Chapter 156 Beef Ribs with Salt and Scallions in Barbecue Sauce [Second Update]...
It seems that Wen Fan had already spoken frankly with Fu Chuan and Fang Weiyue, because when Monday came to school, both of their seats were empty.
Fang Weiyue asked for leave saying there were family matters, but Fu Chuan didn't have a leave slip at all.
The homeroom teacher frowned and questioned Fu Chuan's deskmate. After asking, she went back to the office to contact Fu Chuan's family.
Han Lulu whispered to the student in front of her.
"I heard that Fu Chuan's father was caught cheating and having an illegitimate child...tsk tsk, the stock price is going to plummet."
"Fu Chuan probably won't be coming back this time. The house is such a mess, and the pressure of studying in China is too much."
"Who cares... Hey, did you have Wenji's sweet and sour chicken pancake this morning?"
Han Lulu's classmate in front of her looked dejected: "I didn't get a turn!"
Who would have thought that as soon as Wenji set up its stall today, a long queue would immediately form in front of the door?
It was probably Wen Fan's advertisement on the day of the spring outing that made many people aware that Wen Ji was going to sell sweet and sour chicken pancakes. After the news spread throughout the school, even some regular customers knew that Wen Ji was going to launch a new product, so they came early in the morning to compete with the students for the food.
Han Lulu also got up early to grab a meal and successfully bought two.
A pancake costs twelve yuan. The method of making the pancake is not difficult. Wen Fan taught Yao Qingqin yesterday. As for the shredded chicken, Wen Fan also prepared a seasoning packet for Yao Qingqin to stir-fry.
After making the pancakes last night, Yao Qingqin gave one to her daughter to try first. Little Yao Huang ate it with her mouth full of oil and then held her hand, saying she wanted more today. Yao Qingqin had originally prepared three hundred pancakes, thinking they would be enough for two meals today, but with the influx of customers this morning, she knew she was wrong.
All the prepared sesame seed cakes were sold out, so Yao Qingqin started frantically preparing the ingredients in the morning and asked someone to deliver the cakes.
Han Lulu ate the sandwich and described its taste to the person at the table in front of her.
"The sesame flatbread is super crispy, coated with a layer of crunchy sugar like candied hawthorn, and the shredded chicken is spicy and numbing..."
As he spoke, he slurped a few more, thinking about buying more that evening so his parents could try them too.
The student in front of her looked at Han Lulu with envy, when Han Lulu suddenly called out.
"Hey! Have you finished your essay?"
The person in front of me said, "I already wrote it. Didn't we ask you to write a travelogue about Carp Village?"
Han Lulu was extremely anxious: "I've completely forgotten!"
Han Lulu was busy flipping through her notebook: "I was so busy organizing photos yesterday..."
After sorting through hundreds of photos, she had completely forgotten about writing the essay!
Han Lulu: "Wen Fan, have you written it yet?"
Wen Fan glanced at her: "No copying allowed."
Han Lulu was on the verge of tears.
Wen Fan: "Hurry up and write it. I think Teacher Wang has something to do this morning and may not be in the mood to finish. Today's Chinese class is the fourth period, so you still have time to write it now."
Han Lulu had no choice but to take out her homework and write frantically.
Fortunately, Han Lulu finished writing her essay just as the homeroom teacher came to class in the fourth period and handed it in without any major incident.
After a class ended, as the bell rang, Teacher Wang frowned and said, "Let me explain the arrangements for this weekend. Because the senior students will be taking a province-wide mock exam, we will be using the classrooms this weekend. Also, the May Day holiday starts on Tuesday, so we will have a four-day weekend starting Friday afternoon..."
A quiet cheer erupted from the audience.
Teacher Wang: "I hope everyone pays attention to the time. Senior year is just around the corner! Today it's others, next year it will be you..."
Han Lulu was very excited and nudged Wen Fan: "Hey, are you going out to play during the holidays?"
Wen Fan: "...I'm not going."
She's not someone who's particularly attached to traveling; instead, she feels more at ease staying in familiar places with her family.
...
When Wen Fan returned to the store for lunch, only Mi Xiao was at the cashier in the bustling front desk area.
"Xiaojie, where's my mom?"
Mi Xiao: "Someone came by just now, said a few words, and then the aunt and uncle took her away, saying they were going back to your home."
Wen Fan was full of questions. In all this time, she had never seen any of her relatives come to visit, and her parents' social interactions were mostly about this store.
Wen Fan didn't say anything, and went home as soon as he left the store.
When I opened the door after arriving home, I was face to face with the person coming out of the house.
A middle-aged woman whose face looked somewhat familiar smiled and greeted him, "Little Fan has grown up so much?"
Wen's mother stepped out from behind the man and scolded Wen Fan, "Why did you come back? Lunchtime is so rushed. Do you still remember your Aunt Bai?"
Wen Fan shook her head. The memories she inherited from the original owner were becoming increasingly blurred. Not to mention acquaintances, she didn't remember much even about the original owner's childhood.
Hello, Aunt Bai.
Aunt Bai smiled and waved her hand, then turned to Wen's mother and said, "Seeing that Xiao Fan is doing so well now, I'm relieved. I'll be going now. Let's chat again another day when we have time?"
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Aunt Bai left.
Wen Fan sidled up to his mother and asked, "Mom, who is that person?"
Wen's mother clearly didn't want to say more; she wouldn't have brought up Wen Fan if he hadn't suddenly come back today.
