Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Teach You How to Drive Three consecutive calls of "husband" left Yu Jianghai momentarily stunned, his gaze deepening as he looked down at her. The two were very close, squeezed together on one sofa. Yu Jianghai's breathing quickened noticeably. "Yanyan, call me again?" But Lin Meiyan refused to call out again. She hadn't expected this lecherous man to let her off now—only to come for her again in the dead of night. Qiaoqiao was asleep in the next room, and Gu Benhua and Ye Qiuju had both gone home. The entire Linji was left with only Lin Meiyan and Yu Jianghai, quiet to an almost eerie degree. The two had started off chatting casually, but eventually, he trapped her against the headboard, playing with her fingers, moving forward unhurriedly with a teasing intent. Lin Meiyan could barely withstand it. Flustered and angry, she bit down on his shoulder. "Yu Jianghai!!" She called him by his full name. Yu Jianghai looked down at her, his eyes dark and burning red. "Call me husband." He said it slowly, without urgency. Lin Meiyan clamped her mouth shut and refused to speak, as if in defiance. Eventually, she felt like she was suffocating, and Yu Jianghai still hadn't forgotten his goal. He reached up to stroke her cheek, wiping away her tears. "Yanyan, call me husband." He still remembered that. Lin Meiyan was dazed, nearly on the verge of passing out. "Yu Jianghai, get out." She tried to push him away. Yu Jianghai, who was so proper and composed outside, now revealed a hint of wickedness. Not only did he not stop, but he became even more ferocious than before. "Call me husband." Lin Meiyan felt like she was going to die. She stared hazily at the figure above her, murmuring, "Husband." That single "husband" made Yu Jianghai instantly lose all composure, like a dam bursting open and pouring out in full force. The next morning, Lin Meiyan even forgot to take the child to school. It was Yu Jianghai who heard the knocking at the door, came out, and shushed softly. "I'll take you." Qiaoqiao let out an "ah." "Mom's not going?" Yu Jianghai shook his head, gently closing the door behind him, his voice calm. "Your mom worked very late last night." That was his explanation. Qiaoqiao didn't think much of it, simply assuming that Linji had taken on work from Jianghai Dicai recently, which had made her mother too exhausted. She said very sensibly, "Then let Mom sleep a little longer. Dad, you take me to school." Yu Jianghai hummed in acknowledgment. He changed into a light gray shirt and dark blue suit trousers, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, standing tall and straight as a pine. Even Qiaoqiao was momentarily stunned. "Dad." "Hm?" "When I grow up, I want to find someone as handsome as Dad to be my partner!" Yu Jianghai's face instantly darkened. He scooped Qiaoqiao up. "You're still young. Your goal is to study—don't be thinking about all this nonsense." Qiaoqiao let out an "oh" and obediently followed him downstairs. By the time they came down, it was already a bit past seven, right in the middle of Linji's busiest breakfast rush. Every seat inside and outside Linji was completely full. Ye Qiuju was blanching noodles, and Gu Benhua was helping out. Hu Guifen and Liu Tongyan were helping serve the food. Though the four of them were busy, everything was orderly. Qiaoqiao hugged Yu Jianghai's arm and said softly, "Dad, even without Mom, Linji's breakfast can still thrive." Before, when her mom made breakfast, she had to get up at around four-thirty. Yu Jianghai took this scene in, hummed in acknowledgment, and carried Qiaoqiao down the stairs. The moment he came down, the entire Linji restaurant fell silent. It was simply that Yu Jianghai's appearance was too out of place with the surroundings. Everyone else was in tank tops, slippers, and undershirts, with steaming bowls of Reganmian, tofu noodles, bean skin, and Mianwo everywhere. People were as casual as if they were in their own homes. Only Yu Jianghai was different—coming down in a suit and leather shoes first thing in the morning, elegant and extraordinary, as if someone like him was born to appear in a Western restaurant like Laomo. Not a breakfast shop like this. Noticing the silence around him. Yu Jianghai's expression didn't change. He nodded at everyone as a greeting. The surroundings went quiet again, and he strolled out with Qiaoqiao in his arms. The moment he left, the Linji dining room erupted. "Did President Yu just nod at me?" "No, no—President Yu was nodding at me." "Don't even mention it. When President Yu, a big shot like him, shows up at Linji, I always feel like I'm not eating Reganmian but having Western food." How should one put it? The moment President Yu appeared, the whole atmosphere seemed to become more refined. "Don't even get me started. Before, when people said President Yu had Ruzhui'd into Meiyan's family, I didn't believe it." "Now I believe it." "Exactly. President Yu has so many houses he could live in, yet he stays every day in that old house at Linji. If that's not Ruzhui, what is?" "Meiyan is so lucky." At ten-thirty in the morning, when most of Linji's customers had left, Lin Meiyan finally came down belatedly. When she descended, Linji had grown much quieter. Looking at Gu Benhua, Ye Qiuju, Hu Guifen, and Liu Tongyan as they prepared the midday meals to be delivered to the Jianghai Dicai Phase 2 construction site. A hundred meal boxes was no small number, and packing them one by one would take quite a while. Lin Meiyan came over to help. There was no denying that more hands made lighter work, and soon everything was ready. "So many meal boxes—I'll need to drive carefully when I head over." Gu Benhua looked a bit worried. "If there's any bumping around, I'm afraid the food might spill." "Look at the van." Just as Lin Meiyan finished speaking, a silver-gray van pulled up in front of Linji's entrance. The first person to step out was Secretary Shen, who jogged inside. "Youth Lin, Gu Mingzhi, the boss sent me over to help with the deliveries." That's right—the secretary of the boss of Jianghai Dicai had now been reduced to being Linji's van driver. Before Lin Meiyan could even say anything, Gu Benhua was already thrilled. He