After Being Blackened All Over the Internet, I Ruled the Military Variety Shows-Chapter 149: I Hope She Never Knows My Identity

Unexpectedly, the meal Xu Lei cooked was actually quite good.

Praised by Jiang Lingxi, the young man with a fierce-looking short hair and scarred face suddenly grinned foolishly, "Lingxi, you have good taste. A few days ago, I went to a restaurant with our leader for dinner. The restaurant owner wanted me to work in their kitchen after he heard I could tell what spices were used just by tasting a dish."

"Then why didn’t you go?" Jiang Lingxi recalled seeing Xu Lei working at the supermarket. "And you found a job selling meat at the supermarket near South City No.3 High School. That surely doesn’t pay as much as working in a restaurant kitchen, plus it’s not your strong suit."

Xu Lei’s face stiffened, and he let out a dry laugh, "Lingxi, you still remember that, huh."

Jiang Lingxi sensed something was off and glanced at the elderly man and Xu Ling’an sitting nearby. She noticed both of them had changed expressions.

Gao Lan spoke first, "Didn’t you say you found a job as an errand runner for a big boss? Helping him sell meat?"

Xu Ling’an pouted, "Brother Lei, you’re lying again."

Xu Lei quickly became anxious, "Oh no, Grandma, An’an, let me explain."

Jiang Lingxi pressed her lips together and silently put down her chopsticks, casting a sympathetic glance at Xu Lei, who was scratching his head in panic.

She didn’t mean it; it just slipped out during the conversation.

"I was thinking, with An’an about to take the college entrance exams, and with the weather getting hot and the sun setting late, the number of barbecue stalls around here has increased, attracting people to drink and eat barbecue at night..."

"Alright, enough said." Gao Lan raised her hand and placed a piece of braised pork in his bowl, "Grandma knows what you’re worried about."

Xu Ling’an also put a rib in his bowl, "Brother Lei, I wrongly accused you. No wonder I’ve felt like someone was following me recently; turns out it was you watching my back."

Jiang Lingxi remained silent at the scene.

She had just walked around the area, and talking about security, there was practically none.

Compared to other parts of the Imperial City, it was dilapidated and chaotic.

Xu Lei’s concerns were quite forward-thinking.

It’s not a matter of if, but when.

She considered suggesting they move to a different place, and if money was an issue, she could offer to cover it.

These days, when not busy, she had taken stock of her assets. Compared to other actresses of her stature in the industry, her assets were definitely modest, but compared to ordinary families, it was not insignificant, so renting a place should be easy.

However, she remembered the old woman’s lost daughter, who took in and raised Xu Ling’an.

The reason the grandparents never moved away might be their hope that one day the daughter and mother would find their way home.

"There’s less than a month before the college entrance exam, and once An’an finishes, I’ll resign from the supermarket. With even Lingxi praising my cooking skills, I’m sure I can find a job, right?" Xu Lei optimistically bit into the braised pork, "The restaurant owner might still be waiting for me."

The three others were amused by his confidence.

After dinner, Gao Lan went back to her room to rest.

Jiang Lingxi was in no hurry to leave and went upstairs with Xu Ling’an.

The upstairs had two bedrooms and a bathroom, none of which were large.

When Xu Ling’an opened the door to her bedroom, the first impression Jiang Lingxi had upon looking inside was: "So many books!"

In the small room, a 1.2-meter bed occupied nearly half the space, with a wardrobe in the corner. Otherwise, the desk by the window, the shelf at the bedside, and the space across from the bed were all crammed with books.

There was only a tiny passage left for a person to squeeze through sideways.

The books were not just for show; upon closer inspection, you could see signs of frequent reading.

Despite so many books, there wasn’t a speck of dust.

Xu Ling’an pulled out the chair in front of the desk, "Sister, you can sit here."

Then she took a feather duster, brushed once over the neatly made bed, and said, "If you’re sleepy, you can rest on my bed. I changed the sheets this morning."

Jiang Lingxi glanced at the small bed where her knees would touch while sitting on the chair, "Then where will you sleep?"

"I usually don’t take naps," Xu Ling’an smiled and pointed to the desk, "I don’t like napping, just the right amount of time to finish a test paper."

Jiang Lingxi: "..."

She turned her head to look at the test papers caught under her arm. Every blank space was filled with neat writing, hardly a spelling mistake in sight, and just looking at it felt pleasant.

And when she thought of her own test papers, answered so woefully, the contrast was stark!

She nodded, "Not bad, very diligent!"

"Just okay," Xu Ling’an modestly smiled, "Mainly because I really like studying."

Jiang Lingxi was slightly taken aback.

That sounded familiar.

"Sister, why only men are hailed as great literary figures? I also love literature and want to become a great female writer, shocking those old fossils who look down on us."

In this moment, two equally frail figures seemed to overlap.

"Sister?"

Jiang Lingxi returned to her senses, fingers pressing against her temple as pain shot through her head and cleared her thoughts.

"It’s nothing, I’m going to sleep."

Lying on the small bed, slightly turning her head, she could see the little girl sitting upright facing the window, the quietness amplifying the sound of the pen scratching on paper.

At this moment, Jiang Lingxi was keenly aware that things were different.

Her Jin’an had stopped forever at the age that should have been most radiant, while Xu Ling’an was still earnestly striving toward her goals and passions, life so vibrant.

She picked up the book by the pillow and flipped through it, seeing that it was filled with blue pen annotations and reflections, written casually yet earnestly. Some short passages could make one smile knowingly.

After a few pages, drowsiness crept in, and she gradually fell asleep to the sound of the pen gliding on paper.

*

Xiyuan.

In a courtyard full of Zen ambiance.

After delivering a pot of green tea, Xia Zhi respectfully departed again.

Shen Yunqing washed the cups and poured two teas, handing one to the young monk sitting cross-legged opposite him.

The monk glanced at the lightly swaying tea in the cup before taking a sip, his voice laced with mirth, "Heart Lake stirs, brows remain calm, seemed something good happened while I was away. Let me guess."

However, Shen Yunqing did not give him space to play mysterious this time, smiling as he replied, "I’ve waited long enough to see Your Majesty."

"Congratulations, your wish has been fulfilled."

"Thank you."

"But it seems Your Majesty does not reside here with you?"

"She still doesn’t know my other identity."

"Why not tell her?"

"If possible," Shen Yunqing tightened his grip on the teacup, "I’d hope she never knows in this lifetime, and we can interact with another identity."

"You," the monk shook his head helplessly, "who would have thought that the famously cold and impartial Prime Minister during the Yuan Zhao period turned out to be a hopeless romantic."