Is it delicious?

When Shen Mo saw him inexplicably open his mouth, she paused for a moment, glanced at her own chopsticks, hesitated for a couple of seconds, then raised them and fed him.

Fang Chang’an chewed twice and suddenly grasped a truth about life.

As it turned out, no matter who fed you, bad food remained bad food.

“Is it good?” the young girl asked with a concerned look that seemed more worried about poison than taste.

Fang Chang’an laughed. “It’s terrible.”

Shen Mo stared at him for two seconds, then set her chopsticks down in front of him, resting them on the edge of the plate.

“What is it?” Fang Chang’an asked curiously.

Shen Mo blinked. “You already used them.”

Fang Chang’an blinked as well. “But you were feeding me.”

The young girl quickly snatched another pair of chopsticks from his hand, angled her body away, and eyed him warily. “You used them, so I won’t.”

Fang Chang’an couldn’t help but laugh as he looked at her deer-like eyes. He reached out.

“What are you doing?” Shen Mo asked.

“Give me the chopsticks, I’ll rinse them with hot water.”

Shen Mo hesitated, but ultimately wasn’t wary of him. She handed him the chopsticks, and Fang Chang’an took all four pairs and walked straight to the kitchen at the north side of the canteen.

Each canteen was run by a family. The outside one was managed by a couple, their sister, and their parents. The siblings sold food outside, the old father cooked, while the two women cleaned vegetables and steamed buns.

Fang Chang’an stepped inside and asked the elderly woman in an apron, “Auntie, do you have hot water?”

The woman eyed him questioningly. Fang Chang’an smiled and explained, “My relatives are here, I want to wash the chopsticks.”

She nodded and pointed to a thermos on the floor.

The kitchen floor was gritty with coarse sand, water was everywhere. Fang Chang’an worried about wetting his cloth shoes, so he walked carefully, brought the thermos to the washing basin, and rinsed the chopsticks thoroughly before thanking them and returning.

As Fang Chang’an left, Shen Chengyan and Cheng Mengfei arrived. Watching him go, they asked Shen Mo, a little confused, “Where did Chang’an go?”

“He said he wanted to rinse the chopsticks with hot water,” Shen Mo replied.

Both Shen Chengyan and Cheng Mengfei were a bit surprised. They nodded and said no more. Cheng Mengfei sat beside Shen Mo and handed a napkin to Shen Chengyan.

“It’s fine, these pants need washing anyway,” Shen Chengyan said, sitting down heavily. Cheng Mengfei was both amused and helpless. She glanced at the five dishes and buns on the stone table, then around at others eating heartily. Occasionally, someone would glance over, envy clear in their eyes at the pile of food before them.

She let out a soft, wistful sigh.

Fang Chang’an returned with the chopsticks, distributing them to Shen Mo, Cheng Mengfei, and Shen Chengyan, keeping one for himself, and sat beside Shen Chengyan.

“Eat, eat!” Shen Chengyan seemed famished, grabbing a big bun, stuffing it with cabbage, and taking a bite.

Then his movements stalled for a moment.

After less than two seconds, he began chewing forcefully.

Fang Chang’an also took a bite of the snowy white bun, added a piece of chicken, and said quietly as he ate, “The buns from both canteens are very white, pure white, but they have an odd taste. I don’t know what it is, but it’s not great, though the texture is soft.”

Both Cheng Mengfei and Shen Chengyan were already hesitant. After hearing this, they were even less inclined to eat.

Fortunately, Shen Chengyan, determined to try everything, had spent an extra yuan for a bowl of rice. Though the grains around the rim were hard, it was at least better than the buns.

Cheng Mengfei placed the rice in front of Shen Mo. Shen Mo glanced at her aunt, and Cheng Mengfei smiled at her. The young girl hesitated, then prodded a mouthful with her chopsticks and ate it, chewing lightly.

“Is it good?” Cheng Mengfei asked softly.

Shen Mo hesitated, then shook her head.

Cheng Mengfei tried some herself, her brows knitting slightly as she chewed and swallowed.

Only Shen Chengyan kept eating determinedly. The two large, conjoined buns looked substantial, but once pinched, each was barely a quarter of the size. He quickly finished more than half of one.

Fang Chang’an said in a low voice, “Uncle Shen, our goal is to change the current situation, not to force ourselves to eat.”

Without a word, Shen Chengyan finished his bun, took another, and said, “If I hadn’t come here, I would have thought university food was bad enough. If we can’t finish this, what talk of change is there?”

Cheng Mengfei reached out for some vegetables. Shen Chengyan looked at her and smiled. “If you don’t like it, don’t eat. We can eat out later.”

Cheng Mengfei said nothing, quietly placing vegetables on her bun and taking small bites.

Seeing this, Shen Mo picked up her chopsticks for more. Cheng Mengfei whispered, “Mo Mo, if you don’t like it, don’t force yourself. We’ll eat at home later, okay?”

Shen Mo pouted, glanced at her aunt, then at her uncle, then at Fang Chang’an. Lowering her head, she put a piece of chicken in her mouth, followed by a spoonful of rice, then another slice of potato.

Next, she ate a piece of cabbage.

Then a strand of vermicelli.

Her eating slowed more and more.

Fang Chang’an finished his bun quickly, set his chopsticks down, and said, “Uncle Shen, Teacher Cheng, I’m full.”

Shen Mo looked at him. Seeing her uncle and aunt only nod, she quietly took another bite of rice and whispered, “I’m full too.”

