pjbooks Chapter 31 She lives here
Chapter 31 She lives here
To win over the old man, you have to convince him with facts.
It's unrealistic to convince the old man with just a bowl of noodles; the restaurant's revenue is the best proof.
After clearing away the dishes, Lu Yuan cooked another bowl of noodles. He carried the noodles to the old man and asked timidly:
"Grandpa, may I go take a look at the family temple?"
The old man's face immediately turned cold upon hearing this: "Xiao Yuan, you're a good child, you can't learn from Lao Liu!"
"There's still a bowl of noodles left, it would be a waste if no one ate it!" Lu Yuan said, slapping the bowl in his hand.
"Hmph, go ahead. Because of your filial piety, Grandpa can't stop you."
"Thank you, sir! I'll definitely come to the shop tomorrow at noon!"
After leaving the old man's house, Lu Yuan turned around and went to the family temple next door.
The ancestral temple was deserted, and the small courtyard was spotless.
The ancestors of the Lu family were enshrined in the main house, while a snoring sound came from a side room.
Lu Yuan pushed open the door to the side room and found his grandfather sleeping on the kang (a heated brick bed).
"The old man is here!"
Lu Yuan shouted, and Grandpa sat up abruptly in his sleep as if facing a formidable enemy.
Only then did they realize it was Lu Yuan's prank, and the tension on their faces immediately eased:
"Xiao Yuan, you've been naughty since you were little. You're making fun of your grandpa like a little Japanese soldier!"
Lu Yuan laughed and took out the braised noodles he had hidden behind his back:
"Grandpa, I'm a law-abiding citizen. When are those two, Lu Hua and Lu Jie, going to bring you some good food?"
Grandpa had smelled the delicious aroma long ago, and his eyes lit up when Lu Yuan brought it out:
"Wild mushroom and minced meat noodles! My little boy is so filial; those two were really outrageous!"
"Grandpa, eat it while it's hot! You'll get a good beating from them when you get out of prison!"
Grandpa picked up a mouthful of noodles, blew on it, glared at Lu Yuan, and said:
"You wouldn't dare talk nonsense. Grandpa is guarding the family temple; he'll be going back in another week!"
Grandpa is only 60 years old this year, and he's in very good health. He can eat noodles with gusto.
A bowl of noodles is gone in a few bites, slurped up in no time.
Grandpa put down his bowl, let out a satisfied burp, wiped the grease from his lips with his palm, and remarked:
"Xiao Yuan, with your skills, Grandpa isn't worried about your restaurant not doing well. Remember to be serious about what you do and don't be half-hearted. Don't be like me, always making mistakes and getting punished by your great-grandfather."
Lu Yuan: "..."
Grandpa was a mischievous old man. Even though he was quite old, he would often come up with clever ideas that would anger the old man, and he would be locked up in the family temple to reflect on his mistakes.
The brothers' playful and mischievous personalities were all influenced by their grandfather.
When Lu Yuan returned to the restaurant, his second uncle and Zhao Yan were no longer there.
After putting the bowl of meat sauce back in the kitchen, he went back to the backyard.
The moment Lu Yuan pushed open the back door of the restaurant, he was stunned.
Zhao Yan's Beijing-plated Jeep was parked in the backyard. Zhao Yan and Wei Yinghong were busy in the side room, making beds and getting thermos flasks.
Completely bewildered, Lu Yuan arrived at the door of the side room, poked his head inside, and asked:
"Teacher Xiao Zhao, what's going on? Are you going to stay at my house?"
Before Zhao Yan could answer, Wei Yinghong glared at him and said:
"It's fine for young men to live in the school dorms, but how can girls? Xiao Zhao is from the city; she's only comfortable using our family's toilets."
Zhao Yan stood to the side, feeling a little embarrassed. Although it was true, she still felt that Zhao Yan had a spoiled and pampered habit.
So, to prove she wasn't the spoiled type, she raised her hand and said timidly:
"Aunt Wei, I can actually live at school."
Wei Yinghong immediately pressed her hand down and comforted her:
"Don't listen to Lu Yuan's nonsense. You'll be living here from now on, and no one will have to take care of you."
