txolops Chapter 23 Top Diner
Chapter 23 Top Diner
"Buzzing—"
Wang Hai's tricycle rounded the last bend at the edge of the Yintai Building plaza.
Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Wang Hai habitually looked up, preparing to shout at the crowd just like yesterday.
However, when his gaze swept across the square, he froze instantly.
The white-collar workers, who are usually noisy and arguing over seats at the end of the workday, were unusually quiet today.
A long line of fifty or sixty people had been neatly arranged.
No one in the line said much. Even Zhao Qiang and Liu Wei from the planning department, who usually loved to shout, stood quietly in the line with their hands by their trouser seams, standing straight.
The entire square was eerily quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the autumn wind.
"Screech—" Wang Hai squeezed the brakes, and the tricycle came to a steady stop in its usual spot.
"Brother Chen, what's going on today?"
As Wang Hai pulled out the car keys, he lowered his voice and turned to look at Lin Chen in the passenger seat with a puzzled expression, "Why are these guys standing like they're being punished during military training today? They haven't made a sound at all!"
Lin Chen ignored Wang Hai's question.
He pushed open the car door and got out smoothly.
He turned around, put his hands under Tangtang's armpits, picked up the little girl, and gently placed her on the small stool next to him.
"Sit still and don't run around."
Lin Chen gave a word of advice.
"Okay, Daddy, Tangtang will be the cashier today."
Tangtang nodded obediently, placing her two little hands on her knees.
After settling his daughter in, Lin Chen turned around and walked to the back of the truck bed to start unloading the cargo with Wang Hai.
The folded tabletop, two large stainless steel insulated buckets filled with a hundred servings of cooked rice, and a whole stack of clean iron pots and spoons were carried down in an orderly manner.
Just as Wang Hai turned around to move the trays of eggs, his gaze finally fell on the front of the line.
"Clatter."
The rag Wang Hai was holding fell directly to the ground.
He stared wide-eyed at the woman at the front of the line, his mouth slightly agape, unable to utter a word for a long time.
A beige trench coat, a pale complexion that was almost sickly, and an extremely aloof and unapproachable aura.
Even if Wang Hai were reduced to ashes, he would still recognize this face.
This is the woman who stood next to the tricycle yesterday evening, didn't even blink, and threw out 10,000 yuan to buy a plate of fried rice!
Yesterday she was still acting high and mighty, as if money could buy everything. Today, she's dressed so modestly and quietly stood at the front of this group of ordinary white-collar workers, becoming the first person in line.
"Chen...Brother Chen..."
Wang Hai swallowed hard, quickly moved closer to Lin Chen, tugged at Lin Chen's sleeve, and whispered, "Look at the first one in line... isn't she the woman who wanted to throw ten thousand yuan yesterday?"
Lin Chen was tying an apron around his waist.
Upon hearing Wang Hai's words, he did not stop what he was doing, but simply raised his head and glanced at him calmly.
Lin Chen glanced at it once and then looked away.
"Um."
Lin Chen responded with a faint "yes".
"My goodness, she actually came?"
Wang Hai gasped. "And it's ranked first?"
No wonder these office workers were all trembling like quails today, not daring to even breathe loudly; they were clearly intimidated by her.
"Get to work. Get ready to set up your stall."
Lin Chen did not continue the conversation following Wang Hai's words.
His face showed no surprise, pride, or flattery at the other party's "lowering himself to queue."
In his eyes, whether the other party is a CEO of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate or an ordinary employee with a monthly salary of three thousand, as long as they stand in this group, they only have one identity.
Those are the diners. Lin Chen tightened the straps of his apron, reached for the clean rag, and carefully wiped the area around the stove one last time.
"Daddy."
Sitting on a small stool, Tangtang swung her little feet, her big eyes sparkling as she looked at Su Qingxue standing at the front of the line, and spoke in her childish voice.
"It's that pretty auntie from yesterday."
The auntie was very well-behaved today; she didn't use much money to cut in line and was first in line.
The innocent voices of children were exceptionally clear in the quiet square.
Standing at the back of the line, Liu Wei, Zhao Qiang, and the others were so frightened when they heard the little girl use the words "very well-behaved" to describe their cold and aloof billionaire CEO that their hearts almost jumped out of their throats. They all lowered their heads even further.
Su Qingxue heard what Tangtang said.
She lowered her head slightly, looking at the exquisitely beautiful little girl. Her originally cold and tense expression, due to extreme hunger, softened a little at this moment.
But soon, her attention was completely drawn to the iron pot in Lin Chen's hand.
Seeing that the boss didn't speak, Secretary Chen quickly stepped forward, ready to order for him.
"old……"
Secretary Chen had just opened his mouth, but before he could say anything...
Su Qingxue had already raised her hand and waved it slightly to stop Secretary Chen's actions.
She took a step forward and stood in the spot closest to the stove, the one where customers usually order food by scanning a QR code.
The arrogance and impatience that she displayed yesterday, which kept people at arm's length and was used to giving orders, were completely gone from Su Qingxue's demeanor.
Yesterday, she was willing to throw out 10,000 yuan to test the man's bottom line, but after being rejected and enduring a full day and night of intense hunger, she now has only one thought in her mind.
Eat that clean fried rice.
Since the other party has set the rules, and since money can't buy privileges, then she will abide by the rules.
Su Qingxue looked directly at Lin Chen and took out her phone from her trench coat pocket.
"Boss."
Su Qingxue's voice remained cold, but all unnecessary emotions were gone, making it steady and crisp.
"Two servings of fried rice."
Upon hearing this, Wang Hai, who was standing to the side, took a deep breath.
He had assumed that since this woman was first in line today, she would at least put on airs or say something to get back at him, but he didn't expect her to be so direct.
Lin Chen raised his head and glanced at Su Qingxue.
He didn't mock the other party for throwing away 10,000 yuan yesterday, nor did he treat the other party differently because they personally queued up today.
He simply nodded slightly, as if he were addressing any ordinary customer.
One hundred and ninety-eight.
Lin Chen calmly quoted the price.
Without saying a word, Su Qingxue opened WeChat and scanned the slightly yellowed plastic QR code on the windshield of the tricycle.
A crisp scanning sound rang out.
"Received payment via WeChat, 198 yuan."
The mechanical electronic announcements emanated from a simple speaker mounted on top of the tricycle, echoing clearly at the edge of the quiet square.
She couldn't buy the fried rice for 10,000 yuan, but today she honestly spent 198 yuan to buy two servings by scanning the code.
One portion was for herself, and the other was for Secretary Chen, who bought her lunch yesterday.
Secretary Chen stood behind Su Qingxue, watching her boss's extremely efficient and unhesitating scanning action, and felt a surge of emotion.
Mr. Su was really starving.
"Hold on."
After confirming the payment confirmation, Lin Chen didn't look at Su Qingxue again.
He turned around decisively.
"Click".
Su Qingxue was standing less than a meter away from the stove.
She didn't take out her phone to handle work as she usually does while waiting for her meal, nor did she talk to Secretary Chen next to her.
She simply stood there quietly, watching Lin Chen heat the oil in the wok, waiting for that pure aroma that would bring her back to life.