Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Do You Really Love Him Mother Ding followed Father Ding's gaze and looked over, still somewhat confused. "What's wrong?" Father Ding turned his head sharply to look at her, his tone carrying a hint of warning. "Don't go offending Lin Meiyan anymore, and keep Haohao from bullying Lin Qiaoqiao." "President Yu might be our only chance." Mother Ding didn't understand why Yu Jianghai would be their only chance, but seeing Father Ding's expression, she held herself back somewhat. Up ahead. The three-legged race had reached its most intense moment. This competition wasn't just about getting your own family to finish first—you could also form alliances to attack other family groups mid-race. To knock the other teams out. At this moment, Lin Meiyan's little family had become the target of attack for the other families. Xiaomin's father exchanged glances with the other fathers, and they all swarmed toward Yu Jianghai's group. "President Yu, in business, in our careers, we can't beat you." "But in this competition, we can't afford to lose to you either." Among all of them, Yu Jianghai was the strongest, so everyone had reached a consensus—eliminate the strongest first. Yu Jianghai had already sensed their intentions. He immediately said to Lin Meiyan, "Yanyan, get ready to move faster." He and Lin Meiyan had Qiaoqiao sandwiched between them. He accelerated directly from the front, but Xiaomin's father and the others were no pushovers either, nearly forming a three-pronged encirclement. Seeing that they were about to surround Yu Jianghai's group in the middle, Qiaoqiao cried out, "Daddy, they're coming!" Yu Jianghai instructed without even turning his head, "Hold on tight to my leg." Qiaoqiao let out an "oh" and gripped Yu Jianghai's leg tightly with both hands. The next second, before Qiaoqiao could even react, Yu Jianghai charged forward at an exceptionally fast speed. He swung his arms directly, carrying a hint of fierceness. The next moment, Xiaomin's father, who was still playing roadblock, instinctively crouched down to dodge those fierce arms. And that was exactly what Yu Jianghai was waiting for. Without any hesitation, he used his other free leg to land on the ground. "Go." He only said one word, but Lin Meiyan understood instantly. At that moment, the two achieved astonishing tacit understanding—perfect synchronization. At the same time, in the same direction, they lifted their feet and sprinted forward. "They're moving forward! Chen Xiaoman's dad, hurry up and block them from your direction!" The one who said this was Xiaomin's father. The moment he crouched down and watched Yu Jianghai charge past, he knew he'd been tricked. Chen Xiaoman's father reacted quickly. The moment Yu Jianghai burst out, he almost reflexively stuck his leg out, trying to trip up Yu Jianghai and Lin Meiyan. As long as one person fell, they would lose this round. Yu Jianghai immediately spotted the leg Chen Xiaoman's father had extended. He paused briefly, then without any hesitation, said, "Jump." The instant the word "jump" left his mouth, Lin Meiyan shared an astonishing tacit understanding—perfect synchronization with Yu Jianghai. She grabbed Qiaoqiao's hand and, without even looking down at her, directly said, "Jump." The next moment, the family of three leaped over Chen Xiaoman's father's big foot, rising into the air almost simultaneously, soaring together. The surroundings instantly fell silent. Xiaomin even forgot she was still in the middle of the race. Her little mouth formed an "O" shape. "Qiaoqiao flew up!" "Qiaoqiao's daddy flew up too!" "And Qiaoqiao's mommy flew up as well!" Xiaomin's mother saw it too, and she was somewhat shocked. "Are President Yu's waist and legs really that strong?" She clearly saw him spring up first, using tremendous force to pull Lin Meiyan and Qiaoqiao along with him. She didn't know what she was thinking of, but she suddenly turned back to look at her own husband's barrel waist and big belly, and said sourly, "Lin Meiyan really eats well." Xiaomin's father didn't say anything, but at that moment, he too felt some admiration. "They're going to win." His attention had been completely