Chapter 111 Flower Cake

Time at work always goes by quickly.

It was not until the ringing of a life-threatening bell rang overhead that Xia Tang realized it was time to get off work.

"Xia Tang, aren't you leaving yet?"

"That's right. If you were any later, your soldier would be waiting anxiously at the door!"

Hearing the teasing words of his co-workers, Xia Tang gently placed the mother-of-pearl in his hand on the lathe and rubbed his sore eyes:

"I'm leaving now. You guys go first."

She put all the mother-of-pearls she had picked into the basket, tidied up the lathe, then took off her white sleeves and apron and walked out slowly.

When I reached the door, I saw Qin Yue striding over, his body straight and tall, like a walking javelin.

Xia Tang's smile appeared on her face unconsciously.

When she thought of what happened last night, her fair face turned slightly red.

It's hard to tell whether Qin Yue is being stupid or something else.

It's normal to talk to her outside, and sometimes I still say something to tease her like when we were kids.

But at night, it turned into a gourd with a sawed mouth, and even its hands and feet seemed to have been just put in place, and I didn't know where to put them.

The two of them were in the same room, and Xia Tang felt nervous.

But seeing Qin Yue's helpless look, he was not so nervous anymore.

Qin Yue didn't know what Xia Tang was thinking, he just wanted to get to her as soon as possible.

After seeing her, he handed her the food in his hand like offering a treasure, and his mouth was full:

"Here. Our colleagues said that girls love to eat this. Try it."

Xia Tang took it and looked at it. A faint floral scent wafted into her mouth and nose. It turned out to be a small bag of fresh flower cakes.

Fresh flower cakes are a specialty of Yuncheng.

The outer skin is made of flour, while the filling inside is made of local flowers such as roses and magnolias, with added ingredients such as rock sugar, peanuts, and sesame seeds. The ingredients and materials used are very exquisite, and the taste is even more amazing.

Xia Tang still remembers that every April when fresh flower cakes were widely available on the market, the fragrance of flowers filled the whole city, like the most gentle invitation letter from spring.

At that time, after work, her father would often take out an oil-paper bag from his pocket, which contained fresh flower cakes for her and her mother.

The sweet filling and rich aroma are the sweetest memories of childhood.

Xia Tang opened the oil paper package, put it in his mouth and took a light bite. The crispy outer shell broke and the rich floral fragrance burst out instantly.

It was as if the vitality of the rose was concentrated in the tiny flower cake, and instantly filled every one of her taste buds.

That sweetness even broke through the memories of decades ago and instantly brought her back to the warm home where her parents were.

Xia Tang ate with great relish. After all, he didn't have a big appetite, so he couldn't eat any more after eating one.

Qin Yue took the paper bag and put the rest into his mouth.

He opened his mouth wide, but his movements were very clean. His neat white teeth bit the biscuit and with a little effort he bit off a large piece and swallowed it in two or three bites, which made others feel particularly hungry.

Xia Tang couldn't help but laugh.

Qin Yue seemed to have been like this since childhood.

When she was a child, he would take the food she didn't like and put it into his mouth. People in the village laughed at him for always eating the leftovers, but he didn't care at all.

“Is it delicious?”

She asked, tilting her head.

"Mmm. Sweet."

Qin Yue didn't know how to describe the taste in his mouth, so he could only say it briefly.

In fact, in his heart, he felt that this sweet taste was more like the feeling Xia Tang gave him, but he was too embarrassed to say it.

After all, the flower cakes were not enough to satisfy their hunger, so the two of them discussed it and decided to go to the canteen of the herbal medicine factory to get food.

But the next second——

"Xia Tang."

Xia Tang turned around and saw a middle-aged woman in plaid pants and a yellow shirt walking towards them with square steps.

It’s Xia Dafang.

Xia Tang's originally warm and comfortable heart gradually cooled down.

In the entire Xia family, the person she least wanted to see was Xia Dafang.

It wasn't because she was bad to her, but it was precisely because of her "goodness" that made it more difficult for her to face her.

For a long time, Xia Tang felt that after her parents died, the person who loved her the most in the family was Xia Dafang.

She always had an impatient look towards other kids, and even when she saw Xia Dong, she looked at him with disgust.

But she was really nice to her. Every time they met, she would bring her some small things, ask about her grades, and praise her.

Xia Tang once thought that she was the only one who cared about her.

So in many things, she relies on her opinion.

Including the college entrance examination, including work, including... marrying Xie Minghui.

But later, Xia Tang realized that Xia Dafang's kindness to her was like cheap candy wrapped in colorful cellophane, but she looked at the colorful packaging and mistakenly thought she was holding a precious jewel in her hands.

"Xia Tang, I was just about to look for you."

As they were talking, Xia Dafang arrived in front of them.

She clearly saw Qin Yue, but she didn't even glance at him. She only stared at Xia Tang. She looked gentle on the surface, but she was tough in her bones:

"You haven't seen your aunt for a few days, let's go to her house for dinner."