Cheng Mengfei glanced at the rice bowl with a pit dug in the center, still containing a chopstick’s worth of her own, smiled and nodded. “Mm.”

Then she picked up a slice of potato and ate slowly.

Time seemed to drag. Shen Chengyan glanced at his wife, finally sighed, put down his chopsticks, and said, “I’m full too.”

Cheng Mengfei looked at him, then silently set down her chopsticks and the half-eaten bun. “Me too.”

Shen Chengyan eyed the still more than two-thirds left of food and hesitated, sighing, “Let’s go then.”

Fang Chang’an smiled. “The leftovers will be fed to the pigs. I hear pork raised this way tastes good. But my family feeds pigs mostly with feed—leftovers only sometimes, not much.”

Shen Mo, distracted, asked in surprise, “Your family raises pigs?”

Fang Chang’an laughed. “Yes, one each year, sold before the New Year.”

“Is it fun?” The young girl blinked her eyes.

“Uh… it’s alright.”

Fang Chang’an actually wanted to say he’d take her to feed the pigs someday, but with Cheng Mengfei and Shen Chengyan present, he dared not.

Unexpectedly, Cheng Mengfei patted Shen Mo’s head and said with a smile, “You’ll know if you go see for yourself sometime.”

Shen Mo thought about it, nodded happily, then asked Fang Chang’an, “Fang Chang’an, is that okay?”

“Of course,” he answered, a little stunned, secretly mocking himself for being too complicated—almost unworthy of Teacher Cheng’s trust.

Ever since he learned yesterday that Shen Mo’s parents couldn’t do business in the province, he’d already decided to give up any inappropriate thoughts about this girl he secretly liked. He couldn’t afford the trouble—one misstep and he might get blacklisted.

But her uncle’s transfer at least showed they were no longer in office; otherwise, by regulation, they’d have to avoid such matters.

Leaving the residential area gates, Shen Chengyan said to Fang Chang’an, “Don’t worry, I’ve decided to do it!”

Fang Chang’an smiled. “Then, on behalf of all the middle school students in Huangnan Town, thank you, Uncle Shen.”

Shen Chengyan laughed. “We don’t even know the situation at one school yet, and you’re thanking me for the entire town?”

“Dreams are important,” Fang Chang’an replied shyly.

Shen Chengyan ruffled his hair but said no more, then asked, “Honestly, did you eat enough?”

Fang Chang’an nodded and smiled. “I really did.”

“Alright, go do what you need to. I have to head back.”

Fang Chang’an nodded again, waved, and said, “Then I’ll return to class.”

Shen Mo waved goodbye, and Shen Chengyan and Cheng Mengfei echoed him. The three of them went outside the school gate, got in the car, and Shen Chengyan started the engine, heading home.

The atmosphere in the car was a bit heavy. Suddenly, Cheng Mengfei’s phone rang. She picked up, “Mom? We’re on the way, something came up and delayed us. Mo Mo has eaten with me. I’ll bring her over to sleep soon.”

After a few words, she hung up, fell silent, then finally spoke. “Are we being too hasty?”

Shen Chengyan glanced at her and sighed. “Feifei, you know I haven’t wanted this for a long time. Even if I lose money doing this, it’s better than sitting in the office drinking tea, reading the paper, and buying stocks every day.”

Cheng Mengfei sighed, “What did your parents say?”

“I’ll resign this afternoon, then tell them.”

“You don’t want to think it over any more?”

“I’ve been thinking since graduation, and I’m still thinking.”

Shen Chengyan seemed a bit emotional, though he was still driving steadily. “The moment I decided to visit the canteen, I’d already made up my mind. It just wasn’t as firm as now. Now I’m really sure.”

“I’m twenty-six this year, never made a single decision for myself. Listened to my parents before I dated, listened to you after, and after graduation listened to the three of you. Just this once, let me decide for myself, okay?”

It was the first time Shen Mo had seen her uncle like this. She was a little frightened and sat quietly in the back, not daring to speak.

Cheng Mengfei turned to look at Shen Mo, smiled at her, then chided, “Lower your voice, you’re scaring Mo Mo.”

Shen Chengyan exhaled, apologetic. “Sorry, Mo Mo, uncle just got a little worked up. Don’t be like me—have dreams and stick to them from a young age. Don’t just listen to your parents. Same goes for boyfriends or husbands in the future. Otherwise, you’ll regret it when it’s too late.”

Cheng Mengfei was both amused and annoyed. “She’s just a child, why are you telling her this?”

Shen Chengyan calmed down, smiled, and said, “Just passing on my lessons so my niece doesn’t end up like me.”

Cheng Mengfei shot him a look. “You seem quite dissatisfied with your life.”

Shen Chengyan, experienced as he was, immediately replied, “Not at all. Marrying you, I have no regrets in the first half of my life.”

Cheng Mengfei, not as thick-skinned, snorted and changed the subject. “What about Fang Chang’an? This was his idea. You can’t just take advantage of him because he’s young.”

Shen Chengyan said, “We’ll be partners. I’ll talk to his parents later.”

Cheng Mengfei thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright. I’ve met his parents once—they seem nice. Teacher Fang is a good person too. But if you’re going to be partners, it’s best to make everything clear.”

She sighed again. “These are small matters. What worries me is explaining to your parents.”

Shen Chengyan said, “No problem. I’m married now, not a child. I don’t have to listen to everything they say.”

He paused, then added, “As long as my wife approves, that’s enough.”