Chapter 3: Visiting to Sweet-Talk the Future Mother-in-Law

Reckless vigor?

If Lin Dongfan heard Section Chief Leng's evaluation, the corner of his mouth would surely turn up forty-five degrees, arousing a hint of a sly smile that everything is under control.

If one muddledly shouted injustice for Chu Jinsong, that could be called a reckless man's act.

The crux of the problem is that he, Lin Dongfan, now foresees future changes in the situation—does that still count as reckless?

This is having everything firmly in hand! Omniscient and omnipotent.

If in this life I can't turn myself around like a salted fish, then I really should find a piece of tofu to beat myself to death.

In order to further strengthen his sense of presence, Lin Dongfan turned down all his friends' gatherings and deliberately went to the famous Chinese medicine clinic in East City to buy several boxes of trauma plaster.

Preparing to visit Chu Jinsong's wife, Shen Junlan.

Shen Junlan was once a performing artist with the Provincial Cultural Work Troupe; she now works at the Art College of Nanzhou University, teaching ethnic dance, a woman with a strong artistic temperament.

A few days ago, Shen Junlan twisted her waist while dancing and has been resting at home ever since.

Now Chu Jinsong has been taken away by the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission, his daughter Chu Lingxi is not by his side, performing abroad with the troupe—surely someone should look after Teacher Shen?

Following the social directive that courtesy is not blamed, Lin Dongfan carried a bag of plaster to the Chu residence.

Just as he reached the gate, he suddenly saw Li Hengbo with a gloomy face coming out of the Chu family's grand courtyard; Lin Dongfan hastily darted behind a tree by the road to avoid Li Hengbo's gaze.

After Li Hengbo left, Lin Dongfan entered the courtyard again: "Teacher Shen, are you home?"

Inside.

Shen Junlan was wiping away tears sadly.

Upon hearing the call, Shen Junlan hastily wiped her tears dry, leaned on her injured waist and walked to the door; facing Lin Dongfan holding the medicine bag, she had no impression of him at all.

She sized him up from head to toe and asked, "Who are you?"

"Teacher Shen, you forgot? I am Xiao Lin of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission Office, Lin Dongfan. Last year, when our unit held a cultural performance, I delivered costumes to you."

Lin Dongfan warmly stepped forward to greet her.

Shen Junlan seemed to recall a little, gave an embarrassed smile, and said, "I have a slight impression; what brings you to see me?"

"I heard you twisted your waist a few days ago, so I came especially to check on you." Lin Dongfan looked concerned: "Is your waist all right? I brought several boxes of trauma plaster for you to try."

"That's thoughtful of you, thank you for coming specially to see me."

If this had happened before, Lin Dongfan's brazenly showing up to curry favor would surely make Shen Junlan feel disgust and shut the door.

Her family's Old Chu just dislikes people who only know how to flatter.

But now, the Chu family's fortunes have declined, becoming a pit that everyone in Nanzhou's officialdom avoids; even her family's Old Chu's favorite disciple, Li Hengbo, is no exception.

Just now she had invited Li Hengbo to her home, originally intending to ask him to deliver some medicine to Old Chu.

Unexpectedly, Li Hengbo kept making excuses and analyzed all the obstacles to delivering the medicine. It made it seem as if he were being forced onto a battlefield, unwilling from start to finish.

This truly proves the old saying: when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.

In this situation where things remain but people have changed, Lin Dongfan's visit instead brought Shen Junlan a hint of unexpected surprise, making her feel warm inside.

Shen Junlan, naturally endowed with artistic sentiment, turned her head and wiped her tears again.

"Teacher Shen." Seeing Shen Junlan sadly wiping her tears, Lin Dongfan hurried to ease the embarrassment: "The wind outside is strong; did it blow into your eyes? Let me help you inside."

"I... I'm fine..."

Shen Junlan's voice carried a hint of sobbing.

After wiping away her tears, she again looked at Lin Dongfan with relief, feeling that what was before her was utterly unreal—like sending charcoal in the snow! That is truly the most precious thing in the world.