even forgot about the food. He ran out of the kitchen on his own initiative and circled around the van once. "So this is the van Jiang Hai was talking about." Secretary Shen nodded. "Load up the meals, and I'll teach you how to drive it along the way." There wasn't a man alive who didn't love cars, and Gu Benhua was no exception. He could be happy for ages over a three-wheeled cart, let alone a van like this—and with so many wheels. He looked as if he'd been stunned by a stroke of good fortune. "A nice car like this, for me to drive? That doesn't seem right?" That's what he said, but he showed no sign of hesitation. He sauntered over to the driver's seat, gripped the steering wheel, and beamed with delight. Even though Gu Benhua didn't know how to drive, the moment he held that steering wheel, he felt like he was commanding the world. Badass! Driving a car was badass! It wasn't until Ye Qiuju called him down to help that Gu Benhua reluctantly stepped away. "Secretary Shen, you said you'd teach me to drive. You can't go back on that." Secretary Shen said with a smile, "I won't go back on it!" He'd actually be glad if Gu Benhua learned to drive quickly. To be honest, for Secretary Shen, who was used to driving nice cars, driving this van was uncomfortable in every possible way. Gu Benhua was afraid he might change his mind, so the hundred meal boxes were packed up quickly and loaded into the van. Just as they finished loading, the sky, which had been fairly clear, suddenly dropped large raindrops. "Aiyo, why is it suddenly raining?" Gu Benhua let out a cry, and Lin Meiyan furrowed her brows slightly. "Uncle, bring two big black umbrellas with you. When you're selling the meals, use them to cover everyone." Gu Benhua turned back to grab the umbrellas. As the rain grew heavier and heavier, Ye Qiuju suddenly said, "Jiang Hai really had foresight." If they'd gone with their original plan and bought a three-wheeler, this heavy rain would have been a disaster. Lin Meiyan paused for a moment. She held up an umbrella and got into the van, then turned back to say, "The van really is convenient." More convenient than a three-wheeler, and of course, more expensive too. "Still, this rain will slowly knock those two rival shops out of the game." And it would be done fair and square—an open scheme. Who could blame Linji for being too strong? Speaking of which, Lin Meiyan suddenly remembered something. "Auntie, keep the wok going. Cook whatever dishes you have, and steam a big pot of rice. We might need to come back for more meals." Ye Qiuju was startled for a moment, then quickly caught on. "I'll get right on that." After giving her instructions, Lin Meiyan got into the van with the others. And just as Yu Jianghai had said, if you looked at the long term— A three-wheeler couldn't withstand extreme weather, but a van could. They sat inside the vehicle, watching the rain outside grow heavier and heavier, until finally it fell in solid sheets. It pounded against the windows with a crackling sound. Gu Benhua murmured, "If we'd ridden a three-wheeler over, these hundred meal boxes would be ruined." Lin Meiyan hummed in agreement. She gazed out the window and happened to spot Boss Jiang and Boss Xu, both on three-wheeled carts, struggling through the rain. Riding in the rain wasn't hard in itself—the worst of it was getting soaked—but the hard part was protecting the meals piled in the cart bed from being drenched by the rain. Boss Jiang and Boss Xu stood in the rain, watching the meals they'd prepared since last night get completely soaked. Both of them were silent. Almost instinctively, they tore off their clothes and draped them over the foam boxes, but it was useless. The rain was too heavy. Water seeped through the foam boxes, drop by drop, soaking everything inside. Gu Benhua walked over too. He murmured, "Good thing we listened to Yu Jianghai. Otherwise, what's happening to them would be happening to us." He couldn't bear to imagine what he'd do if he'd worked so hard preparing all those meals, only to watch them be destroyed. Lin Meiyan knew she shouldn't interfere, but watching them stare at their meals with tearful eyes, helplessly witnessing their hard work ruined in an instant— She closed her eyes. "Secretary Shen, pull the car over for a moment." Secretary Shen froze for a moment. When he saw the situation outside the car window, he instantly understood. He reminded her in a low voice, "Youth Lin, they're your competitors." Lin Meiyan lowered her eyes. "I know." When she opened her eyes again, she had already made her decision. "Deliver their food, but not their people." She thought back to how many times in the past she had been in their exact situation. Back then, she had no one to help her. Now the roles were reversed, and they too wanted someone to help them at this moment. Even if they were competitors. Three minutes later, Boss Jiang and Boss Xu, braving the wind and rain, loaded all the foam boxes filled with food into the back of the van. Boss Jiang said nothing. He bowed deeply to Lin Meiyan. "Boss Lin, thank you." He looked disheveled—his hair and clothes were completely soaked through, and he could barely keep his eyes open. But at least half of his food could be saved. The cost of that food would take him a long time to earn back. Lin Meiyan shook her head. "We're all in the same business." They say rivals are enemies, but that's not true. Real rivals might feel jealous when they see the other making money, but when they see the other suffering so badly, they instead feel a sense of shared empathy. Boss Jiang let out a soft sigh and watched helplessly as the van roared away. He stood there for a long time before saying to Boss Xu, "Old Xu, after today's business is done, I'm never doing business with Jianghai Dicai again." "If they want to eat at my place, they can come to me. If they don't want to, I won't deliver anymore." Compared to Linji, their disadvantages were too obvious. Boss Xu didn't say anything, but his expression also looked somewhat dejected. Clearly, he too was beginning to entertain thoughts of giving up. On the other side, by the time the van entered the Phase 2 construction site of Jianghai Dicai, the rain had become so heavy that people could barely