Chapter 167: Female Cultivator Foot Worker

Lu Cheng rode back to Hu Tong, wandering all the way, and happened to run into Chen Xianglan after work.

"San'er, you're back from duty?" Chen Xianglan asked, and her eyes were immediately drawn to the items on the bicycle.

"San'er, who are you delivering these things to?"

Lu Cheng, because his job is convenient, often helps neighbors bring over items from out of town.

"Mom, these aren't for anyone else. I got my salary today, and the New Year is right around the corner, so these are benefits issued by the unit."

Hearing they're from home, Chen Xianglan's eyes lit up instantly, and she hurried forward two steps, unable to resist touching them.

"Mom, that's way too much. The box on top must be soy sauce—how could anyone finish that!"

"If you can't finish it, just give it away."

Chen Xianglan gave Lu Cheng a tap on the shoulder.

"You talk so casually, as if your family runs a soy sauce factory. Saying 'just give it away' shows you don't know how to manage a household."

These days, only those who work at a soy sauce factory have homes that aren't lacking these items.

Ordinary families have to ration them in normal times.

Chen Xianglan kept touching this and that, clearly thrilled.

"Great, there's so much oil, so much sugar—this year we can have a prosperous year."

Lu Cheng knew his mother would be happy, but there was no need to announce it at the Hu Tong entrance.

"Mom, let's go home first; it's pretty cold. Once we're home, we'll set it on the table and you can look at it slowly."

As Lu Cheng spoke and was about to wheel the bicycle into the courtyard, Chen Xianglan grabbed him from behind.

"Hey, wait a moment before going in. Hold the bicycle and accompany Mom for a lap around Hu Tong."

Lu Cheng instantly understood his mother's intention and, a bit reluctantly, said, "Mom, I just got back from duty and I'm a bit tired. Let me rest a while; I still want to take a bath."

"Ah, it won't delay anything big. Tonight Mom will cook something tasty for you, a little nourishment, okay?"

"Then I want meat. I've been eating only vegetables on the train these past few days; my stomach has no oil or moisture."

Chen Xianglan readily agreed, then pulled Lu Cheng through Hu Tong, greeting everyone they met.

"Song Big Sister, I'm carrying a basket to buy groceries."

"Oh, it's Xianglan. I'm just about to go to the vegetable market street to look, buying a few Bian radishes."

Seeing Song Big Sister didn't look up, Chen Xianglan stopped the bicycle and said, "San'er, when you see someone, you don't even call out a word."

Lu Cheng was speechless and helpless, "Hello, Song Big Aunt."

Song Big Sister nodded, "Lu San'er, back from duty? Who are these items for?"

Chen Xianglan had been waiting for that question.

"Huh, these aren't for anyone else; they're for our Lu Cheng. He got his salary today and even got the New Year benefits early. Look, there's so much that we can't even take it all down."

"If you ask me, they shouldn't have given so much; not finishing it is wasteful, right?"

Song Big Sister pursed her lips, turned her head, and walked away.

"Yo, Li Aunt is here. Where are you taking that bottle?"

"Oh, I'm going to the shop ahead to get half a bottle of soy sauce, enough to last until the New Year."

"Whoa, half a bottle isn't enough! I was just about to get soy sauce too, but then my Lu Cheng came back and brought a whole box."

Their unit gave out benefits; look, there's white sugar, brown sugar, and sesame oil.

Li Aunt glanced at it, feeling extremely envious, "Hehe, Lu Cheng's job is really great."

"Exactly. Hey, Li Aunt, how about I open the box and give you half a bottle, so you don't have to buy it yourself."

Chen Xianglan said it aloud, but didn't actually open the box; Li Aunt felt too embarrassed to truly take someone else's soy sauce, waved her hand as she left, and added,

"No need, no need, don't open it. I'll get half a bottle myself, it's no trouble."

"Then Li Aunt, take your time leaving."

Li Aunt couldn't walk slowly; she left at a fairly quick pace.

Just as Li Aunt's front foot left, Ma Big Sister walked over from Hu Tong.

"Xianglan, what are you standing here for?"

"Oh, it's Ma Big Sister. Well, my Lu Cheng's unit gave out benefits, a huge amount all at once, pushing all this is exhausting; I'm taking a break here."

Ma Big Sister saw the bicycle loaded with stuff, took a deep breath, muttered to herself about being too talkative, twisted her hips, and hurried away.

