HWTSCFM Chapter 75

Hundred Ways To Save Cannon Fodder Mom [Quick Transmigration Arc 5] Chapter 75: The Mother Plagued by “Misfortune”(5)

Six months later.

In front of Xiao Ri Zi Restaurant, a crowd of people gathered, their voices mingling, filling the small restaurant with the lively atmosphere of everyday life.

“Here’s your roast duck, take it.”

Ling Xiu carried the bag in both hands, a perfectly timed smile on her face, and handed the exquisitely packaged cardboard box to the old man in front of her, her tone kind and gentle.

The old man, dressed in a white martial arts uniform, took the paper bag from Ling Xiu with a kind face. Looking down at the exquisite and high-end paper box and smelling the tempting aroma of roast duck, he smiled with satisfaction, nodded, and left.

After Lingxiu saw the old man off, the waiter who had gone to the restroom returned and made way for her. Lingxiu watched the people coming and going, reminiscing about the past six months.

The small restaurant operated for a month and earned a pleasing income.

But Ling Xiu’s purpose did not stop there. She directly hired a chef to cook, traveled to other provinces to learn about other cuisines, and after three months of investigation and study, she chose roast duck, a meat dish. She also found a private packaging factory in Shenzhen and ordered unique paper bags.

Roast duck is quite flavorful and oily, making it a great option for many families who want to enjoy meat dishes without spending a lot of money. Since its introduction, it has been very popular among the residents of Nanshi.

By taking over the shop next door and increasing her investment, Lingxiu quickly recouped the money she had spent on the shop.

Of course, opening a store is not always smooth sailing.

A few months ago, thugs would often come to her restaurant to collect “tea money,” leaving her helpless but forced to compromise. Later, after observing the situation, Lingxiu selected a few well-known and skilled thugs, negotiated a monthly price with them, and paid them directly without any further discussion. After that, no one came to Lingxiu’s restaurant to collect “tea money” anymore.

Lingxiu’s quick wit and understanding even provided her with excellent protection; in this era, her shop was never robbed.

Some people even stage accidents and cause trouble in the store, deliberately framing the store for having unclean food; these are all dealt with by those thugs.

Ling Xiu knew this wasn’t good, but in this era, you have to adapt to some of the “rules.” However, she also believed that the country would become better in the future and these “rules” would no longer exist.

It will be very, very good!

Ling Xiu smiled, turned around and went to the partitioned-off small room, where she picked up a book to study.

Soon, it was six o’clock in the afternoon. Ling Xiu stretched and got up to pick up her son who was going to school.

She was too busy, and the restaurant was too small to let her child stay there for long, as it was unsafe and not good for the child’s development. So she entrusted the child to a small daycare run by a retired female teacher.

She didn’t expect her daughter to learn any classroom knowledge, but she hoped she’d be influenced by what she see and hear, to learn manners and principles, and to become an upright, kind, principled, and independent woman.

There were only four or five children in the daycare, living in the home of an elderly teacher. The teacher had no worries about food and drink, but her husband had passed away and her children lived far away abroad, leaving her quite lonely. So she decided to start a small daycare. The fees were low, and the teacher even used almost all of the money to feed the children.

After saying goodbye to the former teacher, Lingxiu took her daughter home.

The little one was very excited to see his mother and chattered excitedly about everything he had seen and heard that day.

There were children eating with food all over their faces, and the teacher was telling them fables like “Waiting for a Rabbit to Run into a Tree Stump”…

One was speaking with great enthusiasm, while the other listened attentively.

Back at the shop, most of the customers had already left. There wasn’t much nightlife; only a few people came out for a stroll, and even those strolling didn’t buy anything. So Lingxiu decided to close the shop at seven o’clock.

Ling Xiu’s purpose was simply to collect the money and close the shop door.

However, Ling Xiu never expected that she would encounter someone here whom she never wanted to see again in her life.

Jiang Yuan.

A few months ago, when she returned to her hometown to pack her luggage and take care of the fields, she encountered Jiang Yuan. He humbly begged for forgiveness and even mobilized several people who were on his side to persuade her to think more positively, saying that Jiang Yuan had only made a mistake that all men make and asking her to forgive him.

Ling Xiu beat Jiang Yuan up and left the village.

Under the cover of night, Jiang Yuan, wearing a white shirt, with a fair and handsome face, stood in front of Ling Xiu looking very honest and cautiously watching her.

Ling Xiu turned around, locked the shop door, took Zizi’s hand, and left, ignoring the man in front of her.

“Xiuxiu…you still can’t forgive me? I really know my wrong,”

Jiang Yuan looked at Ling Xiu with great sincerity and said with a very affectionate expression.

Almost everyone who strolls around the neighborhood knows Ling Xiu, but they’re too embarrassed to peek into other people’s affairs, so they just listen.

Ling Xiu knew that if she didn’t respond, tomorrow she might hear some unbearable rumors, so she could only sneer and say, “You sold my secure job at the machine factory, took the money and eloped with someone else, and now you dare to come to me begging for forgiveness? Are your injuries healed?”

Upon hearing Ling Xiu’s words, Jiang Yuan’s legs instinctively throbbed with pain. However, knowing Ling Xiu’s temper, and listening to the whispers behind him, he thought of the future wealth and glory. Jiang Yuan gritted his teeth, knelt down directly in front of Ling Xiu, lowered his head, and loudly proclaimed:

“Xiuxiu! I will definitely admit my mistakes and correct them. I will never even look at other women again. I will try my best to be a good husband, a role model for my daughter, and a good father. I am truly determined to repent.”