open their eyes. Muddy water was flowing across the entrance. The open area where they usually set up their stalls was now covered in a shallow layer of water. On a normal day at noon, workers would come out and gather around the various food stalls to pick their lunches. Not today. The rain hammered against the tin roofs with a sound like someone banging gongs overhead, and not a single worker came out to buy food. Secretary Shen glanced outside, turned the steering wheel, and didn't stop at the gate. Instead, he drove straight in. Gu Benhua was startled. "Secretary Shen, can we go inside?" "We can." Secretary Shen rolled down the window and shouted to the security guard. The gate immediately opened, and the van drove straight in. Seeing Gu Benhua and Lin Meiyan looking at him, Secretary Shen explained, "The rain is too heavy today. There's no way to set up the stalls outside." Lin Meiyan sat in the back seat. Upon hearing this, she gave a soft "mm" and looked over. The van was driving along a temporary gravel road. On both sides were half-erected scaffolding, and in the distance, workers were braving the rain to cover materials with waterproof tarps. The wheels rolled through the mud, splashing water everywhere. Finally, Secretary Shen parked the van next to a row of temporary offices. There was a long eaves there, with a few wooden tables set up underneath. Though crude, they provided shelter from the rain. The moment Lin Meiyan saw it, she understood. This place was better than the site entrance—the food boxes wouldn't get rained on, and the workers wouldn't have to crowd in the rain while queuing. But this place wasn't something an ordinary stall vendor could just walk into. Secretary Shen got out first, opened a large black umbrella, and turned to shield Lin Meiyan from the rain. "Youth Lin, we'll put the food here today." Lin Meiyan felt a little embarrassed. "I can manage myself." "Youth Lin, don't be so polite." Secretary Shen smiled warmly. "The boss knew it was going to rain and specifically sent me here. Isn't this exactly what I'm here for?" Gu Benhua got out from the passenger side and happened to hear this. He couldn't help but glance at Lin Meiyan. That look carried a hint of meaning. Lin Meiyan pretended not to notice. She rolled up her sleeves. "Let's unload the food first." Secretary Shen immediately called over two workers from the entrance to help. "Be careful—don't spill the soup." Lin Meiyan stood by the van, personally watching the food boxes being carried down, while Gu Benhua hurriedly moved crate after crate onto the tables. As soon as the aroma of braised pork with potatoes wafted out, several workers taking shelter under the eaves immediately came over. "Linji's food is here?" "We still get food today?" "I thought with rain this heavy, we'd only be eating steamed buns for lunch." Gu Benhua perked up instantly. He laughed heartily. "How could there be no food? Linji delivers no matter what—even if knives fall from the sky, we'll still bring it to you." Lin Meiyan shot him a look. Gu Benhua quickly corrected himself. "Well, knives falling from the sky is a no-go. But rain? No problem." Several workers burst out laughing. Before the laughter had even died down, a figure in a yellow raincoat came running over from the distance. A mop of yellow hair poked out from under the raincoat hood, and he ran fast, splashing mud everywhere with every step. Who else could it be but Lu Jianxin? The moment he saw Lin Meiyan, his eyes lit up. "Sis!" The shout was crisp and loud. Gu Benhua nearly dropped the food box in his hands. He glared at him. "Who are you calling sis?" Lu Jianxin was soaked by the rain, water droplets clinging to his eyelashes. He wiped his face with one hand and grinned. "Sister Lin." Lin Meiyan felt a bit awkward too. "Call me Boss Lin." Lu Jianxin immediately nodded. "Got it, Boss Lin." After agreeing, he added in the same breath, "But 'Sister Lin' sounds friendlier." Gu Benhua shot him a glare, and Lu Jianxin immediately shut his mouth. He had already learned, through his brother's slaps, exactly who he could mess with and who he couldn't. Lin Meiyan couldn't be messed with. Yu Jianghai couldn't be messed with. And this chubby uncle beside Lin Meiyan—he couldn't mess with him either. Lu Jianxin rubbed his hands together. "Sis, I can help carry." "You know how to carry meal boxes?" "Sure do." Lu Jianxin said immediately. "Back when I worked construction, I carried everything. Even hauled cement bags." Gu Benhua snorted. "Meal boxes are a lot more delicate than cement bags." "I know, I know, I know." Lu Jianxin nodded repeatedly. "Food's for people to eat—can't shake it, can't spill it, can't let water get in." As he spoke, he actually bent down to lift a box, his movements far more practiced than Lin Meiyan had expected. After moving the boxes, Lu Jianxin ran back out under the eaves and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Time to eat!" "Linji's delivering food!" "Everyone line up!" "Anyone who pushes goes last!" After yelling, he turned back to ask Lin Meiyan, "Sis, is that good enough?" Lin Meiyan nodded. "Good enough." "But don't call me 'sis.'" Lu Jianxin got even more enthusiastic. "Got it, sis." Lin Meiyan: "..." She was about to say something, but Lu Jianxin was a slippery character—he'd already darted off to help shout at the crowd. "Line up!" "Don't push!" "It's raining today—anyone who pushes, I'll make them eat out in the rain!" Gu Benhua frowned. "Can't you say something nicer?" Lu Jianxin turned back. "Uncle Gu, then how should I say it?" Gu Benhua puffed out his belly. "Say this instead: everyone, take your time, there's plenty of food." Lu Jianxin went "Oh" and immediately shouted again, "Everyone, take your time, there's plenty of food!" After yelling, he added in the same breath, "Pushing won't help anyway." Gu Benhua: "..." Forget it. At least the guy could get the line organized. The rain was coming down harder now, and workers were running over from the various sheds. Some had hard hats on their heads, some had draped burlap sacks over their shoulders, and some had just charged over bare-chested, shaking the rain off themselves only once they reached the shelter of the eaves. Lin Meiyan laid out