She Wants to Divorce Me

Chapter 51

As Ji Yaoguang's close friend, Bian Yuting didn't want to see their marriage fall apart, but she also didn't want to see Ji Yaoguang constantly giving in. To save her crumbling marriage, Ji Yaoguang had changed a lot, though it wasn't entirely for the better. Chang Yu's cold personality was probably unchangeable, but it might be good for someone to appear and stimulate her a bit. Bian Yuting glanced sideways at Jiang Yusheng. This girl's admiration for Ji Yaoguang was purely idol worship, and her looks were quite likable, making it hard for anyone to dislike her. Having said what she wanted to say, Bian Yuting's lips curled into a mischievous smile, clearly adopting an attitude of watching the show. If Ji Yaoguang were to anxiously apologize, it would be time to have a heart-to-heart talk with her.

"I'm not angry," Chang Yu revealed a faint smile, turning to look at Ji Yaoguang and repeating herself.

"See? I also think our Teacher Chang wouldn't be the type to pettily compete with little fans for attention," Bian Yuting said with curved eyes, her smile half mischievous. The tense atmosphere was broken by their few words. Bo Yu, sprawled in his chair in the "Ge You slouch," kept complaining about being hungry, occasionally glancing towards the kitchen. An Muyu had quietly left at some point, and with mealtime approaching, they still relied on Chef An, who had volunteered to take on cooking duties, to solve their lunch problem.

"What are you hungry for? You went out for a stroll and did nothing. You ate so much at breakfast, I thought you hadn't digested it yet," Sun Shaogong teased, kicking the chair leg.

"You just don't understand," Bo Yu straightened up suddenly. "Brother Sun, I was out scouting the enemy. Only by understanding this village and knowing their needs can we better seek benefits for everyone." These boastful words were spoken with an air of righteousness.

"Oh? Then tell us, what plans do you have? How are you going to earn funds?" Ji Yaoguang picked up the conversation.

"I saw a fish pond, maybe, probably, possibly—"

"That's contracted by others. You think they'll let you fish?" Jiang Zhaozhi suddenly poured cold water on the idea, then added after a pause, "The ecological environment here is quite good. I saw wild chickens in the fields, and villagers say there's a small stream in the back. With the ice breaking at this time of year, we might be able to catch some small fish."

"Are we really going to live this kind of natural life of men farming and women weaving?" Bo Yu nudged Jiang Zhaozhi. Fishing was something he hadn't done for years, and now he didn't have the patience to sit still for long. As for catching wild chickens, how could he compete with creatures that have wings and can fly? With a bitter face, he sighed "It's over" and turned to Ji Yaoguang, "Teacher Ji, I'll just tag along with you. Teach me to identify wild vegetables!"

"Sure," Ji Yaoguang readily agreed. Seeing the joy on Bo Yu's face, she smiled again and said, "But you'll have to pay tuition. It's not expensive, just fifty a day."

"Oh my!" Bo Yu clutched his chest and fell back, exclaiming, "Teacher Ji, are you robbing me?"

"I'm not," Ji Yaoguang spread her hands, feigning innocence. "Ask them if my price is fair?"

Chang Yu nodded slightly, chuckling, "It's fair."

"Fair!" Jiang Yusheng, having recovered from her cautious state, timidly glanced at Ji Yaoguang. The blush on her face hadn't faded and was now overlaid with an even more vibrant color.

"I think I'll go carry bricks instead," Bo Yu made a face, putting on an expression of having nothing to live for.

This lively atmosphere of gathering together was naturally the cameramen's favorite. They almost wanted to join in the warm atmosphere themselves. When An Muyu came out carrying a steaming bamboo steamer, the fragrance wafting through the hall further whetted their appetites.

"It smells so good!" Bo Yu, rubbing his growling stomach, was the first to speak up. Having grown accustomed to meals being served to him, he didn't think to help when he saw An Muyu unsteady on her feet. He just dragged his chair, leaving a gap for the steamer to be placed on the table. In the end, it was Jiang Zhaozhi who stood up and took the steamer from An Muyu's hands.

"Is it steamed buns or mantou?"

"It's rice," An Muyu opened the steamer lid. She nudged Bo Yu, who was closest to her, gesturing for him to go to the kitchen and bring bowls and chopsticks. The rice was evenly distributed with sliced water bamboo and scattered peas. The Chinese onions that Ji Yaoguang and the others had gathered were also cut into small pieces and sprinkled on the fragrant, soft rice, emitting a delicious aroma. "This is Qingjing rice. It's recorded in ancient books. Try it, it tastes very good."

"Chef An, this isn't really traditional Qingjing rice, is it?" Ji Yaoguang smiled with narrowed eyes, speaking in a discussing tone. "Making this at the inn is a bit rushed. We don't have enough time to complete the whole process. In Jiangnan, people usually eat Qingjing rice more during the Cold Food Festival."

