Chapter 68

"Yi Jian, what time will you be back in the evening? Will Sister Zhong Qin have dinner with us tonight?"

Hearing Xia Kaiqun's voice, Xia Zhongqin sat down next to Lian Yijian and said, "Teacher Xia, Brother Yijian is having dinner at my house tonight. If it's convenient for you, you're welcome to come over."

"That's great, sister Zhong Qin. Last time I heard from Yi Jian that you live in Xiatang, Loumen. I'll be there now." Xia Kaiqun said happily, and was about to hang up the video.

Xia Zhongqin quickly replied, "I've moved, Teacher Xia. I'll have Brother Yi Jian send you my new address later."

The video call was hung up by Xia Kaiqun on the other end. Lian Yijian then sent the location of Xia Zhongqin's current residence, followed by a specific unit floor.

Looking at Xia Zhongqin who was shopping on the Dingdong app, Lian Yijian said, "Zhongqin, I'm going out to buy some cooked food. Is there a good cooked food store nearby? What would you like to eat?"

"There's a commercial street opposite the east gate of the residential complex. There's a Ziyan Baiwei Chicken restaurant on the street. Their cooked food is pretty good, Brother Yijian." Xia Zhongqin responded. She didn't hesitate to mention "Five-Spice Chicken Feet" and "Fuqi Feipian" directly.

"Okay, I'll go buy it now." Lian Yijian said as he stood up from the sofa.

Xia Zhongqin wanted to get up and send Lian Yijian out, but he stopped her. "Zhongqin, no need to send me off. I'll be back soon. Just ask Dingdong to buy two vegetarian dishes. I'll go to the vegetable market near the community and buy some meat dishes."

After hearing the sound of the door closing gently, Xia Zhongqin began to select vegetables on the Dingdong app.

An hour later, Lian Yijian and Xia Kaiqun came back together carrying vegetables.

Xia Zhongqin had already washed and cut the loofah and green vegetables that Ding Dong had sent over and set them aside.

After buying loofah and green vegetables on Dingdong, Xia Zhongqin sent a WeChat message to Lian Yijian.

When Xia Zhongqin opened the living room door and welcomed the two in, she was startled by the large and small bags of food they were carrying. She asked, "Brother Yi Jian, can the three of us finish this?"

Lian Yijian just smiled and said nothing.

After saying that, Xia Zhongqin took the four bags of cooked food from Xia Kaiqun's hand at the entrance, and then took them to the dining table and put them there.

She turned back and prepared to take the dishes in Lian Yijian's hand to the dining table so that he could free his hands to change his shoes, but she saw that Lian Yijian's slippers had already been changed, and Xia Kaiqun had also changed into a new pair of slippers they had just bought from outside.

Lian Yijian placed all the dishes he was carrying on the dining table without even taking a break. He looked at Xia Zhongqin standing beside the dining table with a smile on his face, and then said, "Zhongqin, do you have an apron at home?"

Since Xia Zhongqin and Wang Haiyun started living together, the house in Modern Garden has been rented out. It was no longer rented out at the end of last year, but the two of them have never come back to live or cook for themselves.

Xia Zhongqin shook his head.

"It doesn't matter if you don't have any." Lian Yijian replied, "Zhong Qin, please help pick the green onions and cilantro and then sit down and wait for dinner. Leave the rest to me and Uncle Xia."

Originally, Xia Zhongqin planned to cook this meal herself. The only dish she could cook was Suzhou cuisine. Looking at the sea bass, shrimp, beef, vermicelli noodles, celery, large intestine, eggplant, chicken feet, soybeans, meat, green peppers and dried peppers bought by Lian Yijian on the table, it was obvious that she was going to make Jiangxi stir-fry.

On the second day after successfully joining Beijing Smart Internet Company, Xia Zhongqin treated Guan Huijun to a meal of "Ben Qiezi" (Jiangxi stir-fry) at Xinghu Food Street near the company. She ordered four dishes: stir-fried pork with peppers, beef brisket with rice noodles, pig liver, and sea bass in oil. Because the dish was very delicious, she and Guan Huijun even ate half a bowl of rice.

