Chapter 1376 - 540: Crossing a Thousand Miles Just to Spend the New Year with My Daughter! Zeng Xiaoqi’s New Year’s Eve, So Heartbreaking!

Chapter 1376: Chapter 540: Crossing a Thousand Miles Just to Spend the New Year with My Daughter! Zeng Xiaoqi’s New Year’s Eve, So Heartbreaking!

When Song Tiantian was here, this kind of thing didn’t need any concern, she could handle it herself.

But with Song Tiantian gone, it was up to Xu Xinhua and the people in the braised food department.

Fortunately, they also wanted to have the New Year’s Eve dinner on the first floor, and since the invitation already stated no excessive drinking allowed, there’s no need to worry too much.

Dou Wenjing said:

"Try not to drink liquor, and nobody is allowed to pressure anyone into drinking. The whole point of this is to let those away from home gather warmly for a meal, not to indulge in drinking culture."

Shu Yun nodded:

"I understand... By the way, aren’t you going home? Don’t your parents nag you?"

Dou Wenjing chuckled dryly:

"I said I need to be on duty, couldn’t leave. How about you? What did you say?"

"I’m working as usual. Once Tiantian is back, I’ll go home. I heard no one manages the firecrackers back home. I plan to buy a bunch of firecrackers for fun..."

Upon hearing Shu Yun’s words, Dou Wenjing rolled her eyes helplessly:

"Is this all you’ve aimed for?"

While talking, she noticed a taxi gradually stopping at the store entrance, and laughed:

"Oh, someone came by taxi to dine, huh? I heard the taxis aren’t using meters much today, the base price is super high. The subway is so empty, much easier to..."

She wanted to say ’much more convenient by subway’ but couldn’t finish because she was suddenly stunned.

Because stepping out from the car were none other than her own parents.

The elderly couple, having never been to a big city, exhibited a nervous gaze after getting off the car, using not so fluent Mandarin to repeatedly confirm the destination with the driver, before retrieving piles of luggage from the trunk.

Shu Yun, initially with her head down checking the information for reserved tables, glanced outside after hearing Dou Wenjing’s words. Seeing the piles of luggage, she paused curiously:

"Out-of-town guests?"

It took Dou Wenjing a little while to react, her voice trembling:

"Those are my parents... They’ve come to spend New Year with me..."

Before finishing her sentence, she rushed outside, with tears unknowingly welling up in her eyes.

Pushing the door to the outside, the couple was still confirming with their phones if this Lin Ji’s Food was the place where their daughter worked.

If the taxi driver had deceived them, they might miss the New Year’s Eve dinner with their daughter.

As Dou Wenjing rushed out, her parents were just discussing whether to go in and inquire, they paused and rubbed their eyes disbelievingly:

"Jingjing, is it really Jingjing?"

Dou Wenjing dashed over:

"Dad, Mom, what brought you here?"

She was filled with regret; she wished she had returned home during the holidays, whether it meant enduring marriage talk or arranged introductions; still, nothing beats the trouble her parents face coming to Beijing.

Her parents never traveled far before.

It makes one wonder how they managed to navigate all the way to Beijing.

From the village to the town, from the town to the county, from the county to the city, then taking a long-distance bus to a neighboring city where they could catch a high-speed train or train to Beijing...

Not to mention those unaccustomed to travel, even frequent travelers faced challenges during this busiest time of the travel season, making the trip to Beijing seem like a pilgrimage.

Dou Wenjing’s mother said:

"With you not returning home, your dad and I realized celebrating alone wouldn’t be meaningful, so we decided to visit you in Beijing. Little Lin mentioned you became a big manager, leading hundreds. My daughter, you’ve really achieved something..."

Dou Wenjing’s eyes were filled with tears, feeling quite guilty.

She said:

"Did you face difficulties on the way?"

Her father smiled sincerely:

"No, not at all. We met really kind people throughout the journey. Once they heard we were visiting our daughter in Beijing, young folks offered seats and helped with luggage. When we got the wrong train tickets, they even helped switch them over..."

After saying this, the weathered old man opened a luggage bag, taking out various treats:

"Here’s sticky rice cake, yellow millet sticky cake, and date cake — your favorites..."

Tears flowed once more for Dou Wenjing.

The constant changing of vehicles was exhausting, yet her parents carried along her favorite hometown treats.

"General Manager Dou, shouldn’t you be happy since your parents are here? Why the tears? It’s so cold outside, let’s get inside..."

Shu Yun pushed the door open and saw Dou Wenjing’s tear-streaked face, quickly grabbed the luggage and invited her parents inside to rest.

Tonight’s forecast mentioned snow, though not present yet, the sky was darkening and the northwest wind chilled increasingly, getting inside was best.

Finally, Dou Wenjing came to her senses, grabbing her parents’ hands briskly:

"Dad, Mom, let’s go in. Tonight the store has a New Year’s Eve dinner ready for us to enjoy together, and you can try our restaurant’s culinary delights."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Dou’s face lit up with a smile:

"Those chickens and all you sent back home, we enjoyed them fully. The taste was fantastic — never had such delicious braised flavors."

Entering the store, the couple observed everything around while Xiao Dong served them a pot of premium Biluochun Tea and a variety of snacks, saying warmly:

"Welcome, uncle and aunt, have some warm tea first. The New Year’s Eve dinner will start shortly. If you’re hungry, have some snacks, they’re our signature items."

"Thank you..."

"No need to say thank you. We juniors are meant to serve you tea and water, that’s how it should be. General Manager Dou treats us so well regularly, meeting you feels like meeting our own parents."