Chapter 26 - 2#
“I can do prep work, expediting, and chopping,” Yan Heqing said with a smile. “I can also do simple carving.”
Yang Zhen was somewhat surprised. This young man looked like he had red lips and pale skin, fingers that had never touched spring water, yet he actually understood kitchen work. She turned and said, “Follow me.”
She led Yan Heqing into the kitchen, where everyone was methodically preparing lunch. Yang Zhen walked to the counter, took a carrot, and gave it to Yan Heqing. “Carve a rose.”
Yan Heqing took it. “Okay.”
He lowered his head and skillfully peeled it.
It was also at this moment that Yang Zhen saw Yan Heqing’s hands. They were completely different from his face, which looked like it could be broken by a breeze. These hands clearly showed the polish of life; they hadn’t just touched spring water, they had been soaked in it for a long time.
Facts proved Yang Zhen right. Soon, a lifelike rose took shape in Yan Heqing’s palm.
“You are very humble,” Yang Zhen evaluated. “This isn’t a simple carving level. You’ve worked in a kitchen for at least five years.”
Yan Heqing recalled for a moment. From elementary school to junior high, the time he worked in small restaurants indeed exceeded five years. He smiled, “You have good eyes.”
Yang Zhen, however, felt quite regretful because she had guessed correctly. Yan Heqing looked like he had just come of age, not much older than her daughter, yet he possessed a pair of hands belonging to a forty-year-old.
She shook her head gently. “We aren’t hiring temporary workers for now, but there’s a wedding banquet this Saturday and we’re short-handed. If you’re willing, you can come help out. Wages are paid daily.”
Yan Heqing smiled, “Thank you, I’m willing.”
The interview ended, and Yan Heqing took the subway back to the coffee shop to work. Weekday mornings were usually very busy.
Especially since Yan Heqing would make different beautiful latte art according to customer requests, customers all wanted him to make their coffee. Yan Heqing was so busy his feet didn’t touch the ground.
Zhang Qing was okay, she could handle the cashier. The other male waiter basically had nothing to do, and he was happy to slack off, holding a towel and occasionally wiping tables to look busy.
At this time, the shop’s landline rang. The male waiter dawdled for a long time, seeing that Yan Heqing and Zhang Qing were both busy and really had no time to answer the phone, he finally dilly-dallied over to answer it.
“Hello, Light and Shadow Coffee.” The male waiter lazily picked up the notebook for recording delivery orders.
“Hello, a black coffee and a piece of cream cake square, delivered to the 81st floor of Lu Corp during lunch break.”
Through the receiver, the woman’s voice was sweet, like listening to a song. The male waiter’s attitude immediately improved. “No problem, it will be delivered to you soon!”
The woman then added, “Please have Yan Heqing deliver it.”
The male waiter, “…”
The male waiter cursed silently, reluctantly taking over Yan Heqing’s work.
Yan Heqing turned a blind eye, made a cup of black coffee, packed a piece of cream cake square, and carried it to Lu Corp for delivery.
Black coffee plus cream cake square, plus the top floor of Lu Corp, Yan Heqing knew it was Lu Lin.
The receptionist had received a call in advance and politely smiled as she led Yan Heqing to Lu Lin’s private elevator.
This elevator was on the other side of the lobby, different from the employee elevators crowded during lunch break. It didn’t require swiping a card, and no one else used it. It only took two minutes to reach the top floor.
The receptionist pressed the elevator button. After Yan Heqing went in, the receptionist revealed a gossipy expression.
The secretary’s office specifically instructed to let the delivery take President Lu’s private elevator. This was a first since the beginning of time.
Does President Lu like this coffee and cake that much?
Is it really that delicious?
The receptionist decided to order coffee and cake for lunch later too.
Without stopping, he reached the top floor quickly. Coming out of the elevator, Yan Heqing passed the secretary’s office. Just as he was about to pass, the secretary smiled and said, “Go straight ahead, deliver it to the office.”
Yan Heqing nodded and continued walking inside for a while, arriving at the General Manager’s office.
He bent his fingers and knocked gently on the door. “Mr. Lu.”
Lu Lin put down the report. “Come in.”
Yan Heqing pushed the door open, carried the things to the desk, put them down lightly, and said, “Your coffee and cake, please enjoy.”
This time he didn’t use the formal “You”.
