Chapter 469 - 224: I Think Your Mom Will Have to Come Over Sooner or Later

Chapter 469: Chapter 224: I Think Your Mom Will Have to Come Over Sooner or Later

"You have no idea," Lin Zhiqiang said, walking beside Meng Anhe. "When that girl got back, she didn’t even say hi or wait for me. She went straight to Zhou Yan’s restaurant to eat. Made some friends, too—a whole table of kids. I ended up paying their bill..."

"Alright, just tell me how much you want me to reimburse you," Meng Anhe interrupted.

"Ten yuan and twenty cents."

Meng Anhe took a red wallet from her purse, pulled out two Great Unity notes, and handed them over. "You’re paying for dinner tonight, too."

"You got it, dear. Whatever you say." Lin Zhiqiang took the money gleefully and also took Meng Anhe’s purse to carry.

"Cousin Yaoyao is finally here! Mom, does this mean we can eat out every day from now on?" Lin Jingxing asked, his face full of anticipation.

"Really?" Lin Bingwen’s eyes lit up. "I love Cousin Yaoyao! I want to be part of her family!"

"Oh, please. Eat out every day? Your dad’s salary isn’t enough to feed you." Meng Anhe rolled her eyes at them, then said with a smile, "We’re eating out today to welcome Yaoyao. Tomorrow morning, we’re having congee at home. I brought the jars, and I’ll have Zhou Yan fill them up with some pickled radishes for you."

"Pickled radishes are good! I love pickled radishes," Lin Jingxing nodded.

"I want noodles! The noodles Brother Zhou Yan makes are super delicious!" Lin Bingwen shook his head and ran up to take Meng Anhe’s hand. "Mom, Dad went to eat noodles by himself and didn’t take us."

"Nonsense. That didn’t happen," Lin Zhiqiang said sternly.

Lin Bingwen said, "You were talking in your sleep last night! And smacking your lips! It was so loud! I thought it was thunder."

"I heard it too!" Lin Jingxing nodded along. "Dad said, ’These noodles are so good! I’m coming back for more tomorrow.’"

Lin Zhiqiang pressed his lips together, looking a bit embarrassed.

A smile played on Meng Anhe’s lips. She knew Lin loved noodles. Looking at him, she said, "Take them for a bowl of noodles tomorrow morning before you drop them off at school."

"Okay." Lin Zhiqiang nodded, looking at his two sons and feeling the urge to take his belt to them.

"Have you talked to Old Du?" Meng Anhe asked.

"I talked to Old Du this afternoon. Yaoyao is the only intern from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute this time, and their marketing department is taking this seriously. They’re hoping her professional skills can help advance their brand-building progress." Lin Zhiqiang said with a laugh, "Old Du’s under a lot of pressure, too. He knows how to sell products and negotiate with clients, but asking him to craft a good story for a product and build a brand? That’s a tall order for him. His hairline has been receding like crazy lately, and he’s completely lost."

"They can’t just pin their hopes on an intern who hasn’t even graduated to solve a problem they can’t handle, can they?" Meng Anhe’s brows furrowed slightly. "You should still give Old Du a heads-up. Tell him not to put too much pressure on Yaoyao."

"Don’t worry. Old Du knows Yaoyao is your niece. He wouldn’t dare."

Lin Zhiqiang didn’t seem concerned, lowering his voice a bit. "But really, did Yaoyao choose to intern at the textile factory just for the Jiading Brocade?"

Meng Anhe laughed. "What, you think it was for a taste of Zhou Yan’s cooking? Don’t assume everyone’s a glutton like you, daydreaming about that bowl of noodles all day."

Lin Zhiqiang spread his hands. "Well, I can’t help it. The noodles Zhou Yan makes are truly unrivaled. Besides, it’s not just that his food is delicious. He’s handsome and seems pretty deep, too."

"Yaoyao isn’t that shallow. She doesn’t judge a man by his looks."

...

"You’re right, I did come for Zhou Yan’s cooking. Auntie, you have no idea, I’ve been craving his braised pork ribs every day. I’ve even dreamed about them twice." Xia Yao, having come down from the dormitory, linked arms with Meng Anhe, her smiling eyes curving into crescents. "He’s added so many new dishes! The fish-fragrant pork was delicious, and the braised vegetables are to die for! Especially the braised tofu skin—I think it’s even better than meat."

Meng Anhe: ...

Lin Zhiqiang was beaming triumphantly beside them.