diverted. Sure enough, the next second, just as those words left his mouth, Yu Jianghai and Lin Meiyan, with Qiaoqiao in tow, had already cleared the half-leg that Chen Xiaoman's father had extended. Less than three meters from the finish line. Under everyone's gaze, they charged across in one smooth motion. Yu Jianghai snatched the big red flower from the table and stuffed it into Qiaoqiao's hands. Qiaoqiao was stunned for a moment, then the next second, she raised the big red flower high, as proud as a peacock, and announced loudly to everyone around, "I won!" "I got first place!" "My mommy and daddy got first place too!" At that moment, she stood at the front of the stage, brilliant sunlight overhead, her smile radiant as the morning sun. Everyone's gaze couldn't help but fix on her. At least at this moment, Qiaoqiao no longer carried any of the self-consciousness, gloom, shyness, over-maturity, or grievance. All that remained was dazzling radiance. Even Lin Meiyan couldn't help but look over, her eyes growing warm. "Qiaoqiao." Her Qiaoqiao had finally become bright and cheerful again. Yu Jianghai looked at her, only saying softly, "Yanyan, we just need to let her win once." "We just need to let her win once." "Once she's stood up high and seen the view, she naturally won't let herself stay down low." And for Qiaoqiao, wasn't this win exactly that? After a moment of silence, the scene erupted into extremely enthusiastic applause. "Lin Qiaoqiao, you're the best!" The one who said this was Xiao Min's Mother. She had truly watched Qiaoqiao transform from that insecure, gloomy, wronged and well-behaved little girl into someone so radiant she shone brilliantly. Where there was one, there was a second. "Lin Qiaoqiao, you're the best!" The synchronized voices made Qiaoqiao's face instantly flush red, but even more than that, it was the pride of being the center of attention. She instinctively turned back to look at Lin Meiyan and Yu Jianghai. "Mommy! Daddy!" Lin Meiyan and Yu Jianghai both looked at her with beaming smiles, their gazes gentle to the extreme, doting to the extreme. At least at this moment, whether for Lin Meiyan or Yu Jianghai, Qiaoqiao was their whole world, the center of focus. They were proud of Qiaoqiao. Qiaoqiao felt it—felt the love from both her parents at the same time. She couldn't help but curve her big eyes into crescents. "I really like you both." Really, really like you. That feeling of being surrounded by love—Qiaoqiao had never experienced it before, but she felt it now. It was Teacher Li who stepped forward. "Alright, in this three-legged race, first place goes to student Lin Qiaoqiao!" Qiaoqiao stood on the platform, individually awarded a certificate by Teacher Li. She held the certificate with both hands, unfolded it, and smiled warmly at the crowd below. Lin Meiyan and Yu Jianghai exchanged a glance, and Yu Jianghai immediately reacted, pulling a point-and-shoot camera out of his bag. He snapped away at Qiaoqiao on stage. In this day and age, point-and-shoot cameras were still a rare commodity. The moment Yu Jianghai took it out and started shooting, Xiao Min's Father sidled over hesitantly. "President Yu, could I use your camera to take a few photos of my daughter too?" A point-and-shoot camera wasn't cheap—it really wasn't something an ordinary family could afford. Yu Jianghai gave an "mm" and said, "I'll take some when I get the chance." Of course, most of his shots still chased after Qiaoqiao. By the time the sports meet ended, he had taken nearly a hundred photos of her. And every single photo had its own character. There were even quite a few that included Lin Meiyan—her standing and watching Qiaoqiao with a smile, her crouching down to fix Qiaoqiao's hair. Her and Qiaoqiao pressing cheeks together in a kiss. The interactions between mother and daughter were almost entirely captured by Yu Jianghai. As for Ding's Father and Ding's Mother, watching Lin Meiyan and the others being feted, Ding's Father said nothing, while Ding's Mother burned with jealousy. She guarded her son, slumped to the side, ignored by everyone. "Before, they all used to fawn over me," Ding's Mother murmured. That was the truth. Before, they