Chapter 889 The Opening of the Store Time flies, and the day of the military-civilian celebration that Lu Qingyang's father had mentioned arrived.

In the autumn, the sycamore leaves in the military compound were turning slightly yellow, but the parade ground was bustling with activity.

On the makeshift stage, a striking banner read, "The army and the people are united as one, let's see who in the world can defeat us." The audience was already filled with soldiers in uniform, family members and children from the compound, all with a festive smile on their faces.

As Ng Jung-moon said, the program was simple yet lively.

The female soldiers of the propaganda team danced the "Laundry Song," their joyful steps conveying the classic theme of "the army and the people are as close as fish and water"; a group of powerful soldiers performed a grappling and fighting demonstration, their punches and kicks swift and powerful, winning thunderous applause.

The crosstalk performance was about the everyday stories of family members in the compound supporting their husbands' border defense. The jokes were delivered perfectly, eliciting continuous laughter from the audience.

Lu Qingyang's family sat in the front row. Little Yu'er was dressed up like a little princess by her mother, Shen Mo, wearing a light blue dress that her father had brought back from Europe, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the stage.

Little Stone kept fiddling with his new camera, but unfortunately film was precious, so he could only carefully choose the most exciting moment to press the shutter.

...

In late autumn, the sky over Beijing is a clear, deep blue.

The Xisi New Street intersection was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, the crackling of firecrackers, and the air thick with the festive smell of gunpowder.

The fourth and largest of the "New Flavor House" restaurants officially opened today.

The huge red signboard was particularly eye-catching in the sunlight, and the entrance was filled with flower baskets from all walks of life, including some of the names of organizations that caught people's attention.

Lu Qingyang, dressed in a well-fitting mountain-style suit, stood among a group of guests who had come to offer their congratulations, a calm smile on his face.

As one of the key figures and shareholders behind the development of "Xinweiju" from a small alleyway restaurant to a large-scale establishment, he was surrounded as he arrived at the entrance of the shop, where a colorful ribbon adorned with large red flowers hung.

Beside him were several representatives from the Commerce Bureau and the local street authorities.

"The auspicious time has arrived, let's cut the ribbon!" The host's voice came through the loudspeaker, which was typical of that era and had a slightly buzzing electrical sound.

Lu Qingyang took the brand-new scissors handed to him and, together with the other guests, deftly cut the red ribbon.

Applause, cheers, and the sound of gongs and drums rang out once again. The crowd of onlookers was three layers deep, pointing and discussing the newly renovated storefront. The bright glass windows, the private seats visible inside, and the artistic landscape paintings on the walls were indeed considered impressive at the time.

"Qingyang! Over here!" A familiar voice came from the pile of trees.

Lu Qingyang looked in the direction of the sound and saw Zhao Rui squeezing his way over, with his wife Liu Xiaohua beside him.

Zhao Rui was still the same as always, while Liu Xiaohua had a trendy perm and was wearing a maroon wool coat.

"Old Zhao! Little Hua! You've finally arrived." Lu Qingyang greeted them with a smile and patted Zhao Rui on the shoulder.

Zhao Ruiru served as the project leader at another materials research institute in Chongqing.

"With Boss Lu personally cutting the ribbon, how could we not come and support him?" Zhao Rui pushed up his glasses and joked, "This time they really went all out, look at the location and the scale of the event."

Liu Xiaohua said, "That's right, this is the brightest spot on this whole street."

Lu Qingyang then gestured to them, "Don't stand here, please come in, we've saved you seats."

The restaurant was bustling with activity and noise. Lu Qingyang led Zhao Rui and his wife through several tables to a reserved private room.

As soon as I opened the door, I saw Little Fish and Little Stone already sitting obediently inside.

Little Fish had a small sketchbook spread out in front of him, a pencil clutched inside, and was tilting his head to observe the big guys who had just entered.

Little Stone, on the other hand, held his precious camera as if facing a formidable enemy, carefully adjusting the angle of the teapot and cups on the table, as if performing some sacred ritual.

