Rebirth: I became rich by farming

Chapter 682: Chapter 682: Are You Sick? (2/2)

Qi Yongwang wanted to talk some more, but Mei Yinan interrupted him. "It’s not just for you that your parents moved to Jiangcheng. It’s quite nice for all of us to live together, and actually, there’s something I haven’t mentioned before. Tianyu bought a shop space near the community for me. I want to start selling some snacks. Since the eldest daughter-in-law is idling at home, and I heard you were looking for a job, don’t bother looking for one. At our age, we can only do cleaning jobs outside. You might as well just join me in this business. Yifang is retiring and can help me out directly, it’ll save me the trouble of finding someone else."

A shop?

Hu Chunyu hadn’t heard Mei Yinan mention this before, and she asked, "Big sister, when did this happen, and what do you plan to do exactly?"

"Tianyu only told me about it before the trip. I haven’t had enough time to decide what to do. And the previous tenant’s lease doesn’t end until the end of this month. There’s renovation to be done too, so it’s going to take at least half a month before anything can happen, and it wouldn’t be unusual for it to take a whole month."

The renovation of the shop isn’t quite the same as a home renovation; half a month is more than enough, and a month is quite a conservative estimate, but Mei Yinan added, "I’ve checked the place out, and it’s only suitable for selling late-night snacks. The previous tenant sold noodles and rice flour dishes there, but I plan to sell deep-fried snacks."

These so-called deep-fried snacks involve throwing all the ingredients that you like together into a deep fryer. After deep-frying, you dip them in sauce to eat them. She can mix sauces well, and her cooking skills are not bad. Plus, there are many kids around, and kids generally really love eating these kinds of fried foods.

Upon hearing his mother mention deep-fried snacks, Fan Tianyu was unexpectedly surprised, "Mom, you know about deep-fried snacks?"

"Of course I know. You kids love eating that stuff. I’ve observed that the most patronized food around here is the unhealthy kind. But rest assured, I plan to be a conscientious seller. I’ll definitely change the frying oil every day, and the veggies will always be fresh and washed. Most importantly, it doesn’t need much manpower."

One person to handle the frying, another to manage the vegetables and the money, and a third to clean the tables—that would be enough. She was well aware that her husband and her brother wouldn’t be up for this kind of work, so she didn’t include them in her plans at all. If Mei Yifang didn’t join, they’d only need to hire a cleaner for maintenance.

Hu Chunyu was certainly happy to oblige, "Sounds good, just let me know whenever you’re ready, big sister."

But speaking of vegetables, Mei Yongan asked, "For the veggies, will you be sourcing from Tianyu?"

Fan Tianyu naturally thought that would be the case, but Mei Yinan disagreed, "No need. Your vegetables are too expensive. I’ll just buy some sauces from you to mix for people."

Speaking of sauces, "Does Xiyuan have sauces?"

This was a question asked from the soul by a developer of all items at Xiyuan, as she didn’t even know when Xiyuan had sauces, let alone seasonings.

Mei Yinan explained, "I’m talking about the small dishes we eat, the soups and broths. If I add them to my sauces, no one can compete with the flavor. When eating deep-fried snacks, other than paying attention to the cooking time of the food itself, it’s all about seasoning."

All of a sudden, Mei Mengzhen felt that Mei Yinan had grasped the secret code of gourmet food; with the addition of Xiyuan’s products, indeed the taste would be great.

Since Mei Yinan didn’t need his vegetables, Fan Tianyu didn’t insist, "Okay, Mom, it’s up to you. Just let me know what you need."

The matter was thus decided. Looking at the time, which was about right, the group prepared themselves and headed to the hotel.

Of course, going straight to the hotel was also because it was Mei Yongfu’s second marriage. If it had been his first, he certainly would have invited many people over to his house, and as relatives, they would have been expected to entertain these guests at Mei Yongfu’s home, but not today.

Upon arriving at the hotel, they immediately noticed Mei Yifan and his family of three already seated at the banquet table. Next to him, Mei Yongfu wore a solemn expression, and even after they all arrived, he looked everyone up and down.

And then there was no "then."

Mei Yifan had hoped that by arriving early and informing Mei Yongfu about everything, when the others arrived, Mei Yongfu would find a way to do something. However, when they actually met face-to-face, Mei Yongfu remained completely indifferent, not reacting at all—which was utterly abnormal.

Mei Yifan softly called Mei Yongfu’s name, and he shook his head at her. It wasn’t until everyone was seated that Mei Yongfu picked the soft target among them, Mei Mengzhen, and asked her directly, "Zhenzhen, your aunt just told me that you made a million working. Is that true?"

Mei Yongfu was somewhat skeptical about Mei Yifan’s words. After all, it was a million, not just a hundred. Even for acting, that was a high price for a newcomer, wasn’t it?

The more anxious he was to know, the less pleasant his tone of asking became.

Taken aback by Mei Yongfu’s direct question, Mei Mengzhen initially froze, then came to terms with it. Why would he need to beat around the bush with her, a junior member of the family?

Mei Mengzhen replied seriously, "Yes, I played the second female lead in a movie, and after taxes, my payment was a million. I donated it all to prevent people from asking me for money—I didn’t keep a cent."

Mei Mengzhen’s response was candid and unapologetic, but once she admitted it, the matter became set in stone.

Mei Yongfu turned ashen, "Are you sick?"

"Yes, I am."

"You..." Seeing Mei Mengzhen’s indifferent demeanor, Mei Yongfu felt like he had hit cotton, utterly exasperated, "No, I mean... such a big matter, why didn’t you discuss it with us first?"

"I’m afraid my uncle might have forgotten that I’m of age. I can make my own decisions about my own affairs. Plus, the money can’t be refunded now that it’s donated. No matter who it is, it’s best not to dwell on it anymore."

When Mei Mengzhen said this, she glanced not only at Mei Yongfu but also at Mei Yifan’s family of three, nearly shouting loud and clear that indeed, she was guarding against the two of them—preferring to lose out herself rather than let them profit.

Yet what caught Mei Mengzhen’s attention was Mei Mengying beside Mei Yongfu. The child had a swollen left cheek and even some bruising at the corner of her mouth. Her gaze was vacant, as if she were the victim of longterm abuse. Her expression was pitiful, inevitably drawing attention, yet not so much as to stir everyone’s concern.

If it weren’t for the scene Wang Qiuhe had made at the hospital before, perhaps there might have been some concern for the little girl. However, that day’s uproar in the hospital, whether or not Mei Mengying had been reborn, made everyone genuinely dislike her from the bottom of their hearts. Despite the bruising on Mei Mengying’s face, no one in attendance asked a single question about it.