Chapter 92 Lu Qian's Birthday
As night deepened, warm yellow lights illuminated the grocery store.
A beggar's chicken, a serving of braised pork ribs, a plate of braised meats, and a plate of stir-fried vegetables.
Dinner's ready!
There were quite a lot of dishes today, so we sat at a slightly larger table near the door.
"Xiao Ran, sit down quickly, you must be starving!" Jiang Ling greeted her with a smile.
Xiao Ran stared intently at the beggar's chicken, her eyes shining, and swallowed hard, unable to resist.
After a long day of work, and being at an age where digestion is quick, I was already starving.
However, when he saw the sumptuous meal in front of him, he couldn't help but be surprised!
The lunch he had was better than what he ate during the Chinese New Year. He thought that having a chicken for dinner would be the biggest dish, but he didn't expect there to be a large plate of braised pork ribs and a plate of various kinds of braised dishes.
Does Sister Jiang usually eat this well?
However, before he could ask, Jiang Ling said first, "Today is your first day at work, there's not much food, just make do with what you have."
If it weren't for the fact that she couldn't order takeout, she would have wanted to prepare a standard eight-dish meal with a soup.
Xiao Ran quickly waved her hand: "No, no! This is already better than what I ate during the New Year!"
Jiang Ling carefully tore open the lotus leaf wrapping the beggar's chicken, and the aroma immediately filled the air. She tore off a chicken leg and handed it to Xiao Ran.
"Two legs fit perfectly, one for each of you. Don't worry, you're the only employee in my shop, you won't be short of food or supplies."
"Thank you, Sister Jiang."
Xiao Ran took the chicken leg, feeling a warm glow inside.
Sister Jiang was the kindest person to him besides his parents. He vowed to work hard in the future to repay Sister Jiang.
Just then, a familiar figure stumbled in through the doorway.
Only when we got to the light could we see his face clearly.
It's Lu Qian.
He seemed different today, with an unusual flush on his face, slower steps than usual, and unusual silence, with a deep-seated melancholy between his brows.
There was also a faint smell of alcohol wafting through the air.
"Young Master Lu?" Jiang Ling was somewhat surprised, as he usually wouldn't come at this time.
Lu Qian looked up, his gaze seeming to take a moment to focus. He forced a smile, his voice lower than usual:
"Miss Jiang, I apologize for disturbing you."
He originally just wanted to wander around, but somehow he ended up here, stumbling and falling.
He had stopped walking, but when he caught a glimpse of Jiang Ling's smiling face in the distance, his legs moved on their own and he walked over.
Jiang Ling noticed that he was in low spirits and immediately greeted him warmly, "Not at all, you've come at the perfect time! We were just about to eat, it's just a matter of adding an extra pair of chopsticks, why don't you join us? Xiao Ran, go to the kitchen and get a set of bowls and chopsticks."
"Okay!" Xiao Ran replied and went off.
Lu Qian looked at the steaming food on the table, then at Jiang Ling's sincere smile. The words of refusal lingered on his lips, but he ultimately didn't say them. He simply nodded slightly: "...Alright, then I'll trouble you."
He quietly found a seat at the table and sat down.
Xiao Ran ran all the way and quickly took out the bowls and chopsticks, placing them in front of Lu Qian.
Jiang Ling poured him a glass of cola. "This stuff is called 'happy water,' try it."
Xiao Ran chimed in with her recommendation, "Yes, Young Master Lu, this soda is so delicious! It's sweet, like a bunch of little people dancing in your mouth. After drinking it, you can even burp so satisfyingly that it lets out all your worries!"
Lu Qian twitched the corners of his mouth, his expression softening somewhat. "Really? Then I'll have to try it."
He picked up the disposable cup, the cool touch sending a sensation through his fingertips. Looking closer, he could see tiny bubbles dancing on the surface of the brown liquid.
It's amazing, it's like this glass of water is alive.