Chen Xianglan turned back and saw Lu Cheng squatting there, yawning continuously.

"Get up, and come with me to visit two more houses."

"Mom, let's go home; it's pretty cold."

"What are you saying, go? No, I won't! I want to show those people how capable my son is now, so they stop whispering behind his back!"

Even though my son has many flaws, in Mom's heart he's a precious little lump; the grievances he suffered before must be compensated today.

Seeing her son truly tired after duty, Chen Xianglan added, "Alright, then go home and let your dad take over."

Lu Cheng, reluctantly, went home first; Lu Beitang was lying on a recliner, listening to the radio and leisurely reading the Newspaper.

"Dad, Mom is calling you."

Lu Beitang didn't even lift his eyelid, "Why call me?"

"My unit gave out some benefits today, so you can push the bicycle for two laps."

This time Lu Beitang raised his eyelid and said, "If the benefits aren't taken home, why ride around outside? Mom would just brag, and I won't go."

Lu Cheng realized the shout was futile: "Anyway I delivered the message; later Mom will scold you, that's not my concern. I'm going to take a bath first."

Seeing Lu Cheng walk away directly, Lu Beitang hesitated, lifted his butt a bit, still felt embarrassed, and simply continued reading the Newspaper.

After waiting a long time without seeing anyone, Chen Xianglan dragged the bicycle back to Da Za Yuan.

She entered the courtyard and shouted, "Lu Beitang, I had my son call you; why didn't you come over?"

Hearing the shouting, Lu Beitang quickly sat up: "Who called me? No one called me."

"Lu Cheng hasn't returned?"

"He's back, but went inside, took a bath ticket to soak, and didn't say a word."

"This child can't even get a word out."

Chen Xianglan complained, then said: "Then go out with me now; I have to go to Hu Tong and take a couple of rounds."

"Alright, alright, they're just neighbors; making a big deal just invites ridicule."

Chen Xianglan instantly became displeased, hands on hips, said: "Don't act all righteous; when they whisper about my son behind my back, why don't you think it's laughable?"

"Now my son has made something of himself, I want to slap them in the face right then…"

"Oh dear, it's just a little thing, why slap a face?"

"A little thing? You say it lightly; I haven't seen your Steel Factory produce so much stuff…"

While the two were busy arguing, Lu Cheng had already arrived at the Bathhouse and was soaking beautifully.

This time, the number of people coming to the Bathhouse was clearly much larger than before.

With a towel covering his face and his lower half immersed, listening closely one realized that a female foot worker had arrived at the Bathhouse.

Upon hearing there was a female foot worker, Lu Cheng instantly lost interest in soaking, quickly washed up, and walked to the counter.

Lao Sun was tallying at the counter, head down, and asked: "Lu San'er, are you done washing?"

Lu Cheng placed both hands on the counter: "Uncle Lao Sun, why did I hear that our Bathhouse got a female foot worker?"

"Ah, it's because I heard what you said last time, so I arranged one."

Lu Cheng curiously asked: "How is she? Is she pretty?"

"Definitely pretty; otherwise this Bathhouse wouldn't attract so many people."

Lu Cheng grew even more impatient: "Then where is she? Let her come out so I can have her fix my feet."

Lao Sun still didn't look up: "Then you'll have to wait; there are still a dozen or so people ahead in line."

A dozen people? How long will this take? Lu Cheng, after soaking for a while, felt hungry and was still waiting to go home for dinner.

Damn it, these old gentlemen are so shameless, insisting on having a young girl fix their feet.

"Then cut me in line, let that female comrade go first to fix me."

"No way, everyone has a number tag; you can't just cut in line."

Lu Cheng straightened up: "Uncle Lao Sun, I have to say a couple of words to you; the way you handled this is not proper."

When Lao Sun finally looked up, Lu Cheng tapped the table: "Wasn't it I who pointed out the problem back then? Without me, could this Bathhouse have attracted so many people? I never even said you should treat me to a meal."

Lao Sun helplessly shook his head; indeed it was Lu Cheng's words at that time that turned the Bathhouse's situation around.

"Alright, alright, you take this number tag; I'll arrange it later. After the next person finishes foot fixing, it'll be your turn."

That's more like it! Lu Cheng waved the tag, went to the foot‑fixing room, lifted the curtain inside, wanting to peek ahead to see if she was as pretty as Uncle Lao Sun said.

Seeing that, it didn't matter; Lu Cheng was stunned right there.

How could it be her?