【037】90s cook 37

Gong Mingxia had never expected such a good stroke of fortune and was deeply touched as she looked at Mrs. Wang.

"Auntie, are you serious?"

"Of course, I'm serious. If it's convenient, we can get this done tomorrow. Today won't work; it's too late, and the kids are already out of school."

"Tomorrow? I'm actually quite busy tomorrow, having just set up my stall. It wouldn't be right not to show up the day after starting. How about I come back after 2 PM and we go together?"

"That's fine, as long as it's during school hours. Here's what we'll do: I'll go ask about the specifics tomorrow morning, and then we can discuss it when you're back. If you think it's suitable, we'll go and handle the paperwork. If not, we can talk about it then. Is that okay?"

Not knowing how best to express her excitement, she grabbed Aunt Wang's hand and said, "Then, Auntie, thank you so much. If this all works out for me, I..."

"Invite me for a meal. I'm an old woman living alone. You sell boxed lunches, right? Can I eat with you? Don't worry, I'll pay you."

Gong Mingxia looked up in surprise, only to see a hint of sorrow on Mrs. Wang's kind face, "Half a year ago, my husband passed away. For these six months, I've been alone in this house. My son's in the military, he's very busy and only comes home for a few days during the New Year. It's because of this that he got divorced from his wife."

"My daughter is married and lives far away, rarely visiting. My grandson is in ninth grade now, and his mother took him away. He normally boards at school; he sometimes comes to see me on weekends, and sometimes stays at school and doesn't come back. His mother has remarried, he's a child to be pitied, too"

Gong Mingxia wasn't sure how to comfort the Old Lady. Perhaps it was a sense of solidarity with someone else who was down on their luck, she readily agreed.

"Auntie, I won't take your money. You can just come to my place for your meals from now on. We live across from each other, and it's convenient for us to walk back and forth,"

The Old Lady quickly shook her head, "No, that won't do. I need to pay. I have a pension; I have money. It should be however much it is. I'm saving you the trouble, and if you don't mind this old mess of a woman, I'm already very grateful,"

"Then, Auntie, you need to tell me if you have any medical history or special dietary needs."

"There isn't anything like that, though my husband died of a stroke. The doctor suggested that I should keep a light diet generally,"

"And…what about your cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure?"

"They're okay, not particularly high,"

"All right, I understand. From now on, I'll make a separate meal for the three of us. The Big Pot Dish meals are too greasy and not suitable for us."

"That's fine, that's fine. You're the cook; you make the arrangements. Oh, and if you trust me with your daughter, I can take her to the nursery tomorrow to have a look,"

Gong Mingxia truly didn't know what to say this time, "Auntie, won't it be too much trouble for you?"

Aunt Wang smiled and shook her head, "I'm very lonely. Having your daughter with me would make me happy. Her name is Xiao Xiao, right?"

"Yes, her name is Gong Xiaoyan, and I am Gong Mingxia. You can call me Little Soup or Xiao Xia, either is fine."

"That…may I ask a personal question? What was the reason for your divorce?"

Gong Mingxia thought about how the Old Lady had already shared her family matters with her. It wouldn't feel right to stay silent, and besides, she didn't seem like the type to gossip. She was clean and tidy, not sloppy at all. Sometimes when they crossed paths, she would smile and nod. Being from out of town and selling boxed lunches, she had never seen a hint of contempt from the locals. Instead, they had even taken the initiative to come over for meals. Putting all this together, she felt she could trust her, so she began to tell her story...