the meal boxes one by one. "No rush, get in line to pick yours up." Her voice wasn't loud, but standing there with a ladle in her hand, her features gentle, she somehow commanded respect—nobody dared to cause trouble. Lu Jianxin kept watch nearby. Anyone who tried to push forward, he'd immediately reach out to block them. "I'm talking to you—get to the back of the line." "Don't pretend you didn't hear." "Linji's food isn't going anywhere, so why are you running?" One worker laughed and cursed, not calling him "Boss Lu" but teasing him directly. "Yellow Hair, you've really become a food delivery boy now?" Lu Jianxin wasn't embarrassed at all. He puffed up his head of yellow hair and said with conviction, "So what? Is delivering food not important? You don't eat lunch?" The worker was left speechless, and everyone around burst out laughing. They laughed, but the line stayed perfectly orderly. Watching this, Gu Benhua couldn't help muttering, "This kid isn't completely useless after all." Lin Meiyan lowered her head to tally the count and gave a soft "Mm." She'd seen it too. Lu Jianxin's mouth was a bit too chatty and his nature a bit too slick. But he knew construction sites. He knew how to deal with workers and how to get a chaotic crowd under control. If used well, he might not be a bad asset. Of course, he'd still need to be watched. Linji's food sold fast. A hundred meal boxes, and in less than half an hour, most were gone. The braised pork and potato sauce soaked into the rice—hot and fragrant. The rainy day had brought a chill, and the workers, soaked from a morning in the rain, raised their voices a few notches louder than usual when they got their steaming hot meals. "This is good." "Having hot food today—that's really something." "Boss Lin, are you delivering again tomorrow?" Lin Meiyan smiled. "Yes." "Then bring more tomorrow—today wasn't enough." After a pause, someone else asked, "Can you bring some chili peppers and garlic?" In this kind of weather, you really needed something spicy to hit the spot. Lin Meiyan nodded, agreeing readily. "No problem." The worker shoveled rice into his mouth and couldn't help sighing, "Your food is really delicious." "I spend the whole morning working, just looking forward to lunchtime." "Same here." "That braised pork with potatoes I had yesterday—I was even dreaming about it last night." Gu Benhua was thoroughly pleased. He loved hearing that kind of talk. Lu Jianxin chimed in from the side, "Of course. With our Sister Lin cooking, how could it not be good?" Gu Benhua eyed him warily. "Our Sister Lin?" Lu Jianxin grinned sheepishly. "Just slipped out. Slipped out." Just as things were getting lively, the sound of tricycle bells came from the construction site entrance. Boss Jiang and Boss Xu had finally arrived. Both were soaked through, hair plastered to their faces, trouser cuffs covered in mud. Their tricycle stopped by the eaves. Before even getting off, they headed straight for the foam boxes behind the van. The few boxes of food that Lin Meiyan had helped bring in for them earlier were sitting right in the corner. Seeing that Lin Yu wasn't caught in the rain, Boss Jiang let out a sigh of relief. But when he opened the box, his expression still darkened. The meals had already been soaked by the rain on the way, and although they were rescued by the van for part of the journey, it was ultimately too late. The lunchboxes were damp on the outside, and the dishes inside had lost their warmth to the rain's chill. Boss Xu's situation was much the same. He took one look at the foam boxes and stood silent for a long while before muttering, "This rain is really damn inconsiderate." It couldn't have come earlier or later—it had to come right at this moment. When Boss Jiang heard this, he sighed and picked out the dishes that were still sellable, forcing a bitter smile. "Half price, then." Boss Xu chimed in as well. "Sell whatever we can." Their calls did draw a few workers over to buy. But most people had already eaten at Linji. As for the remaining dishes, some people figured they were cheap enough and planned to reheat them for dinner, while others shook their heads at the wet boxes and walked away. Boss Jiang didn't push it. He had lost any will to compete today anyway—if he could recover a little of his costs, that was good enough. After Linji sold off its last few portions, Boss Jiang walked over to Lin Meiyan. He was still dripping wet, looking thoroughly disheveled, though his face now carried a hint of gratitude. "Boss Lin, thank you for today." Lin Meiyan was packing up her things. She shook her head. "No need to thank me." "We're all in business out here—who doesn't run into difficulties now and then?" Those words stung Boss Jiang's heart. It was true that among the restaurants and stalls, they were always competing with each other. And it was also true that seeing others do good business made them feel uneasy. But it wasn't until a disaster like this rain hit that they realized no one had it easy. Boss Jiang was silent for a moment, then said, "The Jianghai Dicai construction site route—I won't fight for it anymore." Lin Meiyan looked up at him. Boss Jiang gazed out at the rain beyond the eaves, his expression tinged with bitterness but also a measure of acceptance. "Your Linji has the vehicles and the people." "If this rain had fallen on you, you still could have delivered on time." "If it falls on me, all I can do is watch the food get soaked." He spoke with bitterness, but also honesty. Having said this, he seemed to lighten up a bit, and he called out to the workers around him, "From now on, if workers want to come eat at my shop, you're all welcome." "Anyone who comes to eat at my place gets free mung bean water." "But as for the delivery route—I can't do it anymore." Boss Xu also walked over. "I'm not delivering anymore either." He spoke less than Boss Jiang, only letting out a sigh. "Can't do it, so I can't do it." "We just don't have the capability." Gu Benhua was a little stunned by this. These two had been competing fiercely with Linji before, and now they were voluntarily backing out. Lin Meiyan didn't seem surprised by this outcome. She paused for a moment, also looking somewhat relieved. "Well then, sell as