Chapter 87: Who Are You Calling an Old Man?

“Make another thirty portions?”

Xie Mingcheng hesitated a bit and quietly asked, “Sis, there are still about ten portions left. What if we can’t sell them?”

Xie Yunshu glared at him, “If I tell you to go, then go!”

“Oh, okay, I’m going now.” Xie Mingcheng rubbed his prominent nose. Once his sister gave him that look, he wouldn’t dare argue even half a word.

Her long legs pedaled the bicycle fast heading home. Since they had to keep making boxed meals, they couldn’t waste any time. If it got past noon, who would still buy them?

In the yard, Li Fenlan and Aunt Zhao had just cleaned the pots, and there were still sparks from the fire in the stove.

“Cooking in the yard is such a relief. Our little tube-shaped building only has a tiny balcony, you’d bump into someone just turning around.” Aunt Zhao looked at the leftover pork, then cut it up and salted it for marinating, “No problem keeping this until tomorrow. Then we just have to stir-fry it.”

Li Fenlan, seeing this, went ahead and chopped the napa cabbage, “I’ll cut the cabbage too, so Yunshu can sleep a little longer tomorrow.”

The two were busy with the prep when Xie Mingcheng rushed in on his bike. “Mom, Aunt Zhao is steaming rice and frying veggies. Sis said we have to pack thirty more boxed meals!”

Both women were stunned. Li Fenlan asked uncertainly, “Mingcheng, have all thirty sold already?”

That was too fast—they had only been out for about twenty minutes!

Xie Mingcheng didn’t have time to explain. He carried a bundle of firewood over and started boiling water to steam rice. “Not all sold yet, but my sister said we have to hurry.”

When Yunshu gave the order, Li Fenlan and Aunt Zhao didn’t question it anymore and immediately got to work—one pot steamed rice, the other fried vegetables—no time wasted. Plus, since they had already cut the pork and cabbage, things moved faster.

The big pot steamed rice quickly, and in about twenty minutes, the rice and cabbage were ready. While the rice was being served by Li Fenlan and Aunt Zhao, Xie Mingcheng cut potatoes and soaked them in water, then began frying shredded potatoes.

After ten minutes, thirty boxed meals were neatly packed in a big container.

On his way, Xie Yunshu’s insulated box was already empty. Her pockets were stuffed full of cash, her lips barely able to keep from smiling. Sure enough, that man Lu Zhixing was just bad luck all over—since divorcing him, her income kept coming in one after another.

A month ago, she wouldn’t have dared dream money would be this easy to earn!

In just half an hour, thirty boxed meals at eight yuan each meant twenty-four yuan! And many more people were still waiting for her meals!

“Hey girl, didn’t you say the boxed meals would come soon? It’s been over twenty minutes. I’m starving here!”

One guy had come since early morning with a water bottle and biscuits, but who could eat biscuits when a proper meal was ready?

Xie Yunshu quickly reassured him, “Big brother, don’t worry, it’s coming soon!”

The securities exchange was busy in the morning but would close in the afternoon, so the crowd would clear. Actually, waiting until afternoon for food was the same. But since early morning, everyone had been nervous and hungry—tough to bear.

Just then, Xie Mingcheng sped in from the west on his bike. The usually calm schoolboy was flushed with excitement, “Sis! The food is here!”

His shout didn’t just catch Xie Yunshu’s attention—everyone waiting to eat started scrambling.

“Hey, hey, give me some first! I’ve been waiting forever!”

“Brother, that’s not fair! Why’d you buy two portions?”

“I’ve got a big appetite. I earned some money today, so what if I eat more? I’m not spending your money!”

Xie Yunshu laughed so hard her big eyes curved into crescents. “Don’t fight, don’t fight. There’s plenty left. Everyone can eat their fill!”

The exchange was packed, and so was Xie Yunshu’s place.

Across the street, Tian Hao, wearing a black coat, squinted his eyes, “Hey, Shen Ge, isn’t that Xie Yunshu?”

Shen Subai, from Jingbei, had been pressured by his family to marry after the project was halted, but he stayed in Haicheng citing the project’s instability.

Today, Tian Hao had dragged him out to eat.

“That’s her,” Shen Subai nodded at a glance, but showed no intention of going over. “Weren’t you going to eat at the Haicheng Hotel? Still not going?”

Tian Hao nudged him, “We’re kind of part of the project, so let’s go say hi!”

If after the New Year the canteen was built and she couldn’t get the contract, the project might not continue.

Shen Subai’s eyes flickered. Instead of asking whether to say hi, he asked, “Last time you said someone went to talk to Manager Zhao about the canteen contract. What did they say?”

Tian Hao blinked, “I figure it’s pretty much decided. Heard the person talking to Manager Zhao is a relative and runs a restaurant in Haicheng with two cooks already.”

He sounded a bit disappointed, “If the canteen’s set up, Xie Yunshu won’t have to deliver food for us anymore. Honestly, she cooks really well.”

But Xie Yunshu was a young girl with no backing at the project. Though Secretary Jiang had mentioned her once, everyone knew the canteen contract was juicy business and wouldn’t go to her.

Shen Subai pursed his lips, “That’s not certain.”

Since it’s the canteen contract, it involves food for all project and construction workers. They’d want someone reliable. He’d observed Xie Yunshu for a month and believed she was that person.

Others might get in through connections, but food quality and hygiene would be questionable.

Tian Hao doubted it, “She’s just a young girl.”

These days, could a young girl really have the ability to contract a canteen? Probably some man in his 30s or 40s, right? But Xie Yunshu cooks well; being a female chef would be nice too.

Shen Subai frowned and countered, “Being young and a girl has nothing to do with being able to run the canteen. Ability matters, not age or gender.”

Tian Hao was stunned. Age and gender don’t matter?

While they talked, Xie Yunshu’s boxed meals had sold out. Sitting on a tricycle, she smiled with her eyes nearly shut.

Xie Mingcheng’s gaze fell on her reddened, frozen nose. His expression dimmed, and he took her hat from behind and put it on her head. “Sis, you’ve been out in the cold wind so long. Don’t catch a cold.”

Xie Yunshu smiled at him, “Look, even without you here I’m sweating. Earning money doesn’t mean you’re scared of the cold!”

Both were good-looking, and despite worn clothes, they still stood out in the sun.

Tian Hao clicked his tongue, “That kid looks pretty close to Xie Yunshu, though young. Still, compared to us, we’re all old men now…”

He was already 25. Shen Subai was 27 and constantly pressured to get married.

Shen Subai gave him a sharp look, “Who are you calling an old man?”

Tian Hao gasped, “I was joking! Since when did you get so sensitive about age? Didn’t you just say age doesn’t matter?”