Jiang Yuan came prepared this time. He knew that society was more tolerant of men and more harsh on women. No matter how many decades ago or how many decades later, as long as a man admits his mistakes in public or in front of many relatives, there will always be people who will try to persuade her to reconcile. After all, it’s better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage.

His current humility, even kneeling and begging for forgiveness, will put pressure on Ling Xiu. If someone or many people try to persuade her, Ling Xiu will waver. If he puts in a little more effort, he can get Ling Xiu to forgive him and accept him again.

Ling Xiu had enough money in his previous life to squander for several lifetimes, and he even promised Ling Xiu that he would only have one daughter, Jiang Tian.

After all, with such advanced technology in the future, it would be too easy for him to have other children.

Luxury cars, clubs, and beautiful women—all within your grasp if you put in a little effort today.

Jiang Yuan also wanted to start his own business and rise to prominence in this golden age, but he knew his own limitations. He might become moderately wealthy, but becoming extremely wealthy was basically impossible. Not only women liked it, but men liked it even more. Nobody liked hard work.

The whispers reached Jiang Yuan’s ears, and just as he had expected, the onlookers began to advise the couple to stay together rather than break up.

“It seems this man has truly repented.”

“A prodigal son who returns is more precious than gold. I hope Boss Ling will forgive him and that the family can live in harmony.”

“If a man kneels down, it means he truly knows he was wrong.”

Ling Xiu did feel the pressure, but the more people pressured her, the more defiant she became. If she were a patient person, she would never have divorced Jiang Yuan. Looking down at Jiang Yuan kneeling there, Ling Xiu said coldly, “Jiang Yuan, you are truly shameless. If you were genuinely repentant, would you try to force me to forgive you in public like this? Do you think everyone here is stupid? Stupid enough to believe that pigs can fly and dogs can stop eating shit!”

The onlookers turned away awkwardly, taken aback by Ling Xiu’s words.

Their inner monologue was: I’ve been scolded.

However, no one refuted Ling Xiu. To refute her would be to admit it, and besides, commenting on other people’s family affairs would be meddling in other people’s business.

Fuming with anger, the group of onlookers who had been discussing the matter quietly left.

Jiang Yuan listened to Ling Xiu’s few words and realized that she had defused his scheme. He looked up, smiled, and naturally prepared to stand up.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to repent? How come you can’t take it anymore?” Ling Xiu asked with a puzzled look.

His body reacted faster than his brain. He put the raised foot back down on his knee. Looking down and recalling his actions, Jiang Yuan knew he had lost.

“Kneel for three days, and I’ll consider forgiving you.”

Ling Xiu took Zizi’s hand and walked to Jiang Yuan’s side.

Ling Xiu didn’t understand why this man’s personality had suddenly changed so drastically, and why he insisted on her forgiveness. But when she saw the ambition flash in Jiang Yuan’s eyes, she realized that he wanted to take advantage of her.

However, Ling Xiu still had one question: back in her hometown, they weren’t wealthy, so how could this person possibly predict the future and know she would become rich? That’s too outrageous.

Ling Xiu rubbed her forehead, realizing she was overthinking things. She figured it must be because she’d been juggling studies and work lately, making her head spin.

Jiang Yuan watched Ling Xiu walk away and, without hesitation, got up and chased after her.

However, it was too late; Ling Xiu had already disappeared around the corner with the child.

Jiang Yuan’s scheme was completely foiled. Standing there, his resentment was palpable.

He admitted that he was indeed rotten, but what was Ling Xiu anyway? He was scheming against her for her own good. Wouldn’t she be lonely if she were to live alone forever?

It’s always best to stick with your original spouse.

…

As Ling Xiu expected, she saw Jiang Yuan again the next day, but she had no interest in getting entangled with him. She received some news that surprised her greatly.

This street is going to be demolished.

This information was brought by thugs; they know all sorts of people, so getting this kind of gossip is a piece of cake for them.

The thugs brought this news with a clear purpose: they wanted a piece of the pie.

They wanted to buy a shop and wait for the demolition and compensation to make them rich.

Ling Xiu gave them some money and a few packs of good cigarettes, and politely declined their invitation to join her.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust their information; when she received it, she had already confirmed its accuracy because she remembered what the former restaurant owner had told her.

She told her not to renovate, and then gave her a meaningful look.

The proprietress must have known, which is why she repeatedly told her to keep the restaurant exactly as it was and not to waste money on renovations.

Ling Xiu refused the thugs’ request to join her gang, firstly because she didn’t have much money, and secondly because she didn’t want to get entangled with them.

The robbery she experienced six months ago left her with absolutely no goodwill towards this group.

Things progressed quickly. Before the thugs could even start raising money, the person in charge of the demolition began measuring the land, putting up demolition banners, and going door-to-door to explain the demolition process.

Ling Xiu looked at the conditions they offered and remained silent for a long time.

Even under Jiang Yuan’s more intense harassment, she didn’t even think of taking the time to deal with him.

Money or a house?

Radical or conservative?

Six months ago, Ling Xiu would have chosen the house without hesitation, but now she…