"That's right," An Muyu's smile remained unchanged as she nodded slightly. "Qingjing rice is also called black rice. Usually, in early summer, people gather leaves from the black rice tree, wash them clean and mash them, then soak the rice in it until it turns blackish-green before taking it out. The rice is then cooked using the green juice. The rice cooked this way is soft and fragrant. Given our current conditions, I had to substitute with glutinous rice."

"This is the modern method," Ji Yaoguang shook her head and smiled again. "Chef An, you're well-versed in ancient books. You must know its origins, right?" In food interview programs, An Muyu had personally said that her recipes came from family traditions and her own improvements based on ancient books. However, Ji Yaoguang was skeptical of these claims. She always felt that An Muyu's dishes were very similar to those of "Spring Banquet" across the street. She feared— hopefully, she was just being overly suspicious.

An Muyu's smile faded, her expression becoming a bit stiff. "Let's eat, let's eat!" Bo Yu's shout conveniently rescued her from this awkwardness.

"So what was the previous method?" Chang Yu picked up the conversation, standing up to serve Ji Yaoguang a bowl of rice first.

Ji Yaoguang replied with a smile: "Nine steams and nine sun-dryings."

"Eh? Teacher Ji, please explain more clearly," Bo Yu took a mouthful of rice, then put down his chopsticks to look at Ji Yaoguang. "Teacher Ji, why don't you show us your cooking skills another day?"

"In the past, they would first steam the rice until cooked, then dry it in the sun, then soak it in black rice tree leaf juice, repeatedly steaming and sun-drying nine times. This was called 'nine steams and nine sun-dryings,'" Ji Yaoguang smiled. Under the expectant gazes of everyone, she continued, "I can't do it. All this is just theory from books or what I've heard from elders. For real practice, we have to rely on our Chef An. By the way, the alley where Chef An's restaurant is located is truly a place of outstanding people and land. There are several places with excellent craftsmanship, and the lady boss is genuinely gentle."

"Is that so?" Sun Shaogong smiled. "Once this show's filming is over, I must find time to explore that mysterious alley."

Due to her instinctive aversion to An Muyu, Ji Yaoguang couldn't finish even one bowl of rice. The others teased her about dieting and such, but she just smiled and didn't take it to heart. While it was nice to sit and play in the inn, on just the first day of filming, everyone except An Muyu couldn't sit still. Ji Yaoguang was still walking with Chang Yu, but this time they weren't gathering wild vegetables; they were simply wandering aimlessly. Meng Village Central Elementary School was the liveliest place in the whole village. When the bell signaling the end of class rang, it became a scene of chaotic clamor. Snack vendors pushing small carts were good at timing, starting to do business with the school children across the iron gate. Of course, there were also some bold ones who directly climbed over the low wall.

Ji Yaoguang stared intently at the sputtering popcorn cart.

"Even if you don't like An Muyu, don't mistreat your own stomach," Chang Yu leaned close to Ji Yaoguang's ear, sighing softly so only the two of them could hear. When Liu Ran approached, they immediately separated. Ji Yaoguang stood still with her arms crossed, while Chang Yu walked towards the small cart.

"Goddess Ji! Can I have your autograph?" An excited voice entered Ji Yaoguang's ears. Chang Yu hadn't returned yet, but a girl with a ponytail, looking about ten years old, was blinking her bright big eyes at her. So she had fans even in this elementary school. Ji Yaoguang felt somewhat moved. She glanced at the people blocked by the iron gate and frowned, asking, "How did you get out?"

The little girl looked back and mumbled quietly, "The gate guard uncle secretly let me out." Seeing Ji Yaoguang's disbelieving expression, she anxiously stamped her foot and said, "Really, I'm not lying. Goddess, please hurry and sign for me. Class starts again in a few minutes."

Ji Yaoguang had a thought and smiled, bending down slightly, "Of course I can sign, but I need you to do me a favor."

"What favor?" The child, who had been excited to see her idol, suddenly became wary. She took a step back, staring intently at Ji Yaoguang, starting to wonder if she had mistaken someone else for her idol.

Am I really that scary? Ji Yaoguang reflected on herself, making her smile even more gentle and friendly. She said, "Do you know anyone who wants someone to write love letters for them? I'll give you a number, and you can help me spread the word. It can be for adults or children."

"Is it that simple?" The little girl looked incredulous.

"Yes," Ji Yaoguang nodded, rummaging through Liu Ran's belongings for paper and pen, wrote down a number, and then signed her name in a graceful, flowing manner. The "ding-ling-ling" sound rang out, and the crowd that had been gathering at the iron gate suddenly dispersed like startled birds and beasts. The little girl didn't say anything, snatched the paper from Ji Yaoguang's hand, and like a small whirlwind, supported herself on the low wall nearby and nimbly flipped into the school grounds. Her movements were just like those of a habitual offender.

"......" Had she found the wrong person?