Chapter 52

Lu Yun didn’t feel anything unusual about someone else opening a spicy skewer restaurant like hers. She had expected it when she opened her own place.

After all, this wasn’t some kind of exclusive business, and in the future, when spicy skewers would become popular, they’d be practically everywhere.

Eventually, they’d start to decrease in number, and Lu Yun thought it was because spicy hot pot would begin to trend instead.

Seeing the angry expressions on Zhang Meili and Lu Dong’s faces, Lu Yun chuckled and comforted them for a bit. She even said, “Everyone’s doing business; don’t worry. Tomorrow, I’ll find someone to buy a sample of their skewers, and we can try them out to see how they taste. If their flavor isn’t as good as ours, then, if I were a customer, I’d still choose our shop. But if their taste is better than ours, then we’ll find a way to make our skewers even tastier.”

The fact that there was a competitor on the same street didn’t affect Lu Yun at all. After all, back when she was a food blogger, it wasn’t like she hadn’t faced similar situations.

Lu Dong asked, “Should we also offer some discounts?”

Lu Yun replied, “No, we’re already making a small profit from high volume sales.”

—o—o—o—

Later that evening, He Cheng’an contacted Lu Yun using a pager. After finishing her meal, Lu Yun went to the convenience store, waited for a while, and received He Cheng’an’s call.

Lu Yun held the receiver and spoke with He Cheng’an. When Lu Yun called him by name, even the convenience store owner chuckled along.

The store owner had quite an impression of Lu Yun and He Cheng’an. “You’re on the phone with your boyfriend again, aren’t you?” he asked.

Lu Yun replied, “Yes.”

Lu Yun had gotten used to sharing her daily life with He Cheng’an, and he, in turn, had grown accustomed to telling her about his life as well.

But unlike Lu Yun, who simply wanted to share, He Cheng’an found joy in being able to talk with her about these things.

When Lu Yun mentioned the spicy skewer restaurant, her tone was as calm as before, and she explained her solution to He Cheng’an, the same one she had shared with Zhang Meili and Lu Dong. Lu Yun assumed He Cheng’an would suggest a discount, just like Lu Dong.

However, He Cheng’an responded, “This is a great solution. It addresses the problem at its root. Otherwise, if another skewer place opened, would you keep lowering your prices each time?” He laughed and added, “Our Ah Yun is truly smart.”

Hearing the future bigshot praise her intelligence, Lu Yun felt a surge of confidence. “Yes, very smart indeed,” she replied.

—o—o—o—

At noon, when the Cotton Textile Factory workers finished their shift, Lu Yun visited her old office. Everyone was thrilled to see her.

Coincidentally, the factory cafeteria was serving steamed buns that day, so Lu Yun joined Sister Sun in heading to the cafeteria, where Sister Sun treated her to lunch.

Sister Sun asked, “Haven’t you been busy studying every day? How do you have time to visit the Cotton Textile Factory?”

Smiling, Lu Yun replied, “Oh, I just wanted to ask for a favor. Could you help me pick up some skewers from the new skewer place after work tonight? I want to try their flavor and see how it compares to ours.”

Sister Sun said, “Oh, that place? I’ve already tried it. The flavor isn’t as good as yours. Honestly, it doesn’t even look that clean—unlike your place, which is spotless and makes you feel at ease eating there. I even took my son a few times to your shop.”

She added, “Just wait for me outside the factory after work. The weather’s warm now, so it’ll be good for you to get out instead of being cooped up at home studying.”

Lu Yun laughed and said, “Alright, thanks, Sister Sun.”

Taking a bite of a steamed bun from the Cotton Textile Factory cafeteria, Lu Yun realized that although she hadn’t found it particularly delicious before, now that she didn’t eat at the factory regularly, she actually appreciated the taste.

—o—o—o—

That evening, Lu Yun met Sister Sun outside the Cotton Textile Factory, and then Lu Yun returned to her own shop while Sister Sun headed to the new skewer place. Being considerate of Lu Yun, Sister Sun even bought a few extra items from other vendors before coming to Lu Yun’s shop.

Sister Sun handed her the bag and said, “Here you go. I’ll head home now. Let’s catch up next time. I need to cook dinner since my mother-in-law hurt her back recently and can’t cook.”

Lu Yun quickly asked Zhang Hao to pack some of their skewers to give to Sister Sun. “Take these home for your son to enjoy,” she said.

Sister Sun replied, “Alright, I won’t be polite then.”

As Lu Yun looked down, examining the color of the skewers Sister Sun had brought back, she suddenly heard He Cheng’an’s voice.

He Cheng’an asked, “Boss Lu, may I sit here?”

Lu Yun looked up at him. He Cheng’an smiled at her, holding a bag of skewers he’d just bought. She hadn’t even asked him why he was there before he started explaining himself. He had originally planned to buy some skewers, drop by Lu Yun’s shop to check on her, and then head back. But unexpectedly, he found her there in the shop.

Lu Yun replied, “Go ahead and sit.”

He Cheng’an nodded. “Alright then, thank you, Boss Lu.”

Lu Yun picked up a skewer with fish balls, examining it. “Just looking at these fish balls, you can tell they’re loaded with starch,” she said before taking a bite. “Hmm, the flavor’s okay, but the saltiness is overwhelming.”

Hearing this, He Cheng’an immediately handed her a bottle of mineral water. He took a bite himself, nodding in agreement. Lu Yun was spot-on with her critique.

