Chapter 127 Uncle Lin
Lin Jingyuan has been quite busy lately, thanks to the successful cooperation with Song Ji, which has opened the door to the high-end catering market.
Previously, Yuanben Xunwei was also involved in food ingredient supply, but the restaurants that approached them or could be contacted were mostly mid-range restaurants catering to banquets. This was not in line with the company's initial strategy of supplying high-end gifts. However, in order to expand its business, broaden its food ingredient promotion channels, and help farmers increase their income, Lin Jingyuan selected some reputable restaurants to cooperate with.
On the other hand, he was also looking for high-end catering partners. Before cooperating with Song Ji, he had already contacted a local long-established restaurant, but the other party had always had some concerns.
After Lin Jingyuan and Song Ji collaborated, the long-established restaurant finally agreed to the partnership.
Lin Jingyuan knew that this was all thanks to Song Ji. Although Song Ji had only been open for half a year, it had already gained popularity in the city thanks to its excellent reputation and strong exposure on television programs. Diners who had eaten there praised it.
Recently, Lin Jingyuan has been busy with collaborations with other restaurants, so he hasn't been able to deliver vegetables to Song Ji with his staff every morning as he used to.
After his work came to a temporary halt, Lin Jingyuan returned to Song Ji's place.
It was past lunchtime, but Song Ji Restaurant was still packed. The area outside, separated by a wall, was very quiet. The ginkgo leaves were turning yellow, falling to the ground like scattered gold leaf.
With a "thud," the bicycle fell to the ground.
Lin Jingyuan's calf was hit by the bicycle that had fallen over.
He turned his head and saw the little child who had fallen to the ground hurriedly getting up. His pale yellow coat was covered in mud. The child didn't care about himself and kept apologizing in his childish voice: "Brother, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Brother, are you hurt? I'll take you to the hospital. I'm sorry, brother!"
"I'm fine." Lin Jingyuan's leg didn't hurt. He found the child in front of him quite amusing and asked, "Little friend, did you hurt yourself?"
There are many children in the countryside, and Lin Jingyuan's company is located in the suburbs. When he goes to work in the fields, he is often bumped into by children. If they are polite, they will say sorry, but if they are rude, they will turn around and run away. It can be described as a hit-and-run.
Having encountered this kind of thing many times, Lin Jingyuan himself didn't care anymore. This was the first time he had met a child who, after bumping into him, was so organized and even offered to take him to the hospital. Moreover, the child himself had also fallen down. As an adult, it was natural for him to care about the vulnerable.
The child looked up, his eyes wet with tears, and gently shook his head, looking very sad: "I'm sorry, brother."
Lin Jingyuan was amused. This was the first time he had been called "brother" by a child. In the village, children address each other according to their seniority. Lin Jingyuan was of a high seniority in the village, and he was called "uncle," "grandpa," and "grandpa" by many. He felt a little awkward when he first returned after graduating from university, but he got used to being called that after a while.
"How old are you, little friend?"
The voice, still tinged with sadness, replied, "Six and a half years old."
"Then you should be in elementary school by now, right?"
The child's mood improved slightly: "I'm in first grade."
"You can ride a bicycle in first grade? That's amazing."
The child pursed his lips slightly, a little embarrassed: "I can't ride yet, I'm learning."
He rubbed his arm; he had fallen off his bicycle while trying to avoid Lin Jingyuan, and his arm had hit the ground, causing it to hurt a little.
"Brother, does your leg hurt?" The child squatted down, seemingly wanting to see his leg, but he didn't dare to lift his trouser leg. He could only look up at Lin Jingyuan with his little brows furrowed, as if he were the one who had been hit, and his expression was very sad.
Lin Jingyuan smiled and rolled up his trouser leg to show him: "It doesn't hurt, I didn't bump into anything at all."
The child felt a little relieved.
Lin Jingyuan helped him lift the bicycle and held it, asking, "How long have you been learning to ride a bicycle, little one?"
"I could ride one when I was in kindergarten," the child said in a childish voice, gesturing as he spoke. "It was one of those bicycles with three wheels on the back, so you wouldn't fall off. But when I started elementary school, I had to ride one with two wheels, but I never learned how."
He felt a little unwell.
Lin Jingyuan smiled and said, "I'll teach you."