’See? Everyone’s the same!’

’Who can resist delicious food?’

’It’s just an internship. Who wouldn’t want to eat well?’

"So... do you think Zhou Yan is handsome?" Meng Anhe asked, looking at her.

Xia Yao looked back and countered, "Auntie, what’s your professional opinion?"

Meng Anhe thought for a moment. "His skull structure is excellent. Perfect ’three divisions and five eyes’ proportions. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, a nine-head body ratio. The muscle definition in his arms is beautiful. He probably has abs."

Xia Yao smiled faintly. "I’ve also been studying painting for twenty years, and I took first place in the academy’s life drawing competition for two years."

Hearing this, Meng Anhe laughed too and nodded. "Alright, alright, I get it. You have a good eye for people."

"Uncle’s ’three divisions and five eyes’ proportions are also perfect. You have a really good eye, Auntie," Xia Yao teased.

Meng Anhe nodded in agreement. "You know, you’re right. Back when he was young, he also had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, a six-pack, and sharp features. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and a trench coat. If he stood in a crowd, my eyes would go straight to him."

Lin Zhiqiang looked a little smug after hearing that. "But of course. When I was young, quite a few female classmates used to slip me love letters."

"Men just have a shorter blooming period. His old six-pack has now merged into one." Meng Anhe reached out and patted Lin Zhiqiang’s slightly protruding belly. JIGGLE JIGGLE.

"A man getting a potbelly in middle age is a sign of happiness," Lin Zhiqiang grinned. "It’s mainly because your aunt takes such good care of me."

"You’ve done plenty of secret snacking behind my back," Meng Anhe retorted, then looked at Xia Yao. "And I seem to recall you saying you don’t judge a man by his looks."

"But it’s not just that he has a handsome face. He’s a good listener and happy to share. He’s always fresh and clean every time I see him. He’s self-disciplined and ambitious, with a long-term vision, and he’s always coming up with amazing ideas." Xia Yao smiled and asked, "Auntie, wouldn’t you say he’s special?"

Meng Anhe looked at her and sighed with a touch of resignation. "I have a feeling your mother will be paying a visit sooner or later."

Lin Zhiqiang could no longer hold back his smile.

They arrived at Zhou Yan Restaurant just as a table opened up during the second wave of diners.

"Director Lin, An He, Xia Yao, you’re here! This way, a table just opened up." Zhao Tieying greeted the family and showed them to their seats.

"Hello, Mrs. Zhao," Lin Jingxing and Lin Bingwen greeted politely, their eyes already darting around the restaurant.

"Yaoyao!" Zhou Momo hopped out from the side, snuggling up to Xia Yao and greeting everyone else, "Mrs. Meng, Lin, and Brother Jingxing, Brother Bingwen~~"

"Momo, you’re so sweet." Meng Anhe smiled and gently pinched her cheek. The little one was so adorable, small and soft. She always greeted Meng Anhe with such enthusiasm.

"Momo!" Lin Jingxing and Lin Bingwen couldn’t sit still. The two brothers got up and huddled around the little girl, starting to pull their most treasured toys from their pockets to share with her.

"Auntie, why don’t you have a daughter for them? They would spoil her rotten," Xia Yao said with a laugh.

"Putting aside who would even look after the baby, who would dare to have one in this day and age? They can drag you away for an abortion at eight months pregnant, and you’d lose your job on top of it." Meng Anhe shook her head, then looked at Zhou Momo with a smile. "Other people’s children always seem wonderful. It’s a different story when they’re actually yours."

When Zhou Yan came out to serve a dish, he said hello and insisted that dinner was on him, but Lin Zhiqiang ended up paying the bill anyway.

After the restaurant closed for the night, Zhou Yan changed his clothes and went out for his usual run.

In the distance, he saw Xia Yao and Lin Zhiqiang, both in tracksuits, warming up at the entrance to the family courtyard. When Xia Yao spotted Zhou Yan, she smiled and waved. "Zhou Yan!"

"Hey," Zhou Yan answered and ran over.

Xia Yao was wearing a blue tracksuit with the word ’China’ printed in large characters on the chest. Three white stripes ran from the cuffs to the shoulders and down the sides of the pants—a classic Plum Blossom brand tracksuit. On her feet, she wore a pair of Warrior canvas shoes.

Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing a clear forehead. The slim-fit tracksuit made her legs look especially long, and she exuded a youthful energy.

