Chapter 34: Secrets

Ji Ping wore a mysterious expression, as if Chu Xuan would miss out on a million yuan if she didn’t listen to the message he was about to deliver.

Chu Xuan was puzzled—if Mu Chenze had something to say, why couldn’t he come tell her himself?

But she didn’t ask out loud. “Go ahead, Ji Ping.”

Ji Ping lowered his voice to a whisper. “He wants to meet you at my house tonight at nine. He has something important to tell you.”

“Got it. Thank you!”

Chu Xuan had a gut feeling that she absolutely had to go tonight.

Only then did Ji Ping point to the cartload of fish. “Five hundred jin today. Should I unload them in the same corner as yesterday?”

“Yes. Xiao Feng, make a note—five hundred jin.”

As soon as Chu Xuan finished speaking, Chu Feng called out, “Okay!”

After recording the transaction, he went to the kitchen and ladled a bowl of red bean and barley soup for Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan smiled and thanked her little brother, but didn’t take it. She explained, “There are herbs in my medicine that already help dispel dampness. If I drink this soup too, it’ll be too much.”

She nodded in Ji Ping’s direction.

Chu Feng understood.

When Ji Ping finished unloading the fish, a big bowl of red bean and barley soup was handed to him.

This soup was great for getting rid of dampness.

Ji Ping thanked Chu Feng, took the bowl, drank it all in one go, returned the bowl, and took his leave.

At that moment, Mu Chenze was lying on his kang at home, looking helpless.

He had no idea what was up with his mother—wherever he went, she followed.

He didn’t want his mother to know about his partnership with Chu Xuan, and he definitely didn’t want her to see them meeting.

But he had something important to tell Chu Xuan—something that was better kept between as few people as possible.

If his mother found out, she’d definitely tell his father, big brother, and sister-in-law.

So he asked Ji Ping to pass on the message.

Ji Ping could be trusted to keep it secret, and he wouldn’t eavesdrop.

Qin Mahua hadn’t discovered her son’s secret, but she wasn’t discouraged—she planned to keep following him in the future.

Little did she know, her son had already seen through her.

By five in the afternoon, all the skinned fish had been processed and cleaned.

Chu Xuan settled the wages according to her little brother’s ledger.

Liu Zhaodi had processed five hundred jin of fish—five yuan.

Gao Meijuan and Wang Shasha had done seven hundred jin together—seven yuan.

Miao Dacui had only started in the afternoon, so she’d done just one hundred jin—one yuan.

Chu Feng had processed two hundred jin—two yuan.

Chu Xuan paid everyone the same day.

Liu Zhaodi held the five yuan in her hand, feeling like she was dreaming. Earning so much in five hours—if she could do this every day, that would be a hundred and fifty yuan a month, enough to send her two younger brothers to school and buy medicine for her mother. No problem at all.

After thanking Chu Xuan and confirming she could keep coming back, she left happily.

Gao Meijuan’s family wasn’t in a rush to leave—some helped fetch water, some arranged fish fillets on trays, others chopped wood and tended the fire...

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Chu Xuan went to see who it was and found Widow Niu standing outside, looking nervous, her hands twisting the hem of her shirt.

Widow Niu was in her thirties, tall and sturdy as an ox.

Normally, Chu Xuan didn’t have much contact with her, but since she’d come to the door, it was only polite to greet her.

“Sister Niu, is there something you need?”

Widow Niu mustered her courage and stammered, “I... I heard you’re running a grilled fish fillet workshop. If there’s any... any heavy work, could you... could you hire me...?”

She lowered her head, not daring to look at Chu Xuan, afraid of being rejected.

Chu Xuan knew her situation—she only had her twelve-year-old son, Wang Mingguang, at home.

Widow Niu was clumsy—no one who hired her lasted more than a day.

She’d either break fishing nets, accidentally smash things, or even cut her own hand while cleaning fish...

Eventually, no one dared to hire her anymore.

