CH 4

The next day, they started their business. They stored the delivered pork and cabbage in a small room, and Bai Xianzhi sat in the front waiting. As noon approached, not a single person had entered Three Thousand Food House. Bai Xianzhi sighed lightly, realizing that his uncle’s restaurant business might not be good, but he didn’t expect it to be this bad. Did they really not have any regular customers?

Thinking about the young man with rabbit ears who came in and placed his order skillfully on the first day, Bai Xianzhi couldn’t help but rub his forehead. If all the regular customers were like him, then it would be better to have fewer of them.

After waiting for a while, Liu Qingshan, who had promised to visit, walked in with slippers, and his eyes brightened when he saw Bai Xianzhi sitting in the front. He quickly asked, “Brother, do you still have the stir-fried pork with noodles from yesterday?”

Bai Xianzhi stood up immediately and smiled, “Yes, Liu Ge, do you want a large portion or a small one?”

Being called “brother” was not the first time, but this time Liu Qingshan felt a bit awkward for some reason. He chuckled and said, “Hey, why are you calling me brother? I’m only twenty-four years old. Just call me Qingshan.”

Liu Qingshan was indeed twenty-four years old, the same age as Bai Xianzhi, so it was not appropriate to call him “brother.” Bai Xianzhi went along with it and said, “Alright, Qingshan, just call me by my name.”

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Liu Qingshan couldn’t wait any longer. He quickly steered the conversation back on track and asked, “Xianzhi, how big is the large portion, and how much is the small one?”

Bai Xianzhi explained, “The large portion is three liang of noodles, and the small portion is two liang.”

Liu Qingshan pondered for a moment and said, “Give me two large portions.”

Bai Xianzhi nodded and turned to the kitchen to prepare the noodles. Liu Qingshan sat down in the front and took out his phone, intending to play a game while waiting. However, halfway through the game, a spicy and fragrant smell wafted out from the kitchen.

Liu Qingshan paused his actions, his nose

twitching continuously. Memories of yesterday’s delicious food seemed to flood his mouth, and his saliva started to flow uncontrollably. The game in his hands suddenly lost its appeal.

His teammates on the screen frantically called out to Liu Qingshan:

“Damn it, Liu Qingshan, why are you just standing there? There’s an enemy! Get down quickly!”

“Liu Qingshan, did your mom hit you? Move already!”

“Are you staring at a beautiful girl or something?”

Finally regaining his senses, Liu Qingshan looked at the messages from his teammates on the screen, feeling dumbfounded. Was this still the same Liu Qingshan who wouldn’t be dragged away from playing games, even by his girlfriend? Could it be that he had been possessed by someone else?

Ignoring his teammates’ speculations, Liu Qingshan turned off his phone and eagerly followed the aroma to the kitchen door. The tantalizing smell grew stronger, and he quickly closed his mouth, fearing that his saliva would start to flow uncontrollably.

After a few more minutes of waiting, during which Liu Qingshan had lost count of how many times he had swallowed his saliva, the stir-fried pork with noodles was finally ready. He hurriedly said, “Xianzhi, pack it for me. I won’t eat here.”

Bai Xianzhi hesitated for a moment since they didn’t have takeout boxes in the restaurant yet. He put the noodles in two porcelain bowls and covered them with plastic wrap, handing them to Liu Qingshan. “We don’t have takeout boxes yet, so you can bring them back whenever you have time.”

Liu Qingshan took the two bowls, his eyes practically glued to them. He nodded absentmindedly and said, “Okay, okay.”

Watching Liu Qingshan leave Three Thousand House, Bai Xianzhi found himself idle once again.

As Liu Qingshan entered his house while carrying the bowls, he immediately encountered his mother coming out of the kitchen, also carrying a bowl of cold noodles. When Liu’s mother saw him, she exclaimed, “Liu Qingshan, you went out so early in the morning? I’ve been calling you for ages! What’s in your hands?”