He turned to leave, but was stopped by Lu Lin. “Have you eaten?”
Yan Heqing looked back, revealing a bit of confusion. “Not yet.”
Lu Lin nodded his chin towards the front left. “Courtesy demands reciprocity. Today I’m treating you to a meal.”
Yan Heqing looked in that direction. Several sofas, a coffee table, and on the coffee table were several boxes of food.
Yan Heqing couldn’t quite figure out Lu Lin’s meaning. Did he specifically call him over to eat lunch?
He looked back again. “I eat alone?”
Lu Lin picked up the report and continued reading. “En, I’ve already eaten.”
Yan Heqing was quiet for a moment, then walked to the sofa and sat down.
There were five dishes in total: Lotus Root and Rib Soup, Oyster Sauce Lettuce, Corn and Green Beans Stir-fried with Cashews, Pineapple Black Pepper Beef Cubes, and Shredded Pork in Beijing Sauce.
There was also a box of fruit.
All untouched.
Yan Heqing glanced at Lu Lin out of the corner of his eye. The man was focused on flipping through the report.
The office was very quiet. Yan Heqing withdrew his gaze, sat down, and picked up the rice.
It was different from the rice he usually ate.
It had a strong natural rice fragrance, each grain was full, and it tasted slightly sweet when chewed.
The lotus root was the same, stewed very soft and glutinous, leaving a lingering fragrance in the mouth. The ribs were premium ribs, cut evenly and standard, the meat falling off the bone upon entering the mouth, melting with a sip.
The other dishes were also light and fresh, with a balanced nutritional combination.
The rice was neither too much nor too little; the amount in one box was just enough to fill two bowls.
While Yan Heqing was concentrating on eating, Lu Lin’s peripheral vision swept over him from time to time.
The boy ate quietly and quickly, and wasn’t picky, eating whatever he picked up.
Being human means having preferences, having food one doesn’t want to eat. If not, then one doesn’t have the conditions to be picky.
“I don’t know your tastes,” Lu Lin spoke up. “If there are dishes you don’t like, don’t force yourself.”
Yan Heqing’s chewing motion paused slightly. This was the first time someone told him he could be picky about food.
After a moment, he pushed away the Shredded Pork in Beijing Sauce. “The shredded pork is too sweet, I’m not used to eating it.”
Lu Lin turned a page. “Then don’t eat it.”
Yan Heqing really didn’t pick up the Shredded Pork in Beijing Sauce again. Occasionally, there were sounds of bowls and chopsticks rubbing in the office.
About twenty minutes passed. Except for the Shredded Pork in Beijing Sauce, Yan Heqing finished the box of rice and four boxes of dishes cleanly.
He packed up the lunch boxes and repacked the Shredded Pork in Beijing Sauce. “Mr. Lu, can I take the remaining shredded pork? There are many stray cats where I live.”
Lu Lin’s gaze brushed over the untouched fruit. “There’s also fruit.”
“They don’t seem to eat fruit.”
Lu Lin turned another page, his head slightly lowered, hiding the emotions in his eyes. “You eat the fruit yourself.”
Yan Heqing left with a box of fruit and a box of Shredded Pork in Beijing Sauce.
He still took Lu Lin’s private elevator and reached the lobby in two minutes.
Carrying the things back, the male waiter glanced curiously and said sarcastically, “Hey, this delivery is interesting. Carried a bag out, carried a bag back. And why were you gone for so long? Don’t you know the shop is busiest at noon?”
Zhang Qing rolled her eyes at him. “You do the least work but talk the most. Yesterday noon you went out for an hour, did anyone say a word about you?”
The male waiter immediately changed to a smiling face. “I was just saying it in passing, I didn’t mean to blame Little Yan. Who doesn’t know, Lu Corp’s elevators are so crowded during lunch break. This is considered coming back fast.”
This time no one replied to him. He touched his nose awkwardly and stopped talking.
After getting off work in the afternoon, Yan Heqing carried the things home. He first went to give the stray cats a few pieces of half-price cake from the shop and that box of Shredded Pork in Beijing Sauce, before carrying the fruit home.
The temperature in winter was low, and the fruit was preserved well. Actually, they weren’t very expensive fruits, just very common green grapes, kiwis, red heart pomelos, cherries, and strawberries.
Yan Heqing was quiet for a few seconds. He took out his phone and took a picture of the fruit.
He posted it to his Moments.