had all fawned over her. She had been the center of attention among all the parents at the kindergarten, and her Haohao had been the center of attention among the students. Now, the roles had been swapped. They were ignored, while Lin Meiyan and Lin Qiaoqiao were in high demand. How had it changed so fast? Ding's Father warned her, "Don't you dare cause any more trouble." "If you do, our family will be completely ruined beyond recovery." Of course, if she hadn't offended Lin Meiyan, leading to Yu Jianghai's retaliation against their family, he might still be living the good life now. Ding's Mother found his words grating. She wanted to argue back, but Ding's Father had already seen it by the end of the sports meet. Yu Jianghai and Lin Meiyan were packing up their things, getting ready to leave. Ding's Father almost didn't hesitate—he grabbed the tree trunk beside him and stood up. Ding's Mother yanked him back, lowering her voice to ask, "What are you doing?!" Ding's Father turned back to look at her, and Ding's Mother instinctively let go. She hadn't seen that expression on her husband's face in a long time—like he was burning his bridges. Ding's Father didn't bother with her anymore. He strode toward Yu Jianghai, walking a bit quickly, then forced himself to stop short when he got close. He squeezed out a smile on his face. "President Yu." Yu Jianghai was just putting his camera back into his bag. Qiaoqiao, clutching her certificate, stood beside Lin Meiyan, still looking down at the words on it. She read it once, then again, unable to suppress the smile tugging at her lips. Hearing Ding's Father's voice, Lin Meiyan looked up. The smile on Ding's Father's face stiffened a few degrees more, tinged with a hint of affability and ingratiation. "Boss Lin is here too." Lin Meiyan gave an "mm," neither warm nor cold. Ding's Father felt even more unsettled. He hadn't taken Lin Meiyan seriously before. A woman who ran a restaurant at Simenkou—pretty, sure, but no matter how pretty, she was just a restaurant owner. So he had indulged his wife in strutting around outside. Or rather, in bullying Lin Meiyan and Lin Qiaoqiao. But who could have imagined that now, standing behind Lin Meiyan was Yu Jianghai? And not just standing there—they were husband and wife. Lin Meiyan was the woman by the side of the boss of Jianghai Dicai. At this thought, Father Ding broke out in a cold sweat again. He lowered his voice and said, "President Yu, could we speak in private?" Yu Jianghai looked up at him. The gaze wasn't heavy, but it pressed down on Father Ding's chest, making it tight. "If you have something to say, say it here." Father Ding froze, instinctively glancing at Lin Meiyan. Yu Jianghai said calmly, "She's not an outsider." Those words landed, and the smile on Father Ding's face completely fell apart. Several parents who had been about to disperse slowed their steps. Xiao Min's Mother had been holding Xiao Min's hand, about to leave, but when she heard the commotion, her toes immediately curved in another direction. Xiao Min's Father pulled at her, looking confused. "What are you doing?" Xiao Min's Mother lowered her voice, crouching down to tie her shoelaces. "My shoelaces came loose." Xiao Min's Father glanced down. She was wearing slip-on cloth shoes. Where were there shoelaces? He was about to call her out when Xiao Min's Mother shot him a glare. "Shut up. Watch the show." Xiao Min's Father, "..." Father Ding also noticed people stopping around him. His face burned, but at this point, he couldn't afford to care about pride. What was pride worth? If something really happened to his family, that would be the true disaster from which there was no return. "President Yu, I know that Haohao's mother has said unpleasant things before and offended Boss Lin." Father Ding gritted his teeth, speaking humbly. "The kids have also had their disagreements." Mother Ding heard this from behind, and her face changed instantly. She wanted to rush forward, but Father Ding's backward glare pinned her in place, the message clear: If you dare come over, we're getting a divorce!! Mother Ding didn't dare move another inch. Father Ding turned back and continued