Under his mother’s stern gaze, Liu Qingshan trembled reflexively. Hearing his mother’s question, he quickly put down the hot noodles he was holding.

After waiting a few more minutes, Liu Qingshan had lost count of how many times he had swallowed his saliva. On the table, Liu Qingshan touched his ear and flattered, “Mom, didn’t I have a delicious bowl of noodles yesterday? I brought you a bowl this morning. Come and taste it. It’s really delicious!”

Liu’s mother glanced from afar at the tightly wrapped bowl covered with plastic wrap, still emitting heat. She furrowed her brow and said, “What are you eating again? All you know is eating! You don’t go out to work, you don’t have a girlfriend. Look at your belly, it’s almost catching up with your father’s. All you think about is eating all day long!”

Liu Qingshan retorted helplessly, “Mom, it really is delicious. Just give it a try.”

Liu’s mother snorted, “Only a brat like you would enjoy eating these strange things. What kind of noodles? Vegetables are vegetables, noodles are noodles. Mixing them together is just odd, how can it be delicious? Besides, can’t you see the weather today? The temperature is reaching thirty-nine degrees. You want me to eat something hot and make me suffer? Are you trying to inherit my house by killing me with heat?”

Liu Qingshan sighed, “Alright then, if you don’t want to eat, I’ll eat it.”

As he reached out to take the bowl, Liu’s mother slapped his hand away and stared at him, saying, “No eating! Your mother works hard at home, taking care of you and your father like a cow, and what do you do? You eat outside and then criticize the food your mother makes?”

He placed the cold noodles heavily on the table, and Liu’s mother said, “You can only eat the cold noodles I made for lunch today!”

Liu Qingshan: 〒▽〒

Under the formidable presence of his mother, Liu Qingshan obediently sat at the table, feeling like a little wife. He looked at the two bowls of noodles he brought back and reluctantly picked up his chopsticks to eat the cold noodles.

To be honest, his mother’s cold noodles were not bad, but they couldn’t compare to the stir-fried pork with noodles made by Bai Xianzhi! There were clearly more delicious stir-fried pork with noodles available, but he could only eat the less tasty cold noodles. Liu Qingshan felt that he was even more miserable than eating bitter herbs.

Seeing her son start to eat the cold noodles she made, Liu’s mother’s temper finally subsided. Her gaze shifted to the two bowls of noodles on the table, covered in a layer of mist on the plastic wrap, making it difficult to see clearly. She reached out and lifted a piece of plastic wrap, saying, “I want to see what kind of noodles are so good–“

As the plastic wrap was lifted, a strong and appetizing aroma filled Liu’s mother’s nostrils. Her attention was immediately captivated by it. Large pieces of meat, tender green peppers, and red chili peppers were scattered among the white noodles, which had become enticing in the embrace of the meat sauce. The noodles seemed fresh and smelled good, but…

“The food outside is too oily and salty. If you eat too much of that kind of food, it’ll mess up your health! It’s only when you don’t have high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol that you can enjoy it!” Liu’s mother declared.

In the midst of the fragrant aroma of the noodles, Liu Qingshan’s mouth was watering. He gulped and looked longingly at the bowl of noodles. “Mom, I’m not afraid. I’m still young. Let me eat this bowl of noodles!”

“Eat your cold noodles!” Liu’s mother scolded him, picking up a few strands of the noodles with her chopsticks and putting them in her mouth…

“Cough, cough,” Liu’s mother cleared her throat. “This dish is too oily. I’ll pour it out in the kitchen.”

After speaking, Liu’s mother immediately went to the kitchen with the noodles. Liu Qingshan, who had been stared at, didn’t dare to speak and watched his mother’s figure, sensing her eagerness.

At this moment, Liu’s father came back. As soon as he entered the house, he sniffed the air and looked at Liu Qingshan. “What is your mom doing? It smells so good!”

Liu Qingshan’s face was full of grievances, but he didn’t say anything. Liu’s father didn’t mind and went straight to the source of the strongest aroma—the kitchen.

