It was the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month. Only three days remained until the New Year. Whether people were on duty or off duty, no one really had the mood to work.
Got something to deal with at a time like this? What couldn’t wait until after the New Year?
After scraping by tightly for an entire year, the New Year was a rare time to relax. Every household had begun preparing their New Year’s Eve dinner.
After a whole winter of dietary restrictions, Chen Dong hadn’t exactly slimmed down to lightning-thin, but he had at least lost dozens of jin, and his belly had shrunk back quite a bit.
Wang Ying took his pulse and was very satisfied, granting Chef Chen a few days off from the restrictions.
Chen Dong excitedly invited Master Ma to go drink some liquor together.
Master Ma asked in surprise, “You’re not preparing New Year goods this year?”
In previous years, even if the old fellow lived alone, he would still prepare some seasonal fruit and melon seeds, waiting to hand them out to children who came to pay New Year visits. Aside from food, Chen Dong would also buy two pots of kumquat trees to keep at home…
Master Ma had long grown used to Chen Dong’s fussy little habits over the years, so he was very curious.
Chen Dong snorted. “Isn’t my apprentice here now? Do I still have to prepare everything myself?”
Even though Xu Shuang didn’t seem to show him much respect, and Wang Ying kept strict control over his diet, having younger people around to look after him still felt different.
The clothes Chen Dong was wearing this year were bought by Wang Ying. Some of the fruit at home was shared by Wang Ying. When scrambling to buy fish and vegetables recently, Xu Shuang had helped out…
Chen Dong awkwardly told his old friend, “I told them it wasn’t necessary, but the two of them still helped me prepare things. My apprentice stir-fried some chestnuts and various peanuts. My apprentice’s wife said they’re called fish-skin peanuts and sugar-frosted peanuts. I think they taste just so-so, but you can’t buy them outside, so they’re alright. And the large yellow croaker—I said I could cook it myself, but he insisted on making me a home-style braised croaker. It’s even better than Old Luo’s cooking at our restaurant…”
Master Ma: …
Shut up. Your humblebragging is overwhelming me!
Unwilling to be outdone, Master Ma said, “My apprentice isn’t bad either. Recently he brought me some red pine nuts from his hometown. I heard harvesting them is quite troublesome.”
Chen Dong: “Your apprentice? Ma Yongjun?”
Master Ma’s face fell. “…You’re looking for a fight, aren’t you?”
Ma Yongjun, that troublesome brat—whether he even counts as your apprentice, don’t you have any idea yourself?
The two old men bickered while drinking liquor with slices of boiled pork. At the end of the year, these few days were the most peaceful. The children had taken their money and gone out to have fun, the women were busy preparing New Year goods, and they themselves were free from work. Getting together for a little drink—ah, days like this weren’t something they’d trade even for the life of an immortal.
Chen Dong was just getting into the mood when someone suddenly lifted the Ma family’s door curtain and walked straight in.
“Well now, Master Chef Chen is really living the good life.”
Chen Dong laughed too and casually grabbed an empty wine cup to fill it for him. “What brings you here?”
The visitor was the well-connected old brother Chen Dong had sought out. He looked about the same age as Chen Dong, but his eyes were half-squinted and one hand wasn’t very nimble.
But if you thought he was just some ordinary old geezer, you’d be wrong. This old brother’s surname was Song. In the old society, he worked pulling rickshaws. At first he relied on his own labor, but later he gathered a whole group of brothers—an assortment of all kinds—who looked out for one another. No one really knew how deep his connections ran. What was rare was that after the new society was established, Old Man Song immediately disbanded his group on the spot. After everyone went their separate ways, they surprisingly all managed to live fairly well.
Old Man Song himself made a living repairing bicycles—feeding one person with no family to support.
“Why I came—you don’t know?” Old Man Song downed a cup of liquor and lifted his chin for Chen Dong to pour another. “That thing you mentioned—there’s a lead!”
