txolops Chapter 37 was sung very well.
Chapter 37 was sung very well.
5:30 p.m.
At the edge of the plaza on the first floor of Yintai Building, a gentle breeze dissipated the daytime heat.
"Squeak—"
Lin Chen's tricycle was parked in the same spot as always.
Wang Hai jumped out of the car nimbly, quickly unfolded the folding table, and unloaded the packing boxes.
Lin Chen pulled out the car key, got out of the car, and took an apron out of the bag and tied it around his waist.
"Tangtang, go sit over there and don't get too close to the stove."
Lin Chen turned around and gave a brief explanation.
"Okay, Daddy!"
Today, Tangtang is wearing the blue and white summer uniform from Qiming Kindergarten, and she also has her little backpack on her back.
She carried her little stool, walked to a safe spot on the side of the tricycle, sat down properly, and placed her two little hands neatly on her knees.
At this time, there were already quite a few white-collar workers waiting in the square after work.
At the front of the line were Liu Wei and Zhao Qiang from the planning department.
"Boss, you're right on time today."
Liu Wei peeked out to greet them, then his gaze shifted to Tangtang, who was sitting upright beside him. "Wow, Tangtang looks beautiful in this outfit today!"
Wearing a school uniform? Is today your first day of kindergarten?
When Tangtang heard someone praise her, she raised her little face and nodded seriously: "Mm!"
Tangtang went to kindergarten today, she's in the third grade!
"Hey, that's great! You've grown into a young lady!"
Zhao Qiang gave a thumbs up from the side, then turned to Lin Chen and said, "Boss Lin, congratulations! Your child is starting school now, so your burden will be lighter."
Lin Chen was adjusting the gas stove when he heard this. He looked up and nodded slightly at the two of them.
"They were quite obedient on their first day."
Lin Chen spoke calmly.
"Everyone, please line up! Get your phones ready to scan the code. One item per person!"
Wang Hai stood in front of the table and began to maintain order.
Lin Chen pressed the knob with his left hand.
"Click".
Flames leaped up. Hot pan, cold oil. Lin Chen cracked an egg with one hand, the egg liquid puffing up as it hit the pan, then poured a spoonful of rice into the pan.
With a swift flick of the spatula, the first batch of fried rice was quickly cooked, and the aroma of scallions and eggs filled the square.
Just then, the glass automatic doors on the first floor of the building slid open to both sides.
Su Qingxue, dressed in a well-tailored white silk shirt and black slim-fit suit trousers, walked out of the hall alone.
She had just finished a three-hour high-level meeting this afternoon and was feeling a bit tired, but the hunger in her stomach promptly urged her to go downstairs.
Su Qingxue walked to the square and, without any hesitation, went straight to the back of the long line that already had thirty or forty people, and stood quietly.
At that moment, Liu Wei and Zhao Qiang, who were ahead of them in line, had just finished buying their food.
The two turned around, carrying plastic bags, and immediately spotted Su Qingxue standing at the end of the line.
After two days of "mental preparation," the employees in the building had long since accepted the premise that "the aloof female CEO is also an ordinary person who needs to go downstairs to queue for meals."
The shock of being too scared to utter a sound on the first day was gone, as was the panic of deliberately avoiding it.
Liu Wei and Zhao Qiang walked forward naturally. When they passed by Su Qingxue, they stopped and greeted her in a generous manner.
"Mr. Su, it's time to go home."
Liu Wei smiled and said, "Mm."
Su Qingxue nodded calmly, "Go back and rest early after you've finished shopping."
"Okay, Mr. Su, please take your time. We'll be going now."
After exchanging a few polite words, the two picked up their lunchboxes and left.
When the other employees in the line saw Su Qingxue, they simply nodded politely in greeting, then turned back to quietly queue and looked down at their phones.
A tacit balance has been reached among the people at this lively little stall.
Regardless of rank, everyone here is simply a diner who follows the rules.
The team moved forward methodically.
While serving the food and collecting money, Wang Hai looked up and saw Su Qingxue. He just smiled habitually, without making a fuss or saying anything to remind Lin Chen.
