Chapter 76: Muddy Strawberry Soufflé

This winter arrived particularly early. After the Cold Dew solar term, temperatures in Banshan plummeted to near freezing during mornings and evenings.

Ever since staying overnight at Cheng Simin’s place two weeks ago, Xiaobao had frequently defied Chen Xiaofen’s scolding after school, rushing straight to Building 6 of Huanghe Garden to “start a business” with her sister.

Yesterday, being Saturday, Xiaobao hadn’t returned to the cold noodle shop. Early this morning, before Simin woke up from her top bunk bed, Xiaobao quietly climbed down to get started. First, she interacted with the two pets in the house—feeding them—and then headed to the living room where Simin’s makeshift studio was set up for what Xiaobao called “Great Sample Testing”: playing with stress-relief squishies.

When Chen Xiaofen arrived with breakfast and knocked on the door, Xiaobao was already deeply engrossed, her left hand squeezing a “water-textured triple-layer toast” and her right hand working on a “muddy strawberry soufflé.”

The scent of familiar beef pancakes wafted through the air as soon as Simin opened her eyes. Still half-asleep, she called out groggily toward the living room: “Xiaobao? Is that Mom’s beef pancake I smell?”

The table and floor of the living room were littered with disposable plastic cups, EVA packaging bags, stacks of colored cardstock, and nearly a hundred squishy prototypes that Simin had created over the past few days.

Chen Xiaofen entered cautiously, tiptoeing like she was crossing a narrow bridge, and carried ten freshly made beef pancakes into the kitchen. Raising her voice toward Simin’s bedroom, she said, “It’s just beef pancakes! Come eat. Didn’t you tell Xiaobao yesterday that you wanted some? She sent me a message, so I got up early to knead dough and mix the filling. Try it and see if it still tastes the same as before.”

Simin had been busy unmolding squishies until late last night, tossing them into a basin of water without even washing off the petroleum jelly coating. Now, awakened by hunger pangs, she rushed to the kitchen and eagerly dug into the food.

The first bite crumbled crispy flakes onto her plate, while the steaming layers of beef and onion wrapped in dough burst with aroma. Forgetting all decorum, Simin devoured the pancake hastily, shoving another large bite into her mouth. Thumbs up to Chen Xiaofen, she exclaimed, “Mom, you’re amazing! Honestly, yours are better than anything sold outside. How can they be so delicious?”

Turning her head toward Xiaobao in the living room, Simin added, “Xiaobao, stop playing and come eat your beef pancake! Once you’re done, I’ll help you check your homework.”

But Xiaobao had no interest in beef pancakes. Simin hadn’t been home for a long time, and Xiaobao, who often ate them with Chen Xiaofen, felt nauseous just smelling them. Earlier, she’d snuck two packs of instant noodles and a small soda from Simin’s snack cart, and now she wasn’t hungry at all. Shaking her head dramatically, Xiaobao replied, “Sis, you’re still half-asleep. I finished my homework Friday night, and you praised me for not making any mistakes. Last night, while you worked on design sketches, I reviewed my lessons. This afternoon, when I go back to the cold noodle shop, I’ll read three more English dialogues. We’ve already discussed this!”

“Oh, right! Sorry about that. My memory has been terrible lately.”

“And Mom, did you eat breakfast? Do you want some pancakes or porridge? Let me make you some millet congee.”

As Simin munched on her pancake, she stood on tiptoes to rummage through the cabinets for millet.

Seeing the dark circles under Simin’s eyes, Chen Xiaofen felt a pang of pity. Pushing her aside gently, she said, “I’ve already eaten. Don’t bother. Look how thin your face has become because of all this work. There’s no need to rush into entrepreneurship. Why are you moving so fast? It’s only been a week, and you’re already starting your own business?”

Technically, it had been two weeks. One day was spent researching entrepreneurial projects, three days mastering the AB glue ratio, and another week customizing molds. Otherwise, given Simin’s efficiency, she could have moved even faster.

Over the past couple of days, she had narrowed down four product categories for launch. On her social media account, “Little C’s Retirement Handbook,” which already had a modest following, she posted several immersive videos showcasing the creation process of her squishies. The system-driven traffic brought in quite a few potential buyers. After another week of warming up, she planned to open links for sales.

“Since I’m idle anyway, why not give it a try? The investment is low. I’ve done my research—most sellers in the squishy community operate on pre-orders, purchasing materials based on orders. At worst, if things don’t sell, losses won’t be significant.”