Chen Dong: “A lead? No way. It’s only been such a short time. How could someone turn back this fast?”
Old Man Song: “Believe it or not. They got off the train this morning—seven or eight of them.”
Chen Dong instantly perked up. After filling Song’s cup, he asked, “So what do you think we should do about this, old brother?”
Though he knew many people, when it came to scum like this, he truly didn’t know what to do. Arresting them and sending them to the police station was possible, but without catching them in the act, conviction would be difficult. Chen Dong felt that traffickers like these should be nailed down so they could be locked up for life—only then could he feel at ease.
Otherwise, his apprentice’s wife was pregnant. If these people still had evil intentions and couldn’t do anything to an old wreck like him, what if they reached out their hands toward his apprentice’s child?
Old Man Song took a small sip of liquor and said quietly with narrowed eyes, “I don’t think you even need to go to that much trouble. That group was already being watched as soon as they got off the train—and it’s not just our side watching. I saw some plainclothes officers investigating too.”
Chen Dong was delighted at first, but after thinking it over carefully, he shook his head. “Those who just arrived are easier to deal with. I’m worried about the one in our courtyard. That guy’s like a steamed bun dropped on the ground and stepped on—not a decent sort. I’m afraid that if he gets desperate, he’ll lash out. Our courtyard is full of kids.”
Old Man Song chuckled. “Isn’t that simple?”
He picked up his chopsticks and grabbed a big slice of boiled pork dripping with red chili oil. “If you’re not at ease, just give him something to deal with. Stir up trouble both at home and outside, make him agitated. I’ve looked into that rotten garlic—plenty of dirt on him. He’s ruthless and cold-headed. If you don’t mess him up, when things reach the end he might ditch everyone and run off alone.”
Chen Dong slapped his thigh. “Exactly! He’s heartless enough—doesn’t care much about his wife, kids, or old mother. He really might be thinking of sneaking off by himself.”
Old Man Song made a gesture. “That kid’s really something. Not only does he live off his wife, he’s got several flings outside… Two kept women, and he’s even messing with a decent young lady.”
Chen Dong looked disgusted. “With that scrawny little runt? He can hook someone? Who’s as blind as his wife?”
Old Man Song said, “That’s what you call young girls judging by appearances. That rotten garlic even lies, saying he’s a cadre. He treats the girl to meals and movies, spinning her around his finger.”
Chen Dong: “So what are you suggesting?”
“We expose this whole thing?”
Old Man Song glanced at Master Ma, who was already sitting there dumbfounded like a quail, and pointed at him. “Have that cousin of yours—didn’t she once pursue you? Let her family expose it. Those two families have a grudge anyway. It makes sense.”
Chen Dong: “…Can you not say ‘pursue’?”
Master Ma said weakly, “I don’t have any say either. After my cousin failed to win Old Chen over, she already fell out with me.”
Chen Dong: “…I said don’t say ‘pursue.’”
Old Man Song: “That’s not the point. Anyway, let that scatterbrained one from your cousin’s family—your apprentice, Master Ma… Ma Yongjun, right? Have him expose it.”
Master Ma: “…He doesn’t really count as my apprentice anymore.”
Master Ma hesitated for a while before trying to negotiate. “Forget it. Even if it’s us thinking of a way, it’s not good to drag the younger generation into this. Yongjun’s family has several kids. If Xu Lei holds a grudge, what happens to the children?”
Old Man Song: “That’s true. Then I’ll find someone on my side.”
“This is only because it’s the new society. If it were the old days, if I caught traffickers, I’d want to burn sky lanterns with them. What damned bastards—they deserve to go in and eat free prison meals this year.”
At first, Old Man Song was just helping Chen Dong as a favor. But the more he investigated, the angrier he became.
