Chapter 419: Chapter 406: It’s Not a Trivial Matter

Just like when she and Zhuang Qingsui had escaped from Zhuang Ruman and Mrs. Song’s house, she was also malnourished, and it took a while before her condition improved.

Looking at Miao Erdan, Zhuang Qingning was reminded of her own experiences, which inexplicably made her feel anxious.

Miao Erdan tilted his head, looking into the kitchen, and tugged at Zhuang Qingning’s sleeve, whispering, “Sister, don’t tell this to my mother.”

“We barely paid off our debts with the wages my mother earned. I saw her start to smile. If she knew I was uncomfortable…”

Miao Erdan lowered his head without saying anything further.

Zhuang Qingning pursed her lips.

The Zhang family’s life was very difficult, mainly due to the previous prolonged illness of their parents.

This long-term hardship has led the children to understand that they cannot add any burden to the family, especially by getting sick.

The children of the poor grow up early and understand things early as well.

Zhuang Qingning pursed her lips and patted Miao Erdan’s shoulder. “Okay, I remember.”

“Thank you, sister.” Miao Erdan thanked her, picked up the bowl Zhuang Qingning had just used, and said, “I’ll get some more water for you.”

“Okay,” Zhuang Qingning gladly replied.

However, watching Miao Erdan, with his small body and disproportionally large head, she could not help but feel sad.

Miao Village is extremely poor, and within it, the Zhang family is one of the poorest. They will gradually improve their life because of the existence of the sweet potato noodle workshop, and the Zhang family will also be better.

In the meantime, these two siblings will see an impact on their bone development if they do not focus on strengthening their nutrition and calcium intake.

A lack of calcium can affect one’s mental state and personality.

Since Zhuang Qingning had the good fortune of being able to have a meal at the Zhang family home today, and they were all quite amiable, she did not mind lending a hand where she could.

[Ding, host triggers mission, Compassionate Heart.]

[The mission requires the host to help the Zhang family improve their nutrition levels.]

[Upon completion of the mission, the host can unlock the spice recipe: Moon Incense.]

A finally useable recipe has arrived.

Zhuang Qingning suddenly became invigorated.

Improving nutrition, this mission could be simple…

For example, directly giving the Zhang family a basket of eggs and a basket of chicken, duck, and fish.

Oh, why am I so smart?

[Warm reminder: this mission has special requirements, namely that you cannot directly give gifts, nor can the Zhang family discover that you are completing a mission. If they find out, the mission will immediately fail, and you will never receive this spice recipe.]

Well, I knew it, it wouldn’t be that easy.

As expected, the powers that be won’t easily give her the recipe.

Can’t directly give gifts, can’t be discovered, and can only work through another person, provided this person will not divulge any information, and cannot let the Zhang family feel something is wrong…

As Zhuang Qingning pondered, Mrs. Zhang cheerfully emerged from the kitchen, inviting Zhuang Qingning to lunch.

The meal was flatbread made of sweet potato and corn flour mixed with a small amount of white flour, shaped into long strips. While it was cooking, Mrs. Zhang added some unripe cabbage leaves and a few drops of oil to it to make it more appetising.

She stir-fried a dish of sour and spicy wood ear fungus and another dish of scrambled eggs with green onion.

On the table, there were also sweet potatoes that Miao Ni had roasted in the stove. Miao Ni had carefully peeled off the skin, revealing the sweet, aromatic, and deep orange pulp.

Zhuang Qingning thanked Mrs. Zhang before picking up her bowl to eat.

Although Mrs. Zhang’s cooking was just average, the noodles were deliciously light, the wood ear fungus was flavorful, and paired with the sweetness of the sweet potato, it was all very palatable.

Zhuang Qingning was hungry and found the meal very satisfying.

Seeing Zhuang Qingning eating the flatbread heartily, the Zhang family members felt both relieved and endeared. They enthusiastically struck up a conversation.

The meal took longer than usual. By the time it was almost time for the workshop to start work, Mrs. Zhang hastily tidied up, instructed Miao Ni and Miao Erdan to go to the field to cut sweet potato vines, and went to the workshop with Zhuang Qingning.

After arriving at the workshop, Zhuang Qingning discussed the workshop matters with Miao Hongjin for a while before excusing herself and heading home.

Early the next morning, Zhuang Qingning went to the county town to look for Cheng Ruize at Cheng’s.

As it happened, Cheng Ruize was not at Cheng’s.

Fang Hou, the shop assistant, apologized profusely as he led Zhuang Qingning to the backyard and poured her a cup of tea, “Manager Zhuang, it is really inconvenient. There’s some business at the spice shop, and our manager has gone to sort it out. It may take a while.”

“Why don’t you go to Zhuang’s Cloth Shop to wait for a while? I will go and ask how long our manager will be and then come back to you.”

There were many things going on in Cheng family’s business, and it was common to be tied up in important matters.

Zhuang Qingning found it quite understandable and smiled, “That’s alright. I will wait for a while. If Manager Cheng is really tied up, I will come again tomorrow. It’s not something particularly important. It’s okay to let Manager Cheng get on with his work first.”

“Yes, thank you for your understanding, Manager Zhuang,” said Fang Hou. “I will also check the situation. If he is free, I will invite him over. If not, I will come to inform you so you don’t have to keep waiting.”

“Okay.”

Zhuang Qingning did not linger any longer, but went straight to Zhuang’s Cloth Shop.

Fang Hou instructed the shop’s staff to look after the business, and then he went to the spice shop to find Cheng Ruize.

Zhuang Yutian poured a cup of tea for Zhuang Qingning. Upon hearing that she was waiting to see Cheng Ruize, he frowned, “If the shop assistant said that he would come to reply in a while, you might as well wait a while. But I’m afraid you won’t see Manager Cheng today.”

“The matter regarding Cheng’s Spice Shop is no small matter. ”

“Oh?” Zhuang Qingning put down the cup she had just sipped from, “What happened to Cheng’s Spice Shop?”

“The manager of Cheng’s Spice Shop, surname Zhu, name Ankang, is quite a well-known manager in Cheng’s. He has always been working for Cheng’s. I heard he used to work in a shop in the provincial capital, and then he was transferred to this spice shop here.”

“I’ve seen this Manager Zhu. He seems quite friendly and handles everything smoothly. He also manages the shop very well. People often say privately that he’s a truly outstanding manager of Cheng’s, showing a real difference.”

“But a few days ago, I heard that this Manager Zhu was embezzling. He quietly switched goods of different grades from Cheng’s Spice Shop. He mixed third-grade goods with second-grade goods to sell, and second-grade goods among first-grade goods to sell. The extra first-grade goods were moved out to exchange for money, and the shortage of third-grade goods was casually made up with other goods.”