More than half an hour later, it was Su Qingxue's turn in the queue.
Wang Hai took out a clean, transparent plastic packaging box.
Lin Chen had just finished cooking a pot of fried rice, and with a few deft movements, he scooped the fried rice into a lunchbox and pushed it to the side of the table.
"One serving, ninety-nine."
Lin Chen looked at Su Qingxue, his tone calm, no different from how he treated everyone else.
"it is good."
Su Qingxue opened WeChat on her phone and scanned the QR code for payment on the table.
"Beep—WeChat payment received, 99 yuan."
Wang Hai quickly packed the lunchbox into a plastic bag and handed it over along with a disposable spoon: "Here's your lunch."
Su Qingxue reached out and took the plastic bag.
Just as she was about to turn around and go back to her office in the building, a clear, childlike voice came from beside her.
"Pretty auntie!"
Tangtang, who was sitting on the side of the tricycle, stood up.
She didn't bring out a small stool for Su Qingxue to sit on today because she remembered that her aunt said yesterday that she would take it back to the office to eat.
Su Qingxue stopped and looked down at the little girl in the blue and white school uniform in front of her. A gentle smile appeared on her usually cool face.
"Tangtang, you look great in your clothes today."
Su Qingxue said softly.
Hearing the praise, Tangtang's eyes smiled and turned into two crescent moons.
She took a small step forward and, as if presenting a treasure, pointed to the left side of her chest with her chubby little finger.
There, a red sticker, about the size of a thumbnail, was neatly affixed.
"Look, beautiful auntie!"
Tangtang tilted her little face up, her voice brimming with undisguised pride, "Tangtang went to kindergarten today!"
The teacher said Tangtang was the best eater at lunchtime, leaving no food uneaten, and rewarded her with a little red flower!
Looking at the ordinary plastic sticker and the little girl's proud expression, Su Qingxue felt a great deal of fatigue from the meeting dissipate.
"The teacher deserved the reward."
Su Qingxue bent down slightly and said earnestly, "Tangtang is an obedient and good child. This little red flower suits you very well."
"hey-hey……"
Tangtang rubbed the corner of her clothes a little shyly, then her eyes lit up and she looked up, "Pretty auntie, the teacher taught us a new nursery rhyme today!"
"Shall I sing it for you, Tangtang?"
"OK."
Su Qingxue nodded.
Tangtang took a deep breath, stood up straight, put her little hands to her ears, and sang in her childish voice, "Clap your little hands, clap your little hands, stretch out your fingers..."
The little girl's voice was clear and crisp, echoing in the square on a late summer evening.
Her movements were still a bit clumsy, and the curve of her fingers was not quite coordinated, but she was extremely serious.
Su Qingxue stood there, holding the 99-yuan plastic lunchbox in her hand, listening quietly.
Lin Chen cracked a new egg into the stove. He didn't turn around to interrupt his daughter, but the way he flipped the egg with the spatula seemed a little lighter than before.
"Point to the eyes, the eyes are here..."
Tangtang finished singing a short part, then stopped, her big eyes blinking as she looked at Su Qingxue.
Su Qingxue straightened up, a smile playing on her lips.
"She sang very well."
Su Qingxue said softly, "Auntie was very tired from work today, but after listening to Tangtang's song, she feels much better now."
"Really?"
Tangtang clapped her hands happily, "Then Tangtang will learn something new at kindergarten tomorrow and sing it for Auntie again!"
"Okay, see you tomorrow."
Su Qingxue waved to Tangtang, then glanced at Lin Chen, who was still making fried rice with his head down.
"Boss, I'm leaving now."
Lin Chen scooped the rice out of the pot, looked up at her, and nodded slightly.
Take care.
Su Qingxue did not linger.
Carrying the takeout bag, she turned around, put on her flat leather shoes, crossed the square, and walked into the glass doors of the building.
In the square, the early summer evening breeze blew by, and the line of tricycles in front of them continued to move forward in an orderly manner.