Xu Lei really was a piece of work rotten to the core. A grown man living off a woman yet chasing flings, hoarding money to enjoy himself instead of supporting his family, abducting children and even targeting coworkers, usually putting on a decent front to deceive people…
Old Man Song felt he needed to give him a good shake-up before sending him in. Otherwise, if Xu Lei were simply arrested, that scumbag would probably just sigh about his bad luck.
People like him were always like that—blaming heaven, blaming earth, blaming their ancestors; blaming bad timing, blaming the country; blaming their parents for not being officials, blaming their wife for not being rich enough, blaming their children for not being promising, blaming society for being unfair.
Blaming everything and everyone—except themselves. Always finding excuses to let themselves off.
Old Man Song snorted. This time, he wouldn’t stop until he made that brat shed a layer of skin!
Xu Lei kept a tight face; his mood was terrible.
Scarface rubbed his nose and gave an awkward laugh. “There was really no other way. Don’t blame me, brother. A few of us almost got taken down in a commune nearby.”
They had originally been traveling with the abducted children, but who knew that just after leaving the city they were noticed by members of a commune. Panicking, they abandoned the children and ran. With nowhere else to go, they could only come here to lie low.
Xu Lei still said nothing, making the few people who came with Scarface feel uneasy.
Everyone was in the same line of work—who wasn’t risking their necks? When trouble came, how could you just wash your hands of it?
Two of the traffickers were women. They smoothed things over gently. “Brother Xu’s worries are reasonable. After all, Lao Si did raise suspicion here not long ago. But don’t worry, Brother Xu—we’ll leave after the New Year. Just arrange a place for us to stay.”
Of course, when they left after the New Year, they’d conveniently abduct a few more people. Their luck had been terrible this year; they’d made far less money than usual.
Xu Lei’s expression finally improved a little. He shot the group an annoyed look and waved his hand. “Let’s go.”
They were already here—did he even have the right to refuse?
Xu Lei dispersed them and settled them in. Fortunately, they hadn’t brought any “goods” this time—just a group of adults. Whether cramming them into dilapidated houses or placing them elsewhere, it was manageable.
After arranging everything, Xu Lei felt utterly exhausted.
He now felt the situation had become tricky.
Before, just selecting targets and taking money was easier. Now that a large group of people was involved, he felt constant fear.
His irritation didn’t show on his face. He looked normal, didn’t go home, and instead turned to buy two roasted sweet potatoes before heading to the fertilizer factory staff dormitory.
Inside the dormitory, someone called out, “Sun Mei! Your boyfriend’s here to see you!”
Sun Mei quickly checked herself in the mirror, dabbed her lips with red paper again, then fluttered out like a little bird.
Behind her rose the chatter of her coworkers.
“Xiao Mei really found a good boyfriend—he looks bright and decent.”
“I heard his job’s good too. Supposedly he’s a cadre at the county committee.”
“So young and already a cadre?”
“They say his parents are in the military, working at the Armed Forces Department. He started as a deputy section chief as soon as he got in.”
“Wow, Xiao Mei really struck gold!”
“Exactly. With her mom’s snobbish attitude, she’s always been pushing her to find someone who could help her younger brother. I used to think Xiao Mei might have a rough time. Who knew she’d really find someone? Waiting until her twenties wasn’t for nothing.”
…
Sun Mei ran straight to Xu Lei and said coyly, “Why did you come at this time? I thought you’d wait until I got off work.”
Xu Lei looked doting. “I figured you’d get off early during the New Year, so I came to try my luck. Looks like my luck’s pretty good.”
Sun Mei’s face flushed. She glanced around quietly and hooked her arm through Xu Lei’s. “Are you tired today? Is work at the county committee very busy?”
Xu Lei remained composed. “It’s alright. For my dad’s sake, they didn’t assign me too much work. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to sneak out to see you, right?”
Sun Mei looked full of admiration. “You’re amazing!”
A surge of heroic pride swelled in Xu Lei’s heart. “Just so-so. Here—this is for you.”