But Wen's father patted her on the shoulder: "The children are all grown up now..."
In the end, Wen's mother could only confess: "It was the director of the orphanage."
Wen's mother tried to talk to her daughter about everything at the orphanage in a calm tone.
"Back then, when your father and I wanted to adopt you, our circumstances weren't really in a good position. It was only after Dr. Bai conducted a thorough investigation that we submitted an application and agreed to adopt you... Dr. Bai is very responsible; he contacts us every year for follow-up visits. In the period right after we brought you home, because we were constantly going to the hospital, Dr. Bai even recommended a reliable doctor."
Wen Fan nodded, and to her parents' surprise, she suddenly said, "So, what brings Dean Bai here this time...?"
Wen's mother: "It's nothing. She just saw our shop online. She took the children from the orphanage to the hospital for a stay and stopped by to visit. Also, she wanted to invite us to cook for her on Children's Day."
Over the years, the number of children in the orphanage has gradually decreased. Most of the remaining children who have not been adopted are in poor health. Director Bai has taken care of them a lot on a daily basis, so his heart has softened and he wants to give the children some good food.
Wen Fan finally felt relieved. She had thought that since Fang Weiyue, that silly girl, couldn't get through to her, she would try to get through to the orphanage instead.
"Then go!"
Wen's mother hesitated for a moment: "Actually, it's fine if you don't go. You're busy with your studies. Let your dad and Xiao Ge go..."
Wen Fan shook her head: "It's okay, Mom. Aunt Bai helped us before, so I'm willing to go too."
Wen's mother sighed, "Alright then, I'll talk to her."
After finalizing the schedule for the Children's Day holiday, Wen Fan told his mother that he would have four days off this week.
Ms. Wen said the shop would also be closed for two days: "It's a holiday, everyone should take a break."
She wanted to rest, but Yao Qingqin's stall was getting more and more popular every day.
The popularity of sweet and sour shredded chicken sandwiches is growing, and they have quickly attracted a large number of people to come and try them.
With so many people coming, Yao Qingqin was a little overwhelmed. After discussing it with Wen's mother, Yao Qingqin asked her own mother to come along as well.
Two people manage one stall, barely managing to get through the busiest times.
When Yao Qingqin had some free time, she did the math and felt quite pleased with herself.
"Mom, I'll make at least 20,000 this month!"
A salary of 20,000 yuan! She wouldn't have dared to dream of it before!
Yao's mother was also happy for her daughter. While wiping the table, she asked her daughter, "Did that person come looking for you again later?"
Yao Qingqin raised her eyebrows: "He dares!"
Her ex-husband had come to her once before, accusing her of concealing marital assets. He was sometimes tough and sometimes begging for reconciliation, making the neighbors laugh at her. In the end, Yao Qingqin got angry and simply picked up a broom and chased him away.
Yao Qingqin had initially intended to avoid leaving her child with psychological trauma and never spoke ill of her ex-husband in front of the child. But after this incident, she gave up hope. To try and extract information from the child just days after the divorce—this man's character is truly questionable.
"Mommy won't say anything about Daddy still loving you. Baby, you can feel for yourself what love really is. It's okay if you don't have an answer yet; you'll understand in time."
Yao Qingqin felt that the parenting experts she had read were all nonsense, such as not speaking ill of one's ex-partner after a divorce.
Yes, she shouldn't sow hatred, but is it really okay to lie to children?
Kids aren't stupid. If you tell her that her father loves her, she'll confuse the concepts of love and indifference when she grows up, mistaking neglect and indifference for expressions of love.
This won't do!
After Yao Qingqin finished speaking, she left it to her daughter to think about, while she rolled up her sleeves and had a fight with her ex-husband.
She went to the factory where her ex-husband worked, until she saw him appear at the door, looking utterly terrified.
"Yao Qingqin, what are you doing! We're already divorced!"
Yao Qingqin glanced at her ex-husband with disdain: "You know we're divorced now, so from now on, stay away from my workplace and don't get close to Yao Huang! If you come looking for us again, I'll come to your workplace. Let's just make a scene. If you make a scene and I lose my job, I'll make a scene and you lose yours. Let's all go down together."
Yao Qingqin wasn't intimidated at all. She was confident that Wen's mother wouldn't fire her easily, but her ex-husband was different. If she came a few times, he would definitely lose his job.
Having learned of Yao Qingqin's determination, her ex-husband never went to see his daughter again.
When Yao's mother heard Yao Qingqin say this, she nodded in satisfaction. Her daughter, who had been so obedient before, had finally found her backbone.
"Mom, it's Dad's birthday this week, so I've booked a private dinner for you."
Yao's mother: "Why spend that money!"
"Oh, this is nothing! I finally managed to get this account, come on over!"
"Okay, I'll go back and tell your dad. He'll be thrilled."
...
On a weekend evening, three tables of guests were seated neatly.
One table was occupied by Yao Qingqin's family, another by a group of college students, and the third by only two people.
Yao's mother held her granddaughter, while the college students laughed and filmed the video. Only the last two people looked left and right.
"Director Hao, you see, I told you Wenji's business was good. I even paid extra to get this number. We're going to promote tourism projects this year, and Wenji will definitely be included."
Director Hao nodded: "It's indeed good, but we still need to see the menu. It would be best to discuss with them how to integrate the entire project."
As they were talking, Du Min started serving the dishes.
"The first dish is braised beef short ribs with salt and scallions."
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