Shen Junlan cautiously asked: "Xiao Lin, may I dare to ask you something?"

"Please go ahead, I'm listening."

In the course of speaking, Lin Dongfan had already supported Shen Junlan as they walked indoors.

Shen Junlan sat down on the living room sofa, looking puzzled at Lin Dongfan, and asked, "Back when my Old Chu was in office, did he look after you very much?"

Secretary Chu treats all subordinates equally, and I admire that about him. Before, he also patted my shoulder to encourage me, telling me to stay grounded and work hard—I still remember that.

Everything Lin Dongfan said is the plain truth.

Precisely because they are all plain truths, every word he uttered directly touched Shen Junlan's heart.

The so-called equal treatment means that, when her Old Chu was in office, he did not extend any patronage to Lin Dongfan—only a token encouragement like a splash of soup.

Not the slightest bit of patronage!

It's that Lin Dongfan actually, at the Chu family's most difficult time, braved the risk of being suppressed and excluded by political opponents, and ran to the Chu residence to visit this old lady.

Shen Junlan, looking and looking, ended up smiling through tears.

She thought, This child is really foolish—when her Old Chu held great power, he never came to pay a visit; now that the family's fortunes have waned, he…

A myriad of feelings welled up in her heart, making Shen Junlan's tears flow uncontrollably.

Shen Junlan quickly grabbed a tissue to dry her eye sockets: "Xiao Lin, you can come see me—I'm very happy. But now is a critical time; you must understand your political stance, don't act foolishly."

"It's fine, I'm not some big shot—no one pays attention to me at all." Lin Dongfan looked left and right, seeing no one else in the room: "Teacher Shen, do you have no maid?"

"The maid's family had an emergency; she went back to her hometown and won't return for a few days," Shen Junlan said.

Seeing that noon was approaching, Lin Dongfan rolled up his sleeves and went into the kitchen: "You have a waist injury and no one to look after you—that won't do. Today, let you sample my five-star cooking skills."

"You can cook?"

Shen Junlan's face showed slight surprise.

Lin Dongfan laughed: "If I didn't have some real skill, how would I dare enter your kitchen? Just wait—what I boast about is what I deliver, and I never take it back."

Although this line made Shen Junlan laugh, Lin Dongfan's words were truly not empty boasting.

As for cooking, he really does have some ability.

His parents had little attachment to this purgatory-like world and left early; he grew up from childhood with his grandparents.

His grandparents, on the other hand, wished to live to a hundred and see their grandson marry and have children.

Unfortunately, heaven did not follow human wishes; when he was in high school, his grandparents passed away one after another. Skills like ladling, washing rice, frying, boiling, steaming, and stir-frying were all forced upon him by life.

Lin Dongfan busied himself in the kitchen for over an hour, and four dishes were served one after another.

A plate of light garlic-flavored greens.

A plate of steamed perch.

A plate of mildly spicy stir-fried beef, appetizing and goes well with rice.

And there is a large pot of pilose asiabell red date black chicken soup; this soup nourishes the blood, calms the spirit, enriches the liver and strengthens the kidneys, and helps Shen Junlan recover from her waist injury.

The four dishes are complete in color and aroma.

Shen Junlan merely glanced and couldn't stop praising: "Your cooking skills look much better than my housemaid's."

"It's mainly because your ingredients are good, everything is complete, giving plenty of room to shine." Lin Dongfan ladled a bowl of fragrant chicken soup for Shen Junlan: "Come, try it."

"You eat too."

Shen Junlan took a sip, seemed surprised, and then took several more sips.

As she sipped, she lowered her head and wiped away tears.

Lin Dongfan instantly panicked, hurriedly handed her a tissue: "Is it bad-tasting? Or did it burn you?"

"No……"

Probably it was just that her sentimental feelings burst forth like a flood.

Shen Junlan took the tissue, wiped her eyes, and lifted her head with a sorrowful expression: "Since my husband Lao Chu was taken away by the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission, overnight it seemed everyone around me had become strangers. The housemaid also returned to her hometown, and since I can't cook, I've been eating instant noodles for every meal these days. Thinking about many things makes my heart ache."