"My uncle said you two often run together. I quite like running, too. Mind if I join?" Xia Yao said with a smile.

"Sure," Zhou Yan nodded, and the three of them started running along the riverbank.

After running for a while, Lin Zhiqiang gradually slowed to a stop and called out to Zhou Yan, "My foot’s bothering me today. Zhou Yan, you run with Yaoyao, and remember to see her back to her dorm!"

"Okay," Zhou Yan replied. He watched Lin Zhiqiang’s retreating figure as he turned and walked away, then continued running forward with Xia Yao.

Xia Yao slowed her pace and said to him, "I had a sudden idea during dinner. I think the story of Jiading Brocade should start from its origins. Compared to the technology, I feel that..."

...

"How are you back already? You barely broke a sweat," Meng Anhe said, surprised, as Lin Zhiqiang walked in.

"Let the young people run. With me stuck in the middle, it’s awkward for me and awkward for them." Lin Zhiqiang closed the door, wrapped his arms around Meng Anhe’s waist with a smile, and whispered, "Besides, you’re back today. I have to save some energy for tonight."

"Tsk, the kids aren’t asleep yet!" Meng Anhe pinched his waist, a blush rising on her pretty face.

"It’s fine. They’re more serious about their homework than they are about sleeping," Lin Zhiqiang said with a laugh. "I’ll go take a shower first, then."

"Wait." Meng Anhe glanced at the next room and whispered, "I’ll go with you."

...

Zhou Yan ran a lap along the river with Xia Yao, and after chatting the whole way, he learned that she hadn’t even officially started her internship yet, but the director of the marketing department had already entrusted her with the monumental task of building the Jiading Brocade brand.

For an intern who hadn’t even graduated, the organization giving her this responsibility was like asking a new army recruit to fly a plane.

But Xia Yao was proving herself to be an outstanding student. She had only been given the task that afternoon, yet she had already begun to seriously map out her ideas. Throughout their run, she shared many of them with Zhou Yan, and they were quite practical.

Zhou Yan mostly listened, occasionally offering his own thoughts and perspectives.

Brand building required a good story, a millennia-old heritage of craftsmanship and culture, and sufficiently advanced manufacturing techniques. It needed to highlight the long history and rich culture of Jiading Brocade while also showcasing its innovative vitality and the product’s advanced nature.

By the time they got back to the dormitory building, it was almost dark.

Xia Yao’s forehead was beaded with sweat, her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her eyes shone with excitement. "What you said was brilliant! My original idea was too focused on digging into heritage and history. But to make customers and users feel it’s high-end, innovation and cutting-edge technology are also crucial. It needs to have substance, but also seem fashionable."

Zhou Yan smiled. "I was just offering a few thoughts. You’re very talented. I’m sure you’ll be able to build up the Jiading Brocade brand."

"Bye! I need to go write down and sketch out all the ideas in my head. I’m afraid I’ll forget them in a bit." Xia Yao waved and turned, jogging up the stairs.

Zhou Yan watched until the light in the second room on the third floor turned on, then he turned and jogged back toward the restaurant.

...

「The next morning」

Comrade Zhou got up early and went out with Old Zhou to buy groceries.

While Old Zhou watched the beef being cut, Zhou Yan went back to the old family house.

His grandmother was an early riser and was already cooking feed for the pigs, chickens, and ducks.

After knocking, Zhou Yan got straight to the point once the door opened. "Grandma, I want to braise some pork intestines. Do I need to start a new batch of braising liquid just for them?"

"How much are you planning to braise?" his grandmother asked, a large ladle still in her hand.

"I was thinking of trying about five jin today."

"Five jin? No need to start a new batch for that. Just braise it in the big pot. The intestines will come out more fragrant and flavorful that way, and it won’t affect the braising liquid. No problem at all." His grandmother said with a smile, "With the amount of pig’s head you braise every day, you don’t need a separate batch unless you’re doing more than fifteen jin of intestines at once. Braising them separately won’t taste as good as doing it all in one pot."

"Okay, I get it," Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

His grandmother looked at him and laughed. "What’s going on? Something good happen recently? You look so relaxed and happy, with your eyes all smiley. Did you run into some romantic luck?"

’Huh? Grandma can tell even that?’

Zhou Yan felt inexplicably guilty and said with a laugh, "I bought a house in Jiazhou a couple of days ago. Do you remember Miss Qiu Qi? From the Qiu Mansion? The family you delivered braised beef to once."