"He's saved up quite a bit over the years; we'll have to bleed him dry later." Upon hearing about Lü Qingqing and Hu Jia's private meeting, Yu Yue offered her most satisfactory suggestion.
"Exactly, only a fool wouldn't take advantage of a good deal," Li Yang suddenly popped out from behind.
Lü Qingqing and Yu Yue both had dark lines appear on their foreheads.
"How dare you eavesdrop on our conversation?" Yu Yue gritted her teeth.
"I just wanted to get to know you better," Li Yang, sensing trouble, tried to slip away.
"Heh heh, then today I'll let you truly get to know me." Yu Yue grabbed a thick book from the table and charged at him.
Watching Li Yang being chased all over by Yu Yue, Lü Qingqing was laughing so hard she almost cried.
Ever since she accepted Ouyang Wen's proposal, they had held a meeting with everyone except Hu Jia.
First, Lü Qingqing wanted to know everyone's thoughts.
What if, and this was just a hypothetical.
If Lü Qingqing eventually climbed to a position above Hu Jia's supervisor, would these people have any reservations?
But thankfully, everyone expressed their support.
This made her feel quite touched. Whether these people were doing it for Hu Jia or simply supporting her, as long as no one held a grudge, that was enough.
Secondly, Yu Yue and the other two had known Hu Jia for a very long time, having studied together since their teenage years. Yet, in Hu Jia's eyes, Lü Qingqing was a stranger every week.
Everyone dealt with strangers differently.
For example, it was like moving to a new place. You might nod and smile at the first-floor resident, strike up a conversation with the second-floor resident, and pretend not to see the third-floor resident.
They were all strangers, but the ways of handling them were different. This depended on the situation and context at the time.
In other words, Lü Qingqing faced a brand new Hu Jia every week, just as Hu Jia had to get to know Lü Qingqing anew each week.
It was like opening a blind box.
Therefore, if even one person caused any trouble, the entire situation would change.
Lü Qingqing needed their cooperation.
Full and wholehearted cooperation.
...
Sunday, standing on Huixian Bridge.
Lü Qingqing had specifically chosen to wear her best summer dress.
Huixian Bridge was a stone bridge less than 10 meters long, located near the present-day Liberation Monument. During the Republic of China era, it was a bustling hub of commerce, vibrant and full of food stalls.
Lü Qingqing's gaze scanned the bustling crowd, quickly locking onto a familiar handsome face.
Hu Jia, dressed in a long gown today, seemed to blend in even more with the bustling marketplace.
"Malatang?" Lü Qingqing asked with surprise, mingled with a hint of delight, as they entered the restaurant with Hu Jia.
"What? You don't like it? If not, we can switch," Hu Jia asked.
"No, no, this is fine, really," Lü Qingqing was secretly thrilled.
In fact, before coming, Lü Qingqing had specifically asked Yu Yue where Hu Jia might choose to go for a private dinner. Yu Yue had said he'd likely opt for Western cuisine, as it wasn't a typical work meal anymore.
It should be more romantic.
This had made Lü Qingqing incredibly nervous. She had heard that Western food wasn't only not tasty but, more importantly, you didn't use chopsticks.
How could one eat with knives and forks?
Weren't they afraid of poking their chin?
Therefore, Lü Qingqing had been anxious, not only because she didn't know how to use cutlery but also because she feared making a fool of herself.
But to Lü Qingqing's surprise, Hu Jia ended up bringing her to a malatang restaurant.
This man, worth getting to know!
Seeing Lü Qingqing's eyes curve into crescents, Hu Jia couldn't help but feel satisfied with his choice. Indeed, not taking her for steak was the right decision.
Chongqing's hot pot restaurants had a certain "jianghu" (martial world) vibe, a place where Lü Qingqing could truly relax.
As expected, the moment the pot was placed on the table, Lü Qingqing's eyes lit up.
"Qing..." Hu Jia called out.
"Lü Qingqing!" Lü Qingqing tapped her bowl with her chopsticks, reminding him.
"Alright, Qing, do you want oil?"
Lü Qingqing: ...Fine, call me whatever you like.
Lü Qingqing took the sesame oil bottle, poured it into her dipping sauce bowl, added chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic. "Um, could I have some chili oil too!" Lü Qingqing said without hesitation.
Hu Jia quickly handed her a jar of chili oil.
After spending time together recently, he found this girl to be quite good. Sometimes he even praised himself for his excellent taste in choosing such a girl as his fiancée.
Look at her. So genuine.
However, unexpectedly, as the oil in the pot began to boil, Lü Qingqing suddenly became demure. She gently picked up slices of meat and placed them into the pot. Once cooked, she slowly transferred them to her dipping dish, gave them a light dip, and then delicately brought them to her mouth.
Uh...
She seemed quite artificial after all!
"Order more as you eat, don't save money for me," Hu Jia mistook her actions for being thrifty.
"Who's saving money for you? I'm just worried about oil splashing onto my clothes," Lü Qingqing gave Hu Jia a sideways glance.
This was her best outfit.
Hu Jia: ...
"If it gets dirty, I'll buy you a new one."
"Hey, no..." Lü Qingqing became unhappy at his words. She knew very well that the situation between her and Hu Jia was a misunderstanding, and this misunderstanding would eventually disappear.
She considered this meal as a gathering between friends.
But buying clothes? That was out of the question.
It was a different matter entirely.
Hu Jia didn't press the issue. He had gotten to know Lü Qingqing's temperament quite well in the past few days; she had her own way of doing things.
"You're different from many girls."
"How am I different?"
"You're smart, lively, bold yet meticulous, unpretentious, and hardworking."
"In other words, you lack femininity?"
"No, it's a unique kind of femininity!"
"I'll assume you're complimenting me."
"Be confident, it is."
Lü Qingqing smiled and continued to cook meat slices.
Hu Jia also smiled and continued to watch her cook meat slices.
However, seeing Lü Qingqing's cautious movements, Hu Jia moved from his seat to the one next to her. He hadn't eaten any of the cooked meat slices, instead, he put them all into Lü Qingqing's dipping dish.
"Oh my, eat slowly..."
"Be careful, don't burn yourself..."
Unknowingly, the scene by the pot began to change.
"Um, boss, another plate of pork belly!" With Hu Jia helping to cook the meat, Lü Qingqing no longer worried about oil splatters. She happily ate one slice of meat after another.
Watching Lü Qingqing eat so heartily, Hu Jia found his own appetite whetted.
"Aren't you worried about leaving your fiancé with some psychological trauma?"
"What trauma?"
"Eating so carelessly, eating so heartily."
"Not worried. You'll forget everything tomorrow anyway."
Hu Jia froze, and Lü Qingqing also blinked in surprise.
"Oh no, should I have mentioned his amnesia?" Lü Qingqing secretly regretted it.
But to her surprise, Hu Jia smiled the next second, "So, you admit I'm your fiancé again."
Lü Qingqing: ...
...
A beautiful week began again.
Lü Qingqing's application for the vocational school had been submitted, and she received a reply asking her to report the following week.
"How was the meal last night?"
"So-so!"
Even though they were the only two women in the office, Lü Qingqing used her words and actions to fend off Yu Yue's gossip.
After all, that woman's mouth was never zipped.
"Oh?" Yu Yue drew out her vowel.
Seeing her like that, Lü Qingqing rolled her eyes and ignored her.
"Are you saying the meal we had last night was just so-so?" A head popped up from under the desk.
Lü Qingqing: ...
Can someone tell me why he's here?