He didn’t set it to be visible only to Lu Lin. His contact list only had Lu Lin anyway.
“The fruit is especially sweet.”
He added five words.
After posting, Yan Heqing exited WeChat. He opened his messages and typed a message.
“Fengzhi, are you asleep?”
Click send.
A few minutes later, Lin Fengzhi replied, “No, is something up?”
Yan Heqing picked up a cherry. It was very red and large. He typed, “Nothing, just wanted to say goodnight to you.”
Lin Fengzhi was trying on the clothes he would wear on Saturday. This set was a pure white suit. After trying it on, he was still not quite satisfied. He casually picked up his phone and saw the content Yan Heqing sent. His chest suddenly felt hot.
Suddenly a bit embarrassed.
These past few days, he had been single-mindedly thinking about seeing Lu Lin at the wedding and had forgotten about Yan Heqing.
But Yan Heqing was thinking of him all the time, even remembering to say goodnight to him.
Lin Fengzhi called back. “Did I disturb you?”
Yan Heqing’s voice was gentle. “No, I’m eating fruit.”
Lin Fengzhi said “Oh” and was a bit excited. “Then help me pick an outfit! I’m wearing it on Saturday. What’s your WeChat? I’ll add you.”
“It’s just my phone number.”
Lin Fengzhi added him immediately. After it was approved, he threw a video call over. Yan Heqing answered instantly.
The video connected. Lin Fengzhi held the phone high, displaying his styling from all angles. “How is this suit?”
Yan Heqing looked at it and suddenly asked, “What occasion are you wearing it for?”
Lin Fengzhi didn’t want Yan Heqing to intervene in his private life yet, especially liking Lu Lin, which was his secret.
He said vaguely, “Just an ordinary wedding banquet.”
“Then I suggest you wear casual clothes.” Yan Heqing smiled. “It suits your temperament and won’t steal the groom’s thunder.”
Lin Fengzhi couldn’t say that the wedding he was attending was a high-end occasion that required formal wear.
Yan Heqing couldn’t come into contact with these etiquettes, he shouldn’t have asked for his opinion.
Lin Fengzhi changed the subject. “Are you busy these days?”
“Same as before.” Yan Heqing ate a cherry. “Part-time jobs to earn some living expenses.”
Lin Fengzhi nodded. He had sharp eyes and suddenly glimpsed the takeout box on the coffee table. It was the logo of his favorite restaurant.
Consumption there was not cheap.
Just the box Yan Heqing was eating cost at least a few hundred yuan.
Lin Fengzhi was very strange. “Did you buy the fruit yourself?”
Yan Heqing swallowed the cherry, his fingertips stained with purple-red juice. He pulled out a tissue to wipe his fingers. “No, a friend gave it to me.”
“Your friend treats you well.” Lin Fengzhi thought to himself that Yan Heqing actually had such a rich friend. “Buying you fruit at a Black Pearl Three Diamond restaurant.”
Yan Heqing only knew the meal Lu Lin treated him to shouldn’t be cheap, but he didn’t expect it to be Black Pearl Three Diamond.
He hadn’t learned about high-end restaurants, only roughly knew they weren’t cheap. He was slightly distracted, and after a moment said, “En, he treats me quite well.”
Lin Fengzhi asked casually, “Man or woman?” He joked, “If it’s a woman, she probably has feelings for you and is chasing you.”
Yan Heqing smiled, noncommittal, and asked back, “If he really has feelings for me, do you think I should agree to him?”
“I haven’t met her, I can’t give you an opinion.” Lin Fengzhi touched his chin. “But for things like love, it mainly depends on feeling. Some people feel right at first glance, while others can only be friends no matter how good they are to you. If you have feelings, date boldly. Don’t consider other factors.”
The corners of Yan Heqing’s lips curved very gently. “You seem very experienced. Do you have someone you like?”
He let it slip! Lin Fengzhi felt very guilty. He avoided Yan Heqing’s gaze. “No… By the way, it’s getting late, I won’t talk to you anymore. Goodnight!”
Yan Heqing didn’t reply goodnight. He smiled, “Wish you a pleasant weekend.”
Mentioning the weekend, Lin Fengzhi thought of Lu Lin, and his whole heart instantly became soft and sweet.
This weekend would definitely be very pleasant!
His eyes curved into crescents. “En, you too, have a pleasant weekend!”