Simin had calculated the costs carefully. Food-grade silicone, non-toxic packaging bags, original cardstock and stickers, plus various small accessories bought wholesale—all combined amounted to no more than 30% of the selling price. If monthly sales reached over a thousand units, profits would be substantial.

“So, what inspired you to start doing this?”

Chen Xiaofen skillfully rinsed the millet, placed it in the rice cooker, added water, and threw in a handful of red dates. After finishing, she wiped her hands with a cloth and turned to ask Simin.

“Inspiration came from both you and Shi Ying. Remember that design I did for their winery recently? The response was pretty good, and suddenly, I felt an overwhelming surge of confidence in my creativity. I realized that small businesses requiring creativity and aesthetics suit me perfectly. No one understands maximalism better than I do.”

Her creations—cream sea salt toast, yogurt strawberry mochi, dopamine-colored ice cream cones—each one could outshine 80% of similar products on the market.

“Take this little dog cake, for example! Who else would think of such a stunning color palette? Mom, tell me, doesn’t this miniature dog look realistic? It even has flocking, giving it an excellent texture. I modeled it after Beibei—it’s entirely original!”

Chen Xiaofen didn’t understand these trendy stress-relief toys, but she fully supported Simin pursuing her passions. Nodding enthusiastically, she praised her: “Beautiful, beautiful! If you say it’s good, then it’s good.”

“It’s the weekend today, isn’t it? Why hasn’t Shi Ying come over? Xiaobao says she hasn’t seen him around much lately. Are you two getting along well?”

Simin polished off one pancake and picked up another to munch on.

“He’s been busy these past two weeks, attending many social events and traveling out of town for work. He just got back late last night, and we didn’t manage to meet. This morning, he went to the winery again—something about the competition results coming out. Maybe they’re celebrating? I’m not sure; I didn’t ask much.”

Shi Ying had bombarded her with messages earlier, but she skimmed through them quickly, responding with a thumbs-up emoji before diving back into work.

“So, you two are dating without seeing each other or keeping in touch? When you travel, why don’t you join him? Consider it a vacation. If he’s celebrating at the winery, tag along! It’s not like you’re short on time. You’re too young to understand—relationships thrive on spending time together.”

“Oh, please! I don’t have time for that. I need to take photos of my squishies! It’s been cloudy all week, and today’s finally sunny. He does his thing, I do mine—we don’t interfere with each other. Mutual progress.”

Chen Xiaofen furrowed her brows, recalling rumors she’d heard yesterday.

After holding it in for a while, she couldn’t resist anymore. When Simin finished eating, she followed her to the living room workspace, pulled up a stool, and began lecturing: “Minmin, let me tell you something. If you’re serious about marrying Shi Ying, you need to keep an eye on him. Men like him face countless temptations in society. You must check up on him daily. Go ahead, look through his phone!”

Simin burped lightly, stuck a sticker on the little dog cake, arranged it on the table, and started taking pictures from different angles. Chuckling dryly, she responded, “People aren’t dogs—how am I supposed to watch him? Should I tie a leash around his neck? Mom, you don’t understand. In our generation, relationships are built on trust. Snooping through someone’s phone is considered a violation of privacy. If I posted about it online, people would roast me alive.”

“What do you care about what people online think? I’m talking about your life. Or call him now and ask where he is. Someone told me he took three days off this week and didn’t even go to the winery!”

After finishing a photo shoot, Simin still brushed it off casually, laughing and asking, “Who exactly said that? Who’s spreading these rumors?”

“I… a friend.”

“Which friend?”

Chen Xiaofen hesitated, unable to articulate. Finally, Xiaobao chimed in loudly, cupping her hands around Simin’s ear like a megaphone: “Sis, it was your second mom who told her! Lately, she’s been helping her at the night market. They even went house hunting together last Saturday—they’re close friends now. She’s Mom’s new buddy.”

Simin frowned, initially wanting to ask, “Who’s my second mom?” But realization dawned quickly, and she fell silent, turning back to photograph the next squishy prototype.

Since encountering Zhou Yan in the elevator, Simin hadn’t mentioned her once to Chen Xiaofen. Based on Xiaobao’s recounting of events, it was clear Simin already knew Zhou Yan’s identity.

Yet, despite waiting anxiously for days, Chen Xiaofen hadn’t heard Simin bring it up. Instead, just as she was about to close shop, the familiar silver delivery van reappeared outside her stall.

The quieter Simin remained, the more anxious Chen Xiaofen grew.

Uncertain of Simin’s stance, Chen Xiaofen tried to explain apologetically: “Minmin, don’t be mad—I didn’t mean to hide this from you.”

