Chapter 42 How can you question a man's waist strength when you need his help? ...
Xie Jingzhi had a sweet tooth and when he was young, he always loved to compete with his daughter Xie Ling for the pastries his wife made.
Later, his daughter grew up and specially taught herself how to make desserts for him. Unfortunately, she was too busy with work on weekdays and didn't make them for him very often. He could only eat cakes made by his daughter during holidays.
After Xie Ling passed away, the family stopped making desserts for a long time, for fear of being reminded of her by the sight of them.
Just now, Gu Chunling eagerly handed him the insulated box, mentioning that the cake contained "xylitol," and he immediately thought of Xie Ling.
When her daughter was alive, she always made the cakes for anyone in the family on their birthday. Considering that Xie Jingzhi had high blood sugar, she replaced the white sugar with xylitol.
Carrying a heavy insulated bag into the house, Xie Jingzhi covered her wet eyes with her hand and walked into the kitchen as if nothing had happened.
They happened to run into He Ming, who was coming out of the kitchen.
"Will you stay for lunch?" Xie Jingzhi looked down and opened the insulated bag, preparing to take out the cakes one by one and put them in the refrigerator.
He Ming pondered for a moment and shook his head: "No, I have something to do this afternoon." As he spoke, he glanced at the chiffon cake in Xie Jingzhi's hand, and then his face hardened. "Where did you get this cake? Did you have your blood sugar checked this morning?"
Knowing his grandson would interfere with his diet, Xie Jingzhi quickly explained, "It's xylitol; eating it occasionally won't affect your blood sugar." Then, he took a small box out of the bag, turned to He Ming, and handed it to him, "You can't finish too many; why don't you take one and try it?"
My gaze returned to my grandfather's hands. The chiffon cake in the plastic box was small and shaped like a pine tree, surrounded by a ring of small white spheres. It looked quite unique.
He Ming doesn't like sweets, and after staring at the cake for a while, he was about to refuse.
"It shouldn't be sweet, Xiao Zhu made it," Xie Jingzhi said deliberately, while carefully observing her grandson's expression.
Sure enough, a slight ripple appeared on his grandson's face.
"They came today? Is Aunt Gu's condition any better?" He Ming reached out and took the cake.
If you want to know, why don't you just ask yourself?
Xie Jingzhi paused deliberately before saying meaningfully, "Xiao Zhu didn't come... I specially had her mother bring her. That child is thoughtful; knowing I have high blood sugar, she used a sugar substitute. If you..."
Before he could finish speaking, He Ming strode forward and quickly disappeared around the corner.
"This kid..."
Xie Jingzhi couldn't help but laugh, her eyes crinkling with wrinkles.
My grandson, who doesn't like sweets, accepted the cake Xiao Zhu gave him and even tasted it as he walked.
How can this not be considered an exception?
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Since suspending her weekend night market stall, Zhu Liushuang has been looking for other ways to make money.
I'm making orders for my regular customers from home, but the sales volume is low, and I can't even cover the costs.
Moving the stall to a different location raises concerns about being caught and fined by the urban management officers. If things get even worse, the vehicle might be impounded.
Left with no other option, she had to ask friends she had met while working at a stall together. After some twists and turns, she was unwittingly pulled into a local dessert supplier group.
The group members were divided into two categories: owners of private dessert shops and managers of local coffee shops, Western restaurants, and so on. Through this group, Zhu Liushuang learned that most restaurants and coffee shops outsource their desserts. Some stores choose frozen ready-made desserts, while more sophisticated ones collaborate with private dessert shops.
With no one at home to lend a hand, Zhu Liushuang felt embarrassed to ask Tian Xingyu for help, so she had to work alone from morning till night. Fortunately, she was quick and efficient, and finally finished all the items on the order before 3:30 pm.
The workload that day really exhausted her.
Zhu Liushuang swung her aching arms to relieve the pain. Even with the air conditioning on in the living room, her back still felt sticky and uncomfortable.
She took a sip of water and quickly cut all the cake pieces into insulated boxes, filling three large boxes.
Looking at the several large, thick boxes in front of her, Zhu Liushuang felt troubled.
Although she is petite, she is quite strong and can easily move several empty boxes on ordinary days. But today, she has been busy since early morning, and her arms are so sore that she can't even lift them. She probably can't lift the boxes by herself.
The phone vibrated.
Zhu Liushuang picked it up and saw that it was the restaurant manager urging her.
Miss Zhu, please deliver the dessert to the back door of our restaurant before 4:30 PM sharp. Someone will come out to unload it then.
It's not far from Donghu Community to this restaurant; it only takes about half an hour by electric scooter.
But right now she's still having a problem: the building's elevators haven't been installed yet, so how can she safely carry the insulated box down from the sixth floor?