Although a few customers had visited the shop across the street, Lu Yun’s business was still thriving. Many of those who tried the other place had previously eaten at Lu Yun’s shop, so they could clearly taste the difference in quality.

People usually go out to eat hoping for something enjoyable, not to save a few cents on something less appetizing.

Lu Yun stood up and said, “Alright, let’s head home.”

Hand in hand, the two of them left the skewer shop, even passing by some customers returning from the shop next door.

Lu Yun asked, “Didn’t you say things were busy in the provincial capital? Why are you back?”

The real reason was that He Cheng’an was worried Lu Yun might be upset about the competition. But he didn’t say that; he just smiled and told her, “I managed to squeeze in some time, so I came back.”

Lu Yun looked at him intently. “That’s not the real reason.”

He Cheng’an gazed at her, waiting for her to continue. Then she said, “You came back because you were worried I’d be upset, right?”

He Cheng’an pulled her into his arms and said, “Yes, I was worried you’d be upset. I thought if I came back, I could cheer you up, buy you some sweets, and make you smile.”

As he spoke, he took out a lollipop—a colorful one—and handed it to her.

Lu Yun rose on her tiptoes and kissed him. In that moment, she felt that, no matter what the future held, she would never regret her decision to marry He Cheng’an.

Perhaps it was the nearing wedding or simply his presence that filled her with joy, but for the first time, Lu Yun voiced her thoughts to He Cheng’an: “Cheng’an, we’ll walk this path together forever.”

He Cheng’an’s voice was gentle. “Ah Yun, I’ll always be here.”

The question she almost asked—“Won’t you?”—faded away, no longer necessary.

Just as usual, He Cheng’an and Lu Yun returned to the Lu Family home together. The moment he arrived, Zhang Meili and Lu Dong pulled He Cheng’an aside to talk. Lu Yun, meanwhile, planned to go take a bath.

Entering her room, Lu Yun noticed a luxurious wedding dress, made of what looked like satin, laid out on her bed.

Standing by the bed, she felt an unexpected warmth in her eyes. Was this his way of giving her “sweets” and coaxing her with a wedding dress?

—o—o—o—

Even after the new skewer place opened, drawing some customers away at first, it hardly affected the popularity of Lu Yun’s restaurant. In the following days, her business remained bustling, with long lines once again forming outside.

Just like that, time slipped by, and soon it was April 31, 1989.

Zhang Meili called out, “Li Ling, make sure she goes to bed early. If she stays up all night, she won’t look her best as the bride tomorrow!”

Li Ling replied, “Got it, Auntie, don’t worry. When doesn’t my cousin look beautiful?”

Li Ling had come to stay with Lu Yun, and when she entered the room, she couldn’t resist touching the wedding dress. It was simply stunning.

Li Ling said, “So it’s true he bought it. Auntie just told me.”

Lu Yun smiled and nodded. “Yes, he bought it. He said, even though a wedding dress is meant to be worn just for the ceremony, it’s also…”

As Lu Yun spoke, she couldn’t help but remember that moment when she first saw the wedding dress He Cheng’an had bought for her. He had said to her, “Although a wedding dress is meant to be worn on the wedding day, one day, when we’re both old and gray, we’ll look at this dress and remember our wedding.”

The thought of growing old together, sharing a lifetime, was such a beautiful hope. Lu Yun wished deeply that she and He Cheng’an would live out that vision.

“When we’re old, we can take the dress out and look at it again,” Lu Yun said, gazing at the red paper cutout of the double happiness character pasted on the window.

Li Ling sighed, a touch of regret in her voice. “If I’d known, I would have bought a wedding dress too. That way, my husband and I could have looked at it together in the future, even if wedding dresses can be a bit of a hassle to keep.”

—o—o—o—

Lu Yun and Li Ling shared a bed. Unlike the night before Li Ling’s wedding, when nerves had kept her awake, Lu Yun felt completely at ease. She quickly fell asleep, undisturbed by anxiety.

Since the house they’d bought in the county still hadn’t been renovated, Lu Yun and He Cheng’an’s wedding would take place at He Cheng’an’s home in the provincial capital. He had suggested they marry in the Lu Family home instead, but Lu Dong and Zhang Meili thought that wasn’t quite right. They felt it might make it seem as though he were marrying into Lu Yun’s family, which, despite Lu Yun’s attachment to her home, wouldn’t look good for He Cheng’an. So, the plan was for Lu Yun and He Cheng’an to go to his house for the wedding, and after the ceremony, they would return to live with the Lu Family.

This arrangement had Zhang Meili and Lu Dong smiling ear to ear over the past few days.

Meanwhile, He Cheng’an lay awake, feeling the weight of his excitement and anticipation. Although they were already officially married, somehow, it felt as if the upcoming ceremony would make it truly real.

Zhang Hao came by, grinning. “Brother He, I figured you’d still be awake. Want to grab a late-night snack?”

He Cheng’an declined, but Zhang Hao settled himself at the stone table in the courtyard, nibbling on food. It seemed less about eating and more about keeping He Cheng’an company.

Zhang Hao glanced around the courtyard, where red paper decorations hung everywhere. Everything had been cleaned and brightened, making the whole space radiate with festivity.

As Zhang Hao got up to leave, he turned to He Cheng’an and said, “Congratulations in advance, Brother He.”

He Cheng’an chuckled and replied, “Get going, get some rest yourself.”