Qin Yue looked at the woman in front of him unexpectedly. Perhaps he sensed her ill intentions and did not speak for a while.

Xia Tang pulled the young man beside him and deliberately asked him to stand out a little:

"Aunt, I have an appointment today."

"people"

Xia Dafang then looked at Qin Yue reluctantly, but his eyes were full of dissatisfaction.

Qin Yue didn't understand why he was doubtful about being a "human", but he smiled cooperatively:

"Aunt, do you still remember me? I'm Qin Yue, and I'm also from Xiayazi Village."

The word "Aunt" instantly made Xia Dafang's face turn pale.

"What do you call me aunt?"

Xia Dafang's tone was very stern, and he reached out to pull Xia Tang over.

Qin Yue stood in front of Xia Tang without making a sound:

"You also went back to Xiayazi Village. At that time, I called you Aunt. Don't you remember?"

Only then did Xia Dafang reluctantly dig out the vague memories about this child from his memory.

Maybe... there really is such a child, but no matter what, he should not stand with Xia Tang.

She wanted to pull Xia Tang, but Qin Yue was tall and stood like a wall in front of Xia Dafang, making it difficult for her to do anything.

Xia Dafang stamped her feet in anger, her voice so harsh that it sounded like she was scolding someone:

"Xia Tang, are you going with him or with me?"

Qin Yue's face also became solemn.

Just as I was about to say something, my hand was gently pulled from behind.

He turned around and saw Xia Tang looking at him with a smile:

"Why don't you go back first? I'm going to have dinner with my aunt tonight."

"But..." Qin Yue's brows furrowed.

"It's okay."

Xia Tang pulled him, waited for him to lower his head, and then whispered an address in his ear.

"I don't know how long I'll be there at night. If it's too late, come pick me up."

She looked at the man's ears, which turned slightly red, and patted his arm in amusement:

"Go eat by yourself."

*

All the way to Xia Dafang's house, both of them were silent.

Although Xia Tang always looked gentle, Xia Dafang was sensitive enough to feel that there was something different about her niece.

She didn't know where exactly, but she had just touched a nail that was neither soft nor hard, and now he agreed to go out to dinner with her, which made her feel a sense of crisis of losing control.

But looking at Xia Tang's quiet profile, Xia Dafang wondered if he was overthinking.

She shook her head and put on her elder attitude again:

"Xia Tang, marriage is a major event in life. You have to be careful and not just marry anyone."

"I remember you were talking to that teacher from Yunda University and they were doing fine. Why did you change to this guy now? He must be from a machinery factory. He looks so rustic, so what can he accomplish? You can't just make a decision based on his appearance!"

She paused for a moment, and seeing that Xia Tang still didn't say anything, she deliberately sighed:

"I'm doing this for your own good. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

“I understand.”

Xia Tang said with a smile, "Aunt is just praising Qin Yue for his good looks."

“…”

Xia Dafang wanted to curse, but heard Xia Tang continue:

"He is not a casual person. I have known him much earlier than I have known Xie Minghui. Do you know about him, Aunt? When I was a child, my grandmother told me to marry him."

Xia Dafang was furious:

"How old is your grandma? Do you believe what she said?"

"I believe it. I listen to the elders the most. Don't you, aunt, believe me too?"

Xia Tang was not annoyed and continued talking with a smile.

Xia Dafang was furious, but she held back her words.

Xia Tang continued walking forward with a smile.

She knew that as long as she moved the old lady out, Xia Dafang would be speechless.

My grandfather passed away early, and my grandmother raised three children alone.

But in the end, it was only her parents who took care of her in her old age.

In the past, Xia Tang thought that since her grandmother loved her parents, it was normal for them to be responsible for taking care of her in her old age.

But later I found out that the two children didn't want to come because they despised their grandmother for being a "country girl".

But if you despise her, why do you take the money that the old lady earns from digging wild vegetables and selling medicinal herbs?

Xia Tang thought, if Xia Dafang really wanted to be disrespectful to the old lady, then she would have something to say later.

Fortunately, Xia Dafang is not stupid either.

The two of them walked to Xia Dafang's home in this depressed mood.

As soon as she opened the door, white mist filled the room. Food was already laid out on the dining table in the living room. The tidy room was exactly as she remembered.

Yu Lele was sitting on a chair watching a black and white TV. When she saw someone come in, she didn't even turn her head.

Yu Wenxi, on the other hand, wiped her hands on her apron and greeted Xia Tang when she saw him coming in:

"Xiaotang is here."

"Uncle."

Xia Tang nodded and looked at his uncle whom he had not seen for a long time.

Her uncle was always like this. Every time she came to Xia Dafang's house, he was the one who cooked.

He looks honest, but he has to endure Xia Dafang's anger from time to time.

Looking at his somewhat cowardly face, Xia Tang really didn't understand where he got the courage to cash out his credit card and elope.