The spiciness of the stupid eggplant (Jiangxi stir-fry) is acceptable to her, a young lady from Suzhou.

"Ms. Zhong Qin, can you handle spicy food?"

Xia Kaiqun picked up the beef, sea bass and meat on the table, ready to start showing off his skills.

"Sure, Mr. Xia, are you and Brother Yi Jian going to make Jiangxi stir-fry?"

"Yes, Zhong Qin. I saw you and Guan Huijun go to eat stupid eggplant (Jiangxi stir-fry) together. Uncle Xia happened to be a Jiangxi chef, so he bought ingredients according to the standards of Jiangxi specialties."

After Xia Zhongqin picked the green onions and coriander, she took them to the kitchen. Just as she was about to wash them, she was driven out of the kitchen by Lian Yijian.

Lian Yijian and Xia Kaiqun cooked very quickly, and an hour later, the cooked food was served on the table.

The small dining table was filled to the brim.

On the table were beef brisket with vermicelli noodles, sea bass in oil, spicy shrimps, stir-fried pork intestines, eggplant with minced garlic, chicken feet with soybeans, scrambled eggs with loofah, stir-fried vegetables, as well as the five-spice chicken feet, husband and wife lung slices, braised pork trotters and Baiyan chicken bought by Lian Yijian.

Xia Zhongqin took out four cans of beer and a can of Wanglaoji from the refrigerator.

She prepared four cans of beer for Lian Yijian and Xia Kaiqun, and she drank Wanglaoji herself.

The three of them sat down on the dining chairs one by one.

"Brother Yi Jian, Teacher Xia, please treat my home like your own, and do as you please."

Just as Xia Zhongqin was about to open the Wanglaoji in front of her, Lian Yijian had already taken it away.

At Xia Kaiqun's suggestion, the three of them clinked their drinks together before picking up their chopsticks.

Xia Zhongqin first tasted the oil-soaked sea bass in front of her. It must be because it was freshly bought, and it tasted even better than the one she had at Xinghu Food Street.

While eating the five-spice chicken feet, her bowl was filled with a few spicy shrimps that Lian Yijian had just peeled for her.

The Jiangxi stir-fried dishes made by Xia Kaiqun were very fragrant and delicious. Xia Zhongqin, who rarely ate staple food for dinner, ate half a bowl of rice tonight.

Xia Zhongqin ate the rice in her bowl and the dishes that Lian Yijian put in her bowl, and listened quietly to Lian Yijian and Xia Kaiqun chatting about the project.

"Yi Jian, I saw you sent a notice in the Sucheng Metro Project internal group chat saying you had something to do tomorrow morning and would go back to the project team tomorrow afternoon. Are you going to solve problems on other projects tomorrow morning? I didn't have time to ask on the way back from buying groceries."

Lian Yijian informed Xia Kaiqun of the call he had received from Wang Dayu this morning, and concluded by saying, "That's the culture of Beijing Smart Internet. It's rotten to the core, so Uncle Xia, don't worry about me."

When Lian Yijian said this, Xia Kaiqun was holding a can of beer in his hand.

After listening to Lian Yijian's explanation of why he would not go to the Suzhou Metro Project Team tomorrow morning, Xia Kaiqun slammed the can of beer in his hand onto the dining table with great force. Fortunately, the dining table was made of solid wood. If it was marble, there would probably be cracks on the table.

"Yi Jian, I feel so sorry for you. Wang Dayu is so narrow-minded and a complete loser. Do you want to work at Beijing Smart Internet for the rest of your life? With your abilities and connections, Yi Jian, you can definitely go it alone."

Lian Yijian took another can of beer and placed it in front of Xia Kaiqun, then replied, "Wait until the Suzhou Metro project is delivered."

Xia Zhongqin then asked, "Brother Yi Jian, is the final inspection for the Suzhou Metro project in June next year?"

"The project is currently progressing smoothly. If there are no major changes in the client's requirements, the final inspection will be carried out in June of next year according to the project timeline. I have included the Suzhou Metro project in the first half of next year's performance."

