Chapter 29 The warm and filling white congee late at night…

After leaving the Xu’s Enterprise annual party venue, Bai Yuanzhi headed to night school.

In order to attend the Xu’s Enterprise annual party today, Bai Yuanzhi had swapped shifts several times, finally managing to arrange time off by trading shifts with her coworkers.

Thinking it was still early, she decided to catch up on her night school coursework.

Night school was actually a tutoring institution.

Most working people could only attend classes in the evenings after work, so it was commonly referred to as night school.

In reality, classes were also held during the day.

At half past nine in the evening, Bai Yuanzhi left night school feeling dizzy and overwhelmed.

She could have taken the bus back,

but after some thought, she decided to walk instead.

The brisk night breeze would help clear her mind, and along the way, she could look for some delicious food to comfort her brain, which was full from studying, and her empty stomach.

As she walked, Bai Yuanzhi suddenly remembered what had happened earlier that day at the Xu’s Enterprise annual party.

Her first thought was—Duoluoxi was really bold! However, with Chen Shuojie accidentally getting hurt, she wondered if Zhou Weihao would protect Duoluoxi.

Bai Yuanzhi’s second thought was—how lucky she had been today! If A Yao hadn’t suddenly appeared, she probably wouldn’t have gotten away so easily.

With this in mind, Bai Yuanzhi suddenly found herself craving A Yao’s fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles.

She wondered if he would show up at the corner near her apartment building today.

Because of this thought,

Bai Yuanzhi passed by stalls selling jianbing guozi, fish ball udon, rice balls, and barbecue along the way…

But she resisted them all.

When she finally reached the street corner where A Yao occasionally set up his stall,

Bai Yuanzhi sighed in disappointment.

After standing there for a while, she slowly made her way toward her rented apartment, feeling utterly dejected.

But—

A familiar, hoarse voice called out to her, “Sis!”

Bai Yuanzhi turned around abruptly.

A Yao, wearing black trousers and a short T-shirt, was leaning against the wall, panting heavily by the roadside.

He looked up, revealing a handsome and cheerful smile, his eyes shining as he called out to her again, “Sis!”

The corners of Bai Yuanzhi’s lips curved upward. “A Yao, I thought you wouldn’t come tonight…”

Actually, Ming Jiayao had already taken a moment to catch his breath,

but he couldn’t help panting now.

—The situation with Zhou Weihao was far more troublesome than Ming Jiayao had anticipated.

So, he had originally planned to finish dealing with Zhou Weihao’s affairs and still have time to personally prepare a pot of delicious soup for Ah Zhi,

but there simply wasn’t enough time!

He had asked Ah Wu to keep an eye on Ah Zhi, learned that she had gone to night school, and heard that she had already finished her tutoring class…

Only then did he hurriedly wrap up Zhou Weihao’s matters and rush over.

Unexpectedly, due to heavy traffic, his car got stuck on the way!

He simply let Ah Jiu drive while he ran the rest of the way.

No wonder he was panting!

At this moment, Bai Yuanzhi asked him with concern, “A Yao, where’s your wonton noodle stall?”

Ming Jiayao scratched his head and lied, “The stall… uh, it’s gone.”

Bai Yuanzhi widened her eyes in shock. “G-gone?”

After a pause, she asked, “Was it confiscated by the police?”

Ming Jiayao continued lying, “No… it was taken away by the environmental protection department.”

Bai Yuanzhi stared at Ming Jiayao for a long time. “So you, you…”

Ming Jiayao readily agreed, “So I went to do odd jobs!”

Bai Yuanzhi said, “No wonder I saw you at Xu’s Building today. By the way… what happened afterward? Did they give you a hard time?”

Ming Jiayao shook his head vigorously, “No, I’m fine.”

After a moment of silence—

Bai Yuanzhi said, “A Yao, thank you for helping me today. Let me treat you to a meal! Consider it a thank-you gift.”

Ming Jiayao said, “Sister, look at how beautiful the moonlight is tonight. How about… I treat you to dinner instead?”

They had actually spoken at the same time.

Bai Yuanzhi chuckled,

and Ming Jiayao also smiled, scratching the back of his head.

“So, what would you like to eat?” Bai Yuanzhi asked.

“How about I treat you to dry-fried beef hor fun?” Ming Jiayao asked.

Both of them laughed again.

They were really on the same wavelength!

