Chapter 41

On the twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month, a day deemed auspicious for opening a business, Lu Yun’s Lu Ji Spicy Skewers shop was set to launch.

To celebrate the opening, not only Lu Yun but also other members of the Lu family, along with Li Ling and Han Jiangang, took the day off.

The store had been completely tidied up the day before, but early that morning, the Lu family was still bustling about.

Zhang Meili was critiquing the clothes Lu Dong was wearing, insisting he change into the thick cotton coat that He Cheng’an had bought him for New Year’s.

Eventually, she changed into her own warm coat as well. Lu Xiang’an, wanting to sleep in, was roused by Zhang Meili’s incessant nagging, while Lu Yun proactively got up and took a shower.

As the family of four headed out, Lu Dong made sure to grab the firecrackers he had bought for Lu Yun’s opening, cheerfully proclaiming, “This signifies that with the sound of firecrackers, wealth will come pouring in!”

Hearing the words “wealth will come pouring in,” Lu Yun’s eyes crinkled into crescent moons as she smiled.

He Cheng’an had long been waiting inside the shop with Zhang Yuan. The shop was all set up and ready for business, and He Cheng’an had even helped out a bit, though his hands were still damp from washing.

Noticing that there was no hot water available in the shop, Lu Yun walked over and lightly touched He Cheng’an’s hand. He Cheng’an quickly withdrew his hand.

With a gentle tone, He Cheng’an said, “It’s a bit cold.”

“Why aren’t you using hot water?” Lu Yun asked.

He Cheng’an explained, “It’s not heated yet. I was in a hurry to wash my hands. I’ll remember not to use cold water in winter next time.”

The two stood facing each other, and Lu Yun lightly huffed, “Who cares about you?”

He Cheng’an slightly bent down to look into Lu Yun’s eyes and asked, “Ah Yun doesn’t care about me? If Ah Yun doesn’t care, should I go wash my hands again?” After saying this, he glanced around and quickly kissed the tips of Lu Yun’s eyelashes before whispering in her ear, “Our Ah Yun cares about me.”

Lu Yun turned her gaze elsewhere, muttering, “You really know how to flatter.”

After that, she went to check on the spicy skewers that were already cooking in the pot.

Inside the shop, there were two pots for cooking spicy skewers, but for now, only one was in use. The other was kept on standby for busier days or for the summer when they could set up an outdoor stall. This way, customers could choose to eat inside or outside, depending on their preference.

The meatballs in the pot were all homemade, and making them was simple. The key was using plenty of good ingredients, which ensured they would taste delicious. Lu Yun picked up a skewer of fish balls, which were tender and bouncy, far surpassing the semi-finished products that would later become popular in the market.

After eating one fish ball, Lu Yun handed the spicy skewer to He Cheng’an, who had been following her closely like a tail. He Cheng’an bent down to eat one. When Lu Yun had another, He Cheng’an took the initiative to have another himself, and together, they shared a skewer of fish balls.

Li Ling and Han Jiangang arrived, and when Lu Yun approached, Li Ling handed her a red envelope.

“Cousin, congratulations on your opening!” Li Ling said.

Lu Yun accepted it without hesitation. Today, Zhang Meili, Lu Dong, and Lu Xiang’an had all given her red envelopes as well. It was a joyful occasion for the new business, and considering the customary exchange of gifts, it would have been inappropriate not to accept them.

Not knowing where to put the red envelope, she saw He Cheng’an, who was following her closely, and handed the envelope over to him. He Cheng’an took a step forward, standing beside Lu Yun, and helped her hold the envelope.

Li Ling looked on with a hint of envy. “The location of this shop is great. I’ve eaten here before; I’m really tired of cafeteria food. Plus, as soon as I approached, I could already smell the aroma of your spicy skewers.”

After saying this, she turned to Han Jiangang and asked if he could smell it too. Han Jiangang, still looking around Lu Yun’s shop, made Li Ling laugh. She hoped to inspire a little ambition in him.

Next to arrive was Zhang Hao, who brought his father, Zhang Jianjun, along. Zhang Jianjun handed Lu Yun a red envelope to congratulate her on the opening of her new shop, and as per her usual practice, Lu Yun passed the envelope to He Cheng’an.

“Thank you, Uncle Zhang,” Lu Yun said.

As they entered, Zhang Jianjun walked beside Zhang Hao and muttered, “Why does this feel like a wedding?”

Zhang Hao burst into laughter, saying, “Uncle, my dad says it feels like a wedding!”

He Cheng’an held the red envelope and remarked, “Just practicing.”

Having attended Li Ling’s wedding, Lu Yun was familiar with some of the traditions, such as the bride needing to buy a bag before the wedding to collect red envelopes. She earnestly explained this process to He Cheng’an, which made him laugh even more.

He Cheng’an quietly asked her, “What kind do you like? It has to be red, right? When I go to the provincial city, I’ll take a look first, and we can buy it together.”

Lu Yun tilted her head and looked at him, smiling, “Sure, I’ll listen to you.”

As the shop prepared for its official opening, everyone stepped outside. Lu Dong and Lu Xiang’an stood conveniently nearby, while Lu Yun stood on the steps, watching them. When the crackling sounds of firecrackers filled the air, Lu Yun beamed with joy and stole a glance at He Cheng’an, who stood beside her.

