Chen Xuan didn't know that Wei Nian would misunderstand her. Anyway, as long as Wei Nian agreed to teach her foreign language, Chen Xuan would have nothing to worry about. Moreover, she was thinking silently that since Wei Nian treated her so well, she would not ask Wei Nian for money to buy meat filling today.
Wei Nian didn't know that Chen Xuan had secretly wiped out a debt of his.
Chen Xuan knew that Wei Nian had spent a lot of money to learn foreign languages. Now, Wei Nian was willing to teach her and give her the books he had used before. It was a great favor. The money she had used to buy meat was definitely not enough to pay Wei Nian's wages. But Chen Xuan only had some loose change in her hand, not even enough for a dollar, just a few cents. Even if she wanted to give Wei Nian more money, she couldn't. But Wei Nian was such a good person that he didn't mention the wages to her at all and agreed immediately.
Chen Xuan remembered this kindness and took great care of Wei Nian. Every day when she cooked, the first thing she considered was Wei Nian's taste. The men of the Wei family ate at home in the morning and evening, and there were always one or two dishes that Wei Nian liked. At noon, the women prepared the food, and the waiter came to bring the lunch box. Chen Xuan no longer asked Wei Nian to eat from the big pot. She cooked for Wei Nian alone in the kitchen. In fact, she didn't cook the same dishes, but how could the dishes cooked in a big pot taste the same as those cooked in a small pot. Chen Xuan can write now, and she wrote a separate label for Wei Nian's portion.
Wei Nian went home and said, "It was a joke for Manager Zhao."
Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Brother Anian, you are a good person. You take the trouble to teach me foreign language every day. You treat me well, so I will repay you. But I don't have any other skills. I can only do the things in the kitchen more carefully. I heard you say that you usually eat with the shopkeeper and his employees in the shop, so it's not good to prepare two dishes, otherwise it will look bad. Brother Anian, if you want to eat something, as long as I know how to make it, just tell me. Even if I don't know how to make it, you can tell me how to make it, and I will learn to make it."
Wei Nian felt that Chen Xuan was really a very good cousin, so considerate and sensible, and couldn't help but say, "Don't be too tired."
"Not tired, not tired." Chen Xuan really wanted to repay Wei Nian. Seeing Wei Nian happy, she also smiled happily with her eyes curved.
Chen Xuan not only cooked for Wei Nian every day, but also kept track of Wei Nian's work. She was very attentive. Her needlework was so delicate that Wei Jin often laughed at Chen Xuan. Fortunately, Wei Jin had to go back to her husband's house during the Zhongyuan Festival. When Wei Jin left, Chen Xuan felt much more at ease.
On the Ghost Festival, Grandpa Wei took his family to Longfu Temple to burn incense for his ancestors, and at noon they had noodles in a small restaurant outside Longfu Temple. The restaurant was not big, and there was a row of stoves under the east wall, which was very clean. The shopkeeper was obviously acquainted with the Wei family, and he greeted them very warmly. Oh, Chen Xuan was really enlightened. In the past, when eating noodles, Chen Xuan only knew that noodles were rolled out, but this time she saw it for herself. She saw the shop owner stretching a piece of dough, stretching and tossing it, and after a series of sounds of noodles hitting the chopping board, the noodles became thinner and thinner, and soon a nest of noodles as thin as silver threads came out, and Chen Xuan was stunned.
Now when they go out to eat, it is Grandpa Wei and Grandma Wei who sit at the head of the table, with their sons on the left and right. Chen Xuan happens to sit next to Wei Nian. Chen Xuan quietly asks, "Brother Nian, what kind of noodles are these? They are stretched and tossed?"
Wei Nian whispered, "It's ramen, the boss is from Shaanxi and Gansu."