The piping-hot roasted sweet potatoes made Sun Mei forget the cold wind outside. Hugging the paper-wrapped bundle, she said eagerly, “The New Year’s almost here. Do you want to come to my home…?”
She thought to herself: she had already boasted quite a bit in front of her mother. They’d been dating for more than half a year—it was time for him to meet the family, wasn’t it?
Xu Lei patted her hair. “Not yet.”
“I just joined the county committee—my work hasn’t stabilized yet. Besides, I think I should bring you to meet my parents first… Recently my parents have been arranging blind dates for me with the daughter of an old comrade from the Armed Forces Department…”
Sun Mei’s hand tightened immediately, her heart a tangled mess.
She knew she wasn’t worthy of Xu Lei. Even though he was several years older than her, with his job and family background, he could undoubtedly choose an excellent match in the county town.
So no matter how much she longed for Xu Lei to visit her home, she could only agree meekly.
“Alright… I’ll listen to you.”
Xu Lei said, “Then I’ll go first. Here—this is for you too.”
Xu Lei secretly slipped a letter into Sun Mei’s hand and said softly, “I’ll come see you again after the New Year.”
The heaviness in Sun Mei’s heart immediately lifted.
Dizzy as if in a dream, she returned to the dormitory holding the letter and roasted sweet potatoes.
Naturally, the roasted sweet potatoes were shared with everyone and quickly eaten. But the letter she treasured like a precious gem. She unfolded it and read it again and again, until the edges became fuzzy.
A sharp-eyed coworker glanced at it; her mouth moved faster than her brain.
“Sun Mei, your boyfriend even writes to you in English?”
Those strings of letters didn’t look like Chinese characters.
Sun Mei’s face flushed red. “Not English… it’s pinyin.”
She immediately put the letter away, not letting anyone else see it.
Thinking about it, Sun Mei felt that coworker was really out of line—after eating her sweet potatoes, she still had the nerve to nitpick her boyfriend.
Xu Lei had said he was a proper middle school graduate. It was just that he’d been busy with work all these years and had forgotten some commonly used characters, so he used pinyin.
What was wrong with using pinyin?
Sun Mei didn’t think there was anything wrong at all.
Literacy still wasn’t widespread—everyone was used to it. If they didn’t know a character, they’d just write it in pinyin.
She tucked the letter away. The coworker who had spoken also realized she’d said something wrong and immediately fell silent.
After Sun Mei packed up and went out, the coworkers finally began whispering among themselves.
“Isn’t Sun Mei’s boyfriend a cadre? How can a cadre still not know how to write some characters?”
“Exactly.”
“But you shouldn’t have said it. Look—you’ve upset Sun Mei.”
…
Xu Lei had spent money to buy roasted sweet potatoes for Sun Mei, and though it cost him, he felt happy.
This happiness wasn’t the kind that came from spending money to please a sweetheart. Xu Lei himself knew clearly—he didn’t give a damn about Sun Mei!
But every time he saw Sun Mei, he felt very happy.
Humming a tune, Xu Lei immersed himself in the fantasy he had fabricated.
He felt that the greatest ruin of his life was being born into the Xu family.
If he hadn’t grown up in a poor family, he would surely be living the life he imagined.
Parents with power and influence, a future full of promise, women convinced by a snap of his fingers, and money he could never finish spending.
Xu Lei sought out Sun Mei not for romance, nor because he cared how much she loved him. He just wanted a foolish woman to serve as a place to house his fantasies.
Previously, Zhang Yun had filled that role. But women were all like that—once married, they lost their appeal.
It had to be someone outside. Before marriage, that feeling of making the other person believe completely in him allowed Xu Lei to release all the pressure in his heart at once.
Xu Lei didn’t see Sun Mei often. He only went when he was troubled. In front of her, he would pretend to be a privileged courtyard youth, flaunt his “perfect life,” and that was enough to make him more resolute—
Resolute in believing that his whole life had been ruined by his parents.
