Chapter 102 A Farewell Dinner
Three days later, a detailed "March Mountain Cultural Tourism Complex Development Plan" was released. The plan proposed that the former wasteland be transformed into "March Mountain Star Valley"—a cultural tourism complex integrating gourmet experiences, cultural displays, and leisure vacations.
The project launch ceremony was held in front of Su Yingxue's booth. At dawn, as the first rays of sunlight shone on March Mountain, Hou Defa, Zhang Yizhou, Su Yingxue, Shen Yu, He Qianyu, and others stood on a makeshift stage, facing hundreds of curious tourists and nearby residents.
"Hello everyone!" Hou Defa picked up the microphone and said in a loud voice, "Today, I have some good news to announce! We will transform this wasteland into a new landmark of Ancheng's Sanyue Mountain! It will be called Sanyue Mountain Star Valley."
A round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience. He Qianyu continued, "I'll come here often to share the joy of delicious food with everyone!"
Shen Yu added with a smile, "I will bring my fans to experience it together!"
Prolonged applause and cheers erupted from the audience.
Following the launch ceremony, the project immediately entered a rapid construction phase. Hou Defa's investment team quickly arrived, and the architectural design company contacted by Zhang Yizhou also sent an expert team. A sign reading "Hoshino Valley Preparatory Office" appeared in front of Su Yingxue's flatbread stall, where Hou Yiming frequently discussed project details with Hou Defa. Zhang Yuechao wasn't idle either, occasionally selling mutton flatbread at Su Yingxue's stall while also checking on the project's progress.
Two weeks later, when the first batch of cherry blossom saplings were planted on the wasteland, Zhou You stood on the viewing platform, looking at the busy construction site and the endless stream of tourists, and couldn't help but sigh: "Who would have thought that a roadside stall could drive the transformation of the entire scenic area? I never imagined that my decision to have Su Yingxue set up a stall would lead to so many changes."
Hou Defa walked up to him, smiled, and said, "That's the charm of everyday life. Food, human kindness, dreams... when they come together, they can create miracles."
As for Su Yingxue, she recently contacted the truck drivers and introduced them to a lot of jobs. Even Wang Chuan, who used to hang out in internet cafes, was called over by Grandpa Wang to help out.
They were currently busy having a farewell meal. They had completed all the wasteland tasks assigned by the system during this period. It was time to have a farewell meal with everyone at the funeral home and He Rongrong.
"Ah! No way! I've only been eating boxed lunches for a few days now," Lin Xiao said to Su Yingxue with a pained expression.
"Sister Su, I still remember how you looked when you first came to buy stinky tofu from me. Thanks to you, I was terrified when I was walking alone at night. I was afraid there would be bad people around."
Seeing Lin Xiao becoming more and more independent, Su Yingxue said with a grin, "Who knew I'd run into you on my very first day setting up my stall? I thought I'd met my first fan!"
"Now I'm a fan too." Lin Xiao stared at Su Yingxue for a long time before awkwardly saying, "Actually, there's something good I forgot to tell you. I'm in love."
"You're in love, congratulations!" Su Yingxue still remembered Lin Xiao complaining to her about her family pressuring her to get married.
"Do you eat pig liver?" Sheng Deyu walked over again, holding a knife that was still dripping blood.
"Sister Su is here, and you're still eating pig liver." Lin Xiao rolled her eyes at him, then pulled Sheng Deyu towards Su Yingxue and said, "Let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend."
Sheng Deyu held the knife, still bewildered, then laughed. "Didn't you say you were going to keep it a secret? Afraid the curator would say we were having an office romance."
Guan Yao, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, walked over, holding documents and looking at the two of them. He smiled and said, "You'd better keep it a secret! Everyone in the entire building knows."
"Alright, I'll cook something to celebrate. I've been setting up a stall at the scenic area for a while, so I haven't really made anything fancy." Su Yingxue took a knife and went into the kitchen to see what ingredients were available.
Prepare to cook all your signature dishes: "Lamb spine soup, curry beef, braised duck with lotus root, fried chicken cutlet, and Cantonese bok choy."
"Sister Su! I bought your favorite corn juice!" He Rongrong said, her apron strap still askew on her hip as she pushed open the door, holding two cans of chilled drinks. "Grandpa Wang said you like it sweet."
Before he could finish speaking, Lin Xiao interrupted him: "Idiot! Sister Su doesn't drink corn juice!" She grabbed Sheng Deyu's arm and squeezed in, "Get her some lemonade."
Su Yingxue smiled and looked up; the green vegetable leaves on the cutting board were vibrant and fresh. She remembered that the first time she delivered boxed meals to the funeral home was in October, when she met Lin Xiao late at night.
The kitchen door was pushed open with a loud bang, and Grandpa Wang rushed in, carrying kitchen utensils: "Xiao Su! What's the ratio of that 'secret curry sauce' you mentioned last time? I tried to make it the way you showed in your video, but it just doesn't taste quite right!"
Su Yingxue's eyes welled up with tears from the commotion. She turned around, tied on her apron, and carried the lamb spine soup pot to the stove: "No sentimentality today. If you don't have enough plates, go get some from the back room! Lin Xiao, take out the strawberry cake you hid in the fridge—who said last month, 'We have to have a cake party when Sister Su leaves'?"
"I...I...I!" Lin Xiao raised her hand but then pulled it back, poking her boyfriend's waist beside her. "He forced me to keep it a secret!"
Sheng Deyu's ears were as red as boiled shrimp. Holding up a spatula, he explained, "I was just... afraid that Sister Su would be moved to tears beforehand and delay the stall setup!"
The sounds of conversation mingled with the aroma wafting in from outside. Grandpa Zhang and Grandpa Li, the景区 patrolmen who had helped out a few days ago, strolled in leisurely. Grandpa Zhang slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Little Su, could you please copy down another recipe for those kangmo (a type of flatbread)? My grandson's been licking his lips like crazy about it..."
Grandpa Li added, "I also went to join the fun last time and had a few bites, it was delicious!"
Su Yingxue lifted the lid of the steamer, and the rich aroma of braised duck and lotus root wafted out. She looked at the kitchen, which was packed with people—some were holding up their phones to film her tossing the wok, some were squatting on the ground picking garlic, and some were standing on tiptoe to reach the chili jar on the top shelf—and suddenly remembered the night she first met Lin Xiao, remembered the "March Mountain Traffic Data Sheet" saved on Zhou You's phone, and remembered Hou Defa pointing at the wasteland under the starlight and saying, "We're going to build a star amusement park."
"Dinner's ready!" She raised the soup ladle high, the silver bracelet on her wrist clinking crisply. "Today's rule—whoever says anything about parting will be punished by drinking three bowls of mutton spine soup!"
Amidst the laughter filling the room, Lin Xiao quietly touched Sheng Deyu's finger. Sheng Deyu understood and took out a small box from his apron pocket: "Sister Su, this is a 'commemorative keychain' that we made together—the front has the pattern from your stall, and the back has 'small words' engraved on it."
The keychain gleamed warmly under the yellow light. When Su Yingxue took it, her fingertips touched a line of tiny words: "The most precious thing in the world is fireworks, and starlight will not fail those who are on their way."
Outside the window, the autumn wind blew through the woods of March Mountain, and the leaves rustled down onto the row of electric bikes in the parking lot—in the basket of one of the blue bikes, there was still an unopened box of baked flatbread, with a sticky note on the bottom of the box with a crooked smiley face drawn on it, which read: "Next stop, let's eat more delicious food together."
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