Chen Xuan didn't know where Shaanxi and Gan were. She actually wanted to ask, but seeing the stern look on her face from Mrs. Wei, she knew that she was asking questions and looked like a country bumpkin. Chen Xuan didn't dare to ask any more questions. Wei Nian said, "Dad, we have to wait a while for the ramen here. I'll go to the mutton stall across the street to cut some lamb chops."
Old Master Wei nodded.
Chen Xuan sat outside, Wei Nian sat closer to the inside. Chen Xuan wanted to do the errands, but she didn't know where to buy it. Chen Xuan quickly stood up and asked Wei Nian to come out. Wei Nian winked at Chen Xuan, and Chen Xuan immediately followed Wei Nian. She was so like a follower that Old Lady Wei looked down on her and snorted.
Chen Xuan and Wei Nian went to the kitchen to borrow a big bowl. Wei Nian was vain and wore a three-piece suit when he went out. He asked to borrow a bowl but he refused to take it. Chen Xuan took the bowl and followed Wei Nian to the mutton bed in front. The mutton bed was where mutton was sold. However, the people who sold mutton had high noses, deep eye sockets and wore small round white hats. Later, Chen Xuan realized that these people were Hui people.
The mutton shop sells cooked mutton. Wei Nian watched and asked for some lamb shanks and a handful of fresh peppercorns. Then, he poured a bowl of roasted mutton with Chen Xuan. In fact, the Wei family also eats mutton often. Wei Jin especially likes to eat mutton patties, but none of them are as delicious as the mutton stewed in the mutton shop.
When Chen Xuan smelled the fragrance, she thought it was really delicious.
However, Chen Xuan almost didn't get to eat the braised mutton because Mrs. Wei said, "Jie'er's mother and A Xuan don't like to eat meat, so just order a bowl of vegetarian noodles for each of them."
Neither Li nor Chen Xuan said anything.
Wei Yin muttered quietly, "It's so hard to get out here, Mom, please don't be like this."
Wei Nian smiled, "Mom, why didn't you tell me earlier? You were late in assigning tasks. I put the braised mutton on the stove and asked you to use it as a topping and cook a few bowls of mutton noodles. It's autumn now, and it's just right to eat mutton noodles."
Old Mrs. Wei sighed, "Forget it then." Old Mrs. Wei felt worried when she looked at her two daughters-in-law. Each one was worse than the other at managing their daily lives. One of them was greedy and had no good taste. She didn't even bother to inform in advance that she only ate vegetarian noodles.
After returning home, Old Lady Wei scolded Chen Xuan again, "Women should talk less outside. Also, don't follow your man wherever he goes. Can't you leave him for even a moment?"
Chen Xuan's face was irritated by the harsh words of Old Lady Wei. Wei Nian didn't want Chen Xuan to complain about this, and was about to speak. Chen Xuan had already said to Old Lady Wei, "I was thinking that Brother Anian was dressed very well today, and I was just following him to help and run errands. Logically, Brother Anian shouldn't be asked to run errands to buy things, so I can do such work. But the old lady knows me, I grew up in the countryside and haven't seen much. Hey, if I don't run errands for him, I won't know how to buy it next time. I'll follow him and learn a thing or two. Next time, I'll go buy it."
When Mrs. Wei heard Chen Xuan say this, she said nothing more.
Wei Nian went back to the room and said to Chen Xuan, "That's just how my mom talks. Don't take it to heart."
Chen Xuan smiled, "I'm used to it. Brother Nian doesn't have to go to the shop today. If you have nothing to do, please teach me a few more foreign words." It didn't matter that Mrs. Wei said harshly. Wei Nian was willing to teach her foreign words every day. It was a great favor. How could she take Mrs. Wei's words to heart
Wei Nian smiled, "Okay."
Chen Xuan has started to learn foreign languages now, and she doesn't want to fall behind in her homework of recognizing words and studying. Fortunately, the work in the vegetable garden is not busy now, and Chen Xuan can always find time. Because foreign languages are different from recognizing words, Chen Xuan didn't recognize Chinese characters in the past, but she could read them. Foreign languages are different. She can neither read nor recognize them, so it is useful to recite and memorize them together. On weekdays, Chen Xuan memorizes them in her mind during the day, and when Wei Nian comes home at night, Chen Xuan speaks to Wei Nian in foreign languages.
