Chapter 22

Chapter 22 – Only ordering the most expensive dishes (1)

This translation made by Moonlight Teatime.

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Gu Jianshe raised his head and was immediately stunned. He did not hide his surprise.

This woman who dressed like an old woman was Chu Qiao? The one He Jihong praised as a fairy?

It was almost like a ghost, and could scare people to death in broad daylight.

Gu Jianshe’s face quickly recovered. His superficial skills had always been very good. Even if he was dissatisfied, he would not show it.

“Hello, I’m Gu Jianshe.”

Gu Jianshe stood up, smiled at Chu Qiao, and put the newspaper Shanghai Daily on the table. The secret sign for this arranged meeting was that both parties should hold a sheet of today’s newspaper Shanghai Daily, in order to avoid misidentification.

Chu Qiao sat down and grinned at him. The exposed white teeth made Gu Jianshe feel eerie. Originally, he felt that the fan in the restaurant was not cool enough, but now he felt that the wind was too cold.

This Chu Qiao looked too ugly, no wonder she still couldn’t get married even after she was 21.

“What kind of tea would you like to drink? I ordered Longjing. I’ve already drank a pot, and I’ve been to the toilet twice.”

Gu Jianshe also sat down and politely indicated that he had waited for a long time, wanting to see how this woman would explain why she came late.

Chu Qiao just pretended not to hear it, she took the list of items on the table. She only looked at the most expensive items, waved to the waitress, and the waitress immediately came.

“A pot of Dahongpao1, umm… and also some snacks. Mr. Gu Jianshe, what snacks would you like to eat?”

1Dahongpao : an expensive type of oolong tea.

Chu Qiao looked at Gu Jianshe who was on the opposite side, and grinned. That smile made Gu Jianshe’s scared, and worsen her image. This is the first time they met, and she already ordered Dahongpao and refreshments. This woman was too uneducated.

But the man’s dignity made him unable to say no, he could only smile reluctantly. “I’ve just eaten breakfast, and I’m not hungry, so I won’t eat snacks.”

The implication was to remind Chu Qiao that it was only less than nine o’clock now, and they had just eaten breakfast. What kind of snacks did she want to have?

“I haven’t had much breakfast. I’m hungry.”

Chu Qiao showed her teeth again and smiled at the waitress: “I will have a Bazhen cake, a Lunjiao cake, a Rose Crisp Candy, and then a spiced dried tofu. Let’s do these first. I’ll order it again if it’s not enough.”

-Bazhen Cake

-Lunjiao Cake

=Rose Crisp Candy

-Spiced Dried Tofu

“Please just wait for a moment.”

There was a huge smile on the waitress’ face, as she liked a generous and straightforward customer.

The smile on Gu Jianshe’s face faded. Every time Chu Qiao ordered something, he silently calculated the price, and his heart sank little by little.

Although he was now a deputy secretary, his salary was still acceptable. Including the bonus and full attendance, his monthly salary was about 200 yuan. But he had to pay his parents 80 yuan a month for living expenses. His two sons lived with his parents, and they all needed money for food, drink and other daily necessities.

For the remaining 120, he would save 50 yuan a month, and only spent 70 yuan himself, including for social events, clothes and shoes.

He didn’t bring much money, and he did not plan to spend too much money on today’s blind date. The budget was 10 yuan. A pot of the cheapest Longjing was 2 yuan, another 2 yuan for another serving of edamame and peanuts. It didn’t even need to use 10 yuan.

This Chu Qiao was good, once she opened her mouth it was the most expensive Dahongpao, that cost 12 yuan a pot, and the other snacks were not cheap either. How could this woman say that there was not enough to order?

Where did her face come from?

“This much food, can you eat it all?” Gu Jianshe gritted his teeth and squeezed out a smile, hoping that the woman could understand what he meant.

“Not much, it’s only a few yuan.”

Chu Qiao glanced at him, and her mood became much better. Then she asked, “Did I order too much? Do you have enough money?”

Gu Jianshe squeezed the wallet in his trousers pocket. There was only 50 yuan in it. Today was only the middle of the month. At the end of the month, there were colleagues in the factory getting married, and there was a child in the neighborhood who would celebrate one month of age. Everything needs money.