Moscow Western Restaurant
The restaurant's decor has remained unchanged for decades: checkered tablecloths cover the small square tables, and each table is adorned with a vibrant rose. The restaurant isn't very large, and soothing music plays. Handsome Russian men in crisp uniforms carry trays and move around the restaurant with polite smiles.
This is a characteristic of Moscow's Western restaurants: most of the waiters are Russians. This was the case before liberation, and except for those few years of turmoil, subsequent owners have continued this tradition.
Lu Qingquan arrived at the restaurant early, nearly half an hour ahead of time, and sat in a window seat. Ye Qingqing always loved to sit by the window, no matter where she ate, so she could enjoy the view outside while she ate.
In fact, Lu Qingquan had only brought Ye Qingqing here for two meals. Western restaurants are not cheap. A decent meal costs around a hundred yuan. Who can afford that?
Every time, Lu Qingquan had to save up his pocket money for several months before he dared to treat Ye Qingqing to Western food. After the meal, he would have to cut back on his own spending to prepare money for the next treat.
That's why Lu Qingquan concluded that Ye Qingqing was a vain girl.
Ye Lan is very considerate. Every time she goes out to eat, she will take the initiative to choose an affordable small restaurant. The most extravagant thing she will do is order two stir-fried dishes. Usually, she will eat a bowl of wontons or a bowl of noodles, which costs only a few yuan.
Ye Qingqing can eat one meal, while Ye Lan can eat more than ten meals; this alone demonstrates the vast difference between the two.
The waiter came over, smiling and asking what was wrong. Lu Qingquan waved his hand, indicating that he would wait for the waiter to arrive before ordering. The waiter poured him a glass of lemonade and politely left.
Lu Qingquan was anxious, glancing at his watch every now and then. There was still a quarter of an hour left before the time he had agreed to meet Ye Qingqing, but in reality, he would have to wait at least twenty minutes. Ye Qingqing always liked to be late for their dates.
"Sir, would you like to buy a flower for your girlfriend?" A soft voice rang in Lu Qingquan's ear.
Lu Qingquan's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but look up. A beautiful girl in a white dress was carrying a basket of roses in one hand and holding a rose in the other, smiling shyly at him.
"Sir, would you like to buy a flower? It's only five cents a flower." The girl handed the flower to Lu Qingquan, her smile becoming even more shy, and she lowered her head bashfully.
In that instant, Lu Qingquan's heartstrings were touched, and he looked at the flower girl with joy and surprise.
This girl resembles Lan'er, especially in her delicate and fragile temperament, like a rare orchid in a secluded valley, making her all the more pitiful.
But it was obvious that the flower girl was prettier than Ye Lan, with more charming eyes and a captivating demeanor. She unknowingly won Lu Qingquan's heart.
"Okay, give me ten."
Lu Qingquan generously took out five yuan. He noticed that the girl's white dress had turned yellow from washing and her sneakers had a small hole in them, indicating that the girl's family was not well-off. How pitiful!
The girl looked at him gratefully, her eyes welling up with tears. "Thank you... thank you... sir, you are such a kind person..."
Lu Qingquan smiled smugly, thoroughly enjoying the girl's gratitude.
The girl handed Lu Qingquan ten flowers and reached out to take the money when a waiter approached and said unhappily, "What are you doing selling flowers again? Get out of here and don't bother our customers!"
"I'm sorry, I'll leave now..."
The girl pleaded pitifully, but before she could receive the money, she was ruthlessly pushed away by the waiter. The five yuan was still in Lu Qingquan's hand, along with the ten flowers.
"Oh... I forgot my money..."
Lu Qingquan hurriedly got up and chased after her, wanting to return the money to the poor flower girl.
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