Chapter 81: The Morning Battle

“The ribs are sold at the meat stall in the back. These up front are all vegetables,” Hua Mu’ai said, leading the way like a guide.

Xia Xingyan followed happily, taking advantage of the crowded flow to press close against Hua Mu’ai openly.

If only she could have this all day. No family obligations, no annoying bad women. She and her captain could hold hands and date.

They arrived at a pork stall. The vendor, a big man, was cutting meat.

“Hey there, two little beauties, what’ll it be?” He greeted enthusiastically, his eyes roaming over them.

Hua Mu’ai pointed at a slab of ribs on the counter.

“Give me two pounds of spare ribs. Cut from the middle section with lots of cartilage. Don’t try to palm off the ends.”

The vendor laughed, swung his knife, and sliced a piece precisely.

“Sure thing! You’ve got a good eye, miss.” He weighed it. “Two pounds two ounces. Call it two pounds. Sixty-five yuan.”

Hua Mu’ai’s eyes went wide at the price.

“Who are you kidding!” she snapped. “The meat’s already dull, no spring when you press it. That’s yesterday’s stock. Do I look like a fool to you? Twenty-eight a pound tops. Fifty yuan, take it or leave it. We’ll go next door!”

The vendor was taken aback by her rapid-fire words, then burst out laughing.

“Oh my, this little girl knows her stuff, and she’s got a mouth on her. Fine, fine, I’ll take a loss today. Fifty it is!”

He bagged the ribs and handed them to Xia Xingyan, who stood nearby.

“Miss, your little sister’s really sharp. Take her shopping next time and you’ll never get cheated,” he joked.

Sister?!

Those words touched Hua Mu’ai’s sore spot.

She bristled instantly. “Who’s her sister! Which eye of yours saw me as her sister! I’m her captain! Captain, understand? I’m way older than her!” Hua Mu’ai stamped her foot in fury, her violet eyes full of indignation.

The vendor found her flailing even funnier and laughed uproariously.

Xia Xingyan took the plastic bag, a gentle smile appearing on her face.

“That’s right, she’s the captain.” Her voice was full of affection. “A very capable captain.”

Hua Mu’ai snorted, turned her head away awkwardly, but a faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

“At least you know your place. Come on, let’s buy the trimmings.”

They wandered into the vegetable section. The aisles there were narrower than the meat area, the floor covered with water stains and rotten leaves.

A vendor pushing a Styrofoam box of fish came toward them.

“Move aside! Move aside!” he shouted.

But Xia Xingyan, lost in thought, was still spacing out, completely unaware of the danger.

Just as disaster was about to strike, Hua Mu’ai cried out, “Idiot!” and grabbed Xia Xingyan’s arm, pulling her into an embrace.

Xia Xingyan stumbled and crashed into a small but soft chest.

A faint milky scent mixed with Hua Mu’ai’s unique fragrance filled her nostrils.

It smelled wonderful.

“Watch where you’re going! You could have knocked someone over!” Hua Mu’ai shielded Xia Xingyan and yelled at the vendor.

The vendor apologized repeatedly and hurried away.

Looking at the dazed girl, Hua Mu’ai frowned. “Why are you like a log since we got to the market? You’re usually so sharp.”

Xia Xingyan stared at Hua Mu’ai’s pouting lips, still savoring the warmth of the hug.

“I wasn’t paying attention,” Xia Xingyan said, a little guilty.

Hua Mu’ai rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation.

“I can’t with you. Let’s pick tomatoes. I’ll teach you: you want ones that are a little soft when squeezed, with a bit of green on the stem, those have the right sweet-and-sour taste. Don’t just look at the red color; those are force-ripened, got it?”

Xia Xingyan nodded obediently and followed behind as Hua Mu’ai carefully selected at the stall.

Sunlight slipped through the gaps in the market roof, hitting Hua Mu’ai’s profile.

Her delicate features looked especially cute in the glow, the fine hairs on her face clearly visible.

Xia Xingyan quietly watched this scene and suddenly felt that waking up early was wonderful.

At least for this moment, her captain belonged only to her.

After buying scallions, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes, the two headed back laden with bags.

Xia Xingyan insisted on carrying everything herself, not letting Hua Mu’ai take a single bag.

“When we get back, blanch the ribs first. Remember to put them in cold water with some ginger slices and cooking wine. Got it?” Hua Mu’ai started her teaching mode as they walked.

“Got it,” Xia Xingyan replied earnestly, even thinking of taking notes.

“I’ll teach you the sweet-and-sour sauce ratio later. If you turn them into charcoal like yesterday, you’ll have to eat them all yourself. I won’t touch a single bite!”

“Mm-mm, definitely not.”

Xia Xingyan walked briskly, full of confidence. She’d looked up over a dozen recipes online yesterday and watched several tutorial videos. With her captain personally guiding her, success was guaranteed.

They reached the apartment building. As Xia Xingyan was about to step into the elevator, she stopped dead.

She glanced at the time display above the elevator. It was already eight in the morning.

Shen Tinglan usually got up at seven sharp. If she saw them coming back from grocery shopping together…

Xia Xingyan’s smile vanished, replaced by the alertness of someone about to enter battle. A cold gleam flashed in her eyes as she unconsciously straightened her back.

Hua Mu’ai, puzzled why she wasn’t getting in, urged, “What’s up? Are you getting in or not?”

Xia Xingyan took a deep breath and stepped inside.

No matter what, she had won round one today. She had successfully seized the captain’s morning and gone grocery shopping together.

Bad woman, you lost.

“Ding.” The elevator doors opened. Hua Mu’ai unlocked the apartment door.

As soon as they pushed it open, a rich aroma wafted from the kitchen.

Shen Tinglan, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, poked her head out.

Seeing the two at the door, her smile clearly stiffened for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.

“Captain, Xia, where did you two go?” Her voice was still gentle, but her eyes swept over the plastic bags in Xia Xingyan’s hands. “I just made breakfast and was about to call you. Today I made shrimp and seaweed wontons and scallion oil noodles. Captain, would you like to eat while it’s hot?”

Hua Mu’ai stood at the entrance, looked at the smiling Shen Tinglan on the left, then at the cold-faced Xia Xingyan on the right, and sensed trouble.

“No need,” Xia Xingyan said icily, asserting her dominance. “The captain already had the breakfast I made.”

The air seemed to crackle with tension, the smell of gunpowder filling the entire apartment.

Hua Mu’ai, caught between them, felt only pain.

Help! Someone save me! Can this life even go on anymore!

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