apologizing. "This matter, it's our family's fault." When he finished, he actually bowed his head slightly toward Lin Meiyan. "Boss Lin, I apologize to you as well." "I hope you'll be magnanimous and forgive our family this once." Yu Jianghai shielded Lin Meiyan behind him. His face showed no expression. Unhurriedly, he fastened the camera, his finger pressing on the metal clasp with a click. Father Ding's heart gave a click as well. "And then?" Yu Jianghai asked calmly. Father Ding's throat was dry, but he still spoke. "Then... about Director Zhou's matter, could President Yu please let it go?" Several parents nearby changed expressions at the words "Director Zhou." Some of them worked at factories in the area. There had been rumors at the factory these past few days—someone was being audited, taking kickbacks and perks, and even using the factory's housing allocation slots as favors. They hadn't expected it to be connected to the Ding family. Father Ding knew that once he said this, the fig leaf would be torn away, but he had no choice. "President Yu, I'm not someone who doesn't know the rules." "The money that should be returned, we'll return." "The mistakes that should be admitted, we'll admit." "It's just that if this gets blown up, my whole family is finished." He looked at Lin Meiyan, lowering his voice even further. "Boss Lin, you're a parent too. Please, for the sake of the children..." He was trying to play the sympathy card. "Comrade Ding." Lin Meiyan gently cut him off. Her voice wasn't loud, but it made the rest of Father Ding's words catch in his throat. Lin Meiyan took Qiaoqiao's hand. "You're begging the wrong person." Father Ding was stunned. Lin Meiyan looked at him, speaking slowly and deliberately. "I didn't take the factory's money. I didn't accept your family's favors. Begging me won't help." Father Ding's face turned ugly. "Boss Lin, that's not what I meant." "Then what did you mean?" Lin Meiyan asked calmly. The calmer she was, the more uncomfortable Father Ding felt. Of course that wasn't what he meant. He wanted Lin Meiyan to soften, because he could tell that Yu Jianghai had a hard heart—begging him wouldn't work. But Lin Meiyan was different. She seemed gentle and soft, and she had a child with her—she'd be the easiest to sway with talk of children. If she would just speak up, maybe Yu Jianghai would loosen his grip. That's why he was focusing his efforts on Lin Meiyan. But before he could finish, Yu Jianghai interrupted. He handed his bag to Lin Meiyan and said calmly, "Yanyan, take Qiaoqiao to the car first." Lin Meiyan looked at him. Yu Jianghai squeezed her hand. "Won't be long." Lin Meiyan nodded. She didn't ask questions, leading Qiaoqiao toward the car. Qiaoqiao couldn't help looking back, but Yu Jianghai glanced at her, and Qiaoqiao immediately whipped her little head around, clutching her award certificate and hurrying to catch up with Lin Meiyan. Father Ding watched Lin Meiyan leave and finally let out a breath. But before he could fully exhale, Yu Jianghai had already turned around. "Comrade Ding." His tone was flat. "Don't say that sentence again." Father Ding was taken aback. "What?" "You're a parent too." Yu Jianghai repeated the words. His voice wasn't loud—it was even calm—but Father Ding felt a chill run down the back of his neck. "You used her child to pressure her. Is it because you think she's a woman with a soft heart, or because you think that since she's spent years raising a child on her own, she should just understand you?" Father Ding's face went pale. The surroundings fell silent. Xiao Min's Mother had been on her tiptoes listening to the drama, but now she couldn't help lowering her heels flat to the ground, her ears perking up even more. Ding's father opened his mouth, "President Yu, I didn't..." "Whether you did or not, you know it yourself." Yu Jianghai cut him off, lifting his eyes to look at Ding's mother not far away. Ding's mother shuddered under his gaze. "All the things your family said about Yanyan before—I can't be bothered to tally them one by one." "Not because they can't be counted." "But because Yanyan doesn't want to waste her time on you." Ding's mother's face turned pale, then