“Wife, where are you? It smells so good!” Liu’s father’s deep voice was as loud as ever. Liu’s mother hurriedly covered his mouth but was a step too late. Liu Qingshan, who heard the voice, stood at the entrance of the kitchen, staring at her in disbelief. “Mom—”

Liu’s mother quickly swallowed what was in her mouth and tried to calm down. “What’s the matter? What’s the matter? These noodles were originally brought back for your mom to eat. What’s wrong with me eating them?”

Liu Qingshan’s eyes welled up with tears. “Then, Mom, can you save some for me?”

Liu’s mother glanced at him and said, “Isn’t there another bowl outside?”

“Mmm, it’s delicious! These noodles are so good! Honey, your cooking has improved a lot!” Liu Qingshan’s father exclaimed.

Liu Qingshan and Liu’s mother locked eyes, their expressions changing. They quickly rushed out of the kitchen. Liu Qingshan let out a desperate cry, “Dad, that’s my noodles!”

Bai Xianzhi was completely unaware of what was happening in the Liu family. He sat in Three Thousand Food House, fanning himself. The temperature was high today, and the air was humid. Even sitting still, he felt sweaty all over. Bai Xianzhi strongly felt that Three Thousand Food House needed an air conditioner. If it continued to be so hot, no customers would be willing to come in.

At that moment, a dark thunderbolt split through the gloomy sky, and large raindrops fell, creating countless puddles with the sound of pattering. The summer downpour arrived unexpectedly, giving no time for preparation. Within a few minutes, the ground was covered in water.

Bai Xianzhi sighed. There was no need to wait anymore. Who would come out to eat in such heavy rain? Just as he thought that, someone entered the door—a girl wearing professional attire, completely drenched by the rain.

Her hair and clothes were soaked, so Bai Xianzhi quickly handed her a brand-new towel and said, “Miss, please dry yourself first.”

The girl took the towel, whispered her thanks, and sat on a bench near the entrance, drying her hair. Bai Xianzhi couldn’t see her expression and shifted his gaze to the pouring rain outside.

The rain curtain engulfed the world, and the sound of raindrops hitting the ground drowned out everything else. The sound echoed in his ears like thunder.

“Oooh—”

What was that sound?

“Wuwuwu—”

Bai Xianzhi looked helplessly towards the door. The drenched girl, who had stopped drying her hair at some point, was sitting there, crying.

This…

Bai Xianzhi stood up, poured hot water from the kitchen, added some brown sugar to it, and walked over to the girl in the dining area. He placed the cup in front of her and said, “Have some brown sugar water.”

The girl took the cup and continued to sob for a while. Once her emotions calmed down, she stopped crying, wiped her tears, and looked at Bai Xianzhi apologetically. “I’m sorry. Is this a restaurant? Can I order something to eat?”

Bai Xianzhi nodded. “Of course, but our menu isn’t ready yet. Is there anything specific you would like to eat?”

The girl thought for a moment and shook her head. “No, I don’t have much of an appetite right now.”

Bai Xianzhi suggested, “If you can’t eat, don’t force yourself. You don’t necessarily have to order anything here. You can just sit and wait for the rain to stop.”

The girl felt a bit embarrassed but insisted, “No, I’ll still have something to eat here. Besides, I haven’t finished my meal yet. Just give me something easy to make.”

Bai Xianzhi sighed, “Alright then. We happen to have some pickled cabbage in the kitchen. I’ll make you a serving of pork with pickled cabbage over rice.”

The girl hesitated a bit. Honestly, she didn’t have much of an appetite. At this moment, she thought that if they could serve her something spicy like hot pot, she might be able to eat it. But pork with pickled cabbage sounded strange and didn’t seem spicy at all. Would she be able to eat it later?

However, the owner of this place had been kind to her, offering her a towel and water. He seemed like a good person. After thinking for a moment, she nodded and said, “Okay.”

1TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you ”