Fang Huahua came out of the manager's office and ran quickly to Fang Yu. "Fang Yu, I'm going to work here as a waitress. In larger stores like this, the kitchen helpers and waitresses work separately."
"That's fine." Fang Yu took Fang Huahua's hand. "This way it won't be so tiring."
"Yes, it includes meals and accommodation."
"Okay, let's get started."
Fang Huahua completed all the formalities here, and Fang Yu's kindergarten also started operating.
Fang Dongqiang shouldered his bag and set off for school.
Everyone is starting their work and studies for the new year.
When Fang Dongqiang arrived at school and turned on his computer, he saw He Xiaolei's message. He Xiaolei had arrived at school a day earlier than him and asked when Fang Dongqiang would arrive, telling him to call her when he got there. She also left her mobile phone number.
When Fang Dongqiang logged on, He Xiaolei was not online.
Fang Dongqiang was busy with other things upstairs when he heard a knock on the door. He Xiaolei had come online, and then immediately followed by a message from her.
"Fang Dongqiang, you seemed to have disappeared during the Spring Festival. I couldn't find you anywhere."
"No, I've been at home."
"Where do you live?" He Xiaolei sent the message, then immediately stuck out her tongue, realizing she might have asked too much.
Fang Dongqiang frowned as he looked at He Xiaolei's question: Why is she asking me where my home is?
Immediately afterwards, He Xiaolei sent a message saying that she hadn't thanked Fang Dongqiang for what happened last time and wanted to treat him to dinner.
"No need, it's nothing, don't worry about it."
Have you had dinner yet? Let's have dinner together!
He Xiaolei's words were full of enthusiasm, but Fang Dongqiang remained staring blankly at the screen. He didn't want a girl to invite him to dinner.
"If you let me treat you this once, I'll be more likely to ask you for help next time. Otherwise, I'll feel embarrassed to ask you for help next time, computers are such a complicated thing. Are you at school? I'll come over."
Okay, I can't let a girl leave like that. "No need, I'll come find you."
Fang Dongqiang shut down his computer and rushed to He Xiaolei's school.
Fang Dongqiang walked towards their school as soon as he got off the bus.
"Fang Dongqiang!"
When Fang Dongqiang turned around, He Xiaolei was already waiting for him by the bus stop.
"Hehehe, I didn't notice. I thought you were at school." Fang Dongqiang tugged at his clothes.
"It's getting late, let's eat nearby. We can go to a really good place next time, it's a bit far to get there," He Xiaolei said as they walked beside Fang Dongqiang.
"There will be a next time?" Fang Dongqiang wondered, glancing at He Xiaolei with a puzzled look. He Xiaolei also turned to look at her. "When I first saw you, I felt like I'd seen you somewhere before. Your face looks familiar." Their eyes met, and Fang Dongqiang said something to ease the awkward atmosphere.
"I feel like I've seen you somewhere before?" He Xiaolei smiled and turned her head to the side. "A bit of a cliché way of picking up girls."
"No, it's true. I really felt that way. It wasn't a flirting attempt. Besides, we know each other now, so there's no need to use that to start a conversation," Fang Dongqiang explained honestly.
He Xiaolei giggled, "I know, look how anxious you are."
The streetlights lit up one by one, their warm yellow glow spreading out in ripples across the puddles.
"We're here, right here." He Xiaolei pointed to a small shop in front of her.
The noodle shop has a small storefront, and the paint on the wooden signboard is a bit peeling. When you push the door open, the hot air mixed with the aroma of noodles hits you.
The proprietress greeted us in her soft Wu dialect, "What would you two young people like to eat? Our Pian'erchuan noodles are the most authentic."
He Xiaolei turned to Fang Dongqiang and asked, "Do you eat this?"
"good."
"Two bowls of Pian'erchuan noodles, and another serving of fried tofu skin rolls."
"Nothing else is needed."
"Give me one, their fried tofu skin rolls are delicious."
Fang Dongqiang sat awkwardly on the bamboo chair, feeling guilty about asking his female classmate to treat him to dinner.
The Pian'erchuan noodles were served steaming hot, with chewy noodles, crisp bamboo shoots, and salty pickled mustard greens.
"Would you like some chili peppers?" He Xiaolei asked.
"good."
He Xiaolei used her fair hands to hold a small spoon and scooped a little bit into Fang Dongqiang's bowl.
"I, I can do it myself." Fang Dongqiang lifted it up and left it hanging.
"It's okay, is this spicy enough?"
Fang Dongqiang took a bite and said, "Hmm, it's ready."
He Xiaolei pushed the fried tofu skin rolls in front of him, "Eat these with vinegar to relieve the spiciness." The fried tofu skin rolls were golden and crispy, coated with a sweet and sour vinegar sauce, and melted in your mouth.
"Hmm," Fang Dongqiang replied vaguely.
Fang Dongqiang didn't say much throughout; it was mostly He Xiaolei who did the talking, and he only responded occasionally.
After finishing her meal, He Xiaolei readily paid the bill.
"Sorry, you're a girl, so you'll have to pay."
"What's there to be embarrassed about? I said I was thanking you."
As they left the restaurant, the streetlights cast long shadows of the two of them.
As they passed the bus stop, He Xiaolei asked, "Are you going back to school now?"
"I'll take you back to school first, it's getting dark."
He Xiaolei did not refuse, and the two walked slowly along the roadside. "Dongqiang, I will ask you for help next time if I don't know something."
"Okay, it's fine. Just don't treat me to dinner."
"Huh? You really don't want to have dinner with me?"
"No, it's not good to let a girl treat you to a meal." Fang Dongqiang didn't say that he was treating He Xiaolei to a meal. The money he spent was sent to him by Fang Meili. Although he knew it was his father's salary, he understood that his father was the only one earning money in his family, and he couldn't spend money recklessly.
He Xiaolei pursed her lips slightly, "Since you helped me, I should at least thank you!"
"No need, we're all from the same hometown, it's alright."
They had already reached the school gate. "You go in! I'm going back," Fang Dongqiang said.
"Okay, be careful on the road."
"Okay, goodbye!" Fang Dongqiang turned and headed to the bus stop.
He Xiaolei watched Fang Dongqiang's retreating figure. This boy didn't talk much, but he gave her a warm feeling.
He Xiaolei turned around and skipped into the school gate.
That day, Fang Yu enrolled in a correspondence college program. The registration office was located in a large, bright and clean classroom on the first floor.
The room was packed with people, mostly working professionals from all walks of life who were using their weekends to improve their education, just like her. Fang Yu squeezed to the window, enrolled in Chinese Language and Literature, submitted her materials, and left in a hurry.
After registering and returning to the store, she exclaimed, "Mom, I'm home!"
"Has it been reported?"
"Yes, it's already been submitted."
"What do you want to report?" a regular customer asked casually while picking out clothes.
“My daughter has enrolled in school now, working and studying at the same time,” Yu Jihong said with a smile and a hint of pride.
"That's great, the girl is beautiful and ambitious."
Yu Jihong smiled so much her eyes narrowed, and looked at Fang Yu with satisfaction, "My daughter is very well-behaved, all the children in kindergarten like her very much."
Fang Yu winked at her, signaling her to stop talking.
After the customer left, I said to my mother, "It's just a correspondence course, it's not like you got into a prestigious university. Don't make it sound so great to others."
“I didn’t say that; it was the customers who said you were beautiful and ambitious.”
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