Lu Qian didn't hesitate any longer and took a sip.
A slight tingling sensation spread in my mouth, like something gently exploding, and a cool sweetness slid down my throat, making me feel a bit more awake.
Jiang Ling and Xiao Ran both watched his reaction intently.
"How amazing! I've never drunk water like this before!"
Jiang Ling and Xiao Ran both laughed.
Jiang Ling picked up another piece of stewed pork ribs for him, which were now very tender: "If you like it, drink more. Here, try this pork rib."
Looking at the glistening, reddish-brown ribs, Lu Qian's appetite was immediately whetted.
He took a bite of the marbled part, the fat and lean meat. "Delicious! Miss Jiang's cooking skills are no less than those of a restaurant chef!"
"Young Master Lu is too kind." This is all thanks to the seasoning.
During the meal, Lu Qian spoke very little, simply eating his food quietly. The alcohol seemed to make him even more taciturn than usual.
Jiang Ling and Xiao Ran chatted about what was happening in the village, trying to lighten the mood. As they talked, the conversation drifted to the Mid-Autumn Festival, which was three days later, and Xiao Ran mentioned that her younger brother, Xiao Qi, was born on that day.
Jiang Ling then asked Xiao Ran about her birthday, before turning to Lu Qian: "Young Master Lu, when is your birthday?"
Lu Qian's eyes darted around, and he suddenly said in a low voice, "...Today is my birthday."
Jiang Ling and Xiao Ran were both stunned for a moment.
Jiang Ling quickly smiled and said, "Young Master Lu, happy birthday! We were so caught up in the rush that we didn't even prepare a gift for you. We're so sorry."
Xiao Ran immediately shouted, "Happy birthday, Brother Lu!"
Lu Qian shook his head, his smile somewhat bitter: "It's alright, it's not an important day anyway."
Jiang Ling glanced at the dishes on the table that were almost gone and thought that in this era, people would eat noodles on their birthdays, as it symbolized longevity.
She suddenly stood up: "Young Master Lu, since you're here, please have a bowl of noodles I made. Don't refuse, consider it a small token of my appreciation."
She took a packet of scallion and pork rib noodles from the shelf and turned to go into the kitchen.
Xiao Ran followed over: "Sister Jiang, let me help!"
Cooking instant noodles is quick.
Water is boiling here, and the stove is on next to it, so I'm frying an egg.
The noodles were cooked in just five or six minutes.
Jiang Ling came out carrying a steaming bowl of noodles and gently placed it in front of Lu Qian.
Making longevity noodles on-site is too much trouble, so let's just treat this as longevity noodles.
"Here, Young Master Lu, eat it while it's hot. It symbolizes health, longevity, and all things going smoothly."
The bowl contains thin noodles, topped with a golden-brown fried egg, and garnished with a few sprigs of vibrant green vegetables. The broth is rich and fragrant.
Lu Qian stared at the bowl of noodles, his eyes momentarily glazed over, as if he were seeing a distant scene through the rising steam.
Xiao Ran asked softly, "Young Master Lu, what's wrong?"
"...My mother used to make me a bowl of noodles like this on my birthday..."
His voice was a little hoarse, and he didn't say anything more, but just lowered his head and ate silently.
Xiao Ran looked at Lu Qian curiously: "Brother Lu, it's such a big day for your birthday, why don't you go home and celebrate with your family? It must be so lively!"
Lu Qian paused, holding his chopsticks, and after a long silence, said in a low voice, "My mother... she passed away a long time ago. My father... he didn't only have me as his son."
Jiang Ling gently patted Xiao Ran's shoulder, stopping him from asking any more questions.
In ancient times, it was common for people to have multiple wives and concubines. Moreover, since Lu Qian's mother was no longer alive, his father's love naturally became less and less intense.
Lu Qian finished the whole bowl of noodles, and even drank all the soup.
"Miss Jiang, thank you. This is truly the best noodles I've ever eaten."
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