flushed. She wanted to retort but didn't dare. Yu Jianghai looked back at Ding's father, "How Director Zhou investigates is the factory's business." "Whatever you took, return it all." "Whatever punishment you deserve, you'll receive it." "There's no point begging me." Ding's father grew anxious and suddenly shouted, "President Yu!" Yu Jianghai's expression remained unchanged, "I won't take your money, and I won't put in a good word for you." Ding's father's mind went blank. He gritted his teeth, half-pleading, half-threatening, "President Yu, leave a little room for others." Hearing this, Yu Jianghai actually smiled slightly—a faint smile with no warmth to it. "When you made things difficult for my wife and daughter back then, did you leave any room for them?" Ding's father's face went completely pale. His Adam's apple moved, and after a long moment he said, "President Yu, we truly know we were wrong." But in this world, knowing you were wrong doesn't mean everything can be undone. At least not now. Yu Jianghai said nothing. He turned and walked toward the car. After two steps, he stopped. Ding's father immediately looked up with a glimmer of desperate hope. Yu Jianghai said casually, "Your son is still young." A flicker of hope rose in Ding's father's eyes, but the next second, Yu Jianghai said calmly, "A child is young—he can still be taught." "But if the adults still don't know better, then it's no longer a matter of teaching." The last trace of color drained from Ding's father's face. Yu Jianghai didn't pause again. Lin Meiyan sat in the car, watching him walk back through the window. She didn't ask what Ding's father had said. After Yu Jianghai got in the car, he didn't start driving right away either. Qiaoqiao hugged her certificate and asked softly, "Daddy, were you scolding that uncle?" Yu Jianghai nodded. Qiaoqiao thought for a moment, then tilted her head to look at Lin Meiyan, "Then has Mommy forgiven him?" Lin Meiyan hadn't expected to be asked. She looked down at her. Qiaoqiao's eyes were bright, holding her certificate, looking like she was waiting for an answer. This was Qiaoqiao at four and a half years old—still at the stage of life where an apology meant you had to forgive. Lin Meiyan stroked her head and gave her her first lesson, "Not every apology has to be forgiven." Qiaoqiao let out an "oh." After a moment, she said seriously, "Then if someone bullies me in the future, I don't have to forgive them either?" Before Lin Meiyan could speak, Yu Jianghai had already answered, "That's right." He said it too quickly. Lin Meiyan glanced at him. Yu Jianghai looked straight ahead and started the engine, "But you can't go around bullying others first." Qiaoqiao nodded immediately, "I'd never bully anyone." She thought for a moment, then added, "I just want to beat them." Lin Meiyan burst out laughing. Yu Jianghai curved his lips too. The car drove out from the kindergarten entrance. In the rearview mirror, Ding's father and mother were still standing where they were. But this time, Lin Meiyan didn't look back. Because she realized that the people who once bullied her, the people she once had no choice but to endure—now they were nothing more than this. When they got home, Linji was busy with the lunch rush, with quite a few customers inside. Gu Kaihua heard the car and poked his head out from the doorway, stealing a moment from work, "Back, are you back?" He'd only stayed at the sports meet for an hour before coming back early to run the business. Ye Qiuju had done the same, so neither of them knew how the rest of the event had gone. "Grand-uncle, I got first place!" Qiaoqiao jumped out of the car, holding her certificate high. "Aiyo!" Gu Kaihua nearly dropped the duck neck he was holding. He hurried over in a few steps, not even bothering to put down his chopsticks, "Quick, let Grand-uncle see." Qiaoqiao handed over the certificate. Gu Kaihua took it, his eyes nearly pressed against the paper, "First place." "Really first place!" "Qiuju, Qiuju, come out quick!" Ye Qiuju was busy in the kitchen, her hands covered in water. Hearing his shout, she thought something had happened. She wiped her hands and came out, sweating all over, "What