Chapter 43: Untitled

Chapter 43

Ding Sha was startled and looked over to the side. It was a young and refined looking handsome man.

When the man saw that he had startled her, he smiled apologetically, "Sorry for scaring you."

"It's nothing," Ding Sha shook her head. Remembering what he had just said, she asked, "Do you know Mr. Hu?"

"I probably do," the man smiled faintly without much emotion. Looking up at the sign of the shop, he said, "It's a restaurant, huh..."

"Would you like to come in and sit down?" Seeing his unhappy expression, Ding Sha offered.

"Sure," the man readily agreed and followed Ding Sha inside. First he saw Gong Sister-in-law holding Little Ping An, and his expression softened, "What a cute little baby."

"Yes, he's my son," Ding Sha said with a smile, greeting Little Ping An, who immediately smiled back with two little dimples.

"So adorable," the man said a little enviously.

"Would you like something to eat?" Ding Sha handed him a menu.

The man flipped through it and then closed it again. "What did Hu Zhilin and Sun Yuzhu eat just now?"

Ding Sha hesitated for a moment. "Would you like to order the same thing?"

The man shook his head. "Just wanted a reference."

Ding Sha told him what they had ordered. The man laughed softly after listening, "I won't order those. I don't like sweet stuff. I like spicy food."

The man then ordered a dish called Hairy Blood Cubes.

"Just this. I don't eat much, ordering more would be wasteful," he said.

Zhuang Auntie took the order slip to the kitchen. Ding Sha thought for a moment, then poured a cup of red date cow milk drink and brought it to him. "How's this?"

The man ah-ed. "Pretty good...I guess."

Ding Sha pushed the milk to him. "Would you like to chat? You look very upset."

The man touched his own face. "Is it that obvious?"

"A little. Or maybe it's because I've had a baby now so I'm more sensitive," Ding Sha smiled.

"I... My name is Lin Jiayu," the man said slowly. "I know Hu Zhilin and Sun Yuzhu."

That was all he said before falling silent.

He went on to grab some beef tripe. Crispy and bouncy, not the least bit old. "The heat is just right."

Then he picked up some duck blood. Unexpectedly there were two kinds here, one being the common kind often seen in the market. It was cooked thoroughly and very spicy and savory.

The other was less common, more often seen in Sichuan hot pot places, irregularly shaped cold fresh duck blood. Extremely tender and aromatic, it would shred under the gentlest poke of chopsticks, with an exceptionally fresh, smooth texture.

Even the bean sprouts were not mushy but wonderfully flavored while keeping a crisp, tender bite.

Lin Jiayu's chopsticks did not stop.

His mouth turned red from the food. The Hairy Blood Cubes disappeared quickly while the prepared rice was barely touched.

"You...can really take spicy food..." Ding Sha did not expect him to handle such spicy food so well. Her family used specially purchased Sichuan peppers to make such Sichuan cuisine. At those spice levels ordinary people would start sweating after a few bites and look for water.

Yet the refined looking Lin Jiayu seemed to be eating steadily without pause. Ding Sha was quite impressed.

Lin Jiayu wiped his mouth. "It's really good, I think I'll come again."

He looked completely recovered, not a trace left of the gloomy, depressed heartache and distress from earlier.

Ding Sha felt a little happy. "That's good if you like it, you're welcome back anytime."

Lin Jiayu started on the little cake.

"The cake is delicious too," he finished that as well.

"Hopefully next time I come, if you're selling cakes, can I preorder a blueberry one?" Lin Jiayu asked. "I really like blueberries."

"Of course." Ding Sha gave him a business card. "You can call me in advance."

Ding Sha couldn't help wanting to give him some special treatment, because he looked like a delicate precious little master, refined as beautiful jade.

How could anyone bear to hurt him?

Ding Sha still couldn't figure it out even after Lin Jiayu had walked far away.

Xiao Jun came out and asked, "What is it? Who was that?"

He was very jealous. Why was Ding Sha treating that man so differently...

Ding Sha looked at him. For some reason she suddenly felt a little unhappy and glared at him. "What's it to you?"

Xiao Jun: "......"

What's up with me...??