worry about me.”

Luo Zhenyong kept asking, “Who’s that man? What’s his relationship with your mom?”

Jiang Yuan thought her father was overstepping a bit.

She replied tactfully, “Uncle Cheng is just my mom’s fan.”

Luo Zhenyong snapped, “A fan who comes to the house? Your mom’s reckless. Sooner or later she’ll get cheated. You find a chance to kick that man out.”

Jiang Yuan gave a perfunctory nod, “Okay.”

Seeing his daughter on his side, he relaxed briefly, then frowned again, “And you, when are you going back to Shanghai?”

Jiang Yuan answered honestly, “I’m not planning to go back for now.”

Luo Zhenyong said, “You’ve really been brainwashed by your mom? Following her nonsense?”

Jiang Yuan retorted, “Why do you think my mom’s nonsense? Do you know how hard it is to gain 90 followers a month on Douyin? Dad, admit it, my mom is impressive. Whether by luck or something else, she’s popular now. With 900,000 followers, she’s making good money—much better than working a job. Do you know how much a Douyin influencer with 900,000 followers can earn monthly?”

Luo Zhenyong had no idea. Jiang Yuan said, “At least a hundred thousand a month on the low end. At best, tens of thousands. Making a million a year isn’t a dream.”

Luo Zhenyong’s head buzzed from her words. How could Jiang Lanfang possibly earn that much? Where would she get such talent?

He didn’t want to believe in his ex-wife’s ability and scolded with a stern face, “You’re just good at defending your mom.”

Jiang Yuan said, “I’m just telling the truth. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have quit my job and rushed back to help her. Dad, let me try here in the hometown. If my mom and I succeed, I won’t have to work myself to death for that lousy salary. Working in Shanghai is not as glamorous as you think. University graduates aren’t worth much nowadays.”

Luo Zhenyong still said, “You’re just making trouble.”

Jiang Yuan clung to his arm and whined, “Then let me cause trouble for a year. If it really doesn’t work out, I still have you and mom to support me. What am I afraid of?”

Luo Zhenyong laughed at his daughter, then pushed her away with mock annoyance. “Dream on. Do you have enough money? Your mom says she’ll give you 20,000 a month—I don’t know if she’s bluffing. I’ll send you two thousand first. I don’t have much either. Your grandma often gets sick, and the family expenses are high. Since you’re back, visit Grandma at Chengkan when you have time.”

Jiang Yuan said, “Okay.”

Luo Zhenyong took out his phone, transferred two thousand yuan to his daughter, and earnestly advised her for a long time. Finding her stubborn and refusing to return to Shanghai to work, he was frustrated and helpless. Finally, he said, “I’m leaving now. Think carefully about what I said.”

Jiang Yuan gave an OK sign.

“And tell your mom to be realistic. She’s not young anymore; who would want her?”