When she went to the shore to forage, others would find good things, but she’d only get some clams or snails—never anything valuable, and she wasn’t very clever either. Life just kept getting harder.

But Widow Niu was honest and sincere.

Chu Xuan had been thinking of hiring someone to fetch water and chop wood, but she wasn’t sure if Widow Niu could handle it.

She worried Widow Niu might accidentally hurt herself chopping wood.

But in the end, she decided to give her a chance.

“Alright. I’ll hire you to fetch water and chop wood. The water tank needs to be kept full at all times, and you need to chop at least two loads of wood a day. The pay is one yuan a day. If you’re willing, come at seven tomorrow morning. Wages are settled daily.”

Widow Niu was overjoyed. She’d only come to try her luck, never expecting Chu Xuan would really hire her. She kept repeating, “I’m willing! I’m willing... Thank you... thank you...”

Seeing her like this, Chu Xuan couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her.

“Get a good rest tonight. Tomorrow’s all heavy work.”

Widow Niu grinned from ear to ear. “Alright! I’ll be here first thing tomorrow morning!”

She waved goodbye and left, beaming.

Chu Feng had already marinated the sweet and savory fish fillets. Chu Xuan checked—they were ready to be grilled.

She didn’t keep any secrets, teaching Gao Meijuan how to control the heat.

She didn’t mind if Chu Feng, Miao Dacui, or Wang Shasha watched and learned, either.

Since she’d need to go out and sell fish every day, she planned to have Gao Meijuan and the others grill at home, with separate pay.

Actually, Chu Xuan had another idea—but it depended on sales. If business picked up, she’d discuss it with Wang Depin.

After two batches, Gao Meijuan had basically mastered the grilling.

A little after 8:50 that night, Chu Xuan found an excuse about going out to walk off a full stomach.

She took a quiet path and arrived outside Ji Ping’s house, knocking on the door.

The door opened quickly.

It was Mu Chenze—he’d snuck out of his house through the window.

His mother thought he’d gone to bed already.

Ji Ping came out of the kitchen, a steamed bun in his hand. He took a bite and said, “You two go talk in the main room. I’ll eat in the kitchen.”

He left them space to talk.

Mu Chenze nodded at Chu Xuan and gestured for her to go in first.

Chu Xuan entered the main room.

Mu Chenze followed, closing and bolting the door behind him.

He leaned against the door.

Chu Xuan swallowed nervously. What’s he up to? Don’t tell me he’s planning to...

“Mu Chenze, why are you locking the door?”

Mu Chenze made a shushing gesture. “Keep your voice down! What I’m about to tell you is extremely important. You have to promise to stay calm and not start yelling out of anger.”

Only then did Chu Xuan realize she’d been overthinking.

“Alright, I promise. Hurry up—I’ve still got hundreds of jin of fish fillets to grill at home.”

“I’ll keep it short,” Mu Chenze said, lowering his voice even more. “I didn’t get any deep-sea catch early this morning, so I didn’t go to the city. Instead, I went out to sea with my family’s boat. But don’t worry—I already sold the sea cucumbers and abalone I bought from you. While we were fishing, I ran into Chu Zhi. He’d bought a second-hand boat. Instead of fishing properly, he was drinking and fishing off the side, got drunk, and fell into the sea. I saw the whole thing.”

Chu Xuan looked exasperated. “You saved him, didn’t you?”

“That’s right.”

“Chu Zhi deserves whatever he gets! Why’d you save him?”

Chu Xuan couldn’t help recalling how, in her previous life, Chu Zhi and Feng Chunhua had pushed her into the sea—how helpless she’d felt. In this life, she almost wished Chu Zhi could experience what it was like to suffocate and die in the ocean.

Mu Chenze replied good-naturedly, “It’s a good thing I did. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have heard his secret!”

Chu Xuan was intrigued. “What secret?”

“When I pulled him back on the boat, he was still drunk, mumbling to himself, ‘Money! My family’s loaded! Buying a boat isn’t about making money—it’s to show off that the Chu family can afford a boat!’”"