The atmosphere of this "thank you banquet" in the cafeteria was subtle.

Lu Qingyang was calm and composed.

In contrast, Zhao Wanqing had no appetite.

He hadn't touched much of the food on the plate in front of him, and his mind was not interested in eating at all.

She looked at Lu Qingyang, who was so natural, and even occasionally twitched the corners of his mouth because of some boring jokes told by his classmates, and her heart felt like a ball of cotton was blocked.

From childhood to adulthood, had she ever been treated like this?

What made her even more upset was that when everyone stood up after eating, Lu Qingyang took out his meal ticket as a matter of course, and not only paid for his own bill, but also paid for the bills of Zhao Rui and several other classmates who had caused the most trouble.

"Eh? Qingyang, how can this be so embarrassing?" a classmate scratched his head.

"It's okay," Lu Qingyang said calmly, as if he was just doing something casually. "I just happen to have extra meal tickets. Let's go."

Zhao Wanqing held her meal ticket in her hand and stood there, watching Lu Qingyang's back as he turned and walked towards the tableware recycling area. She couldn't bring herself to say "I agreed to treat you."

Even the last chance for her to express her gratitude was silently blocked.

A group of people came in a mighty procession and dispersed with laughter, which really did not cause any unnecessary gossip. At most, some people looked curiously at why Lu Qingyang from the Physics Department and Zhao Wanqing from the Chinese Department were eating in the cafeteria with such a group of people.

Zhao Rui walked back to Lu Qingyang and couldn't help but secretly glance at him a few times. The only word left in his mind was "Admiration".

This Lu Qingyang is truly a genius! He actually thought of using this method, which not only saved his cousin's face, but also completely drew a line in the sand and prevented future troubles.

Zhao Wanqing walked back to the dormitory alone. The cold winter wind blowing on her face actually made her more sober.

The initial frustration and embarrassment were gradually replaced by a spirit of not admitting defeat.

The more distant and restrained Lu Qingyang acted, the more competitive she became.

"Decline?" She snorted softly, but her eyes lit up. "It's not that easy. Let's... wait and see."

She decided to look for another opportunity, as she didn't believe she couldn't find a time to have a good talk alone.

As for Zhao Rui and Zhou Zhe, they went to work at Xinweiju as usual in the evening.

After changing into waiter's clothes, smelling the familiar aroma coming from the kitchen, and listening to the noise of the diners, Zhao Rui finally felt relieved from the heavy expectations of his family after Bai Yu's weird canteen banquet.

While wiping the table skillfully, she sighed to Zhou Zhe, "Hey, it's still more comfortable here."

Zhou Zhe was confused and mumbled, holding a stick of paper in his mouth, "What happened? Did you get scolded when you got home?"

"It's more complicated than getting scolded..." Zhao Rui shook his head, too lazy to explain, but he felt emotional again in his heart.

Lu Qingyang is a truly unfathomable person.

At Xinweiju in the evening, after the busiest meal time, the crowds gradually dispersed.

Zhao Rui had just finished clearing the table and was feeling a little hungry when he saw Liu Xiaohua poking her head out from the kitchen and waving at him with a mysterious smile on her face.

"Zhao Rui, come here."

Zhao Rui followed curiously, only to see Liu Xiaohua taking out a plate of steaming dim sum from the steamer.

The pastry was delicately made, with a translucent outer skin through which you could vaguely see the rich filling inside. It was shaped like a lucky bag, with a wolfberry adorning the top.

"Here, try it. I've just made this: shrimp and water chestnut dumplings."

Liu Xiaohua handed the chopsticks to 놛, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "I just steamed an extra basket of them, so I thought I'd leave two for you to try."

Zhao Rui was flattered and quickly took the chopsticks and picked up one.

The temperature is just right. When you take a bite, the skin is chewy and smooth, and the sweet shrimp and crisp water chestnuts inside are mixed together. The taste is rich, and the delicious juice fills your mouth instantly.

"Wow! Delicious! So delicious!" Zhao Rui's eyes lit up, and he swallowed a dumpling in no time. He couldn't wait to pick up the second one, stuffing his mouth full. "It's so delicious, Xiaohua, you are so kind."