Bai Yuanzhi made the decision, “Alright! Then let’s have dry-fried beef hor fun.”

With that, the two of them, bathed in moonlight, continued walking along the street corner.

Ming Jiayao took Bai Yuanzhi to an open-air late-night food stall.

He ordered two servings of dry-fried beef hor fun, a bowl of plain congee, a skewer of grilled quail eggs, and a plate of stir-fried choy sum.

Truth be told, he didn’t know what she liked to eat.

But instinctively,

he felt she would enjoy it.

Sure enough—

Bai Yuanzhi really liked it.

Cantonese people love rice noodle dishes, and there are many varieties:

Those made from rice batter are called Lai Fun (Rice Noodles);

Thin round rice noodles are simply called rice noodles;

Flat, wide rice noodles are called hor fun;

Whole sheets of rice skin are called Chencun fun;

Chencun fun rolled into tubes are called pig intestine noodles…

People in Hong Kong City use the same names.

And dry-fried beef hor fun, whether in the provincial capital or Hong Kong City, is the pinnacle of rice noodle dishes.

Moreover, the most flavorful cooking technique pursued by Hong Kong City people is called “wok hei.”

Wok hei is a concept that… can only be understood intuitively, not explained in words.

Many people mistakenly think “slightly burnt” or “slightly charred” is “wok hei,”

but that’s not the case.

Wok hei tests a chef’s precise control over heat.

In Cantonese cuisine, there’s a saying that three dishes can test a chef’s skill:

One is sweet and sour pork with pineapple, one is stir-fried choy sum, and one is dry-fried beef hor fun.

Among these, dry-fried beef hor fun is the benchmark.

Dry-fried beef hor fun:

“Dry-fried” means no water is added,

“Beef” refers to beef slices,

“Hor fun” refers to the wide rice noodles.

Hor fun is delicate—if boiled in soup for too long, it dissolves; if stir-fried in a wok for a short while, it burns…

So, this dish must be stir-fried over high heat with hot oil, and the wok must be tossed vigorously!

The beef slices must be cooked just right—a moment too long makes them tough and chewy, a moment too short leaves them raw and unpleasantly smelling;

As for the hor fun, each delicate strand must fully contact the wok’s surface, achieving a slight crispness without burning, while absorbing the saltiness of soy sauce and the umami of the beef;

And the bean sprouts used as a side must be stir-fried over high heat to just the right doneness!

In the mouth, every bite of hor fun is savory and delicious, the beef slices tender and tasty, and the bean sprouts crisp, refreshing, and juicy…

It’s simply too delicious!

Bai Yuanzhi ate happily.

However, eating too much dry-fried beef hor fun can feel a bit greasy.

But that’s okay—just take a sip of plain congee…

Dry-fried beef hor fun is delicious,

and Cantonese-style plain congee is also exceptionally tasty.

Cantonese people love congee because it’s nourishing and soothing.

But the plain congee Cantonese people make should be thin as water yet thick as paste, ideally with no visible rice grains.

Even a simple bowl of plain congee should be given its basic flavor.

Therefore, the shopkeeper would sprinkle a small pinch of salt and a few drops of peanut oil into the congee.

The subtle saltiness and rich aroma of peanut oil, like a touch of alchemy, transformed the bland congee into a nourishing and heartwarming delicacy!

Bai Yuanzhi grew fonder of the congee with each bite, eating over half a bowl before finally feeling full and warm, setting down her chopsticks.

After eating and drinking her fill, Bai Yuanzhi carefully broached the subject.

“Ah Yao, at the venue today, my… agreement friend was actually there too,” she said sincerely. “Mr. Zhou is a very good person. I was even thinking that if there was a chance, I’d take him to visit your wonton stall. Your skills are so good—maybe Mr. Zhou would invest in opening a wonton noodle shop for you!”

Ming Jiayao’s mouth fell open.

He thought to himself: Thank goodness Ah Zhi didn’t spring a surprise!

Otherwise, if she had really brought Zhou Weihao to his humble wonton noodle stall…

He would have been exposed!

But—

Since Ah Zhi brought up Zhou Weihao, Ming Jiayao couldn’t help but ask a few more questions.

He was genuinely afraid that Ah Zhi might fall for Zhou Weihao…

“Is Mr. Zhou… really that good?” Ming Jiayao asked, his tone tinged with jealousy. “How exactly is he good?”