Wei Nian let her do what she wanted. Sometimes when Chen Xuan's accent was not standard, Wei Nian would correct her.
One day, Wei Nian came back and said, "Smith invites us to dinner."
Chen Xuan was quite surprised, "Me too?"
"Yes, the day after tomorrow night, the Western restaurant of the Six Nations Hotel." Seeing Chen Xuan's eyes wide open, Wei Nian approached her and asked, "You don't want to go, do you? You love speaking foreign languages so much, and you've been learning them for several days. Now you can use them."
When she heard that they were going to a restaurant and were going to eat Western food, Chen Xuan was a little panicked, "I've only learned a few sentences."
"If you don't want to, forget it." Wei Nian saw that Chen Xuan was studying foreign languages very hard, and sometimes she would even say a few words in foreign languages in her sleep. However, seeing how she looked so confused, Wei Nian was not the type to force anyone.
"Don't!" Chen Xuan was afraid that Wei Nian would change his mind, so she hurriedly said, "I didn't say I wouldn't go!"
Chen Xuan first poured Wei Nian a cup of warm water, thought for a while, and then calmed down and said to Wei Nian, "The last time Mr. Shi came to our house for dinner, I also said a few words to Mr. Shi, so we can be considered to be acquainted. Brother Anian, learning to speak foreign languages is no different from others. You see, I am learning to recognize characters, but I don't need to bother you much. If there are characters I don't know, I can ask Sister Xu and Sister Yin. But foreign languages are different. In addition to remembering how to write foreign languages, you also have to learn how to pronounce them. Like what you said, Brother Anian, I am now thinking about finding someone who can speak foreign languages to practice speaking foreign languages. I am just worried about the same thing. I heard from Sister Yin that foreigners eat with a knife in one hand and a fork in the other, unlike us who use chopsticks. I have never used a knife and fork. Mr. Shi kindly invited us to go, but I am afraid that we will make a fool of ourselves."
After talking about her difficulties, Chen Xuan felt that she, who knew nothing, had indeed caused a lot of trouble to Wei Nian. After thinking about it, Chen Xuan said to Wei Nian very embarrassedly, "Brother Anian, logically, I have never seen such a foreign world before, so I shouldn't go. But I really want to go. One reason is that Mr. Shi has invited me, and I am healthy. If I don't go, it will be bad. Another reason is that, Brother Anian, people like you who have seen everything and are naturally smart, you can understand such occasions at a glance, and others are willing to make friends with you. I am different. I am not as smart as you, and I am clumsy, but you said that stupid people like me, the less they go out, the more they appear to be timid and can't be on the stage. Since I met you, Brother Anian, I know in my heart that I will never be as good as you in my life, but the book says that people who are close to vermilion become red. Brother Anian, you are so smart and knowledgeable. If you can guide me and teach me, although I am still a long way behind you, I can become a little smarter than before, right?"
Chen Xuan didn't think she was a good talker, and she was always taciturn in front of Old Lady Wei and Wei Jin. Even now, she felt that although she talked more than in her previous life when she was always silent, what Chen Xuan said was also from her heart. She always said what she had in mind, but I'm afraid Chen Xuan didn't know how touching her words were.
Wei Nian felt a little uncomfortable after listening to this, thinking that it was not easy for Chen Xuan.
Chen Xuan had made up her mind to go to the banquet. She looked at Wei Nian with clear eyes and said to him pleadingly, "Brother Nian, I want to go. But I have never been there and I don't know the rules of that western restaurant. Can you give me some pointers, please?"
Wei Nian didn't know how to bear it, his heart suddenly ached, and he agreed with some pity, "Okay."