"Brother, can you ride a bike?" A pair of big, bright eyes looked at him, her little face was fair and she looked extremely well-behaved.
Lin Jingyuan didn't know why, but he felt a good impression of the child as soon as he saw him. He thought it was probably because he had seen too many unruly children, and it was easy to like a child who was clean-cut, well-behaved, and spoke politely.
"Yes, I can." Lin Jingyuan gripped the handlebars of the bicycle with both hands and sat down.
The bicycle was rather small, and he was 1.8 meters tall, so sitting on it looked a bit out of place. But the child standing next to him didn't seem to notice anything strange at all; instead, he looked at him with incredibly expectant eyes.
Lin Jingyuan began to test ride, turning his head to the child and saying, "The most important thing about riding a bicycle is to find your balance. At the beginning, you don't need to put your feet on the pedals; just glide with both feet on the ground."
He spoke and then demonstrated.
"Then..." He stepped onto the pedals and smoothly rode around the child once.
The child's eyes widened, and he clapped his hands, exclaiming sincerely, "Brother, you're amazing!"
The child's soft, childlike voice made one's lips involuntarily curve into a smile. Lin Jingyuan placed the bicycle in front of the child: "Why don't you give it a try?"
The child glanced at him and enthusiastically hummed in agreement. Although he had just fallen, he wasn't afraid at all when he got back on the bike. He carefully rode the bike and imitated Lin Jingyuan's movements to find his balance by gliding, leaving his feet off the ground.
Lin Jingyuan waved to him, and the child rode over on his bicycle. Although he hadn't officially learned to ride yet, his little face already showed great interest.
Lin Jingyuan said, "I'll lift the rear wheel later, and you can try to find the feeling of pedaling."
The child turned to look at him, his expression serious: "Brother's bicycle is very heavy, and so am I."
Lin Jingyuan easily lifted him up, along with the rear wheel of the car.
The child's serious expression instantly turned to surprise, and his voice was filled with joy: "Wow, brother, you're so amazing! You're so strong!"
Lin Jingyuan had always considered himself a fairly composed person, but for some reason, he felt much more relaxed and happy amidst the child's flattery.
After learning to pedal, he could ride on his own. Lin Jingyuan was still a little worried and followed behind the child, but the child had an amazing learning ability. After just a couple of tries, he mastered the balance on his own.
Learning to ride a bicycle seems to happen in an instant. Once you can do it, you seem to forget the feeling of not being able to and you won't fall down anymore.
A bright smile lit up the child's face, and he exclaimed in delight, "Brother!"
He kept his eyes fixed ahead, not daring to look around. From the moment he learned to ride a bike, I knew he would definitely be a person who strictly abides by traffic rules when he drives in the future.
Lin Jingyuan clapped: "Amazing!"
The child wasn't very good at braking yet; to stop, he would just put his feet on the ground and use his foot to brake. Lin Jingyuan pressed his hand on the back seat, instantly stabilizing the bicycle.
"Thank you, brother!" The child got off the bike, used his foot to pull down the kickstand, and the bicycle came to a steady stop on the side of the road. He then ran excitedly and happily into Song's Restaurant.
"Mom, I can ride a bicycle now!"
Lin Jingyuan stood at the door, somewhat taken aback. He thought it was a child from one of the residents in the community, but he didn't expect it to be Song Ji's child.
Perhaps it belongs to a guest?
The child's voice was very distinctive, and it could be faintly heard: "A very handsome older brother helped me learn it."
"Brother is so amazing!"
Lin Jingyuan felt a little embarrassed when he heard the child's exaggerated voice. Riding a bicycle is not a super impressive thing in the eyes of someone who knows how to ride.
He thought about it and decided to go to Song Ji for a meal. But he had only taken one step when the child came out holding his mother's hand, looking at him with bright eyes: "Mom, this brother taught me how to ride a bike!"
Lin Jingyuan stammered upon seeing the child's mother: "Uh... Manager Song..."
Song Xinran couldn't help but chuckle: "President Lin, what brings you here at this time? Thank you! As soon as Xiao Yu came in, he told me that a super handsome guy was teaching him to ride a bike. He's incredibly good-looking and also very strong!"
She mimicked Song Yu's tone from earlier, her voice tinged with laughter, making everyone present, young and old, blush.