much of today's food as you can. Once the rain lets up, I'll have Secretary Shen drive you both back to the entrance." Boss Jiang quickly waved his hand. "No need, no need. We've already troubled you enough." Lu Jianxin coughed from the side. "Having them drive you is fine too." Everyone looked at him. Lu Jianxin put on a serious expression. "It's raining this hard—if your three-wheeler flips into a ditch, Sister Lin will end up feeling sorry for you anyway." Gu Benhua couldn't help but laugh and curse at him. "You sure know how to talk." Lu Jianxin immediately seized the opportunity. "I learned from Boss Gu." "What did I teach you?" "Taught me how to say nice things." Gu Benhua: "..." This guy was a real smooth talker. Secretary Shen took in the situation, recording everything one by one. Linji had delivered on time in the rain, the food was intact, and the workers' feedback was positive. Of course, his and the boss's behind-the-scenes push had played no small part. And the fact that Boss Jiang and Boss Xu had voluntarily withdrawn from the fixed delivery route was also true. This rain had actually proven Linji's capability. Secretary Shen carried his notes into the temporary office to report to his boss. When he came in, Yu Jianghai was still in a meeting. Several project managers sat in the room, with engineering drawings and progress schedules spread across the table. The rain outside was so loud that everyone in the room had to raise their voices slightly. Yu Jianghai stood by the table, sleeves rolled up, pointing at a spot on the drawings. "Start the drainage here first." "The rain isn't stopping—materials can't be left piled in low-lying areas." "All scaffolding needs to be re-inspected this afternoon." "Any cement that got wet—inventory it separately. Don't mix it in." His voice wasn't loud, but it commanded the entire room. When Lin Meiyan passed by the doorway, she happened to hear these words. Her steps faltered slightly, as if a little surprised. This was probably the first time she had seen Yu Jianghai at work. She couldn't help but pause at the door and glance inside. At Linji, Yu Jianghai would carry Qiaoqiao downstairs, squeeze onto the same sofa as her, blow-dry her hair, and talk about trivial things. But here at the construction site, he was a different person. Calm. Decisive. Uncompromising. When Lin Meiyan looked, Yu Jianghai was standing sideways, his posture tall and straight as a pine, his expression cool and sharp, radiating an imposing presence. This was somewhat different from the Yu Jianghai she usually saw. Yu Jianghai seemed to sense something and looked up toward the door. Through the sound of the rain and the half-closed door, their eyes met for a moment. Lin Meiyan started, feeling like a student caught by a teacher. She instinctively took a step back. Yu Jianghai noticed, and a faint smile rose in his eyes. Lu Qingyuan was looking down at the blueprints, not paying attention, but Secretary Shen noticed. He quietly hugged the records to his chest, thinking to himself. Heh heh. How sweet. No one else knew—only he knew! The meeting continued for another ten minutes or so. By the time Yu Jianghai came out of the office, the lunch boxes outside had already sold out, and Boss Jiang and Boss Xu had nearly finished packing up. Lin Meiyan stood under the eaves, holding a separate insulated lunch box in her hand. Yu Jianghai walked up to her. "Not home yet?" "The rain's too heavy." Lin Meiyan handed him the lunch box. "Saved this for you." Yu Jianghai looked at the lunch box, his gaze unreadable. "Specially made for me?" Lin Meiyan countered, "What else?" "Leftovers from the sales?" The corner of Yu Jianghai's mouth twitched slightly. "I'll eat it anyway." Lin Meiyan couldn't help but glare at him. "This is freshly packed." "Braised pork with potatoes, stir-fried lotus root, and your favorite braised ribs." "You probably haven't eaten lunch yet." "Also, there are some washed apples and oranges in the box." Listening to her talk, the cold and stern expression on Yu Jianghai's face gradually softened. He took the lunch box, his fingers brushing against her fingertips. He didn't let go right away. Lin Meiyan glanced to the side. There were still people under the eaves—Lu Jianxin was craning his neck, looking this way. Gu Benhua was also pretending to organize his lunch box, but his ears were perked up higher than anyone else's. Lin Meiyan said in a low voice, "Let go." Only then did Yu Jianghai release his grip. He walked toward Lu Jianxin. Lu Jianxin immediately turned around. "Line up, line up. Don't crowd." But the line had already dispersed long ago. He was shouting at nothing, looking rather like someone trying to cover up something obvious. Gu Benhua let out a snort of laughter. Secretary Shen came out and handed the feedback to Lu Qingyuan. After reading it, Lu Qingyuan made the final decision on the spot. "Starting tomorrow, the Phase Two construction site's lunch will be supplied by Linji." Lin Meiyan looked up. Lu Qingyuan said very clearly, "Starting tomorrow, two hundred and twenty-three lunches." "Breakfast meal tickets remain the same." "For dinner overtime meals, report the number one day in advance." "Settle accounts once a week." "Trial period of one month. If there are no problems, we'll continue on a monthly basis." Two hundred and twenty-three portions. When that number landed, Gu Benhua drew in a sharp breath. "That many?" Lu Qingyuan smiled. "This is just the fixed workers present today. There will only be more people later." Gu Benhua was both happy and worried—happy because the business was big, worried also because the business was big. Lin Meiyan, however, remained steady. She took out her notebook and wrote down the numbers one by one. Two hundred and twenty-three portions. After she finished writing, she looked up. "Alright." Seeing her like this, Lu Qingyuan couldn't help but say, "Boss Lin, you agreed pretty quickly. Aren't you afraid you can't handle such a big operation?" Lin Meiyan smiled, then said very seriously, "I can handle it." Those words caught Lu Qingyuan off guard. Then he smiled too. He finally understood a bit why Yu Jianghai valued Lin Meiyan so much. Yu Jianghai held the lunch box in his hand. "Come