Liu Xiaohua was amused by the exaggerated eating habits and the straightforward compliments. Her face flushed slightly and she wiped her hands with her apron.

Zhao Rui ate with great joy, feeling that all his depression was dispelled by this delicious meal.

After swallowing the last bite and looking at the empty plate, he glanced at Liu Xiaohua, who was smiling shyly but with pride in her eyes, and blurted out, "Xiaohua, you...you are so good to me!"

As soon as these words came out, both of them were stunned for a moment.

The sounds of cooking in the kitchen and the noise outside seemed to be isolated in an instant.

Liu Xiaohua's cheeks turned even redder, her eyes wandered for a moment, and she lowered her head a little embarrassedly. Her hands subconsciously tugged at the edge of her apron, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito: "...What nonsense are you talking about? It's just...it's just a few more dumplings."

Zhao Rui also realized that his words were a bit too direct, and the tips of his ears felt a little hot, but looking at Liu Xiaohua's appearance, his heart felt like being gently scratched by a feather, itchy and a little sweet.

He scratched his head and chuckled. "Anyway... it's delicious. Thank you, 께花."

"Hurry up and get to work! There seems to be a guest up ahead!"

Liu Xiaohua felt even more uncomfortable when being stared at by 놛. She hurriedly pushed 놛 away and turned around, pretending to be busy with the things on the stove. However, her slightly red ears revealed that she was not calm.

She didn't receive much education and only knew some basic words.

Zhao Rui is a college student, and the difference in appearance between the two is too great. Liu Xiaohua shook her head, dispelling some uneasy thoughts.

She has been living at her grandmother's house and is now eighteen years old. Although her family said that if she wants to study, she can go ahead, but she can't keep up with them now, and she has to work at Xinweiju.

She didn't come here to eat for free.

After closing time in the evening, the kitchen was filled with a stronger aroma than usual.

Mr. Chen specially used the fresh leftover ingredients from the store, added some nourishing herbs, simmered them over low heat, and made a pot of his newly researched flower mushroom, yam and dragon bone soup as a midnight snack for his employees.

The soup is milky white and steaming hot, the flower mushrooms are plump, the yam is soft and glutinous, and the meat of the dragon bone 軗 is stewed until it is tender and boneless.

Zhou Zhe and Zhao Rui had been busy all night and were already starving. At this moment, they held the big bowl, drank until they were sweating profusely, smacking their lips and licking their lips, feeling extremely satisfied.

Zhou Zhe praised vaguely and ordered another big bowl.

Zhao Rui also ate with satisfaction, feeling that all the fatigue in his body was dispelled by this bowl of hot soup. He nodded repeatedly: "That's right, from now on, our employee meals will be of this standard. I will be full of energy every time I come to work!"

Just then, the door was pushed open and a figure walked in.

The store was already closed, and only the lights in the backyard kitchen were still on. The person was facing the backlight, so I couldn't see her face for a moment. I only felt that she had a slender figure, wearing a light-colored woolen coat and a loose scarf. Her temperament was calm and gentle, which was out of place in this kitchen full of fireworks.

Everyone subconsciously stopped and looked over.

When the man walked completely into the light, Zhou Zhe and Zhao Rui were stunned almost at the same time, with half a yam still in their mouths, and they had forgotten to chew it.

We have never seen such a beautiful girl.

Her skin was fair and her facial features were delicate, as if she had walked out of a painting. Her eyes were particularly beautiful, clear and bright, with a quiet and gentle glow.

She stood there, like a secluded orchid that suddenly appeared in the bustling city, making people unable to take their eyes off her.

Zhou Zhe stared with his eyes wide open, and the soup spoon in his hand fell back into the bowl with a clang, splashing a few drops of soup without him noticing.

Zhao Rui was not in much better condition. He almost choked on the yam in his mouth and started coughing violently, his face flushed red.

The kitchen suddenly became quiet, with only the soup pot on the stove still bubbling.

Liu Xiaohua was the first to react, "Sister Xiaomo, come and find Brother Qingyang. We'll settle the score later."