Chapter 810 Sweet Daily Life She took care of these two children almost every day, from infancy to when they could run and jump, and sweetly call her Grandma Liu. Suddenly, she felt an emptiness in her heart, as if a piece of her heart had been ripped out.
"These two debt collectors..." Aunt Liu's voice choked with emotion as she murmured, her voice full of love and reluctance.
Shen Mo stood up, took Aunt Liu's arm, patted it gently, and comforted her, "Children always grow up, that's a good thing, it will make your days easier."
The kindergarten door closed gently behind me, and I could faintly hear the sounds of children playing and singing from inside.
Shen Mo and Aunt Liu stood at the door, gazing at each other quietly for a while before turning around and walking home.
...
Shen Mo had just finished a heavy course and, along with several other students, carrying thick medical books and rubbing their throbbing temples, walked with the crowd toward the cafeteria.
“Ms. Shen.” A familiar voice sounded from behind.
She turned around and saw Ah Ming, the young waiter from Xinweiju, standing at the corner of the corridor, carrying a heavy, multi-layered food box. He smiled shyly at her, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, clearly having rushed over.
"Ah Ming? What brings you here?" Shen Mo greeted him with some surprise.
"Mr. Lu instructed me to bring you meals every day from now on, saying that you have a lot of studies to do."
Amin handed over the food box, which was heavy and still warm. "Today we have steamed sea bass, shrimp and egg stir-fry, stir-fried bok choy, and your favorite pork rib and lotus root soup."
As soon as the food box lid was opened, the enticing aroma of rice and dishes immediately wafted out, completely different from the smell of pot rice in the surrounding canteens.
People passing by couldn't help but slow down and look over curiously.
"Wow, Shenmo, the food at your house is so good!" A girl from the dormitory came over and couldn't help but exclaim as she looked at the delicious-looking dishes in the food box.
Shen Mo's face flushed slightly, but her heart felt warm and cozy, as if it had been bathed in lukewarm water.
She hadn't expected Lu Qingyang to be this thoughtful.
"Please eat it while it's hot. I have to go back to the shop to get busy. I'll pick up the lunchbox tomorrow." Ah Ming smiled憨厚ly, turned around, and ran away.
Chen Mo and Da Hao found a quiet table and sat down.
She shared some of the food with her friend, and as she ate the perfectly cooked sea bass and tender shrimp, her fatigue seemed to dissipate considerably.
While the students around her were still discussing enviously, Shen Mo lowered her head and ate silently, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
The exquisite dishes in the food box exuded an enticing aroma, a stark contrast to the taste of the hot pot rice in the cafeteria.
A sharp-eyed girl stared at the bright red and uniquely shaped squirrel-shaped mandarin fish and exclaimed, "This...this looks so much like Xinweiju's signature dish! My uncle waited in line for ages to eat their squirrel fish last time he treated us!"
"Xinweiju? Is that the restaurant in town where it's hardest to get a table right now?"
Another girl leaned closer to examine the food box and the divided bowls and plates inside, and confirmed, "That's right! This food box, this plating, it's from Xinweiju! My mom wanted to host a dinner party there, but she didn't book a private room even though she booked it half a month in advance."
Everyone's eyes immediately focused on Shen Mo, filled with surprise and curiosity.
"Chen Mo, so many dishes, and from Xinweiju... Who's so generous, delivering to you every day?" The girl who spoke first couldn't help but ask, her tone full of envy.
Shen Mo's cheeks flushed instantly. Under the intense gazes of her classmates, she lowered her eyelashes somewhat shyly and said softly, "It's...it's my boyfriend. He asked someone to deliver it."
"Wow!"
The female students immediately erupted in a chorus of envy and amazement.
"Your partner is so considerate! Knowing how tough it is for us medical students, they specially arranged a special meal for you!"
"It's still Xinweiju cuisine. How much does this meal cost... They deliver every day, they're really generous."
"Chen Mo, what does your boyfriend do? He's so doting!"
Amidst the chattering and discussion, several male students sitting at the next table, who had been stealing glances at the gentle and academically excellent Shen Mo from time to time, all silently averted their gazes.
They either shoveled food into their bowls or pretended to be engrossed in discussing the difficult problems they had just encountered in class, but their expressions betrayed a hint of disappointment and frustration.
One of the boys, who usually had a good impression of Shen Mo, looked at the simple shredded bean curd and stir-fried cabbage in his lunchbox, then glanced at the sumptuous dishes and soup on Shen Mo's table, sighed softly, and completely extinguished the little bit of feelings that had just sprouted in his heart.
Shen Mo blushed even more as the Ge family teased her, but her heart felt as sweet as if it had been soaked in honey.
Amidst envious glances and well-meaning teasing, she quietly ate the meal filled with heartfelt sentiments, feeling the fatigue from days of hard study dispelled by this warm care.
...
With things not too busy at school, Lu Qingyang planned to finalize matters in Haishi.
So I took a two-week vacation and went to Haishi.
Several design sketches and a letter of recommendation from Zhou Fang, sent from Guangzhou, were spread out in front of Lu Qingyang.
He read carefully, occasionally writing brief annotations in red pen on the edge of the manuscript.
This time, he was determined to build up a talent pool in Haishi.
Design talent is key.
He met with several female designers whom Zhou Fang had initially screened.
The first girl to arrive was Ah-zhen, who was about 22 or 23 years old. She was a graduate of the Suicheng Arts and Crafts School, and her father was an old tailor.
The pieces she brought were neat and orderly. One was a waist-cinching dress modeled after a national magazine, with impeccable lines and proportions, and even the details of the lining were clearly marked.
"The workmanship and details are very well thought out." Lu Qingyang put down the blueprints.
"But Ah Zhen, if our Jasmine brand only makes clothes that are safe and won't go wrong, do you think we can capture the attention of discerning customers in Shanghai?"
Ah Zhen paused for a moment, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her hands unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes.
Lu Qingyang didn't press further, but instead asked, "Have you been strolling along Huaihai Road these past few days? What's the most attractive thing about those fashionable girls you see?"
Ah-Zhen tried hard to recall, and spoke somewhat haltingly: "It seems... to be that kind of feeling, I can't quite put my finger on it, it just feels different."
“It’s about confidence,” Lu Qingyang summarized for her, “a kind of confidence that makes you feel beautiful and modern. Our clothes can help them bring out that confidence, rather than just covering their bodies and keeping them warm.”
He picked up another drawing, which showed Ah Zhen trying to draw an even more exaggerated puff sleeve design, but she herself softened it with dotted lines. "For example, this sleeve, since you've thought of it, why not be a little bolder? In Shanghai, sometimes you need to go a little overboard."
Ah-Zhen's eyes slowly lit up as she looked at the sketch that had been exposed.
The next few interviewees had wildly imaginative but impractical ideas, while others remained conservative. Lu Qingyang gradually came to a conclusion.
Design is important, but the battlefield of Haishi needs a manager he can completely trust and who can take charge independently.
A candidate came to mind.
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