Chapter 253 All My Friends Have Arrived
Dragon boat races are all about who can be the fastest.
Each dragon boat is like a fast fish, darting to the other side in the blink of an eye.
The well-trained rowers' paddling motions had become instinctive. Accompanied by the clamor of the crowd, the several hundred-meter race quickly came to an end, producing the preliminary results.
In the first match, five teams and five players were eliminated.
Lou Hongjian, with a mournful face, pulled out the betting card from his pocket.
He bet on team number three. Unfortunately, team number three was one of the five teams that were eliminated.
"Gambling is truly harmful," he said dejectedly. "I've lost both money and my fortune. I'll never gamble again."
Lou Yansui also sighed.
His chosen team, number eight, also lost.
The remaining five teams are those chosen by Lou Fengju, Lou Heming, Old Madam Lou, and the team chosen by Third Concubine and Xia Xiaoxiang.
The five men exchanged glances, their eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
Mao Mao was perched on the windowsill, swinging her little feet with great interest.
Soon after a break, the second match began.
With a whistle, there was a knock on their private room door.
It was a crucial moment in the competition, and no one wanted to be distracted. The person outside the door knocked again persistently.
Lou Hongjian, who had been eliminated from the competition, went to open the door and saw a familiar face standing outside: "Shen Zhaolin?"
Everyone in the private room turned to look at the sound.
The person standing outside the door at this moment, wearing silver-rimmed glasses, was refined, gentle, and approachable; it was none other than Shen Zhaolin himself.
Lou Yansui was taken aback: "Teacher Shen?"
Shen Zhaolin nodded gently to everyone: "Hello, I'm here to find... Ah, Mao Mao!" He had already seen the round figure by the window, and his eyes immediately lit up with joy: "Mao Mao, I've come to play with you."
Mao Mao exclaimed in surprise, "Uncle Chen!"
"Me too!" Shen Zhuoying popped her head out from behind her uncle and said happily, "Little sister Mao Mao, I've come to play with you too. Do you remember me?"
Maomao: "..."
Mao Mao pursed her lips and turned her head away.
Lou Fengju raised his eyebrows slightly, sizing up the unfamiliar young man in front of him.
Shen Zhuoying: "..."
It seems they not only remember, but also hold a grudge.
Shen Chuoying wanted to cry but had no tears.
The two entered the private room and closed the door again.
Mao Mao warmly invited her friend to sit down and pushed the snacks on the table towards him: "Uncle Chen, how did you know I was here?"
"It was Zhuoying who spotted you by the window." Shen Zhaolin took the pastry she offered and smiled. "My whole family came to watch the dragon boat races. We were at the restaurant next door, and we were about to head back when we saw you downstairs... Hmm? This pastry?"
Shen Zhaolin asked in surprise, "Did He Mingshu do this?"
The snacks that Mao Mao gave him were the same pastries that He Mingshu had forced on him earlier.
"You also ran into He Mingshu?" Shen Zhaolin said, "He and his mother came here today as well."
Lou Yansui nodded: "Yes, we ran into each other."
"Haha, what a coincidence."
"Knock knock".
There was another knock on the door.
Lou Hongjian was standing by the door, so he opened it again.
Upon seeing the figures outside, he was immediately speechless.
Nie Zhengyun, dressed in a long black robe, stood outside the door with his hands behind his back, looking inside with a smile.
Seeing Shen Zhaolin sitting at the table, he lowered his eyebrows without making a sound. When he saw another short figure, his smile deepened: "Miss Mao Mao, I've come to play with you."
Everyone: "..."
Mao Mao was even more surprised: "Uncle, you're here too!"
Nie Zhengyun stepped into the private room and sat down in an empty seat. He smiled and said, "I just saw the Commander-in-Chief giving a speech up there."
oh!
That really brought Mao Mao to her delight!
Her eyes lit up instantly, and she excitedly boasted to her friends, "Yes, my dad was talking up there just now!"