Song Yu gripped her hand tightly, blushing, "Mom, please stop!"
Lin Jingyuan's ears also turned slightly hot, which was uncharacteristic of him: "It's just a small matter..."
Song Xinran said, "Don't stand outside, come in and have a meal. Order whatever you like."
Lin Jingyuan said, "I haven't made an appointment yet."
Song Xinran laughed even louder. Lin Jingyuan wasn't usually this well-behaved when she met him. What was wrong with him today? She said, "No need for an appointment, you're a special customer."
Lin Jingyuan paused slightly, and his hand, which was hanging at his side, seemed to tense up for a moment.
The hall was already full, and Song Xinran arranged for Lin Jingyuan to sit in a private room.
Lin Jingyuan joked, "Is there a minimum charge for such a high-class private room?"
He reverted to his old self, and Song Xinran chimed in, "Of course there is, which is why this private room is not usually open."
What is the minimum spend?
Song Xinran said in a serious tone: "Ten million."
A slightly bewildered look appeared on Lin Jingyuan's face.
Song Xinran put on a serious face and used a cliché that would be incredibly old-fashioned twenty years later, but probably no one would use it at this time: "Make sure you enjoy your meal."
Lin Jingyuan laughed, and once he started, he couldn't stop. His ears turned red. He seemed to want to stop, but he couldn't control his physiological reaction. He could only turn his head to the side, his shoulders trembling slightly, but he still couldn't hide his laughter.
Song Xinran was puzzled. Was this joke really that funny?
Perhaps this is the charm of a meme that transcends time and comes from twenty years in the future?
"President Lin, please have a seat. I'm going to the kitchen." She thoughtfully gave Lin Jingyuan some space.
Although Lin Jingyuan hadn't ordered yet, Song Xinran knew what he would eat. He had been to Song Ji many times, and the spring water sour soup fish was a must.
Song Yu stood to the side, looking at Lin Jingyuan with some curiosity. He didn't find the joke funny, but he had just been taught how to ride a bicycle by Lin Jingyuan and naturally had a good impression of him. He was eager to stay, but Song Xinran pulled him away.
As soon as they left the private room, Song Yu excitedly exclaimed again, "Mom, I've learned to ride a bicycle!"
Song Xinran said, "Xiao Yu, didn't Mom say that she would teach you to ride a bike after the guests left? If you fall and get hurt while you're out alone, Mom will be very sad."
Song Yu quickly said, "Mom, I didn't hurt myself."
He jumped up and down on the spot to show that he was healthy.
"But what if you hit someone?"
Song Yu lowered her head in shame: "I will be very careful, but I still accidentally bumped into you just now."
Song Xinran patted his head: "From now on, you can only do things like this when Mom is around."
Song Yu nodded: "I understand, Mom."
Song Xinran asked him softly, "Does Xiao Yu really like bicycles?"
Song Yu nodded vigorously: "I can ride now! Wu Yaoxuan could ride a bike when he was in kindergarten, but it was a four-wheeled bicycle. He said he wants to learn to ride a two-wheeled one so we can ride together and go out to play together in the future."
Song Xinran smiled slightly; Song Yu's social circle was quite large.
As someone who's been through it all, she knows that people make different friends at every stage of life, but she would be happy if Song Yu could continue playing with her childhood friends and maintain those friendships. She doesn't want Song Yu to learn about loss at such a young age.
"Does Mom know that handsome older brother?" While she was in the kitchen, Song Yu sat on a small stool and talked to her.
Song Xinran said, "Yes, we know him. The ingredients for our restaurant were delivered by that guy."
"Wow!" Song Yu exclaimed, "He's amazing!"
It's rare to see Song Yu so fond and enthusiastic towards an adult. The last adult male whom Song Yu liked like this was Su Hang, but that was because Song Yu liked watching "Food Detective" and had a celebrity filter for Su Hang.
Even so, Song Yu didn't use "good-looking" as a comma; he always had it on his lips.
“That guy’s surname is Lin, Xiao Yu can call him Brother Lin,” Song Xinran said. “Why does Xiao Yu like him so much?”
Song Yu: "He can ride a bike, that's amazing!"
Song Xinran laughed, finding Song Yu's naivety quite endearing. After get off work, she would take Song Yu for a bike ride, as she used to be a very good cyclist.
