Bride Swap Backfire: My Cousin's Rebirth Made Us a Power Couple-Chapter 69 - 46: Almost Exposed (Part 1)

"Where? Let me see." Upon hearing that, Mrs. Li hurried to serve the hot rice in soup to a customer. She moved so quickly that some of it sloshed out, spilling directly onto the table.

The old woman waiting for her meal immediately started shouting, demanding that Mrs. Li make up for the spilled food.

The Chen family’s business catered to common laborers and porters, where every single cent had to be accounted for. As it happened, their clientele of everyday city folk were just as particular, absolutely refusing to be short-changed in the slightest.

Take the bit of spilled rice, for instance. It wasn’t much—not even enough for a chicken to peck at. ’But once it’s in your stomach, doesn’t it at least warm you from the inside?’ they’d think. ’This was bought with our own hard-earned money. If it’s spilled, aren’t we the ones losing out?’

Mrs. Li had no choice but to hurry back inside and add another scoop to the bowl.

After all that, by the time she poked her head out to look where Chen Lin had pointed, she could only see the backs of the three figures as they walked away.

Even from behind, the man was tall and dashing, and the woman had a graceful, lovely figure. Mrs. Li recognized them in a single glance.

At the sight, she couldn’t help but spit in contempt.

"They’re barely engaged and already walking around together. The main branch of the family claims to be so proper, but if you ask me, they’re the most improper household there is. It’s only been a few days since Zhao Jing broke off the engagement with our Yue’er, and now he’s engaged to Wanqing. I’m telling you, they must have been carrying on in secret long before this."

Mrs. Li had spoken a little too loudly, and the old woman who had been making a fuss earlier overheard her. The old woman’s ears perked up, her eyes went wide, and her mouth fell open as she asked, "What’s this about a broken engagement? A new one? What sort of drama is going on with your family?"

"Whatever drama it is, it has nothing to do with you. You should just hurry up, finish your meal, and go home."

"Hah! Now you’re rushing me? If your rice soup wasn’t so cheap, and if I wasn’t too lazy to cook for myself, do you really think I’d want to eat here?"

"I’m not begging you to come. When you eat a bowl of rice here, I don’t make a single cent. It’s just a lot of work for nothing."

"Nonsense. I’ve been cooking my whole life. You think I don’t know how many copper coins you’re making off of me?"

"One bowl of rice is one cent! What copper coins am I making off you? I even have to throw in pickled vegetables for free, and do you think those don’t cost money? It’s bad enough you eat here at the table, but you also secretly sneak some home with you. Don’t think I haven’t seen you!"

Of course, the old woman wouldn’t admit it. Sticking her chin out stubbornly, she started bickering with Mrs. Li.

Chen Lin saw this. Annoyed that Mrs. Li was making a scene and scaring away customers, he gave her a vicious kick under the table.

The kick hurt, and Mrs. Li didn’t dare cry out again. Humiliated and resentful, she retreated inside to clean up.

Chen Dachang saw all of this unfold, but he acted as if he’d seen nothing. He was like a soulless, walking corpse, day in and day out for the last ten years. He brought out a fresh basin from inside, pulled off a piece of dough, and slowly began to make a sesame flatbread.

He pressed the dough into a circle, sprinkled it with sesame seeds, and placed it in the hanging oven.

The glowing red coals in the furnace illuminated his sallow, chapped hands. His eyes were just as numb and hollow, as if his very soul had departed. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

The few people at the old family home weren’t the only ones who saw Chen Wanqing and her two companions; two other people saw them as well.

As it happened, just as Chen Wanqing was buying red pears, Li Cun and his mother were returning from outside the city gates.

Today was the anniversary of Li Cun’s father’s death. The mother and son had risen at dawn and taken sacrificial wine, a roast goose, and paper ingots outside the city to burn as offerings. Only after they had paid their respects did they begin their hurried walk back.

When Li Cun saw Chen Wanqing and her companions stopped in the middle of the road to buy pears, he thought he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes, and once he confirmed it was really them, his spirits soared. He quickened his pace, about to rush over to them.

Seeing this, Li Cun’s mother cried out that her foot hurt and, with a swift movement, yanked him back.

Li Cun protested, "Mother, let me go! I see the young lady. I want to go say hello."

"Say hello? If you greet her in front of all these people, won’t you just give them reason to gossip about her behind her back?"

"We’re engaged. It would be rude *not* to say hello if we meet. Besides, if you’re worried about gossip, I don’t have to speak to her. I can just talk to De’an."

Mr. Li was frantic, terrified of her ploy being discovered. She let out a pained wail, claiming that she must have twisted her ankle from walking too quickly.

Seeing her state, Li Cun was frantic with worry.

Ultimately more concerned for his mother’s well-being, Li Cun quickly supported her as they made their way to a nearby clinic.

By the time he got his mother settled and came back out to find Chen Wanqing’s group, there was no longer any sign of them.

When Li Cun returned, he found his mother looking at him with a concerned expression. "You’re back so soon? Weren’t you able to find them?"

"No, they vanished in the blink of an eye. They probably went to Qingxiang House. Once I get you home, Mother, I’ll go over there and find them."