BXBX NOVEL Chapter 63
“Dad, are you really selling out your daughter for a bite of food?”
Granted, the man’s cooking was absolutely delicious. If she could eat it every day, life would indeed be wonderful.
But still…
Chen Yue shook her head vigorously. Forced relationships weren’t an option, after all. Feelings couldn’t be manufactured like business deals.
“I know feelings can’t be forced. I’m not asking you to push it. Just take your time and get to know him,” Chen Dahai said, almost as if he could hear her thoughts.
No one knew their daughter better than a father.
Chen Yue sighed in exasperation. In the past, so many talented young men had failed to catch Chen Dahai’s eye.
But now, a food stall owner?
Had her father lost his mind?
While Chen Yue was deep in thought, Chen Dahai was busy eating icy cakes, one piece after another.
“Dad, what are you…”n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Chen Yue turned her head to comment, only to freeze. Here they were discussing serious matters, and he was sneaking bites! One box of icy cakes was down to the last piece!
Speechless, Chen Yue snatched the final piece and stuffed it into her mouth. Then, pulling the car to the side of the road, she declared, “Dad, we’re splitting the second box evenly!”
“Who paid for it? Who’s the dad here? Who said we’re splitting anything?”
Chen Dahai held the second box protectively, like a dragon guarding its treasure. Chen Yue wanted to eat more, but her father wasn’t budging.
“Dad!”
“In front of icy cakes, don’t call me Dad.”
“…”
Chen Dahai glanced at his daughter and shifted the conversation.
“Unless, you consider what I mentioned earlier.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Getting to know that young man.”
“Is this a matchmaking scheme?”
“More or less.”
“Fine, I’ll consider it. But if it doesn’t work out, you can’t push it. Send me his WeChat contact.”
Chen Yue figured she was single anyway, and the guy was decent-looking. More importantly, he could satisfy her picky palate. Besides, she wasn’t impressed with the rich playboys who had been chasing her.
Chen Dahai shook his head.
“I don’t have his WeChat.”
“Then give me his phone number.”
“No phone number either.”
“…”
“Dad, what are you even trying to do?”
Chen Dahai chuckled.
“He doesn’t know me well.”
Chen Yue’s eyes widened.
“Not well!”
Why are you matchmaking strangers, then?
“But I’ve observed him. He’s a good man,” Chen Dahai said with a smile. “You’ll have to take the initiative to get to know him yourself.”
“You’re telling me I have to pursue him?” Chen Yue asked incredulously.
Chen Dahai nodded without hesitation.
“Dad, I’m busy. I need to head back to the office.”
“What about the icy cakes?”
“Hand them over.”
“Nope. Go ask your future boyfriend for some!”
“…”
At Outside Sunshine Elementary School, Maidejun arrived on his motorized scooter, accompanied by his seven- or eight-year-old grandson.
“Old Ge, you’re here so early?”
“It’s you who’s late, Old Mai. Is this your grandson? Such a sturdy little guy!”
Maidejun led his grandson into the queue. This retired national banquet chef had unexpectedly become a fan of Lu Qin’s cooking. Where could one even begin to explain this?
Wave after wave of customers came and went, with more constantly arriving. Lu Qin’s fried noodle stall was growing busier every day. The number of new customers increased daily, almost exponentially.
“Grandpa, is this food really better than what you make?”
The little boy was skeptical. His grandpa often prepared all kinds of delicacies for him, and he had a very picky palate.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” Maidejun said confidently.
Lu Qin’s swift, elegant movements as he stir-fried the rice noodles left everyone amazed. His skill level had clearly maxed out. Some new customers couldn’t help but marvel.
“Boss, every time you flip the wok, the force seems exactly the same! Practice really does make perfect!”
“No wonder the noodles taste so good!”
One customer pulled out their phone to record a video.
“Boss Lu, can I record a video of you cooking so I can try it at home? You don’t mind, do you?”
Lu Qin shook his head, smiling.
“Not at all, go ahead.”
A nearby auntie chimed in, “Recording won’t help. I’ve tried it before, but no matter how hard I try, it never tastes the same. You’ll still end up coming back to buy it.”
A self-proclaimed ‘expert’ customer offered an explanation.
“This stir-fried rice noodle recipe is simple. Lots of people know how to make it. But the reason Boss Lu’s is so delicious is because of his wok-tossing skills and precise control of heat. You can’t just learn that.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. It made sense. Skills like that wok toss couldn’t be mastered in just a few years—it’d take a decade, at least.
Even a young girl was intently filming a close-up video.
A middle-aged man joked, “Miss, you might as well stick your camera right in Boss Lu’s face. That’ll give you the clearest view.”
The girl blushed furiously, quickly putting away her phone and quietly rejoining the line. The atmosphere in the queue was lively, with customers occasionally cracking jokes and chatting with each other.
An elderly man paid for a portion of noodles and a cup of green bean soup via QR code. His expression was stern, and as he left, he gave Lu Qin a suspicious glance.
The old man crossed three streets and arrived at the entrance of the Chengnan Police Station. Squatting by the door, he opened the box of fried noodles and began wolfing it down.
Three minutes later, he’d finished every bite. The green bean soup was gone too. After wiping his mouth, his eyes lit up with certainty—Yes, it’s this taste!
The old man marched into the police station with a resolute expression. As soon as he entered, he declared to the officers,
“Officers, you need to investigate the fried noodle stall below my apartment!”
The officer on duty looked confused.
“Sir, what’s wrong with the fried noodle stall?”
“The fried noodles are just too good!”
Hearing this, the officer couldn’t help but laugh.
He’d heard of food so good it made people cry or rave about it, but this was the first time he’d heard of food so good it warranted a police report.
The officer patiently asked, “Sir, isn’t good food a good thing? Why are you reporting it?”
Another officer glanced at the old man skeptically. Was he perhaps a rival stall owner, unable to compete and resorting to dirty tricks? It wasn’t unheard of.
The old man elaborated, “Ever since I started eating those fried noodles, I can’t stop thinking about them. I’ve been eating there three times a day for four or five days straight, and I never get tired of it!”
“Officers, I’ve lived for decades and have never encountered a food so addictive! I strongly suspect that this fried noodle stall is using illegal additives!”
The old man spoke with such conviction that the officers’ smiles faded. Just then, another officer walked over and commented, “There have been similar cases in other provinces. Vendors have been caught adding poppy powder to cold noodles, making customers crave more. Last year, there were cases of hot pot and braised meat shops doing the same thing.”
The two officers exchanged a glance, sensing that something was amiss. They decided to have the old man lead them to the stall. When the police car, with its flashing red and blue lights, pulled up outside Sunshine Elementary School, it immediately caught everyone’s attention.
“Is that the city management? Oh no, Boss Lu, are they shutting you down? I haven’t gotten my noodles yet!”
“That’s not city management—it’s a police car!”
“What? The police?”
The crowd grew curious, their eyes fixed on the police car.
The old man, followed by two officers, walked straight towards Lu Qin’s stall.
“Officers, this is the fried noodle stall I was talking about!”