Chapter 31: Do you really have no feelings for her at all?

Today’s cafeteria was especially lively due to the selection process for hiring chefs and the arrival of Elder Mo(Mr. Mo) and Zhou Jinchuan.

Even the speed at which everyone ate was noticeably slower than usual.

Many had witnessed what had just occurred, especially Bai Ruolin, who had been watching Su Yi’s every move intently. Seeing that she successfully stayed behind and even received praise and a good task from Elder Mo only infuriated her more. She was so upset that she couldn’t even drink water, and she dumped her meal before leaving in a huff.

Qin Yunfeng, knowing full well why she was angry, couldn’t comfort her in front of everyone. Now that he saw her leaving without eating, he quickly went after her.

When the two of them reached a quiet corner, Bai Ruolin finally shouted in frustration, “A vile person’s luck! Brother Qin, why didn’t you make her leave sooner? Now that she’s got a job, will she really go back during the Spring Festival?”

Qin Yunfeng pressed his lips together. How could he have predicted that Su Yi would actually get a job in the cafeteria?

Nevertheless, he confidently said, “Don’t worry! Even if she has a formal job now, her family won’t let her stay here alone. When the time comes, I’ll make sure to find a way to take her back. I promise you.”

Bai Ruolin had heard this promise countless times before. Every time he assured her, things immediately changed afterward. She no longer had the patience to listen.

“I don’t want your promises. I want her to disappear from my life immediately.”

Qin Yunfeng frowned at her in displeasure. “Ruolin, stop being unreasonable. She’s a good person. How can she just disappear because you want her to?”

“I know you’re tired, but do you think I’m not exhausted?”

Ever since Su Yi came, his life had been completely disrupted. Not only had he lost the respect of his comrades, but most of his responsibilities had been taken away. If this continued, he wouldn’t have a place in this unit anymore.

His own issues were already enough to stress him out, and yet Bai Ruolin, as his partner, wasn’t being understanding. Instead, all they did was argue about Su Yi whenever they met.

At first, Qin Yunfeng could still calmly try to persuade her, but after going back and forth like this several times, his patience was wearing thin.

“If you don’t want to believe me, fine. You should calm down by yourself. I have things to do, so I’m leaving!”

As soon as Qin Yunfeng turned to leave, Bai Ruolin panicked, seeing how cold and unfeeling he was. She hurriedly pulled him back. “Brother Qin, don’t go. I only have you now.”

“I apologize. I won’t act like this anymore. Please don’t leave. It’s break time now, stay with me for a bit. It’s been so long since we’ve spent time alone together.”

Bai Ruolin, who usually maintained a lofty, goddess-like demeanor, rarely spoke in such a soft tone. Qin Yunfeng’s pride was stroked, and his attitude softened.

“Alright, as long as you don’t cause a scene, I’ll stay with you for a while.”

Bai Ruolin bit her lip, feeling dissatisfied, but she didn’t dare to ruin the moment further. She had worked so hard to get to this point, and if she fell out with Qin Yunfeng now, she’d undoubtedly become a laughingstock to the entire unit.

This man could only belong to her.

With that thought in mind, Bai Ruolin did something rare—she leaned in and gave Qin Yunfeng a kiss.

Qin Yunfeng froze for a moment. Bai Ruolin had always been proud and aloof, and even after officially becoming a couple, she had only ever allowed small hand-holding gestures.

Today was the first time Bai Ruolin had taken the initiative to kiss him like that. Qin Yunfeng’s ego swelled, and he pulled Bai Ruolin in for more kisses.

“Ruolin, if you’re good to me, I’ll be responsible for you. Don’t worry.”

Bai Ruolin gently pushed Qin Yunfeng away, taking the opportunity to ask, “Brother Qin, everyone says Su Yi is beautiful. Do you really have no feelings for her at all?”

Qin Yunfeng froze for a moment, then quickly shook his head. “I don’t like her. She’s got a seductive vibe. I still prefer someone like you. In my heart, no one can compare to you.”

Although Qin Yunfeng said this on the surface, deep down, he felt a bit guilty. If they were comparing before, one was glamorous but rough in temperament, while the other was plain-looking but had a refined aura—each had their own appeal.

But now, Su Yi, in both appearance and demeanor, completely overshadowed Bai Ruolin. It was obvious to everyone who was superior, and Qin Yunfeng wasn’t blind to the difference.

However, no matter how beautiful Su Yi was, she was still just a girl from the countryside with neither money nor background.

If he really ended up with Su Yi, not only would her family be unable to offer any support, but they would likely become a burden. Who knows, they might even demand a lot when it came time for the wedding.

But Bai Ruolin was different. She was a city girl, her family was well-off, and she had personal connections with Political Commissar Wang. Marrying her would only benefit his career. Any man would know how to choose in this situation.

…

Su Yi successfully secured a job in the cafeteria, with a monthly salary of 22 yuan. For a newcomer, this was already considered quite high.

Moreover, having a formal job meant she no longer felt like a rootless drifter, finally bringing her some peace of mind.

Additionally, her responsibilities were lighter than those of others, as she was only in charge of preparing two meals a day for Elder Mo.

Given Elder Mo’s age, his meals were simple, typically consisting of two dishes and a soup. One dish was either Sichuan cuisine or another meat dish, while the other was just a stir-fried vegetable.

Even though Su Yi changed the dishes every day, the work remained easy for her. This way, not only could she still take care of the children, but it was even more relaxed than selling tea eggs had been.

As for Zhou Jinchuan, Su Yi knew that he had helped her out in a big way this time, so she had been looking for a chance to thank him. However, he seemed quite busy lately.

One morning, Xie Xiaojun stopped by to let Su Yi know he was heading out for the day.

“Su Yi, I won’t be back by noon today. Can you help me deliver lunch to Commander Zhou? Just get a meat and a vegetable dish from the cafeteria—no need for anything fancy.”

“If no one brings it to him, he’ll probably skip eating when he gets too busy.”

Su Yi paused for a moment, then thought that since she was already delivering food to Elder Mo every day, it wouldn’t be much trouble to deliver Zhou’s lunch at the same time.

So she readily agreed.

With the opportunity to deliver food, Su Yi made a special effort, preparing a small pot of braised pork before heading out. She filled a lunchbox to the brim, planning to deliver it to Zhou Jinchuan at noon as a way of expressing her gratitude.

As noon approached, Su Yi finished cooking Elder Mo’s meal and reheated the braised pork she had prepared. Then, she collected a meat dish and a vegetable from the cafeteria, packed everything neatly into a basket, and headed toward the office.

Just as she reached the corridor outside Zhou Jinchuan’s office, she ran into Political Commissar Wang, who was coming out for lunch.

Su Yi smiled and greeted him.

Commissar Wang stopped, glanced into her basket, and smiled, “Why such a rich meal today? Can Elder Mo eat all of this?”

“Oh, isn’t this Commander Zhou’s lunchbox?”