Bai Yuanzhi thought for a moment and answered earnestly, “He’s a devoted romantic from a wealthy family.”

Ming Jiayao was stunned.

He couldn’t help but recall how, after the Xu’s Enterprise annual gala ended today, when he dragged Zhou Weihao to the slums and told him… the truth about Duoluoxi, Zhou Weihao had looked as if struck by lightning.

Here’s what happened:

After Zhou Weihao confided in Ming Jiayao last time about his worry that “Duoluoxi doesn’t want any status,”

Ming Jiayao felt something was off, so he sent someone to Duoluoxi’s hometown to investigate her situation.

The results were shocking!

It turned out—

Duoluoxi was quite famous in her hometown.

According to locals, Duoluoxi had become wealthy in Hong Kong City, bringing back a lot of money to build a beautiful house for her in-laws, buying a luxury car for her husband Da’an, and even hiring three or four servants to take care of her teenage son, Elimeo, day and night!

When Ming Jiayao heard this news, he was astounded!

He didn’t care about Zhou Weihao’s love life,

He just felt that Zhou Weihao had the right to know the truth.

So, Ming Jiayao sent someone to tell Duoluoxi’s husband Da’an, “Your wife has made a fortune in Hong Kong City! She’s incredibly rich and is even keeping a young lover there. Now she’s planning to divorce you, marry that lover, and hand over all her money to him!”

Upon hearing this, Da’an was furious!

And so, with secret guidance from “someone with an agenda,” Da’an and his entire family traveled in a group to Hong Kong City.

The schemer advised Da’an, “You must catch her off guard! Otherwise, if she transfers her assets in advance… by the time she asks for a divorce, you’ll end up with nothing! She might even demand a share of your family property, since the house in your hometown was built with her money…”

Thus, Da’an and his family settled in the slums, waiting for the right moment to confront Duoluoxi.

As for Ming Jiayao, who had already gone abroad to study, he had rushed back to Hong Kong City this time, originally hoping to catch a glimpse of Bai Yuanzhi.

Unexpectedly, he witnessed Duoluoxi’s scheme against Bai Yuanzhi firsthand at the venue.

Ming Jiayao was furious!!!

As it happened, it was quite a coincidence.

Ming Jiayao had sneaked into the venue. After greeting Zhou Weihao, he changed into a waiter’s uniform, intending to find a less crowded spot, slip over to say hello to Bai Yuanzhi, and then leave.

But—

He never got the chance to approach Bai Yuanzhi. Instead, he saw clearly how Chen Shuojie was harassing her!

Ming Jiayao knew all too well what kind of person Chen Shuojie was.

He was nearly boiling with rage!

The more he saw, the more uneasy he became.

Then he watched as Bai Yuanzhi, holding a glass of orange juice, headed toward the restroom area,

and saw Chen Shuojie hurriedly following her…

Ming Jiayao’s heart sank.

(At that moment, Duoluoxi had gone to fetch the “Restroom Out of Order, Please Use Upstairs” sign.)

Thus, while the mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole follows behind.

Ming Jiayao also quietly entered the corridor, trailing after Chen Shuojie.

He stepped in to rescue Bai Yuanzhi,

and then together with her… they went through a heart-pounding crisis.

Only after Bai Yuanzhi was safe

did Ming Jiayao finally feel his heart settle back into place.

And then—

his anger flared up!

Ming Jiayao was determined to tear off Duoluoxi’s mask right then and there!

And so, Ming Jiayao brought Zhou Weihao to the slum where Da’an and his family were temporarily staying.

Ming Jiayao had Zhou Weihao pose as the landlord and demand that Da’an’s family vacate the premises.

Da’an’s family, being strangers in Hong Kong City and unfamiliar with the place, were terrified by this threat.

So they pleaded with Zhou Weihao, explaining their purpose for being there—Da’an’s wife, Duoluoxi, had been unfaithful and wanted a divorce, so the family had come to catch her in the act!

Zhou Weihao was stunned.

In his daze, he wondered if the name “Duoluoxi” was especially popular among Filipino women.

So…

were there many people with that name?

Besides, the year Duoluoxi came to care for Zhou Weihao, she was only eighteen!

How could she possibly…

But Da’an said Duoluoxi had married him at sixteen, gave birth the following year, and came to Hong Kong City just after their child turned one.

Afraid that the “landlord” wouldn’t believe him, Da’an produced his and his wife’s marriage certificate, photos, and other documents.

