Chapter 22 Dining
Secretary Sun carried an old washbasin with a large red peony printed on it. Several pieces of enamel had fallen off the edge of the basin, revealing the dark iron underneath. He placed the basin on the sink.
My own meticulous boss was standing in front of the sink in the yard, rinsing his hair with a slightly bowed posture and a worn white towel casually draped over his shoulder.
Water droplets slid down his neat short hair, and a few were sinking into his shirt collar along his neck.
The village party secretary stood to the side, holding an aluminum ladle, carefully pouring water over his head while asking with concern, "Sir, is this water temperature suitable?"
"Yes, thank you for your help."
The man's gentle voice rang out amidst the sound of water, and his movements showed no sign of awkwardness, but rather an air of composure as he adapted to local customs.
While continuing to water the plants, the village party secretary turned to the village cadre next to him and instructed, "Go and tell the kitchen to prepare the meal."
He then turned to Qu Mingyuan, his tone warm: "It's getting late. After you wash your hair, you should at least have a meal before you leave."
Qu Mingyuan straightened up and dried his wet hair with the towel on his shoulder. Even with such a simple action, he remained elegant and poised.
He glanced at the village secretary, whose face was full of expectation, and smiled: "Okay."
The village secretary watched as Qu Mingyuan dried his face, a few strands of black hair on his forehead were wet with water and hung casually above his brow bone.
Water droplets slid down his defined jawline, shimmering in the sunlight. His usually meticulously combed hairstyle now appeared more casual, which only accentuated the superiority of his features.
This appearance...
"He's really handsome."
Who? Who spoke his mind?
The village secretary turned his head and saw his wife standing beside him, holding a thermos and preparing to refill the water bottle. She was looking at Qu Mingyuan's face and muttering to herself when she suddenly laughed, "Oh, hehehe."
Village Party Secretary: "???"
It's unbearable to look at!!
To accommodate all the contestants and nearly a hundred people from the program crew, the village converted its spacious village activity center into a temporary canteen. The second floor was specially cleared out and a large round table covered with a brand-new, heavy tablecloth was set up to specially entertain Qu Mingyuan and his party.
The village party secretary stood cheerfully by the second-floor window, leaning halfway out to look down. He turned to Qu Mingyuan and said with a smile, "Leader, lunch is about to be served. This is going to be lively!"
Qu Mingyuan's gaze swept over the table full of delicacies. When he saw that some of the main dishes appeared at the same time, a look of understanding flashed across his eyes. This level of hospitality clearly exceeded the standard.
Secretary Sun, understanding the situation, stepped forward with a polite smile: "Secretary, you're so thoughtful! But there's definitely too much food for the six of us. We're advocating thrift these days, so perhaps..."
The village secretary slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "That's easy! I'll call a few kids up to eat with you later, and what about the team leaders?"
Secretary Sun: "..." He was thinking of removing a few dishes so that the Party Secretary could distribute them to other people.
This really wasn't his intention! He subconsciously looked at his boss, only to find Qu Mingyuan staring out the window in a daze. Following his gaze, Secretary Sun was instantly stunned by the scene before him.
Outside the activity center, a large group of young people rushed in from all directions, a scene comparable to the start of a marathon. Some even climbed over the low fence to take a shortcut, their movements as swift as if they were filming an action movie.
The villagers were already used to this. The canteen lady calmly opened the door, and Ling Wei, because the live broadcast point was the closest, rushed to the front. At this moment, Shan Huai passed by her, took off his baseball cap, and slapped it on Ling Wei's head, the brim blocking her view.
"Hahaha..." Shan Huai laughed loudly as he passed her.
Seeing this, the village party secretary couldn't help but smile at Qu Mingyuan and said, "These kids are so energetic! Most of the young people in our village go out to work. If it weren't for the development of the blueberry industry in recent years, we wouldn't be able to keep any of them."
"It's never been this lively before. Watching them play and joke around is quite amusing..."
Secretary Sun continued to smile and echo his words, but his professional instincts made him sense a slight stagnation in the atmosphere around him. Qu Mingyuan's posture remained unchanged, but his index finger, which was resting on the windowsill, unconsciously stopped tapping lightly, and his eyelashes drooped.
The village party secretary ignored these details and shouted out the window, "Xiao Ling! Xiao Ling!"
Ling Wei had just taken off her hat when she heard someone call her. She looked up and her gaze passed over the village secretary, then unconsciously settled on the figure by the window.
Qu Mingyuan was quietly looking at her, and the moment their eyes met, she felt her heart skip a beat.
After the village secretary finished his rambling, Ling Wei nodded subconsciously: "Okay."
etc--
What did the Party Secretary just say?
At this moment, the system that had previously caused Ling Wei to smear a rag all over the leader's face due to a delayed warning immediately straightened its back and saluted:
"Report! The Party Secretary wants you to come upstairs for dinner, and also invite the other team leaders along."
Having dinner with Qu Mingyuan?
Ling Wei sighed, realizing she had just slapped a dirty rag in someone's face. After hastily apologizing without even looking at the other person's reaction, she stammered out an excuse about live streaming and fled in a panic, slamming the door shut in front of them.
This kind of low emotional intelligence behavior would be condemned throughout the Chinese New Year in Shandong Province...
We're actually going to eat at the same table now?!
Can she even eat that much?!
......
After seeing that table full of dishes—
That's way too much to eat!
The village party secretary warmly invited the team leaders to sit down. The originally noisy group became quieter after recognizing Qu Mingyuan's identity. Some people unconsciously straightened their backs and became more reserved in their movements.
When Qu Mingyuan's gaze swept over her, Bai Wanqing's lips curved into a perfectly shaped smile.
Out of consideration for the people present, she swallowed back the familiar address, but a sweet feeling welled up in her heart. He came to the show specifically because he knew she was here too.
"Please make yourselves at home." Qu Mingyuan's gentle voice broke the silence. His posture with chopsticks was elegant and composed, as if he were in a formal banquet rather than a rural canteen.
Some people were so oblivious that they didn't recognize the person. For example, Shan Huai, who was sitting next to Ling Wei, buried his head in his food and ate with great concentration after Qu Mingyuan signaled to start eating.
He even asked Ling Wei, who was standing next to him, "Why aren't you eating your lamb chops? Can I have yours?"
Ling Wei: "......"
She silently protected her lamb chops. Although the food in the village had been good these days, with nearly a hundred people eating together, the amount of meat in the large pot was ultimately limited. It was rare to see such a substantial dish as today.
She didn't know what was wrong with her; she felt very awkward around Qu Mingyuan.
Could it be because...they've done handicrafts together? The moment this thought crossed Ling Wei's mind, she wanted to slap herself.
No, no, she brought her whole team to the competition, who is this timid little girl!
Get out of my body (raises up a pomelo leaf and slaps himself repeatedly)!
Ling Wei took a deep breath and gripped the chopsticks tightly. Yes, whatever happened, it's all in the past.
What does the past have to do with her now?
Once she understood this, she immediately felt much more relaxed. She picked up the fragrant lamb chop and took a big bite. The meat was tender and juicy. Indeed, good food is the best way to heal the soul.
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