inside and sit for a bit?" Lin Meiyan initially wanted to refuse, but the rain outside really was heavy. Over at Linji, Ye Qiuju and Hu Guifen were there. At this hour during lunch, with the heavy rain, there wouldn't be many customers anyway. She thought about it and nodded. "Just for a bit." The smile in Yu Jianghai's eyes deepened. He led her into the office. The temporary office wasn't very spacious. One desk, two chairs, and a long table covered with blueprints by the side. Outside the window, rain fell in streaks, beating against the glass, making the room feel especially quiet. Yu Jianghai sat at the desk eating. Lin Meiyan sat nearby, using her account book to calculate the rice and meat for tomorrow. Neither of them spoke, each busy with their own tasks, yet both could feel the warmth of the other's presence. Yu Jianghai opened the insulated lunch box, and steam rose up. The aroma of braised pork with potatoes quickly filled the room. He picked up a piece of potato—it was soft and tender, having absorbed all the meat juices. The sour-spicy lotus root was crisp, pairing perfectly with the meat to cut through the richness. Never mind Yu Jianghai—even Lu Qingyuan couldn't help but lean over. "Youth Lin, Old Yu's meal is different from ours." Lu Qingyuan was also eating, but he was eating from the big communal pot. As for Yu Jianghai's meal, aside from the potato braised pork which was the same, everything else was different. Lin Meiyan nodded. "His is made separately." At those words, Lu Qingyuan clicked his tongue twice. Yu Jianghai, meanwhile, lifted the corner of his mouth. He didn't eat fast, but he ate elegantly. Lu Qingyuan reached over to grab a rib. "I want ribs too." Yu Jianghai wouldn't give any. Lu Qingyuan failed to snatch any and was full of resentment. "Youth Lin, I want a separate meal tomorrow too. I want meat!!" What was the point of that tiny bit of meat in the potato braised pork? Lin Meiyan smiled but didn't agree. Instead, she looked at Yu Jianghai. "You'll have to ask our Jiang Hai about that." At those words, Yu Jianghai suddenly looked up at her. That gaze was so intense that even if Lin Meiyan wanted to ignore it, she couldn't. Lin Meiyan felt as if she'd been burned. "What do you think?" She asked again. Yu Jianghai nodded. "Fine, but I want one more dish than him." This was Yu Jianghai's stubbornness! Lu Qingyuan clicked his tongue again, and a knock came from the door. Secretary Shen pushed the door open, had just called out "Boss" when he saw Lin Meiyan sitting nearby, with Yu Jianghai still holding a lunchbox in his hand. He paused mid-step. "Am I... interrupting something?" Yu Jianghai said flatly, "Say what you came for." Secretary Shen immediately set the file down. "This is the confirmation sheet for tomorrow's meal count. It was just tallied." After setting the file down, he turned to leave, and Lin Meiyan couldn't help but laugh. "Secretary Shen, what are you running from?" Secretary Shen said with a straight face, "I'm going to move the car." With that, he slipped out quickly. Lin Meiyan's shoulders trembled slightly with a quiet laugh. Yu Jianghai looked at her. "That funny?" "Secretary Shen is quite amusing sometimes." Yu Jianghai didn't confirm or deny it. He lowered his head, finished the last bite of food, and closed the lunchbox. Lin Meiyan closed her ledger, thought for a moment, then said seriously, "The car really did help a lot today." Yu Jianghai looked at her. "If we hadn't had the van, those hundred meals would have been soaked in the rain." "Yu Jianghai, you see further than I do." She said this with genuine sincerity, but Yu Jianghai shook his head. "It's not that I see further." "It's that you're building a long-term business." "A long-term business can't rely on people carrying everything alone." Lin Meiyan was momentarily stunned. Yu Jianghai continued, "Before, you did everything yourself because you had no choice." "Now you have options, so you use tools." "Whether it's a car, people, or accounts—they're all there to save you effort." Lin Meiyan looked at him, dazed. She had always been used to doing everything herself, but his words felt like a gentle press on the taut string that had been wound tight in her heart all along. She gave a soft "Mm." "I understand." Yu Jianghai looked at her. "Really?" "Really." Lin Meiyan paused, then added, "Then I owe you one." Yu Jianghai's eyes shifted slightly. "How do you plan to repay it?" Lin Meiyan picked up her ledger, pretending not to understand. "On the books." Yu Jianghai let out a low laugh, rare for him to tease. "Miss Lin sure knows how to play dumb." Lin Meiyan couldn't handle him like this, so she stood up with a rustle. "I need to get back." Yu Jianghai didn't stop her. He just watched her walk toward the door, then suddenly said, "If the rain hasn't stopped by tonight, I'll drive you back." Lin Meiyan turned around. "Aren't you busy?" "Busy or not, I can still drive you." Yu Jianghai said. Lin Meiyan pressed her lips together but didn't refuse. She stepped out of the office, and the sound of the rain outside grew louder again. Lu Jianxin was under the eaves helping Gu Benhua organize the empty lunchboxes. When he saw her come out, he immediately called out, "Sister Lin." Then he slapped his own mouth. "Boss Lin." Lin Meiyan glanced at him. "Call me Boss Lin again and see what happens." Lu Jianxin grinned. "Got it, Sister Lin." He loaded the lunchboxes into the van, then asked, "Boss Lin, for tomorrow's two hundred and twenty-three meals, do you want me to set up the tables at the shed in advance?" Lin Meiyan looked a bit surprised. Lu Jianxin quickly added, "No charge." "I'm making up for my mistakes." Gu Benhua chimed in from the side. "You still remember that?" "Of course." Lu Jianxin sighed. "My brother said if I dare mess around again, he'll kick me from Phase Two all the way to the Line One construction site." Gu Benhua didn't understand what Line One was, but he could tell Lu Jianxin was scared. "Then keep up the good work." Lu Jianxin nodded eagerly. "Don't worry, Boss Gu." Gu Benhua felt a bit pleased being called that. This yellow-haired kid really had a sweet mouth. The rain continued off and on for several days, and Linji's van proved its worth