After returning home in the afternoon, my mother rushed off to work at the fresh produce store.
If only my father were still here!
Zhu Liushuang subconsciously turned her head to look at the family photo of the three of them hanging on the white wall, and couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in her heart.
She lowered her eyes and quickly dialed Gu Chunling's number: "Mom—do you have anyone who can cover for me? I can't move the boxes by myself."
There was a lot of noise coming from the other end of the phone, along with the sound of products being scanned.
"Xiaoshuang, Mom can't leave for the time being..." Gu Chunling was in a hurry to settle the bill for the customer and quickly hung up the phone.
Zhu Liushuang puffed out her cheeks, only one last resort remaining in her mind.
She walked straight out of her house, and a few seconds later, there was a knock on the security door across the street.
Lu Feng was home alone; she had known this morning.
That's why she dared to knock on his door and ask for his help.
Although she was knocking on the door, she felt utterly helpless.
This is the last time; I can't trouble Lü Feng anymore. She reminded herself once again.
With a creak, the wooden door opened.
"Xiao Shuang!" Lü Feng exclaimed with delight, "I just finished my afternoon nap."
Zhu Liushuang's gaze swept over Lü Feng's face, finally settling on his messy hair. He really did look like he had just woken up.
"Brother Feng, can you help me? I have a few boxes of cakes to deliver to Mengyuan Restaurant. The boxes are too heavy for me to carry by myself."
This was a piece of cake for Lü Feng, who was all muscle. He readily agreed: "Sure thing, I'll help you move it right now. I'm not just some muscle-lifter, let me change my shoes first."
Zhu Liushuang didn't close the door at home, and Lü Feng quickly walked across the street after changing his shoes.
"Just these few boxes? I'll get them all done for you in one trip." Lu Feng squatted down, preparing to move the insulated boxes on the ground, but Zhu Liushuang grabbed his clothes in time.
"They're quite heavy. Can your back handle carrying all three boxes together?" Zhu Liushuang asked with some concern. "If they tip over or wobble, it will affect the appearance of the cake... Let me help you lift them, it'll be safer."
Lu Feng muttered with a strange expression, "How can you question a man's waist strength? He definitely can!"
"What did you say?" Zhu Liushuang asked.
"Huh? It's nothing... You're right, then let's move it together." A blush crossed Lu Feng's face, and he replied with a flicker in his eyes.
With Lü Feng's help, the three huge insulated boxes were moved downstairs in less than ten minutes.
Zhu Liushuang planned to drive the "old man's electric vehicle" from the shed over to pack it up. But as soon as she got into the car, she discovered that the "old man's electric vehicle" was low on battery.
My mother drove back and forth between the city and the countryside today, and also went to the pharmacy to get some traditional Chinese medicine. The car battery was almost dead. On her way home, she was in a hurry to get to work, so she probably forgot to charge it.
Zhu Liushuang blamed herself: I was too careless!
"Xiao Shuang, what's wrong?" Seeing that the people in the bike shed were not moving, Lü Feng asked loudly.
"Brother Xiaofeng—" Zhu Liushuang stammered, "The car's out of power... Could you...?"
Before he could finish speaking, Lü Feng understood and took over the conversation: "Why are you being so polite with me? The car battery is dead, I'll take you there, I have time anyway."
Zhu Liushuang felt a mix of emotions: she had wanted to keep her distance from him and sever ties, but now she was forced to go back to him.
She knew exactly what Lü Feng was thinking.
She could feel his joy and happiness from the man's smiling face.
Feeling guilty, Zhu Liushuang pretended not to have seen it, turned her head away and whispered "thank you," trying to make her tone as polite and distant as possible.
"Let's go—let's get there early, it's easy to get stuck in traffic on the weekend." Lu Feng took out his car keys from his pocket, and the white BMW parked in the roadside parking space turned on its headlights.
Zhu Liushuang had never ridden in Lü Feng's car before. She subconsciously reached for the back door, but suddenly Zhuang Xiaoqian's complaints about her popped into her mind.
"Never sit in the back seat when you're hitching a ride with someone going your way, or people will gossip. They're kindly giving you a ride, and you're treating them like a driver..."
Hesitantly lowering her hand from the car door, Zhu Liushuang took two steps toward the passenger side.
However, some online sources say that it's not something a man should easily sit in the passenger seat of.
Last time He Ming drove her home, he was the one who opened the back door of the car for her.
So where should she sit this time?
Lu Feng closed the trunk and got out, only to see Zhu Liushuang still standing hesitantly by the car.
He walked around to her side and opened the passenger door: "Why aren't you getting in? If you dawdle any longer, we'll run out of time..."