Zhou Weihao fell silent.

Because on Da’an and Duoluoxi’s marriage certificate, Duoluoxi’s full name was written.

The name “Duoluoxi” might be common and ordinary in the Philippines, but when combined with the surname, middle name, and given name…

It was only now that Zhou Weihao realized Duoluoxi’s full name even included her husband Da’an’s surname!!!

Aside from the marriage certificate Da’an provided,

Zhou Weihao also saw photos of a younger, more innocent-looking Duoluoxi with Da’an.

There were even pictures of Duoluoxi holding their child, standing beside her husband, her face glowing with a sweet, happy smile, her eyes filled with deep affection as she looked at him…

And—

The elderly members of the family, fearing eviction, repeatedly told Zhou Weihao how wealthy Duoluoxi was, how good she had been to her family, how much she had sacrificed for them…

Duoluoxi’s son, Dalimiao, also brought out letters his mother had written to him, urging Zhou Weihao to read them.

The young boy said, “My mom loves me very much. She always writes letters asking why I haven’t grown up yet. She says as soon as I grow up, she’ll bring me to Hong Kong City right away, let me live in a big house and go to university…”

Zhou Weihao lowered his head to look at the letter in the boy’s hand.

The content was indeed as the boy had said,

And the handwriting… it was unmistakably Duoluoxi’s handwriting!

Zhou Weihao’s world collapsed.

He stumbled out of that dilapidated house, lost and bewildered.

Ming Jiayao, fearing something might happen to him, took him to his own luxury apartment.

Zhou Weihao laughed and cried, “A Yao, so… this is the reason she didn’t want a formal status!”

“I always thought it was because she felt inferior, not brave enough, that she didn’t want to marry me.”

“I never imagined…”

“It was because she was already married long ago, so she couldn’t marry me!”

“Not only was she already married, she even had a child!”

“A Yao, am I… just a complete idiot?” Zhou Weihao let out a pained wail.

“I am an idiot! For her, I chose to defy the world! I’ve been estranged from my parents for ten years! I even… thought I wasn’t doing enough!”

“Otherwise, why wouldn’t she be willing to stand with me against the world?”

Zhou Weihao sobbed loudly, “For her, I became a laughingstock to so many people! But I never cared, I thought as long as she loved me it was enough…”

“I also pitied her, because of the social gap between us, I felt she was under a lot of pressure too. I was grateful for all these years we’ve depended on each other, I wanted to give her a marriage, give her a home, so she could have security…”

“But A Yao, she’s turned me into a real joke!”

Zhou Weihao was so heartbroken that he cried until he fainted.

Ming Jiayao had no choice but to call his private doctor again to take care of Zhou Weihao.

After Zhou Weihao woke up and received an IV drip,

Ming Jiayao had the butler prepare some food for Zhou Weihao…

Then, Ming Jiayao left Zhou Weihao at the apartment, saying only that he had to catch a flight, before rushing off to see Bai Yuanzhi.

Now—

Hearing Bai Yuanzhi’s assessment of Zhou Weihao as a “wealthy family’s devoted romantic,”

Ming Jiayao nodded repeatedly, deeply agreeing.

Bai Yuanzhi didn’t hide anything from A Yao,

After all, in Hong Kong City,

A Yao was the only friend she could truly confide in.

So, she told him everything that had happened at the venue after he left today.

Including Mrs. Xu’s promise that when the Chen, Xu, and Zhou families sat down to discuss this matter in the future, Bai Yuanzhi would also be present.

Ming Jiayao frowned, “You… why do you have to get involved in this?”

He wanted to say, the Zhou family are decent people, and as for the Xu family, although Xu Wenrui is ruthless, the Xu family head and his wife are also kind-hearted, so that’s not a big issue.

The important thing is, Chen Shuojie and his father Chen Shen are not good people.

If Chen Shen found out that Chen Shuojie ended up like this because he took a blow meant for Bai Yuanzhi,

He would likely take his anger out on Bai Yuanzhi.

Bai Yuanzhi was silent for a moment, then looked up with a smile, “A Yao, this is my choice. There’s no special reason… if you must have one, then consider me… a gold digger!”

Ming Jiayao was startled, “Sister, I didn’t mean that! I, I…”

He was so anxious that for a moment, he couldn’t find the right words. “I… I just think… rich people are no good! I’m afraid you won’t be able to stand up to them… and end up getting hurt!”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled gently. “I know, and I’m mentally prepared… but this is what I want to do.”