As soon as the H1 sprint of this year ended, he began to plan for the H1 sprint of next year. No wonder the Beijing Smart Internet Delivery Team he led has always been the best, and he has also become the leader of the Beijing Smart Internet Delivery Industry. Xia Zhongqin couldn't help but give him a thumbs up and gave him a thumbs up.

"Ms. Zhong Qin, don't be obsessed with your brother Yi Jian. He's just a legend. If they knew that Beijing Smart Interconnect's always-aloof delivery expert had a girlfriend, I don't know how many girls at Beijing Smart Interconnect would have fainted in the bathroom crying."

Lian Yijian glanced at the person who liked his post with a smile, then rolled his eyes at Xia Kaiqun: "Uncle Xia, stop disgusting my Zhong Qin and eat your meal quickly."

Xia Kaiqun obediently stopped talking about this topic. He changed the subject and continued chatting with Lian Yijian.

Two hours later, all the dishes on the plates on the table were gone, leaving only a few cooked foods (chicken feet and husband and wife lung slices).

The three of them had finished eating. Xia Zhongqin was about to get up and clear the table, but was stopped by Lian Yijian.

"Zhong Qin, go to the sofa and rest for a while, I'll come."

Xia Zhongqin didn't insist anymore. She went to the refrigerator and took out half of the watermelon she bought yesterday and placed it on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

Xia Kaiqun didn't rest either. Under Lian Yijian's arrangement, he mopped the floor of the restaurant and living room.

By the time Xia Kaiqun finished mopping the floor, Lian Yijian had already cleaned up the kitchen.

The two of them also sat down on the sofa one after another. Lian Yijian sat next to Xia Zhongqin, and Xia Kaiqun sat on the sofa opposite them.

While Lian Yijian was washing the dishes, Xia Zhongqin had already cut the watermelon, put it on a plate, and brought it to the coffee table.

After seeing the two of them sitting down on the sofa, he hurriedly greeted them, "Teacher Xia, Brother Yi Jian, have some watermelon."

Lian Yijian took two pieces and handed one to Xia Zhongqin.

Xia Kaiqun took a piece of watermelon and took a bite when he suddenly thought of something important and said, "Yi Jian, should I go to the Sucheng subway project or the Wujiang Rural Commercial Bank project tomorrow?"

"Xiaoshan is now the project manager for the Wujiang Agricultural Bank project. He can handle the development work there on his own. From now on, Uncle Xia, you will mainly support the Sucheng subway project and the Liangcheng complex project passenger operation."

"It's obvious that having Xiaoshan as the project manager for Wujiang Rural Commercial Bank is the best arrangement. Anyway, the project manager can't tell him what to do on other projects. A while ago, Liu Jijun was complaining to me about how he couldn't continue. He couldn't even speak to Ji Yue without Xiaoshan suspecting him of having any connection with her."

The three of them sat on the sofa, ate a few slices of watermelon, and chatted for a while. Lian Yijian looked at the time on his watch and found that it was already ten o'clock in the evening.

"Zhong Qin, Uncle Xia and I are ready to go back. You are alone. Don't forget to lock the living room door from the inside. Go to bed early at night. If you have anything, remember to send me a WeChat message or call me. See you tomorrow afternoon." After saying these words, Lian Yijian stood up from the sofa.

"Okay, Brother Yi Jian, have you called a designated driver? I'll take you downstairs." Xia Zhongqin replied as he got up from the sofa.

"I've already called a designated driver. You don't have to take us. It's too late, and I'm worried about you coming back alone."

Xia Zhongqin understood what Lian Yijian meant and said nothing more.

After Lian Yijian and Xia Kaiqun changed their shoes at the entrance, Lian Yijian opened the door. Before leaving, Xia Kaiqun said, "Sister Zhong Qin, please put my slippers in the shoe cabinet for me. I'll come with Yijian next time."

Lian Yijian, who had already walked out of the door, rolled his eyes at him again: "Uncle Xia, you are addicted to eating for free."

"Okay, Teacher Xia, you and Brother Yi Jian are welcome to visit my home again next time."

"Zhong Qin, when we get home, I'll send you a WeChat message. I'll close the door for you first." Lian Yijian waved at Xia Zhongqin and closed the door for her from the outside.