are you yelling about?" Gu Kaihua held the certificate up in front of her, "Look!" Ye Qiuju looked down, and the disdain on her face vanished instantly, "Our Qiaoqiao got first place?" Qiaoqiao's little face flushed red, "Mm!" "Impressive." Ye Qiuju bent down and touched her face, "Better than your grand-uncle." Gu Kaihua protested, "How did this turn into a dig at me?" "Did you ever get first place when you were in school?" Gu Kaihua simply changed the subject, "We've got to frame it, absolutely frame it." Qiaoqiao's eyes lit up, "Where do we put it?" Gu Kaihua looked around, then raised his hand and pointed at the wall behind the counter, "Right there." Ye Qiuju glanced at it and hesitated, "Isn't that too high?" "Not high at all," Gu Kaihua said. "It has to be high—the higher the better, so everyone who walks in can see it." "Uncle, there's no need to make such a big deal." Lin Meiyan said, half amused and half exasperated. "How is it unnecessary?" Gu Kaihua immediately retorted. "This is the first place that our Qiaoqiao earned with her own ability." After he finished speaking, he turned to his ally again. "Jiang Hai, don't you think so?" Yu Jianghai nodded. "Yes." Gu Kaihua looked satisfied. "See? Even Jiang Hai agrees." Ye Qiuju couldn't be bothered with him and turned to rummage through the drawer at the counter for paste. Gu Kaihua stepped onto the stool, and Ye Qiuju steadied it. "Be careful. Don't fall and break your leg—then Qiaoqiao will take first place while you take a broken leg." Gu Kaihua said, "It's a happy occasion. Can't you say something nice?" "If you don't fall, that's the nicest thing you could say." Gu Kaihua: "..." Qiaoqiao stood below, tilting her little face up to watch as Gu Kaihua spread paste on the back of the certificate and carefully stuck it to the wall. Once the certificate was up, it was dazzling—the whole of Linji seemed to brighten with it. Gu Kaihua stepped down from the stool and even backed up two paces, admiring it. "Straight." "Perfectly straight." The others said nothing, but their expressions were exactly the same. Yu Jianghai stood at the door, gazing at the certificate on the wall, his expression softening as well. What award hadn't he seen before? But this thin piece of paper was different from all the others. This wasn't a project. Nor a contract. This was the first certificate his daughter had brought home. And it had been earned together by the three of them, under his and Yanyan's watch, as a family. Of course, the meaning was different! By December, the weather in Jiangcheng had turned thoroughly cold. Even in the morning, there was a chill in the air. Linji's mung bean soup, which had sold all summer, had become hot soy milk, and business wasn't as good as it had been in summer. Because winter was too cold, fewer people were willing to get up early to eat. The breakfast business gradually declined. Ye Qiuju and Gu Kaihua had prepared plenty of alkaline noodles and tofu skin, but by four in the afternoon, a good amount was still left over. Gu Kaihua sighed. "What are we going to do?" Lin Meiyan looked at the leftover alkaline noodles—about ten or so catties—and thought for a moment. "If these noodles sit too long, they won't work for Reganmian anymore." Such noodles would go soft and wouldn't taste good. "Let's make them into fried noodles." At that, Gu Kaihua and Ye Qiuju both froze. "Fried noodles?" Lin Meiyan hummed in acknowledgment. "Get a catty of mung bean sprouts and slice a few onions. Also, I'll need some eggs." Ye Qiuju did as she said and quickly sliced a plate of onions and brought in plenty of mung bean sprouts. "What do we do with the fried noodles once they're made?" The weather was cold now, and many people didn't want to go out, which had dragged business down considerably. Lin Meiyan said, "For one, we can bring these fried noodles to Jianghai Dicai. For another, we can pack them up and sell them around No. 2 Middle School." "I remember Xiao Yue is a student at No. 2 Middle School, right?" Ye Qiuju nodded. "Yes, she's a student there." "A few days ago, she came back saying the food at No. 2 Middle School was terrible." Lin Meiyan hummed. "Then let's give it a try." After the