"Thank you, Aunt Wei!"
Zhao Yan felt a warmth in her heart and hugged Wei Yinghong tightly. The two were as intimate as a mother and daughter.
Lu Yuan couldn't bear to watch. His mother always beat and scolded him, and had never shown such tender maternal love before.
However, he noticed something amiss in the way the two had made their bed:
"Mom, if I'm not mistaken, is that my blanket?"
Wei Yinghong nodded: "That's right, you'll be living here from now on."
Lu Yuan: "Huh? Why?!"
Wei Yinghong: "The side room is so gloomy, how can a girl live there? Don't be so opinionated, this is my house, I make the decisions."
Lu Yuan: "..."
Wei Yinghong's enthusiasm stemmed from the villagers' heartfelt gratitude towards the teacher who came to teach in the big city.
Secondly, as the mother of a handsome young man in his twenties, seeing a beautiful and sensible girl triggered her instinct to add another layer of identity to her own.
She used to think it was absolutely impossible for a rural man to find a wife from the city, but now her restaurant can make more than 3000 yuan a day.
She also asked Zhao Yan about the price of that Jeep; with Lu Yuan's current income, he could buy one every six months.
She's gotten too big for her britches. What's wrong with city people? She's even thought of a name for her grandson.
The next morning, while Zhao Yan was still asleep, the Lu family of three were already out busy.
When she arrived at the restaurant's front hall with a sleepy-eyed face, she found a group of people in black work clothes staring at her.
She finally snapped out of her daze and immediately smiled and nodded to everyone.
Upon hearing the commotion, Wei Yinghong immediately stepped in front of Zhao Yan and waved to the crowd, saying:
"Don't look around, this is Teacher Xiao Zhao, who came to Baiyang Elementary School to teach."
My second aunt knew what was going on, but she just smiled and remained silent.
The older woman was different; having finally seized an opportunity, she raised her eyebrows and asked:
"Hey Hong, how did you manage to hide this beautiful teacher Xiao Zhao in your house?"
Aunt Li, standing nearby, chimed in with a smile, "Yinghong, we haven't even said anything yet, why are you acting like someone's trying to steal your wife!"
Zhao Yan hid behind Wei Yinghong, her face turning bright red.
Wei Yinghong looked annoyed: "Get to work! I'll have Xiao Yuan deduct your wages later!"
Business on national highways has a certain minimum volume, especially for long-distance vehicles, which always need to stop for meals around lunchtime.
With all the Wang family restaurants closed, the Lu family restaurant became the only option.
Some short-distance travelers and diners from nearby areas became loyal customers after trying Xiao Lu's farm-style dishes.
As this continues, the number of customers will only increase.
On the other hand, the popularity of fried dough sticks gradually returned to normal after GG's endorsement.
Especially when the fried dough is made in a fried dough workshop, the aroma doesn't waft far.
For a while, Wei Yinghong had some free time, and she only made fried dough sticks on the spot when customers needed them.
Zhao Yan wore a pair of slim-fit jeans and an orange t-shirt today, which perfectly showcased her beautiful figure.
At mealtimes, she was in the fried dough workshop, feeding Lu Xue a bag of potato chips.
But all I could think about was the plate of stir-fried lamb I ate that morning.
She had never eaten such delicious lamb before. Unlike the lamb in the noodles yesterday, the aroma of the stir-fried lamb was straightforward.
It completely won over her taste buds!
She wasn't a gluttonous girl, but since arriving here yesterday, her appetite had been elevated to an unprecedented level.
On the village path, Old Master Lu slowly walked towards Lu Yuan's house, leaning on his cane, with Lu Wen following behind, carefully supporting him.
As soon as the two arrived at Xiao Lu's farmhouse restaurant, a strong aroma wafted towards them.
After lifting the curtain, the room was packed with people.
Customers waiting for their food craned their necks towards the kitchen, while those eating enjoyed their meals immensely.
The old man recalled the opening of the state-run restaurant in town and couldn't help but sigh:
"This is a golden age!"