completely. Secretary Shen had initially just helped deliver meals, but then Yu Jianghai arranged for him to teach Gu Benhua how to drive in his spare time. On the first day, Gu Benhua sat in the driver's seat, palms sweating with nerves. Secretary Shen sat in the passenger seat, still wearing a polite smile. "Brother Gu, press the clutch first." Gu Benhua nodded. "Got it." The car lurched forward violently, shooting out like it had been launched by a rocket. Secretary Shen's smile nearly slipped. He twitched slightly. "Brother Gu, that was the gas." Gu Benhua coughed. "Just testing." On the second attempt, the car stalled. On the third, it jerked forward twice. By the fourth attempt, Secretary Shen was gripping the door handle, his voice noticeably softer. "Brother Gu, let's take it slow. No rush." Gu Benhua insisted stubbornly, "I think I'm pretty talented." Secretary Shen paused. "Sure." "But your talent is a little terrifying." Gu Benhua didn't catch the sarcasm and was actually pleased. "You think so too?" Secretary Shen, "..." He felt like his salary this month should be increased. Otherwise, it wouldn't be worth risking his life like this. After a full week, Gu Benhua finally managed to drive the van decently. Slow, but steady—at least it didn't stall anymore. After he learned, he was a completely different person. When he drove the van past the entrance of Linji, his back was straighter than when he drove a three-wheeled cart. Uncle Wang asked him, "Old Gu, is this your family's car?" Gu Benhua immediately said, "It's Linji's car." "You know how to drive?" Gu Benhua nodded with restraint. "A little." That was what he said, but his expression made it clear he wished everyone in Simenkou knew that he, Gu Benhua, could now drive a van. Ye Qiuju stood at the door, saying coldly, "If you drive this car around this street a third time, you're sleeping in the car again tonight." Gu Benhua immediately stopped the car steadily and said with conviction, "This is how you practice your skills." "You're practicing your nerve." Gu Benhua: "..." When Lin Meiyan came out of the kitchen, Gu Benhua perked up again. "Yanyan, want your uncle to teach you how to drive?" Lin Meiyan was taken aback. "You can teach?" Gu Benhua patted his chest. "I drive it pretty steadily now." Ye Qiuju came out carrying a basin of washed greens and, upon hearing this, nearly laughed out loud. "You've only been driving for a few days yourself? You want to teach Yanyan?" "You're going to drive her into a ditch." Gu Benhua refused to concede. "How could that be?" "You can't even reverse properly." "You almost hit the flowerpot at the door when you were reversing yesterday." "Didn't I not hit it?" Ye Qiuju said, "That's because the flowerpot was lucky." Lin Meiyan couldn't help but laugh. Gu Benhua still wanted to fight for it. "Yanyan, don't listen to your aunt. Your uncle will teach you, guaranteed..." Before he could finish, he suddenly saw Yu Jianghai walk in from the door. Yu Jianghai only glanced at him, a very faint look, but Gu Benhua instantly turned pale. He immediately changed his tune. "Guaranteed, Jiang Hai teaches better." Ye Qiuju snorted. "Pathetic." Gu Benhua muttered quietly, "Isn't it about leaving professional matters to the professionals?" Lin Meiyan walked over to Yu Jianghai. "You'll teach me?" Yu Jianghai draped his jacket over the back of a chair. "Yes." Lin Meiyan's eyes flickered. She actually wanted to learn too. Before, she had never thought she would touch a steering wheel. Cars were too far removed from her life. But now it was different. Linji had a car now. If she could drive in the future, she wouldn't have to rely on others for so many things. Yu Jianghai seemed to read her thoughts. "The rain will let up a bit this afternoon. I'll take you to the open lot." Lin Meiyan nodded. "Okay." Around seven in the afternoon, the rain eased somewhat. Because of the rain, Linji had few dine-in customers. Ye Qiuju was watching the kitchen, and Hu Guifen and Liu Tongyan were also there. Lin Meiyan didn't need to worry about Linji's business, so Yu Jianghai took her to the empty lot behind the second phase of Jianghai Dicai, where construction hadn't started yet. Materials had been piled there before, but an area had been cleared out, and the ground was pressed fairly flat. Because of the rain, no one was around. Only the occasional sound of hammering drifted over from the construction site in the distance. Raindrops fell on the car windows, fine and dense. Lin Meiyan sat in the driver's seat, hands on the steering wheel, looking a bit nervous. "Yu Jianghai, are you really going to teach me to drive?" "Yes, driving is very simple." Yu Jianghai sat in the passenger seat, looked at her for a moment, and chuckled softly. "Yanyan, don't snap the steering wheel in half." Lin Meiyan looked down and realized her fingers had turned white from gripping so hard. She had only been sitting there, but her back was stiff as a board. She loosened her grip, then the next moment tightened it again. She murmured, "I'm afraid of hitting someone." "There's no one here." "What about hitting a car?" "If the car is damaged, it can be repaired." Lin Meiyan looked at him. Yu Jianghai added, "Just don't hurt yourself." Lin Meiyan's ears grew warm. "I'm talking to you about driving." "I'm also talking about driving." Yu Jianghai's expression was calm, but Lin Meiyan still felt his words weren't entirely proper. She simply stopped looking at him. Yu Jianghai sat in the passenger seat and quietly instructed her. "Press the clutch with your left foot." "Right foot on the brake." "Gently." "Shift gears." "Release slowly." Lin Meiyan did as he said. The car lurched forward, then stalled. She froze, feeling a bit embarrassed and flustered, her face heating up. She hadn't expected to be this clumsy. Even following Yu Jianghai's instructions, she still couldn't get it going. Yu Jianghai looked at her without laughing. "Try again." Lin Meiyan bit her lip and tried again. It stalled again. On the third try, the car finally inched forward a little. Her eyes lit up instantly. "It moved." Yu Jianghai hummed in acknowledgment. "You're driving." Lin Meiyan couldn't help the corners of her mouth turning up. The smile was faint