Zhu Liushuang, caught in a mental struggle, suddenly realized that hesitating over such a trivial matter seemed like a waste of time.
She shook off those unfounded worries, quickly got into the passenger seat, and fastened her seatbelt. Strangely, she straightened her back. Her long, slender hands rested neatly on her knees, her eyes fixed straight ahead, waiting for Lü Feng to drive.
————
The white sedan pulled up at the back entrance of Mengyuan Restaurant before 4:30 p.m.
Zhu Liushuang got out of the car and handed over the boxes to the two kitchen helpers waiting at the back door, asking them to move the boxes into the kitchen first. She then went around to the front door to find the manager.
Lu Feng rolled down the car window and called out to her, "Xiao Shuang—should I wait for you here?"
Zhu Liushuang had already made her plans while she was in the car; after handing things over with the store manager, she would take a taxi home. So she declined, saying, "No need, I can't park here for long, I'll get a ticket. Thank you for your hard work today, Brother Xiaofeng. You go home first... I still have some time here, I'll go home by myself later."
Her voice was soft, and she had an apologetic smile on her face.
Lu Feng was unwilling to accept that his hard-won time alone had been gone.
He pretended not to understand the meaning behind her words and teased, "Who only helps halfway? Since I brought you here, I naturally have to take you back properly. I also need to explain to Aunt Gu!"
Without waiting for Zhu Liushuang's reply, Lü Feng stated his thoughts and shifted gears to reverse and turn around.
There are free parking spaces in front of the restaurant. I'll drive around to wait for you. Send me a message when you're done.
Zhu Liushuang subconsciously looked up at Lü Feng's face, only to see the car window quickly roll up, revealing a dark interior with only blurry figures moving about on the window.
It's her problem.
With mixed feelings, Zhu Liushuang walked through the alley toward the restaurant's front door.
Mother is right, their family is lacking a male heir. If Father were still alive, she and Mother wouldn't be suffering like this.
If she could, she would want to be strong enough.
This way, she wouldn't have to bother people she didn't want to bother.
As you walk through the alley paved with stone slabs, your view opens up.
As far as the eye can see, there is a bustling street. Mengyuan Restaurant is located in the middle of the commercial street, and as lunchtime approaches, there is a constant stream of customers coming and going.
The store manager was busy, so she was asked to go to the kitchen first to see the chefs count the items.
Zhu Liushuang followed the waiter to the restaurant's kitchen. Two young men wearing white chef's hats were working in the dessert preparation area. One was counting the items, and the other was unpacking boxes and plating the various pastries for later use.
After watching them finish their work, Zhu Liushuang finally asked, "Is there any discrepancy in the quantity?"
A young man with squinty eyes shook his head: "I counted twice, and it seems there are three extra boxes of blueberry cream cheese cubes, and two extra boxes of pistachio Sunshine Rose."
Zhu Liushuang smiled and said, "I prepared a few extra boxes in case they got damaged during transport."
The orders for Mengyuan Restaurant in one night far exceeded the amount she sold at her stall. Giving them a few extra boxes would allow her to recoup her costs and also leave a good impression.
While waiting for the store manager to arrive, Zhu Liushuang chatted with the two kitchen helpers for a few minutes and learned more about Mengyuan Restaurant.
About ten minutes later, the store manager, dressed in a black suit, appeared in the kitchen. He nodded slightly to Zhu Liushuang, then walked past her and whispered a few words to the kitchen helpers, a satisfied smile on his face.
"Ms. Zhu, I will transfer the remaining balance directly to your WeChat account shortly. Please check your account." The store manager was friendly. "It's hot, so I prepared an iced drink for you at the front desk. Please remember to take it when you leave. If the customer feedback is good, I will contact you again later."
This restaurant is incredibly hospitable, even offering free iced drinks with cake delivery. No wonder it's been open for so many years and still has a steady stream of customers.
Zhu Liushuang thought to herself, then smiled, revealing her perfect eight teeth: "Thank you for the iced drink. I look forward to our next collaboration."
"I have other things to attend to here, Miss Zhu, please make yourself at home."
With her mission accomplished, Zhu Liushuang finally relaxed. She walked lightly out of the kitchen, strolling around and leisurely taking in the restaurant.
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Author's Note: Shuangshuang doesn't keep fishponds, so she wants to sever ties with Brother Xiaofeng. However, sometimes she does encounter difficulties and has to trouble him, which puts her in a difficult position.
Waaaaah... So hurry up and get your marriage certificate with Senior He! That way I can bother him!
Regarding dessert supplies, many coffee shops and Western restaurants now source their desserts online and use a cold chain supply system; they just need to thaw before serving. (But I feel it still affects the taste; freshly made desserts are always better.)
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