oil in the wok was heated, she first added some of the onions, letting them infuse the hot oil with fragrance before putting in the prepared eggs. The eggs hit the hot oil like a catalyst—their aroma was quickly fried out and spread everywhere. Even Uncle Wang, who had been wandering around, couldn't help coming over to ask, "What delicious thing are you all making at Linji today?" "Egg and mung bean sprout fried noodles." Uncle Wang was the first to arrive. After Lin Meiyan finished frying, she didn't stand on ceremony and ladled out a plate for him. "An old customer should try our new item at Linji." This fried noodle idea had actually come from Qiaoqiao. Uncle Wang looked down. The alkaline noodles had been fried to a golden color, each strand glistening with oil, mixed with bits of egg, long mung bean sprouts, and even garnished with tender green vegetables. Uncle Wang had already eaten lunch, but looking at the fried noodles now, he couldn't help swallowing. "A new item?" "How much is it?" He wasn't one to take advantage, so he asked, "I'll try it and skip dinner tonight." Lin Meiyan smiled and brought it over. "Uncle Wang, you're a regular. Just consider it helping us taste-test the new item. When you get home, spread the word for us." There would be many more times when the alkaline noodles from the morning's Reganmian weren't used up, and she needed to find a use for the leftovers in advance. Clearly, fried noodles were a good fit. Uncle Wang felt a little embarrassed. "Then I'll have to taste it properly." The first bite brought the chewy bite of the alkaline noodles, oil-soaked and coating his mouth, followed by the tenderness of the egg, the crisp freshness of the bean sprouts, and the fragrance of the onion. Together, it was rich and savory. Uncle Wang's eyes lit up. "You know what? These fried noodles are even better than Reganmian." Reganmian's deliciousness relied entirely on the sesame paste, but fried noodles were different—they had the fragrance of egg, the freshness of onion, and the crispness of mung bean sprouts. "This is way too good." He took two more bites in a row. Lin Meiyan smiled. "If you like it, help us spread the word." "Egg fried noodles, eight mao a portion, and it'll fill you up." This was truly practical, and Uncle Wang nodded repeatedly. "You're selling this tonight?" Lin Meiyan nodded. She looked outside Linji—it was almost five in the afternoon, but because of the howling cold wind and the overcast sky, there had been very few customers so far. "I do plan to sell this." Lin Meiyan sighed softly. "But judging by the look of this coming heavy snow, I feel like there won't be many customers tonight." That was how running a shop worked—when the weather was good, business was good; when the weather was bad, business suffered along with it. It was purely a matter of relying on the heavens for a living. Uncle Wang finished a plate of fried noodles in a few big mouthfuls. "When it's cold out, us old folks don't want to come out. We'd rather just boil a bowl of plain noodles at home—eating something hot warms you right up." They'd rather make a simple bowl of noodles at home than trek ten-plus minutes through the cold to Linji, finally warm up after eating, only to freeze all over again on the walk back. At the end of the day, both extreme heat and extreme cold meant fewer diners. Lin Meiyan hummed in acknowledgment. "So we'll keep a portion of this noodles, and sell the rest outside." Simenkou was only so big a place. When few people came out to stroll the streets, naturally few came to eat—except on weekends, of course. Uncle Wang nodded with deep sympathy. "This business isn't easy." "Someone really ought to let those folks who keep saying you're making a fortune come take a look." Lin Meiyan smiled. After Uncle Wang left, she packed this batch of fried noodles separately. Putting them in foam boxes wouldn't keep them warm enough. In the end, she chose an insulated bucket. "Put it here, and place a few large hot water bags beside it." Ye Qiuju did as instructed, while Gu Kaihua went to move the supplies—one portion was to be delivered to the Jianghai Dicai construction site, and the other was planned for the Second