Ming Jiayao stared at her blankly.

After a moment, he suddenly realized something.

—Ah Zhi kept saying this was what she wanted to do…

Was it because she wanted to seek justice for her cousin, who was lying unconscious in the hospital?

Otherwise, why would she specifically go to work at the Bilanting Hotel, where her cousin had fallen?

And now, she was desperately trying to get close to the Chen, Xu, and Zhou families…

Was it still for her cousin’s sake?

Bai Yuanzhi no longer wanted to talk about this.

“A Yao, have you started studying recently?” Bai Yuanzhi changed the subject.

Ming Jiayao nodded.

Bai Yuanzhi asked again, “Which night school did you enroll in?”

Ming Jiayao thought for a moment. “In… Tsing Yi.”

Tsing Yi was a famous slum in Hong Kong City and also a gathering place for dockworkers.

Bai Yuanzhi let out an “oh,” feeling somewhat disappointed.

She had wanted to see if she could persuade A Yao to transfer schools and become her classmate!

But since he had already signed up for classes in Tsing Yi, she decided to let it go.

Studying also had to consider one’s actual circumstances!

Since the topic had changed, Ming Jiayao asked her, “Sister, you’re working two jobs now and attending night school. Can you handle it?”

At this, Bai Yuanzhi’s interest was piqued.

She enthusiastically told Ming Jiayao how to squeeze in time—for example, she could bring her textbooks to work, read during meals or before sleeping, preview the lessons in advance, jot down anything she didn’t understand, and then ask the teachers at night school.

“Asking questions proactively is always better than passively accepting the teacher’s instruction,” Bai Yuanzhi said. “Besides, my job at the hotel doesn’t require much mental effort… so I think I still have an advantage.”

Then Bai Yuanzhi went into detail about how she swapped shifts with her coworkers, which allowed her to save a lot of time. She planned to use it later to visit clients or chase orders.

She proudly lifted her small bag and told Ming Jiayao, “Look, my bag is bulging… it’s filled with business cards from many people! Next month is Hong Kong City’s small home appliances exhibition. I plan to see if there are any opportunities! After all, I’m part of the ‘mortgage-paying class’ now—I have to repay my home loan every month! I can’t afford not to work hard!”

Ming Jiayao smiled as he looked at her.

In reality, his hands hidden beneath the small table were already tightly clenched into fists.

Ming Jiayao felt sad inside.

He now knew how demanding her job at the hotel was,

how strict her study requirements were,

and how heavy her financial burden was.

He couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity for her.

But then he thought again—

She hadn’t been defeated!

In fact, she was working hard to… do what she wanted to do!

Ming Jiayao took a deep breath and said sincerely, “Sister, I want to be like you too! I need to balance work and study without neglecting either!”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled and nodded, picking up the water glass on the table. “Every step we take now is for… meeting at the peak in the future!”

Ming Jiayao was taken aback for a moment, then laughed. “Alright!”

He also picked up his water glass and clinked it with hers.

It was getting late, and Bai Yuanzhi had to head back—after all, she still had work tomorrow.

Ming Jiayao insisted on paying the bill—

But when he returned from settling the check, he found that Bai Yuanzhi had already left. On the table lay a hundred-dollar Hong Kong note.

Ming Jiayao stared at the hundred dollars, waves of emotion surging in his chest.

He knew that Ah Zhi didn’t want him to spend money because—he had lied to her, telling her that his wonton noodle stall had been confiscated by the Environmental Protection Department! She pitied him and didn’t want him to feel too embarrassed, so she was helping him out in this way.

Ming Jiayao held the banknote, rubbed it against his chest for a moment, then carefully tucked it away close to his body.

Not only was Ah Zhi working hard—

He had to work hard too!

Soon, he would rush to the airport to catch a flight to his school abroad!

However, Ming Jiayao instructed Ah Wu, “Find a way to keep Chen Shuojie bedridden for a while longer… don’t let him wake up. He can only wake up when I have time to secretly return to Hong Kong.”

Ah Wu nodded. “Understood.”

Then Ming Jiayao instructed Ah Jiu, “Investigate all the residents of Bilanting’s Songhe Tower again. By the time I return to Hong Kong City, I must have the list.”

Ah Jiu also nodded repeatedly. “Received.”