When the dishes were delivered to the private room, Lin Jingyuan finally stopped laughing.
Song Xinran joked, "I thought I'd see a child when I came in."
Lin Jingyuan expressed his doubts.
Song Xinran pretended to be serious: "After all, a smile makes you ten years younger. President Lin laughed more than once just now."
Lin Jingyuan laughed again, turned his head to the side, and his shoulders kept shaking.
Song Xinran waited for thirty seconds, then a minute, then two minutes. Seeing that he still showed no signs of stopping, she was truly speechless.
Lin Jingyuan is hopeless. Has he never heard a lame joke before?
Song Xinran felt that her jokes were awkward, but he couldn't stop laughing.
"Brother, stop laughing, your stomach will hurt later." Song Yu was very concerned about him, ran to his side and said seriously.
Lin Jingyuan rubbed his face, trying hard to control himself: "Okay."
Suddenly, he smelled a delicious aroma and quickly turned around: "Sour Fish Soup!"
He looked up at Song Xinran with delight: "I haven't even ordered yet and Manager Song already knows what I want to eat."
Song Xinran said, "Don't you always order these few dishes? There's also shredded pork with garlic sauce, stir-fried pork, and stir-fried vegetables later."
Lin Jingyuan had been to Song Ji's restaurant many times, and he always ordered the same few dishes. Song Xinran truly admired him; he seemed to never get tired of eating them.
Lin Jingyuan seemed to have guessed what she was thinking: "Then I'll change the dish next time I come. I think Song Ji's dishes are always delicious. I wonder if Manager Song has any other dishes to recommend?"
"Brother, try the pickled radish stir-fried with pork and the Northeastern-style stewed rice, it's especially delicious!" Song Yu enthusiastically recommended.
Song Xinran was truly helpless; the two dishes Song Yu mentioned were his recent favorites.
In the past, she would set up a stall selling oden every winter in town. Song Yu loved eating rice soaked in soup. After coming to the city, she no longer needed to set up a stall, so there was no more oden. However, Song Yu still missed it. So Song Xinran made a simplified version at home.
Eating only rice soaked in soup was too simple, so I added a dish of kimchi stir-fried with meat. I diced the freshly soaked radish and minced the meat, stir-fried it briefly, and the tangy radish diced meat absorbed the oil from the meat, which neutralized the greasiness of the meat. It tasted incredibly refreshing, sour and crunchy, and went very well with rice.
Song Yu has been eating it for three days in a row and likes it more and more.
Song Xinran explained to Lin Jingyuan, "These are Xiao Yu's favorite dishes. You can take a look at the menu and choose whatever you like."
"Can I order something that's not on the menu?" Lin Jingyuan asked.
“Sure, do whatever you like.” Song Xinran was very confident in her cooking skills. Even if Lin Jingyuan came up with a dish of his own ideas, Song Xinran could make it according to his requirements, as long as it wasn’t too fantastical.
Lin Jingyuan smiled, a relaxed and light smile: "Then can I have pickled radish stir-fried with pork and Oden soup rice?"
Song Yu nodded rapidly beside him, thinking it was the most delicious thing in the world.
Song Xinran: "Sure."
She felt that Lin Jingyuan would definitely be a very doting parent if he had children in the future.
“Brother, my mom’s oden is really delicious.” Song Yu said that Fu Fu loved it after trying it on his recommendation. However, his mother couldn’t make oden in the restaurant, so she brought it to Fu Fu in a thermos. After eating it once, Fu Fu said that she wanted to live at Song Yu’s house for the rest of her life, but Song Yu refused, saying that if Fu Fu went to his house, Fu Fu’s parents and grandmother would be very sad.
Fu Fu had no choice but to abandon the idea.
Lin Jingyuan looked at Song Yu: "Your name is Xiao Yu, right?"
Song Yu nodded: "My full name is Song Yu. Yu means 'abundance year after year,' and it also means happiness and fulfillment. Brother can call me Xiao Yu like Mom does."
Lin Jingyuan: "Xiao Yu, you'd better stop calling me brother for now."
Song Yu: "Why?"
Lin Jingyuan: "Call me uncle. If you call me brother, then there's a generational difference between me and your mother."
Song Yu glanced at Song Xinran, who nodded slightly. He then happily called out, "Uncle Lin."
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