"Oh, the two young artists have already arrived," Zhao Rui greeted them with a smile.

"Hello, Uncle. Hello, Aunt Xiaohua." The two children greeted each other politely.

Little Fish's eyes were curved, while Little Stone seemed a little shy, carefully placing the camera on his lap.

"Please sit down, please sit down," Lu Qingyang said.

As they were talking, the cold dishes and several stir-fried dishes were served first.

A plate of glistening, braised pork, with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, trembled slightly as it steamed.

A plate of vibrant green "garlic water spinach" is cooked to perfection; there's also a bowl of milky white "clay pot fish head tofu," with tiny oil droplets rolling on the surface, exuding a fresh and fragrant aroma.

The group started eating and exchanging pleasantries, gradually moving from the new store's business to their respective jobs and lives.

Zhao Rui mentioned that their research institute had recently encountered some bottlenecks in a high-temperature resistant coating project; Lu Qingyang shared some technical observations from his recent trip to Europe, and the two hit it off.

While serving food to Xiaoyuer, Liu Xiaohua praised her for looking beautiful in her dress that day.

Little Stone didn't say much, just listened attentively to the adults chatting, while his eyes would occasionally dart towards his camera.

When the main dish, "Braised Sea Cucumber with Scallions," was served, glistening with an enticing dark brown color and exuding a rich aroma of scallions, he seemed to have made up his mind.

"Dad, Uncle Zhao, can I... take a picture?" Little Stone asked, mustering his courage, his fingers gripping the edge of the camera tightly. "Just a picture of everyone eating."

"Take a picture!" Zhao Rui was the first to respond. He immediately put down his chopsticks, straightened his back, and even subconsciously rubbed his hair. "This is a good opportunity to leave us with a souvenir."

Lu Qingyang smiled and said, "Okay, let's take the picture."

Little Stone nodded solemnly, stood up, took a few steps back, and aimed the viewfinder at the round table.

The table was laden with steaming dishes, and everyone wore relaxed smiles.

He took a deep breath and steadily pressed the shutter.

With a soft "click," the noisy and warm moment was captured.

Almost at the same time that Little Stone took the photo, Little Fish finished her "masterpiece".

She tugged at Lu Qingyang's sleeve and handed him the sketchbook: "Dad, look!"

Lu Qingyang took it and laughed.

The notebook contained several portraits drawn with smooth lines: Zhao Rui's glasses were drawn particularly large, and his eyes behind the lenses were focused and very expressive; Liu Xiaohua's curly hair was drawn with a fluffy cloud, and the corners of her mouth were turned up.

Lu Qingyang himself was suddenly struck by the broad shoulders and the smiling corners of his mouth.

Although the brushwork is immature and the proportions are somewhat exaggerated, the most prominent facial features of each character are keenly captured.

"Great! It's really well drawn!" Zhao Rui leaned over to take a look and praised loudly, "You've captured the very essence of our Xiaohua! Xiaoyuer has such talent!"

Liu Xiaohua was overjoyed and looked at the notebook, saying, "This is even better than the artistic photos I had taken at the photo studio."

As they were talking and laughing, the curtain to the private room was suddenly flung open with a "whoosh".

Shen Mo hurried in, carrying the slight chill of the outdoor air, her face filled with apology:

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, something came up at the hospital and I was delayed."

She took off her white coat, revealing a light gray sweater underneath. Her hair was simply tied back, and although she looked slightly tired, her eyes were bright.

She naturally sat down in the empty seat next to Lu Qingyang.

"We've been waiting for you, Dr. Shen," Zhao Rui said with a smile. "Your hospital isn't close to here, so hurry up and have some hot soup."

He then asked the waiter to bring another bowl and chopsticks, and placed a steaming bowl of fish head tofu soup in front of Shen Mo.

Shen Mo thanked them, warmed herself up, and then noticed the painting on the table and the children's excited expressions.

After understanding what had happened, she gently patted Little Fish's head and said to Little Stone, "Remember to show Mommy when you wash up."