but impossible to hide. The car moved forward about ten meters, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, sitting ramrod straight, and she said in a fluster, "Yu Jianghai, Yu Jianghai, now what? What do I do?" "Press the brake." Lin Meiyan pressed too hard, and the car jolted to a stop. Her whole body lurched forward, and Yu Jianghai reached out to block her. Lin Meiyan turned around, her face full of lingering shock. "Was I too abrupt?" "Yes." Yu Jianghai said it directly. Lin Meiyan pressed her lips together. Yu Jianghai added, "But everyone drives like this the first time." He leaned over, his hand covering hers on the steering wheel. "You don't need to grip the steering wheel so tightly." "The car listens to you. You don't listen to the car." Lin Meiyan was stunned. Somehow, those words settled in her heart, as if a light had suddenly broken through. The car listens to her. Not her listening to the car. She had rarely felt this way before, but now she sat in the driver's seat, her hands gripping the steering wheel. Yu Jianghai sat beside her and said, "The car listens to you." Lin Meiyan's hand slowly loosened its grip, and she said in a low voice, "One more try." "Okay." This time, she started off more steadily than before. The car moved slowly forward, rain sliding down the windows, the open ground outside washed shiny and wet. Lin Meiyan drove very slowly—her speed barely reached ten-some kilometers per hour. She felt like a bicycle could outpace her. Yu Jianghai didn't rush her either. He only reached over gently to guide the wheel when she overcorrected. The space inside the car was small. When he leaned in, his presence pressed down on her again. Lin Meiyan had been focused on the car at first, but then she started to get distracted. "Don't lean so close." "If I don't lean close, how am I supposed to teach you?" "Just tell me." "Would you actually listen if I just told you?" Lin Meiyan glared at him. Yu Jianghai looked back at her, amusement in his eyes. Because of that glare, her foot slipped off the clutch too quickly, and the car stalled again. Lin Meiyan: "..." Yu Jianghai finally let out a low chuckle. Lin Meiyan snapped, annoyed, "What are you laughing at?" "At how fierce you look." "I'm not fierce." "You were just now." "That's because you provoked me." Yu Jianghai didn't argue. "Mm, I provoked you." He admitted it too quickly, and Lin Meiyan didn't know how to respond. The rain grew heavier, pounding against the roof with a crackling sound. The open ground outside was completely empty now, and the distant construction site was blurred by the curtain of rain. Lin Meiyan restarted the car. This time she drove a full circle—wobbly and crooked, but she made it back to where she started. When she stopped the car, there was a barely concealed joy in her eyes. "I did it." Yu Jianghai looked at her. "You can start now." "That still counts as doing it." Lin Meiyan refused to back down. Yu Jianghai nodded. "Mm, you did it." He didn't undermine her this time. Lin Meiyan turned her head to look at him, her voice tinged with a hint of dejection. "Yu Jianghai, do you think I'm stupid?" "No." "Really?" "Really." Yu Jianghai looked at her. "You learn fast." Lin Meiyan felt a little awkward at his words. She looked down to unbuckle her seatbelt. "So, that's it for today?" Yu Jianghai didn't answer. The car fell quiet, only the sound of rain remaining. Lin Meiyan's hand had just touched the buckle when he grabbed it. She froze. Yu Jianghai's hand was warm—completely different from the cold rain outside. Lin Meiyan looked up. "What is it?" Yu Jianghai looked at her. They were very close now. The windows were blurred by the rain, and a thin layer of fog slowly formed on the glass. She couldn't see anything outside, and no one outside could see in. Lin Meiyan suddenly realized something—there was no Linji here, no Gu Benhua, no Ye Qiuju, and no Qiaoqiao. It was just the two of them. Her heart beat a little faster, but she still pretended to be calm. "Yu Jianghai, aren't you supposed to be teaching me to drive?" Yu Jianghai reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His fingertip brushed against the side of her ear. Lin Meiyan gave a slight shiver. Yu Jianghai's voice dropped lower. "I don't feel like teaching anymore." Lin Meiyan's ears flushed hot. "Don't get any ideas." "This is a construction site." "No one's around." "That's still not allowed." Yu Jianghai looked at her without moving. He just held her hand, his thumb gently stroking the back of it. The touch made Lin Meiyan's heart tingle. She tried to pull her hand back but couldn't. She lowered her voice. "Yu Jianghai." "Mm?" "I want to go home." "You just drove a lap." "So what?" Yu Jianghai didn't say anything. He just slowly leaned in. Lin Meiyan's back pressed against the seat. The car wasn't cramped, but she felt like there was nowhere to hide. The rain grew denser, and the fog on the windows grew heavier. She couldn't see outside, and outside couldn't see in. When Yu Jianghai's lips came down, Lin Meiyan instinctively grabbed at his shirt. His kiss wasn't rushed, but it was deep—as if he were pressing down all the restraint and patience from earlier, bit by bit. Lin Meiyan pushed at him at first, but as the kiss went on, her fingers ended up clutching his collar instead. Yu Jianghai pulled her with both hands, and Lin Meiyan was drawn over to the passenger side. She was sitting sideways on his lap. The moment she sat down, she felt something. She let out a startled gasp and tried to get up. "Yu Jianghai!" "Shh!" Yu Jianghai raised a hand to shush her, pressing her firmly down on his lap. Their eyes met. The only sounds were the rain and their breathing. Yu Jianghai's hands cupped the back of her head, and he tilted his face up to kiss her again—dense and entwining. Lin Meiyan's eyes turned red at the corners from the kiss. She tried to turn her head away. "You did that on purpose." Yu Jianghai pressed his lips against hers and murmured, "Mm." "On purpose to teach me to drive?" "Teaching you to drive was real." "And now?" Yu Jianghai looked at her, his eyes dark and intense. His hands settled on her waist, gently swaying her back and forth. His voice was hoarse. "Teaching you to drive—"