When the firecracker noise subsided, He Cheng’an slipped a thick red envelope into Lu Yun’s pocket, saying, “Wishing our Ah Yun great success in her endeavors.”

Lu Yun gazed at him thoughtfully and replied, “He Cheng’an, even if life is plain and simple, I hope we can always be together, happy and joyful.”

He Cheng’an remained silent for a long moment. When Lu Yun called him again, he took her hand, suppressing his emotions as he answered, “Okay.”

—o—o—o—

On its first day, Lu Yun’s spicy skewers shop was incredibly busy. Many customers had never tried spicy skewers before, and Lu Yun’s prices were reasonable.

They could even add a serving of boiled instant noodles or regular noodles to their meal, which ensured they left feeling full. By noon, customers began sharing tables due to the crowd.

Some people initially intended to eat just a few, but once they started, they couldn’t stop because the food was simply too delicious, especially given the generous portions.

Sister Sun and the office staff arrived only after work. At this time, the shop was packed with many who had eaten there at noon returning, some bringing friends along.

Seeing the bustling shop, Sister Sun and her companions were taken aback.

Lu Yun approached them, feeling a bit shy, and said, “I mentioned yesterday that I’d invite you all over to eat, but I didn’t expect so many people. It’s a bit overwhelming, so you might have to wait a little.”

The office staff presented Lu Yun with red envelopes. Although the amounts weren’t large, it was the thought that counted.

Sister Sun replied, “No rush, no rush! You’ve been busy all day; you must be tired. How about we help out?”

Listening to Sister Sun, Lu Yun glanced at He Cheng’an, feeling a bit shy. Today, she seemed to be more of a good luck charm in the shop. He Cheng’an had stayed behind to help, while Lu Yun hardly did anything at all.

When He Cheng’an saw Sister Sun and the others arrive, he noticed an empty seat and went over to greet them, inviting them to sit down and saving a spot for Lu Yun.

As Lu Yun watched He Cheng’an, he ruffled her hair and said, “Let’s eat first. It’s already past five; I’ll go out later and buy you some other things.”

Although the spicy skewers were delicious, Lu Yun had eaten them for lunch and again in the afternoon. Eating them for dinner would mean she had consumed spicy skewers all day long.

When He Cheng’an went out, he not only bought things for Lu Yun but also picked up some food for the people in her office. Their table was filled with a sumptuous spread.

Sister Sun said, “I’m getting hungry just looking at it.”

At that moment, Lu Yun realized that Xiao Sun from their office didn’t seem to be there. She asked Sister Sun about it, and Sister Sun quickly pulled out another red envelope.

“Oh, I almost forgot about Xiao Sun. She said she had something to take care of today and asked me to give you this red envelope. I noticed it seemed a bit thick, so I’ve kept it in my pocket,” Sister Sun explained as she handed the envelope to Lu Yun.

Lu Yun opened the envelope and found that it was indeed a bit thick, containing thirty yuan.

When Li Ling had gotten married, Lu Yun had given her thirty yuan, which was nearly half a month’s salary. Sister Sun, being close with Lu Yun, had given five yuan, while the other office staff had given either one or two yuan.

Holding the envelope, Lu Yun found it a bit puzzling.

“I’ll ask her about it tomorrow,” Lu Yun decided.

—o—o—o—

He Cheng’an rode his bike ahead with Lu Yun following behind as she talked about the situation with Xiao Sun. Lu Yun couldn’t understand why Xiao Sun would give her thirty yuan. She wasn’t planning to keep the money. As she spoke, she swung her legs on the bike and looked up at the night sky.

When they arrived at He Cheng’an’s home, Lu Yun followed him inside. As He Cheng’an started a fire, Lu Yun settled down in his room, waiting. He Cheng’an brought her some food and water, even peeling an apple for her after washing his hands.

Lu Yun took a bite of the apple but wasn’t very hungry, so she went over to find He Cheng’an. She stood beside him, feeding him pieces of the apple—one for her and one for him—unsure if he liked it.

“Is it good?” Lu Yun asked.

He Cheng’an looked at her with a smile, glancing at the apple she held. His answer was clear. “It’s sweet; it’s sweet to the heart.”

Once the room warmed up, He Cheng’an took out some paper and a pen.

He sat at the table, diligently writing, carefully forming each character.

Lu Yun couldn’t help but stifle a laugh when she saw the words “guarantee letter” he was writing.

“Guarantee letter?” she asked.

“Right, a guarantee letter,” He Cheng’an confirmed.

He Cheng’an continued to write, slowly reading aloud: “I promise to always be with He Cheng’an in the future, to be happy and joyful.”

After finishing, he handed the guarantee letter to Lu Yun, his expression filled with anticipation. “Ah Yun?”

“I promise to always be with He Cheng’an in the future, to be happy and joyful,” Lu Yun replied, her voice soft and pleasant. After she finished, she wrote her name on the paper.

He Cheng’an joyfully took Lu Yun’s guarantee letter, carefully storing it away.

Then he began to write again, also a guarantee letter. Lu Yun watched as he put pen to paper. She had expected him to write something similar to what he had just written, but He Cheng’an’s words were a bit more elaborate.

“I promise to always be with Lu Yun in the future, ensuring that she is happy and joyful while she is with me. She will always be my most beloved person. Guarantor: He Cheng’an.”