Just as Zhou Yan immediately recognized Chen Xiaofen despite twenty years passing, so too did Chen Xiaofen instantly connect the dots when her young daughter described the “child trafficker.” That female truck driver who always lingered near the shop entrance—she was the very teenager who abandoned her child.

“The night your father was buried, it was our first confrontation. I refused her money and returned it, but she chased after me, insisting it was compensation. Out of anger, I lied, telling her I never found her child and had no idea what she was talking about.”

That day, Zhou Yan, now in her forties, behaved like a remorseful child, persistently stuffing the scattered bills back into Chen Xiaofen’s hands, pleading tearfully to know whether her child lived or died, begging her to accept the money.

But Chen Xiaofen, consumed by grief over losing her husband, vented her rage cruelly: “What right do you have to ask me? If you truly cared about your child’s fate, you wouldn’t have abandoned her in the first place! Now you want to play mother? Never!”

With a sigh, Chen Xiaofen continued: “Honestly, I regretted saying those words later. She’s also a pitiable woman with her own struggles—I shouldn’t have treated her that way. I should’ve told her the truth—that you’re fine, just not in touch. But I felt ashamed, afraid she’d mock me.”

Thus, when Zhou Yan reappeared ten days ago, Chen Xiaofen accepted her help silently.

“These past few days, I’ve been looking at second-hand houses. Coincidentally, she usually doesn’t have orders in the morning, so she’s accompanied me to viewings and offered advice. When the time comes to move, her truck will come in handy. Don’t underestimate her strength—though shorter than me, she’s surprisingly sturdy.”

“We haven’t talked much, just concerned about you and Shi Ying. Mainly about his leave this week—did he mention it to you? We suspect he might be straying. Don’t let him deceive you! Look at him—charming, good-looking, smooth-talking! He could be leading you on.”

Cheng Simin continued snapping photos of her squishies, silent and seemingly unfazed. Chen Xiaofen, growing increasingly uneasy, prodded again: “Minmin, if you don’t want me to stay in touch with her, I won’t. Just say something, okay? You’re making me anxious by staying quiet.”

“I didn’t say anything. Why are you so worried?”

Having grown up under Chen Xiaofen’s influence, Cheng Simin wasn’t heartless. But she genuinely didn’t know how to face the woman who had abandoned her as a child—the woman who, until recently, was simply her kind neighbor “Sister Zhou.” One innocent remark from Xiaobao had shattered the illusion, revealing that the person who cruelly left her all those years ago was now standing right before her.

At 26, Cheng Simin no longer needed a mother figure. She had long since weaned herself emotionally and psychologically. For now, all she could do was try to coexist with Zhou Yan as neighbors or acquaintances. Perhaps, when she felt stronger, she might be ready to hear Zhou Yan’s story.

But for the time being, she didn’t want to live with hatred or delve into the past. She preferred to move forward lightly, focusing on creating simple, everyday happiness.

“So, can we still look at houses together? I’m planning to put down a deposit by the end of this month. I’ve been eyeing a three-bedroom apartment on the first floor, right across from the night market. You and Xiaobao would each have your own room, both with big windows. It’s a bit expensive, though. Zhou Yan mentioned there are cheaper options in nearby neighborhoods, so I need to check them out before deciding. You should come along—you’re practically an adult now. Give us your opinion on family matters.”

“Do whatever you want—I can’t stop you.”

Cheng Simin finally spoke. Property prices in Banshan had plummeted below the 2,000-yuan-per-square-meter mark this year, with second-hand homes averaging around 1,800 yuan per square meter. At that price, buying a home for Xiaobao’s schooling and Chen Xiaofen’s future retirement made financial sense.

She didn’t want history to repeat itself—being uprooted mid-school and sent away to live elsewhere.

“If you want to buy it, go ahead. If money’s tight, I can chip in. Also, tell your friend to stop sending food to my doorstep. We’ll never finish it all—it’s just going to waste piling up at home. Feeding pigs is one thing, but this is ridiculous!”

“Alright,” Chen Xiaofen replied, visibly relieved as if a heavy burden had been lifted. “I have enough savings—I won’t need yours. Just focus on your little business, your... what did you call them? Squishies.”

Before leaving with Xiaobao, Chen Xiaofen returned to give Cheng Simin one last piece of advice.

“Keep an eye on Shi Ying these past few days. If that boy dares cheat or lie to you, make sure he gets what’s coming to him. Don’t think you’re easy targets because you’re motherless. Show him we’re not to be messed with.”