Chapter 6: A Favor
Chapter 6: A Favor
The afternoon was quickly coming to an end.
As dusk fell, the streets grew quieter, and the number of pedestrians dwindled.
Shop owners on both sides began to close up for the day, and street vendors packed up their goods, aiming to reach home before nightfall.
"Jiang Cheng, see you tomorrow," Lu Zicheng waved as he pushed his small cart and walked away.
"See you tomorrow," Jiang Cheng nodded back, also pushing his tricycle and heading down the alley.
It was still early, and many households had their doors open. Occasionally, someone would pass by in the alley.
Jiang Cheng took a deep breath. Being stopped on his way was a common occurrence for his original body, but as he had little experience with it, he couldn't help but feel nervous.
Fortunately, there were plenty of people around.
The thugs and hoodlums were also afraid of being recognized, and although one or two of them stared at him, they ultimately didn't take that step forward.
It was a close call, but he finally arrived.
Jiang Cheng felt relieved and saw a figure about twenty or thirty meters away, looking in his direction.
"Grandma!"
He recognized her at a glance and hurried over.
"Grandma, I'm back," Jiang Cheng said, pushing his tricycle towards the old lady.
The old lady smiled, her mouth wide open.
"Did anything happen on your way back?"
"No," Jiang Cheng replied with a smile. "I was afraid something might happen, so as soon as it got dark, I packed up and came back."
"That's right," the old lady nodded repeatedly.
"Xiao Cheng?"
The neighbor, Chen Sao, came out, closing the door behind her. She smiled at Jiang Cheng, "Xiao Cheng, have you eaten? I've prepared some dishes, come and eat with us. Jiang Grandma, you should join us too."
"Huh?"
Jiang Cheng was taken aback but quickly realized what she meant. He hurriedly declined, "No, no, Chen Sao, I'll just eat at home."
"Yes, Chen Sao, I've also prepared a meal. No trouble at all," the old lady quickly added.
"Why are you being so polite?" Chen Sao walked over and pulled Jiang Cheng's arm.
With her other hand, she grabbed the old lady's arm and whispered, "I've prepared some good dishes, let's go."
Hearing this, the old lady understood and looked at Jiang Cheng, "Xiao Cheng, go with Chen Sao. I'll eat at home, and you can watch the house and prevent any thieves."
"This..."
Jiang Cheng scratched his head, feeling a bit unsure.
In his memory, the two families had a good relationship, and they would eat together during festivals.
But now...
"Alright."
Chen Sao smiled and agreed, then pulled Jiang Cheng towards the house.
Jiang Cheng half-heartedly followed, eventually giving in and going with her.
As they entered the house, a savory aroma filled the air.
"Come and sit down, let's eat," Chen Sao said as she closed the door and bolted it.
This gesture showed her trust in Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng instinctively surveyed the house.
The furnishings were similar to his own home.
On the east side was the kitchen with an earthen stove, and in the middle was a dining table with some miscellaneous items. The west side was probably the bedroom, separated by a curtain.
Jiang Cheng glanced at it and quickly averted his gaze, focusing on the dining table.
The enticing aroma was coming from there.
On the table were several dishes.
There was braised tofu with cabbage, roasted chicken legs, stewed eggs, and a large bowl of chicken soup with a whole chicken inside.
For the Jiang Cheng from before his transmigration, these dishes held no allure, and they barely whetted his appetite.
But here, in this world, it was an undisputed feast, a rare treat that many people would only enjoy during the New Year.
Sitting at the table, Lin Yue's mouth watered at the sight of such a sumptuous spread, which was not something she often saw at Chen Sao's house.
"Chen Sao..."
Jiang Cheng felt a warmth in his heart, realizing that Chen Sao had bought these dishes for him and was waiting for him to return before starting the meal.
Judging by the size of the chicken leg, it weighed at least two pounds, and would cost at least fifty yuan. A whole chicken would be even more expensive; you couldn't get one for less than seventy or eighty yuan.
Boiled eggs weren't cheap either, especially since Grandma was so frugal with eggs, only having a few, which she saved for herself.
Chen Sao smiled and shook her head, "Go and sit down, I'll serve you a bowl of rice."
"Okay."
Jiang Cheng swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
Verbal gratitude meant nothing.
In the future, he would definitely repay them.
"There will definitely be a day like that," Jiang Cheng thought to himself.
He sat down at the table.
"Brother Jiang Cheng," Lin Yue called out timidly.
Jiang Cheng smiled at her and said, "Xiao Yue, why are you standing there? Start eating."
Lin Yue glanced at her mother's back with a hint of fear and shook her head.
Jiang Cheng couldn't help but laugh.
Soon, Chen Sao came over with a bowl of food and quickly picked up two or three chicken legs, placing them in Jiang Cheng's bowl.
"That's enough, Chen Sao," Jiang Cheng said, blocking her with his right hand.
"You just recovered from a cold, you need to replenish your nutrition. How can you not eat? Besides, when you're here, it's like you're at your own home. Don't be shy?" Chen Sao said as she scooped some egg soup into Jiang Cheng's bowl with a spoon.
"Yes, I know, thank you, Sister-in-law," Jiang Cheng thanked her repeatedly.
"It's fine. You were sick for a couple of days, and Sister-in-law was so worried. Thankfully, she's fine now," Chen Sao smiled and then looked at her daughter, "Eat up."
Lin Yue moved gently, picking up a chicken leg and placing it in her bowl, taking small bites.
"Xiao Cheng, eat a chicken wing," Chen Sao tore off a chicken wing with her chopsticks and placed it in Jiang Cheng's bowl.
"Sister-in-law, this is really enough, I can't eat any more," Jiang Cheng smiled bitterly.
If someone who didn't know the situation saw this, they might think he was Chen Sao's biological son and Lin Yue was adopted.
After eating for half an hour, Jiang Cheng's stomach was full, and he couldn't eat another bite. Only then did Chen Sao let him leave.
Before leaving, he caught a glimpse of a hint of resentment in Lin Yue's eyes.
Yes, if he were in Lin Yue's shoes, he wouldn't be happy either.
"Grandma, I'm back," Jiang Cheng said as he pushed the door, which was unlocked.
He entered.
"Are you full?" the old lady asked with a smile, sitting on a stool and mending a piece of clothing by candlelight.
"Yes, Chen Sao bought a whole chicken and many chicken legs. I only wanted to eat a little, but she kept serving me. In the end, I ate almost half of it by myself," Jiang Cheng said helplessly.
"Remember, when you have the chance, repay them," the old lady smiled.
"Yes," Jiang Cheng nodded firmly.
"It's getting late, go to bed early," the old lady reminded him, then lowered her head to continue mending the clothing.
"Let's wait a little longer, Grandma, I'm not sleepy yet," Jiang Cheng said with a smile.
The ticking of the wall clock marked the passing time; it was only a little past seven.
With a thought, Jiang Cheng's proficiency panel appeared before his eyes.
【Roasted Sweet Potato: Mastery (235/800)】
After an afternoon of selling roasted sweet potatoes, his total earnings were 120 yuan, and together with the morning's earnings from Grandma, it totaled 156 yuan.
At the same time, he had completely absorbed the original body's memories of roasting sweet potatoes, and his skill in this art had reached the Mastery level.
Unfortunately, it wasn't easy to level up the proficiency of roasting sweet potatoes.
Firstly, it took fifty to sixty minutes to roast a sweet potato.
Secondly, roasting too many and not selling them would be a waste and a loss.
"I'll just let it be," Jiang Cheng thought as he put away the panel. Now, he needed to choose a skill for self-defense.
(End of Chapter)
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