She simply explained her life background.
After hearing this, the old lady looked at Gong Mingxia with even more sympathy.
"It's just because you were pregnant, and he thought it wasn't his child, so he left?"
She nodded, "After the divorce, I traveled with my daughter from place to place, and here we are in H city. I used to cook in a factory, so I learned some skills and thought of making and selling boxed meals to make money."
Aunt Wang shook her head silently.
"You are a diligent and reliable mom. Actually, when I first saw you, I felt you were a good kid. Your daughter is also very polite, she even once helped me carry my basket of vegetables home. She is well-mannered, so the mother can't be far off."
Gong Mingxia didn't expect this episode and felt a bit embarrassed.
"The child has probably grown up faster than her peers due to moving around with me so much."
"Your uncle used to work in education, and I am a retired high school teacher, so you don't have to worry about your child's schooling, I've taken care of it."
Aunt Wang solemnly patted her chest, and Gong Mingxia thanked her repeatedly, then hurriedly added rice, water, and red dates to the clay pot.
"Auntie, what do you usually eat at night?"
"Oh, just white rice porridge and vegetables."
"Don't you eat any main dishes?"
She shook her head, "I don't eat much, just sticky porridge and vegetables are enough." This text is hosted at novel✶fire.net
That's exactly what Gong Mingxia had planned, "That's just perfect, our tastes are quite similar. Northern people drink porridge and eat steamed buns at night, or soup noodles, likely more than what you are used to, right?"
"Your uncle, he was actually from the North. I am quite familiar with Northern tastes and am used to them, so Xiao Xia, you don't need to worry too much about these regional differences. Just cook according to your own taste. I can handle spicy food too, but only mildly spicy..."
Aunt Wang talked at length about her dietary habits, not because she feared Gong Mingxia's cooking would not suit her taste, but because she did not want her to feel burdened, so she clarified everything at once.
Since all the meat was used for cooking today, she stir-fried some potato strips and garlic green vegetables in the evening. The food was almost ready when she went to call her daughter.
During this time, Aunt Wang helped pick, wash, and chop vegetables and shared some cooking tips while cooking, finding more in common as they talked.
When the food was ready, she called her daughter. It was already six or seven o'clock. Xiao Xiao recognized Aunt Wang and affectionately called her Granny Wang, who was delighted, and the meal was lively with 'three generations together'.
After the meal, Gong Mingxia washed the dishes while Granny Wang played with Xiao Xiao in the living room. When she had finished tidying up, Aunt Wang stood up with the child.
"Let's go out, don't stay cooped up at home, join this old lady for a walk around West Lake? You've been here for so long, and I've never seen you and your daughter go out at night."
Seeing the expectant look in her daughter's eyes, Gong Mingxia nodded in agreement. The three of them strolled leisurely in the lively summer night, enjoying the urban night scenery, bustling though not as much as future traffic.
Just stepping out of the doorway, Granny Wang spent quite a long time greeting the neighbors.
"This neighborhood is mostly occupied by retired teachers, but because it's a desired school district, many owners have changed, and it's not as pure as before."
As Granny Wang walked, she explained the neighborhood's environment and situation. Gong Mingxia listened carefully and observed keenly, noting that those who showed her a kind smile were old neighbors, old acquaintances. Those who didn't speak to Granny Wang were either newcomers or renters like her.