Middle School. Gu Kaihua said, "If it weren't for the fixed meal deliveries to Jianghai Dicai, our Linji would be eating the northwest wind." Actually, it wasn't just Linji eating the northwest wind—the other shops at Simenkou were the same. Everyone's business was bad, because no one on the whole Simenkou street was coming out to shop, let alone to eat. Lin Meiyan paused. "We'll take it step by step." "After delivering this portion to Jianghai Dicai, we'll head to the Second Middle School gate." She touched the insulated bucket, hesitating slightly. "And put a coal stove on top of it." "Huh?" Gu Kaihua was baffled. "You're putting a coal stove in the car? Won't my van blow up?" Even though the van wasn't his, Gu Kaihua still felt a pang of heartache over it. Lin Meiyan sighed. "Uncle, is it possible I meant an unlit coal stove?" Gu Kaihua: "..." "Oh, oh. That's more like it." Sometimes Gu Kaihua's intelligence was truly worrying. Ye Qiuju was beyond exasperation. She went over to help carry the coal stove over and placed a few honeycomb briquettes inside. "Just in case." Lin Meiyan hummed. "Aunt, I'll leave the shop to you. If a customer orders a big dish, just follow what I taught you before." Though it might not be a perfect replica, Ye Qiuju had mostly learned the cooking skills by now. Ye Qiuju hummed. "Leave the shop to me." Lin Meiyan went with Gu Kaihua, first making a trip to Jianghai Dicai. It was the same three standard dishes, but today the staple food had an extra option of fried noodles alongside the rice. The moment they arrived, Lu Jianxin came over to help. Lin Meiyan happened to have something to do, so she handed the whole affair over to him. "You're in charge of serving them their meals." Lu Jianxin naturally had no objections. "Sis, are you going to keep President Yu company?" Lin Meiyan: "..." Lin Meiyan smiled. "I have things to do." "That's perfect, then." Lu Jianxin grinned mysteriously. "Our President Yu happens to not be at the site today either." "I was just thinking, Sis—if you went looking for President Yu and couldn't find him, wouldn't you be disappointed?" There were times Lin Meiyan really disliked Lu Jianxin's mouth, but she couldn't deny that he managed the construction site well. She waved her hand, in a hurry to leave. Lu Jianxin handed the food to his subordinates to serve, then darted over like a monkey. "Sis, aren't you curious where President Yu went today?" "Why isn't he at the site?" Lin Meiyan sighed softly. "Lu Jianxin." She called him by his full name, and Lu Jianxin immediately snapped to attention to show he was listening. "Yu Jianghai and I are both independent individuals. He doesn't need to report his whereabouts to me, and likewise, I don't need to report mine to him." Lu Jianxin looked a bit disappointed. He felt that Lin Meiyan's attitude didn't seem at all like that of President Yu's wife. "But what if I told you President Yu went to a nightclub?" He lowered his voice a few notches. "I overheard it yesterday—apparently President Yu is entertaining important guests at a nightclub today." Like a spy, he reported the situation to Lin Meiyan. "They left around three in the afternoon. Seeing as it's this late and they haven't come back, they're definitely at the nightclub tonight." Lin Meiyan paused, then looked up, her almond-shaped eyes as clear as autumn water. "That's his job." "And I have my own job to do." As for catching him in the act—that wasn't necessary. She wasn't jealous, she wasn't angry, she didn't question him, and she didn't even show the slightest curiosity. "A nightclub! A nightclub!" Lu Jianxin stared at Lin Meiyan as if he'd seen a ghost. "Sis, do you even know what kind of place a nightclub is?" It was a place even more chaotic than a disco hall. Lin Meiyan lowered her gaze, her long lashes shading her eyelids, making her expression hard to read. "I know." Her voice was soft. "You know, and you're still like this?!" Lu Jianxin couldn't finish what he wanted to say. "Sis, sometimes I wonder if you're really President Yu's wife." "Do you even truly love him?!" Author's Note: There will be an extra chapter tonight. I've recovered now, so starting today, I'll be adding more.