Chapter 4
The waiter brought the menu and Luo Huaizheng handed it to Li Qingyao. Li Qingyao asked him to order, and he didn't hesitate. This is a restaurant that serves a fusion of Cantonese and Hunan cuisine. Luo Huaizheng looked at the pictures on the tablet and was reminded of Li Qingyao's light taste when he was in high school.
At that time, she only ate fried skewers with him occasionally. When she goes to the school cafeteria, she seldom orders big fish or meat, but only eats stir-fried dishes or vegetarian dishes; she eats all vegetarian spicy hot pot, and at most adds skewered fish, tofu and quail eggs; she eats refreshing cucumber and egg pancakes, and at most adds some meat floss, which she thinks is too oily.
Luo Huaizheng lowered his head and brows, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. He quickly made up his mind and ordered a dish of fried shrimp with snow bud rice, two dishes of fish maw in golden soup, and a dish of seasonal vegetables. He handed the menu to her and said, "You can add two more dishes."
Li Qingyao said, "Is that enough?"
"Not enough, the portion is small."
Li Qingyao took the menu and glanced at the ordered dishes. He thought to himself that a Bodhisattva is still a Bodhisattva. Her taste is nothing like those rough men. She liked the dishes, but when she turned to the end of the menu, her eyes lit up and she asked the waiter, "Which one is smaller, Maoxuewang or Shuizhurou?"
Waiter: “They’re all pretty much the same.”
"Then... Maoxuewang." She looked at Luo Huaizheng, "I'd like to add a dish with a strong flavor. Do you mind?"
Luo Huaizheng: "...Of course I don't mind."
As introverted as Luo Huaizheng is, of course he wouldn't ask why your taste has changed so much. He just felt once again that after seven years, they had all changed.
The dishes were served quickly. Looking at the exquisite and tempting dishes, Li Qingyao tried a few with his chopsticks and found that every dish was delicious.
"This store is great," she praised.
Luo Huaizheng laughed.
Li Qingyao stared at the fresh and chewy layer of tripe in the Maoxuewang and illogically thought of Chen Pu. This guy must have finished his two bowls of instant noodles a long time ago, and is probably lifting weights or jumping rope now. He was truly the most self-disciplined person she had ever met.
"I have something personal to ask you."
Seeing her eating with relish, Luo Huaizheng also felt his appetite open and he was in a good mood. There was something that had been weighing on my mind for a long time, and it was easy to ask about it.
"Anything else?" Li Qingyao chewed a piece of duck blood and swallowed it, then put down his chopsticks. "Boss Luo, please finish it in one breath next time. After all, everything you said today is not a trivial matter. I don't want to listen to you constantly revealing dark and twisted inside stories while tasting such delicious food."
Luo Huaizheng laughed out loud.
Such a hearty laugh was rare for him in these years. Under the light, his eyebrows and eyes seemed to be shining. The light flowed into his eyes and stared at her again.
"How can I provide so much inside information? You are the criminal police who has been through life and death. I want to ask... During the years in prison, there was a stranger who transferred money to my parents every month. At first it was 300, 500, and later it was 1,000. The person was Luo Tongtong. She stopped transferring money until I was released from prison two years ago. Is that person related to you?"
Li Qingyao looked at him.
With just one look, Luo Huaizheng understood that he was right.
Sure enough, she smiled and said, "Luo Tongtong is one of my mother's apprentices. I asked her to do the transfer for me. There is not much money in total, and it is not worth much. I only have so much ability. I will do my best for my uncle and aunt. You don't have to care too much."
Luo Huaizheng looked at her without saying anything, the smile on his face disappeared, and his hand holding the chopsticks remained on the table without moving.
Li Qingyao picked up his chopsticks and continued eating with a natural look: "You also said that there are so many people who have helped you. I am nothing. It's all in the past, Luo Huaizheng."
Luo Huaizheng wanted to say something, but his throat felt blocked. He took a moment to calm down and said solemnly, "Thank you."
Li Qingyao lowered his head, his eyes seemed to be fixed on the plate of oily and spicy Maoxuewang. He smiled and said, "Okay, I accept. You're welcome."
Luo Huaizheng stared at her without blinking.
She changed out of her police uniform after get off work today and put on a pure black knitted sweater coat, a white T-shirt underneath, and dark blue jeans. Now she took off her coat and hung it on the back of the chair, looking simple, clean and light from head to toe.
After acknowledging his five-year support for his parents, Li Qingyao's expression remained calm, even quiet. Just like the feeling that 24-year-old Li Qingyao gave him these days - gentle, yet cold. It seems that it is no longer easy for you to get into her heart.
Luo Huaizheng really wanted to ask her, since she had always been silently caring about his family, why had she never visited him during those five years, especially when he had just been imprisoned, when many teachers and classmates went to visit him? Does she care or not? Is it because the relationship is too awkward, or did they decide to give up on their relationship a long time ago?
But Luo Huaizheng still couldn't ask this question, and it was impossible for him to ask it. So he just picked up the teapot and filled her cup with fragrant snow chrysanthemum tea, and then said, "Eat more. Do you want another meat dish?"
Li Qingyao glared at him: "Are you crazy? I don't eat that much now!" She felt a little embarrassed, and then thought of the person who led her astray, and wanted to beat him into a pig's head.
——
The meal took a little over an hour and was over. Li Qingyao was about to take a taxi, but Luo Huaizheng insisted on sending her home.
Luo Huaizheng drove the car to the downstairs of where Li Qingyao lived. At this time, the night had already enveloped the entire neighborhood. The old Chaoyang home was especially quiet and empty.
Li Qingyao got out of the car and walked to the stairs. Luo Huaizheng also came over and the two looked at each other. Li Qingyao smiled and said, "Thank you for today. I'll go upstairs now. I'll contact you if I have anything else."
"I have something else..." Luo Huaizheng said halfway and smiled first, "I want to tell you."
Li Qingyao simply leaned on the handrail of the stairs: "It's easy to be soft-hearted. I can only listen attentively again."
The voice-activated light on the first floor was broken, but instead the light in the stairwell on the second floor lit up because of the sound of their talking. The light cast diagonally, making the place where they were standing half bright and half dark. Luo Huaizheng also seemed very casual and relaxed, leaning against the wall next to her. Li Qingyao wanted to shout: It’s dirty up there! Your windbreaker!
But it was too late. Luo Huaizheng seemed not to care at all. He put his hands in the pockets of his windbreaker, stretched out his long legs, and leaned half of his shoulder against the wall. He now looks more or less like a 24-year-old guy whose youthfulness has not completely faded, rather than the gloomy man when they first met again.
However, as soon as this person opened his mouth tonight, it was bombshell news: "I asked Captain Ding, and Captain Ding asked the city leaders to ask Tsinghua University for me."
Li Qingyao understood immediately and stood up straight: "Tsinghua...how do you say that?"
Luo Huaizheng smiled faintly, touched the tip of his nose with his index finger, and said, "They said that if I want, I can prepare this year and take their special recruitment exam next year. The college entrance examination policy changes every year, and they now have several enrollment plans. As long as I pass the minimum control line, I can be admitted."
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