CHAPTER 36: CHAPTER 36: LEARNING FROM LIN XIANG

Mr. Niu and Niu Tiantian exchanged a few jokes, then finally focused their attention on Lin Xiang.

With a light smile on his face, he greeted Lin Xiang, "Make yourself at home, don’t be formal. Tiantian, go keep Comrade Lin company."

Niu Tiantian went over and sat next to Lin Xiang in a row, "Dad, Lin Xiang wants to buy some parts from the hardware department. Could you get her some from the factory later?"

"Oh? What parts do you need?"

Lin Xiang didn’t hesitate and confidently took out her prepared blueprints from her shoulder bag, "Just these parts, and I’ve also listed the quantities needed. Uncle Niu, can you see if that’s convenient?"

Mr. Niu glanced briefly and realized Lin Xiang’s intention, "You’re planning to build a machine?"

"Yes! I’m planning to sell sweet potato noodles at the market in a few days, but making them by hand is too slow, so I’m thinking of making a simple machine to speed up the process."

Mr. Niu nodded, "Alright, I’ll get you the parts after lunch, but about selling those sweet potato noodles..."

"Uncle Niu, is there a problem?" Lin Xiang noticed Mr. Niu’s hesitation and asked proactively.

Mr. Niu shook his head, "No issue. I just suggest not making too much at first, so it doesn’t go stale and lose taste."

Lin Xiang, not naive, picked up on Mr. Niu’s implicit meaning, likely thinking her sweet potato noodle business wouldn’t go well either.

But Lin Xiang had her own plans, and since Mr. Niu didn’t specify, she didn’t point it out.

Just then, Shen Aihua finished preparing the meal, and Niu Tiantian invited Lin Xiang to join the table.

Compared to the countryside, city worker families have much more abundant lunches, with rice mixed from both polished and corn rice, and more of the polished rice.

The dishes included egg seaweed soup, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, stir-fried vegetables, and braised pork.

The plate full of braised pork was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

"Go ahead, eat," Shen Aihua urged Lin Xiang, even placing a piece of braised pork into her bowl.

"Thank you, Auntie," Lin Xiang thanked and began to eat.

She ate the piece of braised pork first, praised Shen Aihua’s cooking skills, and then focused on eating rice, occasionally taking some stir-fried vegetables, and putting a spoonful of seaweed egg soup over the rice, never reaching for the braised pork again.

Niu Tiantian couldn’t stand it, and with serving chopsticks, placed two pieces of braised pork into Lin Xiang’s bowl, "You’re at our place, don’t be shy, eat more meat. My mom queued at the pork company early just to get this, you probably don’t get to eat meat much at home, right?"

"Tiantian!"

Shen Aihua gave Niu Tiantian a glare, putting a piece of braised pork into her mouth, "Eating yet can’t keep your mouth shut?"

Niu Tiantian struggled to swallow the braised pork, apologetically saying to Lin Xiang, "Lin Xiang, I didn’t mean it like that, don’t be mad."

Lin Xiang smiled, "I know, you’re just creatively trying to get me to eat more meat. I should be thanking you, not getting mad, right?"

As she spoke, she voluntarily took a piece of braised pork, and after chewing and swallowing, praised Shen Aihua’s cooking again.

"Auntie, your cooking is really delicious. Chef Shen’s cooking is great too. Your family must have amazing culinary skills passed down!"

Lin Xiang’s compliments weren’t pretentious, making Shen Aihua very pleased, though she humbly responded, "Listen to you talking, I can only make some home-cooked meals. I heard from my brother that you can make Western food, now that’s impressive."

"Hehe, just a little."

They chatted and laughed a bit, easing the awkwardness from Niu Tiantian’s earlier slip of words.

After the meal, Lin Xiang started to clear the table, but Shen Aihua hurriedly said, "You’re a guest, how could we let you do this? Go, sit on the sofa and rest a bit."

"Uncle Niu just told me to treat this place as my home and not to be formal."

"Alright then, help me bring the tableware to the kitchen and I’ll wash them."

While gathering the tableware, Shen Aihua didn’t forget to cast a glance at the already resting Niu Tiantian, "Learn from her!"

Upon following into the kitchen, Mr. Niu said quietly, "Don’t dismiss what your mom says. Lin Xiang, though she’s from the countryside, is very clever, especially with social interactions. She’s better than you in some ways. You’re about to start working too, becoming a grown up girl, you should learn more about this."

"Got it, got it. Later I’ll ask Lin Xiang more for her experience. Dad, don’t just sit there, quickly head back to the factory and get those parts for Lin Xiang. When you return, we’re also heading to the cotton spinning factory!"

Fortunately, the Niu Family lives near the hardware factory, a bicycle ride takes just two or three minutes, otherwise Shen Aihua and Niu Tiantian wouldn’t suggest Mr. Niu help out.

By the time Lin Xiang finished helping with the dishes and came out of the kitchen, Mr. Niu had already returned with the parts.

He handed the bag to Lin Xiang, "Check if everything’s there?"

Lin Xiang compared them carefully, and indeed they were what she needed, and for each type of part, Mr. Niu had prepared two sets, allowing for a retry if the first one failed.

"That’s it. Thank you, Uncle Niu, you’ve been a great help!"

"You’re too polite! Shall we head to the cotton spinning factory now?"

"Alright, let’s go now!"

The cotton spinning factory was neither too far nor too close from the Niu Family, about a twenty-minute walk.

The few of them joked and chatted, and before they knew it, they arrived.

Seeing the tightly closed gate of the spinning mill, Niu Tiantian frowned, "How are we going to get in?"

Lin Xiang, however, walked straight toward the gatekeeper and gave him a pack of Hong Shuangxi cigarettes she had prepared earlier, "Uncle, I’ve got an appointment with Director Chen today to handle the employment procedures, could you help us contact him?"

The gatekeeper recognized Lin Xiang immediately, didn’t dare accept the cigarettes she offered, and said cheerfully, "I know you, you’re the one who brought the foreign investors to our cotton spinning mill for a cooperation talk! The director instructed that you should go directly to his office when you arrive."

The gatekeeper pointed at the factory behind them, "See that small building? Director Chen’s office is the third room on the third floor, just go find him."

"Thank you, Uncle!" Lin Xiang discreetly placed the Hong Shuangxi near the gatekeeper on the table, then gestured to the Niu Family of three, "They’re with me."

The gatekeeper didn’t refuse this time, put the cigarettes in his pocket, "Alright, you all can go together."

Following the gatekeeper’s directions, Lin Xiang led the Niu Family right to Director Chen’s office.

Lin Xiang raised her hand to knock on the door, and upon hearing "come in" from inside, she pushed the door open and went in.

"Director Chen, I’m here to handle the procedures."

"Comrade Lin Xiang, you’re just in time. Could you help me translate this telegram and see what it says?"