Nie Zhengyun: "Wow, the General is really impressive."
"How impressive!"
"As Miss Mao Mao's friend, I am also honored."
"hey-hey!"
Mao Mao's little feet, suspended in mid-air, swung happily.
She pushed the plate of snacks in front of her toward Nie Zhengyun, saying, "Uncle, you should eat too."
Nie Zhengyun lowered his eyes.
Today is the Dragon Boat Festival, and the tea and snacks served in the private rooms of the teahouse have also included zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), which are in season. At this moment, Mao Mao pushed them in front of him.
He hesitated for a moment and said, "Hmm, this..."
Nie Zhengyun: "My subordinates returned with two zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), which were supposedly made by Miss Mao Mao herself."
Everyone: "..."
The thought of that zongzi caused several people present to change their expressions slightly.
He wasn't the only one who got to eat it.
"Mmm." Mao Mao nodded her little head, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him: "Uncle, did you get to eat a zongzi? Was it delicious?"
"The flavor is unique; this is the first time I've ever tasted a zongzi like this." Nie Zhengyun praised, "As expected of Miss Mao Mao, her creativity is truly extraordinary."
Mao Mao was even happier after being praised, and she cheerfully raised her little pigtails.
"My dad and brother also love it!" They finished it all. Mao Mao said happily, "Uncle, I'll make it for you again next time."
Nie Zhengyun smiled and agreed, "Okay, I'm looking forward to it."
Shen Zhaolin: "..."
Shen Zhaolin couldn't help but glance at him a few more times.
Seemingly noticing his gaze, Nie Zheng looked over casually and asked, "Mr. Chen, have you ever tried the zongzi made by Miss Mao Mao?"
Shen Zhaolin nodded: "I've eaten, and Mao Mao gave me two as well."
"..."
"Oh," Nie Zhengyun said indifferently, "You received it too."
I don’t know if Shen Zhaolin misheard.
He seemed to detect a hint of displeasure in the Green Gang boss's tone.
But looking again, Nie Zhengyun's expression remained unchanged. It was probably just his imagination.
Nie Zhengyun asked again, "What are you doing here, Mr. Shen?"
“Me? Oh.” Shen Zhaolin replied, “I made an appointment with Mao Mao yesterday to come watch the dragon boat races together today.”
"A date?"
"That's right."
Nie Zhengyun: "I also saw Mr. Shen. It turns out that Mr. Shen did not come with his family."
Shen Zhaolin laughed heartily, “I live with my family and we see each other every day, but it’s rare to run into Mao Mao. Today is a holiday, so it must be a rare coincidence.”
Shen Zhaolin then said, "By the way, what's Mr. Nie doing here? Did he also make an appointment with Mao Mao?"
Nie Zhengyun: "..."
Just then.
A burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted outside the window.
The dragon boat race has concluded.
Everyone quickly looked out the window and saw a dragon boat painted in the shape of a blue dragon winning the championship.
Old Madam Lou raised her binoculars and squinted as she looked over: "...It's number seven."
The remaining four people immediately let out sighs of varying degrees.
Lou Heming's eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses curved into a smile. "It seems I've won this bet today."
Shen Zhaolin asked curiously, "What kind of bet?"
Lou Heming gently explained to him, "My brothers and I made a bet: whoever can guess today's winner will get to play with Mao Mao for the next week."
And he is the winner of today's bet.
Lou Heming smiled gently and patted his sister's head: "Mao Mao, you'll have to play with your second brother for the next week."
Mao Mao rubbed her head against his palm: "Second Brother, tell me a story."
"Okay, Second Brother will read you the story of Maomao."
Nie Zhengyun stared at his palm, a hint of regret in his voice, "What an interesting gamble..."
Lou Hongjian pressed his back against the wall, looking at the private room filled with people.
Especially two uninvited guests who were chatting and laughing.
He thought to himself: ...Thank goodness, Dad left right after his speech!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com