Chapter 30: Don't Go Tattling to Your Mom

Tang Lin and Leng Hui left the machinery factory after finishing their meal.

The two first went to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, where they spent ten yuan to have a doctor prescribe several slices of decades-old ginseng.

Then, they went to the farmers' market and bought a pigeon.

"Ginseng replenishes Qi. We'll stew it as soon as we get back. I hope eating this will help you recover quickly and strive to awaken your superpower soon."

"I hope so too, but I don't know if the superpower came along with us. You know, we both traveled through time, so why wasn't a system or something like that bound to me? I'm so envious of all the different systems in novels. It would be great if a mechanical-type simulation system were bound to me based on my profession, so I could focus on creation and invention."

Leng Hui said speechlessly, "Stop having such beautiful dreams. We've already been given an extra chance compared to others; the most important thing right now is to make sure we live better. Also, let's not mention the past anymore, lest someone overhears us."

"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you, my little housekeeper," Tang Lin said, pinching Leng Hui helplessly.

The mother and daughter chatted and laughed all the way. To take care of Tang Lin, they walked slowly, making it look more like a leisurely stroll.

Leng Yongkang was riding his bicycle to the factory for work when he heard a familiar laughter by the roadside. He turned his head and saw it was Tang Lin and her mother.

He quickly braked, turned his bicycle around, and rode back.

"Where have you two been? Why are you only coming back now? Do you know the whole family has been waiting for you to eat lunch?"

Looking at Leng Yongkang blocking her path, Tang Lin's expression soured, and her tone was even more blunt, "Where we went and when we come back doesn't seem to be any of your business."

As for the whole family waiting for them to eat, she took it with a grain of salt; she didn't believe it for a second.

In the past, whenever the original owner returned home a bit late from work, the family was either currently eating or had already finished. In either case, all that remained were the leftovers.

The most hateful part was that those leftovers were only a few bites, not even enough to make one feel half-full.

Having offered warmth only to receive coldness, Leng Yongkang became displeased. "Can't you speak properly?"

Tang Lin: "No."

Leng Hui noticed an oil-paper package in Leng Yongkang's jacket pocket. "What do you have in your pocket?"

As she spoke, she reached out to rummage through his pocket.

"Nothing."

Leng Yongkang tried to cover the pocket, but it was too late.

He was not as fast as Leng Hui.

"Ha, eating quite well, aren't we? Was the family lunch meat buns?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Leng Hui saw Leng Yongkang trying to snatch it back. Regardless of the consequences, she tore open the oil paper and took a bite first.

The taste was good.

There were three inside the package. Leng Hui gave one to Tang Lin and, in a rare moment of kindness, gave the remaining one back to Leng Yongkang. "I'll leave one for you. Don't go complaining to your mother that I'm bullying you; I left one for you."

These words were truly infuriating.

Leng Yongkang felt a surge of indignation he couldn't vent. Could he say that he hadn't eaten lunch and that these three meat buns were specifically bought from a restaurant for his own meal?

"Wow, these meat buns are delicious! They're so well-filled; they're the best I've ever had. Did my second aunt make these? Does she have such great skills?"

"Even food can't shut your mouth. Let's just go home quickly."

Leng Hui watched Leng Yongkang flee in frustration, a mocking smile curling at the corner of her mouth. She turned back, took a large bite of the meat bun, and said to Tang Lin, "Let's go, let's head back."

Tang Lin handed her own meat bun to her. "I see you love eating, so I'll help you eat this one too."

Leng Hui pushed the bun back. "Don't always think of leaving food for me just because there's a little something to eat. Eat it yourself, otherwise, how will your superpower recover?"

Thinking that they had only finished their meal not long ago and Leng Hui shouldn't be too hungry, Tang Lin didn't dwell on it and took a bite. "This tastes similar to the ones from the state-run restaurant."

Leng Hui nodded, lost in thought. "What do you think my dad meant by this? Not long after eating, he went to the state-run restaurant to buy buns. Was he treating himself, or did he not eat lunch at all?"

"Wait, that's not right." Leng Hui suddenly turned to stare at Tang Lin. "Mom, don't you lack the original owner's memories? How do you know these buns taste like the ones from the state-run restaurant?"

She remembered very clearly that since they had traveled through time, no one had ever bought state-run restaurant meat buns for her to eat.

Tang Lin looked bewildered. "I don't have the memories, but I just can taste that these are state-run restaurant meat buns."

Seeing that she wanted to ask more, Tang Lin raised her hand to stop her. "Don't ask me why; I don't know what's going on either."

By the time the mother and daughter returned home, the stove in the hallway had boiled its water with no one tending to it. They pushed open the door and entered the room, where Old Lady Leng was sleeping on the bed in the corner.

Hearing the door open, she sat up, her face contorted with displeasure. As soon as she spoke, she launched into a tirade against Tang Lin and her daughter

"Where have you been all morning? The eldest came back long ago. You two have been out wandering until now? You don't cook, you don't buy groceries—do you want the whole family to live on thin air?"

Having walked quite a bit in the morning, Tang Lin sat down in a chair to catch her breath as soon as she entered the room. Hearing Old Lady Leng's accusations, she felt an inexplicable irritation.

"Old woman, stop looking for trouble. If you provoke me, I'll kick you all out directly. I wasn't the one cooking in this house before, either. Or are you saying this family can't eat without me? If that's the case, then your son is a useless waste, too incompetent to even support his own mother!"

Old Lady Leng wanted to curse back, but Leng Hui spoke up. "Mom, don't waste your breath on her; it'll ruin your mood. If they keep being undisciplined, I'll accompany you to talk to the leadership and ask them to take this house back. I believe that in this era of housing scarcity, the leadership would be very happy to take this house back and redistribute it to other workers."

Old Lady Leng was like a goose that had its neck grabbed while squawking loudly; she couldn't pull her head back, nor could she make a sound, leaving her stuck in an awkward posture.

The sound of shuffling slippers came from the side room, and a moment later, Sun Xiaojuan walked out.

After coming out, she smoothed her hair and greeted them with a smile. "Sister-in-law and Huihui are back! You must be hungry. I'll go cook for you right now."

Her eyes flickered toward the pigeon on the table, and she reached out, intending to grab it.

Before she could touch it, Leng Hui pressed her hand down on the pigeon and sneered, "Look at what Second Aunt is saying. We have hands and feet; if we're hungry, we can do it ourselves."

Sun Xiaojuan acted as if she hadn't heard the sarcasm. "You're tired from walking; it's fine if I do it."

"Second Aunt, it's late to be cooking now. Who eats lunch in the afternoon? Neighbors who don't know better would think my mother and I are using you as a maid.

Don't bother with the meal; we aren't eating.

If you had the heart to do it, why didn't you do it earlier!"

Leng Hui was not going to indulge her. In the past, she was the one who cooked at the scheduled times; the fact that it wasn't done today made it obvious why.

Did she think that because the marriage didn't happen today, she could push them around?

She was being far too presumptive.

(End of Chapter)