In Xu Lei’s mind, he was immensely talented, a genius envied by fate.
If not for his parents, if not for this damned era, he would have long risen above everyone else!
Xu Lei had been enthusiastically saving money all these years for one purpose: to run off to Hong Kong someday. He had heard life there was good—like paradise.
He had already saved one thousand yuan. Once he got there, he could become someone superior!
With his pressure vented, Xu Lei finally strolled home leisurely.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, he smelled a sweet fragrance. Without looking, he knew it was coming from Wang Ying’s home.
Xu Lei’s gaze flickered. What a pity—if they didn’t live in the same courtyard, he would really have tried to flirt with Wang Ying.
It wasn’t just that Wang Ying was pretty. More importantly, he felt Xu Shuang, just a cook, couldn’t compare to him.
Could Xu Shuang write love poems like he could?
Could Xu Shuang make money like he could?
Could Xu Shuang be as smart as he was?
Damn it—how did that guy get such good luck, marrying such a beautiful wife?
Carrying his envy toward the couple, Xu Lei entered his home.
Zhang Yun was kneading dough. Quite a lot of cornmeal had been mixed into the white flour, and the dough was fermenting poorly. Zhang Yun slammed and pounded it angrily.
Xu Lei shook his head. With a woman like this, how could he possibly spend a lifetime with her?
Zhang Yun cursed under her breath, “It’s already the New Year, and still feeding someone four meals a day. People who don’t know better would think she’s carrying the Jade Emperor himself!”
Though she didn’t name anyone, Xu Lei knew she was cursing Wang Ying.
Wang Ying’s comfortable life had made the young wives in several surrounding courtyards click their tongues. Today, who knew what she was cooking again—so sweet and fragrant that Xu Dabao cried and fussed to eat some, only calming down after getting slapped twice.
“Eat, eat, eat—why are you so greedy!”
…
Wang Ying stared at the steam rising from the pot and asked for the Nth time, “Is it ready yet?”
Xu Shuang: “Almost.”
Oil crackled and sizzled in the wok. Golden milk custard pieces flipped in the oil and finally landed on the plate with a warm milky aroma.
“Try it.”
Wang Ying took a bite and gave a thumbs-up. “Delicious!”
“Milky but not greasy, warm, soft, and tender.”
Fried fresh milk—when Xu Shuang managed to get another bottle of milk through a connection, Wang Ying had already set her mind on making this.
They didn’t have a refrigerator. If they didn’t make it now while the winter weather was cold, they’d have to wait another year.
Wang Ying had carefully described the method: mix milk with some starch, heat while stirring into a paste, let it chill and set, cut into strips, coat with starch and egg, then deep-fry in oil.
Xu Shuang had never heard of milk being fried, but since Wang Ying said so, he was willing to try.
Even the outer crumb coating—Xu Shuang removed the crust of steamed buns and finely chopped the soft inside to make it.
A crispy golden shell outside, soft semi-solid milk inside. Xu Shuang took a bite himself and found it delicious.
Wang Ying said, “Let’s send some to Master.”
Recently, the two families had been eating together. Chen Dong had even moved all his New Year goods over and came by to freeload meals whenever it was time.
“What should we eat for lunch?”
Wang Ying chewed her milk custard and started thinking.
“How about braised pork belly?”
There was already plenty of meat at home, plus what Chen Dong had brought—over ten jin of meat.
Xu Shuang made the call. “Alright. Let’s make taro braised pork belly, and lotus root braised pork belly too.”
Wang Ying nodded vigorously, unconsciously swallowing.
The taro would be soft and glutinous, the lotus root crisp and sweet, layered between thick slices of braised pork—an unbeatable taste.
![The Villains Are All My Reserve Food [Quick Transmigration]](https://novels.space/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Villains-are-Reserve-Food.jpg "The Villains Are All My Reserve Food [Quick Transmigration]")
