"Ah, I really didn't know that if you hadn't told me. Let's throw a birthday party for him then." Qin Xiaoyu suddenly had an idea.
Zhou Xing's mother said she wasn't worried about Commander Zhou and Zhou Xing, but she had clearly lost weight recently. How could she not worry about her husband and son, who were on the front lines amidst the chaos of war?
It would be a good thing to celebrate her birthday and make her happy.
“At first I thought about whether to go to a hotel and have a banquet to get together with these old friends and let her relax.”
“I’m afraid this might not be appropriate. I know Aunt Zhou is a proud person, and when it comes to old friends, you’re the only one she can really get along with. If we go to a hotel, it won’t be lively with too few people, and if there are too many people, with all the toasting and drinking, it will be too formal and she’ll get tired.”
"Little Fish, you're so thoughtful. So, what do you suggest we do?"
"How about this, we can have a birthday party at home, or a barbecue buffet. It's novel and unique, and the guests will feel at ease, as will Aunt Zhou, without needing to be taken care of too much."
"A barbecue buffet? This..." Commander Wang was momentarily at a loss for words.
"Aunt Wang must have seen the movie 'Gone with the Wind.' This is what Scarlett meant when she attended the Wilkes family's barbecue picnic."
"Oh dear, now that you mention it, I'm actually looking forward to it. The Zhou family's courtyard is quite large; it can easily accommodate dozens of people. But where are we going to find someone to help with the cooking? With all that smoke and fire, who's going to grill it?" Commander Wang then realized the key point.
"Leave this to me, I guarantee there won't be any problems. We can start preparing. You should give Aunt Zhou a little hint about this, so she can be mentally prepared. As she gets older, sometimes a pleasant surprise can turn into a shock." Qin Xiaoyu thought of everything meticulously.
"Little Fish, what am I going to do? I like you more and more." Commander Wang hugged Qin Xiaoyu's slender waist tightly, wishing he could stick to her.
"Okay, we'll do the same for your birthday."
"Really? You promised me you wouldn't go back on your word!" Commander Wang was so happy that wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes.
The helpers Qin Xiaoyu was looking for were the waiters who were being trained at Qi Si's new store. They were all pretty much proficient now, so it was a good opportunity to give them some real-world experience.
"Little Fish, I think this is a bit unreliable." Qi Si stood on the platform, looking around at the awnings and tables and chairs.
The apartment he rented this time was personally selected by Qin Xiaoyu; it was a small two-story building with a platform upstairs.
Qin Xiaoyu knew that once barbecue became popular, street stalls would be indispensable. However, it was a bit abrupt to set them up now, and a buffer period was needed. They could first set them up on the rooftop platform.
This way, even if someone wants to follow suit, they won't be able to get started immediately. Once Qi Si has made her first fortune and others follow suit, she can then move down from the platform.
"Brother, what are you worried about again?" Qin Xiaoyu looked around and found that everything was done according to her plan. A pit was dug in the middle of each table and a grill was placed inside.
"You know, summer in the north only lasts a few days. After a few days, it will be freezing cold. Who will be eating barbecue outside? They'll be full just by drinking the northwest wind."
"Just move it inside, why leave the house empty as decoration?" Qin Xiaoyu said dismissively.
"You make it sound so easy. The room isn't as well-ventilated as the rooftop. Every table is smoking. How can anyone sit there? Everyone would get carbon monoxide poisoning!" Qi Si was amused by Qin Xiaoyu.
"That's the next step. For now, keep the shop open. We'll have this kind of thing processed here, called a range hood. I've had my cousin draw up the functional principles. You can contact him and discuss how many units we need, how much it will cost, and the raw materials. Okay?" Qin Xiaoyu took out a roll of drawings, gave Qi Si a brief demonstration, and left him her cousin's contact information.
"Girl, you're terrifying! Are you a deity? Here to save me?"
"I'm the Little Wealth-Giving Maiden, here to shower gold," Qin Xiaoyu chuckled.
"Girl, why are you so nice to me?"
"Brother, aren't you good to me?" Qin Xiaoyu asked seriously.
"Heh, never mind. By the way, you just said you wanted to borrow someone, who do you want to borrow?"
"Can I take your men out for training?"
"You can order them around as you please. Not only are the people in this shop under your control, but all four shops are yours to manage. You can take them all away without me asking a single question." Qi Si was successful in the underworld because he kept his word and his words were as good as nails.
"See, my brother is the best." Qin Xiaoyu ran towards the stairs with a grin.
"Girl..." Qi Si called out.
"Brother, what's wrong?" Qin Xiaoyu turned around and saw Qi Si hesitating to speak, and was a little curious.
"Your top is a bit short, it's almost showing your waist. Next time, make it longer," Qi Si said, chuckling.
"Brother, you're really nosy!" Qin Xiaoyu glared at him and ran downstairs.
That being said, Qin Xiaoyu understood that Qi Si's concerns were valid.
The next time she ordered clothes, she asked for a long one, tucking a small section into her waistband. It wasn't comfortable to wear, but it was more pleasing to the eye for most people, so she considered it a small compromise.
Zhou Xing's mother learned some rumors from Commander Wang, but because she always trusted Qin Xiaoyu, she let her cause trouble.
Soon, the two bodyguards in the house also became Qin Xiaoyu's capable assistants. They were both young and hit it off immediately, and they could communicate easily about anything.
Qin Xiaoyu kept pouring ingredients into the Zhou family's house, and the two guards arranged everything perfectly. So, without making a fuss, the barbecue buffet was ready.
Qin Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment when considering whether to invite the Tang family over. The Tang family wasn't used to grand occasions and couldn't handle being on stage. At a table, they could manage by keeping quiet and being low-key, but a barbecue buffet was a dynamic event that tested their adaptability and social skills.
She thought about it and realized that Tang Long should actually be here, but the child would definitely not come. With a sigh, Qin Xiaoyu shifted her attention to Tang Fengqin.
This girl is getting more and more beautiful. She'll be taking the college entrance exam next year; I wonder how she'll fare. Maybe I should bring her out to see the world first.
Qin Xiaoyu found some time to pick Tang Fengqin up from school and take her to Master Xu's house, asking him to make two sets of clothes for her.
Master Xu now regards Qin Xiaoyu as his benefactor. Qin Xiaoyu is not only generous, but she also draws pictures for him from time to time, which can create a trend. People say they look down on Qin Xiaoyu, but who doesn't secretly follow suit and wear her clothes?
"Second Aunt, I have clothes to wear, don't make me any more, my mom will scold me." Tang Fengqin was wearing her school uniform, a loose-fitting nylon fabric. When she saw Master Xu coming over with a tape measure, she blushed with fright and backed away repeatedly.
"Don't worry, listen to your second aunt, I'll make the decision." Qin Xiaoyu pulled her forward.
"Is this Principal Qin's niece? She's really beautiful, with such lovely features. If you didn't know she was her husband's niece, you'd think she was his own daughter." Master Xu was very good with words.
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