After chatting for a while, Auntie Ping and the others left the private room to let Lin Xinyuan and Qin Nanfeng eat in peace; they still had to look after the restaurant. Due to the pandemic, two previous employees had resigned, leaving only one veteran staff member who lived nearby to juggle roles as both kitchen help and server.
Though business was quiet, occasional customers still trickled in. More importantly, in Auntie Ping’s eyes, it was better to let the young couple spend some time alone. Their presence would only make the two feel constrained.
With the soft click of the closing door, the room fell into a tranquil silence.
For the rest of the meal, Lin Xinyuan didn’t say a word, simply eating in silence. Now, whenever she looked at Qin Nanfeng, she couldn’t help but think of what had happened earlier today…
Clearly, having reunited with him, she should have had so much to say. O-Of course… it wasn’t that she was unhappy! She was actually overjoyed to see Brother Feng.
It was just that Brother Feng kept doing those strange things… and saying those weird words. It was truly embarrassing.
Stupid Brother Feng! Stupid blonde!
Lin Xinyuan cursed him in her heart, but on the surface, she was incredibly well-behaved. She accepted the food Qin Nanfeng placed in her bowl like a kitten being pampered and fed by its owner.
Compared to when she was a boy, her appetite had diminished significantly. Having started with the braised pork and moved on to the large oil-braised shrimp, she was full before she knew it. After a brief rest and a bowl of lamb soup, she finished her meal. Almost simultaneously, Qin Nanfeng finished off every remaining scrap on the table.
Finally, they prepared to say goodbye to Auntie Ping and Uncle Ming. The girl had to handle her dormitory check-in and unpack her things that afternoon, and she didn’t want to disturb their work. But more importantly… she wasn’t yet used to being around Qin Nanfeng’s elders. She always felt like they might ask her questions that she would be too embarrassed to answer.
“Xiao Feng, come here for a second. Help me pack some cold dishes for you two to take back to school.”
In the lobby, as the two were about to leave, Auntie Ping seemed to remember something. She waved Qin Nanfeng over, her eyes flickering in a subtle, rapid wink.
Qin Nanfeng understood instantly. Before the girl beside him could decline, he squeezed her small hand. “It’s probably lemon chicken feet or something similar. They won’t spoil easily. Xiaoyuan, sit and wait for me a moment.”
Since he had put it that way, Lin Xinyuan naturally didn’t object. Her almond eyes sparkled as she nodded her little head. “Okay!”
She had thought it would be something like cold-dressed pig ears… she hadn’t expected chicken feet! She actually quite liked snacking on those “random” little treats.
“Good girl.”
Seeing the girl’s instant change in expression, Qin Nanfeng couldn’t help but chuckle as he rubbed her fluffy head. The girl submissively allowed his touch, letting out a very faint “cooing” sound, appearing quite comfortable.
With that, he walked over and followed Auntie Ping into the hallway leading to the kitchen. Once the wall blocked them from view, Auntie Ping turned a corner into a warehouse next to the kitchen. Qin Nanfeng, having expected this, followed her in naturally.
As soon as they entered, Auntie Ping peeked outside like a conspirator. Only after confirming the girl hadn’t followed did she relax. She paused, then looked up at the tall, handsome young man before her. For a moment, she seemed to see the shadows of the somber, lonely boy from three years ago.
Seeing her dazed expression, Qin Nanfeng wasn’t in a hurry; he already had an inkling of what she wanted to say.
After a long moment, the middle-aged woman sighed. Her sallow face, which still bore traces of her youthful beauty, turned serious. She looked Qin Nanfeng straight in the eye.
“Xiao Feng… that girl… you aren’t just ‘playing around’ again this time, are you?”
Though Qin Nanfeng had hinted at his feelings earlier, Auntie Ping was clearly still uneasy. To her, this young man was like a nephew. He was wonderful in every other aspect, but his history with relationships was the one thing she couldn’t trust.
During those two-plus years, Auntie Ping had seen a different girl by his side almost every week. He was such a kind person, yet he acted so abnormally when it came to romance—almost as if it were intentional.
“An eye for an eye. It’s what they deserve,” was all he would say when she asked.
Auntie Ping was in her forties and had seen many kinds of people while struggling through life with her husband. She had to admit she could see it too—the girls the young man kept around back then were all somewhat “unrefined.” They looked gentle and virtuous on the surface, but Auntie Ping could detect the hypocrisy in their every move. She and her husband suspected Qin Nanfeng had suffered some past psychological trauma.
Even so, she hadn’t approved of his extremist approach, but she couldn’t say much. One should not preach kindness to others without having endured their suffering. After failing to persuade him a few times, she had given up.
She had hoped that one day, when he met someone he truly loved, he would understand. But she hadn’t expected that day to come so soon. In less than half a year, this boy had managed to “abduct” such a precious girl.
The girl was indeed shy, but Auntie Ping could tell she wasn’t faking it; she was a genuinely pure, good girl—not to mention her stunning looks. She didn’t know where he had found her, this “fine cabbage” for him to uproot.
Because Qin Nanfeng’s past was so questionable, even though she could see they truly loved each other, she couldn’t help but worry. She feared he might hurt the girl, and if her parents came knocking, it would be a disaster.
“Auntie Ping, I’m serious this time.”
Qin Nanfeng’s eyes were sincere. Thinking of the cute “kitten” waiting outside, a smile unconsciously touched his lips. “She’s different. And… I’ve waited for her for a long time.”
As he spoke, the love in his eyes overflowed uncontrollably, deepening into a profound tenderness.
Auntie Ping didn’t quite understand what he meant by “waiting for a long time,” taking it merely as an expression of his devotion. But seeing his expression, she finally understood his heart. For a fleeting second, she felt transported back many years to the man who had resolutely left their hometown to take her away—her husband.
In this moment, the two seemed to overlap. The circumstances were different, but the determination and heat of their emotions were identical.
Auntie Ping finally understood the boy’s resolve. This wasn’t a whim or a game. It made sense… he was a good child she approved of, after all. How could he do something so cruel? Though he acted indifferent on the surface, he was more sentimental than anyone. Unless he had truly chosen someone, why would he bother to hurt someone so innocent and beautiful?
She realized she had overthought it, appearing as though she didn’t trust him.
With this thought, a smile of reminiscence touched her eyes—missing her own youth, those days and nights with her husband. There had been pain, but it was in the past. They were okay now, and very happy.
“I can tell Xiaoyuan is a good girl. Don’t let her down.” Auntie Ping smiled and nodded in approval. “We’ll be waiting to drink at your wedding.”
For a brief moment, Qin Nanfeng’s vision seemed to go blank with a sense of peace. His lips curved upward.
“I will. It will not be squandered.“